Change in the wind?

[Brandy]

I just came back from my trip to the EAA fly-in in Oshkosh, Wis.

I noticed there has been to me a HUGH change in comments from past trips. In past trips I would have been on the grounds about an hour before some lady would come up and asked me about the kilt. What I usually wear is an; http://www.amerikilt.com/index.php in a tiger strip camo (no longer offered). It really pops and attracts attention, I have even had women stop me for a picture.

That was in the past, this year not a single comment from women. This year I had about two to three inquires per day from men about the kilt. Plus the usual comments; "err ...... nice skirt".

I traveled in a Utilikilt and support hose, and I had one TSA agent (male) ask about the kilt and where I got it, I think he wanted one.

My younger brother gave me a lot of ribbing until his girl friend said she liked my UK and wanted my brother to wear a UK - Tuxedo kilt for their wedding, she is trying to talk (arm twisting) him into. Last I heard was, then she would have to wear a dress!!

So I would say this is FORWARD movement. My brothers have accepted my kilt wearing and the girlfriend likes'em and is now harassing my brother to wear one. .... he is a bit annoyed with me over that.

-- Brandy

[howardh]

I don't seem to get noticed at all. last Sunday, went to a new sports club and played badminton in my sports-skirt. Not a comment (why should there be??) and went to my local in leather pleated mini (complete with fishnets) and, er, nothing, apart from one guy asking "is this a Manchester thing, I mean there was a bloke in a leather skirt in the last pub?". "Not sure, buddy, It's just what I wanna wear tonight..."
On Friday, as the weather looks good, I'm off to the lakes in my camaflauge wrap-over skirt, boots'n all. No-one will notice or be bovvered there either. Why should they be

[Chris Webb]

The simple fact is that we have won the war against the tyranny of trousers ... a man in a skirt just isn't news anymore, we won! But winning a freedom and exercising it are two different things. Those of us out and about in our kilts and skirts are exercising that rather hard won freedom ... I can only encourage all other men who are still standing just inside the door of their homes dressed in what they have always wanted to wear to go ahead and step out and enjoy that new freedom, even legally affirmed right, to wear skirts of all sorts.

I must also say that I miss the old days when my wearing kilts, particularly short kilts, was scandalous! Frankly I enjoyed the attention, enjoyed talking my head off to countless folks who asked about my kilts, even those who criticized them. It was awesome to be a part of changing society, but the change has been made and now all that really is left is for guys to accept that we've won and step on out. But for those stepping out now, man, you missed the best part it all ... being a rebel.

Well, I've got to get cleaned up now and go with Peggy grocery shopping at Walmart, I'll be in a 14" camo SportKilt and, honestly, I don't expect anyone to really notice.

Mug ON!

Chris Webb

PS Did you guys see the "Interesting Blog" thread, it's right along the same line as this thread.

[Sarongman]

Yep! I have just come in from outside. I came around the house with 4 dogs in tow wearing a navy blue work shirt over an ankle length khaki cargo skirt and unexpectedly met the electricity meter reader. A friendly greeting and a whinge from him about a locked gate further up the road but absolutely zilch reaction over the skirt.

[Chris Webb]

To follow up, me and Peggy went to Hobby Lobby, Beals and Walmart, not a single solitary remard, comment or even noticeable look regarding my kilt, which really looks like a skirt more than a kilt. I even went into the sewing sections of Hobby Lobby and Walmart to ask a question, both places manned by older, apparently conservative, gals ... they treated me exactly like the customers in line ahead of me, didn't appear to even notice what I was wearing.

Gentlemen, it is safe to venture out.

Mug ON!

Chris Webb

[Mipi]

To follow up, me and Peggy went to Hobby Lobby, Beals and Walmart, not a single solitary remard, comment or even noticeable look regarding my kilt, which really looks li I even went into the sewing sections of Hobby Lobby and Walmart to ask a question, both places manned by older, apparently conservative, gals ... they treated me exactly like the customers in line ahead of me, didn't appear to even notice what I was wearing.


Chris Webb

Well, that exactly you are for them---> Customer potential buyer or cash flow and nothing more. Whay should they bother or scare you off.

[Chris Webb]

Well, that exactly you are for them---> Customer potential buyer or cash flow and nothing more. Whay should they bother or scare you off. [/quote]

Just out of curiosity, how often do you wear your mugs in public and for how long have you been doing it?

Buddy, there is no doubt that our society has become more mug friendly and it has become such on the backs of those who have gone to places like Walmart so many times that both the customers and the employees think nothing of it to see a man in a mug. Believe me, when I started wearing Mugs full time nearly 6 years ago it was an entirely different environment, I've even had the police called 3 times, it was just so offensive to see a man in a mini skirt!

Mug ON!

Chris Webb

[Mipi]

Now you got me....
In public I wear kilt only and even that not very often. I think such a small country, as Slovenia is, still need some time for more brave actions in MUG (specially mini skirts on men). Let me just say that I've never ever seen kilted men (beside me in the mirror).

Now, I shell wisely shoot my mouth!!!


