Caultron wrote:Charlie wrote:I've had a similar conversation while wearing a kilt. For some people, kilt = Scottish and its a job to get through to them that you're not a Scot.
As for the "Why are you wearing a kilt then?" question, I've occasionally replied that (with apologies to the cafe in general, but these conversations are often transitory and a lot of information has to be put over quickly) I like wearing skirts but don't want to pass myself off as a woman, so a kilt is a good compromise. They're happy with that.
I'm thinking that utility kilts such as Utilikilts and Union Kilts are a new concept in men's clothing.
Charlie
I think people are trying to assimilate this guy in a kilt they're seeing with what they already know. It's like, if Scotchmen are the only ones who wear kilts, this must be a Scotsman.
This happens often enough that I have a list of canned responses. (Pardon, I know some of these are old.)
Are you Scottish?
- No, just crazy.
No, but I drank some once.
No. (followed by friendly stare)
Then why are you wearing a kilt?
- I've been wearing pants my whole life. I'm tired of it.
Excellent freedom of movement, great ventilation, no chaffing...
I don't want to get arrested.
I was meditating one day and then realized no one in the Bible ever wore pants.
One good thing about becoming an old man is that you get to be a crazy old man.
I was always curious what it'd be like.
It's comfortable.
Kind of a funny, similar story. I was at the Scottish Parliament this last Thursday to see the spectacle of a possible Independence Day for Scotland and I was wearing a grey and olive green striped maxi skirt and homemade cargo pocket sporran (I really should have just worn my kilt after all that, but oh well, didn't really think of it till I got there) and a group of guys from Corsica who were sporting their Corsican pride and supporting their independence too started talking to me and asking me if I was wearing a kilt. I replied no, it's just a skirt. They discovered I was American and asked if it was an "American kilt." I probably should have responded yes in hindsight, but I said no, just a skirt but got a chuckle outta it.
The only problem I'd have with using some of your ready to use responses Caultron (which are all great btw!), like "no, just crazy" is that I wouldn't want to further secure in their mind the notion that a man wearing a kilt/skirt is a crazy idea because its not, or at least it shouldn't be seen that way. We all want it to be seen as normal someday.
Sinned, it's entirely possible my acquaintance and your "MOH" are related. They do sound quite similar. I wouldn't be surprised if they share an illogical relative somewhere in their lines.
And SkirtyScot, thanks for the welcome! Aside from the stares I get when skirted, I've been enjoying my time here in Scotland thus far, skirted or no. Been loving all the plethora of Indian takeaways/restaurants here and the Piemaker shop; love those haggis pies with tates on top! As to the skirts I've been wearing, they've just been knee length or longer A-lines that I've been wearing my homemade cargo pocket sporran with if the skirt has no pockets. I have been wearing one of these box pleated skirts too with my homemade sporran.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Box-Pleat ... 3f267c05ab
To anyone not familiar with a kilt they might very well seem like one, and most from my uni cohort are from China, so its understandable that they wouldn't be familiar with a kilt.