Can a skirt ever look masculine

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.
Post Reply
trainspotter48
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 243
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:23 pm
Location: West of England

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by trainspotter48 »

And coming back to algie's original question, the answer is undoubtedly YES.

I refer you to Carl's page in Pics and Looks.
User avatar
crfriend
Master Barista
Posts: 14431
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:52 pm
Location: New England (U.S.)
Contact:

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by crfriend »

weeladdie18 wrote:"How does the Man in a Skirt look masculine in his chosen style of his skirt outfit?"
That's elementary. One selects styles and lines that he's already attracted to and which could be considered part of his own personal aesthetic, and then develops those in ways into which skirts can be integrated.

For instance, I've always liked Victorian-era styles and especially adore some of the Romantic-era looks with puffy flowing sleeves and ruffles -- and this is why I developed the look I have. The waistcoats are straight out of the late 19th Century as are the long skirts; the ruffled/puffy shirts are a manifestation of the Romantic interest. The combination of the two has no historical meaning whatsoever, and combining those elements with the skirts is entirely anachronistic -- but I think it looks good, so I wear it, and have received lots of very nice comments on it. It's also why I'm not entirely comfortable in short skirts, but am trying to push my own boundaries a little bit.

So, start with what you already find attractive or interesting and make it your own. You'll learn quite a bit along the way, not just about the act of getting dressed and integrating cogent rigs, but you may also learn something about yourself in the process. A frequent outcome of the latter is the thought of, "Why didn't I try this sooner?" (Which is a good thought for anyone.)
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
Grok
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 2804
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:21 am

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by Grok »

weeladdie18 wrote: 1....A man in a skirt outfit
2 A man in a gender neutral skirt outfit.
3 A man in a female skirt outfit..
4 A man who wishes to appear as a female in her skirt outfit.

I interpret number 4 as being outside of the Skirt Café Remit. .......
If I remove Number 2 this will simplify the choice.
I believe that number 4 is the classic Tranny thing. Correct, Skirt Cafe is not about the Tranny-female-impersonator thing. If it were, we would probably see threads about wearing wigs and adopting feminine names.

The Trannys have their own web sites. The kilties have a few sites about kilt wearing. So far as I know, Skirt Cafe is the only eclectic site, which covers a range of options.
Last edited by Grok on Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
weeladdie18
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1474
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:17 pm

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by weeladdie18 »

Thank you Stevie....An interesting story. ...Worth noting the garment was designed and made for a male
wearer. ... Even has it's own style name . ....If I had successfully worn your Nukilt and received
compliments I would continue to wear it as a male garment....

I might even design a matching jacket and wear the outfit as ......." A Birthday Suit "
I feel that would produce some very curious enquiries.....particularly if enquirers were informed that
the lower garment is a Nukilt.........which is a Nuclear Powered Kilt

If it were further suggested that Nuclear Power is a good way to stay warm in a Birthday Suit...
Even glows in the dark so it is easy to find ones way home after a night out.

The wearer of such an outfit could become a local folk hero........
Next year I will explain how Robbie Burns became a rocket science hero 200 years ahead of N.A.S.A.
This was a seasonal story accepted by my Scottish Admiralty Scientific friends............

I apologise if this post sounds like a pantomime but we are getting close to Christmas
and the lights are on ,but there is nobody in....................weeladdie.
weeladdie18
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1474
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:17 pm

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by weeladdie18 »

I would agree with Carl......My experience last summer was that I wore my summer skirts with my
male garments and with my male deportment ... The style of my skirt outfit was not challenged.

The key garments were a below the knee traditional summer skirt and a male tweed sports jacket.
No problems and a successful season.
weeladdie18
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1474
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:17 pm

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by weeladdie18 »

I feel the crux of the question is to just match up a credible comfortable male skirt outfit
and just go for it.
One of the secrets is confidence and another is being street wise in searching out successful skirts.

