Mannish tailoring for women (again)

[SkirtRevolution]

Stu,

I Love it and agree 100%.

[veletron]

2. Wearer-led. This means that men gradually start experimenting with unbifurcated garments like kilts, Utilikilts, sarongs and so on. First it is a rarity to see a man in such a garment, then it becomes a bit more common and some of the more cutting-edge shops (like H&M) start to market them.

Well I'm doing my bit! To be honest, my local River Island store (among others) would be shocked to see me in there wearing trousers/shorts!

Nigel

[skirtyscot]

Judging by the photos posted on this site, the men's dept would still not have anything frilly, flouncy, shiny or flowery - I for one wouldn't want anything like that.

I believe this is a matter of personal taste. I have several skirts in all of the categories listed above, some of which have more than one characteristic at the same time (e.g. my tiered skirts that I wear in summer). I have velvet skirts, which can look shiny, I have a taffeta one that is positively amazing to look at in bright light that's shiny; I have a muted floral skirt (that needs work and no longer fits either my wife or I) that looks great with a purple dress shirt and tie; and I have very long skirts that include netting and remarkably "loud" colours. I integrate all of these into my wardrobe, including my work wardrobe.

Perhaps you are just further down the skirted road than me, crfriend.

True enough, a floor-length purple skirt may not be right for you, but it's also not right for lots of the gals either.

I did see a fairly bright purple skirt on Ebay, which I am tempted to buy. Only knee-length, but maybe I could branch out one day as you do already!

[skirtyscot]

Men don't wear skirts because they don't make skirts for men.

They don't make skirts for men because men don't wear skirts.

As I see it, there are two ways to break this cycle:

1. Designer-led. That means designers create skirts for men, perhaps exclusive styles at first and male celebrities are seen wearing them so other men copy.

2. Wearer-led. This means that men gradually start experimenting with unbifurcated garments like kilts, Utilikilts, sarongs and so on. First it is a rarity to see a man in such a garment, then it becomes a bit more common and some of the more cutting-edge shops (like H&M) start to market them.

I'm with Alexthebird on this. I can't see 1 working, because most men (me included) pay no attention to couture. Mr Beckham in a sarong a few years back didn't exactly have a lot of men copying him. Maybe a few more Eddie Izzards would have more influence. His "I'll wear a skirt if I feel like it" on national television might get men asking "why not?"

[crfriend]

Perhaps you are just further down the skirted road than me, crfriend.

I don't view this as a "road" at all, but rather a sometimes remarkably random meandering exploration of what I perceive my own aesthetic to be. Describing it as "road" encourages far too many comparisons and, worse, "grades" as to "how far along" one is; I feel that is evil.

Personally, I seem to gravitate towards a late Victorian or early Edwardian aesthetic (I have been correctly accused of being "steampunk-resonant"), and my personal style reflects that (when the local temperatures are cool enough to do so). In autumn, winter, and spring my looks usually feature waistcoats and very long skirts, some of which are remarkably "flashy" either by the simple virtue of their length or by the fabric they're made from. In summer, I adopt a much cooler (temperature-wise) style that embraces the bohemian look of the tiered "peasant skirt" whilst simultaneously paired with the seemingly odd-by-comparison Hawaiian shirt. (The devil during summer is with colour and proportion.)

I did see a fairly bright purple skirt on Ebay, which I am tempted to buy. Only knee-length, but maybe I could branch out one day as you do already!

Colour is something that is so seldom used in the male wardrobe, and I believe that's a sorry scenario because it's a wonderful way to express one's self. Black, of course, "goes with everything" and it blends into the woodwork of society; brighter hues make a powerful statement. I don't wear purple if I'm not one hundred percent "on my game"; if I'm not, I embrace the "dull palette" including all black if I'm in a particularly bleak mood (and folks pick up on both of these notions).

A favourite winter look for me is my floor-length full purple skirt with my red brocade double-breasted waistcoat with a contrasting-colour shirt underneath. It's certainly not a rig for the insecure, but it does make a powerful statement when I wear it!

[Stu]

skirtyscot

I'm with Alexthebird on this. I can't see 1 working, because most men (me included) pay no attention to couture.

Unless you are an ultra trendy, relatively wealthy and hip, and somewhat sartorially adventurous young man about town, you don't need to. Ordinary middle aged guys don't generally set trends - we more often follow trends - ...eventually! Lots of examples, such as spiky hairstyles were only sported by teenagers when they first came out, but I see guys in their 40s with them these days. If enough of the trendy young guys start buying designer men's skirts - like the Christian Dior version we saw earlier this year - then someone (like H&M or Topman) will start marketing a similar, cheaper version. If these take off with less trendy young men then, eventually, slightly older guys will give them a try and then older still men will follow and so on.

I wouldn't hold out much hope for the Eddie Izzard effect - Eddie is a self-confessed transvestite and that would be a good reason NOT to follow his example.

