Should you feel insulted?

[Wompet]

If they mean it as a compliment, I thank them and correct them as gently as I can.
If they're trying to be insulting, I usually ignore them, but occasionally I'll mess with their minds a little.

"Nice skirt!"
(Me, looking around confusedly) "Where?"
"Where's what?"
(Me, still acting confused) "The woman in the skirt."
"What woman in a skirt?"
"The one you mentioned."
"When?"
"When you said 'nice skirt'."
etc.

Sometimes it's just fun to see how long it takes them to catch on.

[Jimmy]

I suppose the great thing about living in Scotland is that the kilt is really accepted amongst its population, ony once has someone told me that I was wearing a skirt and that was a close friend that used to go abroad with me to Scotland games,he said this only to wind me up.
Now that most of the male population will wear a kilt at some point in their life, wind-ups such as singing 'Donald where your troosers' are a thing of the past. The sad thing is that kilt wearing in Scotland is so accepted that at times you feel ignored and when you wear a kilt you do like a bit of attention

[Ryan Ross]

No matter who says it, or in what manner they say it, I simply reply with a polite "thank you" and a smile. Not that I have heard it for years, because I don't think I have! Am I insulted? No, of course not, because they are actually speaking the truth!

If some unruly, immature idiot is out for trouble, there is absolutely no point in throwing fuel on his fire and making the situation worse by responding impolitely or aggressively. Take the wind out of their sails by acknowledging the 'compliment' gratefully. That's my policy.

Take care,
Ham.

Perfectly stated. There's never really anything good to be gained from being confrontational with someone.

Japanese men have a similar garment and they just call it a skirt.

She may have been thinking of a hakama:



I've been wearing these things, for martial arts practice, for years (longer than I've been wearing the kilt, actually). They do have individual legs (most of the time), but it really does feel very much like I imagine a light weight, ankle length kilt might... though, in the case of the hakama, the pleats DO go in the front.

[Jack Daw]

If I hear some stranger make such a remark at a bar, then I ignore it. But, I have a female co-worker that has continuously referred to it as a skirt in order to needle me. We are not friends and she has some 'personality' problems, which have gotten her in trouble in the past. I corrected her the first couple of times, giving her the benefit of the doubt thinking she didn't know what to call it, but she continued to use "skirt" thereafter. So, I had to warned her that "cultural diversity and sensitivity" is a company policy for everone, not just minorities.

[Baysideboy]

On Tartan Day, after being kilted in the streets all day, I finally made it home, real late, and very tired. When I got to my neighborhood, which is full of trendy bars and clubs, I hear this guy yell, "Hey nice skirt...you look real sexy in it!" I just stood silently, waiting for the light to change. He yelled at me again. I just stayed quiet; I was too tired to come up with a witty response and went on my way, not wanting to get into a confrontation with some drunk.

A few blocks later, a guy says, "Great kilt!" I smiled, said "Thanks." We chatted, one thing led to another, and I finally walked the last few blocks home early the next morning...

[Woodsheal]

If the person is clearly trying to be obnoxious, I've used:
"You're either ignorant or rude; which is it?"

Or:
"If I wanted to dress like a woman, I'd wear jeans like you."

I do like the "pajama" exchange, though...!

[Galician]

Good one!

I do the same thing when asked if I play the pipes...... No, do you play the tuba?

I just say, "No, not the pipes. I just play the radio."

[Coemgen]

Either ignore them, laugh it off, or mess with their minds (as per Wompet).

And, in any case, try not to particularly care what they think.

[Tommie]

My typical exchange:

Idiot: "Nice Skirt"
ME: "Thanks.... those are great PAJAMAS you're wearing."
Idiot: "I'm not wearing pajamas"
ME: "and I'm not wearing a skirt".

ROFL Now I have GOT to remember that one.

[Alaskan Kilted Guy]

Wow, great responses here! It all depends on the situation and how the person comes off in their delivery. It also depends on my mood. Sometimes I don't mind a little confrontation, other times I feel like ignoring it, others a little educational chat is in order.