skirtcafe.org

I do wonder whether some stores do actually 'experiment' with where they actually display clothing, i.e., putting denim skirts amongst the gents denim shorts.

I've got two skirts from (of all places!) Marks & Spencer which were in the 'Gents' section. A 'classic' short indigo denim skirt (with 'gents' fly) which certainly fits my (overweight) shape perfectly. Marked as 20/21in, it's actually 19/20in, but there you go - I wasn't taking it back! The other was a heavy cotton version of almost identical shorts in a neutral blue-grey colour. The shorts/skirts were intermixed on both sides of the aisle! The only drawback being that although these skirts had a full, buttoned fly, it was in the 'female' direction!

Other 'mainstream' shops have had 'blokes skirts' displayed on occasion - mostly aimed at the younger element 'clubbing' on holiday. At one shop, the sales chappy said they'd been sent three 'to test the water'. They kept one on display (the buyer was going to collect a week later) and, to their total surprise, had more than a dozen enquiries. They'd enquired (obviously!), but the supplier had no more available. Sadly, they didn't go above a 30in waist!

I've seen similar (Algarve, for instance), but all aimed at the 'youth' market. I suspect this is where the habit has got to grow from. Get a few lads travelling home, thus skirted and it'll grow from there - just like casual Kilts have.

Which branch of M&S was that? I have shopped for skirts in M&S but always found them in the ladies section. I have started wearing M&S knickers after being given a pair to try. They are fantastic to wear and cheap - 7 pairs for about a fiver.
I wonder if someone moved the skirts over from the ladies' to the mens' section to be with the shorts in error or as a windup?
Which leads me on to marvelous idea. Lets all do it - everytime we go into a department store pick up one or two skirts and place them on the racks in the mens section. If we try on a skirt and don't buy it for whatever reason - then put it back with the mens' wear - if possible in the right size section and the right type - i.e. short demin skirts with the shorts, black suit skirt with the black suits etc.

Nick

knickerless wrote:Which leads me on to marvelous idea. Lets all do it - everytime we go into a department store pick up one or two skirts and place them on the racks in the mens section. If we try on a skirt and don't buy it for whatever reason - then put it back with the mens' wear - if possible in the right size section and the right type - i.e. short demin skirts with the shorts, black suit skirt with the black suits etc.

Now that's an idea I like!

If I'd read this before I went out at lunchtime and tried on two skirts (in two different shops) I could have started the ball rolling. Oh well there's always tomorrow, I did not buy either of the skirts today (they looked better on the rack than on me) so maybe I'll have another go.

Have fun,


Ian.

knickerless wrote: I wonder if someone moved the skirts over from the ladies' to the mens' section to be with the shorts in error or as a windup?

Which leads me on to marvelous idea. Lets all do it - everytime we go into a department store pick up one or two skirts and place them on the racks in the mens section. Nick

I cannot honestly say. The two occasions were several years apart. They were mixed in together, on both the ladies side & the gents, the only 'demarcation' being size. The ladies under (say) "size 20" & the gents under "34in" (waist). The shorts/skirts were to all intents identical (maybe intended as "his & hers"?). I don't currently shop at M&S since they sacked one of their advertisers for saying on a fashion programme that "Nazi uniforms were an iconic 20th century symbol" - which they were - fact. Particularly ironic from a firm who trade as "St. Michael"! Hypocrites!

As for your brilliant idea, award yourself a gold star! What a hoot! Probably best to work out what 'waist' corresponds with what 'size' first, mind. Must give this a go, next time the wife goes clothes shopping! Rather than being 'abandoned' by her, I could be seen as actively 'helping' her make her choice!

Well I am going to give it a go in George, Sainsbury's, Tesco's, M&S, BHS, Primark, Peacocks amd Matalan over the next few weeks

Just one or two items to start with - the sort of skirt that attracts your eye - and then come back a day or so later see what has happened. I don't think we need to do the reverse for the girls - most have more trousers than skirts anyway.

It's better than just whinging about what is not happening and a bit of fun to boot.

Nick

And should anybody accost one for so doing, just say, "But this is a man's skirt, surely!"

