Where will we be in say... ten years?

General discussion of skirt and kilt-based fashion for men, and stuff that goes with skirts and kilts.
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moonshadow
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Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by moonshadow »

Just wondering some thoughts on where would you say the men in skirts movement will be in around a decade? As fashion trends come and go, I guess it's really hard to say.

One thing I have noticed is there seems to be somewhat of a growing interest in the hip-hop/rapper genre of men wearing different types of skirts, although on the other hand, the lines are drawn clearly down the middle with a fair number of hip-hop/rappers condemning the practice. Still when you consider the styles that have come from these particular subcultures, (I mean just look at the 80's and 90's) would it be a real stretch to consider that in less than a decade men (particularly those in rap/hip-hop subculture) may be sporting skirts more often?

And while that genre may not be your cup of tea, still it would be a positive factor in the overall acceptance of men in skirts. It may at least make it easier to walk through ghetto area's. In fact, even today if I was in a dropped off in the middle of a ghetto and had to find my way out, and I had only two choices, a skirt, or typical cowboy garb, I'd choose the skirt in a instant.

It's interesting that I've lived for 35 years, and believe it or not.... May 2015 was the FIRST time in my entire life that I had ever seen a man in a skirt "casual" (as in, not as some type of joke or messing around). And it was in the grocery store in town, a hiker was sporting a sarong. Two weeks later I saw two more male hikers walking side by side on the AT through town. The two hikers were wearing ordinary ladies designed skirts. A few days later I saw an older man wearing a black kilt. As someone said in another thread "a seed was planted", and although I've had the idea before, I was never brave enough to actually consider it, that is until I saw other real life men (not online) doing it out in public.

About a week ago I could have sworn I saw a young man (early 20's maybe) leaning against the Subway restaurant in town smoking a cigarette and wearing a black skirt, although from my distance it could have been an apron, as he was wearing something black covering his legs (pants, leggins, couldn't tell)

It does indeed seem, from reading this website, and the internet in general, that men's skirt wearing is catching on in small numbers. But that's how many trends start.

I'm just hoping that if it does catch on, it's more than just a passing fad (something that will fizzle out in a year or so), but rather something that will catch on for the long haul like women wearing pants. Imagine, by the time I retire, seeing skirts for men in the MENS section at walmart, with everyday men casually perusing the selection without a care in the world!

It would be awesome to say.... "yeah, I was wearing skirts before wearing skirts was cool".
-Andrea
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Caultron
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by Caultron »

moonshadow wrote:...It does indeed seem, from reading this website, and the internet in general, that men's skirt wearing is catching on in small numbers. But that's how many trends start...
When questioned, I sometimes tell people it's an, "emerging microtrend."
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by janrok »

There is indeed a growing interest by men for wearing skirts but they are probably waiting for others to "pave the way".
The number of pledges for a Skirtcraft skirt by Joe, some pledges are for two skirts, one for him and one for her, exceeds 130!. That proves a lot.
Pledges and donations come from all over the world.
Here in the Netherlands men in skirts are not a common occurence but now and then I spot one. One day in The Hague, two years ago, I spotted 3 skirted men all three in different places. In our local supermarket I am not the only skirt wearer. Staff may think we are in some way related but I do'nt know the guy. He has a UK and a Sportkilt.
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by denimini »

We are now about where women were in the 1930's with wearing pants - a few impractical fashion statements on catwalks etc.

https://cardiffbookhistory.wordpress.co ... rousers-1/

The 2nd war helped a lot towards wider acceptance and was quite widely accepted in the 1960's. I am not sure what event will cause such a fast shift for men in skirts - may be catastrophic climate change - or it could just suddenly go "viral".
Anthony, a denim miniskirt wearer in Outback Australia
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by renesm1 »

denimini wrote:We are now about where women were in the 1930's with wearing pants - a few impractical fashion statements on catwalks etc.

https://cardiffbookhistory.wordpress.co ... rousers-1/

The 2nd war helped a lot towards wider acceptance and was quite widely accepted in the 1960's. I am not sure what event will cause such a fast shift for men in skirts - may be catastrophic climate change - or it could just suddenly go "viral".
I'm hoping against another war to be honest. I'd prefer something more viral.

I noticed the other day in my local supermarket a man in a what appeared to be a shirt-like dress. Definitely a man, the beard gave it away.

I also saw on Oxford Street in London a guy in a kilt, although, perhaps self-consciously, was wearing some knee-length leggings underneath.
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by r.m.anderson »

denimini wrote:We are now about where women were in the 1930's with wearing pants - a few impractical fashion statements on catwalks etc.
https://cardiffbookhistory.wordpress.co ... rousers-1/
The 2nd war helped a lot towards wider acceptance and was quite widely accepted in the 1960's. I am not sure what event will cause such a fast shift for men in skirts - may be catastrophic climate change - or it could just suddenly go "viral".
Global warming may be the crucial factor = getting too hot to wear anything restraining (like two stovepipes) !
"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: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by moonshadow »

r.m.anderson wrote:(like two stovepipes) !
Rofl
-Andrea
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by hairy »

Men in skirts have been around for a while and I can't see any massive changes just yet. I do think perhaps things like the utility kilt might become a bit more popular, but in my view its a kilt and not really a skirt. When women's fashion changes like in the sixties with the mini skirt everything changed overnight, but men's fashion tends to get stuck for what seems like an eternity. Maybe one day things might change, but in the next ten years! I don't think so. Then again I can hope.
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by Caultron »

Predicting is tough, especially the future, and even more so ten years out, and even more again for something as nebulous as fashion.

