Tartan school skirts

General discussion of skirt and kilt-based fashion for men, and stuff that goes with skirts and kilts.
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crfriend
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by crfriend »

Sinned wrote: Thu Nov 11, 2021 8:18 pmBtw I think the short skirt with either knee length or thigh length socks is a good look which I would like to emulate without looking like a schoolgirl.
I do that on hot summer days, and I definitely do not look like a schoolgirl.
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Re: Tartan school skirts

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Not many schoolgirls with a beard as long as yours, Carl.
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Re: Tartan school skirts

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by Sinned » Thu Nov 11, 2021 2:18 pm

bodycon, I understand what you are doing so I'm not "taking it personally" but explaining from a personal perspective. There is a difference. There is no anger or frustration or malice in my answers. Also no-one else seems to be joining in so I must be speaking for the majority.
Thank you Sinned and Bodycon -- I've enjoyed the conversation trying to ferret out the small differences in "speaking out or remaining quiet" in our choices in venturing out in non-conventional attire for the setting or population present. And I'm glad you both were able to clarify the difference between 'taking things personally; explaining from a personal perspective; and "theory". It is too easy to unintentionally 'cross' the line and upset us unnecessarily in our enthusiasm for moving the pointer a bit. I'm not sure that any of these threads clearly reflect a uniform or majority held view -- heck, only a handful of us comment on any given thread.

I want to support the right of any of us to make our own choices based on whatever criteria is entering into it -- and we certainly know that 'fear' is often a factor, even when it need not, or should not be -- but that doesn't change the fact that it is. However, ANY factor that puts us ill at ease may work against easing the way for men in skirts simply because when we are uncomfortable, for good, bad or indifferent reasons, our own manner can be impacted and our discomfort is often reflected subconsciously in ways that is perceived by others and felt by us in ways that do not improve the atmosphere for MIS. It probably is not different than when wearing "approved" men's clothing -- if we wear something that feels a bit 'off' or out of our normal range to us -- it won't come off as well, and our sense of wellbeing is impacted too. We have ample choices without going beyond what we are reasonably comfortable pulling off.

Not directly pertinent to the proceeding conversation: Our local school (a private one that I support and sometimes do mini-classes at) does not have a school uniform--everyone is pretty conventional, except me and though I suspect some may not support or want to join my skirt wearing, the only comments I get are supportive and other staff having expressed appreciation for my skirt-wearing as good for the students. (Though none have yet joined me!)
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Sinned
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Re: Tartan school skirts

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After a bit more thought I think that what I was trying to say was that the tartan skirt would be wrong in the societal context where I live. It's not a unique situation; in fact it's more common than not. How many times have we tried on several skirts only to reject them before deciding on one and walking out of the door? Nothing wrong with each skirt per se but what we are saying is the context is wrong FOR ME AT THAT TIME. A change in mood, weather or social situation may produce a different decision. I hope that this can now put this particular discussion to bed, fun as it has been.

falda, once I knew what bodycon's context was it was easy to step back. No hard feelings, it was quite refreshing and stimulating. In this case "fear" doesn't even enter into it but good manners and consideration for others does.
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Re: Tartan school skirts

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Bodycon, I haven't been around for a week or so, so I haven't replied until now, but I get the feeling you are deliberately missing the point. There's nothing wrong with a tartan skirt, and I do own one. But it is in no danger of being mistaken for a schoolgirl's skirt. I've also got my eye on one for sale on ebay right now. However this thread has made me realise that it is quite similar to the tartan uniform skirt of a school in Glasgow which has a handful of pupils who live in my town. And now I'm having second thoughts. The girls wear pleated skirts and the one I'm watching is A-line, but it's still close enough. There is a huge difference between pushing sartorial boundaries and wearing something which might make some people think you want to dress like a schoolgirl.
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crfriend
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Re: Tartan school skirts

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skirtyscot wrote: Sun Nov 14, 2021 11:28 pmThere is a huge difference between pushing sartorial boundaries and wearing something which might make some people think you want to dress like a schoolgirl.
There's also the notion of wearing a uniform that you're not entitled to wear, and I suspect that dynamic may be in play as well, but to a lesser extent than "trying to look like a schoolgirl".

