Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

General discussion of skirt and kilt-based fashion for men, and stuff that goes with skirts and kilts.
photoguy207
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Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by photoguy207 »

From mini to maxi and from pleated to pencil, I just competed wearing my entire collection of skirts over the past two months while my business has been shut down. Starting on March 17th, when I wore a wool red & black check print a-line skirt, I have only worn skirts while working by myself in my office. It has been an interesting journey through my collection that started in 2007 or so. I am not new at it, my skirt wearing goes back to the early 80s when I was in middle school. It was on and off through high school, sort of disappeared in college, then came back after college.

Throughout the years, I have purchased a skirt here and there and then got rid of them when my interest waned. I also bought a bunch of utilikilts after they came out in 2000 or so. But some time in the 2000s I tried regular skirts again and became hooked. My skirt wearing usually only happens when everybody leaves the office at the end of the day, on weekends, or early in the AM before anybody else gets there. But this shutdown gave me an interesting opportunity, wear a skirt all day, every work day. On weekends or when I am not there as long, I pick a skirt I really liked that week and wear it again.

I learned a lot about skirt wearing. The biggest thing, it’s no big deal! Women do it all of the time, but in our society, men would be judged as being different or weird. I own a small business in a small town. I would love to wear a skirt in public! But I also have to worry about what people think of me and how it might impact my business.

When I first started purchasing skirts, I only bought jean skirts or cargo skirts that resembled shorts. I even at one point had skirts custom made in South Korea to look like shorts. They were ok, but it was hard dealing with them to get it exactly how I wanted it. I have since moved on and purchased all types of skirts. Some of those skirts, I didn’t have a chance to wear much before. But getting the chance to wear a skirt for at least 8 hours really gave me the opportunity to really experience each one while working, sitting, moving around etc.

I never thought I would love a pleated skirt, but I have come to really like them. Another new love is a maxi skirt. They can be so cool on a warm day. Something about the garment flowing around your legs. One interesting thing about short skirt is that they can be warm. Especially if you wear a sweater with one on a cool day. Add in boots and you have a nice warm outfit. Another observation, a skirt that is an inch above the knee can be cooling, but another skirt made of the same fabric that is an inch below the knee can be very warm. One of my favorite observations is when you are standing and working, you fell like you are naked from the waist down.

Most of my skirts have pockets, but a few in my collection don’t. That is one thing if men started wearing skirts, all skirts would have pockets!! On pocketless skirt days, I made sure I wore a sweater that had pockets for my keys and cell phone, or I had to tuck them in the waist band.

In conclusion, I have really enjoyed wearing skirts at work, and will continue when I can. When we are able to open my business in a few weeks, I will definitely miss all work day skirt wearing!
new2skirts
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by new2skirts »

Why not just re open the business whilst wearing a denim skirt? You don't have to explain reasons why to anyone, and once 'novelty' has worn off, it will just become the norm.

Mark as in Mark who used to post here, has worn several skirted outfits to work 8)
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STEVIE
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by STEVIE »

Hi Photoguy,
If the business is wholly yours and there would be no detriment, by all means you are at liberty to do as you please.
I'm isolated at the moment but I wear a skirt in the office every day.
There are quite a few of us in the café who do the same.
Steve.
Grok
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by Grok »

When you first go public with this, kilting will probably be your easiest option. Then, perhaps, try other types of skirts?
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crfriend
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by crfriend »

STEVIE wrote: Sat May 30, 2020 3:40 pmIf the business is wholly yours and there would be no detriment, by all means you are at liberty to do as you please.
This is excellent counsel. You, of course, have to evaluate any risk -- real or perceived -- and whether that risk is worth the endeavour, but I suspect that if your business treats its clientele well and with dignity and respect then you will continue to flourish irrespective of sartorial statements.
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moonshadow
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by moonshadow »

Regarding the business, I think it really comes down to what your industry (business) is combined with the overall vibe and customs of your customers.

I'd just follow your gut instinct. If you do decide to wear a skirt while on business, start simple and work you way out from there.

