Artsy skirts

General discussion of skirt and kilt-based fashion for men, and stuff that goes with skirts and kilts.
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Artsy skirts

Post by Coder »

As I'm working my courage up to skirt at work, another aspect of skirt wearing that I'm interested in is what I'd call "artsy" skirts. These could be anything from a fun print (I bought this one used inexpensively, plan to wear it this summer):

https://poshmark.com/listing/NEW-Anthro ... a46cb99c20

The product name says denim, though if it is, it is a soft, wonderfully soft, denim made by the gods themselves.

Or this (also bought, on sale, in green, really hope I can pull it off):

https://www.stussy.com/products/sabi-ch ... 3214725216

All the way to, erm, perhaps styles that might be too silly:

https://cassiestephens.blogspot.com/201 ... skirt.html

The last example being a skirt I know I'd never wear, but in my world, yeah, I would.



But this begs the question. What are appropriate situations for the three skirts? The first I could totally wear to work. The second... not entirely sure. Looks a little retro 50's, maybe a weekend or at home, maybe to the movies. If I had the right top I could pull it off at work. Maybe. Afraid it would look like I'm trying to parody a teeny bopper (no, no saddle shoes!). But the third???? What if work was hosting a building-wide pizza party? What if it was a special event - like "National pizza day"? Keep in mind work has literally no dress code - though people do dress decently and unfortunately, normally.

I'm also trying to work through - how the bleep do women get away with #3 - and what does it say about me that I too would like to be a giant pizza?
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Re: Artsy skirts

Post by crfriend »

Of the three skirts, can only offer advice from personal taste and a bit of guff I received at work (including getting told to, "go home and change" -- a badge I wear with honour).
The main worry with the first two are length, and you will need to sort that out with your employer. I am formally enjoined from wearing anything above the knee. I suspect this is because I upstaged one of the women who subsequently complained. I have yet to locate the relevant section of the formal code, even though I have reviewed it quite a few times and have some prowess with the English language.

The third is whimsical as all get-out -- and the world needs more of that. However, a pepperoni-pizza skirt is not something I'd wear to work even though it's technically long enough. However, I would wear the last one on weekends just to be a wise-guy.
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Re: Artsy skirts

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crfriend wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:57 am Of the three skirts, can only offer advice from personal taste and a bit of guff I received at work (including getting told to, "go home and change" -- a badge I wear with honour).
The main worry with the first two are length, and you will need to sort that out with your employer. I am formally enjoined from wearing anything above the knee. I suspect this is because I upstaged one of the women who subsequently complained. I have yet to locate the relevant section of the formal code, even though I have reviewed it quite a few times and have some prowess with the English language.

The third is whimsical as all get-out -- and the world needs more of that. However, a pepperoni-pizza skirt is not something I'd wear to work even though it's technically long enough. However, I would wear the last one on weekends just to be a wise-guy.
Well, I've seen mini skirts being worn on various women, and first two skirts hit just above my knees where I would wear then (actually, the green one could be a below knee, it has a long waist section). I rarely see shorts on men, though I think my boss has worn cargo shorts on really warm days.
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Re: Artsy skirts

Post by JeffB1959 »

The first skirt would do well in a work environment, the second for weekend flings where you don’t have to look so conservative. As for the third, definitely something to wear to a party where you’d let your hair down and have fun. Just an opinion.
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Re: Artsy skirts

Post by phathack »

I have a couple of dresses that are similar to the third skirt.

They are printed skater Dresses, while not something I would wear to work I would wear them to a party at a friend's house.
https://www.amazon.com/CowCow-Womens-Mo ... ast_sto_dp

I would probably wear that third skirt when going to dinner with friends at a pizza restaurant.

Though, to be honest, they are fashions more for the young not and old retired guy but hey who am I to pay attention to things like that.
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Re: Artsy skirts

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This is helpful! And yes - those printed skater skirts/dresses are the ones I was thinking of when I saw the pizza skirt.
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Re: Artsy skirts

Post by nzfreestyler »

I think they are all ok for work (tidy casual sort of code) They are all approx knee length so should be no issue.

The first and third are my favourites.

I would wear the third with the pepperoni graphics... just wear accessories that coordinate the skirt - because the skirt is the feature of your outfit - so I would do similar to that pic - red belt, perhaps red shoes too - or pick colours from in the skirt - go for white shoes, or lemon shoes and lemon top?

The second outfit needs to be a white sneaker sort of look perhaps?

The first outfit would be neat with navy blue or white heels.

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Re: Artsy skirts

Post by Gusto10 »

Are the people at your work already familiar with the fact that you skirt or have you skirted around the issue? If not, maybe better to aks your boss what his/her opinion is on a man wearing a skirt or kilt at the office. If it's OK, I would start of with something less outspoken.
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Re: Artsy skirts

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I’ve been debating this for some time now. Asking “permission” would make me more comfortable... but our hr policy expressly forbids discrimination - and this includes gender expression. Also it implies there is something wrong with my choices. That being said I’m pretty sure it'd be a big WTF and I think it could cause some shock. Ultimately, the first skirts I plan to wear are boring, yet I like them, drab “manly” skirts. I fear a kilt would be too costumey for the office - even a solid color canvas ordeal - if only because of all the pleats, snaps, etc... as an introductory skirt. I have some a-lines and a few pencil skirts that I could comfortably wear.

As for these - these two and fun styles like the third are what I would call the end game. Basically where I’d like to end up once I get used to skirting in public.

