Out and About -- In the World at Large

[Caultron]

Toddlers often comment how I dress to their parents. I have to smile because they make their parents embarrassed with the loud comments. They are only curious, and they see something that doesn’t fit in their understanding of the world. After the initial reaction, they are the most accepting...

For sure, toddlers have a limited world view and no reservations about speaking their minds. I just accept it as human nature and part of growing up.

[Daryl]

Toddlers often comment how I dress to their parents. I have to smile because they make their parents embarrassed with the loud comments. They are only curious, and they see something that doesn’t fit in their understanding of the world. After the initial reaction, they are the most accepting.

It has happened several times to me actually. When I wear a skirt, purse, tights and high heels, the small children react on the shoes. Often I hear them say to their parents, look he is wearing girl shoes. They don’t comment on the skirt. One time this happened to me in the grocery shop, the mother approached me later and told me I looked great. The kid didn’t say anything. She was more interested in getting candy.

I finally did see the pictures you posted of your outfits and know why you'd get that comment from a woman. You do make it work.

I actually enjoy compliments on my outfits more when they are not kilts but rather something more alternative spectrum, because it means that I succeeded in making it work. Women say "love the kilt" so often that it loses meaning, and feels more like approval than compliment. If I go to work and back in a kilt odds are at least one person, more often a woman, will compliment my attire each day. When I wear, say, a simple A-line skirt, the compliments are much more rare, but also much nicer to receive.

[Sinned]

Look at the latest and actually very good Money Supermarket advert with the rather groovy dancing Skeletor, and He-Man making a brief appearance at the end. Near the beginning in the background there is a guy up a ladder window cleaning and he is wearing what looks to be a kilt. Is that a nod to the actual guys that do that. Is it a sign of progress and how many people would notice it.

Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vo6YG9U_o8

[Daryl]

Look at the latest and actually very good Money Supermarket advert with the rather groovy dancing Skeletor, and He-Man making a brief appearance at the end. Near the beginning in the background there is a guy up a ladder window cleaning and he is wearing what looks to be a kilt. Is that a nod to the actual guys that do that. Is it a sign of progress and how many people would notice it.

Yes, it's a sign of progress, in my opinion. Can't say how many people would notice, but failure to notice anything different could possibly also be because it's already starting to seem unremarkable to people.

[Dottie]

Look at the latest and actually very good Money Supermarket advert with the rather groovy dancing Skeletor, and He-Man making a brief appearance at the end. Near the beginning in the background there is a guy up a ladder window cleaning and he is wearing what looks to be a kilt. Is that a nod to the actual guys that do that. Is it a sign of progress and how many people would notice it.

Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vo6YG9U_o8

sorry he's wearing jeans with his pullover tied around his waist.

[crfriend]

Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vo6YG9U_o8

"Not available in your country." -- Blast.

[mugman]

Well, my gig on Friday evening was a complete waste of time. The event had been poorly promoted and consequently fourteen people turned up in a dance hall the size of a tennis court. They sat on the very furthest row of chairs and tables from the stage which made any audience interaction impossible. I've no idea what they made of the kilt as no-one came close enough to feel like offering any comments. The worst gig I've ever had the pleasure of doing. So swiftly moving on....

Pete

[Daryl]

Well, my gig on Friday evening was a complete waste of time. The event had been poorly promoted and consequently fourteen people turned up in a dance hall the size of a tennis court. They sat on the very furthest row of chairs and tables from the stage which made any audience interaction impossible. I've no idea what they made of the kilt as no-one came close enough to feel like offering any comments. The worst gig I've ever had the pleasure of doing. So swiftly moving on....
Pete

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully the old adage "a bad gig in a kilt is better than a bad gig in trousers" applies.

[crfriend]

Well, my gig on Friday evening was a complete waste of time. [...] The worst gig I've ever had the pleasure of doing. So swiftly moving on....

That's unfortunate, Pete. But, onwards and upwards!

