A winter skirt for men?

[jjw]

try

http://www.themouseworks.com/FleeceSkirts.htm

good looking products, your chosen length / fabric / thickness / color / design / etc...
nice prices
HAND MADE IN THE USA!!!!

Hm, that looks pretty nice. I've been looking for something longer to wear in the cold months. Looks like a clean, almost unisex design too. Do you have one of these? More to the point, do you know whether one will fit well on a guy with the standard measurements listed there, or would one have to order a custom fit?

FWIW, I got one of these recently and it was a very wothwhile purchase. I ordered a large for a 40" waist and it fits perfectly (I'm about 6'2", 230lb). The 100-weight fleece is pretty light so maybe not the best thing for being outdoors in the absolute dead of winter, but for cool spring/fall days or indoor use it's super-comfy.

[Steve]

I am seriously considering ordering this skirt -- what do you all recommend for the length? Ankle height? Top of my foot? I don't want the 'dowdy' look that comes with it being too short, and I'm concerned that it looks a touch short even in the picture, though feel free to tell me if I am crazy. Perhaps I am making too much of it, but because they are made-to-order I am concerned about getting it right.

(P.S. holy thread necromancy batman!)

[crfriend]

Thread necromancy indeed! (More like reanimation.)

Since the skirts in question are custom builds, and there's a telephone number on the web page, my personal advice would be to spend a few cents on a call to the maker and state your intent and get ideas.

The length issue can be problematic for winter. First and foremost, you don't want the hem getting wet if the fabric will wick the moisture upwards -- wet and cold do not mix. This means that you probably do not want a floor-sweeper, and possibly even "top of shoe" might be a bit long. So, if you're going to be exposed to snow or slush, I'd opt for ankle-length. Your mileage will likely vary, however, and that's as it should be. If you live in a climate where you don't get slush or other melt, longer might be better; if all you get is slush and mess, slightly shorter might be better.

If a purchase is made, a review would be welcome! If you're very happy with the product, you might recommend that the maker actively market to men.

[TheMouseWorks]

Hello this is Ryan the guy who makes the skirts and runs the entire TheMouseWorks.com operation. I just got a phone call this evening from a gentleman in his 80s who has four of my skirts and was ordering one for a relative. He said that while he won't join any online groups he keeps a close eye on your forum and encouraged me to check it out. He said that he practically lives in them around the house and that they have paid for them selves many times over as he now keeps his house temperature lower. He has all four fabric types and said that he likes the lycra fabric the best, then the regular single sided fleece, then the double and lastly the velvet which is not really that warm. No surprise there as it is not a fleece.

That said I don't wear them my self as I practically live in shorts year round. Yep I make my living selling hats and clothing out of fleece but am too warm blooded to wear them much.

I consider the skirts to be a unisex pattern and end up making hundreds each year. I am working on 8 skirt orders at the moment. It is hard to tell how many are for guys as many are too shy to admit it. As far as length goes I make them to what ever measurements I am given as it is such a personal taste issue. I think in general most folks get them such that the hem is 3-4 inches off the ground. And naturally I have made some skirts rather short too. 15" is the shortest so far! As the waist is elastic it can be rolled to make the skirt shorter if traveling through some snow or slush.
I hope that this is helpful.

Ryan
http://www.themouseworks.com

[crfriend]

I consider the skirts to be a unisex pattern and end up making hundreds each year. I am working on 8 skirt orders at the moment. It is hard to tell how many are for guys as many are too shy to admit it.

That's a great post, Ryan, and thanks for sharing it! It's always good to hear from entrepreneurs who are actively pursuing niche markets with good products! It's interesting, although perhaps not surprising, that there is no good metric of whether a skirt for for a guy or a gal, but there's evidence for both so that's double your potential market!

Out of curiosity, how many of your skirts are purchased with the intent of layering them under other skirts? Virginia may not be the tropics, but it gets blasted cold (and wet) in other parts, and this seems an ideal solution to some of the grief, at least to those of us who like long skirts.

[JRMILLER]

I have one in blue/gray fleece. It's a lighter weight fleece than the typical couch blankets and works quite well. Send them your dimensions and make sure you confirm you are a guy, otherwise, they will contact you questioning why your waist and hip size is almost the same....

[TheMouseWorks]

make sure you confirm you are a guy, otherwise, they will contact you questioning why your waist and hip size is almost the same....

JRMILLER Ha you were one of those orders! Proof that I do pay attention when I fill orders. You would never believe how many folks struggle with a simple tape measure so I ask for a good number of measurements and then look to see if it makes sense. If not I drop a phone call or e-mail back to confirm. Way better to ask then to take a return due to a simple mistake.
I just wish that I could see each person in person rather than numbers on a page.

I am not sure how many folks intend to wear stuff under the skirts but I can say that the lycra fleece is the best if that is the intention. It's extra weight keeps it from clinging to the undergarments.

Ryan