womens views on mens skirts/kilts

[equ4ll]

hi i am new to this site and it brings and the site brings a breath of fresh air to the promotion and advocacy of what most men and certainly myself would like to see more of in mainstream fashion for men, iv read a few a few posts on here and barring a few females theres not that many who give their opinion on skirts for men to become mainstream. would women like it if there partner wore a skirt/kilt as part of his masculine attire dress sense (by that i mean non crossdressing) and would women mind if their partner wore his skirt/kilt in everyday public settings.
recently on holiday with my gf i said that iv brought a sarong and cargo skirt to wear on the beach and around the pool at the hotel, she didnt seem to mind and agreed that they looked masculine and also for the practicality of wearing them in very hot temps, it was the first time i wore skirts out in public and only dared with the sarong but barring the odd second glimpse i had no comments from the public altho it was only the beach and pool i wore them. since coming home iv bought a kilt and denim skirt but feel i have to 'let people know' i will be wearing them in future - especially the ladies in my life, so it would be nice to hear more ladies views on skirts for men and also as an equalitarian i would welcome mens views also on their choice of wearing skirts etc. thanks

[RichardA]

Hi &

[couyalair]

I should think you could guess our views on skirts for men; we would not be here if we did not think that men had as much the right to wear what they fancied just as women do.

It's good to be able to learn about any increase in our numbers. I think you have taken a sensible path -- sarong for the beach > denim for a holiday > kilt to go out in public more formally (of course I approve; it's just the way I dress myself).

My wife approves and supports; sorry I cannot speak for other women.

As far as skirts becoming mainstream is concerned, just wait and see (but don't hold your breath!)
Martin

[sapphire]

Welcome to the Cafe!

I'm the wife of the Master Barista of the Cafe. Carl has been skirted for a number of years. He started tentatively and is now skirted most of the time. Not only do I approve, but I enthusiastically support his fashion sense. He's been looking better and better as he has adopted skirts. Its his way of expressing himself, something that he was never able to achieve with trousers.

What I've seen from reactions of women around town, especially middle agers and up, is that they just LOVE his look. He's tall, elegant and most polite.

Keep following your fashion sense. Skirts for men may not be mainstream yet, but it is more accepted than ever, so lets keep going in the right direction. Good luck

Diana (aka Sapphire)

[equ4ll]

thanks for the welcome - everyones views are appreciated and its good to hear im not an only person who doesnt give skirts a gender, im from the uk and people tend to be more conservative here, i was on holiday in south florida when i tried wearing skirts for the first time and as iv spent a lot of time in the states in various parts of the eastern seabord have noticed that it tends to be more liberal and open there than it does in the uk (well england to be precise)
i agree that there does seem to be a slight turning in the tide towards more freedom for men in clothing over the years - even in stiff upper lip england and partly that in my view is multi culturalism where people are becoming tolerant slowly of other peoples ways and expressions in life, it does in my view enrich democracies and freedoms if integrated carefully. i actually believe most women in western cultures would like and accept men in skirts that looked masculine and smart and being clearly unattached from tvs and crossdressers who try to mimic women hopelessly and look silly - its that barrier in my opinion that precisely puts women off and scare men away from wearing skirts which needs to be torn down..

[mugman]

