Skirt Cafe is an on-line community dedicated to exploring, promoting and advocating skirts and kilts as a fashion choice for men, formerly known as men in skirts. We do this in the context of men's fashion freedom --- an expansion of choices beyond those commonly available for men to include kilts, skirts and other garments. We recognize a diversity of styles our members feel comfortable wearing, and do not exclude any potential choices. Continuing dialog on gender is encouraged in the context of fashion freedom for men. See here for more details.
Ahh, yes, the late 60s and early 70s. What a wonderful era ( said with a wistful quavery voice and a tear in my old rheumy eyes- or was that conjunctivitis!?) I'm not sure of Mick Jagger's taste, the short dress over pants jars somewhat to my eyes. I also never liked the Stones that much. . It does show, however, the freer,more adventurous spirit of that era. Last night I saw an interview iith a prominent Shakesperian actor and director (Australian) who is now 68 and there was a home movie shown of him, from the early 70s, reading a bedtime story to his young daughters and wearing a kaftan. Oh why did society swing to conservatism by the 80s?
It will not always be summer: build barns---Hesiod
What an amazing image that is! Thanks for posting it gshubert.
Whilst, like Sarongman, I find the notion of the dress over jeans jarring, that's a little piece of froth I'd wear in a heartbeat, quite likely as a tunic over another skirt or possibly just by itself. The look is a delightful one, and harks back to a bygone era where men could express themselves via what they clothed themselves in.
I'm sure that Jagger was wearing it for effect -- as stagewear; whether he'd dress that way on the street or not is open to conjecture, and something that we need to bear in mind when we see photographs of celebrities on stage.
The photo is also interesting from another perspective. In addition to showing the wild creativity and freedom of the time, it shows the future as well. Nowadays, we all tend to look like the roadie to Jagger's left (or worse). There's not enough detail in the image to see what the little logo is on the polo shirt. Things have not improved.
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
I, too, get a little perturbed when folk attribute too much emphasis to 'stage-wear'. At the time (confesses to being an avid Stones fan!), it didn't cause so much as a flutter, as groups always seemed to be trying to 'upstage' each other with their 'professional' attire. Only a few embittered pressmen tried to decry the popstar's frippery, by referring to Mick's tunic as a 'minidress' - and were totally ignored by the rest of us!
But it is a sad reflection of the 21st Century, isn't it? A time when we, regardless of gender, truly had 'fashion freedom', at least in the UK! Perhaps it happened all too quickly? That is the 'achilles heel' of fashion, as opposed to genuine freedom. Away from Carnaby Street, it was certainly unusual to see anything quite so OTT, but as noted earlier, the (highly publicised) extremes were purely 'stage-wear'.
... men are frustrated by what's on offer in the shops because there has not been that same democratisation of fashion for men as there has been for women.
"They have far less choice to play with," says Charlie Porter, associate editor of GQ magazine.
At last! The fashion industry is waking up to what we've known for a very long time.
Skinny jeans? Didn't we call them 'drainpipe trousers' long ago?
Charlie
PS. You can post comments as well, subject to moderation so it probably won't make it:
So, the fashion industry has finally woken up to what many of us have known for years - men have a lousy choice in clothing. I am really looking forward to seeing a well-designed, viable, practical, man's skirt that isn't straight off the cat walk.