Fast Company / What will it take for more men to wear skirts?

Clippings from news sources involving fashion freedom and other gender equality issues.
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crfriend
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Re: Fast Company / What will it take for more men to wear skirts?

Post by crfriend »

Dust wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2020 2:24 am[... T]he "Male Corporate Armor" quip struck me. All the talk of interviews made the true state of things come back, that at the end of the day, every guy has the dark colored suit in the back of their closet, and many an occasion simply demands it, no matter how casual and accepting society at large gets.
I'd say that's quite likely. The thing may not get hauled out very often, but there's probably one lurking in every man's closet, or at least a jacket or blazer that can fill in in a pinch.
Women have broken this to a large extent, but they never had it as bad as guys do. Women are also not traditionally the bread winner, so they have less to lose.
Women have a different set of problems than the guys, and I don't think the last statement is even true any longer in the New Economy (at least in the US). Nowadays, the guy's income is just barely enough for the guy to scrape by on, and the day of "the breadwinner" is nothing but a fond memory from a "once upon a time" period; today, both adults have to work in order to scrape by, and even then it's tough with costs constantly rising and salaries falling.
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Re: Fast Company / What will it take for more men to wear skirts?

Post by Shilo »

Slightly off topic but I think this can be equated to hair length. In my youth I always had long hair and was occasionally mistaken for a woman despite my 6' height. I was told by a well meaning colleague that I would never be promoted because of my hair. It seems that this was the most important factor to management Its risky for a young man to deviate from the norm in any way. Even if it's only subliminal, they always favour "People like us". From a slightly different angle, a generation ago in the UK Wonen police officers were required to wear skirts now its unthinkable that they would. Attitudes do evolve if there's a will
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Re: Fast Company / What will it take for more men to wear skirts?

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I think this is just how our minds work - we immediately make a quick assumption based on stereotypical looks and behaviors, and as we take in more detail we refine our assessment. No matter how much “bias” training one gets, I don’t think we’ll ever escape this (probably evolutionary trait), and as long as no harm is intended, no matter how painful for ourselves, I don’t see the problem.
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Re: Fast Company / What will it take for more men to wear skirts?

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I thought of two answers:

1) The manufacturing of a skirt must take less carbon emissions than pants. Right there, if everyone wore skirts, we’d make an immediate impact on carbon footprints, especially as the manufacturing of pants diminishes. Pants could slowly be used only when the job dictated it.

2) A real instagram influencer who has the power to sway the minds of the public - I read an article the other day on someone who was making shapewear for men, and how it was this big success. Why not do the same for skirts?


I realize both of these are silly - perhaps even politically offensive to some degree, but if they are a means to an end so be it!
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Re: Fast Company / What will it take for more men to wear skirts?

Post by Grok »

I recall a comment that women once wore twin-tubes only in the most casual of circumstances. Pants suits became a thing much later.

Until change gains momentum, being a non-conformist is easier during your own time.
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Re: Fast Company / What will it take for more men to wear skirts?

Post by moonshadow »

Dust wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2020 2:24 am Moon, you are exceptional. Starting when you did took guts. Jenn's a lucky gal to have you. But even you don't wear at work. Still, you are the exception to what I am talking about.
I appreciate the sentiment, though I don't think I'm exceptional. I'm just a guy that took advantage of a liberty that was already available to me. I didn't run afoul of any laws or ordinances, I've never crossed government officials with this, and for the most part the general public pretty much left me alone.

But I understand what you mean, there is a risk for many men of losing out on aspects of life he may value, such as some employment opportunities, finding a woman, becoming estranged from family. Indeed, the man may have to start all over, depending on the intolerance of his original situation.

I will add though, that I believe there is a skirt for a man that would work in just about any social situation. Not every man needs to go whole hog and wear feminine tops, paint his nails, wear floral patterns or boho styles. There are basic plain colored knee length skirts that resemble short pants, and generally don't stand out to any major extent, and for all but the most formal of occations, there is always the kilt, which is appropriate for occasions like weddings and such.

Other occasions like meeting a senator, congressman, even the governor or president, it's perfectly acceptable to wear a respectable skirted outfit. Remember, they work for us as public servants, they're not kings, queens or divinely ordained.

Sitting in court? Eeehhh... depends on the situation, if you're a witness or juror then I'd say anything office appropriate, leaning towards "conservative", if you're defendant, wear nice pants... or maybe you're already wearing an orange jump suit! :wink:

Try to stay out of court though.... :mrgreen:
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Re: Fast Company / What will it take for more men to wear skirts?

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moonshadow wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2020 4:39 pm[...] if you're defendant, wear nice pants...
BTDT, and will bear the scars to my dying day -- and I was wearing a skirt at the time. I was also completely confused as to why I was there as it was never adequately explained to me, and I didn't understand what was going on until I read the copies of the paperwork that I demanded when I got bailed out.
or maybe you're already wearing an orange jump suit!
For men, orange may be the new black.
Try to stay out of court though....
Sometimes it's done to you with no evidence and for no reason -- and that's perfectly legal in many jurisdictions.
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