Bought my first skirt today

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TheEnforcer
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Bought my first skirt today

Post by TheEnforcer »

This morning, when my parents are away for work, I set out to a town a few kilometres away from my house, to prevent being spotted by my family and friends. I was not prepared to be caught shopping a skirt. When I reached, I headed straight to a departmental store, and went to the clothes section (They didn't separate the men and women clothes, which made browsing for skirts a lot easier for me). I strolled around, until I found a nice pencil skirt on a rack. I tried to grab it, but my hand retracted. I cringed at the thought of being mocked by the people around me. So I looked around, and realised that everyone was doing their own shopping, and no one bothered to look at me. Then, I saw someone coming out of the men's fitting room, so I grabbed the skirt and went into the now vacant fitting room as fast as possible.

I was in the tiny room, wearing a skirt that fits me perfectly, unlike those I "borrowed" from my mom's wardrobe when I was alone at home.( I had told my parents about my desires to try on a skirt months ago, but apparently they were too closed minded and conservative to allow me to try out new things.) I changed back into my pants and went to the cashier to pay for the skirt. I cringed again, thinking the cashier would question or laugh at me for buying a skirt. But she said nothing and just handled it like any normal situation. Walking out of the store, I realised that I did something I had been thinking about for years, and felt a sense of excitement and joy I had never felt for a long time.

So now, I am back at home typing this while wearing the black pencil skirt. I had come a long way, from wrapping pieces of cloth around myself when I was six, to wearing oversized skirts from my mom's wardrobe, to buying a skirt of my own, and last but not least, discovering this awesome forum. It would be great if I could inspire people to be like us, to wear whatever they like and do whatever they want in this medieval society we have in Singapore. :D
Life's for my own, to live my own way!
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Judah14
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by Judah14 »

Hi there and welcome to the forum!
And also, as you are from Singapore, have you ever considered wearing a men's tube skirt, which is known in the Southeast Asian region by many names (malong, sarong, longyi)? Just like this one:
Image
While of course it is a matter of your preference, but by wearing a garment traditional to the region you could get to enjoy wearing a skirt while getting past the so-called moral guardians.
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TheEnforcer
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by TheEnforcer »

Thanks for the welcome! However, I happened to be Chinese, and the skirt in the picture is an Indian garment. While it all falls under Southeast Asia, the difference between races in this region is vast enough for me to say that me, a Chinese in that Indian skirt will draw as much attention and social stigma as if I had just worn my pencil skirt.
Life's for my own, to live my own way!
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moonshadow
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by moonshadow »

Congratulations on your first purchase and welcome to the board!

You sound very young, if so I wish I had your courage when I was at your age. Never the less, enjoy yourself and be safe!
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
TheEnforcer
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by TheEnforcer »

I am 15 last birthday haha
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skirtingtoday
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by skirtingtoday »

Hi Enforcer and welcome from the Scottish side of skirted men! At least we Scots have it a little easier to start out in that kilts are quite acceptable wear for men.

Great to hear younger males trying out skirts - when I was your age I tried on my sisters very short skirts a few times but always when alone in the house but never would have thought of buying my own from a shop. For many years thereafter I did not think about it and considered me wearing a skirt would be considered deviant. Anyway, well done to you for starting your collection!

Hope to hear more from you in the future - you have just taken a BIG step forward! Enjoy the ride!
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on" - Winston Churchill.
"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it" - Joseph Goebbels
TheEnforcer
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by TheEnforcer »

My decision to set out and buy one was fuelled by my desire to possess a skirt of my own as I live in an environment where its very difficult to get hold of skirts which fit from people close to me, even secretly(no siblings, mom wears different sizes).

For me, I don't really mind whether my decisions deviate from social norms. I always feel that we have to adopt an open mind and keep trying out new things, so we will be able to find interests we never thought we would have. That was how I came across skirt wearing many years back.

