Skirt Wearing by Women Increasing?

[denimini]

But then again, you only need to walk around Brisvegas to see that there's no shortage of skirts being worn out and about here. There's something about living in a sub-tropical climate..

You are certainly in skirt territory there.

[Rokje]

In the Netherlands the women I see, they all wear trousers. Hot or cold, trousers it is. Only the older women wear dresses and skirts, but only in the summer.
I like the practicality of trousers myself, that's why women in the Netherlands like to wear trousers. But I do like the skirts when it is warm outside. Even when I ride my bicycle.

[Jim]

I have asked women why they don't wear skirts or dresses in really hot weather and I have been told it is because of their thighs rubbing together.

I haven't done a study in women's thighs, but is this due, then, to obesity? I know my knees hit each other long before my thighs could even when I'm a bit overweight.

[Big and Bashful]

Well I do have a problem with my legs being "too close" together that sometimes leads to friction problems when skirted. The bad thing about going bifurcated is that I wear them out between the legs, which also means I never have the right bits left to turn them into cut-offs! The joys of being a bit corpulent!

[Grok]

From a very small arbitrary and non-scientific sampling, my observations in the few places I routinely attend, the number of women wearing skirts has increased from the times before I attended those venues routinely in a skirt.

An unexpected irony-that MIS could be allies for WIS.

[rivegauche]

I have asked women why they don't wear skirts or dresses in really hot weather and I have been told it is because of their thighs rubbing together.

I haven't done a study in women's thighs, but is this due, then, to obesity? I know my knees hit each other long before my thighs could even when I'm a bit overweight.

Ah. Funnily enough my questioning of women didn't go down this route!

[denimini]

I had a trip to town today and had enough time (daylight savings) to check out a few op-shops (thrift/charity stores). Skirtwise the pickings were very slim. It is the start of summer and there used to be a lot more skirts.
I am not sure why and postulate the following reasons:

• Women haven't been buying skirts for years now and the donation stock is shrinking
• Women are wearing skirts more now and not getting rid of them
• Women are buying more skirts at charity shops so the stock is depleted
• Women are not leaving home to be able to donate them
• Women are buying them to sell on eBay
• Women are selling them on eBay instead of donating in these hard times (there are still plenty on eBay)

I didn't see any other men browzing the women's racks so they are not to blame

[Grok]

Women haven't been buying skirts for years now and the donation stock is shrinking

I think this the most likely explanation. I haven't noticed any significant increase in years for womens skirt wearing.

I think for the average woman skirt wearing is reserved for:

1. Special occasions.

2. The hottest weather.

I think between the two requirements very few garments need to be purchased.

[nzfreestyler]

For my 2 cents worth...
I think its about steady here and not really increasing.
Pant suits are a big trend and womens pants are actually pretty comfy.

I buy my clothes from womens stores - and the ratio of pants to skirts would be 2 to 1 if not perhaps even 3 to 1 in terms of styles
Its a definite trend to pants right now vs skirt choices.

points of difference and convenience :
You don't have to think about your hemline/upskirt.
Fitted pants sit high on your waist and nicely fit your derriere - so they can be very figure defining/flattering if you want
A pant suit for work is a take me serious look - more masculine style trend these days - but you keep it feminine with a stiletto heel and/or a sheer blouse/open jacket look.
You can avoid waxing your full legs with pants -perhaps just knees down
Jackets are traditionally cut to your waist or above your hips so that your legs in a fitted pant are very much a focus - just as in your skirt.
Pants are usually lined too - so they move on you easily and don't bunch.
Pants are much lighter weight than equivalent mens fabrics would be - again much more comfortable.
You don't need to wear hosiery with pants!
Most pants are now going higher waisted so stupid things like showing your underwear with a hipster is not going to happen with high waists.
In fact the wasitline on a highwaisted pant is the same as your skirt waistline - so they fit very much the same.

