Overhearing People

[The Kilted Reverend]

Last thursday I was on vacation from work and decided to wear my kilt to my night class. After arriving before class started I went to the restroom only to gather up a group of onlookers upon my return. As I set in my desk I heard the laughs outside the door. I ignored them!

During a break I am talking to my teacher and she says she has never seen a kilt in person before. She then tells me that her family is Scots-Irish and that her son has his clan crest tattooed on his chest.

That conversation made up for the laughs of the ignorant.

TKR

[Donnie]

I was in a Dicks Sporting goods a while back, walked away from my wife a little while. When I got back to her, She told me that a man walked by her and said "At least he has the legs for it". I'm not sure what to make of it.

[Galb]

The best remarks, in my opinion, are the kids and their innocence. This always prompts a panic of the parents. That makes my day. One little girl in particular wouldn't take her eyes off me and kept smiling while in line to order food at a deli. She kept tugging on her mom's shirt, but her mother was in deep conversation with her friend. Finally the girl piped up with "Mommy! Look at the man in the skirt!" Her mom heard her then, and quickly turned to correct her. Her mother apologized profusely. I assured her it was ok and then proceeded to talk to her little daughter about it. I told her it was a kilt and men from Scotland wear them. I then asked if she liked it to which she replied "Yeah!" Shortly later we were seated by them and I interrupted their lunch to give the little girl a cookie I bought for her because "she liked the kilt".

I've also gotten some laughs, primarily because the wind interrupted my stride. Nothing was exposed that I am aware of, but those that were around got a kick out of seeing the "Scotsman get wind blown up his kilt". Although, it did happen in front of a couple women once and all they did was give me a smile I thought was going to get me in trouble with the wife. Luckily I think she was more concerned of my backside being exposed.

But one thing I have noticed, and this is a reaction I get form the older ladies, is "the question." Has anyone else experienced this? I rarely get asked by any young ladies or ladies my age, but put that age over 50 and they have no issue asking "So, what DO you wear under the kilt?"

[irishcoloradoan]

Just now, on my way back to work from lunch, there was a lady on a cellphone. As I passed by she said, "OMG, there's a guy here with a kilt on! Very nice!" as if I couldn't hear! I turned, gave her a wink and a smile.

Made my day!

[Pleater]

I passed a young couple - the woman was wearing a tight strip of denim around her hips and a short vest (singlet) - it was quite hot - the weather that is, not the outfit. I was hurrying to get to the bank and wearing a reverse Kingussie kilt with fifty small pleats which flash alternatly red and white.

I heard 'why don't your skirts move like that?'

I glanced back and got a hard stare from the woman, the man was still watching my pleats dance.

They must have been over thirty years younger than me, and I don't usually attract the attention of such youthful people.

Anne the Pleater

[george7]

While sound does travel more than people realize, part of the reason you hear the conversations, is you are more attuned to it when you are in the kilt. The mind is capable of much more than just functioning on the day-to-day level (a level most people spend their entire lives in.) Generally, people tend to tune out most sounds outside of their sphere of comfort (with the exception of sounds that warn of danger.) It has been my experience, a person can be taught to use this knowledge to selectively listen to conversations. To answer your question, it is normal for you to hear these things. Your mind is just bringing the comments regarding kilts to the conscious instead of dumping them in the subconscious.

Ah, Kilted Superpowers!

[acstoon]

I'm pretty good at minding my own business, so I don't take much notice to comments.
Besides, I've always marched to my own drumbeat, so I really don't give a rat's fuzzy butt as to what others think of my appearance. (When they're buying my clothes, then they can comment... until then, who cares?)

[Highlander31]

Ah, Kilted Superpowers!

Ahhh,....Grasshopper,...you are close.

[Tetley]

But one thing I have noticed, and this is a reaction I get form the older ladies, is "the question." Has anyone else experienced this? I rarely get asked by any young ladies or ladies my age, but put that age over 50 and they have no issue asking "So, what DO you wear under the kilt?"

I've no idea how old you are but I've certainly noticed that as I grew older, 40+, I was less concerned about how I looked to others and much less concerned about the opinions of most people, especially one I didn't know.

Once you get over 50 you realise that life's much too short to be worrying about being embarrassed, so you ask!

And there's always the shock value. No, not to the person your speaking to but your nieces, nephews and grandchildren, if you have them, that seem to think that older people some have lost their mischievousness (et al).

[Tetley]

I passed a young couple - the woman was wearing a tight strip of denim around her hips and a short vest (singlet) - it was quite hot - the weather that is, not the outfit. I was hurrying to get to the bank and wearing a reverse Kingussie kilt with fifty small pleats which flash alternatly red and white.

I heard 'why don't your skirts move like that?'

I glanced back and got a hard stare from the woman, the man was still watching my pleats dance.

They must have been over thirty years younger than me, and I don't usually attract the attention of such youthful people.

Anne the Pleater

I can't say I blame him, I'd like to see that skirt dance on you as well, it sounds great. 50 pleats? My finger throb in sympathy for the person that sewed it.