Assuming this is a typical public high school, wearing a kilt would require balls of steel. This kid has my respect. I'll echo the comments of others to wear shorts and wear all the additional accoutrements (kilt pin, sporran, hose, flashes, etc) so that it's clear you're wearing a kilt and not a skirt. I'll add that it'll be extremely important to look totally confident and NOT nervous. Be relaxed and comfortable and roll with whatever happens or is said.
As an American Highschool senior, I feel I must tell my story. I started wearing kilts to my freshman formal dance. I got into an argument with a girl whose dad is a Scottish immigrant. She didn’t believe that I was “Scottish enough” to wear a kilt at all. She said “Well, we are in America, and in America, we wear pants.” I looked at her, and said “but you aren’t wearing pants.” She walked off in a huff and said no more to me about it. I’ve worn a kilt to every dance since.
I always recommend a pair of running shorts for young lads who want to wear a kilt to school. They are as well covered as they would be for PE class. This often relieves mom's concerns about exposure, etc.
IN High School I wore my kilt pretty much once a week. We were the MacArthur Highlanders and I was the Piper MacArthur - decked out in the MacArthur Tartan. My first kilt to wear - and no where near my last.
I would recommend reading the dress code. If it doesn't prohibit certain clothing items, or it permits something with requirements, you should be fine. I.e. if skirts are permitted, but of a certain length, follow that requirement. If someone then complains that "only girls can wear skirts", then you can discuss sexism as a different issue. This is what I did before wearing a kilt to work. Nothing in the dress code prevented me from doing so, so I did. My only problem was the amount of fabric I was sitting on all day in my office chair made it a little uncomfortable. School might be better with changing classrooms every hour or less, but it may still be a little uncomfortable based on type of kilt and chair.
I like Rocky's way of thinking 😊. I've asked for 7 yrs to be allowed to wear a utility kilt to work (delivery truck driver) and always forbidden. Hopefully one day I will be able to wear them at work.
Well since it's part of your cultural dress and doesn't affect the dress code uniform company policy I don't see why not wear it! Especially if they deny you the free of movement to wear it, then isn't that a EEO violation?
Most important points have been made in the video already. Additionally, I'd suggest going for a sporran without tassels (no noise while walking down the hallway and in class) and to check if a sporran would be appropriate in the first place: I remember public high school as a "bags stay in the locker" place, and teachers and administrators might apply that rule to sporrans as well. To answer Rocky's prompt from the outro: I'm not a public kilt wearer yet (have bought an affordable PV kilt at a pipe band festival five years ago and am currently practicing at home to gain confidence for maybe finally wearing it to a meeting with likely accepting and supportive people next week, I've even hand-made a set of flashes a few days ago because I hadn't thought of buying any back then), but I do have a lot of advice I'd love to give my younger self when it comes to expressing my fashion sense and, analogously, to doing other good and worthwhile things I wish I'd done but shied away from because of (for the most part imagined) peer pressure since I was a teenager: - Dress the way you want, just make sure it's in good taste (and legal), in good condition and in a context that doesn't absolutely positively require you to adhere to some certain dress code. - You don't need to be perfect, all you need to do is make an honest effort and be respectful of the style you're going for. - Certainly consider and regard others' needs and boundaries, but don't sacrifice your own for them: if you worry too much about how others will perceive you and keep holding yourself back, that has the power to make you frustrated, fearful, and regretful in the long run. - Place trust in those closest to you to accept you for who you are fashion-wise. Your sense of fashion is part of your character and personality and hiding it from your closest ones would do a disservice to you as well as to those you cherish. Don't feel silly or timid opening yourself up to them; if need be, test the waters by talking superficially about the topic before doing a big "coming out". They may be surprised about your revelation and smile and taunt you a little, but most likely they will understand and have your back if ever others try to make you feel uncomfortable for expressing yourself in fashion. - Whatever you want to wear, practice wearing it around those you trust until you've gotten used to your fashion so much that it isn't so much of an extraordinary thing anymore, then take it out on the road. - Accept that not every social setting and not every location or venue will be a place where you can express your fashion style and that you don't always need to have it your way; be willing to compromise. Once you've gained courage to go out into the world with your chosen style(s), you'll likely find plenty of peer groups and places where you can dress the way you want such that it becomes easily bearable to dress according to other venues' codes as the need arises. (E.g. kilts would be a severe safety hazard if you worked around moving cars in a rail yard, just wear the hi-viz overalls at work and put on the kilt once you're safely back home.) - Don't make fashion a show, a stunt or a parody. Don't make self-deprecating jokes or excuses when faced with amused, surprised or (in the rare worst case scenario) hostile reactions. Instead, carry yourself gracefully and recall that you're dressing yourself for yourself, not for others. - "Everyone else is allowed to wear this, but I'm not!" is a fallacy.
