The generation gap closes a little?

[mugman]

I found this interesting.
Yesterday I had on my bright red Royal Stewart tartan kilt, and had to go across to the local store for supplies. The store is a favourite stopping place en route for 'outward bound' groups of youngsters (sort of age 13 upwards) who sometimes pile out of a minibus on their way to some adventure activity or other.
Being Easter bank holiday, this was such an occasion, and the store was busy with about ten boy and girl teenagers in anaraks and jeans and backpacks buying cans of drink, crisps, etc.
I've always thought that the combination of a much older guy in a kilt, and a bunch of lively youths a generation removed, are the ingredients for maybe a few aside sniggers and remarks.
But no. I joined the queue, and some of the stragglers joined behind me clutching chocolate bars and sandwich packs. And apart from high spirited yapping between them all, there wasn't a peep out of them about 'the guy in the skirt' in their midst.
Although I'm getting too old to be bothered about looking 'cool', it was like it was pretty cool to be in a kilt. It made my day (which just goes to show how boring some days can be!)

[Colin]

Thanks for sharing that, Mugman. I find that the kids who snigger will snigger whatever I wear or do. Others kids are more mature and accepting, like the ones that you encountered.
I always try to look super confident if I perceive likely reactions. It usually works.

[JRMILLER]

Mugman,
More mature and accepting? I don't think so, more likely they are already feeding on junk-food and didn't need to feed on you. Approach them without food in their hands and it may have turned out differently!

[Departed Member]

Mugman,
More mature and accepting? I don't think so, more likely they are already feeding on junk-food and didn't need to feed on you. Approach them without food in their hands and it may have turned out differently!

I reckon the only response you'd get if you 'pressed' most kids in the UK would be along the lines of, "So? He's wearing a Kilt - so what?" I've yet to hear an adverse reaction - even in Europe, to a 'standard' Kilt. Plenty of admiration, sure, but just as much, if not more, indifference. Which is as it should be, should it not? I would like to see similar reactions to blokes wearing skirts become commonplace, too. Certainly, the 'denim phenomenon' is proving to be the 'way to go' as far as the next step is concerned (and to some extent, the 'long black skirt'), as folk here are already finding out. The process would be accelerated, of course, if some of the younger 'celeb' role models adopted/wore Kilts more often, and not in the OTT 'rigid & formal' style.

[ChrisM]

Yes, I have had a similar reaction: I find that the kids are very accepting, particularly the most outré of the kids.

Perhaps it's because they could never picture their Dad in a skirt. So now they can say "see, just 'cause you're old you don't have to be boring" (implicit: "...like Mom and Dad.")

Even those who don't have such an axe to grind are pretty open to it. I have conversed with several teens at our conservative Christian church and they are far more accepting of men in skirts than are their parents. And my 30-yo landlady (that's still a kid to me) saw me while I was skirted and, boyfriend in hand, said "Yeah, we were just talking about how skirts make good sense for men."

So yes - I concur with the original thesis: I think that the younger generation DOES offer some hope, some light at the end of the tunnel.

Of course, they'll still snigger. But that's as likely to be true because I have grey hair or take my hat off to a lady as to my choice of clothing.

Chris

[cessna152towser]

Teenagers are definitely becoming more accepting than they were just a few years ago. I went out wearing a denim skirt to my local supermarket on a Friday night recently and had to pass by quite a number of high spirited teenagers. Not one sniggered. Only one appeared to notice, a young lad who gave a thumbs up and remarked "nice skirt" in a pleasant manner.

[Sarongman]

I may be an incurable optimist, however, I do believe the tide is changing with the coming generation. Remember the You Tube movie on another thread, those kids are definitely at ease and confident. At the beach a few years ago, I was wearing a bright coloured sarong when a group of four teenagers skateboarded past- all gave a friendly smile on passing me. (Note there is a vast difference between a friendly smile and a derisory grin!)

[mugman]

I had to go back to that store again yesterday (this time in trousers), and the 19+ girl at the till, who served me on Monday, threw me the question while she sorted out my change...'Why do you dress up in a kilt then?'
'It makes a change from trousers' I replied.
To which she said 'Cool.'

Merlin said above:
'...Certainly, the 'denim phenomenon' is proving to be the 'way to go'...'

I couldn't agree more. Although I like tartans, it always feels like I'm trying to make a loyalty statement to a Scottish background, which I'm not. I go for black now as I think it says 'it's OK to kilt anytime' rather than a tartan saying 'it's OK to kilt if you've a good reason to'. Difficult to explain. The same goes of course for denim. Tartans are great, and to be respected, but I think the way ahead is being made more positive, now that modern kilt designs are easily obtainable...plain colours, denims, camos, and no doubt variations on a theme still being dreamed up by the manufacturers. I think it's a great time for kilt wearers.
I've just got back from the supermarket, and have chosen all black today - kilt, leather jacket, t shirt etc, and felt relaxed that some person wouldn't shoot the 'Scottish?' yarn at me. And they didn't. It was so refreshing just to be shopping like everyone else, but to be in a kilt out of maybe two hundred other customers, it just felt b****y good.