However, due to my social incompetencies, I sometimes still deal with certain difficulties along my journey in skirt wearing. It actually took quite long for me to work up the courage to go out and buy my own skirt.
Life's for my own, to live my own way!
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RichardA
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by RichardA »

The first skirt of many well done
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TheRod
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by TheRod »

Congratulations on having the courage it buy a skirt. Each time it gets easier and it eventually becomes a non issue. Thrift stores and online are other options. I even found a great sexy leopard print stretch skirt once in the street, together with a whole bunch of other clothes including about two dozen colorful bras.

I wish I had started skirt wearing when I was your age, and had the conviction to do it. I don't follow popular culture or trends in life and skirt wearing is a wonderful way to proclaim one's distain for irrational social conventions as they exist in the western world.
skirtingseattle
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by skirtingseattle »

@TheEnforcer:

The first time I tried on a dress at the age of 14 was when I lived in Singapore in 1976. I chalked it up to youthful experimentation those many years ago as I didn't continue with wearing skirts or dresses for many years after that. Bugis Street back then featured some of the most beautiful transvestites (as they were then called) in the world. It is unfortunate that the Singapore of my youth is long gone.

I started wearing skirts and kilts in 2007 and never felt self-conscious about it in the least. I don't wear women's skirts in public at my wife's request, but she is fine with my various kilts in public. I have worn these kilts and other un-bifurcated garments in various European and Asian countries and for the most part have had no issues, although reactions vary depending on the country.

I wore the Mundu in Southern India and Sri Lanka in 2009 and fit right in with the majority of men who wear the Mundu. In 2013, my wife and I spent 3 weeks in Myanmar and I wore a lungyi (LOON GEE) from Myanmar half the time. Nearly every man and woman in the country wore a lungyi, and the only differences between the sexes in the longyi were the patterns. However, when I wore the same Myanmar lungyi in Cambodia in 2014, I got looks everywhere I went as no one wore the traditional dress anymore. I only twice saw men dressed traditionally, and that was far from any urban center. Usually a rural farmer walking along a dirt road.

The take home message is that in more traditional societies that don't have an un-bifurcated garment for men, reactions will vary depending on what you are wearing. For those just starting out on this skirting adventure, the greatest resistance is in one's own mind.

Happy skirting,
Chris
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mishawakaskirt
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by mishawakaskirt »

skirtingseattle wrote: ..............In 2013, my wife and I spent 3 weeks in Myanmar and I wore a lungyi (LOON GEE) from Myanmar half the time. Nearly every man and woman in the country wore a lungyi, and the only differences between the sexes in the longyi were the patterns. However, when I wore the same Myanmar lungyi in Cambodia in 2014, I got looks everywhere I went as no one wore the traditional dress anymore. I only twice saw men dressed traditionally, and that was far from any urban center. Usually a rural farmer walking along a dirt road.

The take home message is that in more traditional societies that don't have an un-bifurcated garment for men, reactions will vary depending on what you are wearing. For those just starting out on this skirting adventure, the greatest resistance is in one's own mind.

Happy skirting,
Chris
I just got my first LONGYI from Myanmar, had a friend bring one back for me. When he was over there earlier this year. A very simple garment. Now that I got a real one. I plan to make more of my own. If you can sew one seam 46 inches long you got yourself a
Longyi. Its basicly a 81 inch long strip of fabric sewn together to make a tube with the salvage left at the top and bottom. Personally I think I will add a hem to mine when I make one, a lot more sewing but I think it will look better and last longer.

MishawakaKilt
Mishawakaskirt @2wayskirt on Twitter

Avoid the middle man, wear a kilt or skirt.
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Judah14
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Re: Bought my first skirt today

Post by Judah14 »

mishawakaskirt wrote: I just got my first LONGYI from Myanmar, had a friend bring one back for me. When he was over there earlier this year. A very simple garment. Now that I got a real one. I plan to make more of my own. If you can sew one seam 46 inches long you got yourself a
Longyi. Its basicly a 81 inch long strip of fabric sewn together to make a tube with the salvage left at the top and bottom. Personally I think I will add a hem to mine when I make one, a lot more sewing but I think it will look better and last longer.

MishawakaKilt
Here in the Philippines that kind of skirt is called malong, though men and women wear the same patterns:
Image
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