I did this once or twice as a senior in high school, in Corpus Christi, TX, in 1976, and did it cause a sensation (not in a positive way). Walked to school in it, too. Full daywear dress, a lovat green jacket, kilt, sporran, plaid, bonnet. Walking caricature. Didn't know better and expected too much from classmates.
My high school had its own bagpipe band; I was one of the drummers, so seeing me in a kilt wasn't unheard of. (It was rare though; it was only to help recruit members or promote events.) We didn't have access to a proper changing room, so if we put them on at school, we'd usually wear them over gym shorts.
About 2010 a schoolteacher in the Reading PA school district. wore a kilt after the students completed a reading activity. The district pass a dress code for wearing a kilt.
my kid went to Kindergarten in his kilt. we practiced the responses to bullying starting with, " a man in a kilt is a man and a half" and ending with, "the only reason you have a problem with this is that you know that i'm cooler than you." he was bullied for other reasons, but never the kilt.
When I was at school we had an enforced uniform where for the girls the winter uniform was a Napier tartan kilt skirt. Given the uniform it would never have been an option for the guys to wear a kilt.
+USAKiltsOfficial *Thanks for the historian perspective.* Granted, "business professional" Scots' apparel (viz., kilt and _Sporran_ with vest over an Oxford shirt) is rare in the school systems o' the United States: Wear heavy-duty briefs under the kilt as a hedge against genital exposure. The lass, for whom the _Sporran_ is optional, is friendlier w/r/t dress codes, may favor a southpaw rendition o' the business vest.
No matter how much society changes you’ll always get that one kid who has a lot to say about anything you do that is “different”, be prepared to answer. As far as school rules are concerned, perhaps a magnetic “kilt pin”
I cannot find a "herritage" for Utilikilt. ;-) Know the dress code. Know any and every "official" document concerning dress. Know these better than the authorities, in case you have to plead your case. What will parental units do if (not when) they get a phone call?
I'm in the US. I carried a pocket knife nearly everyday from 6th grade through high school. They knew and had no problem with it. Now if a student was to do that they'd be expelled and possibly face a criminal charge for having a 'weapon' in school. It's beyond ridiculous.
I got told off in high school for wearing a wallet chain too. I wasn't a kilt wearer then, but had I been, my school probably would have called my parents.
Well I agree with what you guys said, but my advice would be if you wanted to wear your kilt, wear it for a pep rally and find out if it's ok, see if you could wear at school dance or special event, maybe even for your graduation, instead of the graduation robe, I mean it's also your special day and you earned it, but like you said definitely wear underwear, as long as it's not your sister's thong. Lol
Hard to say or hard to make a rule that would be efficient for 100% High Schools. Bullying is a real phenomenom and wearing a kilt would be a way to paint a target on your back... But is this the sole reason for bullying ? I guess no so if students aim at you, they will always find a "reason" to bother you. When I was yound, there was a game bullies played at : while you waited to perform sports, some people would sneak behind you and with a fast move, take down your pants. Bullies would lift the kilt, so definitly, wear something under. But if you wear it proudly and oppose a strong will against bullies or dumb people, they will target an easier prey. That being said, I do believe that it would be very welcome, I know many teachers who are fond of Scottish culture.
If you go to school in a rougher area, how do you wear a kilt and not get beaten up by gangs or kids who are insensitive to a person's heritage? This may require a different video.