Some of these points are very convenient so I can understand why pants that look good now with fitted styles are popular.

I would agree that a skirt is always going to be the more formal choice - or a dress. Thats for sure.

Cheers
NZF

[denimini]

I went to a funeral yesterday. Although the weather was warm, in the mid 30's, I wore pants because these situations are packed with tradition, culture, protocols and sensitivity by all. Out of about 150 people, I saw very few people in skirts, maybe 3 or 4 black knee length and one pleated, plaid mini which I thought was a brave choice but comfortable for the weather (particularly brave because she was trans and pushing the envelope for funeral attire, although only us long term locals would know by remembering her as a child).

[STEVIE]

Denimini
You make a very interesting point about conventional garb for formal occasions.
My take is that if I am to attend an event where I have no wish to be any focus of attention then I dress accordingly.
I attended a family funeral some time ago. The ceremony and interment saw me in conservative attire.
That was right and proper as it was about the bereaved.
On that occasion I would say that all of the females were actually in skirts or dresses. There were some where the garments were very obviously brand new or possibly even borrowed. We Brits can be real sticklers for convention at times but the younger girls did still sport some fashionable wear too. That would have been most frowned upon in my younger days I am sure.
In this setting I would hope that a trans person would be accepted in the same way as anyone else attending for the same reasons.
More generally, I have noticed what I feel is some local increase in women in skirts. In town at the weekends and during the day there is a marked contingent.
This may be due to home workers going casual all week and craving a change on their day off, who knows?
Steve.

[Kirbstone]

No.
At the dark end of the year, which is now, I wandered through the newly post-lockdown re-opened vast local Dunnes Stores clothng dept. and there was hardly a skirt to be found. They're all wearing jeans/trews/leggings now and stores stock what flies off the shelves/racks, as they've got to move the merchandise or die. Out on the streets the female casual wear does not include skirts, but formal wear is something different, of course.

Tom

[STEVIE]

Yes, I was out and about in Aberdeen City centre yesterday.
I wasn't inside a shop but there were plenty skirts and dresses in evidence on the street and even saw a guy in what may have been a UK.
It is the dark season here too and I'd have thought some of the garments may have been just a bit too flimsy for comfort too.
Steve.

[denimini]

Another funeral today. A very good friend of mine finally succumbed to a brain tumour.
The burial was to be out bush at sunrise - logistics of getting him out in the cool of night (21C instead of 40C). Advice was to wear casual ........ for me these days; there is no casual without a skirt involved. Off I set at 3am, allowing a generous 3 hours to do about 200kms. Well it turned out a fairly tight time wise with kangaroos on the highway section and kangaroos plus wash-outs, corrugations and rocks on the dirt track. (when I say rocks, I had to get out and move 2, a size I would appreciate as a stonemason but not as a driver of the car I took because of it's superior air-conditioning).
About 100 people were there, some I had not met and some who had never seen me wearing a skirt, however I certainly did not feel out of place although, again there were only 2 or 3 women wearing skirts.
I got back home at 11.30am and 38C, took a pic for posterity and now about to have a siesta.

back-home_PC151930s.jpg

[Faldaguy]

Anthony,
Looks incredibly suitable to me, especially given the temps. I've done funerals in skirts -- last one actually attended was for a 90+ friend who decided to dig out some of her skirts again, on account of my skirt wearing! Given she gave me 'rah-rah's" for wearing skirts, it seemed more than fitting.
Shared a bit of your road warrior today too -- no roos anymore, but a snippet of Puma tail and mud bogs that almost stopped my Land Cruiser -- could wish for my old Patrol from our days in your country. The skirt was mid-calf (chilly at about 23) brown denim and got a workout; switched to mid-calf fairly straight mostly linen skirt from Eddie Bauer, and surprise -- Lesley and I weren't the only ones in skirts at dinner; most of the women were in dresses or skirted -- except the host, in jeans and huge poncho like wrap!