The latest story is that the Charity Shops are getting so many donations that much if the stock becomes
recycled waste....Chains of female fashion stores are closing down as they cannot sell their ranges of
fashion stock.
lazerr
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 224
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2018 3:40 pm
Location: Central Massachusetts

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by lazerr »

Of course a skirt can look masculine, though I understand the reason for this thread. Some lookers may see just a skirt and not be able to differentiate anything to do with style, same as my father couldn't understand the colorful, flamboyant hippy clothes of the sixties or the disco attire of the seventies (somehow he got the punk look of the late seventies).

The real question is, what the heck IS masculine. We all seem to have a different idea, it isn't self evident, especially given that different ethnic cultures, backgrounds and ages all have an idea of what makes up masculinity. I think that if someone wants to have a masculine look it absolutely can be done wearing a skirt, they just have to determine what they think it is to them.
crfriend wrote:So, start with what you already find attractive or interesting and make it your own.
This advice is something I am learning by being a part of this board. I have seen some of your outfits crfriend, and you do have a unique style, It does suit you. I've also seen others with a distinct style and it is very interesting. I am starting to adopt a style of my own and it is all with the help I've gotten here.

Thanks again for great advice.
weeladdie18
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1474
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:17 pm

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by weeladdie18 »

regarding Groks latest post ...I feel that we like to keep within the remit of the café and
we avoid getting our outlook regarding skirt wearing
confused with other medical issues.

I feel that if we take off our trousers and wear a skirt as a "Man in a Skirt " we will not have any problems.

I personally feel that if a male employee suddenly deceided to wear a Skater Skirt to work ,
he would end up on very thin ice.....

One unbelievable story...One day I wore a wore a Traditional Scottish Kilt , as a gentleman is taught
to wear his Kilt within his Kilt Wearing Community. ......The following day I wore
the same outfit with a below the Knee straight skirt, in the same Tartan. My local friends could not
tell the difference between my Kilt and my Skirt.......It is all part of the perception of images.

The answer to the question ... " Why does he dress like that ? " was given as
" They all dress like that where he come from....! " .............. I say again ..."Just go for it "............
weeladdie18
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1474
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:17 pm

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by weeladdie18 »

Putting it very crudely as an example : the male has to carefully consider how he puts his
masculine skirt outfit together.......if he gets it wrong , he might be perceived in the eyes of his
beholder as a butch tart......Perhaps the most serious problem for the newbie is to work out how
to get out of the closet and onto the street in his masculine skirt outfit.

Remember the man in his Skirt Outfit only needs to replace his trousers with a skirt for his first attempt.

Carl's latest post clearly explains how we mix and match past fashion styles.
I have purchased four autumn fashion style skirts this year. I wore each garment out of the shop after I paid for it.......I feel it is only experience which will prove to a newbie that this
........." man in a skirt outfit"....... will be accepted out on the street.
User avatar
crfriend
Master Barista
Posts: 14431
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:52 pm
Location: New England (U.S.)
Contact:

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by crfriend »

weeladdie18 wrote:I feel the crux of the question is to just match up a credible comfortable male skirt outfit and just go for it.
Indeed.

Of note here, is that it's exceedingly easy to get into a state that's called in modern vernacular, "Analysis Paralysis". This state is entered into when so much energy is devoted to (over-)analysing a problem that actually solving it becomes impossible. It's a classic deadlock situation where action is not possible because any action requires more analysis to figure our what to do and further analysis is impossible because of a lack of usable data that can only be gathered by experiment or action. The general upshot here is that we simply wedge up hyper-focussed on one component of a larger problem, cannot move forward, so retreat back to what we're comfortable with.

Sometimes the above scenario can be solved by a good sharp kick in the backside (figuratively), but altogether too frequently it's wedged so solid that it'll likely never move which, I feel, is what we're seeing here on the parts of a few folks. Continually whinging on one facet of the problem is a classic symptom of the paralysis.

Is there peril in experimentation? Of course there is. The last time that anybody was doing anything experimental in men's fashion was in the 1970s -- and, to be honest, quite a bit of it represented abject failure and remains laughable today -- but at least it was happening, unlike today where the options are continually being reduced in number and aesthetic quality. So get out there and experiment! Sure, you'll lay the occasional egg: it happens, get up again, dust off (licking wounds if need be), and try something else. The problem in this is that it takes courage, fortitude, and a fairly large portion of guts. Not everybody has those; feel badly for those who don't, but press on anyway.
One of the secrets is confidence and another is being street wise in searching out successful skirts.
These are best achieved by knowing what look/style you're going after and how you want it to look on you. Everything else falls into line after that.