Girls wear skirts/dresses at school all the time (with underwear), so from that perspective it shouldn't [really] be a problem for a boy to wear a kilt (BTW, I'm not equating the two, but just saying...). Additionally, now that we [apparently] have 179 genders and 83.45 pronouns (🙄) from a "societal perspective", it _should_ be ok as well. I do agree that the lad should talk to his parents first, so they know what's going to happen. Having said all that, I am of German (Bavarian) heritage, and I would not have worn my lederhosen to school, and I don't wear them to work. I am not embarrassed about my heritage - I'm in a Bavarian band/dance group, and we perform at festivals all the time - I just don't feel the need to represent it all the time. Perhaps start by wearing a kilt on Tartan Day, as that's an appropriate time to represent your heritage, and see how that goes? Just my 2 cents 🤷♂
I prefer the the bad advice. Don't wear underwear, and do wear Sgian Dubh. Also, when you feel threatened just raise your kilt like Braveheart did. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
If they give you friction on wearing a kilt point out if you can't celebrate your heritage than all the other kid cant wear head scarfs or burkka that goes for school staff too
I would not ask permission in any way. Wear underwear for sure. If anyone has an issue, make an issue of their issue. If we can have all the gender craziness, then wearing a kilt is a total non-issue. Even without the craziness I think it's totally OK.
It's scary that this would even BE an issue for a lad, when we see girls in skirts without any underwear or just a g-string... modesty has gone out the window...
I did this all the time in high school and I absolutely agree, wear underwear don’t even chance it.
Assuming this is a typical public high school, wearing a kilt would require balls of steel. This kid has my respect.
I'll echo the comments of others to wear shorts and wear all the additional accoutrements (kilt pin, sporran, hose, flashes, etc) so that it's clear you're wearing a kilt and not a skirt. I'll add that it'll be extremely important to look totally confident and NOT nervous. Be relaxed and comfortable and roll with whatever happens or is said.
Typical public school is the perfect description of my school
As an American Highschool senior, I feel I must tell my story.
I started wearing kilts to my freshman formal dance. I got into an argument with a girl whose dad is a Scottish immigrant. She didn’t believe that I was “Scottish enough” to wear a kilt at all. She said “Well, we are in America, and in America, we wear pants.” I looked at her, and said “but you aren’t wearing pants.” She walked off in a huff and said no more to me about it. I’ve worn a kilt to every dance since.
I always recommend a pair of running shorts for young lads who want to wear a kilt to school. They are as well covered as they would be for PE class. This often relieves mom's concerns about exposure, etc.
That was my thought.
IN High School I wore my kilt pretty much once a week. We were the MacArthur Highlanders and I was the Piper MacArthur - decked out in the MacArthur Tartan. My first kilt to wear - and no where near my last.
I would recommend reading the dress code. If it doesn't prohibit certain clothing items, or it permits something with requirements, you should be fine. I.e. if skirts are permitted, but of a certain length, follow that requirement. If someone then complains that "only girls can wear skirts", then you can discuss sexism as a different issue.
This is what I did before wearing a kilt to work. Nothing in the dress code prevented me from doing so, so I did. My only problem was the amount of fabric I was sitting on all day in my office chair made it a little uncomfortable. School might be better with changing classrooms every hour or less, but it may still be a little uncomfortable based on type of kilt and chair.
I like Rocky's way of thinking 😊. I've asked for 7 yrs to be allowed to wear a utility kilt to work (delivery truck driver) and always forbidden. Hopefully one day I will be able to wear them at work.
Well since it's part of your cultural dress and doesn't affect the dress code uniform company policy I don't see why not wear it!
Especially if they deny you the free of movement to wear it, then isn't that a EEO violation?
Most important points have been made in the video already. Additionally, I'd suggest going for a sporran without tassels (no noise while walking down the hallway and in class) and to check if a sporran would be appropriate in the first place: I remember public high school as a "bags stay in the locker" place, and teachers and administrators might apply that rule to sporrans as well.
