Why one style, but not another?

General discussion of skirt and kilt-based fashion for men, and stuff that goes with skirts and kilts.
BorderXing

Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by BorderXing »

Disaffected.citizen wrote:
Kirbstone wrote:Anything remotely feminine to my mind is reserved for home grounds frolics......
Which is the thrust of my original point; we each and all have differing perceptions as to what constitutes "feminine" and the varying degrees of femininity, too.

So, back on topic, why do we choose the styles we choose?
I've gone through a bunch of changes to styles that I like and wear. I used to wear really tight jeans in my 20s when they didn't have any elastic and some things were just plain hard to do. I moved to looser jeans In my 30s and then to "relaxed" jeans until one day I looked in a mirror and saw and older man with really baggy pants. Something had to change and I couldn't get any younger. I now wear mostly slim jeans with elastic. I really like the look, feel and mobility. Oh and yes then there are skirts and dresses. I have tried on hundreds of dresses and only ever bought 2 and then proceeded to immediately not like the way they fit because of lack of boobs. I tried on 6 dresses at Christmas and didn't like the way any of them fit even though I thought they all had potential on the hanger.

We all like different styles and are constantly thinking about trying new looks because we are human and creative. The biggest difference from a lot of other men is that our pallet has a few more colors than they are comfortable experimenting with.
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by Disaffected.citizen »

BorderXing wrote:We all like different styles and are constantly thinking about trying new looks because we are human and creative.
So true.
The biggest difference from a lot of other men is that our pallet has a few more colors than they are comfortable experimenting with.
I really like this description :D
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by Happy-N-Skirts »

I like the feel and comfort of wearing skirts. I like unlimited stride and ventilation and they are great for driving because they don't compress my crotch. I really don't like to draw attention to myself, therefore my choice of skirts closely resemble shorts as much as possible. I have them hemmed above the knee and don't have flair. I have bought several skirts that I have had shortened. I wear denim, khaki, gray, camo, black, beige. I enjoy wearing skirts while hiking and photographing nature and wildlife. That is my style and I wear them in public to state and national parks, restaurants, stores, gas stations.

I am "Happy-N-Skirts."
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by Happy-N-Skirts »

I would like to design a sort of leisure suit with a leisure skirt with Vest or coat matching casual or formal. To wear with a formal shirt. I would mainstream it to be acceptable for mainstream buyers. Show people being active people doing fun activities such as walking. hiking .phographing, riding bikes. dancing. I think the trend is developing. Wouldn't that be great. Wear a formal suit to work and meet with clients while wearing a tasteful skirt with matching vest, jacket, or other accessories. I would be first in line to buy one and wear it everywhere. Girls can't have all the fun. Sounds like fun and build a group.

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robert
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by robert »

We all have our different preferences, of course. Women also do dress in a very different way compared with each other, so why shouldn’t we?

I do not like mini skirts, but I know a lot of people, women and men, that look great in a mini skirt. When it comes to skirts I have always preferred the lengths from the knees and down to the calf. A-line skirts are the best for me in my opinion. They are so fun to wear and constantly reminding you that you wear a skirt as it dances around your legs as you walk.

When it comes to dresses I do love the style from 50’s. They do have a very feminine style, but I honestly don’t think they are feminine when I wear them. I do think they suits my body type. I can’t wear real 50’s dresses out in the normal days, but when at a party or when I dress up for other occasions I love to wear them. The dresses I wear in my normal activities are influenced by this style, but much more anonymous.
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Caultron
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by Caultron »

It's tempting to just write this off on, "There's no accounting for taste."

Then again, there must be some logic, rationale, or preference that we apply when choosing what clothes to wear. So why do I like dressing in skirts, tights, and shoes that only women usually wear?

I was a pretty nerdy kid in high school and was never comfortable with girls. My dates were few and far between, and usually ended badly. So if I couldn't attract women, did I transfer toward partially becoming one? That seems a stretch, but maybe, or maybe I have cause and effect reversed.

I can tell you that as a Boy Scout, age 11-13, I occasionally came across posters and magazine covers that conveyed the international scope of Boy Scouting by showing boys in their various national uniforms, and that always included one boy in a Scottish kilt, and I often though it would be cool to try that. All of which happened before I started dealing with girls.

And since that, I've never lost my fascination for wearing skirts and other clothing usually reserved for women. From time to time I'd try panties or panty hose or other items but eventually quit rather than be discovered. I was overjoyed when I first heard of and saw Utilikilts, but totally bummed out over the price. Then I discovered Pakistani-made kilts in the $50-75 range and that completed the puzzle.

So by the time I did start wearing skirts, I was almost 65 years old and relating much better to women.

