Starting a line of skirts

[Grok]

I understand that one version of skorts includes compression shorts. It seems that there are unisex compression shorts.

https://www.ohteamshop.com/sports/rugby ... on-shorts/

[weeladdie18]

Please allow me to look at this project from another viewpoint. The men in skirts market needs an affordable price ...Once the marketable price is agreed,
the design should be simplified to achieved the required function....
Perhaps this should be a simple male wrap over skirt with right over left wrapping aprons .
Each apron should be fastened at the hip......A method of fastening to provide the maximum amount of adjustment for each manufactured size.
This simplifies the number of sizes involved the stock.....

I would suggest an A Line design with a choice of "Top of the Knee Cap, Or Below the Knee Cap Hem.

Perhaps a simple Sulu or Sarong style would be a good starting point.....Pleated garments need careful pleat maintenance in the form of steam pressing.

Simple A Line flare requires limited maintenance ...........................best of luck

[denimini]

About four weeks ago I met a young Japanese designer who is a skilled artist, seamstress, designer and has a great sense of taste. I showed her my CAD like illustrations of various skirts and coordinate items. We spent some time talking and are in the process of creating a look book of our ideas to produce some prototypes. This past week we visited the garment district in Tokyo and found or fabric palate.

Sounds like a great opportunity, and a good team. Looking forward to seeing some really innovative and affordable skirts.

My 2c's worth:
Forget sizes, just give measurements. If someone says a skirt has a flat measurements of waist 420mm, length 350 and hem of 560; I know it will fit and not limit my stride.
Wrap skirts are good because with the right fastening system they can fit a range of sizes, can offer enough drape for modesty when sitting and be put on easily while wearing a backpack in a muddy paddock. The only problem with adjustable velcro fastening is the exposed unused outward facing velcro - it could be made a complementary colour and become part of the decoration/style - or the waist band could be turned over after fastening, like some school girls do when shortening their skirt. Perhaps a bit of velcro at the hem to control the apron in wind and could make it adaptable from and A-line to a pencil profile.
One good pocket would be handy and it doesn't need to be a feature - hidden in a pleat would be nice. A pocket behind the apron could cause some anxiety in people as you reach for your wallet.
I have always liked the contrasting pleat effect that gives it a bit of life with movement (Kirbstone has a few). That could be fiddly and expensive to make but my sister, who is a textiles teacher, suggested using a material that has wide stripes and pleating at the stripes.

[Grok]

Looked at the Skhoop web site. The basic concept is insulated skirts over trousers. However, their products seem to be intended only for women.

Why not a warm wrap skirt that a man could wear over his trousers?

[Grok]

Once, at a science fiction convention, I saw a woman wearing Mary Kingsley's safari skirt. I thought the skirt looked cool.

https://www.medievalcollectibles.com/p- ... skirt.aspx

I have for a long time had a particular liking for pleated skirts.

https://wlusidelines.wordpress.com/2012 ... ockey-faq/

[weeladdie18]

Re Demimini....See if you can find Scottish School Boys and Scouts in their Kilts......Shows a couple of laddies in a group with green tartan pleated to
the white stripe ,probably 20 to 30 pleats to the stripe....Very smart heavy Kilts with plenty of warmth....and plenty of expense.....

Three or four years ago Lidl ,The German Supermarket was promoting economy priced Kilts for Burns Night , ....machine Made for Gold Kilts in Glasgow
in Pakistan.....First year pricing £ 50 ,....second year £25 ....A good cheap price for a cheap Kilt.......

At the same period of time a British Company was unable to outbid the Japanese for disposal of Ex British Army Military Kilts ....No one could establish
where the Japanese retailed these EX Mod new Kilts.....Possibly either Japan or America.....

I wore one of my Kilts for 35 years ......so I had my Moneys worth from the Investment........How to project a..... " Man in Skirts " .......pleated skirt
into the fashion world is a different story..........

[weeladdie18]

Looked at the Skhoop web site. The basic concept is insulated skirts over trousers. However, their products seem to be intended only for women.

Why not a warm wrap skirt that a man could wear over his trousers?

I feel that the secret of a male wrap over skirt is to extend both aprons to the opposite hip....this does prevent the garment falling to pieces and showing the
male legs.

The weight of the cloth and length of the hem prevents the garment rising in the wind.

One of my theories is that Female Fashion Skirts are cheap as they are manufactured in vast quantities by cheap labour and the supply eventually
outstrips the demand ....At this time large scale retailers are closing their less profitable retail outlets.....................

[Caultron]

I found out hiking up a skirt to pee in a guys restroom is distressing for the mainstream guys present. Though I actually thought it was such a guy thing to do to just move the front. It was certainly not elegant.

How long was the skirt?

Because I've never has that reaction with the knee-length-or-so skirts I usually wear. Ocaasionally some guy will be curious, like, "How's he gonna do that?" but I've never sensed distress.

I suppose, though, it could be a lot more noticeable walking up to a urinal and then hiking up an ankle-length skirt.