To answer Rocky's prompt from the outro: I'm not a public kilt wearer yet (have bought an affordable PV kilt at a pipe band festival five years ago and am currently practicing at home to gain confidence for maybe finally wearing it to a meeting with likely accepting and supportive people next week, I've even hand-made a set of flashes a few days ago because I hadn't thought of buying any back then), but I do have a lot of advice I'd love to give my younger self when it comes to expressing my fashion sense and, analogously, to doing other good and worthwhile things I wish I'd done but shied away from because of (for the most part imagined) peer pressure since I was a teenager:
- Dress the way you want, just make sure it's in good taste (and legal), in good condition and in a context that doesn't absolutely positively require you to adhere to some certain dress code.
- You don't need to be perfect, all you need to do is make an honest effort and be respectful of the style you're going for.
- Certainly consider and regard others' needs and boundaries, but don't sacrifice your own for them: if you worry too much about how others will perceive you and keep holding yourself back, that has the power to make you frustrated, fearful, and regretful in the long run.
- Place trust in those closest to you to accept you for who you are fashion-wise. Your sense of fashion is part of your character and personality and hiding it from your closest ones would do a disservice to you as well as to those you cherish. Don't feel silly or timid opening yourself up to them; if need be, test the waters by talking superficially about the topic before doing a big "coming out". They may be surprised about your revelation and smile and taunt you a little, but most likely they will understand and have your back if ever others try to make you feel uncomfortable for expressing yourself in fashion.
- Whatever you want to wear, practice wearing it around those you trust until you've gotten used to your fashion so much that it isn't so much of an extraordinary thing anymore, then take it out on the road.
- Accept that not every social setting and not every location or venue will be a place where you can express your fashion style and that you don't always need to have it your way; be willing to compromise. Once you've gained courage to go out into the world with your chosen style(s), you'll likely find plenty of peer groups and places where you can dress the way you want such that it becomes easily bearable to dress according to other venues' codes as the need arises. (E.g. kilts would be a severe safety hazard if you worked around moving cars in a rail yard, just wear the hi-viz overalls at work and put on the kilt once you're safely back home.)
- Don't make fashion a show, a stunt or a parody. Don't make self-deprecating jokes or excuses when faced with amused, surprised or (in the rare worst case scenario) hostile reactions. Instead, carry yourself gracefully and recall that you're dressing yourself for yourself, not for others.
- "Everyone else is allowed to wear this, but I'm not!" is a fallacy.
I did this once or twice as a senior in high school, in Corpus Christi, TX, in 1976, and did it cause a sensation (not in a positive way). Walked to school in it, too. Full daywear dress, a lovat green jacket, kilt, sporran, plaid, bonnet. Walking caricature. Didn't know better and expected too much from classmates.
The students always enjoy when I wear mine while demonstrating pipes - smile. Such a great excuse.
My high school had its own bagpipe band; I was one of the drummers, so seeing me in a kilt wasn't unheard of. (It was rare though; it was only to help recruit members or promote events.) We didn't have access to a proper changing room, so if we put them on at school, we'd usually wear them over gym shorts.
I drive a School bus... I was told point blank be sure to wear undergarments.
Rock it bro! Let them know it’s your heritage and if you have a problem with it you can take a hike! 👍🏻
About 2010 a schoolteacher in the Reading PA school district. wore a kilt after the students completed a reading activity. The district pass a dress code for wearing a kilt.
As a retired french primary school teacher I used to wear kilt in school and everyone was ok with it.
Thanks for the advice guys planning on wearing it on April 5th for tartan day (I know it is on the sixth technically)
Thanks for the reminder!
in highschool, I got away with A TON of stuff due to "plays"
I just did as a teacher 😊
In an episode of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" one of her teachers wore a Black Watch tartan kilt in class, a promoting your heritage theme day.
my kid went to Kindergarten in his kilt.
we practiced the responses to bullying starting with, " a man in a kilt is a man and a half" and ending with, "the only reason you have a problem with this is that you know that i'm cooler than you."
he was bullied for other reasons, but never the kilt.
When I was at school we had an enforced uniform where for the girls the winter uniform was a Napier tartan kilt skirt. Given the uniform it would never have been an option for the guys to wear a kilt.
+USAKiltsOfficial *Thanks for the historian perspective.* Granted, "business professional" Scots' apparel (viz., kilt and _Sporran_ with vest over an Oxford shirt) is rare in the school systems o' the United States: Wear heavy-duty briefs under the kilt as a hedge against genital exposure. The lass, for whom the _Sporran_ is optional, is friendlier w/r/t dress codes, may favor a southpaw rendition o' the business vest.
