Techniques you've used to get more men into wearing skirts

[Uncle Al]

Even if men mostly stay with utility kilts, I'm okay with that. It's a massive improvement!
And once you are away from the "traditional kilt" with all the rules associated, modifications
in all aspects are possible, and "kilt" can just mean any masculine skirt.

Hear! Hear!
A common sense approach to equality in "Labeling".
I can live with that

Uncle Al

[GerdG]

… if men are confined to kilts or some type of heavy, ugly masculine skirt design, then men will never get out of the ManBox Prison that they have been relegated to for the past 150 years since the "Great Male Renunciation" occurred which relegated men to the drab, unimaginative and boring fashion that men wear today. It does not matter if you wear something that is feminine! If you like the skirt, then wear it and don't GAF about what other people think. It's the only way out of the ManBox. It is also important to consider the overall look. For example, adding some items like women's shoes, nail polish, and dangly earrings enhance the look.

I have to disagree. As has been said before, by far most men, as well as their wives, don’t want to be regarded as feminine.
Seeing men in frilly skirts or dresses, perhaps complemented with heels and other traditionally feminine items, confirms to them, and me included, that the ‘ManBox’ is where to stay.

Exactly. I know I’m a heterosexual man who likes wearing feminine clothes especially skirts, dresses and tights. I don’t care if the public think I’m gay, transgender or weird when they see me wearing those clothes. If a member of public came up to me and asked if I was transgender I’d set them straight and tell them I’m a heterosexual man who likes wearing skirts and dresses just like a heterosexual woman likes wearing trousers.

In my opinion, exactly this “I-don’t-care-what-others-think” policy is a significant problem when it comes to having men wear skirts on a large scale.
A problem is that you can hardly ever tell anybody that you are “a heterosexual man who likes wearing skirts and dresses just like a heterosexual woman likes wearing trousers.” Therefore, they might instead see you as that “gay, transgender or weird” person, who shall not contribute to having them copy you.

[GerdG]

There are those of us who want to see masculine-styled skirts available for men and boys and to remove the reputation of the garment as being the exclusive domain of the feminine. But there are others who see this as one front on their own agenda to blur gender distinctions and recognise multiple genders. That divergence is our greatest challenge.

YES. We should and must accept that some are feeling and acting this way. However, they are, in my opinion, counterproductive when it comes to encouraging men to wear skirts. If we only attract this, no doubt, tiny fraction of men, we are on the side track or, more likely, a dead end.

I have my own ideas and preferences. One is that a single, standard garment should be produced and promoted which is a skirt, but is unequivocally male - e.g. a plain, denim, knee-length, with deep pockets and worn with a wide belt - and available in sizes that would fit males aged from age 6 to 90. Even those who would prefer a different style would sport this garment because its acceptance would burst the dam. Variants would quickly appear in terms of length and styles, and the taboo against males wearing skirts would be history. It is essential that boys as well as grown men are included in this as they are the future trendsetters.

I so much agree. Such skirts are, in fact, available.

SkirtCraft has already been mentioned, but there are others, like Spanish Daves Brand https://davesbrand.com and Skirtchosen https://skirtchosen.es/tienda, Mexican Baron https://baron.mx (prices in Mexican pesos), as well as American Orttu https://orttu.com/collections/skirts and LightHeartGear https://lightheartgear.com/products/hik ... -pockets-1.

We and the manufacturers only need more brave men, daring to wear these skirts and thereby be good examples to others.

[GerdG]

When I go out in a skirt or dress and walk confidently with a smile on my face and hardly anyone bats an eyelid. I try to walk like that to show men that it’s comfortable and normal wearing a skirt but I doubt that makes a difference as I am in the extreme minority of men who wear skirts where I live.

Yes, self-confidence is what I consider the basis. Without it, no one would copy us in the first place. Imagine a car dealer who obviously didn’t believe himself when he was trying to sell you that as-good-as-new car. You would never dare buy it.

Own it. Walk like it's the most normal thing in the world to do, because it is. Don"t copy women. That's a whole other thing.
Men will see you, some will already be dressing in private. They may venture out and you probably will never know it was you that gave them the courage.

So true, and in my opinion, the most important thing: Don’t copy women. When women started wearing trousers, they didn’t copy us. They kept their own shoes (heels by then), as well as their own tops. They kept their hairstyle, as well as their painted lips and nails. And their trousers were their own, differing in design from ours.
Therefore, they remained feminine in the eyes of the, to start with, less courageous women – and were worth copying. Additionally, this feminine approach when wearing trousers helped them remain attractive to men, including their husbands.

I believe that many men in skirts should benefit from a more masculine approach, making skirt-wearing more acceptable in society and by their wives.