I do tend to choose fashions that I think look good on women. And when I see my reflection in a mirror or window, I ask myself if I (or people in general) would find a woman dressed the same way from the waist down attractive? And then I wonder if that's trying to be a woman, or rather that the same styles and combinations of clothes just look good no matter who's wearing them, or what?

I've never liked midi or maxi skirts because I'm a leg man and covering the legs spoils all the fun. I like short skirts on women (that leg man thing again) but they seem too feminine and too extreme and too revealing for me. So I stick with roughly knee-length.

I like solid, earth-tone colors because patterns and pastels seem more feminine than I want to be. Then once I've chosen the skirt, I try to coordinate the whole look with complimentary styles and colors.

The heels and tights are just for fun, can't explain why that is. If never during my life women had worn them, would I still want to? And if not, maybe there is a desire to be partially female. Or not.

There's just no accountings for taste.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by partlyscot »

Complicated question, and no clear answer. For different people, the answers will come from different roots, and with differing levels of self awareness and self analysis.

The question of femininity is one that arise for me, not just what is femininity, but what it should be? There are some things that to my mind we as men should reclaim, and others that more reasonably belong with those of us that identify as trans. I am not saying that one way or the other is right or wrong, or suggesting anyone pursues any particular path. I also don't think we should be locking ourselves into any particular path or label, but for our own clarity of mind, it can be useful to explore the various nooks and crannies. I am of the opinion that extremes of masculine/feminine are somewhat,....toxic? or maybe too far apart? I have read that relationships where the parties are at extreme ends tend not to be too happy or stable, which makes sense.

For my own sense of style, I am still playing around the edges as to what works for me when I look in the mirror or see pictures of myself. I like to experiment with different historical periods and styles, and seeing how many I can make work in everyday style. I have an aversion to things that are too suggestive of "female impersonator" or crossdresser, even if I have an interest in it myself. It's almost a separate aspect of myself. Whatever I wear has to work from a technical perspective as well, I don't drive, and I am fairly active in all weathers, so being able to change from indoor to outdoor, or from cold to warm easily is important. Mostly my skirts are knee length, give or take, and in Winter I like wool, or wool mix, but in warmer weather light, easy care poly nylon blends are preferred. I like strong colours and patterns, but I try not to do that all the time, because I don't want to be seen as a fashionista or hipster. I like the comfort of freedom that skirts give, also the sensuality of the movement against the legs, for similar reasons I like stockings and stay ups as well. I really want to find a dress that works all round for me, but it's much harder to meet all my expectations there.
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by STEVIE »

Experiment, try and find your "zone".
Unless you are a teenager you will already have found "one". You know what you like. That's the enforced one at least.
However, take pointers from that too. Personally, I don't do flamboyant skirted or trousered.
Style wise, that means mainly plain skirts in conservative colours. On occasion I'll brighten the accessories, that works too.
Check the mirror. If that looks good to you go with it!
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by Yuki »

For me, I tend to go above the knee, but I do have a couple that are longer, and keep it as flowing as possible. I'm not a fan of anything tight. I really like circle skirts. In many ways I fall more feminine in style. However, I don't like thinking of clothes as feminine or masculine, it's just fabric cut in different ways. But I may fall that way because I like the cuter look of them rather than a straight skirt that looks like an office worker, no offence to anyone that likes those... Skirts to me are very carefree and when I get to wear them I feel very comfortable with myself, even that one time I wore one on campus.

As to why these preferences occur, yay mind theories, we can delve deep into that! So the first thing I would think about is age, what was popular while someone was growing up, or perhaps it has something to do with location colder climate, longer skirt, warm climate, short skirt. Factors like that can greatly adjust your style. For instance, if you grew up seeing people in one fashion all your life you'd probably be bored of it and would want to express yourself in a way different from that style, unless you liked it so much that you wanted to copy it! The ideas are nearly endless on what can really change your style and every person can have a different reason to like the same or a different style.
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by hoborob »

I don't actually wear skirts all the time but when I do I actually prefer the longer ones that are at least knee length or more. I have several that are of the A-line type that I enjoy and one floor sweeper that has a pink and white pattern on it and one pencil type that is solid brown. I know that some have a problem with the pencil type but I wore mine out after a heavy snow we had here that had very icy conditions. I had no trouble at all walking in it and it was surprisingly warm to wear even in the cold temps. It is also very possible that since it did make me take shorter strides that it made walking in the icy conditions easier as I had to think about where to place my feet as I walked to avoid slipping and falling. Ii have some shorter skirts and dresses but when I wear the shorter dresses I find myself paring it with a longer skirt when I do. It's just my own personal preference.
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by crfriend »

partlyscot wrote:The question of femininity is one that arise for me, not just what is femininity, but what it should be? There are some things that to my mind we as men should reclaim, and others that more reasonably belong with those of us that identify as trans. I am not saying that one way or the other is right or wrong, or suggesting anyone pursues any particular path. I also don't think we should be locking ourselves into any particular path or label, but for our own clarity of mind, it can be useful to explore the various nooks and crannies. I am of the opinion that extremes of masculine/feminine are somewhat,....toxic? or maybe too far apart? I have read that relationships where the parties are at extreme ends tend not to be too happy or stable, which makes sense.
This paragraph is beautiful, mainly because it brings up so many disparate topics all at one and, in doing so, encapsulates what society today is trying to grapple with -- in the midst of massive pressures being exerted from various quarters.

