Do folks notice or not?

General discussion of skirt and kilt-based fashion for men, and stuff that goes with skirts and kilts.
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Mike
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

Post by Mike »

Very true. Mens clothes are so freakin' boring!!
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crfriend
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

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'Twas bound to happen sooner or later, but another one of the regulars at my local queried me in conversation about my sartorial preferences. This guy is a good egg, but the two of us do not see evenly remotely eye-to-eye on matters -- but I have this oddball notion about civil society and how one should hear things out and discuss matters in a civil manner if at all possible.

And so it came to pass that as part of a rambling, all-over-the-place conversation came up, "Is there anything significant about your choice of attire?" (a paraphrase; I forget the exact quote), clarified with the usual one about heritage. My response was my usual one for curious folks in that, "It's a style I like wearing and am comfortable in -- nothing else, really." This triggered a moderately long segment of the conversation in which I related my (rather infamous) "no subtext" story, which drew some laughter, but the take-away is that this guy is actually quite open-minded and mentioned that what I wear is entirely good-looking and surprisingly non-alien. Adoption time-frames were discussed, and I was able to comment more cogently on my reasoning ("I've enjoyed brilliant colours for most of my life, and that's virtually impossible to embrace in the current palette that's allowed in 'men's fashion'." which got a nod) and timing ("I only adopted the look after I was well-established in my field and had a reputation behind me. I never would have tried this when I was younger as I was in the process of 'proving myself' and 'strange' attire would have detracted from that message." which brought definite agreement in the tactic).

This was an interesting afternoon, and went some way to support my general opinion that there is vastly more that unites us all as human beings than divides us, and that notion was touched on as well. It ended on a handshake as I departed, having had my fill of Guinness.

We can do this, guys. If we do it well we won't even look like freaks.

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Mike
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

Post by Mike »

That's a great story, thanks for sharing. I think some people are dying to ask us about our attire, but are afraid to for some reason. Guys just don't talk to other guys about what they are wearing. When the topic does come up, in my experience, it's almost always positive. Sometimes I'll get gentle ribbing, but I get that anyway. Cheers!
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JeffB1959
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

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Mike wrote:I think people in general have a hard time talking to men about what they are wearing.
That makes sense. After all, men wear dull stuff to begin with, so why go through the motions?
I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman.
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Sinned
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

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I do admit to be almost depressed on walking into any of the large clothing stores - I won't name any as they are all sport the same grunge, and look in the men's "fashion" department and see the sea of black, blue, brown and grey with jeans in the majority. I almost could lose the will to live. Then I look to the women's section ....

It's no wonder that most of my clothing is now bought from the other side of the aisle. MOH will say in ASDA "Is there anything in the men's section?" Noooooo I ain't that desperate. Mind you there is a lot of the women's gear that I couldn't wear either because of the floral patterns, frills and fripparies. My mind hasn't yet relaxed enough for such.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
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JeffB1959
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

Post by JeffB1959 »

Oh, yes, there are days when people do indeed notice. While out and about yesterday while wearing the outfit below, a thirtysomething woman said she liked my dress (it wasn't a dress, but a matching top and skirt combo), an older woman said I had on cute shoes and a homeless man asking for spare change called me "Miss". Not too bad!
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I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman.
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

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Sometimes folks notice, but most of the time usually don't say anything. Last night was an exception and I wound up getting more attention tham I'm really comfortable including a (successful and caught in the act as I looked back behind me on the way to my car) attempt of having a video shot of me from behind by a guy with a "smart" phone as I was leaving my local. I wonder when that's going to show up on Farcebook with some potentially-unpleasant commentary.

Inside, I picked up a comment from another chap of, "Sharp skirt!"

Yesterday's look was my yellow mini, burgundy legwear and vest, a white puffy/frilly shirt, and a burgundy velvet hair-bow. I'm wondering if I need to dial things back a bit...
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Fred in Skirts
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

Post by Fred in Skirts »

crfriend wrote:Yesterday's look was my yellow mini, burgundy legwear and vest, a white puffy/frilly shirt, and a burgundy velvet hair-bow. I'm wondering if I need to dial things back a bit...
NOT ON YOUR LIFE!!! :D
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

Post by Kilted_John »

Nope.

Just take a "smart" phone and start videoing him videoing you. Then, post it on hipstergram.

-J
Skirted since 2/2002, kilted 8/2002-8/2011, and dressed since 9/2013...
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

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crfriend wrote:...I'm wondering if I need to dial things back a bit...
Wrong direction. Have fun with it.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

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Sinned
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

Post by Sinned »

Maybe the bow in the hair was too much. :lol: Aside from that not much else wrong.
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

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Sinned wrote:Maybe the bow in the hair was too much. :lol:
When one has as much hair as I do, it's helpful to have something to restrain it and sometimes a simple elastic just isn't "enough".
Aside from that not much else wrong.
I've actually worn this same outfit two or three times before and didn't attract that much attention all at once. {shrug}

Today is going to be cold (by comparison to the past couple of weeks, so I've already dug out one of my extra-long Mouse Works fleece skirts for the day. (It's nice having a good-sized closet to keep all the skirts in. This is an improvement over where I used to dwell...)
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

