Doing New York City---IN A SKIRT!!

[JeffB1959]

On Sunday, I did perhaps THE craziest thing ever to date, but I did it anyway: I went on a trip to New York, and I wore a skirt on my trip!

I had already planned to go there last week, but after my first little outing in a skirt on Thursday, I got a wild and maybe insane idea on Saturday to repeat the experience, but on a much larger scale by visiting the nexus of western civilization for a day of fun and frolic. Just in case anyone thinks I'm pulling the collective legs of the membership, here's proof of my incredible outing:



As for my wild crazy itinerary:

With my train scheduled to leave Philly at 9:25 a.m., I arrived at a nearby parking lot about thirty minutes before, it took a good ten minutes to screw up my courage, after all, this time, I wouldn't be tiptoeing through a local strip mall or skulking to a ATM machine, I'd be far away from home, far removed from the comfort level of my hometown, I'd be walking the streets of Manhattan in a skirt, and that caused me to have some second thoughts, especially with my jeans and sneakers in the back seat, but then I said, "Screw it! Let's go!" And I did.

Casually walking into 30th Street Station, my first stop was to an ATM for some spending money, then it was off to wait for the train. For anyone unfamiliar with 30th Street Station, Philly's hub for Amtrak and our regional rail lines, the inside is a huge, cavernous, block long building filled with hundreds of travelers of all ages going here, there and everwhere, and there I was in my skirt, acting surprisingly calm, cool and collected. However, my senses were on full alert as my eyes scanned the people around me and (this will be a theme), no one paid me any attention. That helped to build up my confidence for the trip.

After boarding the train, there was no turning back, I was off for the big city. After arriving around 11 a.m., maintaining my casual air, I strolled through the passenger area of Penn Central Station, ten times more crowded than Philly, again, no one noticed. Walking outside, I took a deep breath and smiled at how well things were progressing before heading off to goof off. I've been in Manhattan dozens of times as I wander to NYC every other month or so to sightsee and shop, but being here in a skirt made the experience feel brand new, like I had never been here before, and it was positively exhilirating to me.

Needless to say, it was amazing, wandering through midtown Manhattan in broad daylight in a skirt, and, near as I can tell (and I checked for reactions behind mirrored sunglasses), no one noticed, no one craned their heads, no one did double takes. Of course, we are talking New York, home to perhaps the most jaded populace on the planet, so I guess I wasn't anything in the way of an oddity to the locals. Hey, that was fine by me. After browsing through a comic shop for the newest books on the shelves, followed by lunch, it was off to Bryant Park where I sat amongst hundreds and hundreds of people, enjoying the sights and sounds like everyone else.

After almost an hour there where I was on display for passersby, I was off for Rockafeller Plaza and the "Top of the Rock", the city's famous observation deck seventy floors up where the view of the city was fabulous, and where I had that picture taken. Again, no one cared what I wore, in fact, on a couple of occasions, I had people ask me to take their picture. After leaving the Rock, it was back to the station for the trip back, walking leisurely down a crowded Fifth Avenue where I patiently waited with hundreds of travelers waiting for their trains. Again, nothing. By about seven p.m., I was back home and my adventure was over.

All told, I spent nearly ten hours in skirt, half those hours in one of the busiest cities on Earth, and I was just another person on the street, nothing more. The whole trip went off without a hitch from start to finish, and that pleasantly surprised me. In retrospect, I wish I had worn a shorter skirt, but I didn't want to push the envelope on my first ever really big outing. Now that I've gotten the lay of the land, I will wear a shorter skirt on my next trip. All told, the experience was more fun than I could have possibly imagined. Already, I can't wait to do it again!

[owen]

Excellent! It's yet more proof, as if any were needed, that people in general just don't have a problem with men in skirts; the problem is mainly in our own heads. Here's hoping that the next big outing will be even more relaxed and enjoyable.

[crfriend]

Now that wan an inspirational post! Thanks Jeff!

It looks like there's more first-hand evidence that denim skirts on guys work well and don't get noticed.

Two words, Jeff: (Rock on!)

