Sightings "in the wild"

[moonshadow]

For those who want to see the entire Trail Days 2018 (Damascus Virginia) album: CLICK HERE

And finally, my outfit whilst taking all those photos: HERE

Many people complimented me on my outfit today!

[skirtyscot]

You win the prize for most sightings in a day (or even a year). I'm glad but not remotely surprised that you were suitably attired for the occasion.

A lot of those skirts look awfully impractical for a long hike, IMO. The long ones would get dirty or wet, and they would be far too hot. The kilt and the short dresses are far better. There appears to be a hiking skirt in one picture; it's probably the best choice.

[Derek Plattis]

Brilliant - and a great way to keep cool

Derek

[Derek Plattis]

Sightings in the wild.



It is worth noting that we see very few females wearing the skirt these days.....

Agreed but there are far more women wearing skirts in this hot weather we are currently enjoying...................Still far too few men though.

Derek

[Freedomforall]

The pitures are very encouraging, especially considering we both live in the south!

[weeladdie18]

Sightings in the wild.



It is worth noting that we see very few females wearing the skirt these days.....

Agreed but there are far more women wearing skirts in this hot weather we are currently enjoying...................Still far too few men though.

Derek

I would agree with Derek that I am seeing more females in skirts and above the knee

dresses in this warmer weather.

More of the female staff in the local supermarket are wearing black pencil skirts

with the hem at traditional male Kilt height , top of the kneecap.

I feel very comfortable in this weather in my skirt worn with a shirt and male

sports jacket.

I am in S W Cornwall ,most southerly point in Mainland U.K.

Regarding the temperature, where are the other increased sightings of females

in skirts in U K ? .......

My latest theory is that skirt wearing popularity is temperature related.

Pehaps the male does not bother to dress comfortably.

......weeladdie

[weeladdie18]

I would like to thank Moon for his photos of Men In Skirts on a Pilgrimage .

Was skirt wearing part of the theme of the Pilgrimage ?

There does not seem to be any theme to the style of skirt worn. ......weeladdie

[moonshadow]

I would like to thank Moon for his photos of Men In Skirts on a Pilgrimage .

Was skirt wearing part of the theme of the Pilgrimage ?

I'm not really sure how men wearing skirts and dresses got to be a "thing" for A.T. through hikers, and to be clear on something, it's still somewhat of a "mini-trend" among male hikers. I'd estimate about one or two out of a thousand male hikers wear a skirt or dress, and it's not certain if they were it for the duration of the hike.

I'm sure there is no doubt of the comfort that wearing a skirt or dress brings when on long hikes. Though I'm not really a hiker, I have trekked up many-a-mountains in trousers and the experience in the dog days or summer is awful!

I recall a female A.T. blogger wrote one time about her experience on on the trail in Maine, and I apologize but I can not remember where I found it, so I'll have to paraphrase as best I can from memory:

"And then, when you get into Maine, many of the hiker men wear dresses on the trail, nobody really knows why, it's just what they do."

Though I've never hiked extensively on the A.T., I have lived somewhere within 50 miles or so of the route for basically my whole life. As such I have picked up a few stories from time to time.

Skirts, and skirt wearing men are not the main theme of the A.T. experience. However that said, when on the trail, I'd say that the hiker experiences vast distances cut off from modern life and society, and as such, they tend to march to the beat of their own drum. It's been said that the hike can be a spiritually liberating experience, and as such, various social hang ups don't seem to apply on the trail. Some men may wear skirts, others dreadlocks, others may wear something different all together. Some live off the land, many sleep for months under the stars, braving through various weather, hitch-hiking to nearby trails towns for rest.

I've spoken to through hikers along the way, many of whom have hiked the trail in years past. Most all describe it is a powerfully spiritual experience, and yes I know it's the second time I said that, but it really is worth repeating. It changes those who rise to the challenge, it puts things in a different perspective, modern social life looks different after the fact, and I'd say the hikers are normally better for it. It's community, friendships are made, locals put on things like "trail magic" where they might set up a table in some out of the way trail crossroads and offer free food, candy bars (for protein), dry socks, pain relievers, etc. It is basically what humanity is meant to be, and is one of the few true human experiences that we can have.

The small segments I've walked during the warm days of summer are truly majestic. There's no cell phones, no television, no crowds, no politics, no drama, no gossip, no news, just you and Nature... when I take that brief afternoon walk and imagine it going on for six months straight, I can't help but stand in awe at the thought of it.