My son has kilted to high school and loves it. YES. WEAR UNDERWEAR!
Regimental and Traditional are both proper with kilts.
No matter how much society changes you’ll always get that one kid who has a lot to say about anything you do that is “different”, be prepared to answer. As far as school rules are concerned, perhaps a magnetic “kilt pin”
I cannot find a "herritage" for Utilikilt. ;-)
Know the dress code. Know any and every "official" document concerning dress. Know these better than the authorities, in case you have to plead your case. What will parental units do if (not when) they get a phone call?
7:10 i'm from switzerland... every student has a knife, it's just normal...
I'm in the US. I carried a pocket knife nearly everyday from 6th grade through high school. They knew and had no problem with it. Now if a student was to do that they'd be expelled and possibly face a criminal charge for having a 'weapon' in school. It's beyond ridiculous.
I got told off in high school for wearing a wallet chain too. I wasn't a kilt wearer then, but had I been, my school probably would have called my parents.
Well I agree with what you guys said, but my advice would be if you wanted to wear your kilt, wear it for a pep rally and find out if it's ok, see if you could wear at school dance or special event, maybe even for your graduation, instead of the graduation robe, I mean it's also your special day and you earned it, but like you said definitely wear underwear, as long as it's not your sister's thong. Lol
I don't wear 1 but I would get 1 in the school colours if possible
iv'e worn a kilt for several days at my high school casually, so far my own sister has been the only nay sayer
Hard to say or hard to make a rule that would be efficient for 100% High Schools.
Bullying is a real phenomenom and wearing a kilt would be a way to paint a target on your back... But is this the sole reason for bullying ? I guess no so if students aim at you, they will always find a "reason" to bother you.
When I was yound, there was a game bullies played at : while you waited to perform sports, some people would sneak behind you and with a fast move, take down your pants. Bullies would lift the kilt, so definitly, wear something under.
But if you wear it proudly and oppose a strong will against bullies or dumb people, they will target an easier prey.
That being said, I do believe that it would be very welcome, I know many teachers who are fond of Scottish culture.
if we have a event at work i go in the kilt... started as a joke, but now it's a thing...
If you’re the only person wearing a kilt you are the father I mean the center of attention freedom of expression
Parental Units? Beldar & Prymaat are from France, not Scotland.
What on earth is a parental unit?
Is it part of the first amendment rights? I haven’t been able to find any answers on that.
If you go to school in a rougher area, how do you wear a kilt and not get beaten up by gangs or kids who are insensitive to a person's heritage? This may require a different video.
I wear kilts for school, they said no to the sgian dubh but everything else is fine
Girls wear skirts/dresses at school all the time (with underwear), so from that perspective it shouldn't [really] be a problem for a boy to wear a kilt (BTW, I'm not equating the two, but just saying...). Additionally, now that we [apparently] have 179 genders and 83.45 pronouns (🙄) from a "societal perspective", it _should_ be ok as well. I do agree that the lad should talk to his parents first, so they know what's going to happen.
Having said all that, I am of German (Bavarian) heritage, and I would not have worn my lederhosen to school, and I don't wear them to work. I am not embarrassed about my heritage - I'm in a Bavarian band/dance group, and we perform at festivals all the time - I just don't feel the need to represent it all the time. Perhaps start by wearing a kilt on Tartan Day, as that's an appropriate time to represent your heritage, and see how that goes? Just my 2 cents 🤷♂
I prefer the the bad advice. Don't wear underwear, and do wear Sgian Dubh. Also, when you feel threatened just raise your kilt like Braveheart did. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
If they give you friction on wearing a kilt point out if you can't celebrate your heritage than all the other kid cant wear head scarfs or burkka that goes for school staff too
I would not ask permission in any way. Wear underwear for sure. If anyone has an issue, make an issue of their issue. If we can have all the gender craziness, then wearing a kilt is a total non-issue. Even without the craziness I think it's totally OK.
It's scary that this would even BE an issue for a lad, when we see girls in skirts without any underwear or just a g-string... modesty has gone out the window...