[Kirbstone]

Pete,
What a bummer! That must have been very disappointing indeed.

When we lived in Herefordshire in the late 80s we went to a musical evening in a large theatre in Hereford City given by Tommy Reilly, the mouth-organ player and his gorgeous harpist accompanist kaila Kanga (spelling probably wrong) who currently plays for St Martin-in-the-Fields orchestra.

Coming up to the opening time it was apparent that there would only be a couple of dozen audience, so, their instruments being portable, they set up in the more intimate foyer where we got a very personalised concert and a close chat with both performers. It turned out to be a lovely experience, but just for a small number of interested punters, including ourselves.

I have a glorious 12" vinyl of them both, bought that evening which we enjoy to this day.

You are very brave to undertake to perform in public at all, but a more intimate choice of venue in future might be expedient.

Tom

[Tackleberry]

Well Monday morning as I had the flat to myself unusually I decided to wear a skirt out of the flat and to my car to drive to one of my favourite walking places before work...

I take it you have flat-mates. Why try hiding from them? My experience with flat-mates is that they usually wind up almost close enough to be intimates. Hiding, I suspect, is a waste of time.

I live there with my fiancée and a mate none of whom know I wear skirts - she hasn't even noticed her new updated railway uniform skirt has gone missing, she doesn't wear skirts but she wears dresses though

[Tackleberry]

I lost my confidence wearing a skirt in public but have decided sod it the last week or so...
Because I start work at 06:00 I leave home earlier than I should to have a walk, after I lost my confidence it was a short walk around the local park but since Monday I've walked along the park and by the estates and roads to do about a half mile walk.
I've noticed I pass an old lady on bike at about 04:30ish and passed her twice in skirt (once in two skirts and a skirt and tights) but this morning she gave the up and down look... (without the tights ):|

[crfriend]

I lost my confidence wearing a skirt in public but have decided sod it the last week or so...

That's a problem and a [small] setback, but it can be overcome.

I've noticed I pass an old lady on bike at about 04:30ish and passed her twice in skirt (once in two skirts and a skirt and tights) but this morning she gave the up and down look... (without the tights ):|

The way to deal with this is with a cheery, "Good morning" and see if a conversation can be struck up. That usually defuses things right quick. Don't even mention the skirt unless it comes up.

Is the "Art of Conversation 101" not taught anywhere any longer?

I relish a good conversation -- especially with strangers -- no matter what my parents and the media warned me about when I was a young lad. Conversation is how ideas are spread and how we learn about how others think!

For the most part, folks aren't your enemy and a decent chat goes a very long way to putting them at ease.

[denimini]

Look at the latest and actually very good Money Supermarket advert with the rather groovy dancing Skeletor, and He-Man making a brief appearance at the end. Near the beginning in the background there is a guy up a ladder window cleaning and he is wearing what looks to be a kilt. Is that a nod to the actual guys that do that. Is it a sign of progress and how many people would notice it.

Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vo6YG9U_o8

sorry he's wearing jeans with his pullover tied around his waist.

Looks like a skirt to those of us that hoped it was a skirt, but I think you are right about the pullover.

[ChrisM]

Changed computers and was gone for a while. Just catching up.

No big events to report, but I'll continue to post the "it's no big deal" stories: In brief, at the beginning of term I try not to distract my students by my attire, and then I loosen up as the term goes by. This term my concern was for a new class of second years. But by the end of term I was unabashedly wearing a skirt, heels, and stockings while pacing back and forth in a lecture hall of 130 young engineers.

I do try to acknowledge the elephant in the room: I opened my lecture with something like "OK, let's get started. Try not to be too distracted by my cute legs. "

Over the course of term I have, of course, many students drop in during office hours for questions. Never once has any of them expressed anything about my attire. I do acknowledge that the power is all on my side, so perhaps they are being carefully polite. But this lack of comment applies equally to students I pass on campus or see in the hallway, and with whom I have no relationship. I'm just a prof in skirt and heels.