No more Kilts for me

[Blu (Ontario)]

I don't wear kilts to work either and I honestly don't think that it diminishes my enjoyment of the kilt experience one bit.

It's a choice one must make based on personal circumstances.... Raphael is making the right decision for his situation and gets full marks from me.

Colins point regarding the "cause" mentality is right on target.

blu

[O'Neille]

I only wear a kilt to work if I'm already dressed. like if I just stop by my office for a quick consult or something. Otherwise I put on my work "uniform" a suit. I really liked Colin's view, well put. Thank you, O'Neille

[macwilkin]

I don't wear kilts to work either and I honestly don't think that it diminishes my enjoyment of the kilt experience one bit.

It's a choice one must make based on personal circumstances.... Raphael is making the right decision for his situation and gets full marks from me.

Colins point regarding the "cause" mentality is right on target.

blu

Same here, Blu. I wear my kilt very rarely to work, usually when I am giving some sort of presentation for a local organization on Scottish heritage, or Tartan Day, etc.

My kilt is special to me because it symbolises my family heritage. If I have a "cause" associated with kilt-wearing, it is to promote Scottish heritage and culture, and Scottish contributions to the USA. But that is a personal cause only.

Colin raises a very good point about those who push their agenda of wearing a kilt FT on others; while I would never begrudge someone who does wear a kilt FT (more power to them, I say), it's not for me. The majority of FT'ers here, though, are not that way.

Cheers,

Todd

[Southern Breeze]

I'll have to say that I agree with Bubba and Colins posts on this. Follow what YOU feel is right.

[Mike1]

I don't wear kilts on a daily basis and have no real desire to do so. The type of work I do, I think I would feel the same as Raphael, less productive in a kilt.

As a matter of fact, it's been 2-3 weeks since I last wore a kilt.

I've no problem with the guys that wear them daily, whatever works for them is OK with me, even if it is not necessarily what works for me.

[Streetcar]

I think it's perfectly understandable.

When I worked uniformed patrol, taking off the uniform was part of the "decompression" process. It helped keep me from "taking my work home with me," so to speak.

Now that I'm in plainclothes, I still feel the same way. When I get home, I can't wait to change into something else (anything else!) just to mentally put my work behind me.

[bubba]

It's all simply a matter of what works for the individual. You'll have a helluva fight getting me back into jeans again, but that's my preference. We all know there are some things that preclude wearing a kilt. You wouldn't crawl under a car in a kilt (if you can help it) and even if kilts are permitted at work you wouldn't wear one if it reduced your effectiveness at your job. We all make choices based on what we're comfortable with and what we can do. Since raph feels wearing a kilt at work adversely affects his job performance his decision is the right one for him. As I've said before, kilt wearing isn't about causes and crusades, it's simply about clothing. Wear what works for you.

[pbpersson]

This is my fear:

If everyone thinks that a kilt should not be worn at work let's say that it should only be worn for "special" ocassions like maybe a trip to the local pub or a highland gathering rather than a valid fashion choice for all situations.

If women had thought that way they would still be forced to wear skirts and dresses at work.

I happen to believe that if kilts are more comfortable that trousers should be burned and reduced to a few pages in a history book somewhere.

I mean....if someone does not want to be comfortable at work that's okay as well but I hope the majority of the people on this forum don't feel that way.

I'm already surprised to hear so many agreeing with the concept that the kilt should be reduced to a "party-only garment" as opposed to an acceptable alternative to trousers.


Phil

[Colin]

trousers should be burned and reduced to a few pages in a history book somewhere.

Some people here feel that way about a traditional kilt......

To see pants eliminated, aren't you actually ruling out another option for men? Somehow I don't see construction crews or welders giving up jeans for a kilt.

Just enjoy the kilt and wear it when you want. Don't worry so much about changing the world one leg at a time. Kilts aren't for everyone (thank Gawd), or Walmart would be selling them (please NO!!!!!!!).

[Chris Webb]

I have to agree with Bubba and Colin as well. BUT, the fact remains that whether or not you are part of the "cause" you have still benefitted from the efforts of those who have been and continue to be a part of it. Because of the actions, tenacity, and raw intestinal fortitude of those who have gone before us the number of kiltmakers is growing, prices are coming down, more and more men have the option of wearing kilts to work and even more men are finding it easier to venture out in public in a kilt.

No doubt those who do participate in the "cause" of kilting often suffer consequences for it, even amongst the kilted few. Like most of the men here I truly enjoy wearing my kilts ... but my enjoyment came only by enduring malarky from my family, censure from a few bankers and business leaders, occasional grief from other kiltmen and at least 3 years of being the only kilted man in the whole of Johnson County, Texas. Wearing a kilt was tantamount to "Coming Out" in the minds of many nay-sayers around me and some of these folks even now are silent for no other reason than having been finally shouted down.

We are more free to wear kilts now than when I started, that's for certain. That "freedom" to wear kilts came of the backs (or hips) of modern kiltmen who endured worse than me and who put up their own money in the risky business of selling kilts to a trousered world. Freedom isn't free and it's those folks who lost, who risked, who dared to do it first that now gives us the freedom to even decide if we want to wear kilts at work or not.

In the end the "cause" of kilting is all about Freedom. It's a paradox that the movement of kilting, so founded on the issue of personal freedom, often finds contention in its' own ranks over issues of method. Folks of one inclination, kilting all the time, and folks of another, kilting only for play, represents only one example. I pretty much have to wear kilts for medical reasons, yet another sub group in the kilting whole. No matter what, though, no matter what little splinter any given kiltman falls into every kiltman is free to kilt in his own way.

Every kiltman should be encouraged by all others no matter where in the spectrum, the rainbow, of kilted men he falls. And every kiltman, no matter what his particular ilk, owes a debt of gratitude to those on the front lines of the "cause" of kilting, past and present. If not for them it is doubtful that any of us would have the freedom, even the opportunity, to ....

Kilt On.

Chris Webb