Greetings from the End of the Earth

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Orange Apple
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Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Orange Apple »

Notwithstanding the subject of my introduction, I don't really live at the end of the Earth. But you can see it from here . . .

I live in Minnesota, home of Skirtcraft. But contrary to perceptions, "Minnesota" and "Minneapolis" are two different words and even though they sound similar, there's a lot of Minnesota that is rural. I'm in the middle of corn and bean fields, not traffic and skyscrapers.

I was one of Joe's supporters during his Kickstarter campaign. I was there because I think it's ridiculous that social norms prohibit men from wearing skirts. I wanted to support Joe's challenge to those norms. I don't consider myself a crossdresser; I want the same privilege to wear skirts as women have to wear pants.

My skirt collection consists of the one Skirtcraft garment, and I have yet to wear it in public. So yes, I am in that place where I am trying to summon courage to go out in public in a skirt. It won't be a local expedition. I will eventually find the right occasion. It helps that we are finally seeing temperatures that encourage wearing a skirt.

Since I found Skirtcafe, I've been thinking a lot about why I haven't been able to get over the hump of wearing skirts. This is a particularly intriguing question for me because I long ago got over the issue of people looking at me and noticing "something different". Several years ago a drug I took triggered my body to grow breasts. I had the typical reaction – "Oh my god, need to hide these suckers." I started with compression vests and then graduated to binders. But, to use the technical term, binders suck. I decided that my physical comfort and wellness were more important than looking "normal", as society defined "normal". I am most comfortable wearing a well-fitting bra, which I do now every day.

I gave away all my binders, and I'm not really interested in binding while wearing a skirt anyway, since the whole idea is comfort and being natural. I think I can pick a shirt that minimizes the impact of my chest, but it's going to be there sending mixed signals. I have a full beard so there's no chance of my being misgendered, but adding a skirt to a guy with breasts is going to cause some double takes.

This is getting long, so I'll stop. I've enjoyed reading articles here and look forward to getting to know some of the denizens.
dillon
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by dillon »

Welcome to the Cafe! :welcome:
As a matter of fact, the sun DOES shine out of my ...
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hoborob
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by hoborob »

Well then greetings Orange Apple. I live in a very urban area of Norfolk in VA. I have worn a skirt out in public but I more tend to wear pants as the area I live in tends to be a bit lower on the social class scale than others. It has been known to be a not too nice area so I don't really push things to much. Besides that I am a very private person so I tend to keep these enjoyments to myself even though the folks I stay with are very open to me and I've worn very openly in front of them. However when others come over I tend to become very shy and change clothes as quickly as I can. I do know that I am not doing anything to be ashamed of, its just that I would prefer to show respect to their feelings and I do not desire any issues to come up between myself and the folks I am staying with. It not the folks that I'm with that are the issue its the potential of issues with the visitors that we are concerned about.
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Caultron
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Caultron »

Hi, Orange, and welcome to the group.
Orange Apple wrote:...I am in that place where I am trying to summon courage to go out in public in a skirt. It won't be a local expedition. I will eventually find the right occasion. It helps that we are finally seeing temperatures that encourage wearing a skirt.
Keep at it then! Whenever you start, I'm sure it'll be quite liberating.
Orange Apple wrote:...Several years ago a drug I took triggered my body to grow breasts. I had the typical reaction – "Oh my god, need to hide these suckers." I started with compression vests and then graduated to binders. But, to use the technical term, binders suck. I decided that my physical comfort and wellness were more important than looking "normal", as society defined "normal". I am most comfortable wearing a well-fitting bra, which I do now every day...
Did you start taking this drug with the specific intention of growing breasts, or are the breasts a side effect of a drug you started taking for other reasons?

Also, do you still try to hide them under baggy shirts or whatever, or do you now sometimes wear them with women's blouses or other garments designed to accommodate them or even show them off?

What about work? What do you do? Surely your co-workers have noticed; what has been their reaction?
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

caultron
Grok
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Grok »

Orange Apple wrote: I live in Minnesota, home of Skirtcraft.
I was one of Joe's supporters during his Kickstarter campaign. I was there because I think it's ridiculous that social norms prohibit men from wearing skirts. I wanted to support Joe's challenge to those norms. I don't consider myself a crossdresser; I want the same privilege to wear skirts as women have to wear pants.
.
Terminology-for practical purposes these terms mean:

1. "Cross dresser" refers to men wearing garments originally intended for women.

2. "Unisex" means women are taking clothes from our side of the aisle.

Women are exempt from the strictures that constrain men.



