Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the label

Discussion of fashion elements and looks that are traditionally considered somewhat "femme" but are presented in a masculine context. This is NOT about transvestism or crossdressing.
Dust
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Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the label

Post by Dust »

I've seen it come up that skirts shouldn't be marketed as "women's" or "girl's" skirts. I almost posted in another thread about this, but to avoid thread drift, I'm posting here.

"Women's" is a label that both says it is female, but also distinguishes it as adult sizing. It is different from "juniors", "girls", etc. It tells you which of the randomly assigned number scales it is sized in, and also a bit about the proportions it is intended for.

Yeah, it's annoying that there aren't skirts marked as "men's" or "unisex" very often, but I'm not seeing this as malice. I don't know what the solution is, but the label on the rack seems like a minor bump in the road when it comes to what is holding guys back from wearing skirts.

What do you guys think?
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by beachlion »

Follow the KISS idea. Just call it a skirt. And to get rid of the stupid sizing, add the waist dimension and for pencil skirts a hip dimension if needed. Everything else about the skirt is visible while still on the hanger, color, length and form. Life can be so easy. ;)
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by weeladdie18 »

I rely on my personal experience when looking at a Rack of Skirts....Either they will fit me or they are not the correct Size......
Elasticated waist bands make it all easy....Just ask if you can try the garment on.....

Found a calf length white sunray pleated skirt yesterday.....£3.....and a cotton slip....£1.....in a classical vintage market.....

A great inspiration for an unusual Man in a Skirt outfit.....12 foot long pleated hem on the skirt....definitely something different
I might even let the pleats wear out and put my Iron into the pleats so I have an extreme circle skirt....

Perhaps a bit of tie and dye.......I bought what was called a Gypsy Skirt in black from the same source last year.....

I am really in love with my New Look Sunray pleated skirt In Black...which I found in Falmouth last week.......Did I mention Marks and Spenser In Falmouth
is now closed....I had a great adventure there just before Christmas.......perhaps the writing is on the wall for the Fashion Industry .........weeladdie
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by weeladdie18 »

I am considering white skirts for the beach this year ...a Neo Classical Male Look.....I might even find a tunic in black or white....

The outfit will be put together in layers......just peel off the layers as the day warms up....
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by moonshadow »

They can make "mens" skirts all day long.... I'm still going to primarily wear "womens".... why?

1) They look better (anything with a "mens" label is bound to look dull, boring, and/or obnoxiously macho....)

2) Because I can....
-Andrea
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by moonshadow »

beachlion wrote:Follow the KISS idea. Just call it a skirt. And to get rid of the stupid sizing, add the waist dimension and for pencil skirts a hip dimension if needed. Everything else about the skirt is visible while still on the hanger, color, length and form. Life can be so easy. ;)
If they did that and said "we've decided to simplify skirt sizing to make the sizing process easier for all genders".... the neo-cons heads would explode.
-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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beachlion
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by beachlion »

moonshadow wrote:...... If they did that and said "we've decided to simplify skirt sizing to make the sizing process easier for all genders".... the neo-cons heads would explode.
Good riddance. Sounds to me like a win-win situation. ;)
All progress takes place outside the comfort zone - M J Bobak
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by weeladdie18 »

This may confuse you Moon...I love the cut and the shape of a female skirt I brought in New Look , the female fashion chain, last week.
Then I bought another female skirt yesterday.....I am quite happy to wear female skirts and appear as a Man in a Skirt.

These skirts are very comfortable for a male to wear....No one cares what I wear during my leisure time , so there is no problem....
I have been following this leisure lifestyle in this location for 5 years ....so my skirt wearing is irrelevant to my lifestyle

Sometimes I wear trousers when I am involved in " man business "........I am no longer involved in a skirt wearing ego trip...........weeladdie
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Daryl
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by Daryl »

Dust wrote:I've seen it come up that skirts shouldn't be marketed as "women's" or "girl's" skirts. I almost posted in another thread about this, but to avoid thread drift, I'm posting here.

"Women's" is a label that both says it is female, but also distinguishes it as adult sizing. It is different from "juniors", "girls", etc. It tells you which of the randomly assigned number scales it is sized in, and also a bit about the proportions it is intended for.

Yeah, it's annoying that there aren't skirts marked as "men's" or "unisex" very often, but I'm not seeing this as malice. I don't know what the solution is, but the label on the rack seems like a minor bump in the road when it comes to what is holding guys back from wearing skirts.

What do you guys think?
I think what you said covers it!
Daryl...
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by weeladdie18 »

If we as Men In Skirts can cross the isle and try on and buy our skirting requirements in a female store ...there is no problem

The female staff are always polite to me ....They tell me that other males visit their store to buy their skirts.
The sun is shining today...so there are no problems......................weeladdie
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Daryl
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by Daryl »

weeladdie18 wrote:If we as Men In Skirts can cross the isle and try on and buy our skirting requirements in a female store ...there is no problem

The female staff are always polite to me ....They tell me that other males visit their store to buy their skirts.
The sun is shining today...so there are no problems......................weeladdie
I've yet to have an employee be anything but pleasant and helpful, except for one older woman whom I suspect was a little gruff with everyone who seemed a little impatient after I asked the same question for the 3rd time. I've not had any even mention other male customers, but it seems intuitively obvious that they must have some. I am recognisable and they've seen me buy blouses, sweaters, tights, and high-heeled footwear. Men's money is worth the same as women's money, it seems.
Daryl...
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by denimini »

Dust wrote:I've seen it come up that skirts shouldn't be marketed as "women's" or "girl's" skirts. I almost posted in another thread about this, but to avoid thread drift, I'm posting here.

