Do most people whom you meet ask about your kilt?

[Mychael Sporrano]

Kilting is a tremenous confidence builder, isn't it!!

In my experience it sure is; however, you had better have some confidence going into it!

I took a stroll last night into an adjoining neighborhood and had a girl from a dubious looking trio of teens say, "Kick-*** kilt." I also had two other positive responses from men my age (does kilt wearing seem to be primarily an over 40 yrs thing?? Maybe because few kids can afford 'em?). It is funny how a nice comment can bolster one's confidence. Of course, a negative comment can have the opposite effect sometimes

That is a tough situation with the kids, though, Graham. My two are young and rather proud of my kilts. They also wear kilts (my 5 yr old son was the first of us all to wear one when my mother-in-law brought back a kilt from the U.K. for my daughter (?!) a few years ago. She never wore it, so last winter I put my son into it for a funeral of a family member. He looked smashing, and I decided that I had to get in on the action!!)

I am not sure what I would do if I had older, disapproving kids or if I thought that my dress were causing them sincere grief. You have a very tough situation there with your immediate family. Offhand, I am inclined to say that were I in your situation, I would probably feel discouraged and tend to wear kilts less, possibly not at all other than around the house or in formal situations. This would be more a result of a poor spousal reaction than anything else, however, because I figure that kids are designed to be embarassed by mom and dad as a matter of due course. If it isn't a kilt, it'll be the family car or the way I greet their friends... You get my point.

When I first got a casual kilt my wife was funny about it and I do recall it bugged me to some extent that I sensed her discomfort when I would wear it out in public with her along. She was never overtly opposed but I could tell from her body language that she had concerns. She quickly got over her unease (after one outing!), but had she not I am not sure how things would have progressed.

Just curious, is it the casual kilt to which she objects, or to all kilts? I cannot recall your wife's answer in this regard from Blu's questionnaire.

It is becoming a big non-event in my life and I am grateful for that, makes me go on with my day like it is an every day occurrence for me to be kilted, and it is.

I don't live for attention, but I like standing out from the crowd a bit. My wife and I are both 'different' insofar that we do our own thing regardless of what others think. A few of the neighbors look askance at me. My mother-in-law dislikes my long hair, and she keeps asking my wife if I will ever wear pants again. Despite the fact that we get along very well, I still like that I can annoy her by simply being me <g>!

In a few weeks we are all attending the wedding of a family member who has specified casual dress is to be worn. Basically, it is a biker wedding, the type where a good bottle of Jack Daniels bourbon is considered an excellent choice of gift for both bride and groom. Mom-in-law asked me what I plan to wear... I ALWAYS wear a kilt, so to me it is a decision of WHICH kilt to wear. She is worried that the bikers will ridicule me and has suggested pants as an alternative. What she is worried about is being seen with me, I suspect, but she will deal with it just as she has dealt with introducing her long-haired son-in-law to her various friends over the years, usually with some qualifying comment such as, "But he is good to my daughter..." she sighs with resignation.

She at least deals with my choices. Conversely, my grandmother has asked me NOT to show up at her house anymore wearing my kilt. She feels that I look like a woman when viewed from behind. That bothers me, and I am still trying to decide how to handle the situation with granny. So, while in this situation I wish for my kilt wearing to be a non-event, I do enjoy to a certain extent that it does give my mother-in-law pause. I also like the compliments that I receive and am especially looking forward to my outings in my traditional kilt outfit.

Overall, wearing a kilt has been quite fun for me. Cannot say that about jeans, so I suppose what I am saying is that I hope kilt wearing doesn't become too much of a non-event <g>.

I suspect that there would be a greater stir and more comments if I wore a suit. Fairbanks is a that type of town...even the governor and our congressional delegates wear jeans and flannel shirts when they venture "north of the range"...wear a suit and people wonder who you are and what you are doing here..."must be the FBI".

I'll have to share that one. What a hoot; I really need to get to Alaska. Thanks for the morning laugh, AC!

Mychael