the first male skirt to meet success?

[skirtingtheissue]

My only argument in favor of skorts is that they are something different, non-traditional, and unusual for men to wear, and I'm all for pushing the envelope when it comes to men's wear.

But I would never wear one myself, and consider them a completely unnecessary in-between step; why not go directly from shorts to skirt? I don't find skorts attractive on men or women.

[skirtilator]

I here you bro. If ya don't feel ashamed and unease to wear a skirt lookalike, you could have done it properly and put on a skirt in the first place.

[r.m.anderson]

My only argument in favor of skorts is that they are something different, non-traditional, and unusual for men to wear, and I'm all for pushing the envelope when it comes to men's wear.
But I would never wear one myself, and consider them a completely unnecessary in-between step; why not go directly from shorts to skirt? I don't find skorts attractive on men or women.

I wear skorts and would take issue with skirtingtheissue - Yes they are something different and non traditional and would be unusual for men to wear - BUT!
A skort is a sort of skirt that if you removed the under short (compression panties/shorties) and were to wear it as a skirt alone you would have modesty problems
big time. Skorts generally are between 12 - 16 inches in length - think of it as a mini skirt worn for athletic activities (tennis is what they were designed for). You
could wear it ala kilt without a supporting clause in your underwear but the envelope would have been pushed way over the edge. Like the basketball uniform of the
days past men's athletic wear was worn short and tennis wear was just as short - now the basketball uniform is something akin to wearing pajamas and the mens tennis
shorts have a 3-4 inch inseam !
Women started the rage on the tennis court with shorts that matched the men's just like they absconded with our pants.
They modified them with an apron skirt to make them more feminine and took on just about every color of the rainbow.
Some even have a small interior pocket(s) to hold tennis balls.
Whether skorts are an unnecessary in between step from going from shorts to skirts is a matter of personal perspective.
I would agree with you to some extent that skorts may not be attractive as office; street or night club wear but they do have a function in the athletic world.
If you do a generic search on ebay under "Skorts" there is upward of 45K skorts for sale or auction at any one time.
True you and I will not find many (any) men wearing skorts but I do wear them and like wearing a skirt I don't let it bother me.
I know that everything down below is street legal covered and like when I wear the kilt I get a wink from time to time from the gals.
There are several golf courses that will not let me play in a skort - but the women hell yes - it is a slow uphill battle to push the limits to equality in dress.
Running skirts and skorts worn by men are making a gradual appearance in events like a marathon.
As for price the skort sells for something very competitive to shorts or even a tennis dress.
Granted the shape/frame of a dame in skirts and skorts is something better to look at then when I wear them "But who am I to judge" !

I wear'em because I like to wear'em short and legal - and push the envelope to the max !
My kilts are the same way and I am looking very closely at the Sport Kilt Women's Mini Kilt (16 inch hem).

[Sinned]

I have a red short skirt with inbuilt pants. It's not a skort because there's no bifurcation at the rear. MOH hadn't seen one before and thought it unusual so bought it for me to wear but it's far too short for outside the house - the hemline just covers the pants. As for a skort - I would wear one out of the house if it was acceptable to MOH - must ask her as I hadn't thought about these before. I'll let you know the outcome.

[crfriend]

Skorts generally are between 12 - 16 inches in length - think of it as a mini skirt worn for athletic activities (tennis is what they were designed for). You could wear it ala kilt without a supporting clause in your underwear but the envelope would have been pushed way over the edge. Like the basketball uniform of the days past men's athletic wear was worn short and tennis wear was just as short - now the basketball uniform is something akin to wearing pajamas and the mens tennisshorts have a 3-4 inch inseam !

We're in agreement on that one, and I also agree that skorts have their place in the world (albeit not on my ugly old carcass). What passes for basketball uniforms today is ridiculous when compared with what was common -- and acceptable -- back in the '60s and '70s.

Women started the rage on the tennis court with shorts that matched the men's just like they absconded with our pants.
They modified them with an apron skirt to make them more feminine and took on just about every color of the rainbow.
Some even have a small interior pocket(s) to hold tennis balls.

In the last sentence, striking the word "tennis" could make sense.

I used to enjoy women's tennis -- for all the wrong reasons, mind -- but today it's just as boring as the men's game. And the women never "showed off their junk" when playing; everything was more modest than you'd see at the beach. Part of the attraction was the grace and flow of things, much the same way there is in figure-skating; today, the game is all about power and domination and I see nothing aesthetic in that at all.

[With skorts] I know that everything down below is street legal covered and like when I wear the kilt I get a wink from time to time from the gals.

If one has cause to be worried about things like that -- and there certainly places to be worried about it -- then skorts make good sense; however, faced with situations like that I suspect I'd just revert to trousers and be done with.

[Dana]

I'll admit I haven't read all 6 pages of this topic so forgive me if I rehash covered ground, however this is said from my current perspective. Using ebay and my local thrift shop, I have purchased roughly 15 or so skirts of various lengths and styles that seemed like they would be suitable for me to initially try in front of the mirror, from ankle to mini (10").

