skirtcafe.org

Speaking of using tops from the other side of the isle. I've not been able to find much that doesn't have darts for the female bosom. The few I've tried on they were very obvious along with the extra material in the area. Do you wear them anyway?

Gordon wrote:Speaking of using tops from the other side of the isle. I've not been able to find much that doesn't have darts for the female bosom. The few I've tried on they were very obvious along with the extra material in the area. Do you wear them anyway?

So as not to derail O.A.'s intro thread... I have posted the reply here on a fresh thread dedicated to tops from TOSOTA (the other side of the aisle).

http://www.skirtcafe.org/forums/viewtop ... 65&t=18429

Orange Apple wrote:At $4.50 each, I'm not concerned about running up the credit card balance. Even the new one wasn't that expensive. But there is this issue of space in my closet . . .

I had that problem too, then I bought a clothing rack on wheels from Bed, Bath and Beyond. That has turned out to be a temporary solution as I've filled that. After I retire I can donate most of my suits and dress shirts/blouses and free up a chunk of room in my closet.

Grok wrote:

Orange Apple wrote: I live in Minnesota, home of Skirtcraft.
I was one of Joe's supporters during his Kickstarter campaign. I was there because I think it's ridiculous that social norms prohibit men from wearing skirts. I wanted to support Joe's challenge to those norms. I don't consider myself a crossdresser; I want the same privilege to wear skirts as women have to wear pants.
.

Terminology-for practical purposes these terms mean:

1. "Cross dresser" refers to men wearing garments originally intended for women.

2. "Unisex" means women are taking clothes from our side of the aisle.

Women are exempt from the strictures that constrain men."

WELL Said, says MishawakaSkirt. "Same privileges" and "unisex"
I have heard of SkirtCraft. I hope they do well as a business, comeout with an entire line of unaligned skirts. And sell lots of skirts for men and ladies. Unisex skirts can be a refreshing addition to our "Western" man skirtless culture. Other cultureshave skirt like garments.
Sadly the price is not for me. So far my most expensive skirt was 11 dollars including shipping. And my most expensive and ONLY kilt was 35 dollars with shipping. Can buy a lot of skirts with the money that one Skirtcraft would cost.

Mishawakaskirt AFA @2wayskirt


If I understand correctly, the Skirtcraft skirt was specifically intended for men, as well as women. So the "cross dresser" taboo should not apply. Though I suppose many will still see it that way, because open ended garments have been almost exclusively associated with females.

mishawakaskirt wrote: If I understand correctly, the Skirtcraft skirt was specifically intended for men, as well as women. So the "cross dresser" taboo should not apply. Though I suppose many will still see it that way, because open ended garments have been almost exclusively associated with females.

There are marketing aspects of this, and actual differences in the design.

The Skirtcraft garment has pockets. Four of them, and large enough to be useful. There are made-for-women skirts that have pockets, but they tend to be smaller. And I think that the biggest downside of skirts is the lack of pockets, although this is easily addressed by carrying a bag, which in many ways is more reasonable anyway.

The Skirtcraft garment is made in the USA. For some of us, this is an important consideration - important enough to justify a cost premium. I certainly understand the cost issue; the garment is very expensive compared to similar ones available from other sources. It is well made, out of good quality heavy denim. I think that the cost is a significant contributing factor to the low number of sales, but I admire why the decision was made.

As for "intended for men" . . . yeah, that's marketing. It's a skirt. When someone sees me wearing it, they do not think, "Oh, look, there's a unisex skirt." I have skirts from the women's department that look identical to the "unisex skirt". But as a marketing technique, it works. It worked for me, and I'm sure it worked for other men. It gives them just the little extra push that they need to take action on their feeling that men should be able to wear skirts. And it's a safe choice for first-time skirt wearers, in much the same way that buying a kilt is perceived as being "lower risk". It helps get you over the hump of that first public wearing of a skirt, and we all know that's vitally important.

I wonder what would happen if someone purchased a bunch of commodity skirts, rebranded them as "unisex", did a good marketing campaign, and sold them at competitive prices through popular outlets like Amazon? Joe had a good idea at marketing skirts to men, but I think the price is a stumbling block. His goal was to make a statement, not to sell a huge number of skirts, and I think he's accomplished that goal. Are men as brainwashed as women in terms of buying "women's things"? If the garment were marketed to men in the same way as "women's razors" are marketed to women, would it sell? Probably not, since women need to buy the razor anyway and just are paying a premium to get the pink one, whereas we all know that a man wearing a skirt is a completely different kettle of fish.

