Wife does not like me in a kilt

[biblemonkey]

Here are photo's of my kilt outfits, this when I first got them. I was given the 2 complete kilt and jackets, I have since altered the kilts so thing fit better, the person who had these before me was taller. My wife is great with most of what I have done and we have had 44 great years. I was just venting, disappointed and not sure what I will do, but getting a new wife is not in the picture, because other than this she has been the greatest thing in my life.

Wait, THAT'S what she said looked dorky? I'm confused too. My advice would still be to dress down just a tad. A pair of colored hose that compliments the tartan and a nice sweater with a dress shirt is more acceptable to some folks in a non dress-up type situation. Ditch the bonnet for regular wear too. It takes some getting used to but unless she is a real busy body and a jerk she should be able to come around if you can get her to see the kilt in a different way and explain your desire to kilt in a reasonable way. I know my pastor and some of the members of our worship team were dead set against it and made some wise cracks but they are coming around VERY slowly but surely. The fact that I dress nicer when in the kilt probably has somthing to do with it.

[Dixiecat]

Its just confusing!

And? If confusion is all you're complaining about, then you're being absurd and melodramatic. Not the way to win respect and indulgence from your wife.

My ex was a hunter when I met him. Ducks and grouse mostly with the occasional moose or caribou. I'd not been brought up that way and had no experience. Guns make me uncomfortable. However, I went hunting with him once and was given lessons on how to handle the gun. Lovely day, the dog enjoyed the hike and we didn't see any birds, but that was the only and last time I went. I found I still was uncomfortable with the gun and found I disliked the thought of hunting. However, I never once stood in his way to go hunting and never disallowed him his purchase of a gun when he wanted it. I even allowed the guns in the house as long as they were properly secured and locked away. He respected my feelings enough to buy a proper door and lock for our furnace room and put his guns there.

You have to give as well as take. And, it looks like your wife is doing the giving. And, as it's harder to give when the person dislikes or is uncomfortable with the gift, I think that deserves more respect than whining about the dislike.

[GreenDragon]

And? If confusion is all you're complaining about, then you're being absurd and melodramatic. Not the way to win respect and indulgence from your wife.

My ex was a hunter when I met him. Ducks and grouse mostly with the occasional moose or caribou. I'd not been brought up that way and had no experience. Guns make me uncomfortable. However, I went hunting with him once and was given lessons on how to handle the gun. Lovely day, the dog enjoyed the hike and we didn't see any birds, but that was the only and last time I went. I found I still was uncomfortable with the gun and found I disliked the thought of hunting. However, I never once stood in his way to go hunting and never disallowed him his purchase of a gun when he wanted it. I even allowed the guns in the house as long as they were properly secured and locked away. He respected my feelings enough to buy a proper door and lock for our furnace room and put his guns there.

You have to give as well as take. And, it looks like your wife is doing the giving. And, as it's harder to give when the person dislikes or is uncomfortable with the gift, I think that deserves more respect than whining about the dislike.

We both do the giving, trust me.

[billmcc]

[QUOTE=biblemonkey;967215]My advice would still be to dress down just a tad. Ditch the bonnet for regular wear too.QUOTE]

I agree with the above suggestions. Wearing traditional Highland accessories all the time tends to make one look like he is wearing a costume. Try wearing normal clothing items with your kilt. Look more American and less Scottish.

[MacBean]

I am new to kilting, we are on vacation and I thought or hopped that I could try wearing my kilts. My wife is not very enthused with my kilting, she said I look like a Dork and made a crack about cross dressing, so unless I go to Celtic Games by myself, I not sure but I think my kilting days have been short.

First off, you have some nice kit there; well done! I'd agree with other comments about simplifying a bit (no bonnet, get different hose). The next more difficult bit can be deciding when and when not to wear which pieces. The doublet, though lovely, is really very formal for most occasions in the USA (if that's where you are).

For me, I tried wearing a kilt first at our Christmas dinner. The festivity of the occasion made it flow more easily. Vacation? I wouldn't wear it then myself. As for the dorkishness, there's an element of truth in that I think, but if you wish to wear the kilt, I think you have to get past that. I think the vast majority of people think kilts look very fine; it's probably just a question of getting used to it, and picking the right occasion to get her used to it.

Ever consider taking her to Scotland? (not to wear the kilt, but just to gain an affinity).

[The Thirsty Viking]

Hummm....maybe a new thread "Dork in Kilt" Pics Embrace the inner dork.

Taken the scientific sense... the above sentence is a bit alarming...

[Burly Brute]

[QUOTE=billmcc;967261]

My advice would still be to dress down just a tad. Ditch the bonnet for regular wear too.QUOTE]

Look more American and less Scottish.

Like maybe throw on a cowboy hat or some aviator glasses? Maybe some flip-flops! Haha. We Americans sure are a non-sensible group, aye?

[Spartan Tartan]

Taken the scientific sense... the above sentence is a bit alarming...

Ahhh yes...no one wants to see a humpback wale kilted as might be suggested...

[Cowher]

This post is quite presumptive. The wording is hostile and rude in my opinion.
Respect and communication will crumble many walls in any relationship.

And? If confusion is all you're complaining about, then you're being absurd and melodramatic. Not the way to win respect and indulgence from your wife.

My ex was a hunter when I met him. Ducks and grouse mostly with the occasional moose or caribou. I'd not been brought up that way and had no experience. Guns make me uncomfortable. However, I went hunting with him once and was given lessons on how to handle the gun. Lovely day, the dog enjoyed the hike and we didn't see any birds, but that was the only and last time I went. I found I still was uncomfortable with the gun and found I disliked the thought of hunting. However, I never once stood in his way to go hunting and never disallowed him his purchase of a gun when he wanted it. I even allowed the guns in the house as long as they were properly secured and locked away. He respected my feelings enough to buy a proper door and lock for our furnace room and put his guns there.

You have to give as well as take. And, it looks like your wife is doing the giving. And, as it's harder to give when the person dislikes or is uncomfortable with the gift, I think that deserves more respect than whining about the dislike.

[Mike_Oettle]

Dork in a kilt? No way. Bill wears it well.
I would second the advice to wear different hose (plenty of threads that mention white or off-white hose).
But dropping the bonnet is not necessarily a good suggestion.
I have been wearing a bonnet (when outdoors) fulltime for the past nine months, after taking delivery of one from Scotweb (and receiving another as a gift from an X Marker).
But my circumstances are somewhat different from those of the OP.
When I met my wife (again, since we had been classmates in junior school) I was already a member of a kilted regiment. I occasionally wore my kilt around the flat (apartment), and (especially in cold weather) wore my khaki army tammie.
I was seriously interested in buying a kilt when I handed in my regimental one, but the prices quoted to me were quite alarming, and I dropped the idea for the next three decades (and nearly a half).
When I took up a fresh interest in tartans and kilts last year, I already had a sizeable collection of books on tartan.
I had kept my army tammie on leaving the regiment (it was threadbare, having been worn constantly from the time it was made in 1942), and have worn it at home whenever the weather was cold.
(Without some head cover, I develop a painful neuralgia in cold weather.)
Having ordered and taken delivery of my new tammie, I felt obliged to wear it on every occasion to justify the expense of its acquisition.
So despite my wife’s very English disparagement of the kilt, she acceded to my expressed interest in acquiring one (although she made me wait until the end of last year).
My advice to f150k is to persevere in wearing the kilt, especially around the house, but also on appropriate occasions out of the home.
Give your wife time to get used to the idea, and expose her to information of the kind that is plentiful at X Marks.
I would be interested to hear in, say, six months’ time, what her opinion is.
Regards,
Mike