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Fred in Skirts wrote:
crfriend wrote:Yesterday's look was my yellow mini, burgundy legwear and vest, a white puffy/frilly shirt, and a burgundy velvet hair-bow. I'm wondering if I need to dial things back a bit...
NOT ON YOUR LIFE!!! :D
Agreed!
crfriend wrote:When one has as much hair as I do, it's helpful to have something to restrain it and sometimes a simple elastic just isn't "enough".
Though my hair isn't anywhere near as long as yours, it has gotten to the point where it gets in my way a lot, which is why you may have noticed me wearing headbands of late. I believe the headbands result in additional flamboyance on my part, and thus additional "attention" however is VERY helpful it keeping my hair out of my face. Simply put, it has allowed me to drive with the windows rolled down again. I also like that it allows me to accessorize one more part of myself. When my hair gets long enough for a bow, yes I plan to give it a go! I'm waiting on the hammer to come down at work regarding the length of my hair, however I've decided I'm just going to refuse to cut it. There are countless other MEN who are on our payroll who have it down past their ass and nobody cares. I don't think I should be singled out, and I won't.
I've actually worn this same outfit two or three times before and didn't attract that much attention all at once. {shrug}
I have noticed an uptick in general obnoxious behavior lately. At first I thought it was just a "Marion thing" (my former town of residence), however it seems to be everywhere. I can't go anywhere anymore without hearing obnoxious laughter in the background, and virtually each time I'm out, if I pull a quick "180", I almost ALWAYS catch a smart phone camera pointed my way. I think it may have something (maybe a lot) to do with the current social/political climate in our nation at this moment. I don't know, but it's frankly wearing quite thin.

I thought Lebanon may have been a little more laid back, but ever since the "incident" north of here (in Virginia), it seems things have turned a corner and the rednecks have been on a war path ever since. I guess I spoke too soon. I should have known better, we are still in the "south" after all. Don't let all these churches around here fool you, there is a very baneful evil that has a grip on this region and it's getting WORSE! I'm starting to wonder if buying real estate around here was a good decision on my part... I'll admit my browser has seen search queries of Canadian citizenship lately...
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crfriend
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

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moonshadow wrote:Though my hair isn't anywhere near as long as yours, it has gotten to the point where it gets in my way a lot, which is why you may have noticed me wearing headbands of late. I believe the headbands result in additional flamboyance on my part, and thus additional "attention" however is VERY helpful it keeping my hair out of my face. Simply put, it has allowed me to drive with the windows rolled down again. I also like that it allows me to accessorize one more part of myself. When my hair gets long enough for a bow, yes I plan to give it a go! I'm waiting on the hammer to come down at work regarding the length of my hair, however I've decided I'm just going to refuse to cut it. There are countless other MEN who are on our payroll who have it down past their ass and nobody cares. I don't think I should be singled out, and I won't.
From the sounds of it, you're at what's known as "The Awkward Stage" where your hair is long enough to be unruly but too short to really do anything with (other than an Alice band, which you've already discovered). The only answer to this problem is to push through it and let it grow until it becomes long enough to be manageable again. I've been through this dreaded phase twice, once following secondary school when I let it grow when I escaped the constant harping of my elders and then once when I cut it to "Corporate standards" to make a then-lover happy (She liked it, but I felt as though I'd been scalped and started growing it out again virtually immediately; that was a short tumultuous relationship, but an intense one that I'm happy I had even it if did lead to a broken heart). Mine has been at "terminal length" since the late 1990s, it having taken almost 20 years to grow it out properly. It now balances nicely, not getting any longer, nor -- fortunately -- much shorter in spite of there being less of it "up top" than there used to be. That there are other guys where you work with long hair is a good sign, but beware that if you're going to grow it out you're going to need to be very careful with it around the devices you're working on.
moonshadow wrote:I have noticed an uptick in general obnoxious behavior lately. At first I thought it was just a "Marion thing" (my former town of residence), however it seems to be everywhere. I can't go anywhere anymore without hearing obnoxious laughter in the background, and virtually each time I'm out, if I pull a quick "180", I almost ALWAYS catch a smart phone camera pointed my way. I think it may have something (maybe a lot) to do with the current social/political climate in our nation at this moment. I don't know, but it's frankly wearing quite thin.
This is actually nothing new, we've been on a slide since the neo-cons took over in the 1980s. Sometimes it slides faster than others -- sort of like an earthquake -- but it has been in general decline for 35 years or so. Enjoy the occasional plateau on the way down; it's going to get vastly worse before it gets better (if it does). Fight it, of course, by always taking the high road and treating people with dignity and respect: if nothing else, it'll keep 'em off their guard.
I'll admit my browser has seen search queries of Canadian citizenship lately...
I spent about 5 years with a fully-packed and fuelled car in case I needed to run for the Great White North if the draft got fully reinstated under Reagan (having been fully re-enabled under Carter) and he got a war started someplace.
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Re: Do folks notice or not?

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crfriend wrote:This is actually nothing new, we've been on a slide since the neo-cons took over in the 1980s. Sometimes it slides faster than others -- sort of like an earthquake -- but it has been in general decline for 35 years or so. Enjoy the occasional plateau on the way down; it's going to get vastly worse before it gets better (if it does). Fight it, of course, by always taking the high road and treating people with dignity and respect: if nothing else, it'll keep 'em off their guard.
Indeed. As we've discussed before, it's just verbal bullying and a little teasing, but nothing physical. Ahhh... I suppose I should just chill out and not worry about it. The actual percentage of people who don't seem to care either way still ranks in the 99 out of 100 range. It's just the 1/100 that seemed to have upped the obnoxiousness lately.

I do recall one visit when Jenn and I stopped at a KFC in Wytheville for lunch a few months back. I was wearing one of my skirted outfits (of course), and I don't know if the family was laughing at me, (they probably were), but they were VERY loud and obnoxious about it. As I cast my eyes about the other restaurant patrons, I saw virtually EVERYONE else looking at THEM and rolling their eyes....
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
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