[GerdG]

I think that a man wearing something that looks feminine as many on this board do, is probably taken for being Gay or Trans and therefore does nothing to promote the idea that manly men and boyish boys can wear skirts. For me it always comes back to kilts. I have actually had a woman with three boys ask me if they are expensive. Luckily I was able to open Amazon on my phone and show her very affordable boys kilts.

It's my opinion too. Even if being gay has been accepted for years, at least in Europe, it is incompatible with a marriage between a man and a woman. Trans women may be accepted as well, but again, they are not selling tickets to ‘normal’ men who might consider a skirt, but rather the contrary.
I shouldn’t want to bring myself into a situation where my gender is questioned.

Kilts are the only type of skirt widely accepted as being a masculine garment. If we wish to get more men into wearing skirts, then demonstrating that a kilt can be every day casual wear for men and is not merely a costume for special occasions, is a way to start.
Other men, and their wives and children are more likely to believe that the kilt is being worn for comfort rather than because the wearer is gay or transgender. There is nothing wrong with either of those identities but the overwhelming majority of men are cisgender and straight. They are unlikely to take any inspiration from seeing a man in a skirt if they think there may be some reason other than comfort.

I share your opinion, Damon. Most of my skirts are kilts, which I wear casually, meaning I very seldom wear a sporran, rarely use kilt pins and flashes, and never wear a bonnet. This has the advantage that I'm less likely to be mistaken for a Scotsman. Not that I have anything against Scots, only I’m not one myself, and I consider it somewhat dishonest if I try to look like one.
That said, I cannot imagine that a kilt is the only kind of skirt, that a man can wear. I mostly agree with Dust here.

And once you are away from the "traditional kilt" with all the rules associated, modifications in all aspects are possible, and "kilt" can just mean any masculine skirt.

[Grok]

For dress like garments, however, there seems to be nothing we can point at...at least for anything from Western Civilization. So this seems to be a separate, even steeper hill.

I do have in mind a baby step. In the sewing section I described making a very simple caftan. Of very limited application, but its a start.

[Grok]

Checked out the links posted by GerdG. I would say that the Baron images show that different skirt lengths can look good on men.

[Grok]

Personally I find it extremely difficult to venture outside the kilt box. Though I have got fairly confident about my Skirt Craft skirt

Interesting term, "kilt box."

I started with utility kilt, then eventually tried other skirts. The thing is to look for a (nonkilt) design that appeals to you, that you also believe will look plausible to others.

Mouse, I believe, is an example of someone who went through a progression, and eventually went bold

[DrFishnets]

When women started wearing trousers, they didn’t copy us. They kept their own shoes (heels by then), as well as their own tops. They kept their hairstyle, as well as their painted lips and nails. And their trousers were their own, differing in design from ours.

Women then styled men’s combat boots and Dr Martens with skirts which is a style I love and is what got me interested in wearing skirts. I don’t really like high heels and I would never wear them as I find them too feminine as I am a big guy but the combat boots/Dr Martens look with a short or long skirt is absolutely awesome and also looks great with a pair of black tights. I like mixing a bit of feminine with a bit of masculine with my styles.

[Grok]

It is also important to consider the overall look. For example, adding some items like women's shoes, nail polish, and dangly earrings enhance the look.

1. There seems to be a general tendency for members to embrace modes of personal expression that are denied by the Man Box. Of course, as this is personal expression, particular details are influenced by the individual's personal preferences.

2. Members are united by an interest in skirted rigs. As there seems to be much more variety for such when compared to trousers, individual preferences come into play.

3. Members tend to extend a live-and-let-live attitude towards each other, allowing this forum to exist.

[Barleymower]

When women started wearing trousers, they didn’t copy us. They kept their own shoes (heels by then), as well as their own tops. They kept their hairstyle, as well as their painted lips and nails. And their trousers were their own, differing in design from ours.

Women then styled men’s combat boots and Dr Martens with skirts which is a style I love and is what got me interested in wearing skirts. I don’t really like high heels and I would never wear them as I find them too feminine as I am a big guy but the combat boots/Dr Martens look with a short or long skirt is absolutely awesome and also looks great with a pair of black tights. I like mixing a bit of feminine with a bit of masculine with my styles.

I just bought a pair of Dr Marten Jadons

[Barleymower]

When I go out in a skirt or dress and walk confidently with a smile on my face and hardly anyone bats an eyelid. I try to walk like that to show men that it’s comfortable and normal wearing a skirt but I doubt that makes a difference as I am in the extreme minority of men who wear skirts where I live.

Yes, self-confidence is what I consider the basis. Without it, no one would copy us in the first place. Imagine a car dealer who obviously didn’t believe himself when he was trying to sell you that as-good-as-new car. You would never dare buy it.

Own it. Walk like it's the most normal thing in the world to do, because it is. Don"t copy women. That's a whole other thing.
Men will see you, some will already be dressing in private. They may venture out and you probably will never know it was you that gave them the courage.

