The Kilt and Anxiety

[CMcG]

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Has anyone else had this feeling. How did/do you overcome?

I am not prone to panic or anxiety attacks, in the medical sense of those words. If one is experiencing those things, it is possible that a doctor might be able to help...

I have, however, had anxious doubt before stepping out wearing the kilt. This occurred on two occasions and both times I ended up feeling out of place. The first was when I ran errands in my kilt and the second was going out for a nice dinner with my lass.

In my analysis after the fact, it was because the kilt itself felt out of place. In Canada's largest city, one sees various types of national attire on a daily basis and no-one bats an eye. On those two occasions where I felt nervous, no-one made any negative comments at all. The feeling was coming from me!

This lead me to conclude that I prefer to reserve my public kilting for special occasions like weddings or specifically Gaelic events like Burns Night or Saint Patrick's Day. In the first blossom of an interest in kilting, many members of the rabble feel compelled to wear the kilt as often as possible. If that works for you, great! If it doesn't, there is no shame in wearing the kilt only for events.

That being said, I wear a kilt around the house quite often

On another track of thought about this issue, I definitely feel more comfortable about wearing the kilt to special events now that I have more and better kit. The amazingly knowledgable members of this forum have helped me to understand the maze of dress codes in regards to formality, so that I can dress appropriately for the occasion. It's not to say that I felt really anxious when I had less kit. But I have definitely noticed a relationship between feeling confident in the kilt and having enough gear to put together proper outfits for any event I might attend.

Cowher, I seem to recall reading that you play in a pipe band. Do you experience anxiety about the kilt as a uniform with them?