If I understand correctly, the Skirtcraft skirt was specifically intended for men, as well as women. So the "cross dresser" taboo should not apply. Though I suppose many will still see it that way, because open ended garments have been almost exclusively associated with females.
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RichardA
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by RichardA »

Hi & :welcome:
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Caultron
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Caultron »

Grok wrote:...1. "Cross dresser" refers to men wearing garments originally intended for women...
Uh-oh

Let's not argue through 50-100 posts again on whether men can wear skirts and not be cross-dressers, OK?
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

caultron
Orange Apple
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Orange Apple »

Caultron wrote:Hi, Orange, and welcome to the group.
Orange Apple wrote:...Several years ago a drug I took triggered my body to grow breasts. I had the typical reaction – "Oh my god, need to hide these suckers." I started with compression vests and then graduated to binders. But, to use the technical term, binders suck. I decided that my physical comfort and wellness were more important than looking "normal", as society defined "normal". I am most comfortable wearing a well-fitting bra, which I do now every day...
Did you start taking this drug with the specific intention of growing breasts, or are the breasts a side effect of a drug you started taking for other reasons?

Also, do you still try to hide them under baggy shirts or whatever, or do you now sometimes wear them with women's blouses or other garments designed to accommodate them or even show them off?

What about work? What do you do? Surely your co-workers have noticed; what has been their reaction?
No, I did not have the intention of growing breasts. If I had, I wouldn't have tried initially to hide them. As I understand it, breast development is an uncommon but not unknown side effect of this drug, but for most men it results in slight growth. It seems that my body, for whatever reason, decided to glom on to this trait in an unusual way. Everyone's body is different, and mine just seemed to be waiting for this opportunity.

As for hiding them, that's a lot easier in cold weather when clothing tends to be more bulky and darker. During the Summer I wear a lot of T-shirts, and it's hard to hide them under a T-shirt, so unless I'm doing something formal I just wear a T-shirt bra that hides the nipples and call it done. I do not wear women's tops or any clothing specifically to show them off. I have moved from initial reaction of shame to one of acceptance, but I'm not eager to call attention to them or make a statement. The issue I am wrestling with is that I would most like to be able to wear a skirt when the weather is hot, but that's the same time I would most like to wear a T-shirt and that's exactly the garment that makes my chest most noticeable.

I am retired, so work is not an issue, per se. But when you go out in public, you're always aware that others are watching, plus I do a fair amount of teaching. I discovered early in the experience that "doing nothing" is not an option, as floppy boobs are much more noticeable than tamed ones. Binders work well to hide the issue but they're damned uncomfortable. When I made the transition from binder to bra, I expected many stares and comments . . . and got none. I think it is a combination of people not noticing and being too polite to say anything, but I do not know what the breakdown is between those two. Come to think of it, the same thought probably applies to a guy in a skirt.

And speaking of skirts (which I should do in each post, right?) I will make a comment that is likely to resonate in this group. Sizing in bras seems to be sort of a random thing. Bra shopping is probably one step above skirt shopping in terms of finding a fit. I've not done any skirt shopping, but I bet I try on 15 bras for every one that fits. I once found a bra that I liked and decided to buy the same size and style number in a different color. When I got home, the second one did not fit . . . and closer examination of the label indicated that it was made in a different country than its supposedly-identical sibling.
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Fred in Skirts
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Fred in Skirts »

Orange Apple wrote:My skirt collection consists of the one Skirtcraft garment, and I have yet to wear it in public. So yes, I am in that place where I am trying to summon courage to go out in public in a skirt. It won't be a local expedition. I will eventually find the right occasion. It helps that we are finally seeing temperatures that encourage wearing a skirt.
I've enjoyed reading articles here and look forward to getting to know some of the denizens.
Welcome to Skirt Cafe! :hooray: I am glad you found us. Since I started to wear skirts, I do not worry about what others think it is their right to think what they want. :twisted: The only person I worry about and what they think is the guy that looks back at me in the mirror. :thumright: So wear that skirt! :rock:

As for the denizens that lurk here and the troll that lives under the bridge they are very friendly and a like able bunch, heck they put up with me! :rofl:

Fred :kiltdance:
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
Always be yourself because the people that matter don’t mind and the ones that mind don’t matter.
neiljerram
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by neiljerram »

Welcome!
Orange Apple wrote:As for hiding them, that's a lot easier in cold weather when clothing tends to be more bulky and darker. During the Summer I wear a lot of T-shirts, and it's hard to hide them under a T-shirt, so unless I'm doing something formal I just wear a T-shirt bra that hides the nipples and call it done. I do not wear women's tops or any clothing specifically to show them off. I have moved from initial reaction of shame to one of acceptance, but I'm not eager to call attention to them or make a statement. The issue I am wrestling with is that I would most like to be able to wear a skirt when the weather is hot, but that's the same time I would most like to wear a T-shirt and that's exactly the garment that makes my chest most noticeable.
I can imagine that; if your t-shirt is tucked in, the skirt waistband pulls it into the body, which will tend to accentuate any protuberances :) above that.

