Man in Skirt

A picture of a man in a skirt is normally the subject of hilarity and ridicule—typically the result of a stag party gone wrong or a low-budget Rocky Horror Picture Show production. But there are an increasing number of men who have decided to forego the laughter and don a skirt in the name of high fashion. We spoke to a fashion student who has taken to wearing women’s clothes simply because they’re comfortable. He talks about gender-based double standards, and why everyone should support men wishing to wear skirts.

Recently I plucked up the courage to occasionally wear women’s clothes, or perhaps what you might deem women’s clothes. It’s something I’ve thought about for a while. I always thought it was unfair that women can wear anything they like, yet men’s fashion is very restricted, and honestly often boring. In the interest of equality I should be allowed to wear what I like.

Let’s get things straight, starting with me. I am not gay, nor a cross-dresser, and I don’t get any sexual satisfaction from wearing a skirt. The fact that I have to explain all that already shows how closed-minded people typically are when it comes to men’s clothes. As a fashion student, I enjoy clothes. Clothes are a form of self-expression, and everyone is expressing themselves in their own way with clothes. How we present ourselves is an important part of who we are. And I am for equal opportunity.

Honestly, some days it’s just more comfortable to wear a skirt. I find trousers to be restrictive. So I don’t see why my sexuality must be questioned because I opted to wear something comfortable that day. Clothes don’t have a sexual orientation, they’re just a bit of material. In fact, it’s ridiculous to assume that a guy that dresses in a skirt or heels is gay. None of my gay friends, and no gay guys I have met, like to wear or want to wear women’s clothing. Gender and sexuality are distinct animal traits and should not be confused with each other.

As for the cross-dressing thing, I am not in any way attempting to look like a woman. I am still masculine when I wear a skirt. Not all men must be beer-swilling, football watching thugs. There are many points along the spectrum of gender. After all, it’s just a social construction, meaning we can always mold it as we see fit. Variety is the spice of life, is it not?

For some guys it’s fashion that prompts them to don a skirt. Skirts for men have been making their way onto the catwalk recently thanks to the likes of Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen. Many of them are stylized variations on the Scottish kilt, a widely accepted manly skirt, but some have been pushing boundaries more and adding increasing degrees of femininity. This long-overdue variety is much welcomed by male fashionistas, who have been waiting for something new to break the mould. And whatever has been on the catwalks slowly trickles down to the mainstream shops. Hopefully the sight of a man in a skirt will become more common and eventually accepted.

Women should most definitely be on board with this move towards clothing equality. This is probably the only topic where it seems they have the upper hand, because you ladies can wear what you like. Men in skirts are ridiculed and harassed because they are assumed to be feminine and to be feminine is to be weak. If it became acceptable for men to wear feminine clothing it could challenge the archetype of female weakness. Ladies really ought to high-five any guy they see out in a skirt, rather than laugh at him.

As for the other men, all I can suggest is give it a go. Samoans and Scots have been doing it for hundreds of years, so there’s got to be something to it. Whether a guy is making a fashion statement and pushing social boundaries, or it’s just a question of comfort and keeping me warm—like my tights—there really shouldn’t be a problem either way.


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  • JohnN

    There are women who decide to divorce their husband after having stimulated him to don a skirt.

  • Vince

    Very well put my friend. I will keep a copy of your piece as it says so very well what I have thought for many years.
    I have recently started to wear skirts out in public. I hope that apart from the fact that I am much more comfortable, I will be doing my bit in making it normal for men. Those who wish to increase their clothing choices might feel they can follow my lead. So if you fancy it, then come and join the rest of us. I think it’s a slowly growing trend.
    Thanks for your words.

    Vince

  • marat

    Well written, thank you. it might be a slow trend putting men in skirted garments, but it is still growing interest in this kind of fashion.
    I think it is really time that men should think about their outfit’d, over 200 years the same style, that isn’t ‘manly’, that is just uniform and boring. Men should express themselves, showing up with new ideas (not pants), new fabrics, new colors. For the past 55 years women took almost all out of men’s closets and made them wearable for women, and they did it very well. It is time now that men should do the same with women’s clothes (by the way, the skirt was a male garment only in the past, women wore long dresses only).
    I do support the male movement going for skirted garments fully.

  • Tamara

    Marat, you forgot to write that skirts originally only a MALE garment. Late in the 17th century one woman started with skirts by cutting her long dress into half and made it fashionable. Than women used this two parts first as a one piece garment, but looking at the male fashion at that time they created a very close style to men’s skirts. And then they kept it for the next 250 years although more than 50% of all men on this world still wearing skirted garments. The only difference: these men not living in western societies.
    So, where is the problem?