And for footwear - that’s going to be a tough hill to climb. I’m really not comfortable wearing shoes that look like women’s - this includes heels - but I will wear a teal sneaker or funky style that could plausibly be men’s. I realize this limits my choices, and seeing the outfits on here I realize it can be done without looking weird. And frankly in light of skirts what’s stopping me from trying anything else fashion-wise... maybe one day.
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Re: Artsy skirts

Post by floatingmetal »

Perhaps approach it a slightly different way. Go to HR in advance and let them know that you intend to wear a (suitable, meets dress code) skirt to work. That's it's not part of changing your gender identity, that people should still call you by your name and you don't require any particular other support from them as long as your colleagues don't cause any problems. You're not asking for permission, you're just letting them know you intend to exercise your rights within an anti-discrimination policy environment.

In terms of footwear, I don't know what the weather and local fashions are like where you are but maybe look at ankle boots? Whether male or female, there are a huge range of styles so I'm sure you could find something you could pull off.

Good luck! (Oh and I really like that first skirt, I do have a bit of a thing for landscape prints like that.)
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Re: Artsy skirts

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Not to derail (my own :P) topic even further, but this was relayed to me by someone "in the know" and high up on the foodchain:
<university name goes here> has a non-discrimination policy that explicitly states that the institution cannot discriminate against people due to gender identity and gender expression. You take your time and do what feels right to you, on your timetable!
This was not from HR, and HR is somewhat complicated as HR is a pretty big department, but individual colleges AND units have their own HR staff. Not sure who I'd email (probably my unit's HR person), but I fear it would start a chain of emails that would result me me being outed - my supervisor has exactly one employee, me :P And it gets complicated because I really don't want to treat it like it is this oddball thing - wearing a skirt - but at the same token it is different... arggg.

I do like your suggestion though, about emailing HR even though I have some reservations. I just think... at the super liberal place I work... I probably don't need to. I mean, we have a place to set our pronouns in the system, and a lot of other things.

--------

Back to the topic at hand, I think I found one skirt that I'd wear - if I could get it at an affordable price:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/See-by-Chloe ... fresh=true

The palm tree on the front is a bit unfortunate, placement and such, but perhaps I'm reading into it too much.
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Re: Artsy skirts

Post by floatingmetal »

I'd not been paying attention to where you worked - I'd say a university is about the perfect place. The second place I properly wore skirts and dresses for work was at a Students Union and it was no issue at all, once I'd summoned up the courage to do it the first time.

As for the dino skirt, I think the palm trees are unfortunately placed for any gender and don't add anything - another dinosaur would have been much better!
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Re: Artsy skirts

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floatingmetal wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 10:16 pm In terms of footwear, I don't know what the weather and local fashions are like where you are but maybe look at ankle boots? Whether male or female, there are a huge range of styles so I'm sure you could find something you could pull off.
Cold, snowy at the moment. Fashion-wise the styles range from chelsea boots to uggs (women only) to hiking-style boots to sneakers to ankle boots to knee boots (women only). I tried a pair of chelsea boots but returned them - toes were too pointy for my taste, I tend to prefer a round toe (ie, Kickers, Keen). I could look into importing a pair of Kickers again, but the last time I did it was kinda expensive (I'm in the USA, difficult to buy on sale). The one pair I have I save for special occasions, as it isn't a style they make anymore. I do detest our American brands for the most part, save for a few companies.
floatingmetal wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:26 am As for the dino skirt, I think the palm trees are unfortunately placed for any gender and don't add anything - another dinosaur would have been much better!
Agreed! They also aren't that attractive, not sure what the designer was thinking.
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Re: Artsy skirts

Post by crfriend »

It sounds very much that "asking permission" is not required, nor is prior notification.

One rule that's worth remembering in the rough-and-tumble of the real world is that, "It's vastly easier to gain forgiveness than to acquire permission." In short, human nature, being what it is, is somewhat naturally resistant to change; however, faced with change, can be remarkably resilient. "Asking permission" operates in the first part of that, forgiveness on the latter.

If one is going to adopt skirts as part of their wardrobe, I'd suggest first getting a proper "handle" on what your own aesthetic is, and develop that before the "grand coming out". One will be more confident and comfortable that way. Don't "half do" it; make it a hard-and-fast statement that nobody can really assail without looking like a reactionary or a throw-back. This, though, takes willpower, guts,and more than a dollop of plain old chutzpah. Don't shrink.
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Re: Artsy skirts

Post by Coder »

crfriend wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:30 am One rule that's worth remembering in the rough-and-tumble of the real world is that, "It's vastly easier to gain forgiveness than to acquire permission." In short, human nature, being what it is, is somewhat naturally resistant to change; however, faced with change, can be remarkably resilient. "Asking permission" operates in the first part of that, forgiveness on the latter.
Exactly! This is why I'm hesitant to 'ask' as I'm not really changing *who* I am, just wearing clothes a bit different than normal.
crfriend wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:30 am If one is going to adopt skirts as part of their wardrobe, I'd suggest first getting a proper "handle" on what your own aesthetic is, and develop that before the "grand coming out". One will be more confident and comfortable that way. Don't "half do" it; make it a hard-and-fast statement that nobody can really assail without looking like a reactionary or a throw-back. This, though, takes willpower, guts,and more than a dollop of plain old chutzpah. Don't shrink.
Agreed! I started this thread mainly to discuss fun styles of skirts - not really to develop my aesthetic. That is to say, I know what I like and I also know what skirts work on my body shape. At least, I think I do - I do know which ones do not for sure! But for off the beaten path type skirts, I'm genuinely interested in other examples if people want to share. I probably should have asked people to share similar styles.

That being said... one thing I found out quickly the week of experimenting *leaving* work - was it was a lot of effort to put together a combination I felt comfortable in. Matching and so forth. Now... I know what my professional skirt style is - but tops are something I don't have a handle on. This has also caused a major hesitation on my part, something I haven't written about but would prefer to discuss in a different thread.
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