Out and About -- In the World at Large

[ethelthefrog]

I was out and about from Cambridge down to London on the 23rd May, then back from Reading to Cambridge on the 24th in my brown calf-length skirt. One young lad tried to bring his mates' attention to me with a discreet finger, but I noticed. Cue stage-whisper (from me) "Hey, a bloke in a skirt!" Was received with good humour. Other than that, no comments from anyone on the trains or even in the pub.

A gloriously sky-staying-up couple of days.

Paul

[skirtyscot]

I was out ... in my brown calf-length skirt. One young lad tried to bring his mates' attention to me with a discreet finger, but I noticed. Cue stage-whisper (from me) "Hey, a bloke in a skirt!" Was received with good humour.

Ten out of ten for that response!

[skirtyscot]

Edinburgh Airport, Friday morning. I took the plunge and went through security in my lightweight khaki ankle-length skirt. Can't say it went as smoothly as I would have liked, to be honest.

First, I accidentally left my phone in my pocket when going through the metal detector arch, and had to go back and through again.

Then some officious person, wanting everyone to conform to the rules, thought there was something untoward ... so the 120ml contact lens cleaner went in the bin! (I wasn't all that bothered; it was nearly empty.)

Finally, to add insult to injury, my fellow travellers had not waited for me and I had to chase after them.

My skirt didn't so much as raise an eyebrow.

The people of Gothenburg seemed only slightly surprised to see a man in a skirt, just like people everywhere else. However I did brighten up the day for a group of children aged about 7 or 8, who thought I was hilarious. Glad to be of service, boys and girls!

[skirtingtoday]

Hi SS.
I too have been through Edinburgh Airport (going to Stansted on the morning red-eye flight) and back the same day around 4pm. I had on my 17" khaki cargo skirt. All went well with no comments from the security fellow who "frisked" me at Edinburgh who took his time feeling round the hem - think he was making sure it WAS a skirt! (I cannot go through the metal detector as I have a pacemaker and need a manual search each time I go through security)

I also travelled the same route a couple of weeks later and got a bit smile and friendly chat from the same fellow as he frisked me again. He didn't ask why the skirt but was fine with it.

[skirtyscot]

Oo-er! If I knew someone was going to have a good feel round my hem I'd wear someting a lot longer than 17"! It must have felt uncomfortably close to the wedding tackle. Mine was more like 37", so the security guy would have been well out of range.

As I was following in your footsteps, that would explain the lack of reaction. Thanks!

[skirtingtoday]

It WAS a bit close but I am glad I did it. At least it smoothed the way for you!

Glad to be of service!

[Milfmog]

Oo-er! If I knew someone was going to have a good feel round my hem I'd wear someting a lot longer than 17"! It must have felt uncomfortably close to the wedding tackle. Mine was more like 37", so the security guy would have been well out of range.

Speak for yourself [/hairy chested macho boast]

Have fun (the security guy tried ),


Ian.

[Milfmog]

I've been staying in an apartment attached to a Newcastle hotel for the past six weeks. During that time I have visited the hotel bar and restaurant once or twice a week, usually skirted. Tonight I decided to eat in the hotel as following a 4am start I did not have the energy to go shopping and then cook. The staff are have never mentioned the skirts before, though there is no way they could have failed to see them.

Tonight I was wearing the long, black, Svenjoyment skirt I got from Big and Bashful a few months ago, I paired it with a blue button down, short sleeved shirt. The waitress (an east European girl of about 20 to 25) asked why I wore it and was it part of my working uniform. She seemed genuinely pleased when I told her it was just more comfortable than jeans and I rather liked the frivolity of a skirt. She replied that it looked good and then asked something I have never before been asked when skirted; "Are you wearing pants under it?" I did not answer the question, merely pointing out that she would not ask a women that question. She instantly apologized looking embarrassed. I grinned and told her not to worry; I have thicker skin than that.

As I left the restaurant the girl behind the bar also commented. "Keep wearing them; they look great". Given that the age of the two waitresses added together is less than mine I was rather pleased with the feedback. A huge smile from the receptionist too left me wondering whether they'd all drawn lots to decide who would ask. Getting a nod and what I interpreted as an approving smile from a middle aged female customer was just icing on the cake.

I guess this is just an illustration of the oft made observation that folks who notice are often too polite or reserved to mention skirts to a stranger. Now I'm getting more familiar to the staff they feel able to banter with me and to ask questions they would not ask of a stranger.

Have fun,


Ian.

[skirtyscot]

She replied that it looked good and then asked something I have never before been asked when skirted; "Are you wearing pants under it?"

It's the classic question to ask a kilted Scotsman, so I'm a bit surprised nobody had ever asked you before. I get worse that that from a member of my choir, insinuations that I wear women's underwear under my skirt, "What else do you wear at home?" etc. All very pointed questioning, verging towards hostile. If she asked rather more open questions in a friendly way she might get some answers!

[Milfmog]

She replied that it looked good and then asked something I have never before been asked when skirted; "Are you wearing pants under it?"

It's the classic question to ask a kilted Scotsman, so I'm a bit surprised nobody had ever asked you before.

