Out and About -- In the World at Large

[crfriend]

I think what I did in the city was a major step for me . I wouldn't be shocked if some of the tourists took my picture.

Highly probably a few did snap photos of the guy wearing a skirt. It now moves to the point where the real threat cross-section analysis happens -- and usually that cross-section is pretty small.

The "nightmare scenario" is, of course, that you'll wind up getting featured in some large metropolitan newspaper that all your colleagues read, but what are the odds of that, really? They're vanishingly small. Big-market papers have better stories to publish to bring in advertising-revenue than pieces about guys who challenge fashion and style norms. Mayhem, murder, and sex are vastly more lucrative subjects.

The most likely scenario is that some teenager with little better to do snaps a pic' of you and posts it on her/his Farcebook wall with some inane commentary. What are the odds that anybody close to you -- even within 3 degrees of separation -- is likely to read that individual's blog? Realistic pondering puts the odds of that in the tens of thousands to one. Even if the photo gets moderately widely circulated, it'll never get connected to your name which is how your colleagues are going to know you (and you'd be amazed at how bad people are with faces when those faces are outside of the familiar context.

But what you did going on a site and actually posting a picture and comments about your skirt took on great big pair. Kudos to you

Indeed. I've reviewed skirts on suppliers' sites before, including stating that I'm a guy, but have kept things focused on the content as it applies to the piece in question and not playing on my gender. It's not that big of a deal. What are the odds that a (male) client is going to be reading the review anyway, and if the reader is the woman partner of a client that they'll recognise the particulars.

Methinks we're way too focused on what could, just maybe, perhaps, go wrong than we should be. If you get recognised on the street, close, greet, proffer a hand, and chat nonchalantly like nothing is out of the ordinary -- because it isn't out of the ordinary for you.

[Gusto10]

I'm "famous" lols.. Amazon published my review and pic

https://www.amazon.com/Dickies-Womens-C ... argo+skirt

Just read your review, nice. looking further on the page of Amazon, I noted that with all skirts shown, the frase "women's skirt" or skirt for women is used, thus suggestiing that there would be skirts for men also...

[Daryl]

Recently I went for a walk with the dog in the woods. I had the idea that I would be alone, but such was not the case. Even though it wasn't my first outing, it was running into people. it weren't just one or two but complete groups. But they just looked and no comments within earshot. I wore my utility kilt, low shoes with tassles - they might have given also a second thought - and nude pantyhose to keep the musquitos away.
The day before, after visiting friends who are not into the theme - I switched to a skirt and stopped at an atm. No one there at that time.

Those must be pretty wimpy mosquitos, for mere pantyhose to keep them away. Up here the mosquitos have no trouble stabbing you right through blue jeans.

Indeed the musquitos in Ontario are another strain than the tiger musquito - little buggers - which is becoming a plague in S-Europe. But the pantyhose also kept me from scratching myself after having stabbed by the little nasty beast

Yeah, that urge to scratch always makes the bite worse.

It occured to me that pantyhose might stop almost every other kind of biting insect, and if you're moving even a few mosquitos might get their noses bent by the hose shifting slightly once they've stabbed you, at least ending their careers if not preventing that one stab.

[Daryl]

I had a bit of a chat with the store manager and assistant last night at the start of my shift. It was said that, whilst they couldn't stop me wearing a skirt conforming to the dress code on the shop floor as far as they were concerned it came into the same category as shorts in that they wouldn't want any garment, such as short shorts, that would detract from the image of the store or would cause any customer to mock me or make derogatory remarks. So there we have it. It would be frowned upon and although they couldn't sack me for it they could make life difficult for me by say, just giving me minimum contracted hours or unsociable shifts that interfere with my family life. It's not that important to me to cause waves. I have had the limits clarified now. Knee length cargo shorts are acceptable and I have a pair of those that I can wear. Not sure what they would look like with a pair of ankle length work boots, but there you go. They are happy for me to be in the store in a skirt in my own time or on an out of hours social and I am happy with that.

I think I'd be satisfied with that, but not very happy. I don't know about your local legal climate but here "constructive dismissal" is a big deal. Anything that marginalises you in your job -- the sneaky things employers try to do to sideline employees they can't outright fire -- can be considered such dismissal and has the same consequences as wrongful dismissal, generally meaning they have to pay you big dollars.

That said, I'm actually quite sympathetic to managers who are often caught between a rock and a hard place, and if my sense was that I was being treated fairly by someone who was just negotiating the space between rock and hard place, I'd be much happier.

[Daryl]

New York City is a grand place, and sooner or later I'm going to get back there again as I want to take in some of the museums without hindrances to mobility. The last time I was there was back in the naughties on the way back from Florida one January; this was the year that the Public Library had an exhibit that included, of all things, men in skirts -- and I fit the bill!