[Colin]

I certainly like my dark blue denim unionkilt. I think that it will soon be time to buy another kilt and I had wondered about a black one in a different material. My wife would like to see me in a traditional Scottish kilt, but Scottish kilts bring in all the rules of formal wear and traditions etc. I wear a kilt at weekends to try to break free from rules on clothing, as well as to be comfortable.

[Milfmog]

In my skirt collection I have three kilts, one black denim (Union Kilts), one black polyester (Mercy Clothing; v cheap Ebay purchase and my first kilt) and a polyester/cotton camouflage kilt from My Tartan. I have avoided a tartan so far because of the assumed Scottish connection, I regard myself as English even though I do have ancestral links to the highlands.

Curiously, although they generally ignore me wearing kilts or other skirts, several of my friends have commented that they do not like the camouflage skirt (never the camouflage kilt). It seems to make them feel uneasy and several times it has been referred to as being shorter than the other kilts (it is exactly the same length and is worn at the same point on my hips).

Strange how people sometimes perceive things at odds with reality.

Have fun,


Ian.

[Big and Bashful]

Speaking as someone without the courage to wear a skirt other than my kilt in public, you don't have to wear a tartan kilt formally, it still works with t-shirt, trainers etc. A sporran is also optional. Just check out scottish football and rugby fans when there is a game on.
To be semi-formal I use a black ghillie shirt, proper kilt hose, shoes and the sporran, which I still don't like, but it is necessary due to pocket lack and definately helps in strong winds.
To be properly formal I would need to hire the rest, until my funds stretch to a full outfit and a new kilt and that's not going to happen any time soon.

[Bri]

We went to an itallian restaurant tonight and saw these 2 girls walk in. One was wearing very short shorts, and other had a short black shirt on and jeans and she was very small, but average height.

I think everyone was starring at her when she walked in. Just as I was starring at her too, I thought to myself. This must be exactly what people think of others when they wear something revealing or out of the conservative ordinary. So that had me thinking about skirts. If I wear a skirt out, I'll probably get waited on like everyone else. Walk by a few people and notice some stares (not much more than the girls who were dressed like the ones above) and then everyone eventually makes a few comments to whoever they're setting with and then soon forgets about it. With a possible comment every 15min. or so when the topic arises that they can talk about the other people wearing something different.

So I really got a good sense that most people could care less after the first 5 min. or less of starring at you. Maybe making a few comments but from what I said to my fiancee about it which I'm guessing that most people would say "I was just thinking that, or about to say that". It's really nothing to get too worried about. You're just someone else coming in, in something most people don't see everyday. If a girl in a very short skirt or leggings; basically very revealing. Do you think the whole store would be looking at them because of it. Of course!

With that in mind. I get the idea that if you can stand the stares and go about your business and expect the few people to walk past you not really trying to look (but you know they're doing that). Then you should be in for no worries.

[mugman]

Basically I think it's all about trying to fit in, but without the limitations of how this is done to a dull everyday format. I doubt if anyone here is out to try to make a spectacle of themself; to make a spectacular entrance wherever they visit, or to be looking for immediate and constant attention because of what they wear. Ultimately we simply want to fit in as seamlessly as possible and just get on with our lives.
Having people stare, make aside comments, or whatever, is going to be inevitable, until they see it as being simply something different to what they're used to.
I have a short tale...I used to go to a local, but widely known, yearly two day exhibition supported by around a thousand plus visitors per day. Each year without fail for about the five years I attended there was a man there in very short hotpants, and a bobbed haircut. Actually quite a smart looking outfit. Now, whatever sexual orientation, or cross dressing trait he was representing is irrelevant. The point is that the exhibition was of engineering, with most everyone else were in filthy oil encrusted jeans and heavy metal motorbike sloganned t-shirts, talking about, and checking out, showstands of lathes, bits of sheet metal and everything else associated with black fingernails.
The neat guy in the hotpants couldn't have been more out of place - yet he was obviously very comfortable about it, and used to the stares and whispered comments. After a while, no-one took any more notice, and he was as valuable a customer to the stallholders as anyone else. I ran a stall for a couple of years, and in a way I felt it was a privalege that he stopped by on one occasion and chatted interestingly about my products.
I know we're not talking about anything more than skirt wearing here, but I guess the bottom line is that if you feel strongly enough about a way to go, you just do it.

[Since1982]

'Why do you dress up in a kilt then?'

Dress up??? You should tell her you're not "dressing up" you're merely "dressing" as anyone else would do. "Dressing up" is what one does for Halloween or a costume ball or a similar event.

[Uncle Al]

'Why do you dress up in a kilt then?'

Dress up??? You should tell her you're not "dressing up" you're merely "dressing" as anyone else would do. "Dressing up" is what one does for Halloween or a costume ball or a similar event.

And A Big AMEN to Bro. Skip in Florida

Uncle Al
Duncanville, TX