Accosted for NOT wearing a Kilt

[cessna152towser]

I have been following interestedly the thread "Accosted for Wearing a Kilt".
Well, today was a first for me, being accosted by an English visitor, right here in Scotland in my home town, for not wearing a kilt.
I live near the English border so we are conditioned to meeting day trippers from England in town, at least 99% of whom know already that the kilt is not every day wear for most of us Scots.
This guy was on the town High Street, wearing a top emblazoned with a very prominent English St. George Cross and accosting people to ask in his English accent why we were not wearing kilts.
I admit to being caught out when he confronted me, demanding to know "Where is YOUR kilt today?", by my hurried reply that perhaps its a bit too cold for the kilt today. If I had anticipated this I would of course have pointed out that the kilt is a very warm garment but that for today I was required to wear the trousered uniform of the school bus driver. Next time that will be my answer.

[tripleblessed]

Happens to me from time to time, as people mostly only see me in kilts. Like someone else posted recently, I'll hear "Oh, it's you.
I didn't recognize you with your pants on.". Usually someone who doesn't know me well, but only through bluegrass or farmers
markets.

[Jock Scot]

Those that know me would not think to ask and those that don't know me have, thus far, never asked. I suppose I must have met a lot of polite people.

[Father Bill]

Those that know me would not think to ask and those that don't know me have, thus far, never asked. I suppose I must have met a lot of polite people.

Nah.

People are just scared to speak to you, Jock. ;)

[John_Carrick]

I got was told off twice in the pub the other night for wearing black trousers.
"Oh you don't wear a kilt anymore, that's a shame".

[48HofC]

Was the gentleman inebriated by chance?

[OC Richard]

Being a piper it's expected that I arrive at a gig in Highland Dress.

For sure I would be questioned (if not accosted) if I showed up in ordinary clothes.

Sometimes it's assumed by the client, but usually they mention it when the gig is booked. I assure them that whether a client mentions it or not I show up in Highland Dress.

I've told this before but I have to chuckle (inwardly) whenever a client asks if I will show up in my "Full Kilt".

A piper friend of mine, years ago, who was doing loads of gigs all the time, got exasperated with hearing that question several times a week. Once he said to me "One of these days I'm going to answer 'No, for your event I was planning to wear my Half Kilt!"

If for some reason I happen to have my pipes in my hands while wearing ordinary clothes people will call out "where's your kilt?"

In like manner if I'm in Highland Dress and I don't happen to have my pipes in my hands people call out "where are your pipes?"

[Father Bill]

In like manner if I'm in Highland Dress and I don't happen to have my pipes in my hands people call out "where are your pipes?"

Yes, I confess that I get tired of the assumption that because I'm kilted I must be a piper.

Actually, my oldest instrument is an upright bass.

[Tarheel]

In like manner if I'm in Highland Dress and I don't happen to have pipes in my hands people call out "where are your pipes?"

I don't play the pipes and got this for the first two years of wearing a kilt in my town. I now get, "Where's your kilt."

[KiltedSergeant]

Well, today was a first for me, being accosted by an English visitor, right here in Scotland in my home town, for not wearing a kilt.

Sorry to go off topic a bit, but I noticed that you are from Hawick, I just had to tell you that- in addition to owning at least a couple pair of hose made in Hawick- I stayed there for ten days during the 2009 Gathering in Edinburgh. We rented a house outside the town, so spent a lot of our time shopping, eating, and obtaining other services (my glasses broke the first day there, so needed new frames!) I have very fond memories of the wonderful town and lovely people who we met there daily. I'd say you're lucky to live in such a nice place. My thanks to you- as representative of your town - for your town's kindness.

I have another story (though too long to fully recount here) about our first day traveling towards town, when we stopped to ask directions to "Haywick" and no one knew what we were talking about until one of them said, "Oh, you mean 'Hoyk'!" Everyone got a good laugh at the funny Yank that didn't know how to pronounce it correctly. I was laughing too, of course, and it's still one of my favorite memories.

p.s. I never saw a person wearing a kilt in Hawick