acceptable things to ask

[ChrisM]

I was once, in a kilt, asked by a lady in a skirt what I was wearing under the kilt.

I smiled and said "You go first: What are you wearing under your skirt?"

She looked shocked. Then puzzled. Then the light dawned and she said - chagrined sounding - "Yes, I guess that is a rude question. Forgive me."

Chris

[PatJ]

When the question is asked, "Do you wear boxers or briefs?" I think the best answer I could ever come up with is "Depends"! And then wait and see how long it takes them to figure it out!

PatJ

[Charlie]

I've had the "So, what does a Scotsman wear under his kilt?" question, to which I take great delight in replying "I've no idea, I'm English" - hopefully getting the message across that you don't have to be a Scot to wear a kilt.

The most irritating are those men who ask a few questions about the kilt then look all sly and ask "Yes or no?". I just look blank as if I don't know what they're talking about.

But the funniest was when a pretty girl in a miniskirt in a pub asked me. I said "Of course, are you?". Her boyfriend choked on his beer (with laughter) and she had the grace to say, in a small voice, "Yes". Wonderful.

Charlie

[Big and Bashful]

The first time i wore my kilt in public, it was at a wedding, I got 'proof tested' and the testers were appropriately embarrassed when I wasn't wearing embarassing undies. I was being a 'true Scot' (born in Liverpool).
I do not find the obvious question even slightly embarrasing, I am proud of well ventilated sweetbreads! I just wish I could go from that to openly wearing skirts, however the day gets closer, I am wearing skirts more openly round the house and no doubt will soon get 'caught'.
Oopsd, I am emitting drivel thanks to slightly too much beer, I will stop now.

[Peter v]

Thankfully most of "us" skirt / kilt wearers, seem to have a good sence of humor. I was once asked light heartedly if or what I had underneath a denim kilt look alike skirt, by a joung man walking by with his girlfriend, and I said do you want to see? He had to laugh and said no thanks.

But it seems that the whole barensess under kilts is a laughing matter for many people, not realising how disrespectful actually asking such a question is. Or very well knowing it and making misuse of the mystery around kilt wearing. You are not an actor hired to hang around selling a jokable Scottish kilt image. Many people just don't think with respect. If anyone was genuinely interested in knowing the truth behind the legend, and if you are following the legend or not, I would think that establishing a respectable communication first is what you do, then the wearer knows it is a true interest, and may or may not answer. That is totally different to a call out of the blue as if they are free to ask that of anybody. Again it is unfortunately apparently the laughable ( for them not seriousness of men wearing kilts ) true kilt wearer image. Be it true or not, that is not to be asked without respect in public.

And asking women in return can be difficult if the are wearing pants, as women often do. Only if you are lucky they are wearing skirts or dresses. So then you may joke "maybe the same as you are." Or what do you think I am wearing? Or as I said, "do you want to see? " Of course if he had said yes, I would have said "I think not" or not on your life, and so on. Just an edit, if the asking woman is quite nice, then you could say, "marry me and find out."

If it is asked in good fun which is done in a form of respect, then you may join in with a light hearted answer and enjoy the moment as I did.

By the way, asking the name of a baby is showing interest, but it can be done by first making contact with the elder with the child, and then asking. Just charging in, taking for granted that you can demand the name , and practically demanding the name as if the parent is there for their pleasure is indeed something I too would feel unpleasant with. As for many things, it is not what you do, but how you go about it, and respect is the key word there. Something many people seem to have long forgotten.