I'm afraid I've no idea what it would be like to have notable breasts, as well as a liking for skirts. Just one thought, though: whenever I find myself imagining outrageous things that I'm not sure I could do, I tend to find myself doing them about six months later...

Best wishes!
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Fred in Skirts
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Fred in Skirts »

Orange Apple,

I have sent a PM (Private Message) your way. To read it check the line where it says User Control Panel you should see 1 new message. Click on that and you can then read the message.

Fred :kiltdance:
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
Always be yourself because the people that matter don’t mind and the ones that mind don’t matter.
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Caultron
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

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Orange Apple wrote:...When I made the transition from binder to bra, I expected many stares and comments . . . and got none. I think it is a combination of people not noticing and being too polite to say anything, but I do not know what the breakdown is between those two. Come to think of it, the same thought probably applies to a guy in a skirt...
You're exactly right about public reaction to a skirt. Most people are concerned about their own business and never notice. Of those so do, most will be mildly surprised but then think, "Oh well," and carry on. Some will frown at first but then likewise think, "Oh well." Some will like it and throw you a smile or a compliment. Less than one in a thousand might mumble something negative, but that's their problem, not yours. And I guarantee you the smiles and compliments will easily outnumber the negatives.

People wear unusual clothing all the time, sometimes out of ignorance but more often because they like to express themselves and/or get a little attention. Just put yourself in that category.

I'm 68 and wear utility kilts or skirts almost all the time. And every now and then, maybe once every month or two, and attractive woman will come up to me and say she likes my skirt or kilt. Most recently the woman told me that she'd never seen a man wearing a kilt in person, but that she loved it, and then she asked me to model it for her and she had a great time. No woman ever reacted to my pants that way.

Just be confident and friendly. Never skulk or try to merge in with the woodwork. When someone notices you, look them straight back in the eye and wish them a friendly, "Have a good day." That counts for much more than what you're wearing.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

caultron
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Sinned
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Sinned »

Caultron, People certainly do wear unusual clothing - you only have to google Walmartians to see that. In comparison a man in a skirt is absolutely normal, if you know what I mean.

OA, as we get older we tend to grow breasts of some description - probably due to the decease in testosterone - I know that I have small breasts and I am only 13 stones, give or take, and a 34 waist. You will have company on this thread as JohnH admits to having breasts and is not ashamed of them. Surprised that he hasn't already posted. Over to you John. :)
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.
Orange Apple
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Orange Apple »

Sinned wrote:
OA, as we get older we tend to grow breasts of some description - probably due to the decease in testosterone - I know that I have small breasts and I am only 13 stones, give or take, and a 34 waist. You will have company on this thread as JohnH admits to having breasts and is not ashamed of them. Surprised that he hasn't already posted. Over to you John. :)
When I originally posted my introduction I had not read anything from JohnH related to his DDs, but I was tipped off to his existence, and have subsequently found some comments. It is nice not to be the only one.

I have noticed two trends in the past couple of years related to man boobs. The first is that I am seeing a lot more of them. This may be because I am more attuned to the issue, but I think that it's also because us Americans are getting more and more obese, living longer, and wearing more revealing clothing. And maybe there's more acceptance of things like this now, which plays into the idea of men wearing skirts.

The other trend is the beginning of an acceptance of men wearing a bra. A decade ago this would have been unthinkable. There are still men out there who would be more comfortable if they wore a bra but cannot get past the idea of wearing "women's clothing". Some of them think that people will detect that they're wearing a bra and think that they're weird, when in fact the bra makes it less likely that people will notice. But again, I see a distinct parallel between this trend and men wearing skirts. I really hadn't considered this before composing this post.

One of the interesting aspects of this forum is that it has made me think about things in different ways. My initial thoughts were along the lines of, "Gee, I'd really like to wear a skirt in public, but what will people think when they see someone with a full beard, very obvious breasts, and wearing a skirt?" As I've digested the material here, I begin to realize that most people will see the skirt and either not care or be pleased. Their eyes will be drawn to the skirt and they're unlikely to even notice my chest. And if they do notice both, it's really no different than today when I live in the real world wearing a T-shirt. I'm different. We are all different.
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Caultron
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Re: Greetings from the End of the Earth

Post by Caultron »

Sinned wrote:Caultron, People certainly do wear unusual clothing - you only have to google Walmartians to see that. In comparison a man in a skirt is absolutely normal, if you know what I mean...
Absolutely.

Anywhere there are lots of people, I (skirt and all) am very seldom the most unusually dressed. Others may be unusually dressed in other ways, but we're all just expressing ourselves and having some fun with what we wear.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

caultron
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