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  • Richard

    ‘Pidgeon holing’ (categorising) gender and sexuality is part of the powerplay that alphas (male and female) use to control the general populace, in nearly all cases originating from a religion or associated culture. It has been instilled into every part of our lives. When have you not had to declare your gender when filling out a form or even answering a survey? The only time that it should have any relevance is for some medical purposes.

    Lets make the world a better place by making where one lies on the gender, sexuality and sexual preference scales irrelevant. Lets make the emphasis on fighting the haters, bullies and harassers.

  • Somebody

    Well, it may be questioned what kind of sexuality a person is, and that is legal for different purposes. But it should not be questioned what kind of clothes he/she is wearing regarding sexuality. We are sexualizing clothes, and when we do it we should,be honest to ourself.
    Pants are not a male garment, before men using it when riding horses women used it already under their dresses. And a man is not a special guy when wearing a skirt because it is originally, see above, a male garment. So what we are doing is nothing else than turning around what we learned in history.
    Not to mention the basics that a man need to have for his anatomy to feel comfortable. Pants are absolutely not comfortable for him and there is no reason that he should restrict to something which isn’t made for his body shape.
    What will be the resolution to the main question? I think that the male skirt will be back soon for men, and it is on the men to support that. Think about that!

  • MarkOSkirtylater

    @Somebody

    It needs a special guy to wear a skirt in the realm of conformity, where he is expected to wear trousers. You have to redefine your comfort zone by reprogramming yourself.

  • isamuel

    Hello gladly congratulate him Promote the use of skirts and Dresses With skirts for men
    It is Necessary That fashion designers and fashion houses put on the market Promote and skirts, and skirts Dresses With designed for men, for pants has always been unbearable discomfort, just that most of it was them fellow Their afraid to talk about discomfort and NEEDS. Some thought They would laugh or ridicule if They are demonstrating Their dissatisfaction and discomfort, and preferred to live With The greatest discomfort.
    The coverall or trousers was proclaimed for specific tasks, but now info info we have imposed this torture to the point that is affecting, unequivocally, health, and quality of life of men and Their Families.

    The pants are the garment less suitable for a man, the boxer briefs, acts as a splint on the genitals, (Promoting dysfunction and disabilities), the center seam of the trousers abused, bruised and uncomfortable all the time the genitals, the belt or belt acts as a tourniquet, and forces the heart to pump blood more effort (to Overcome the contraction That makes the tourniquet), and poor irrigation Affect blood: the digestive system, the urinary system, the reproductive system. Besides using the man trousers finished urinating standing Which is totally unnatural. Skirts and Dresses With skirts for men are supremely mind HEALTHY, COMFORTABLE AND COMFORTABLE. The pants, tight underpants, the center seam of the pants, and the belt or belt, are Promoting modern diseases of men: impotence, infertility, PROSTATE PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE CANCER testicle.
    No part of the male body are abused genitals That more.
    For better health and comfort wear SKIRTS OR DRESSES WITH SKIRT

    • MarkOSkirtylater

      The differences between “women” skirts and man “skirts” are insignificant. It boils down to style and personal taste. Man skirt is just a label some guys obviously need to break the mental barrier.

  • http://www.theskirtedman.eu Jeremy Hutchinson

    A very well written article from a fellow man in a skirt or as society prefers womens wear on men but any wear for women. http://www.theskirtedman.eu

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    Thanks for finally writing about >The case for men in women’s clothing <Liked it!

  • jeanfor

    Time for men to get the freedom that women have, not only on the street but at work as well….

  • David Sloper

    Hi all. Glad to see men and women are both opend minded to say say if women can wear mens clothes then why cannot men wear womens clothes. after all it is just a piece of fabric and does no harm to anyone. I have been wearing skirts, satin robes and lingerie in the privacy of my own home for years. Womens clothes have a wider variety of fabric and patterns than mens. I sleep everynight in a satin nightie. My female partner of 7 years does not mind at all after all i am still a man underneath with the same personality. Would love to go outside in a female skirt but dont have the courage. Hope one day people might except others for who they are and not what they wear. Great article.

  • http://www.theskirtedman.co.uk Jeremy Hutchinson

    Posted a comment earlier but this is just to update my web site link to http://www.theskirtedman.co.uk

  • Richard Roper

    it’s good to see that there are some people feel that clothes are just cloth and should not be just for one sex. I wear both men’s and woman’s clothes but don’t wear the feminine clothes out that much because of what people will do to those of us that do. I enjoy it when I can go out in a skirt or a dress and let that side of me show through. People should be able to wear what they want, like it was said ladies can wear what they want and nothing is said to them but let a man wear something just a little feminine and the roof comes down on him. We should all become more open minded and let every enjoy them selves, they are not hurting any one by wearing these clothes.

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