Why do we have to justify wearing a kilt?

[kc8ufv]

Nobody questions the kilt when I wear one of two shirts. The question is on one, and answers are on the back, the other says Down with pants, Up with Kilts.

[OC Richard]

When kilted (nearly always going to or from a piping gig) I usually get no reaction, or sometimes get a positive one such as "nice kilt!"

Once in a blue moon I do get the "why are you dressed like that?" and I say I'm a piper out doing a gig.

When I get the "where are your bagpipes?" I say "there in my car".

There's strength in numbers and many's the time our entire Pipe Band has descended on some Starbucks or restaurant or pub in full kit.

One of the oddest reactions came a while back: my Pipe Major and I were in line at a burger place, on our way home from a gig, in full kit, when some guy accosted us asking why we were wearing kilts. He was acting strangely and talking in a strange fake Russian accent or some such. When we explained that we were pipers coming from a gig he brightened up and switched to his real accent, a heavy Scottish one. Turns out he's a very nice guy, a recent immigrant from Scotland, and the pastor of a local church who preaches kilted. Since that chance meeting I've played at his church a couple times including his daughter's wedding!

[Mike in Dayton]

This says it all

[Damocles]

my stranded answer to why am i wearing a kilt is, because if i were naked id get arrested!
the most common question i get asked and this could be a condemnation of the company i keep is what am i wearing under the kilt,
if is some one i find attractive well that's obvious and if not then i say, are you wearing any thing under yours?
or i sometimes say, did your mother tell you that its ok to ask a stranger about his underwear. shame can be a wonderful tool for pointing out peoples rudeness
i am in the US and Americans have no social grace as a rule!

[Newfoundlander]

Thursday I had to go into town and it was very wet and very windy so I wore trousers. When I got back home I had to drop some shopping off at my daughters (next door).
As I walked in they all stared at me and my eldest granddaughter (14) said "Grandad, why are you WEARING TROUSERS?"

I give up!

Chris.

That's brilliant! =) There really is no way to win. I say wear what ye like and what odds about the rest!

Cheers, John

[chrisupyonder]

Well for anyone really wanting a reason to wear a kilt on any day, check out this web site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/onthisday/






On this day in 1297, William Wallace led his troops to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.


You will find something for every day of the year.

Chris.

[LANCER1562]

I wear mine to church every Sunday, some times to Highland Games, Burns Nights, St. Andrews Nights.

[WV7159]

I tell em that it is comfortable and it is just another article of clothing, but yea I agree that one shouldn't have to justify why they are wearing a kilt.

[Jimmy]

Well no one has ever asked me that!

However I think you are right Jimmy, on most occasions people do just want to talk to you and unfortunately they unwittingly choose the worst possible opening shot.

Talking generally now,whilst I have not encountered the comments, or the "question", that you chaps have suffered, I can, after many years, spot the look, the quick conversation with others in a group, the nudges , the go on ask him, and the inevitable meek sidle up and the then beaming smile to ask if they could take a picture and of course I oblige, particularly if they are pretty and then cameras appear from nowhere and a pleasant few minutes are had by all. If I only had a £ for every picture that I have taken of me, I could have retired long ago.

Now I stay where the kilt is expected, well, supposed to be anyway, and you, particularly outwith Scotland, are not. Now don't get all fired up about that, hear me out! Most of you chaps are sticking out like a sore thumb by wearing the kilt, in the environment that you live in and I am sure, by the many comments made here on this website, that even subconsciously you are on the defensive-----I WOULD BE-----and as such, any comment is naturally regarded with suspicion. It is bound to be and of course the inevitable happens, the person asking the question can, sometimes, be wrongly regarded as a jerk. He may be, of course, but I suspect more often than not, all he really did was inadvertently ask the wrong question in the wrong way to a fairly sensitive kilt wearer.

Just observing, that's all.

Jock, interesting what you say about the appearance of the camera , how it seems to appear in your direction. Do you think we kilt wearers are like Celtic supporters (I'm one) and have a degree of paranoia about us. Even at last weekend up in Pitlochry, I felt that the camera on quite a few occassions had been snapping at me from various sources, mostly from oriental sources.
Or Jock am I a typical Celtic supporter who feels that the world is against us?I know the world is not against us but everyone in football is against us and even lots outside football. Tell me I'm not paranoid?

[Jock Scot]

Well Jimmy, as you like football that does go against you somewhat, but on balance I would say that you are not paranoid. But then, what do I know?