Orange Apple wrote:As for "intended for men" . . . yeah, that's marketing. It's a skirt. When someone sees me wearing it, they do not think, "Oh, look, there's a unisex skirt."

I wore my khaki Skirtcraft skirt to work about a month ago. No comments in the office, the friendly woman at desk downstairs asked if I was Scots. I think I said a little bit as I hurried past (I was a couple of minutes later than I wanted to be to catch my bus).

skirted_in_SF wrote:

Orange Apple wrote:As for "intended for men" . . . yeah, that's marketing. It's a skirt. When someone sees me wearing it, they do not think, "Oh, look, there's a unisex skirt."

I wore my khaki Skirtcraft skirt to work about a month ago. No comments in the office, the friendly woman at desk downstairs asked if I was Scots. I think I said a little bit as I hurried past (I was a couple of minutes later than I wanted to be to catch my bus).

And do you think the reaction would have been any different if you had been wearing a khaki skirt you purchased from the local clothing store?

I noticed that this will be my contribution number 100 so I decided to put it into my intro thread.

I want to thank the folks here for giving me the confidence to wear skirts in public. This is a unique group of people. There's a great diversity here, no matter how you measure it . . . location, interest, politics, taste in clothing, whatever. But the common thread is that men can wear skirts. And it's true; they can.

As I posted in another thread in contribution number 99 . . . I was complimented on my choice of footwear by someone who didn't even notice I was wearing a skirt. We make our own "bogey men". We are our own worst critics. Thanks to the group for being here.

Orange Apple,
Welcome to the site! (a bit belated I know as you are at over 100 posts).

I am one of the few who have purchased a Skirtcraft skirt (a black one) and worn it to work for the last few months up to my retirement along with black tights. [I worked in a professional office - Structural Engineer) No-one there bothered at all which was great

I have also had lunch with my sister whilst wearing it and she was incredibly supportive (first time she had seen me in a skirt) and was considering getting her husband one too (not sure if she has done so yet)

Hope to hear more of your tales of skirting in public!

skirtingtoday wrote:Orange Apple,
Welcome to the site! (a bit belated I know as you are at over 100 posts).

I am one of the few who have purchased a Skirtcraft skirt (a black one) and worn it to work for the last few months up to my retirement along with black tights. [I worked in a professional office - Structural Engineer) No-one there bothered at all which was great

I have also had lunch with my sister whilst wearing it and she was incredibly supportive (first time she had seen me in a skirt) and was considering getting her husband one too (not sure if she has done so yet)

Hope to hear more of your tales of skirting in public!

Skirtcraft is what got me into this world of skirts. Maybe I should send Joe a bill . . .

Seriously, I am glad that he did what he did. With a bit more perspective, the idea of a "unisex skirt" is rather silly, but it is a good marketing technique. It gets men who might not have seriously considered wearing a skirt over the idea that it simply cannot be done. I am very gratified that you were able to wear a skirt in a professional position. I do not know if I would have the guts to do it myself, but my company was a very conservative one. Even in the decade since I have retired, societal norms have changed a lot. For example, I know that they have two transgendered individuals in the department where I used to work (one in each direction) who have full support of the HR folks. I'm thinking that if I were still there I would give it a try. But I'll never know.

Orange Apple wrote:... I am very gratified that you were able to wear a skirt in a professional position. I do not know if I would have the guts to do it myself, but my company was a very conservative one...

I too wasn't sure if I could do it but with the help from this site and my own improving self-confidence, I turned up one day at work wearing the black Skirtcraft skirt (with black tights). I had travelled to work skirted quite a few times but had always changed back to trousers straight after I arrived.

Anyway, I didn't change one day and it was a spectacular non-event. Justr one fellow asked if it was a special occasion to which I replied that I just wanted a change - and that was fine with them!

On other later occasions, I wore a khaki cargo skirt (20" long) with the same black tights and there was no comments at all.

Bravo Skirtingtoday, you're one up on me.

You've broken through the last barrier!