[Freedomforall]

Moon you sparked my curiosity concerning this hike and how spiritual it can be. The first time I wore a skirt I could feel an energy from the ground that I had never experienced. It still feels different than pants. I often walk in my yard barefooted at night while wearing a skirt. It is so liberating!

[mishawakaskirt]

Moon you sparked my curiosity concenring this hike and how spiritual it can be. The first time I wore a skirt I could feel an energy from the ground that I had never experienced. It still feels different than pants. I often walk in my yard barefooted at night while wearing a skirt. It is so liberating!

Interesting, I too have done the same thing at night. Not sure about it being spiritual so to speak. Like was said, so liberating. I Also find it calming and
relaxing. So many people are missing out on skirts. I'm thinking tonight may be a great night for a barefoot walk skirted. Thank you for the reminder. I forgot that I enjoy doing that.

The last few days it has been really hot. I mentioned to my wife, that my kilt was cooler than shorts and surprised she doesn't wear skirts more. She just looked at me like I was crazy. I think I have been in a kilt 3 nights of the last five days around her. With very little reaction, so maby some progress. Or maybe she sees that I am doing it for comfort and not some other motive.

[Freedomforall]

I read about this several years ago and believe there is something to it. It may explain why we feel something when we go barefoot.

https://www.groundology.co.uk/about-grounding

[moonshadow]

Moon you sparked my curiosity concerning this hike and how spiritual it can be. The first time I wore a skirt I could feel an energy from the ground that I had never experienced. It still feels different than pants. I often walk in my yard barefooted at night while wearing a skirt. It is so liberating!

Well now, recall I was speaking of the hike in general as "spiritual", and would describe the experience I'd say, regardless of what the hiker is wearing. However, I'd say a good state of spirituality is easier to obtain when you're literally not sweating your balls off and enjoying the freedom of movement and comfort of a skirt.

All that being said, for those who enjoy the feeling of "getting back to their roots", which in and of itself can be a somewhat of a spiritual experience, the wearing of a skirt can assist with this, as virtually everyone's ancestors (male and female) wore skirts at some point in history.

Trousers are for working on assembly lines and manual modern day type of labor. Skirts on the other hand can be more primitive, and were generally worn by highly spiritual men of antiquity, (particularly the robes, tunics, caftans, etc).

[weeladdie18]

Agreed...I have been wearing my collection of free full below the knee summer skirts since

middle of January. Bare legs and ankle socks...Sometimes no socks. I do feel male as I wear a

male shirt and preferably shorter tweed Kilt jacket. I like the traditional elasticated waist.

I feel this is a sort of more free and basic style of dress.....Found a really free and lightweight

skirt in this style...with a 12 foot long hem just below my knees.

There is a feeling of freedom with a skirt which is not tight and restrictive.

For many years I have had this thing about a naturally acceptable air temperature and a

nice sunny day probably 15 C. Down here in the most southerly part of Cornwall and

England it is marginally warmer...Ten mile drive across moorland with cattle and sheep

to the nearest supermarket . Sit in the café for breakfast and see glass on two sides of the

restaurant with a view of trees and clouds.

Then drive ten miles past disused engine houses to the nearest financial bank.

Walk the cliff paths and only see one or two people .

Visit the Celtic camps which were inhabited before Romans invaded the country.

Unless folks dress in my anchient style and watch the birds and hear their song and

get away from the noise of the traffic , they cannot chill out and see what is growing

in the ground .. beautiful coloured wild bird sewn flowers.

One chap said ..You look ready for the summer.......another suggested I was going

somewhere special the way I was dressed in my favourite skirt with my traditional haircut

and well tanned and clean shaven.

Yes It is a nice buzz just to be alive and travelling back through time in my creators world .

Weeladdie

[weeladdie18]

Going back to my favourite new to me skirt ...seventies drawstring waist tie .

below the knee , with a 12 foot hem. Quite light and not the sort of skirt which is

normally sighted in the wild being worn by a female . " really cool "

and draws no comment from my friends. weeladdie.

[weeladdie18]

I may be getting off Moon's thread. ... my secret is to push the pattern design of

my summer skirts as far as I can without my skirt pattern looking feminine.

I am deliberately trying to dress in an anchient male style

without the Male Peacock effect or the " see through " feminine effect.

My style might not be noticed by the Spotters out sighting in the "wild " .... weeladdie