Acceptance of men in skirts does seem to have improved in the last ten years, though, so maybe it'll improve another notch in the next ten.

Then again, fashion moves in spurts, and you never know when a major shift forward or backward is going to occur. But when it does, it almost always starts among the young.

It's interesting that even in science fiction books, movies, and television shows, men almost never wear skirts. Even alien men. I guess the writers and producers feel the general viewing audience wouldn't empathize with that.

It sure would be nice if it caught on though.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by moonshadow »

hairy wrote:Men in skirts have been around for a while and I can't see any massive changes just yet. I do think perhaps things like the utility kilt might become a bit more popular, but in my view its a kilt and not really a skirt. When women's fashion changes like in the sixties with the mini skirt everything changed overnight, but men's fashion tends to get stuck for what seems like an eternity. Maybe one day things might change, but in the next ten years! I don't think so. Then again I can hope.
I do tend to agree with you on the matter of the kilt. While technically a “skirt”, in my opinion, wearing one does not really challenge the roles of clothing across genders, as the kilt has, to my understanding, always been a mens garment. That being said, I do believe the kilt certainly has a place in the men in skirts movement as it will no doubt help to desensitize the public to the sight of a man wearing something other than trousers.

It’s my understanding that one of the biggest reasons women began to don trousers really began during world war II, as the women who stayed at home (as in stateside) had to wear trousers in order to safely work in the factories for the war effort. However, I’ve read that many of these women would quickly put their dresses/skirts back on once they were home again.

As you said, women in pants became more popular in the sixties, during the womens lib movement. That movement continues to this day, there are still a few areas where womens rights fall behind mens. One of them, ironically involves “fashion trends”, if you think it’s tough for a man to wear a skirt in public, try being a woman walking around topless!

My point is, that as feminist continue to push the womans lib agenda, I feel men in skirts can ironically take it’s place in that fight. Men in skirts in some way is a womens liberation issue, because many, particularly the conservative types still hold a view that a woman is inferior to a man, and that’s why it frankly angers these men to see other men wearing a skirt. They feel as though that is the male skirt-wearer’s way of saying that he believes that he is not better than a woman, and look as he wears womens clothes to prove it!

Understand that there are still a fair number of men who believe that women are property. It’s similar to what happens during interracial relationships. White supremacist despise to see these type of relationships because they believe that the white person of the relationship (whether the person is the man or woman) is degrading him/herself to be dating a black person.

With each passing generation, these sexist, and racist views are slowly diluting. Kids these days, while their nose may be poised in their iPhones, do demand FREEDOM as they grow older, and they should, that is after all what we promised them!

Edited to correct a typo
-Andrea
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by moonshadow »

Caultron wrote:
It's interesting that even in science fiction books, movies, and television shows, men almost never wear skirts. Even alien men. I guess the writers and producers feel the general viewing audience wouldn't empathize with that.
Yeah, they say it didn't work out so good with StarTrek TNG.
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by crfriend »

Caultron wrote:Predicting is tough, especially the future, and even more so ten years out, and even more again for something as nebulous as fashion.
I carry a "fortune" from a Chinese fortune-cookie in my wallet with the caption, "The best way to predict the future is to create it." I'm working on that.
Acceptance of men in skirts does seem to have improved in the last ten years, though, so maybe it'll improve another notch in the next ten.
My worry about that is that it's "gaining acceptance" for all the wrong reasons. What the world needs is more "just plain blokes" (i.e. guys who have no subtext for their apparel choice) to put on skirts and unashamedly head out into the wild world so attired.
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by Caultron »

crfriend wrote:My worry about that is that it's "gaining acceptance" for all the wrong reasons. What the world needs is more "just plain blokes" (i.e. guys who have no subtext for their apparel choice) to put on skirts and unashamedly head out into the wild world so attired.
Well, yeah, but the trend-setters generally do have subtext, at least to gain attention or market share by doing or wearing something unusual.

But I agree that's useless if the general population never adopts the new style as normal daywear.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by Jim2 »

I think things with men wearing skirts could happen much more rapidly than anyone thinks. The attitudes of young people today about gender stereotypes are very different than those of their elders. I've seen it said by social scientists to be a change the likes of which have not been seen for over a hundred years. The subject of men wearing skirts is getting discussed more and more every year. I could easily see it catching on among a certain sub-population of young people in the 15-25 year old age bracket within the next five years. I think all it would take are a few high-profile young celebrities making it popular, such as Jaden Smith. But I think the opportunity for an even larger group lies with the kids who are in elementary school now. Kids are being raised in many communities these days with the message that it is wrong to shame someone for being different, e.g., boys who want to wear dresses. These kids are being raised to feel that they can safely be different. I could easily see these kids deciding to emulate in even larger numbers their older brothers who are beginning to break with gender stereotypes.
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Re: Where will we be in say... ten years?

Post by Couya »

Since even the people frequenting this forum seem to equate non-typical clothing with non-typical sexuality (or gender or something), I can't see the general public changing their way of thinking any time soon.
How many of you can seriously claim to wear a skirt for comfort, fashion, elegance, without thinking about their sexuality while doing so? If we can't just put on a skirt like we'd put on a shirt, who can?

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