I'm also a South West England skirt wearer - so now we know there are at least two in this corner of the world (plus a few more I wouldn't wonder)...and welcome. Conservatism is all around us here and, like most places tucked away from the cut, thrust and whatever floats your boat of more worldly attitudes found at the big cities, I'm finding that it is just a matter of slipping the skirted image into the local scene whenever it's possible.
A female acquaintance, married, about 75ish, from the next street, recently moved to Devon from Kent, upon coming over with her husband unexpectedly for a chat and cup of tea some time back caught me in a very colourful Sportkilt Hiking Kilt I have. They know me for traditional looking kilts so there was no major surprise factor involved when I opened the door to them, but the Hiking Kilt is far more like a light cotton wrap around skirt with pleats at the rear...and was in a bright red fake tartan.
The two of them always come across as being religiously conservative so I felt it necessary in their case to explain, when the conversation was beginning to flounder after half an hour, that it was actually a kilt, not a skirt. She just grunted in a sort of 'Well, that kind of thing didn't happen in my day' way, and that was it. I could quite easily have been wearing a skirt, which I would have been normally, but if that had been the case with an explanation that I wear skirts as well as kilts, for the very same reasons of comfort, the response would have been about the same.
People do now have to accept that they are not the only ones on the planet, and the ways of the world's inhabitants move on in many directions. Elderly folk in remoter areas are usually slower to go along with this. I find it refreshing, if not rebellious, to be able to bring some individual choice to this village even at this later stage in my life. Several times my skirting has mixed in with the general check out shambles at the big B&Q diy store in Barnstaple. Most check out assistants there are female and have never commented, or looked surprised. This is usually the skirt you see in my avatar. It's a very basic design and commonplace colour,which is possibly why it doesn't attract any attention.
I think it's extraordinary that with so many thousands of men about there has not been a skirted, or even kilted, presence more than just this one person - oh, and a kilted elderly man I saw a couple of years ago in town. That is more strange to me than how my skirt wearing seems to bother the womenfolk.

Pete.

[Jock]

Welcome to the cafe and the freedom that is skirt wearing.

From my experience, you will get a lot of positive attention from women. I hope and trust that you will find skirt wearing to be liberating and enjoyable. The British SW seems to be very tolerant of MIS.

Could I make one request? I am finding your posts hard to read. Could you take a little time to capitalise and punctuate where appropriate? Thank you.

[rogerbigfish]

Hi,

As yet another South West UK skirt and kilt wearer I can offer further reassurance that for most of the time, you get little or no reaction from the general public. The most important people to get on your side are those closest to you and as long as you have their support you can wear basically whatever you like.

As Mugman said, there are probably more than the 3 of us here in the SW and it would be great to hear from them. I am not far from South Molton in North Devon. It is a very rural area and although you might expect a conservative attitude in fact people tend to be fairly open minded. It goes with a sense of individualism and independance that is common here.

Roger.

[equ4ll]

I must admit my grammar is not the best since graduating from higher education years ago, it gets worse every year. Yesterday i wore my black kilt in public in the UK (devon) for the first time ever and was surprised at how little reaction i was given which was brilliant, im from the bideford area of devon and did have some reservations at first but my gf spurred me on by saying i looked hot in a kilt after showing her the nite before, so off i went with that in mind out onto the streets and i can say it did feel very liberating as well a little daring/naughty at the same time with the thought also that its absolutely my right to wear a kilt/skirt if i wish and to just be yourself as you would in shorts or trousers. Of all the people i passed not one made a bad remark and the only thing i noticed was a woman slightly smiling and a couple of guys looking interestly towards my kilt, it has given me the confidence to keep on wearing regularly and will probably buy a couple more conventional knee length skirts, iv seen a couple from m&s (knee length cargo and and knee length linen blend) which i think can look masculine and go with t-shirts etc.
although my gf is very supportive of me wearing skirts/kilts and says i look hot and totally sees the principles behind why i want to wear skirts/kilts my parents unfortunately cannot and though they dont mind me having skirts around my house they find it 'uncomfortable to for me to wear in public' and were shocked i had the courage to do so lastnite, its fine everyones entitled to an opinion but i could sense the whole air of no you cant cause your a man type thing going on - shame but those barriers are there to be broken just like women did in the 50s with trousers (partly why id like to hear some womens views on men in skirts) and i intend to help break these invisible social barriers, just needs a lot more men to come on board and join in...

[crfriend]

I must admit my grammar is not the best since graduating from higher education years ago, it gets worse every year.