Stu

[skirtyscot]

A favourite winter look for me is my floor-length full purple skirt with my red brocade double-breasted waistcoat with a contrasting-colour shirt underneath. It's certainly not a rig for the insecure, but it does make a powerful statement when I wear it!

Miss out the waistcoat and I could go for something like that! Have you posted any pics of such an outift?

[skirtyscot]

Colour is something that is so seldom used in the male wardrobe, and I believe that's a sorry scenario because it's a wonderful way to express one's self.

Indeed. Mrs Skirtyscot likes to complain about my "sludge-coloured" wardrobe. I think one brightly coloured item and the rest subdued can work well. Mrs SS bought me some "soft red" trousers once to brighten me up, and she is still quite happy to see me in them even though they have faded to an undeniably pink shade. Strangely she hates the bright green shirt which I sometomes wear to work. De gustibus non est disputandum, as Julius Caesar used to say!

[skirtyscot]

Ordinary middle aged guys don't generally set trends - we more often follow trends - ...eventually! Lots of examples, such as spiky hairstyles were only sported by teenagers when they first came out, but I see guys in their 40s with them these days. If enough of the trendy young guys start buying designer men's skirts - like the Christian Dior version we saw earlier this year - then someone (like H&M or Topman) will start marketing a similar, cheaper version. If these take off with less trendy young men then, eventually, slightly older guys will give them a try and then older still men will follow and so on.
Stu

Two groups of people go for stuff that nobody else will wear: the young, trying to shock; and those old enough not to give a toss any more what everyone else thinks! http://labyrinth_3.tripod.com/page59.html I must be moving into the older category: I am certainly not young, and when I was, the ony way I would only shock people was with how square I was!

I believe the spiky haircut was first championed by Oor Wullie! (For the uninitiated, Google "Oor Wullie pictures" - one link shows he too could occasionally seen in a MUG!)

[crfriend]

Miss out the waistcoat and I could go for something like that! Have you posted any pics of such an outift?

Imagery may be found in my thread in the "Pics and Looks" forum. It's full of lots of commentary, but the imagery therein speaks pretty well to what I'm up to at the moment.

Don't discount the waistcoat (US, "vest") out of hand. They are very useful style devices and can add quite a lot to otherwise drab combinations. A positively winning look -- and one that is absolutely safe -- is a plain black A-line skirt, a white dress shirt, and a red waistcoat; the colours go very well together, the contrast is pleasing, and the difference between the fitted part of the waistcoat and the fullness of the skirt just works.

[skirts4me]

Mr Beckham in a sarong a few years back didn't exactly have a lot of men copying him.

From what I've heard David Beckham was seen in a sarong ONCE. Now, if he would wear one frequently and publicly there might be a little more impact. Being seen just once sends a message of "I've tried it, it wasn't a pleasant experience, it's wrong, don't do it."

[couyalair]

Re : Beckham

The impact was there; the whole world must know he once wore a (gasp!) sarong.
But since then ...?

Likewise, Sean Connery kilted, appears all over the web, but followers ...?

Martin

[Milfmog]

From what I've heard David Beckham was seen in a sarong ONCE. Now, if he would wear one frequently and publicly there might be a little more impact. Being seen just once sends a message of "I've tried it, it wasn't a pleasant experience, it's wrong, don't do it."

As I recall it he was ridiculed for days by the UK Red Top press. I'm not surprised he did not do it again.

(I also have a hazy memory that we was wearing the sarong over a pair of jeans, but I may be wrong on that...)

Have fun,


Ian.

[crfriend]

As I recall it [Beckham] was ridiculed for days by the UK Red Top press. I'm not surprised he did not do it again.

I don't know about that; my take on it would have been that if tomorrow's cat-box liner ridiculed me for something, I'd use it as an excuse to make a show out of it and ratchet things up a bit. However, that takes a bit of conviction on things that Mr. Beckham might not have had -- and the lasting image was that he did not look comfortable in the rig at all. If that was the case, I don't particularly blame him for not having another go at it (the sarong or the press).

The moral here is that a Sports Star took some heat from the tabloid press. Big fat hairy deal. Life goes on.

[Milfmog]

As I recall it [Beckham] was ridiculed for days by the UK Red Top press. I'm not surprised he did not do it again.

I don't know about that; my take on it would have been that if tomorrow's cat-box liner ridiculed me for something, I'd use it as an excuse to make a show out of it and ratchet things up a bit.

But the difference betwennn you carl and David beckham is all about branding. He has to maintain his brand to continue to earn a crust whereas you (and I) need only work for our livings

...and the lasting image was that he did not look comfortable in the rig at all. If that was the case, I don't particularly blame him for not having another go at it (the sarong or the press).

His lack of comfort was certainly part of the problem. There was also a story around the same time about him wearing his wife's underwear at home... Perhaps we are better off without that kind of publicity.

Have fun,


Ian.