"Women's" is a label that both says it is female, but also distinguishes it as adult sizing. It is different from "juniors", "girls", etc. It tells you which of the randomly assigned number scales it is sized in, and also a bit about the proportions it is intended for.

Yeah, it's annoying that there aren't skirts marked as "men's" or "unisex" very often, but I'm not seeing this as malice. I don't know what the solution is, but the label on the rack seems like a minor bump in the road when it comes to what is holding guys back from wearing skirts.

What do you guys think?
When browsing for skirts online, I was encourged by the term "women's skirts", assuming that it differentiated them from "Men's skirts" - but sadly not so; you are correct that it inferred an adult sizing and not girls.
When one looks at the label, rarely does it mention gender. Sometimes the brand infers gender; "Witchery", "Cruel Girl", but just as often brands are named after the male designer; "Ralph Lauren", David Lawrence", "Ted Baker". Sometimes the style name infers gender but most often any naming is quite neutral; "Levis", "Just Jeans", "Country Road", "Cotton On", "FCUK" (an acronym for what?), M-ONE-!!, Target, Old Navy (last 3 sound macho).
Therefore, once the skirt is removed from its categorisation of listing or display, it is attributed to no specific gender usage.
moonshadow wrote:They can make "mens" skirts all day long.... I'm still going to primarily wear "womens".... why?

1) They look better (anything with a "mens" label is bound to look dull, boring, and/or obnoxiously macho....)
I totally agree with this sentiment; from a lot of the men's skirts I have seen offered I would be put off wearing skirts, apart from the utilikilt style. I don't have any confidence that they would come up with something colourful or cheerful under the men's banner - they never did with pants.
moonshadow wrote:2) Because I can....
This is the underpinning freedom; It is not law (at least in most countries)
Anthony, a denim miniskirt wearer in Outback Australia
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by pelmut »

denimini wrote:"FCUK" (an acronym for what?)
French Connection, U.K.
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by Dust »

denimini wrote:
moonshadow wrote:They can make "mens" skirts all day long.... I'm still going to primarily wear "womens".... why?

1) They look better (anything with a "mens" label is bound to look dull, boring, and/or obnoxiously macho....)
I totally agree with this sentiment; from a lot of the men's skirts I have seen offered I would be put off wearing skirts, apart from the utilikilt style. I don't have any confidence that they would come up with something colourful or cheerful under the men's banner - they never did with pants.
The lack of color and cheerfulness in men's clothing, to me at least, is a related but separate issue to men's skirts. I love my Utilikilts, but if I want to wear one and be colorful, I throw on a bright colored t-shirt with it. Yellow shirt with a black kilt or something like that.

Unfortunately, for what a Utilikilt costs, it just doesn't make sense to buy a bunch of different colors. A handful of neutral colors that can be worn with something else just makes more sense, economically. And with men not used to bright colors, especially on their lower half, it doesn't make sense to try to sell them in a bunch of colors either. Men typically don't wear pants in many colors that aren't black or khaki.
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Re: Women's skirts, and why we shouldn't get upset at the la

Post by denimini »

Dust wrote:
denimini wrote:
moonshadow wrote:They can make "mens" skirts all day long.... I'm still going to primarily wear "womens".... why?

1) They look better (anything with a "mens" label is bound to look dull, boring, and/or obnoxiously macho....)
I totally agree with this sentiment; from a lot of the men's skirts I have seen offered I would be put off wearing skirts, apart from the utilikilt style. I don't have any confidence that they would come up with something colourful or cheerful under the men's banner - they never did with pants.
The lack of color and cheerfulness in men's clothing, to me at least, is a related but separate issue to men's skirts. I love my Utilikilts, but if I want to wear one and be colorful, I throw on a bright colored t-shirt with it. Yellow shirt with a black kilt or something like that.

Unfortunately, for what a Utilikilt costs, it just doesn't make sense to buy a bunch of different colors. A handful of neutral colors that can be worn with something else just makes more sense, economically. And with men not used to bright colors, especially on their lower half, it doesn't make sense to try to sell them in a bunch of colors either. Men typically don't wear pants in many colors that aren't black or khaki.
What you say is true and is one reason I am not confident that things will change with colours of men's garments.
We already are unconventional by wearing skirts, so it is no surprise that some of us might deviate in choice of colour, pattern, material and style.
I am happy to buy my skirts from the women's aisle rather than tackle influencing the attitude of millions of men, to be able to buy menswear that I like.
Once I get it home, my skirt feels like it is my skirt.
Anthony, a denim miniskirt wearer in Outback Australia
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