I've been asked that when kilted (I've also had a couple of people try to find out for themselves - both were firmly told that the Sexual Offenders Register was just waiting for their name to be added...*) but this is the first time when skirted. I might have understood the question if I'd been wearing a mini with a risk of accidental show off, but this skirt is 43 inches long; there is no way anything will get flashed from under that, irrespective of my choice of underwear.

...insinuations that I wear women's underwear under my skirt, "What else do you wear at home?" etc. All very pointed questioning, verging towards hostile. If she asked rather more open questions in a friendly way she might get some answers!

Casting aspersions of that sort at me would result in a very rapid verbal slap-down and a reminder that basic mutual respect (and the sexual equality laws) will not permit women to harass men any more than they would wish to be harassed themselves. It always surprises me when people ask things ike that without any thought of how they would feel if the roles were reversed, I guess it is just another demonstration that 50% of people have below average empathy.

Have fun,


Ian.

* Actually there was a third occasion, when Carole's sister tried to lift my kilt at a party we threw. Apparently it took some days for her foot to stop hurting; Carole's hands were full, but she saw and even a small person can inflict significant pain by driving heels down on top of somebody else's foot. I think I can say with some confidence:
a) Carole was not impressed
b) My sister in law will not try that again - ever.

[skirtyscot]

...insinuations that I wear women's underwear under my skirt, "What else do you wear at home?" etc. All very pointed questioning, verging towards hostile. If she asked rather more open questions in a friendly way she might get some answers!

Casting aspersions of that sort at me would result in a very rapid verbal slap-down and a reminder that basic mutual respect (and the sexual equality laws) will not permit women to harass men any more than they would wish to be harassed themselves.

She's a friend, and she clearly has a visceral dislike for my skirts and finds it hard to ignore them. So I just ignore her remarks rather than turning on her. But if she asked in a way that made me willing to answer, we'd both be happier.

[Milfmog]

...insinuations that I wear women's underwear under my skirt, "What else do you wear at home?" etc. All very pointed questioning, verging towards hostile. If she asked rather more open questions in a friendly way she might get some answers!

Casting aspersions of that sort at me would result in a very rapid verbal slap-down and a reminder that basic mutual respect (and the sexual equality laws) will not permit women to harass men any more than they would wish to be harassed themselves.

She's a friend, and she clearly has a visceral dislike for my skirts and finds it hard to ignore them. So I just ignore her remarks rather than turning on her. But if she asked in a way that made me willing to answer, we'd both be happier.

Even friends sometimes need a blunt reminder; it can be delivered with a smile and does not need to be as offensive as her approach to you has been. If we can't have a polite disagreement with a friend what hope have we got in life? Besides which, my friends like me; the "wrapper" I choose is purely incidental for real friends.

Have fun,


Ian.

[renesm1]

She replied that it looked good and then asked something I have never before been asked when skirted; "Are you wearing pants under it?"

It's the classic question to ask a kilted Scotsman, so I'm a bit surprised nobody had ever asked you before. I get worse that that from a member of my choir, insinuations that I wear women's underwear under my skirt, "What else do you wear at home?" etc. All very pointed questioning, verging towards hostile. If she asked rather more open questions in a friendly way she might get some answers!

Have you ever asked this person why they feel the need to ask pointed, somewhat hostile questions?? I wonder what their answer would be!!!

[skirtingtoday]

I have been asked "The Question" once by one of the secretaries in our work whilst wearing my kilt (for an office Xmas Lunch).

I pretended to look aghast and asked her instead, "How would you feel if I asked you that question? I'd be accused if sexual harassment or worse." You should have seen her face drop! As noted by Milfmog above, sometimes they ask such questions without thought of how they would react to the same question.

Now if asked again, I would pass it off with the by saying, "Good girls don't ask - Bad girls find out! Now I know what type you are!"

[crfriend]

I was out on the water again yesterday, and save for the fact that we had to go back to the quay to put off a cremember who wasn't fit for the job (If we didn't get him back on land he would have spent the time asea barfing and being otherwise useless as crew), went out again, then back in again when we couldn't get the jib unfurled (it was a halyard tension issue -- a useful lesson learnt there!), and finally out again and after a few minutes the wind completely quit and Boston Harbor was as smooth as glass. (We got plenty of docking practise in a vessel that wasn't very familiar to us, so that was actually useful.)

It's been said that a bad day on the water beats a good day at work any time, and I'll happily second that notion! We spent most of the time under the "Iron Genny".

I received a nice compliment from an absolute stranger on the MBTA on the way home, though, that just made me smile. I was wearing my red Macabi, a lilac dress shirt, and a red waistcoat (it was a hybrid of what I wore to work that morning, of which I swapped out the black skirt for the Macabi and doffed the waistcoat for the "sail" and then donned it again when back at the quay).

It seems that folks are very much steered by colour similarities than differences, because this is the second time I've received favourable commentary to the effect of, "I like your dress" when I've been wearing the red waistcoat and a red skirt. This one came from another chap on the train who was getting set to detrain and whose comment was, "That's a cool dress!" (and his demeanour indicated that it was not a snide or frivolous comment). I thanked him for that and he departed the train.

It's all about being believeable.