One solution to that phenomenon is to read more and pay attention to the way that authors structure their works into sentences and paragraphs. Punctuation and capitalisation are important, too; for an accurate and humourous take on punctuation one cannot beat Lynn Truss' Eats, Shoots and Leaves. The only caveat to the argument for reading is that one must pick the author carefully; altogether too many are low-grade butchers when it comes to the language!

Yesterday i wore my black kilt in public in the UK (devon) for the first time ever and was surprised at how little reaction i was given which was brilliant,

This fact tends to surprise many men, but in my several years of actively wearing skirts in almost all possible situations I have not so much as once come up against any substantial objection or criticism. Sure, there's the (expected) guff that one picks up from one's friends, but that's what friends are for.

I [...] did have some reservations at first but my gf spurred me on by saying i looked hot in a kilt after showing her the nite before [...]

That's good news about the girlfriend -- very good news. The curious can scroll upwards a few messages to see how my wife perceives me in my skirts.

Now, parents can be an entirely different matter, and lots of that depends on age, education, and their perceived need to "blend in" so they don't attract attention (some of which, no doubt, they feel would be bad); this will get projected onto you, so be ready for it. If there are strong doubts expressed, counter those with your personal experiences ("I've not even once experienced discomfort or felt ill-at-ease whilst wearing this sort of rig.") and be ready just to accept the fact that you may "need to agree to disagree" on the matter.

[... J]ust be yourself as you would in shorts or trousers.

This sentiment cannot be repeated often enough -- it should be a mantra for us. If we feel the need to force something, then there is something wrong; if we feel natural and at ease, that will be projected, and others will immediately pick up on it. If an outfit gives you pause, ask why and adjust it so you feel natural in it. Force should not be required because it lends an air of insecurity and insincerity to things.

[mugman]

Black kilts are good. You can't go far wrong with them. I had a walk around Atlantic Village a while ago in a glaring red Royal Stewart tartan kilt and got away with it, so anything less conspicuous should be a doddle!
Pete

[ethelthefrog]

My parents live in Bratton Fleming, just up various roads from South Molton and Barnstaple, so I'm no stranger to the area. I haven't seen any of you guys when I've been visiting. No idea what my parents would think of seeing me in a skirt, and they're not likely to.

I am planning to spend Star Trek weekend (overnight hike on Exmoor in March) skirted in 2012. Except when I'm actually walking. I'm not willing to contemplate what it would feel like to be climbing over stiles, on Exmoor, at two in the morning, at -3 Celcius, in driving sleet in a skirt. Keep an eye open then, and you might see me...

To address the OP, some women, in my experience, are very positive about the concept. Others less so. If you are blessed the way Carl is with an enthusiastic wife, that is all the support you need. My wife is somewhat more reticent, but has given me the go-ahead to go out and about in my kilt whenever I want to. Skirts will follow, of this I am sure.


Paul.

[equ4ll]

To be fair to my parents considering their generation they have become more open to liberal ways over the years, think they were just shocked i wore my kilt in public as they fear public reaction, they ll come round to the idea eventually as they also see why i want to wear and recognise that men need some equality in clothing choices. It took me a couple of years to get my dad to wear mens support tights for his aching legs and they both support the use of tights now as unisex so itl come. As for wearing my kilts/skirt in the future i will wear them in busy places such as shopping malls etc from now but not with tights at this moment as i feel that is the next rung on the ladder and would be better suited for winter. Id like to see more men in my local area take up wearing skirts/kilts to join us few who already do and more the better, iv been out and about town last couple of days and noticed that not many women are wearing skirts that much which is a shame so skirts need a come back for both men and women by the looks. oh my grammar is more to do with lazy pc typing habit on my part not not knowing

[rogerbigfish]

I will be in Bideford tomorrow and will keep an eye out for in case you are about town.

Roger.

[Jock]

oh my grammar is more to do with lazy pc typing habit on my part not not knowing

Aye, I'm lazy too. When I see a solid block of badly written and poorly punctuated prose, then I can't be bothered to read it.