Why wear a skirt?

[hiker]

As I read the various posts over the past year or so, it seems to me that the most important reason for wearing a skirt is missed. Often comfort is cited or equality, occasionally one's femine side (not too often), etc. But it seems to me that a man wearing a skirt sends a powerful message about social noncomformity. In a world a increasing greed, declining resources, me-ism, poverty, and an expensive and unnecessary war -- I think sending the message that I'm not with the rest of you and I don't want to look like you is the most important reason for a man to wear a skirt.

I also agree that skirts are comfortable and practical, but most importantly they are not conventional.

[Big and Bashful]

Personally I wish wearing a skirt wasn't being different, but as normal as wearing jeans. Life would be a lot more comfortable then.

[Departed Member]

Personally I wish wearing a skirt wasn't being different, but as normal as wearing jeans. Life would be a lot more comfortable then.

I totally agree with these sentiments. I have no interest whatsoever in making any form of 'fashion statement'. As for being 'different' or 'unconventional', that's down to personality, not apparel. For me, comfort & health reasons have been the driving force.

[Charlie]

Personally I wish wearing a skirt wasn't being different, but as normal as wearing jeans. Life would be a lot more comfortable then.

Agreed 100% Until that happy day arrives, I'll just go on being more comfortable than the (very) average guy.

Charlie

[crfriend]

In a world a increasing greed, declining resources, me-ism, poverty, and an expensive and unnecessary war -- I think sending the message that I'm not with the rest of you and I don't want to look like you is the most important reason for a man to wear a skirt.

If one follows that logic, it should also be becoming more dangerous to wear a skirt, or do anything that even remotely smacks of nonconformity. Instead we seem to find the opposite is happening, at least in the more developed parts of the world. Simply doing something to be "different" or "nonconformist" reeks just a little bit of the "rebel without a clue" teenager with his "{insert favourite obscenity here} {whatever}" tee-shirt trying to ruffle the feathers of his school's establishment. If one really wants to be nonconformist, then one needs to have a deep rational argument for precisely why he is acting in that manner, be ready to deploy it if need be, and be ready to suffer the consequences for it. Remember that one country's "nonconformist" is another country's "traitor". Vis the current Iranian crackdown on womens' clothing for a peculiar, and needless, exercise of raw power.

I also agree that skirts are comfortable and practical, but most importantly they are not conventional.

Well, they haven't been "conventional" for a couple hundred years. If we wanted, we could state that we're staging a revival of a male, but obsolete, costume.

I'm just hoping that someday the human race, or at least most of it, will accept some "wobble" around the centerline of "convention" as being not only normal, but healthy.

[Milfmog]

Personally I wish wearing a skirt wasn't being different, but as normal as wearing jeans. Life would be a lot more comfortable then.

I rarely post to say "me too" but this is so accurate an assessment of how I feel that this time I have no choice.

I have wondered why I enjoy wearing skirts so much and I think it comes down primarily to comfort and freedom of movement (I don't go for narrow skirts) but I quite enjoy being noticed, raising a few eyebrows and getting a little attention. I'm naturally fairly shy and so found enjoying this aspect of skirt wearing something of a surprise.

However I will put my hand up to crfriend's "Rebel without a clue" jibe, I never really felt any need to rebel against anything as a teen and sometimes I just feel I missed out on a rite of passage

Have fun,


Ian.

[Sasquatch]

If one really wants to be nonconformist, then one needs to have a deep rational argument for precisely why he is acting in that manner, be ready to deploy it if need be, and be ready to suffer the consequences for it.

I'm just hoping that someday the human race, or at least most of it, will accept some "wobble" around the centerline of "convention" as being not only normal, but healthy.

Since we've opened this can o' worms again, I'll dive in! If we are honest about the reasons behind our proclivity, I think we would have to admit that non-conformity lies at the heart of it. We can all claim "comfort" or "fashion freedom" as our motivations, but, really, aren't those just satellites orbiting a larger reason? I mean, sweatpants and pajamas are comfortable as well, but what appeal do they hold for this group of correspondents?

Personally, I doubt that I could formulate a deep rational argument for why I like to wear skirts, at least not without years of expensive psychoanalysis! But at the heart is something that compels me to want to be different - perhaps to define my own life, my own identity, by my own parameters. That is the essence of non-conformity. And I believe that is the end we all pursue - why we choose to do so with skirts and kilts I'll leave to deeper minds than my own. Are we expressing a "feminine side"? Perhape we are merely making a public threat of a masculine individual who chooses to subtly denounce the "rules". In a way, that is a bit like wearing the T shirt that says {penetration to} {your expectations}.

