Genuine reactions....

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

Post by Andy_G »

Hi, I'm Andy and new to the board.

I'm interested to hear about genuine reactions to wearing a skirt in public in the UK. I'm hoping to try it some time, but remain anxious about others views. Personally, I'm very comfortable in skirts privately, and have no trouble shopping. I'm confident in not pretending I'm buying for someone else, but not managed to pluck up the courage to go out yet.

Thanks :D
Gusto10
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by Gusto10 »

Andy_G wrote:Hi, I'm Andy and new to the board.

I'm interested to hear about genuine reactions to wearing a skirt in public in the UK. I'm hoping to try it some time, but remain anxious about others views. Personally, I'm very comfortable in skirts privately, and have no trouble shopping. I'm confident in not pretending I'm buying for someone else, but not managed to pluck up the courage to go out yet.

Thanks :D
welcome Andy, hope you will enjoy all the info. I guess that the UK-members will be able to provide usefull information and tel about their experiences.
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hoborob
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by hoborob »

Greetings and welcome aboard Andy. You've found a diverse and sometimes eclectic bunch people that all have differing tastes and experiences in wearing and even enjoying looking at skirts of all kinds and shapes and sizes. We really don't bite (much anyway) so the only worry you have here is not joining in the fun. Have a ball and get to know everyone and we'll get to know you.
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Fred in Skirts
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by Fred in Skirts »

:welcome:
Hi Andy, Welcome to the SkirtCafe. :ciao:
We hope you will stick around and become a well know member here. We are a great bunch of guys and we all love and wear skirts. Some of us wear them all of the time and no-longer wear pants or shorts. So tell us more about yourself and join in on all of the fun.
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
Always be yourself because the people that matter don’t mind and the ones that mind don’t matter.
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Sinned
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by Sinned »

Hi Andy, welcome to the cafe and you'll get the most out of your time here by joining in that skulking in the shadows. I live in the "here ye be dragons country" part of England and I find that there's no reaction to my wearing a skirt out and about. I've been shopping at ASDA, Tescos and through the town centre and been completely ignored. I've been shopping for a skirt whilst wearing a skirt and you can't get much better than that. I've found that 99% of people either don't notice or if they do don't care. I don't stick to the boring black/blue/beige colours either - I wear bright colours such as red, and yellow. What is more important to pulling off the skirted look is attitude. If you are confident and project a couldn't give a damn air then you'll be ok. If you're not then people will notice and react to that more than your skirt. Start slowly and build your confidence but unfortunately it's not something that you can do by halves - you're either out in a skirt or you're not!
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
pelmut
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by pelmut »

Andy_G wrote:Hi, I'm Andy and new to the board.

I'm interested to hear about genuine reactions to wearing a skirt in public in the UK. ...
Most of the time there is no reaction at all, they are all too tied up in their own thoughts to notice.

Friends have tried following me from a distance to observe any reactions and say they have very occasionally noticed someone staring at me, or a child tugging at their mother's hand and pointing. Once, in a fashionable shopping street, a friend overheard "Those boots don't go with that skirt", from a woman who hadn't even realised I was male.

The strongest reaction I can remember was when I was helping at a public meeting: a woman was asking me about something; while I was explaining I could see, out of the corner of my eye, her husband standing mesmerised with his mouth open, looking me up and down. He tried to turn away but compulsively kept turning back and looking me up and down again and again.

Very occasionally I have been asked about the skirt - a simple explanation that it is more comfortable or cooler or just fun to wear, was all that was required. Only once did I feel the situation was a bit threatening, so I turned and walked into a nearby shop to terminate the encounter (it would probably have happened no matter what I had been wearing).

I always try to dress in the way a woman of my age and build would dress if she had decided to wear a skirt that day. Denim or sober colours and a top to match; nothing too short or too long for the weather and no frills or 'evening wear' for going to the shops. The exception to this is at folk dances where I can experiment with more flamboyant styles and colours; people often comment on my skirts on those occasions and the comments are invariably positive.
There is no such thing as a normal person, only someone you don't know very well yet.
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RichardA
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by RichardA »

Hi Andy and :welcome:
if your worried try a kilt loads of cheap ones on ebay
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mugman
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by mugman »

Hi Andy. Welcome to the skirting and kilting fraternity. Although I'm mainly a kilt fan I have worn skirts around the West Country with absolutely no problem. The problem is usually in our heads and going for that first outing can, after conquering it, be very exhilirating. Don't give a stuff for what anyone's making of it. I think you'll soon realise that noone will give a thought to what you're wearing in return. These days almost anything goes...good luck! Pete
Stu
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by Stu »

Plain denim, canvas or corduroy, around knee-length, worn with generally masculine shirt or sweater - reaction - absolute zero. The vast majority don't even notice and those who do don't care beyond the odd double-take.

Stu
Andy_G
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by Andy_G »

Went for it today in a plain black kilt. Absolutely no reaction at all!!
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Sinned
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by Sinned »

pelmut, I definitely don't wear what a woman of my age would wear as that would be far too dowdy. Short, bright and cheerful, that's me. I do sometimes wear the usual dark block colours as well but only as part of the spectrum that is my wardrobe. Mind you, it's the same with the bifucated garments as well.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
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Caultron
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by Caultron »

Andy_G wrote:Went for it today in a plain black kilt. Absolutely no reaction at all!!
Voilà and congratulations!

We are so often prisoners of our own device.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

caultron
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phathack
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by phathack »

In my experience people are more likely to notice the Kilt/Skirt if its colorful. Since all my Kilts are Tartans they are more likely to be noticed than the Black & Navy skirts i usually wear.

A couple of years ago I was sure someone was going to say something to me. I was wearing a Red Tennis skirt with Red T-Shirt and tennis shoes as I stopped for Gas and refreshments at a major truck stop on I-70 in the middle of Kansan in August.
Not a work and I didn't notice a single strange look.

:ugeek:
Happy-N-Skirts
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by Happy-N-Skirts »

I got an infection on my ankle from an insect bite while hiking. As a result I wear knee high nylons over my socks when hiking which keeps out stickers, ticks, and insects. More people have noticed my nylons over my socks than my skirts. No one notices or comments that I have a skirt on. I have been wearing them for about three years for hiking or long driving trips.
Andy_G
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Re: Genuine reactions....

Post by Andy_G »

It was if I'm honest a total non-event, but I've been wondering since would it have been the same had I been wearing a skirt. Just had a wander round a park and the the town centre. Lots of people around and all just went about their business not batting an eyelid. I went into TJ Maxx and browsed through the dresses. Didn't buy anything but it was perfectly obvious I was looking for myself! Again, not even a second glance!! I think I'll maybe need to try wearing a skirt next time.
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