Share your kilt reaction stories

[bookish]

I am continually surprised at the lack of response.

I mean, I've never seen another person outside of the Highland Games wearing a kilt, so I can't believe its really not noticed.

Many times I've also had positive reactions.

Once, when I wore my kilt to a weekend in Comfort, Texas, I was challenged about my "skirt" by a local at the bar where my wife & I had a nightcap. He made a couple of similar comments, but it was not unpleasant.

I've had someone ask me, "Are you a man or a woman?" And when I replied that I am indeed a man, he asked, "Why are you wearing a dress?" Being ignorant isn't a crime, or bad, but ignorance can only be solved by the ignorant wanting to understand or learn. So, my reply was, "This is called a kilt, spelled k-i-l-t. If you're curious, you can look it up."

I've had a kid ask me why I'm wearing a skirt. For that young man, I gave a bit more context: it's traditional garment worn by men, that it originates from Scotland, that it's called a kilt, and I spelled it as well in case he wanted to look it up.

I wish I were more graceful when the questioner seems to have negative intent, and I've resolved to ask, "Why are you interested?" in return if I get a similar question in the future. Depending on the response, I'll refine my approach going forward.

I've had some very kind and sincere, "Nice skirt," comments. And, they are correct, I do have some nice skirts of tartan. I've had more, "nice kilt," comments. It's a matter of cultural exposure and literacy.

I've had indifferent, curious, amused, and kind responses to wearing the kilt, and only a couple of offended or assuming reactions.

[jsrnephdoc]

Looking forward to hearing your stories now.

I've told this story on X-marks before, so if you think you may have heard it just look ahead for verification and save yourself some time.

I don't go grocery shopping or to the multiplex in a kilt. Typically it's for some special family occasion, or to local highland games, but I ALWAYS to to the symphony kilted, which enables me to have delightful conversations with the musicians and even the conductor after the concert. No one has EVER inquired about what's under (or more directly, "underneath)." Actually, I don't think ANYONE has ever asked deprecatory or derogatory questions. (I WILL wear a Balmoral or Glenngary to the grocery store when it's cold, and even then I'm surprised by the knowledge expressed by the few who ask.

But, the question that took the cake for me was about 2 years ago, when the Bozeman, MT symphony did a concert exclusively featuring the movie music of John Williams (Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and so many others). At the entrance to the concert building the Symphony society had positioned some volunteers costumed as Chewbacca, C3PO, and other Star Wars characters, accompanied by a university student whose job it was to take pictures of attendees who wished to have snapshots taken with their favorite cinematic characters.

My spouse and I wanted one of those souvenir pictures, and as we were positioning ourselves, the student commented about my "nice kilt" and asked about the tartan. That triggered a bit of discussion about clan, fashion, county, and organizational tartans, and I told him that my next tartan was to be made by a planetary geologist in the "Lunar" tartan. With no hesitation he responded "you're getting BARB TEWKSBURY to make a kilt for YOU???

[OC Richard]

I told him (the University student) that my next tartan was to be made by a planetary geologist in the "Lunar" tartan.

With no hesitation he responded "you're getting BARB TEWKSBURY to make a kilt for YOU???

You just never know what a person's level of knowledge is going to be!

I was walking around a Highland Games and a guy took one look at my sporran and asked "Margaret Morrison?"

"Yes it is!"

[Canadian Vet]

I wear my RCN tartan cummerbund (with tux) now and again and I'm asked what clan that is.
"Jack Tar"
... Lowlanders for sure.

[Troglodyte]

The most common reaction to my kilt-wearing (I mean outside Scotland where it gets no reaction at all) is people obviously noticing it, make as if to speak, and then thinking better of it.

The silliest comment I have received was when my nephew and I were both kilted and south of the border in England. A stranger went out of his way to intercept us with the challenge 'Is that a real kilt..?'

I guess he really meant to ask if it was a particular clan tartan, and, if so, which clan.

I did eventually tell him, but only after responding to his challenge by asking him what an artificial kilt looked like.

[OC Richard]

"Is that a real kilt..?"

I responded by asking him what an artificial kilt looked like.

I like the way you think!

I've told the story about my old Pipe Major who would get calls for gigs asking

"Will you be wearing your full kilt?"

Finally with one client he put down the phone in disgust saying

"One of these days I'm going to tell the person

'you know, I do usually wear my full kilt, but I was thinking for your event doing something a bit different and wearing my half kilt.' "

[tpa]

I haven't been here for a while, but wearing a kilt daily, in England, I often get asked in a variety of ways whether I'm wearing anything under my kilt. If it's an attractive lassie, I usually say: "We'll have to get to know each other a lot better before you find that out". If it's a bloke I don't know, I usually ask: "At what age did you become interested in other men's underwear?", always with a smile. Otherwise "A scotsman never tells" usually suffices.

[geomick]

I like the way you think!

I've told the story about my old Pipe Major who would get calls for gigs asking

"Will you be wearing your full kilt?"

Finally with one client he put down the phone in disgust saying

"One of these days I'm going to tell the person

'you know, I do usually wear my full kilt, but I was thinking for your event doing something a bit different and wearing my half kilt.' "

wouldn't a "half kilt" mean 5 yards instead of 8?

[Jock Scot]

I haven't been here for a while, but wearing a kilt daily, in England, I often get asked in a variety of ways whether I'm wearing anything under my kilt. If it's an attractive lassie, I usually say: "We'll have to get to know each other a lot better before you find that out". If it's a bloke I don't know, I usually ask: "At what age did you become interested in other men's underwear?", always with a smile. Otherwise "A scotsman never tells" usually suffices.

Nice to see you back.