[denimini]

I found out hiking up a skirt to pee in a guys restroom is distressing for the mainstream guys present. Though I actually thought it was such a guy thing to do to just move the front. It was certainly not elegant.

How long was the skirt?

Because I've never has that reaction with the knee-length-or-so skirts I usually wear. Ocaasionally some guy will be curious, like, "How's he gonna do that?" but I've never sensed distress.

I suppose, though, it could be a lot more noticeable walking up to a urinal and then hiking up an ankle-length skirt.

A long skirt could be problematic. Mini skirts are not a problem at all, in fact easier than most pants.

[Sinned]

I agree Anthony, also skater skirts with their relatively wide hem are a doddle ( diddle? )at the urinal as the excess material tends to hide the legs and such.

[Daryl]

Have you ever felt that what you most want to wear doesn't exist? For years I have had ideas for fashion that I can't find. Often only to find it show up from designers a year or two later. Skirts for men being just one of them. So with my growing interest in skirts I decided to explore making my ideas real before someone else does.

About four weeks ago I met a young Japanese designer who is a skilled artist, seamstress, designer and has a great sense of taste. I showed her my CAD like illustrations of various skirts and coordinate items. We spent some time talking and are in the process of creating a look book of our ideas to produce some prototypes. This past week we visited the garment district in Tokyo and found or fabric palate.

So our basic concept is to make a line of gender neutral clothing that men or women can wear. We plan to create designs in various lengths, plain, pleated and mode styles as well.

I thought it would be great to ask the community here about your dream skirts. If you could ask for any kind of skirt that would make you comfortable to wear it out on the street and make it part of your day to day, what would it be like? What color would you be excited to find? What attributes would you love to see included? For example, I need at least one small pocket to make a skirt practical for me. And I need to be able to size it so I prefer wraps or sizable belted skirts. These are the kinds of insights I'd love to ask about.

With a little luck, we hope to start making skirts that are fashionable, practical and suitable for anyone.

You know, we've discussed this a lot here. I used to think the design or style of skirt was a key factor in uptake by men in general, but now I think it is not so much that as simple permission: men still don't feel it is permitted. If style were all it was going to take for men to feel it was permitted then the Utilikilts would have solved it. I'm just cautioning you to not put too much hope into design and style to overcome the marketing obstacle.

Skirts are all I wear anymore. I can't see a new, better pant design getting me back into pants.

The one thing I think might be of consequence in marketing skirts to men is accessibility. By that I mean four things:

1. Easy to sample. Good, effortless returns policies and systems are critical.

2. Easy to find in my size. This includes variations in length and size beyond 3 standard deviations, not just catering to the demographic centre.

3. Easy to afford. Aim for all men, not just upper income men in the centre of the size range.

4. Easy to imagine wearing. A few simple designs each good for multiple settings, plus a catalogue that demonstrates that.

When I think of what I can already get just by shopping in women's wear plus the existing market in men's skirts like Utilikilts, I see little opportunity for a new company to do better unless it addresses accessibility fully.

[Happy-N-Skirts]

If women like men in skirts, men will wear skirts. Market men's skirts to women who will buy them for their men. Advertise women approving and admiring men in skirts doing male activities. I have received a lot of compliments from women while I was wearing skirts. One of my wife's friends is coming over today and I promised I would be wearing a skirt. She liked it the last time she was here. `

[Caultron]

...You know, we've discussed this a lot here. I used to think the design or style of skirt was a key factor in uptake by men in general, but now I think it is not so much that as simple permission: men still don't feel it is permitted. If style were all it was going to take for men to feel it was permitted then the Utilikilts would have solved it. I'm just cautioning you to not put too much hope into design and style to overcome the marketing obstacle...

I agree, there's no magical skirt design that will induce men to slap their foreheads and start wearing skirts. Some designs are surely more feasible than others but even at best, the level of feasibility remains near zero.

The impetus has to come from somewhere else.

[dillon]

...You know, we've discussed this a lot here. I used to think the design or style of skirt was a key factor in uptake by men in general, but now I think it is not so much that as simple permission: men still don't feel it is permitted. If style were all it was going to take for men to feel it was permitted then the Utilikilts would have solved it. I'm just cautioning you to not put too much hope into design and style to overcome the marketing obstacle...

I agree, there's no magical skirt design that will induce men to slap their foreheads and start wearing skirts. Some designs are surely more feasible than others but even at best, the level of feasibility remains near zero.

The impetus has to come from somewhere else.

Men’s bodies vary just like women’s so there is clearly not a “one size fits all” solution. And men’s bodies deserve a choice and variety of styles. It would be nice to have the option of skirts that have features men like, such as large functional pockets. But we don’t want our choices limited by a gender-segregated skirt market. That puts us back, not forward.

[Grok]

You know, we've discussed this a lot here. I used to think the design or style of skirt was a key factor in uptake by men in general, but now I think it is not so much that as simple permission: men still don't feel it is permitted.

How do men (excluding mavericks) get permission? How do you overcome the Taboo?