Check Debenhams as well. They have a sale on at the mo and I have picked up a denim skirt (which I'm wearing) and a knee-length purple and lilac banded cotton skirt - both for £7.50 each! They have all sizes available when I was there 2 hours ago (Folkestone branch).

The assistant who served me clearly worked out they were for me and asked me what I thought of the purple/lilac skirt and appreciated that I found lilac a pleasant colour. No issues at all.

A few months ago, I was in the Meadowhall Centre in Sheffield (before it flooded) and I had some time to kill. I had a look at men's jackets in House of Frazer and saw a nice tailored one in postbox red, but they didn't appear to have my size. A few moments later, an assistant saw me and she must have realised I hadn't found what I was looking for and asked me if I was "alright there?" I told her I couldn't find the size I wanted so she said she would look in the stock room for me. Several minutes later, she came back with an armful, including one in my size and it fitted me fine. I told her I would take it and she then said something which triggered something in my brain.

"Would you like some trousers to go with that? Perhaps some plain black ones would look good" she said.

"Hmm. I don't think so. Actually, I'd quite like a black skirt."

She looked stunned, but quickly mumbled something about me wanting a black shirt.

"No," I corrected her, "I don't want a black shirt, I want a black skirt."

Again she muttered something about not having skirts on that department.

"Well, I'm sure you sell black skirts on the ladies' department, don't you?"

Eventually, she referred me to a colleague on another department and then I was referred to a third assistant who seemed to have a better idea about how to deal with me. She dug out a couple of skirts but one was the wrong fabric to go with the jacket and the other was far too long, so I didn't bother and cheerfully paid for the jacket. I thought about it afterwards and it dawned on me that three members of staff at House of Fraser have now encountered a straight-looking, masculine man buying a masculine jacket for himself, but choosing to team it up with a skirt rather than trousers. If enough men behave in this way, eventually the stores will get the message that there is a market for men's skirts.

Stu

Red jacket + black skirt.

Sounds great!

ChristopherJ wrote:Red jacket + black skirt. Sounds great!

Did you go to Butlins, when you were younger, perchance?

ChristopherJ wrote:Red jacket + black skirt.

Sounds great!

That's a great-sounding combo. Red, white, and black is a combination that it's hard to go wrong with; one of my favourite looks is a white dress-shirt, my red waistcoat, and a black skirt. In fact my old avatar showed that rig with my puffy-sleeved (pirate's/poet's) shirt. (I need to make another one of those; the one I have now is a bit tattered.)

Did you go to Butlins, when you were younger, perchance?

Butlins! Eeeeee by gum - I wish that we could 'ave bin that lucky!

Ohhhh we used to DREAM of goin' to Butlins! Woulda' been like a palace to us. 'Cos we spent our 'olidays in an old water tank on a rubbish tip. We got woken up every morning by having a load of rotting fish dumped all over us!

Luxury it were . . .

<with apologies to the Monty Python crew>

Wife and myself visited Matalan in Brislington (area of Bristol) yesterday. The shop is on two floors; upper is entirely devoted to women's wear. Menswear is crammed in on the lower floor, along with housewear and children's clothing.
We wandered into the menswear department. We knew it was menswear because all the colour suddenly went out, to be replaced with dark dull stuff.
However, I spotted some racks of skirts. Spirits started to rise. Wife then pointed out that these were sale items, overflowing from the women's and children's depts. And none of the skirts were to my taste...
Oh well, and I thought Matalan had seen the light
Still, the security tapes now have images of a man in a skirt in their store, as does Maplin (electronics store) next door. I was wearing a black corduroy Union kilt with red polo shirt

Charlie

ChristopherJ wrote: 'Cos we spent our 'olidays in an old water tank on a rubbish tip. We got woken up every morning by having a load of rotting fish dumped all over us!

Ah! You've been to Rotherham, too, I see! There, you'd maybe see the Colliery Marching Bands wi' the Red Jackets and short White Pleated Skirts (the lasses wore 'em, as well!).

I went to Sainsbury's Thursday and found two size 16 camo skirts that were in the sale and re hung them withe camo shorts in the mens section. I will see if they are still there next week and possibly move some more items around.

Nick