Don't shoot me, but ...

Discussion of fashion elements and looks that are traditionally considered somewhat "femme" but are presented in a masculine context. This is NOT about transvestism or crossdressing.
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JRMILLER
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Don't shoot me, but ...

Post by JRMILLER »

Ok, another problem. If I am wearing a skirt, do I use a standard urinal? Can I walk up to one and hike up my skirt?

-John

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Post by Sasquatch »

You've found the drawback to skirts made for women. I like urinals, but hate having to hike up my skirt to use one. But it's hard to find women's skirts with user-friendly zippers. most are much too short, and meant only as ornamentation or to facilitate putting on and taking off the garment. I did find a couple of long corduroy skirts from Alloy.com that have longer zippers - and deep front pockets as well. But a couple skirts I own have no zippers at all, including the Macabi made for men! The ideal men's skirt would have large deep pockets, including back pockets, a user-friendly zip fly, and lots of sturdy belt loops.
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Bob
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Post by Bob »

Go to:
http://utilikilts.com/?page_id=10

Scroll down, and click on "Don't Pee"
Sarongman
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Post by Sarongman »

Hoist it up, preferably in the cubicle. The zip fly is okay but--- us blokes tend to drip, so the skirt needs to be tucked between the thighs :oops:
BrotherTailor

Post by BrotherTailor »

Its easy around home, or for me in the barn. Just hoist. In a public restroom, I'd go for the cubicle. No matter how you slice it, it aint a pretty sight. :?
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Post by Peter v »

This is a good topic. Firstly, what about men's denim pants, over here, practically ALL the flys are too short. Many men release their belt, and button and lower the pants at front!!. I have always thought this to be ridiculess, the pants being made for MEN! So even if the GOOD pair of denim' pants were used as a example to be copied and a skirt made, even then the fly would probably be too short!

So of course, NORMAL functional pockets, and then a fly that is really long enough!! :evil: But watch out for the dripping and spattering! With pants, you can stance your legs wide, but a long skirt, even short skirt, hangs in harm's way. But as long as that is not the case, lifting a knee length skirt up front should be allright at the urinal. Nobody's gonna make a point of that. Of course you will be more exposed, standing in bare legs, in your underpants, than you would be when lowering your pants to urinate. Then you have skirts with a slip, that makes it even more difficult to hold it up, and preventing it sagging down onto the ...drip :roll: :cry:

Wearing pantys with skirts makes it even more difficult, not so much urinating standing up with a uplifted knee length skirt, but getting the panty carefully pulled up in place again.

Really only with knee length or shorter, and just a pair of underpants, the skirt lifted, that's possible at the urinal. Otherwise most other situations are better off handled in the cubicle. There you can also take the time to adjust your clothes and pantys if worn correctly. A small sacrifice.

No wonder men have such simple wardrobes, it's easy, and we like it that way, but skirts and other things are fun and functional, so why not?

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A man is the same man in a pair of pants or a skirt. It is only the way people look at him that makes the difference.
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Post by crfriend »

This is a good topic. Firstly, what about men's denim pants, over here, practically ALL the flys are too short. Many men release their belt, and button and lower the pants at front!!.
We get that in the 'States, too, and I'm in the camp of unbuckle, unfasten, and unzip, so I can sympathise. The thought of getting that particular piece of anatomy bunged up in a metal zipper is too painful to contemplate. :shock:

As far as skirts go, it all depends on the construction of the skirt and the confidence (and degree of practise) of the wearer. If one is wearing a very tight short mini, then quite likely standing in front of the urinal is right out as it'd be giving the onlookers way too much information; however, if the garment in question is long (or long-ish) and has a wide hem (kilts, by virtue of all the pleating, fall into this category), then it works just fine (so long as one is careful, of course) and exposes no more in the back than it would by just standing someplace. It's all in how you gather and hold the fabric.

If in doubt, try a dry run in front of a mirror (in private, please). The skills come pretty easily, but are not completely intuitive to guys.
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Post by sapphire »

But.......