Note that sometimes doing something on impulse can be effective as well. A couple of my favourite skirts were had in that manner, and I remain glad I did it that way because I learned from the experience (and also that if I hadn't the styles would have long since gone unobtanium).
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
User avatar
crfriend
Master Barista
Posts: 14431
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:52 pm
Location: New England (U.S.)
Contact:

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by crfriend »

On the note of personal aesthetics and style, I got a bit of a kick in the arse myself with this section of film from Paul McCartney's film Give My Regards to Broad Street. The meat of it starts in at about 2:00 minutes and definitely sparked a latent interest in clothing and style in the mid 1980s.

Of course it'd take me almost 20 years to actively begin exploring for myself, but it was what it was and is what it is, but I am very glad I actively started exploring. (Neither of my first two girlfriends would have understood it in the slightest and it would likely have cost me the relationships. C'est la vie.)
Last edited by crfriend on Fri Dec 14, 2018 3:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: fixed the blasted link...
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
pelmut
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1923
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:36 am
Location: Somerset, England

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by pelmut »

Grok wrote: Correct, Skirt Cafe is not about the Tranny-female-impersonator thing.
There are differences between transvestite, transgender and drag, which I think you have failed to appreciate.  A transvestite dresses as the woman he knows he isn't; the transgender dresses as the woman she knows she is (or as the man he knows he is, in the case of a transman). The drag queens and female impersonators are doing it as a performance, often for money, and are unlikely to contribute here.

As this forum doesn't exclude women, I hope it won't exclude transwomen either.  We have been brought up as masculine and are just as interested to learn about skirt wearing and contribute our experiences as any of the cisgendered men here.  I agree with you that discussions about feminine names and wigs would be out of place, but I haven't noticed any of the several transgender people on this forum mentioning them so far.
There is no such thing as a normal person, only someone you don't know very well yet.
User avatar
crfriend
Master Barista
Posts: 14431
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:52 pm
Location: New England (U.S.)
Contact:

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by crfriend »

pelmut wrote:There are differences between transvestite, transgender and drag, which I think you have failed to appreciate.  A transvestite dresses as the woman he knows he isn't; the transgender dresses as the woman she knows she is (or as the man he knows he is, in the case of a transman). The drag queens and female impersonators are doing it as a performance, often for money, and are unlikely to contribute here.
The only thing I might change in the above would be to add the words "or hope" to the description of transgender because I suspect that altogether too much of that is faulty and misguided diagnosis based more on current societal mores than solid science. The descriptions of the other two classifications are spot on.
As this forum doesn't exclude women, I hope it won't exclude transwomen either.
It explicitly does not exclude trans-women. "Trans-women are welcome to participate as women" is part of the expanded guidelines.
I agree with you that discussions about feminine names and wigs would be out of place, but I haven't noticed any of the several transgender people on this forum mentioning them so far.
There have been a couple at least. I forget the precise number, but it's more than one, and (I think) less than five.
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
User avatar
moonshadow
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 6994
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 1:58 am
Location: Warm Beach, Washington
Contact:

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by moonshadow »

crfriend wrote:It explicitly does not exclude trans-women. "Trans-women are welcome to participate as women" is part of the expanded guidelines.
Well that's new, but I will mention (after seeing it for myself), it actually says "transsexuals" which is a whole different ball of wax. My understanding is the transsexuals have actually had their plumbing redone.... and I ain't talking swapping galvanized for pex either...
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
pelmut
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1923
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:36 am
Location: Somerset, England

Re: Can a skirt ever look masculine

Post by pelmut »

On a slightly lighter note:

What is the difference between Transvestite and Transgender?     ... generally about three years.

Many transgender people start off by thinking they are transvestites, but then realise that they don't get the sexual kick that characterises what we usually think of as transvestite.  After exploring further they then begin to discover their true self - and sometimes that turns out to be transgender.  
There is no such thing as a normal person, only someone you don't know very well yet.
Post Reply