NYC is the one place on Earth that I would move to from Toronto without hesitation if the opportunity arose. I mean, a condo in Manhattan...well out of my reach currently and likely to remain so unless someone wins a lottery. I'd put up with the lack of affordable healthcare, weird politics, no monarch, idiosyncratic spelling of English words, and all the rest.

My last two trips to NYC were both in kilts (Utili and tartan) and I met with a male friend who wears skirts and kilts. Nobody pays any real attention to anyone on the street in NYC but I did catch a group of schoolgirls trying to surreptitiously take a picture with them standing beside me in a train station.

[Daryl]

Perhaps NYC should apologize to the world for foisting Donald Trump upon it

Nah, he's the U.S. president. That "leader of the world" stuff is not something anyone outside the U.S.A. takes seriously. Means nothing to us, really, but you guys have our sympathy and we're confident you'll sort it someday. Really, we are.

[Daryl]

English, dude. English.

I see. We have one of the Bruces: "No pooftahs!"

With apologies to anyone named Bruce and Monty Python

I fondly remember the times when being employed in IT implied also being well versed in Monty Python and Star Trek. Sadly, this is no more. (My "English dude" was of course from "Transformers".)

[Sinned]

Daryl, if I really wanted to wear a skirt at work then, as you say, only satisfied would be the word. But since I have no real desire to wear a skirt at work except on fun charity days then it really gives me a good excuse not to wear a skirt at work. I know that some of you may shake your heads at this but the shop floor is NOT a good place to wear a skirt. Climbing ladders to over shoulder height and bending to get stuff off or put things onto low shelves are not activities conducive to wearing a skirt. I am happy wearing a skirt in my own time when I can.

Apparently a guy turned up on his first day of work wearing full facial makeup. He didn't last long. I've seen him since and he must have had a stab at facial cosmetic surgery because he has the trout lips and, frankly, looks a mess.

[Daryl]

Daryl, if I really wanted to wear a skirt at work then, as you say, only satisfied would be the word. But since I have no real desire to wear a skirt at work except on fun charity days then it really gives me a good excuse not to wear a skirt at work. I know that some of you may shake your heads at this but the shop floor is NOT a good place to wear a skirt. Climbing ladders to over shoulder height and bending to get stuff off or put things onto low shelves are not activities conducive to wearing a skirt. I am happy wearing a skirt in my own time when I can.

Apparently a guy turned up on his first day of work wearing full facial makeup. He didn't last long. I've seen him since and he must have had a stab at facial cosmetic surgery because he has the trout lips and, frankly, looks a mess.

One possible good test for when wearing a skirt is fine might be "would a woman do it?" If the answer is "no" then probably it's not a good idea for a man either. There's a line between having a preference and always having something to prove; a line that Trout Lips may not be negotiating very well but which, it seems to me, you are.

[crfriend]

One possible good test for when wearing a skirt is fine might be "would a woman do it?" If the answer is "no" then probably it's not a good idea for a man either.

That reminds me that I need to ask my boss whether I "need to" wear trousers mid-week next. What I wear would not be out of place on a woman of my age (and is frequently a notch up), but we're having one of the Brass from the owning-Corporation visiting and I might have to toe the Corporate line a bit.

[Sinned]

Daryl, the women at work all wear two-legged lower apparel. One or two of the younger members of staff have worn skirts in the past but as they were confined to checkout they would hardly be climbing ladders of bending down to lower shelves. The company's diversity module stresses the usual spiel and that's fine in theory but in practice .... Yes, constructive dismissal is always available but proving it is one thing. I consider that I am being practical in balancing my needs in the real world and unlike some of you my aim is NOT to wear a skirt ALL the time but to incorporate them into my wardrobe and wear them alongside my trousers and jeans. So I guess you could say that I have a balanced outlook.

Carl, I once worked for a bank whose owners were HSBC and I was castigated for turning up to a project meeting with HSBC personnel, as it was described to me, slovenly dressed. My crime - I was wearing a jumper and no tie. I was expected to wear a version of the monkey suit - not necessarily a suit but at least trousers, jacket, shirt and tie. To be properly dressed as they put it. What I would have received wearing a skirt I don't really know - thumbscrews and the rack probably. Mind you this was before I had discovered skirts. Probably best to ask what you would be expected to wear as these stratospheric corporate types probably don't know what is happening in the real world. To know, ask them how much a loaf of bread or a pint of milk costs. A test applied to such as David Cameron, George Osbourne who are so rich they don't experience life like what you and I do.

[ChrisM]

IMG_0817.JPG

Hey, I took a picture! Rarest of rarities!

Couldn't decide whether to post it here or under "cracking good day..." We are sailing for the (past and) next few weeks, and here is one of my normal sailing ensembles.

[Sinned]

That'a a good look. Very nautical with the stripes and blue and white.

[Caultron]

Hey, I took a picture! Rarest of rarities!

Couldn't decide whether to post it here or under "cracking good day..." We are sailing for the (past and) next few weeks, and here is one of my normal sailing ensembles.

Good look!

[Freedomforall]

Very sharp nice looking outfit.