Having had an interest in wearing skirts for a long time I've decided to experiment and figure out what I like, but then narrow it down to what I can be comfortable wearing out in public while I get used to the idea of going against societies norm. The more I see how different skirts and combinations look to me, the more I have narrowed down what I'm willing to venture out in to increase my own confidence with my decision. I don't have any reasons or excuses for wanting to wear a skirt and to me pants and shorts are all great. In the climate where I live neither skirt or shorts have a comfort advantage..., I just want to, which is good enough reason for me.

That said, I like nearly all of the skirts I purchased but the ones I am choosing to go out in look similar to shorts. Cargo shorts seem to fit the bill perfectly and don't trigger people to take a second look. In other words, I doubt anyone even gets a hit that I'm actually wearing a skirt, but I am. For those who notice, I believe that the look is so similar to shorts, that it doesn't register as such a shock to their perception of what "should be" and the concept registers as acceptable instead of odd or offensive. This is what I believe is needed to initially chip away, and shift the public perception of men wearing skirts and this is why I think tinkering with current acceptable garment looks is what will help the concept succeed in a big way.

So on to the point relating to this thread. I think skirts that are not too far outside of the general look that people seem to expect would be the best way to launch the acceptance of men wearing them AND it would prompt more men who have always wanted to wear skirts, to actually begin doing it. When the new VW beetle came out, it struck my senses as a bit odd, but now it looks perfectly normal because we see so many of them. Getting used to the look of that vehicle has also made other cars which came out with innovative shapes, not be such an initial shock to the senses and the same will go with men wearing skirts. In my opinion, the shocker fashions you see on runway models wearing skirts is only hurting the possibility of acceptance, by the general population. Easing into the idea by wearing skirts that look similar to shorts, but is actually a skirt, may be the key to many more men embracing the idea and it actually taking off.

[skirtingseattle]

My personal and anecdotal experiences wearing miniskirts and sport kilts is that there is a big difference in the reaction of the viewing public. My perception is that when I am wearing miniskirts of standard masculine colors with no patterns, and with 12 - 14" drops, were noticed significantly less often than when I wore any of my sports kilts with 20" drops (solid dark colors). The primary reason I believe is that the profile cast by both skirts in very different. The miniskirt looks like shorts in profile whereas a 20 - 24" drop sports kilt (or tartan kilt) has a highly visible skirt profile. I have walked in downtown Seattle in a miniskirt at rush hour with thousands of people around and getting literally no reactions. I have done the same with my sports kilts and I get usually get a comment or two.

So, if it is really true that miniskirts and skorts are less noticeable than kilts by the public at large, then it would appear that kilts and sports kilts might be the better strategy in getting the word out. Every time someone notices me wearing a sport kilt, that is one more person that is exposed to the new norm of men wearing skirted garments. I like wearing miniskirts, but if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it . . .

Chris

[r.m.anderson]

Make that color prints pastels or something with striking contrast and you stand out LOUDLY in the crowd.
But go with denim and you become virtually invisible. Blacks and Dark (Navy) Blue almost same thing.
So it becomes a simple matter to just try to blend in and don't make color waves in the crowd.
Never the less I do have a PINK skort to wear in conjunction with women's breast cancer fund raisers.
In a sea of pink I blend in with the crowd perfectly.

[dillon]

I can't see much difference between wearing most sport type skorts and wearing a skirt with compression shorts (underwear) beneath. I own a couple skorts and like them.

[Sarongman]

just try to blend in and don't make color waves in the crowd.

here's a problem. I saw a bright yellow skirt on a woman who was, about a size 14 or 16 by my estimation. As it was of a style and length that I favour, I was almost tempted to ask where she got it, but then realised that it would have probably really stood out too much. I am of the opinion that slowly does it, especially in a conservative neck of the woods. I am accepted as I am, but this colour might be a bridge too far.

[Sinned]

I wear brightly coloured clothes ( and that includes skirts ) and I have a pale yellow one and a golden yellow one. With the right top I would wear them outside the house. The attitude I take now is that I would wear the same colour skirt as I would trousers.

[crfriend]

The attitude I take now is that I would wear the same colour skirt as I would trousers.

I just ordered an ankle-length blue/green/red plaid skirt yesterday of the same pattern as my long "walking skirt" and a vivid red long taffeta one as well of the same rough pattern as my long blue one. There's no way in creation that I'd be caught out-of-doors in plaid trousers, but on a skirt I reckon it'll work just fine. I'll put up photos when they arrive and I'm comfortable in them.

(Oh, and a new waistcoat -- black with embossed velvet trim and a vivid red paisley ascot to replace one I mislaid some many years ago.)

[Grok]

Dana brings up an interesting point. In terms of appearance, what types of skirts (besides kilts) would be most readily accepted by others?

[Grok]

Perhaps I should rephrase that. What sort of look would be most acceptable to others?

[skirtilator]

Wearing a 2 tubed egg boiler, also called a pair of pants named after a famous clown pantelone, AFAIK, then it doesn't matter what you wear with it.

If you wanna be you instead, let me know. It takes a huge amount of mental excercise to deviate from the sheeple that far. As long as a skirt is involved, it doesn't matter what you wear with it or how it looks like, in my experience.