Plaid Lad's Kilt Trip

[PJ Hansen]

Hey there! I'm a newbie and loving all the amazing information, advice, stories, and expertise on this board! I've not really posted because I've spent my time reading so many other's posts.
I've just spent the last 19 days of January in Montreal, Quebec (think -20C as a high temp) wearing my various kilts in order to raise money for a women's educational scholarship fund. I did it mainly as an excuse to wear a kilt.
Trouble is, it kinda took off and I exceeded my goal of 3K by the end of the month last weekend. I pledged that if I went beyond the goal, every $5 beyond $3,000 would mean I would extend my "kilt trip" by one day. Then things got a bit wild and in one day, we raised almost a thousand dollars. I'm $850 over the goal and that, if you do the math, that's more than 170 days I'm supposed to stay in a kilt. Great for the fundraiser, crazy idea for me.
I only have five kilts and a few pairs of kilt hose. I've got two sporrans, one dress and one casual, I've got no formal attire wear either -- no Prince Charlie, no brogues. So I'm looking to start to buy accessories and a few more kilts as cheaply as possible. I'd love ANY ADVICE in this area!
I'm an opera stage director and professor of music at McGill University and so this isn't really any problem for my profession. But I'm going to be traveling to the states on planes -- kilted. I'm directing a show in Bulgara in May and need to figure out if I'll be okay in Eastern Europe sporting a kilt.
I'd like to know more from guys who spend their days regularly in a kilt - hunting, working, hiking, etc. Any advice.
And yes, I'm Scottish. Johnston on my dad's side.
Thanks for any and all comments -- best to all y'all, Patrick

[PJ Hansen]

Hey there --
A bit of an update: I'm headed to Bulgaria in May and June. Anyone been out to eastern Europe wearing their kilt? I wear a kilt everyday now, but wonder about how it might be taken in Bulgaria. I'll be there for almost a month. Any advice is always appreciated!
Patrick

[Taffy Jack]

Hey there --
A bit of an update: I'm headed to Bulgaria in May and June. Anyone been out to eastern Europe wearing their kilt? I wear a kilt everyday now, but wonder about how it might be taken in Bulgaria. I'll be there for almost a month. Any advice is always appreciated!
Patrick

I know zip about eastern Europe, but what a fine job of fundraising you've done! Bold, novel, and clearly effective.

Cheers,

Jack

[RichardtheLarge]

Great to meet you, Patrick.

Eastern Europe is a bit tricky. I’ve spent a good deal of time there. In general, the societies are more patriarchal and conservative than we’re accustomed to in North America. You will encounter -some- cultural awareness that the kilt is not in fact a skirt, and is an article of clothing worn by some heterosexual men from Scotland or with a Scottish background.

With that said, you do run the small risk of encountering people (as always, these types have a tendency to be young, drunk, and insecure) who will assume that you are transsexual, homosexual, and/or a transvestite. Rather than tolerating and welcoming these various types of people, a certain element of local culture more or less “doesn’t take kindly to those types”. You are at less risk of running into this attitude in a kilt as opposed to a dress or skirt.

Where is your production? Sofia? Capital cities will generally be more tolerant and more cosmopolitan.

I would probably, under the right conditions, wear a tartan kilt in Eastern Europe. I would probably not wear a utility kilt, as it has fewer features that distinguish it from a skirt. If you do choose to wear your kilts, I’d advise you to otherwise comport yourself like a “he-man” and thereby work against the subtextual suspicion of cross-dressing that you may encounter.

I have worn kilts while hunting, working, fishing, and hiking. Ventilation-wise, they are obviously superior to trousers, but they do leave you with greater exposure to bugs in general and ticks in particular. If I’m moving through significant brush during wet weather, I would certainly prefer trousers (tin cloth hunting bibs are the best possible choice).

Finally, I would advise against purchasing “tartan tat” in an effort to save money. You will be better off purchasing a few well made items from Scotland or another country with transparent labor conditions. You will get a better product with an easier conscience. One only needs to buy a single day sporran, for example, if it’s built for life.

Take a look on eBay or the sale section on this site. There are some excellent deals to be had. Many of my best clothing purchases have been made secondhand on eBay.

Are you intending to get geared up for opera premieres in black tie? It would be helpful to hear what exactly you’re intending to dress for. I would absolutely recommend a silver buttoned Argyll jacket over a Prince Charlie; it will see you through all the events when one can wear a Prince Charlie and then some.