Are you taken seriously?

[bear]

Really? I find I get taken less seriously, or people tend to blow me off more often. Odd, because now I jsut get "that guy is weird" looks and attitued as oppsoeed to "he's one of those 'teenagers', watch the merchandise" looks.

I think that's more of an age thing than a kilt thing. When us grey hairs go into a shop in a kilt, we're thought of as dressed up.
A teen is thought to be rebellious.

[David Thornton]

It is absolutly an age thing.
I require a young producer to be in jacket & tie every day, not just when working with clients. They must present a better than expected appearance to gain the confidence of the potential customer. They can't sell if they can't get past the first impression.
Once established, like us older guys, there is more latitude in dress (bad pun, I know) acceptance.
David

[Hamish]

It has been so long (almost 6½ years) since I could possibly have gone shopping in anything other than a kilt, that I have quite forgotten what level of service I might have received when alternatively dressed!

On the other hand, I am inclined to agree with Bear and David, in that it is an "age thing" - much as it is when on the receiving end, or not (!), of those wonderful compliments from passing strangers. Us wrinklies and/or crumblies notice that the frequency with which compliments are paid declines as we grow older - at least, this one notices it!

[auld argonian]

We picked up some new bedclothes over the weekend and there must be something wrong with the dye lot...unacceptable - they have to be taken back to the store.

My wife asks, "Do you think that they'll give you any trouble returning them?"

"Not if I'm wearing a kilt when I take them back." quoth I.

...and I get that "oh-no-he's-actually-going-to-do-this" look.

Taken seriously? Moi?

best

AA

[Riverkilt]

I live in a very rural town where customer service is yawning and grouchily saying, "Ya, whaddya want?" as if customers are a bother. Such a big problem that the mayor started customer service training classes for free for merchants and their staffs. Of course no one came to the classes and the idea died...

Since I started shopping kilted I've noticed I get much less of that attitude. Where I'm new to the shop they are curious and want to find out "what's up?" Where I'm a repeat customer I'm "the kilted guy."

Sadly, sometimes the interest is just that they want to try out their new kilt line on me...but what the heck, I'm used to that and they're waiting on me.

Ron

[Wompet]

I wasn't taken that seriously in pants, so no difference there.
BUT - those ubiquiitous sales staff, who are always asking "Can I help you? Are you looking for something in particular? Would you like to look at our new line of _____?" - they don't bother me anymore. I can go into a store, get what I need and/or want, buy it and walk out without having to deal with a single one of them.:grin:
And should I happen to need one, there's no way they can pretend to have not noticed the only kilted customer in the place!

[Jewddha]

Well, I find it fairly rude, as I treat everyone of all ages the same (have a few years in retail work). But my point was not that, it was that when I'm kilted I'm no longer a menace to society, just some crazy nut. For example, two people I see on my mornign walk to school (as in 4 days a week, for the past 2 years) give me either an absolutely shocked gaze or completely ignore me when I'm kilted (compared to a nod or a polite hello on bifurcated days).