I have a couple of neck-ties I inherited from my grand-dad that I'm reticent to wear because they look like "school ties" that I'm not entitled to wear because I never attended the school.

Markers remain important in our world, and I vividly recall an incident from the 2000s (or thereabouts) when my late ex- was still active in the nearby community college and she and I were at a gala where I was well done up with a dress-jacket (and a skirt!) and one of the cast at our dinner table recognised a tiny pin from a former employer and commented on it, "Ah! A Stone and Webster man! Good!" ( I was entirely entitled to wear the pin because I'd pent a decade in the employ of that firm before it "Enronned". Had I not been entitled to wear it, I would have been viewed as a fake -- especially if I could not identify it properly!)
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by Bodycon »

skirtyscot wrote: Sun Nov 14, 2021 11:28 pm Bodycon, I haven't been around for a week or so, so I haven't replied until now, but I get the feeling you are deliberately missing the point.
I suppose if you go back through the posts you will see that that was exactly what I was doing, hence the clear message that I was playing Devils Advocate and not representing my own views or indeed having a go at anyone else's. How much clearer I could have made this I don't know....

It was a good debate, with conclusion made along with replies from others who understood this.

At least you are not looking at a skirt in the colours of Notre Dame.
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by r.m.anderson »

On another note there is the difference between a tartan skirt and clan kilt.
The kilt has a frontal apron (no pleats) the skirt maybe pleated in several ways.
The kilt usually has a wider waist band buckled or belted - the skirt less structured.
Kilts usually break at the knee - skirts anywhere thigh to upper ankle but in the
case of school skirts the knee is the norm.

Even then the odds of a tartan skirt matching the local school college university colors is hard to factor.
Something close ?

What is happening here is the tartan skirt may be close in the color coordination to the first level
elementary school wear - not so much with college/university colors usually reserved for
cheerleading or fraternal sorority functions if any.

Wear the darn tartan skirt - but avoid an exposing side show - show some skirt-cafe decorum !
"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by pelmut »

crfriend wrote: Sun Nov 14, 2021 11:56 pm I have a couple of neck-ties I inherited from my grand-dad that I'm reticent to wear because they look like "school ties" that I'm not entitled to wear because I never attended the school.
You have reminded me of a scene from the Goon Show, set in a railway compartment, between Peter Sellars playing an upper-class passenger and Spike Milligan playing the part of 'Eccles', a halfwit.

Sellars:  I see you're wearing an Oxford tie.

Eccles:  Er .. yup!

Sellars: (slightly puzzled) Did you go to Oxford?

Eccles: Yup.

Sellars:  Oh? What did you get there?

Eccles:  This tie.
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by Big and Bashful »

One of my early skirts, from Midas, is a red tartan, cut so that the tartan is diagonal, so it can't be mistaken for a kilt. It hasn't really been worn, the main reason is that it is a bit tight and as it has not got belt loops I don't want to break the claspy thing, I still have a forlorn hope of losing enough weight to get into the 2 or 3 skirts which are currently too tight.
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by r.m.anderson »

B & B -
cut so that the tartan is diagonal, so it can't be mistaken for a kilt.

Sort of like this eBay item from a Pakistani seller - went out of business before I could get one of this design:
KILT 1B.png
KILT 1A.png
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"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by Big and Bashful »

Jeez! you won't see me in anything that short! Must have a look back in my pics 'n' looks thread, Found it!

http://www.skirtcafe.org/forums/viewtop ... 48#p129148

Maybe that will work...
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Big and Bashful
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by Big and Bashful »

Big and Bashful wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 7:36 pm Jeez! you won't see me in anything that short! Must have a look back in my pics 'n' looks thread, Found it!

http://www.skirtcafe.org/forums/viewtop ... 48#p129148

Maybe that will work...
It did as well!
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Sinned
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by Sinned »

A very good skirt, definitely not a school one and I think that tartan on the diagonal is a good look. I have a skirt with the pattern on the bias and I love it. It's lined too.
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Re: Tartan school skirts

Post by denimini »

I like the contrasting pleats.
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