So true, and in my opinion, the most important thing: Don’t copy women. When women started wearing trousers, they didn’t copy us. They kept their own shoes (heels by then), as well as their own tops. They kept their hairstyle, as well as their painted lips and nails. And their trousers were their own, differing in design from ours.
Therefore, they remained feminine in the eyes of the, to start with, less courageous women – and were worth copying. Additionally, this feminine approach when wearing trousers helped them remain attractive to men, including their husbands.

I believe that many men in skirts should benefit from a more masculine approach, making skirt-wearing more acceptable in society and by their wives.

"Dont copy women" It's hard not too beacuse they are copying men.
"Their trousers were their own, differing in design from ours."
There are very few skirts made for men. The overwhelming majority are for women. So unless you want a kilt or a utilikilt you have to wear a womens skirt.
BUT
You dont have to wear it like a women. Their skirts hang from the navel. Men can wear a skirt lower with just enough hip to stop it falling down.
Mostly you can walk like a man ie dont mince (most women dont mince either) and talk like a man. It isnt difficult just be yourself.
I like 'feminine' skirts, ive got one with flowers, two with sequins and they all are mostly a bit flared.

[STEVIE]

Kilts are great starter skirts!

Problem being it ends there too in the vast majority of cases.

Even if men mostly stay with utility kilts, I'm okay with that. It's a massive improvement! And once you are away from the "traditional kilt" with all the rules associated, modifications in all aspects are possible, and "kilt" can just mean any masculine skirt.

An "improvement" on what Dust?
Utiility kilt or trousers and vice versa, we have that already anyway.
No, absolutely not, "kilt" will never be acceptable as a generic term for "masculine skirts".
Besides which, using that term only reinforces the false concept that items of clothing possess gender.
If I Susie and I wore identical skirts, kilted skirts or the whole 9 yards with attendant accessories appropriate to the garments concerned are we not just wearing skirts end of?
She isn't presenting male, nor me female so there is no question of cross-dressing either.
None of which has the slightest bearing on how more guys will come to see skirts as a viable mainstream option.
Steve.

[jamie001]

When I go out in a skirt or dress and walk confidently with a smile on my face and hardly anyone bats an eyelid. I try to walk like that to show men that it’s comfortable and normal wearing a skirt but I doubt that makes a difference as I am in the extreme minority of men who wear skirts where I live.

Yes, self-confidence is what I consider the basis. Without it, no one would copy us in the first place. Imagine a car dealer who obviously didn’t believe himself when he was trying to sell you that as-good-as-new car. You would never dare buy it.

Own it. Walk like it's the most normal thing in the world to do, because it is. Don"t copy women. That's a whole other thing.
Men will see you, some will already be dressing in private. They may venture out and you probably will never know it was you that gave them the courage.

So true, and in my opinion, the most important thing: Don’t copy women. When women started wearing trousers, they didn’t copy us. They kept their own shoes (heels by then), as well as their own tops. They kept their hairstyle, as well as their painted lips and nails. And their trousers were their own, differing in design from ours.
Therefore, they remained feminine in the eyes of the, to start with, less courageous women – and were worth copying. Additionally, this feminine approach when wearing trousers helped them remain attractive to men, including their husbands.

I believe that many men in skirts should benefit from a more masculine approach, making skirt-wearing more acceptable in society and by their wives.

You need to keep in mind, that many of us are not masculine to begin with. We are tired of the whole masculine act that men have been relegated to perform. Women and girls are encouraged to to embrace both masculine and feminine, while men are forced to stay within the confines of the ManBox with a drab and utilitarian appearance. There are many times that I just like to feel pretty, and to do that, I need to embrace the feminine. There are also other members like me here on the Cafe. We need to abolish the stigma that men cannot express the feminine and feel pretty.

[EMDE55022]

When women started wearing trousers, they didn’t copy us. They kept their own shoes (heels by then), as well as their own tops. They kept their hairstyle, as well as their painted lips and nails. And their trousers were their own, differing in design from ours.

Women then styled men’s combat boots and Dr Martens with skirts which is a style I love and is what got me interested in wearing skirts. I don’t really like high heels and I would never wear them as I find them too feminine as I am a big guy but the combat boots/Dr Martens look with a short or long skirt is absolutely awesome and also looks great with a pair of black tights. I like mixing a bit of feminine with a bit of masculine with my styles.

Well my wife & I for a while wore matching his & her Dr. Marten’s Oxblood Red shoes. She rocked them with various shades of colourful dresses plus Snag tights & I think I didn’t look too bad myself! The DM’s I feel, both shoes & boots are just enough ‘out there’ to go with any particular style.
A few months ago I was standing in a queue to a gaming event & the young Dude in front of me was wearing black shorts, black DM boots & large mesh fishnets, looked great!