If you cna find a pair of trousers with a fly of the correct length and pockets that you like, what not convert thaouse trousers into a skirt?

Undo the inseam seams and re stich the fabric from each leg to form a sold front and back.

You could probably find denim examples at a store loke Old Navy (US)

But why stop at denim? Why not give it a go with other trousers. The fabric is certainly masculine enough.
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JRMILLER
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Sewing up the legs

Post by JRMILLER »

Sapphire,
I own a pair of what I call coveralls, some know them as bib overalls, the things some farmers wear. I have worn this kind of thing to work outside in since my hippie days in the 70's. They have very baggy legs and I was thinking of ripping them apart and sewing them up again as a skirt.

From a distance, no one will know!

-john
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sapphire
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Post by sapphire »

AND.... They have pockets for your wallet!

Actually, I was thinking of getting some work trousers at Wal-Mart - the kind with pockets and hammer loops etc and converting them into a skirt just to see how it works.

Oh yeah and it would solve the bathroom problem too.
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JRMILLER
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Bib Overalls

Post by JRMILLER »

Yes, it would solve a lot of problems. I could splice in a couple of triangles of denim if the skirt ended up to be too narrow to be useful, eh?

I will give this a try and report the results and pictures too if the creation really turns out well!

-john
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sapphire
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Post by sapphire »

Of course you can! This is your fashion statement.

You could also try splicing in an inverted pleat in corduroy, twill or whatever you choose. That would be really useful if you are tall and have a long stride.

You probably WILL have to splice something in unless you are working with bell bottoms.
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Post by Peter v »

sapphire wrote:Of course you can! This is your fashion statement.

You could also try splicing in an inverted pleat in corduroy, twill or whatever you choose. That would be really useful if you are tall and have a long stride.

You probably WILL have to splice something in unless you are working with bell bottoms.
Hallo Sapphire, I happen to have two shop bought skirts with different materials spliced in the pleats, and it looks really nice.
One gray twill skirt with long pleats with black corduroy in the pleats. And a knee length black denim skirt with shorter pleats with a gray material with a blok pattern on it. It's a very simple way to liven up normal skirts. And so there are still more variations possible, beat that with trousers! :roll:

Peter v.
A man is the same man in a pair of pants or a skirt. It is only the way people look at him that makes the difference.
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Post by Sarongman »

JRMILLER, you aren't alone in the desire to convert a pair of bib overalls. I have a few Key brand ones I have looked at from a conversion perspective and came to the conclusion that they needed the triangular pieces front and back to make them useful for general use. I am looking forward to an overall dress I won on eBay, size 16L, it'll probably need taking up.
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Post by Sasquatch »

sapphire wrote:But.......

If you cna find a pair of trousers with a fly of the correct length and pockets that you like, what not convert thaouse trousers into a skirt?

Undo the inseam seams and re stich the fabric from each leg to form a sold front and back.

You could probably find denim examples at a store loke Old Navy (US)

But why stop at denim? Why not give it a go with other trousers. The fabric is certainly masculine enough.
I have certainly done that. One of my favorite skirts is made that way, out of a pair of Carrhart canvas carpenters jeans. They made a genuinely macho skirt, complete with hammer loop and Carrhart logo patch. I salvaged fabric from the excised legs to make gores for the front and back which made the skirt quite roomy and cool for summer. But I'm totally inept at sewing and so it's a bit lopsided and hemmed unevenly with lots of excessive stitching! It's great for the farm but I wouldn't go anywhere too public in it! :oops: My first and last adventure in sewing!

But still, IMHO, hiking the skirt at a urinal? How gauche! :lol:

Bob, I'd love to have a UK, but for me, that's like shopping for caviar on a cheese whiz budget! Let me know when they run a 75% off sale! BTW, I'd have to be pretty damn drunk not to get my zipper down! (That's a PWI violation - peeing while impaired! Grab left thumb with right hand, pee in pants!)

Sasq
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