skirtcafe.org

A brand new M&S store has opened where I reside. I had a look inside and bought myself a nice tunic. Anyway, I’m really depressed by the selection of clothes for men as it’s nearly non existent. The store is quite big and the ground floor is all women’s clothes in all styles and colours. Upstairs half that floor is again women’s clothes with underwear and pyjamas. Only a small area is men’s clothes and the selection is awful and drab with the usual dull colours and styles of pants, jeans, trousers, t-shirts, shirts and shorts. It’s no wonder fellow skirt wearers like myself choose to shop in the women's department. Of course I shouldn’t complain as I only buy skirts and dresses now but it makes me wonder does the clothing industry only think women are interested in clothes and styles. To be fair though most clothes shops are the same.

Blame the Great Male Renunciation that started about 1750 that dictates men are to wear dull functional clothes.
Look at animals, particularly birds where the male is flashier than the female, such as peacocks, cardinals, mallards, etc.
In my opinion, the dull functional clothing men are expected to wear violates the natural order of things. Look at the coat and tie outfit with great expanses of drabness with only a small area of vivid color, i.e., the necktie

John

It's not just the dull style of the male clothes that brings this situation about. Men who confine themselves to standard male clothing tend to own fewer clothes than women and replace them only rarely so that the sellers are aiming at a much smaller market even though the numbers of men and women are roughly similar. I like stylish male clothes and I rarely find them in shops. But even the best male clothes can't deliver the same dopamines you get from a wonderful dress. So that's another thing - dopamines - women associate them with clothes so much they call it retail therapy. I don't need any form of therapy but I like the dopamine rush of buying a new dress, though I am becoming more and more choosy.

JohnH wrote: ↑Wed Jul 17, 2024 10:40 pm Blame the Great Male Renunciation that started about 1750 that dictates men are to wear dull functional clothes.
Look at animals, particularly birds where the male is flashier than the female, such as peacocks, cardinals, mallards, etc.
In my opinion, the dull functional clothing men are expected to wear violates the natural order of things. Look at the coat and tie outfit with great expanses of drabness with only a small area of vivid color, i.e., the necktie

John

It might run a bit deeper than that john. A bit old but Anne Widdecombe has her finger on the pulse.

https://youtu.be/BRz8EMwOLjA?feature=shared

DrFishnets wrote: ↑Wed Jul 17, 2024 9:43 pm Anyway, I’m really depressed by the selection of clothes for men as it’s nearly non existent.

It is just a matter of not doing what you are told and choose any of the clothing. It is not law ................ yet.

denimini wrote: ↑Thu Jul 18, 2024 6:47 am It is just a matter of not doing what you are told and choose any of the clothing. It is not law ................ yet.

True. That’s why I wrote that I shouldn’t really complain considering I’ve now managed to pluck the courage and dress the way I want to dress without the gender fashion rules dictating to me and worrying what people think when they see a 6ft tall large guy in a skirt or dress.

rivegauche wrote: ↑Wed Jul 17, 2024 11:01 pm It's not just the dull style of the male clothes that brings this situation about. Men who confine themselves to standard male clothing tend to own fewer clothes than women and replace them only rarely so that the sellers are aiming at a much smaller market even though the numbers of men and women are roughly similar.

If what you are selling are, essentially, dull/drab uniforms, you don't really need a lot of space. As for owning fewer clothes...if the most a man can aspire to is appearing presentable, there isn't much incentive for having more.

When my wife was alive I had far more clothes than she did. And she hated dresses and seldom wore any. As you all well know, I wear dresses the great majority of the time. When she passed I donated her clothes as they were not my size or style, and I have been filling up her former closet with my dresses.

John

JohnH wrote: ↑Wed Jul 17, 2024 10:40 pm Look at the coat and tie outfit with great expanses of drabness with only a small area of vivid color, i.e., the necktie

John

I think it might be possible to upgrade a bit. Maybe give the jacket fancy buttons. Maybe a bit more jewelry as worn on garments (similar to cuff links, etc.).

Absolutely Grok,
Anyone can add an original touch to their clothes, all it takes is a little bit of time and thought.
That has nothing to do with.gender, but boys tend not to be encouraged to be adventurous with fashion.
It is also true that retailers will respond to demand and therefore money.
If and when men become willing to spend less cautiously, the choice will increase, it certainly won't at the current rate.
Steve.

I have always had M&S marked down as the most boring shop in the high street. This comes from long ago being taken there to get school uniform bits like grey socks. I also remember the brown suit, that I was bought when I was older. My mother also bought a lot of her wardrobe from M&S, which was also very boring and staid.

In later life, I have mainly shopped elsewhere, only visiting when absolutely necessary.

I am pleased if others have found useful things in M&S.

This is my opinion but I think a lot of men really aren’t interested in clothes apart from men like us on the skirt cafe forum. I was chatting to a guy at my local music store and told him about the lack of men’s clothes when I visited the newly opened M&S and he told me he only buys clothes once in a while and it’s usually t shirts, jerseys and jeans and he waits to get them as gifts at birthdays and Christmas. He told me he would rather spend money on other things and a lot of other guys have said similar to him.

DrFishnets wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 10:16 am This is my opinion but I think a lot of men really aren’t interested in clothes apart from men like us on the skirt cafe forum. I was chatting to a guy at my local music store and told him about the lack of men’s clothes when I visited the newly opened M&S and he told me he only buys clothes once in a while and it’s usually t shirts, jerseys and jeans and he waits to get them as gifts at birthdays and Christmas. He told me he would rather spend money on other things and a lot of other guys have said similar to him.

Why would men be interested in clothes? Clothes are aimed at women. It's almost as if any interest in clothes would be a signifier that something is not quite right in the man department.
Other than that there's not much to choose from. Thank heavens I stuck my neck out.

It's a nonsense to say men aren't interested in clothes. For centuries men have been massively into clothes. Has some evolution suddenly taken place and men have degenerated into a dull shadow of their former glory? Or is it oppression?

Double post deleted

Barleymower wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 1:57 pm It's a nonsense to say men aren't interested in clothes. For centuries men have been massively into clothes.

I said a lot of men are not interested in clothes. I didn’t say all men are not interested. There are men who are into clothes but it’s more a thing women are interested in. Just comparing the size of the women’s clothes department to the men’s in a clothes shop makes you wonder.

I am perfectly aware that men were massively into clothes for centuries but again nowadays a lot have lost interest.