Regards

[crfriend]

Just out of curiosity, how often do you wear your mugs in public and for how long have you been doing it?

I wear my skirts in public pretty much any time I'm out in public and "off the clock" from work. Today, however, is an exception: I'm wearing a skirt at work!

[TomH]

I've been wearing a skirt for more than two years now, everyday. I think maybe only on two occasions did I wear shorts and that was meeting new people important to friends. I meet one of the 'important' people later while skirted and he could care less as it turns out.

I have also used a skort two times. They were meetings of a club in a park where I wasn't sure about staying unexposed, but still to say, "Hello, here's an idea..." That camo one has a skirt flap both front and back.

I am however a little conservative. I use denim a lot and change nothing other than whats around my waist. Shirts and shoes are everyday stuff. It's a choice rather than a change of personality.

Tom

[Brandy]

It was an interesting week for me.

I was in a class off campus but still close to home. I thought I'll give a week in Utilikilts a try, also since this was going to be a week of a lot off sitting in airconditioned office, I added support pantyhose to help with aching legs syndrome.

I have sent weeks in kilts and skirts before but not in a work environment. I was not nervious about appearing in a "skirt" but I was curious what the reaction would be.

As it turns out it was a small class instructor and three students. The instructor was full of questions and really like the UK as out-off-ordinary thinking. Of the two students one was cool with the UK, the other had difficulity wrapping his brain around the idea. As to him a kilt is just a skirt and men at work donot wear skirts. That's what I read from his questions. Net result was overall positive. There were no negative comments, general acceptance even if understanding was not total yet.

On Thursday I was paying for my parking at the kiosk machine when a woman comes by, she was really dressed nice. in a dress. hose, heels, etc ... and says; "I really like your look it is really nice, including the hat." I normally wear a western style hat to keep the sun off, cuts down on headaches, etc ...

Over all it was a very sucessfull week wearing a UK.

No one comment on the hose. I wore a sheer camel color which seemed to blend in very well. It was unique from the inside as when I sat I kept sliding around inside the kilt AND the biggest thing I could no longer feel the kilt on my legs or the breezes. My legs did feel better and there was no throbbing thighs which I've experence before when trapped at a desk all day. The pantyhose were Soildea Naomi 70. I can say they work and are very comfortable for all day wear.

-- Brandy

[RyeOfTheDead]

I've definitely noticed a lot of looks from people when out in public but none of them seem particularly negative or hostile. I occasionally hear snickers or laughs or stuff from people, and as I was walking to my car today at the mall I passed a restaurant with an open air patio and I heard a loud male voice exclaim "What the hell!?" but I am not entirely sure it was in regards to me, because I just kept carrying on with what I was doing and letting people think what they wanted.

The only thing is I'd actually guess the reason people have had indifferent reactions from employees at places is like Walmart has less to do with the employees being particularly accepting and more to do with the level of hatred and lethargy they have for their jobs to begin with so they just can't muster the energy to react to anything.

[AMM]

I've been wearing my new kilt (see my thread in the "Kilts, Kilts" forum) out and about a lot, because the weather's just right for it (not too hot, but not cold, either), and I've gotten exactly one comment in the past 3-4 weeks. No, actually 2: someone at a party asked "where are your bagpipes?" I replied (truthfully), "I brought my guitar instead."

I wore my rainbow skirt into NYC yesterday (walking, train, subway) and got two visibile reactions: a lady in Grand Central gave me a big "thumbs up", and a lady at the subway station near the Contra Dance said, "I think I know where you're going!" (i.e., to the Contra Dance -- I danced with her later that day.) I changed into a shorter, red skirt for the dance, because the dance hall was pretty hot (a gym in the sub-basement of a church doesn't have a lot of natural ventilation ), and wore it home. No comments, and, as far as I could tell, not even a double-take. But then, it's the NYC area -- I could probably dress in a gorilla suit, and no one would bat an eye (assuming I had my train ticket, of course.)

[RyeOfTheDead]

But then, it's the NYC area -- I could probably dress in a gorilla suit, and no one would bat an eye (assuming I had my train ticket, of course.)

Sorry to post again so shortly after my last post here, but you reminded me of a funny anecdote. When I was attempting to move to NY (which didn't end up working, sadly) I hadn't packed any skirts or anything like that because space was an issue. I was already living out of two large suitcases in a friend's apartment. Anyway, finally I'd had enough of sitting around watching women flaunt their skirts in the warm spring air, and I went into H&M and bought two skirts that due to a sale I paid $10 total for. I went into a public bathroom in Union Square and changed into one of the skirts, a knee-length brown a-line skirt that resembled a kilt from the front. I wandered the area for maybe 2 hours in this.

When I was walking around the park feeling a bit nervous still with how I was dressed, I passed a guy on one of the benches. He was homeless, pretty dirty and had some bags with him, but he was dressed in a white lacy dress that went down to maybe mid-thigh, had a bodice top with really intricate patterning on it. The best way that I can describe it is as being a set of wings away from being a destitute tooth fairy. It was at this point that I no longer had any concern about people's reactions to what I was wearing.