Kilts in the office

[Silverlake_Punk]

I have to agree with Schultz and Cav. The diplomatic route is the best one to take. I live in California, but I'm originally from the Chicago suburbs, and I am familiar with how uptight Lake/Cook/DuPage county folks can be. Being confrontational about it is just going to sour any good relations you have, make you look like a jerk, and may get you dejobbed pretty quick.

I wear the kilt daily to work, and I even wore my Thompson USAK when I spoke before the Los Angeles school board last year. But I'm protected by a pretty powerful teachers union, I maintain good relations with the principal, and I began wearing it in a way that didn't shove it in anyone's face. I wore it for me, wore it with pride, and while I didn't take any crap from anyone, I didn't give any out, either.

Bring some snapshots in and show them to your boss. If you approach it in a professional way, probably nobody's going to care one way or the other.

[Kilted Taper]

I'd also suggest the diplomatic route as well. My boss saw me out at a beer fest in my chocolate workman's UK. Some one else in the office was there as well and asked if I'd be allowed to wear it to work. The boss said no, but I've got to remember that it was a workman's and not something that would be allowed at work if it were pants. I too work in a conservative law firm in DC.

[chasem]

I wear the kilt daily to work, and I even wore my Thompson USAK when I spoke before the Los Angeles school board last year. But I'm protected by a pretty powerful teachers union, I maintain good relations with the principal, and I began wearing it in a way that didn't shove it in anyone's face. I wore it for me, wore it with pride, and while I didn't take any crap from anyone, I didn't give any out, either.

Teacher?

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

...... If this seems hostile and confrontational, it is. I have not yet hit the magical 12 cup mark on my coffee intake that makes life happy and wonderful. And I have had some bad kilting experiences lately. I do wish to make it known that I am not angry or onery at any of you.

Dread, no offense taken. This would be one approach and if I were older, or younger, or single, I might be willing to take it on, but being married with 2 lovely young daughters, at the middle of my career, and just finished a forced job change (last company went though a merger) that required us to pack up and move from FL to Chicago, I think I will go the other way.

I also have seen some of your late night posts, so can understand needing more coffee to be ready to face the world!

RJI

[Southern Breeze]

Take the diplomatic route.I asked my boss,(who also owns the company),if I could wear my kilt at work.Her reply-"If you're man enough,wear it!"So far I've no negative comments,only good ones.Most of our clients seem to love it!

[bubba]

Hey Dread, I have a solution for your problem. Get your doctor to PRESCRIBE kiltwearing as a health measure. The building management can't argue that.

[Riverkilt]

Warrior,

Don't know if it helps since I'm in the boonies, but I am a licensed professional counselor that works in an office environment. Started by wearing a kilt to an out of office social function with coworkers. Then started occasionally at work, including Celtic holidays. Finally just showed up kilted every day. Been six weeks now. Took the expected teasing and questions at first but its long past. Boss actually likes the spirit of it all and it makes him look good in the culture and diversity department.

And, check out the UK newsletter for Nov '04 with Jerry Griffin's story of getting hassled at UC Davis in 1988 and how he handled it. Its a bit of a ways down the page, look for the hunting pic. http://www.utilikilts.com/newsletters/2004-11/

Trying to figure out who #3 is. If its Wells Fargo shouldn't be any problem with their support of alternative life styles.

And, so you know, my choice of kilts for the office has been the contemporary solids, Utilikilt Mockers are much like slacks in looks since they're poly cotton and have similar pockets. Also wear solid AmeriKilts to the office. And today, discovered that my UK Survival IIs look much like Mockers from the front when the cargo pockets are unsnapped and left home.

I pretty much sit for a living and its well worth the initial effort it takes to work kilted.

Good luck, if you approach it like a mature, confident, adult you'll do well.

Remember, some of the worst things we ever "experience" never actually happen.

Ron

[davedove]

Remember, some of the worst things we ever "experience" never actually happen.

Wise words! Sometimes we worry so much about what might happen, we don't get to experience what really is happening.

I've gone through the cases when I worry what people might say when I wear a kilt, and still do from time to time. But most of the time, nobody says a thing.

[Riverkilt]

Somewhere there's a doctoral thesis for a psychology student, "Fears of going kilted."

And its SOOOOOO silly! ;)

I've had fears of going work kilted (Go home and change now or your fired!), going to AA kilted (endless laughing and pointing), going to a motorcycle rally kilted (Hey sissy boy, let me see what you got under there HA HA HA), going to jail on business kilted (We can't allow you in here like that), going to court on business kilted (You're in contempt!), et.al.

Yet in REAL life, I've NEVER had an encounter kilted that has angered or embarrassed me or anyone else...well, there was that one gust of wind at the Tuba City Flea Market this Spring...

The worst it gets is truely interested people expressing their interest in an awkward manner that comes out really stupid (Where are your bagpipes?), or an uncomfortable lesbian coworker (what do you wear under your kilt? How do you go to the bathroom in that?)

WHAT IS SO WEIRD FOR ME is that even after over a year of wearing kilts full time on my own time and to work daily for the last six weeks, those lingering fears of being humiliated for being "different" still rumble around in my brain and leak out at weird times.

Yesterday morning, kilting up for work, a thought ran through my head that I've made my point at work showing up kilted for six weeks. I should wear pants today. Common sense returned when I realized the discomfort the boys would endure for 10 hours of confinement, the thought passed, and I went to work kilted.

I'm an intelligent aware 60 year old licensed professional with a graduate degree, a product of the USMC, underground mining, law enforcement, corrections, parole, probation, bagging bodies, assisting at autopsies, fire dept crisis units, psych wards...in the trenches on the front lines. Been shot at and shot back with serious intent.

What is it in my core that fosters these silly little fears about wearing a long honored, historic, male garment to the supermarket?

All I can figure is that humans are tribal animals...some fear of being abandoned for daring to be different.

Fortunately, this silly fear seems to rapidly decline with the building of experience going about kilted....but a small bit seems to linger still and occasionally martial its forces and attack my brain.

Maybe an anthropologist would be better than a psychologist for this.

Reading these posts I don't think I'm the only one who can't totally quiet this silly latent fear. My hope is to soon smother it in 16 oz Strome!

Ron

[Eujeankilt]

WHAT IS SO WEIRD FOR ME is that even after over a year of wearing kilts full time on my own time and to work daily for the last six weeks, those lingering fears of being humiliated for being "different" still rumble around in my brain and leak out at weird times.
Ron

Ron,

It's interesting you mention that. I've only been wearing kilts full time to work for six weeks or so with absolutely no concern, except for stray winds. I've worn kilts with golf shirts or short sleeve dress/casual shirts and sandals or hiking boots. Today I wore kilt hose and nice casual shoes and I felt naked.

Logically, I know it's no different, but I guess that I had gotten used to how I looked and the change made feel like I was wearing kilts at work for the first time.

To be honest, in the past I have worried about what others think of me and wearing kilts was a way to force myself into the limelight, to expose myself to my fears (no pun intended).

We are indeed odd critters.....

Thanks for your post.


Dale