[The Kilted Hoosier]

GOOD ON YA, MATE!

Having been to Manhattan on a few occasions I can certainly understand the "Jaded New Yorker" point. You know that pat answer don't you? Example: Q: Why are you wearing a skirt? A: Because this is New York. It's my understanding that in the CIty, anything goes, and that includes a guy in a skirt!

My point of view regarding length is that a skirt should break at or just above the knee.

Anyway, enough of the disjointed ramblings. Here's hoping that the next trip to the city in a skirt, or anywhere else for that matter, that you'll enjoy it that much more.

All the Best,

dave

[JeffB1959]

Thanks for the kind words! Normally, I'm not so impulsive, so to have gone on a trip to New York in a skirt was quite a departure for me, I'm still amazed I actualy did it, and, as I've already said, I had a lot of fun. More importantly, wearing a skirt, even in that huge throng felt as natural to me as breathing, like I had done it all my life. Doubly amazing! More outings to come!

[Stu]

Well done! But it's no surprise. I've walked through three UK cities in a denim skirt, including (the original) York, and there was not the slightest reaction in any of them. I have said many times that a denim skirt is practically invisible on the streets - nobody notices that what you have got on is a skirt - it just doesn't register. You have to actually do it to believe it, but it's true! Now I have done it a few times, it doesn't bother me a jot.

Stu

[cessna152towser]

Thanks for a great report, which accords with my own experiences that a guy wearing a knee length denim skirt is invisible. While on holiday in July I travelled to and from Toronto, Canada wearing a denim skirt and every day while there I either wore a kilt or a plain unpleated denim skirt and nobody bothered me. I also wore a denim skirt to travel alone from my home in Scotland to meet a fellow Skirtcafe member at Yeovilton Air museum, a journey which took me on planes, trains and buses and the skirt just wasn't an issue. In my experience, wearing a knee length kilt or skirt is not an issue, but wearing a longer, calf length, kilt or denim skirt does turn a few heads and a few people will ask you why the skirt, but even then unless you were to go into a particularly redneck district, nobody gives you any hassle.

[r1g0r]

just curiosity, jeff.

knowing your other preferences, what was the rest of your outfit? we can see from the skirt up, but what about from the skirt down?

[JeffB1959]

Stu & cessna: Thanks for the comments. It was quite remarkable to me to have discovered that wearing a knee length denim skirt really was no big deal. Originally, I envisioned all sorts of unpleasant scenarios once I was seen on the streets, but that never happened, and that made the experience quite enjoyable.

r1g0r: I forgot to mention that in my report, but from the skirt down, I wore sheer tan pantyhose (in retrospect, that was something of a mistake, given how warm it was, but I don't like how my legs look without hosiery to even out my skin tone) and black, two inch heeled women's loafers. Nothing fancy, and since I love walking around midtown, wearing comfortable shoes on that outing was a must.

[Rich_L]

If I wasn't in PA camping I would have loved to join you!
I only live a 30 minute drive from NYC. It does take an hour by Bus thou.

[Steven]

Well, glad to see someone else do it, I've been to NY, oh three times now I think, and if people don't notice a guy in a skating dress, people won't notice a guy in a knee length skirt either.

I have pictures too, including ones from "Good Morning America" which Lar and, umm, I forget, running Kilts, sorry, forgetting his name at the moment.

I did get noticed once, just once, someone whistled at me while I was walking down to Rockefeller Center to skate.

I also wore some regular knee length skirts, never had a problem with anyone or anyplace.

Another one out and about in a skirt, that leaves how many million to go? Sorry, old age.

[bareman43]

Around the Holidays last year I spent ten days in New York and the surrounding area. With my girlfriend, SO, we rode the trains ,ferries, visited the sights and had a great time together. I wore skirts the whole time, had two positive comments that I looked good, from women. The skirts were denim.
I also have made several trips to the San Francisco area when I wore skirts and have never had any problem.
Bareman43

[Ray]

Well done, Jeff!

I was about to say that I was in NY at EXACTLY the same time as you...but then noticed the date!