skirtcafe.org

Jim2:
That's a real nice skirt you bought.
7 Years ago I was shopping in Leiden (Netherlands of course) and found a similar skirt at a Charles Vögele shop. I was wearing pants because I thought it would be too cold for a skirt but it was not.
So I tried on said skirt and it fitted so well that at ckeck out I asked the lady to remove all tags so that I could wear it out.
Natuurlijk*, said the shop assistant with an understanding smile.
Jan.
* Dutch for of course.

Well, I did it! Probably, the most interaction with people came when I stopped at Rein's Deli (a favorite stopping point among people traveling south from the Boston area), placed an order at the indoor take-out counter, went off to the bathroom, came back, got and paid for my purchase, and went on my way. The only sign I had that anyone noticed was that the young waitress who took my order had her eyes turned to my waist as I strode up to the counter. But quickly she turned them to me and acted totally professional. There were people, some not a lot milling around as all this happened. I'm sure at least some people would have noticed, but I was surprised at how it got no response at all. I almost felt disappointed, but in fact that's what we want, that it be no big deal. So outwardly, as far as I could tell, it was. Be nice if inwardly people's thinking could change as well. Anyway, it went well. Now I'm intending to do the same on the return trip, traveling with my son.

Some people don't notice, some do, but no one objects. People go about their business and you go about yours. No fashion police, no black helicopters, no circle of people pointing and laughing. It's hard to believe but once you've tried it, you know it's true.

Congratulations on your successful outing and best wishes for the next. Be friendly and have fun with it!

Down to a 14, I am impressed. When I was last in Charlotte, NC. my wife and I went shopping for tops for me and she said that it was the most fun that she has ever had shopping with me and I know that it was the most fun that I have ever had shopping for clothes.

Congratulations on your first outing

On my first outing, there was the same lack of reaction as well so I too felt a bit disappointed - but pleased that I had finally done it!

Enjoy your follow up trips!

Ross

Jim2 wrote:... I'm intending to stop at a service area, the one just before the NJ Turnpike, and changing back into shorts there in a bathroom stall. (I need to change to shorts before I reach my destination.) I can carry the shorts in a backpack. ...

I've found it simpler to just pull over, park, and change from skirt to shorts, or vice versa, sitting in the driver's seat. I've changed in a rest room stall but don't enjoy it too much!

I bought a Sportkilt that arrived last week. So far I've been just wearing skirts at home. Well, not completely. I had also bought an Elkommando kilt a while ago and I've worn it twice while riding my bicycle on the local bike path, which I do often at the end of the day. I don't think anyone noticed (and I have a mirror on my bike, so I can tell if people turn to look at me as I pass by). But that is not why I'm writing. Somehow I woke this morning, felt good, the weather was beautiful, and just decided I would wear my new Sportkilt while I did my weekly grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and MarketBasket. To top it off, I kept it on when later I went to CVS, a local farm market, Whole Foods, Sears, and Macy's (to return a denim skirt I had bought by mail order - it did not fit). I got two complements. The guy who bagged my groceries at Trader Joe's asked me if it was a Utilikilt. I told him what it was and that I had heard that Utilikilts are heavy (which is why I have not bought one). He said it looked good and I thanked him. At Sears, a woman, in her 50s I think, came up and complemented me on it. She also asked me what tartan it was. I said I didn't know, not knowing much of what she even meant. I think she may have been a bit shocked, but we spoke a bit more and she ended up complementing me again before she left. I was quite pleased. And pretty much no one else seemed to show much interest. I had no sense of people staring. I feel like this was more real than when I wore a skirt on my trip down to New Jersey. I felt I could wear it and remain relaxed, and now I feel fairly at ease with the idea of wearing it around in the future. I did not feel that after the trip to New Jersey. I don't think I can get myself to wear a woman's skirt out of my home. I do wear them around my yard as I've decided I don't care if a few neighbors notice it. If they are curious, maybe they'll ask about it. Otherwise, it matters little as we've hardly spoken to them in the almost 5 years I've lived there.

I wear a utility kilt almost everywhere and encounter about the same ratio of positive, neutral, and negative reactions as you describe. It's really not a big deal for anyone but you.

But in any event, congratulations on your successful outing.

Re the skirt beyond the confines of your yard: one day you will be wearing one and you will have to nip put to buy something. You'll think "I can't be bothered changing" and "What's the difference between a kilt and a skirt anyway". And off you will go into the outside world, skirted. And nobody will care. The people who have already seen you kilted will think "So what" and get back to whatever they are doing. Thereafter you will wonder why you ever worried!

skirtingtheissue wrote:I think skirting will become universally acceptable in a way similar to men's earrings.

Women were arrested for wearing pants even in the 1900s. Men didn't wear shorts until the 1960s unless they were playing tennis or swimming. I will say that I feel funny wearing women's gloves or sneakers even if they are indistinguishable from men's except for the label. If you want more men to wear skirts, then design, market, and label skirts made for men and put pockets on them.

Hi Jim,
That's a good looking skirt! Take it easy with your wife' feelings. Somehow how we look sometimes is a reflection of their own self worth. Its taken 5 years for my wife and family to come to an acceptance of my skirt wearing outside the house and to participate in activities with me skirted. So hang in there!
Glad to meet another skirted guy in the Cafe from NH. Where do you live? Perhaps we can have an "accidental" meeting with our wives present
Mike
Lancaster, NH

xman29 wrote:

skirtingtheissue wrote:I think skirting will become universally acceptable in a way similar to men's earrings.

Women were arrested for wearing pants even in the 1900s. Men didn't wear shorts until the 1960s unless they were playing tennis or swimming. I will say that I feel funny wearing women's gloves or sneakers even if they are indistinguishable from men's except for the label. If you want more men to wear skirts, then design, market, and label skirts made for men and put pockets on them.[/quo

I think a big step would be for some major label to come out with a line of correctly sized men's skirts. and decent pockets would be a big help

Here is an interesting read pertaining to trousers in the last 100 plus years.
http://the-toast.net/2014/08/07/wearing ... f-history/

Ladies in pants was taboo back then.


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