Grinding it Out, Kilted at Work, it Works!

[Graham]

Way to go Ron, I find working in a kilt is my greatest challenge, especially when meeting new clients in fancy offices or going into workshops.

Yesterday I worked in a motor bodyworks shop, signwriting a newly painted earthmoving machine.
I got a few looks but not a soul uttered a word! Most here just think I'm strange and leave it there.

[bubba]

But Graham, you're an ARTIST. You're SUPPOSED to be strange.

[kiltie as charged]

Way to go RK. I have noticed too that it is getting easier to go kilted.

[Andrew Breecher]

Andrew,
What bar? I'll stop by (kilted of course!)

Sunset Grill & Tap in Allston (130 Brighton Ave.). After this week, I'm moving next door to Big City (same owners). I hope my black UK comes in in time! I wear my khaki one now (the uniform here is khaki; the uniform at Big City is black).

Andrew.

[Jerry]

I'm glad I am retired. The plant in which I worked as an instrumentation technician would have not allowed kilts at work. This is for safety reasons. It is a chemical plant, and in addition to hazardous chmicals, there is a lot of rotating equipment where loose fitting garments could be caught and pull the wearer into harm's way. Even the women at the plant are restricted to wearing pants unless their job requires them to be out in the operating areas less than 5 or 10 percent of the time. In addition, electricians and instrument techs are restricted to cotton and other natural fibers, because synthetics could melt in the case of an electric shock or flash burn. All in all, it wouldn't have been a very "Kilt Friendly" enviroment.

[Declan Rowan]

I had a similar story about wearing pants for the first time in awhile when going to various places. I ran into my friends after work one day, and they were shocked bcause they had not seen me in pants in over a year. I sat there and went "wow, they're right!"

I'm debating wearing the kilt to work every day now myself. I wear the kilt on trainings for work (I'm with Americorps VISTA) and get away with it there, but I'm not sure how it would go with the VISTA site at the State Office of Volunteerism, though I may start during the summer. They already know I wear kilts since I wore it to a function before, but so far have not crossed into that last frontier.

[Riverkilt]

Still hanging in. Been three days straight kilted. The few questions and comments have died down.

Have been kilted to work before. This is the first time three days in a row, four tomorrow.

Wore my new navy mocker with a white cable knit sweater and white kilt hose with black wingtips yesterday.

Today went with a red an black buffalo check shirt, black workmans's black kilt hose and black wingtips.

Still figureing tomorrow's kilt.

Point is, it does work, even out here in the sticks of the canyonlands. If I persist, and grind on through all the "stuff" people feel compelled to ask the "stuff" dwindles away and I'm accepted.

As someone who sits for a living doing individual therapy and group therapy I'm sure is a LOT more comfortable kilted than when bifurcated

At clinical staffing yesterday the same curious lesbian coworker asked me in front of the assembled clinical staff, "So, are you wearing anything under your kilt?" This time my response was firm and direct, "Do you think I'm stupid?" She flushed with embarassment and turned away.

Then the young "Baby Huey" sized young Mormon therapist next to her said very sincerely, "I want a kilt, I'm gonna get one, they're cool." Of course he has a list of kiltmakers addies now. We'll see what develops there.

This dang well ain't for the faint of heart though. As my grandfather Murdoch often told me, "If you hire out as a tough guy then you'd best be one."

Ron

[GMan]

Ron,

Glad to hear that people are getting used to seeing you kilted. It truly does ease off on the comments, and people who ask serious questions (like where do I get one?) become the order of the day.

Well done.

[Alan H]

Excellent, just all 'round excellent, and congratulations.

[Rob Wright]

Ron, you keep going like you are soon people will only comment when you wear trousers

Rob