As for me, if I were running a coffee shop, restaurant, novelty (gift) store, etc, even in my area, then yes l, I'd certainly wear the skirt, but some professions, such as professional trades, plumbers, contractors, etc, then I'd use more discretion.
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Happy-N-Skirts
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by Happy-N-Skirts »

There is a guy in Arizona who owns a shop in Quartzite and wears a loin cloth. People shop there just to see him in his loin cloth. It's like the guy in New York who calls himself the Naked Cowboy and plays a guitar on a street corner. He wears tighty white underwear and people who visit NYC consider him to be a "must see" tourist exhibit. I think he is making a lot of money.
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by Freedomforall »

Happy-N-Skirts wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 5:27 am There is a guy in Arizona who owns a shop in Quartzite and wears a loin cloth. People shop there just to see him in his loin cloth. It's like the guy in New York who calls himself the Naked Cowboy and plays a guitar on a street corner. He wears tighty white underwear and people who visit NYC consider him to be a "must see" tourist exhibit. I think he is making a lot of money.
The naked cowboy started in Nashville. I remember him well.
photoguy207
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by photoguy207 »

Thank you everybody for the encouragement!

I wish it was that easy to just flip the switch and start wearing skirts in public.

It could go perfectly, or hurt my business ….. where I live and what I do, its a risk not worth taking at the moment.

But you never know, things may change down the road!
Faldaguy
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by Faldaguy »

As others said, ye must make the decision; but I'd venture skirting at the office might actually improve your business -- especially if it is in the arts as your handle here implies. The kilt or utility skirt options might allow you to 'test the waters' without any particular risk. Glad you got time to enjoy your collection never-the-less. Good luck.
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denimini
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by denimini »

It depends on the type of business. In my business, architecture, a man wearing a skirt could be thought of as a creative and lateral thinker. Also it could cull out problem clients, if they would get upset with such a thing.
Anthony, a denim miniskirt wearer in Outback Australia
new2skirts
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by new2skirts »

photoguy207 wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:35 am Thank you everybody for the encouragement!

I wish it was that easy to just flip the switch and start wearing skirts in public.

It could go perfectly, or hurt my business ….. where I live and what I do, its a risk not worth taking at the moment.

But you never know, things may change down the road!
Go for it! You only know after one day in a skirt! It's a great bozo filter, and as others like Skirtyscot have shown you can get away with it at work, and if someone objects, just dont do it again... for a short while :twisted:

Think of it as a shocking billboard. The advertiser has already gotten their message across by the time some may complain and the ad is removed :mrgreen: Most may look once, then just get on with their lives. It's not such a big deal as in times gone by :wink:
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beachlion
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by beachlion »

photoguy207 wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:35 am Thank you everybody for the encouragement!

I wish it was that easy to just flip the switch and start wearing skirts in public.

It could go perfectly, or hurt my business ….. where I live and what I do, its a risk not worth taking at the moment.

But you never know, things may change down the road!
I think you know best what is possible in your business. Especially now with the virus disturbance, running your business might be a little tricky.

Maybe for a certain day like St Patricks Day, you can try a kilt-like garment and see the reactions of the people. From there you can go by ear. Like we say in the Netherlands about a business that is dealing with the public: you can lose a client in a second but it will take a year to win that client back.
All progress takes place outside the comfort zone - M J Bobak
tnwheels
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by tnwheels »

Not sure it is pandemic related but about the time the shutdowns started is when the weather got nice for wearing skirts around here. I wear kilts mainly in the cooler months but I switch it to more mainly skirts in the warmer season. This year I have been full on skirts daily. I have to wear pants to work due to my profession that is necessary for protection and also I am on a ladder a lot. Other than that I have been wearing a skirt most every where I go. I think everyone in my city is finally used to it. I have even noticed and few other guys in kilts and an occasional skirt. I haven’t even gotten a sideways glance in a long time. Most recently I was in a Walmart and I over heard a lady tell her male companion did you see that guy that just walked past. She made no comment about my skirt but was pointing out the design of the mask I was wearing.
photoguy207
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Re: Pandemic Shutdown Skirting

Post by photoguy207 »

Update: I have been wearing skirts occasionally for a few hours in the morning at the office now that people are back. They have been either black or khaki (from LLBean, Dickies or Merrell) and look like the shorts I usually wear in the summer but are so much more comfortable! I don’t think anybody picked it up yet. Anyway, by wearing skirts daily for months, it makes it a regular thing in my mind! So a good thing came from the shutdown!

Now if only the CDC or WHO would figure out that skirt wearing prevents Covid-19 transmission and recommends that everybody wears a skirt to prevent it, like masks.... now we are really talking progress! :-)
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