Too many of us alive today have never seen what a "normal" situation looks like -- and so we have no way to interpret our own situation as anything other than "normal" simply so we can cope. It's become toxic. I think the "trans-*" notion is a knee-jerk reaction to a world that has become incomprehensible to many, if not most. It's become a world where fathers sometimes cannot be fathers, men who show one whit of empathy for others are castigated and reviled, and blood-sports for women are becoming commonplace. It's entirely screwed up -- and I posit that it's external forces that have caused the worst of the problems, and that either nobody saw it coming or nobody had the courage and strength of character to stand up and speak out (or got "removed from the system" for doing so).

But, where does that leave us? What's viewed in the modern realm -- and hence "accessible" to us -- as "normal"; what's viewed as "traditional" (if anything); and what's viewed as "desirable" to all (if that's even possible)? Is the entire trans-* regime even necessary, or is it a diversion? What can be done to get some grounding back into who and what we are as human beings, not just some hyper-divided boxed-in tiny subset? I rather suspect a better understanding of this would make things vastly better for all involved -- and I don't happen to have any answers although I have a lot of ideas.
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by moonshadow »

The problem in defining "normal" is there is no clear point of reference. With so many different styles, cultures, people, etc how does one really define what is "normal" anyway?

A part of me is happy to see the trans movement taking shape as it generally fosters a notion of acceptance and tolerance over the long haul, however I am troubled that in 20 years time, or even in the present day, simple "men in skirts" or just ordinary crossdressers are being grouped in the transgender circle. Don't get me wrong, it's good to have a lobby, but at the same time it's bothersome that you just can't be a "man in a skirt", no, you must ally yourself with the trans agenda otherwise you're a lone ranger.

And yet masculine women are not considered trans*, unless they choose to be. Why is this?

I stand by my original conclusion that what defines "masculine" and "feminine" in the context of human culture is completely arbitrary. By the laws of Nature, males and females have clear roles, the males inseminate the females and the females bear the young. Past that, everything else is the result of social evolution. This is demonstrated in the animal kingdom as in some species, the male is the primary caregiver of offspring, and the female gathers the food. Human culture could have just as easily evolved into such a situation.

So when I call myself a "feminine man" I mean so in the context of what defines "feminine" in our present modern western culture.

However, under the laws of Nature... I'm just Moon Shadow.

In fact, many people who know me personally in the real world often say that despite what I wear, and the fact that I cry at sappy movies and like pretty flowers, I am VERY masculine in my behavior otherwise. Yes I can get a little redneck when I get pissed off, I tend to be dominant in my household, and generally like to have control over any given situation, and I will defend my wife and daughter with my life, if someone lays a finger on either one of them, I will kill the perpetrator.

Ironically, my "feminine" skirts have conditioned me to a degree and have somewhat drawn out the inner "alpha" in me. I remember I used to bow my head when walking through the room, even wearing regular clothes, now even in my bright flashy dress, I will walk into an establishment, lock eyes with the angry bigots, smirk and stare them down.

It's quite bizarre.
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by denimini »

Oh dear, I have just done a heap of typing and self moderating.

I think some words should be dropped, considered as anachronistic, rather than trying to define them or redefine them.
One can describe an omega man without undermining his chosen gender.
One can describe a skirt without personification.

Traditional should be used instead of normal because it adds context.

I would rather see equality achieved by men giving up "blood sports".
Anthony, a denim miniskirt wearer in Outback Australia
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JeffB1959
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by JeffB1959 »

I wear whatever appeals to me: a-lines, pencils, minis, midis, maxis, denim, knit, pleather, black, white, blue, tan, olive, anything I like.
I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman.
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Re: Why one style, but not another?

Post by crfriend »

moonshadow wrote:And yet masculine women are not considered trans*, unless they choose to be. Why is this?
This, flatly, is because the radical feminists decided to wage -- and have largely won -- a gender war.

Yes, yes, before I get taken to task for it, men did enjoy much privilege a couple of generations ago -- too much -- but that situation is now entirely reversed where men are at the pity of, and under the control of women. Whatever happened to moderation? Whatever happened to the ability to function as a team instead of one entirely dominating the other?
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