A little "wobble" in our lives and personalities is IMHO clearly healthy!

Sasq

[binx]

I can't wear pajamas and sweatpants to work, and not good for pubs either. No ventiliation with either of those compared to skirts. It's all about comfort for me.

binx

[Sasquatch]

I can't wear pajamas and sweatpants to work, and not good for pubs either. No ventiliation with either of those compared to skirts. It's all about comfort for me.

binx

I'm glad that you can wear skirts to work. Not many of us are in such an enviable position. I hope no one takes grave offense at this, but the "comfort only" motivation is a thin veil. I would argue that comfort alone is hardly enough reason to compel someone to dramatically deviate from social norms - particularly in a society where an effeminate or at least odd appearance in a man is so commonly viewed with contempt - without a deeper underlying driver. If comfort is our only cumpulsion, I'm certain that some more conventionally male garb could be found that provides you adequate comfort for the workday until you could get home to sweats or pajamas or boxers or nudity or whatever level of comfort is suitable. Forgive me if I have cast any false inferences upon your or anyone's reason for enjoying skirts - I certainly defer to your personal rationalizations. I simply see the "comfort" reason as a flimsy and intellectually dishonest motivation. It just doesn't go far enough to answer the question "Why skirts?"
Sasq

[Since1982]

Quoting Hiker, (I forgot how to do the [quotes] thing) "me-ism". The ME generation is in full swing, hence the so common it's almost needed to be taught in schools phrase "Me and him or her". When I was in school, if you said either of those, you got held after school by the English teacher to learn the correct phrase was "He or She and I". Seemingly NO one says He and I any more. They are, with a very few exceptions like myself, all wrapped up in ME first in everything.

As far as anything "average" or "normal" is concerned, I, long ago grew out of the "Lemming mentality" of striving to look like the fictional "Joneses" down the block. I was young in the "rebel without a clue" 50's and 60's and absolutely No one that didn't speak with a heavy down South accent looked "normal"..(whatever "normal" is)...:shake:

[skirttron]

Nonconformity? - yes, probably. Letting the feminine side out a bit? - certainly in my case. I don't think it's related to greed, etc though. The average age of a skirt-wearing man is around the time you stop caring about what others think so much. You don't admire role models as you did when you went to all those rock concerts - you become your own role model.

[Tripp49]

Hello Gang,I haven't posted in a while,but I just thought I would throw my two cents worth in.First wearing a skirt is not fem.You know men wore skirts and dresses a many a year long before some one came up with pants.
I wear a skirt because I like the way they look,and feel.I do have some fem skirts that I do love for that very reason.But the majority of my skirts are designed for a male.

Tripp49:cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

[Charlie]

It's also about equality. I know there are many issues about gender equality, and in some cases the see-saw of equality has gone from being tipped one way to being tipped the other (it should be level).
However, IMHO, women are more than equal when it comes to clothing in that they have far more choice, no only in design, but opportunity; how many times have you heard 'Dress code: men, trousers; women, trousers OR skirt'? On this front men and women are not equal. I have heard of some enlightened employers who give their male employees the pants/skirt option, but I suspect this is more to do with political correctness, and rely on the fact that most male employees will not take the skirt option.

If I may quote from our local council's employment blurb:

Somerset County Council (SCC) intends to ensure that no employee or job applicant should receive less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, domestic responsibilities, political or trade union activity or other form of discrimination [my italics]. Its recruitment practices will exclude all assumptions, preferences or judgements that are not job-related. Information provided by applicants will be treated as confidential.

I wonder what would happen if a guy turned up in a skirt and quoted that at them? By the way, I don't work for SCC.

Charlie

[ChristopherJ]

But at the heart is something that compels me to want to be different - perhaps to define my own life, my own identity, by my own parameters.

That's me also. I have always strived to be something other than just another grey face in the crowd. I REFUSE to be 'normal'. :cheer:

And I believe that is the end we all pursue - why we choose to do so with skirts and kilts I'll leave to deeper minds than my own.

It's just another way of expressing my 'whole self' - i.e. all that I am. I don't only use skirts to do that. I will use anything that is available.

Are we expressing a "feminine side"?

I don't feel as if I am. More like I am expressing a rounded - or more complete - version of my masculinity.

Perhape we are merely making a public threat of a masculine individual who chooses to subtly denounce the "rules".

Yes.

[CENTER][FONT="Arial"]This is not just a skirt . . . [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]IT'S AN ADVENTURE!!!!!!![/FONT]
:cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: [/CENTER]

[Sasquatch]

It's also about equality. Charlie

Excellent point!
Sasq