Out and About -- In the World at Large

[Faldaguy]

by STEVIE » Sun Jul 11, 2021 11:04 pm

We all know that a fair proportion of humanity disapproves of our skirts and don't have the good grace to keep it to themselves.

Steve.

Steve, where is this "fair proportion of humanity...."? I've not been everywhere, but I've worn my skirts in over 10 quite scattered countries and not yet have I seen that 'fair portion of humanity" -- in fact, quite the opposite. I'm thinking they may be Menehunes -- industrious and creative little people but out of sight unless one is gazing within their own mind.

[Sinned]

Like faldaguy I've not attracted any form of opposition to my skirts outside of my immediate family. Maybe there is opposition but I think sometimes we assume opposition when there really isn't any. Steve, if I recall I don't think that you have noted any real opposition in your posts, apart from your wife.

[6ft3Aussie]

Mishawaka,

That outfit is what I would describe as completely normal, and wouldn't attract any negative attention.

I'll echo other sentiments, I have never had any negative comments, not from anyone.

The occasional second glance maybe, but even that's rare. Only one particularly memorable individual when I was at the supermarket checkout some months back, who's eyes were so glued on me that he attracted the attention of many others, (there was 4 or 5 paying him not so positive attention)...Priceless.

Then on a different occasion I went past a group of about 5 or 6 young people in the supermarket, when one of the girls whom I have never met asked me the underwear question, and the rest of their group put her in her place very quickly. My response was something along the lines of whether that question would be considered appropriate (and funny) if I asked her the exact same question (she was wearing a denim mini) to which she went rather red. She received a ribbing from the others in her group for her efforts. No further contact was to be had with this group.
That evening I was wearing a utility kilt.

[Dust]

... one of the girls whom I have never met asked me the underwear question, and the rest of their group put her in her place very quickly. My response was something along the lines of whether that question would be considered appropriate (and funny) if I asked her the exact same question (she was wearing a denim mini) to which she went rather red. She received a ribbing from the others in her group for her efforts. No further contact was to be had with this group.
That evening I was wearing a utility kilt.

I got the same sort of question while helping a friend move, from his mother. I was in one of my 511 Tactical utility kilts. My response to her question (phrased something like "the ladies are wondering..."), was one along the lines of "keep wondering." The next day another friend of mine who has been there commented to me on how inappropriate the question was and said I handled it well. He suggested an intervention to put her in her place....

[howardfh]

Isn't the answer to "what's underneath" probably "the same as yours"?

[Pleats]

Isn't the answer to "what's underneath" probably "the same as yours"?

You need to modify it slightly:

"The same as yours only bigger"

[New-in-Skirts]

Sunday afternoon I was busy a meeting at the church and a visitation for a gentlemen from the neighborhood. I got home around 6:30 changed into a knee length denim skirt and a polo shirt from a local college. It was time to feed the dog fed her sat down to relax after making myself a drink before dinner. Not having anything out and not wanting to cook I headed out to a local Italian restaurant. I walked in the only other person there was the waitress she showed me to my table and we chit chatted. I'm a regular so she sort of knew what I wanted. I'm not even sure if she noticed that I was wearing a skirt. Supper came I finished up she came back with the bill and we chit chatted some more close to closing time so she had some cleaning up to do. I paid and left. After that I decided to go to an ice cream stand the flavor of the day was one I liked. Got of of the car walked in ordered my ice cream went to a both and sat down to eat. There were a few people there I believe one gentleman noticed me but that was about it. A few others there but just seemed to go about their business. Those behind the counter seemed to take no notice of what I was wearing. All in all it seemed to be a rather uneventful couple of hours.

[moonshadow]

Your attire is entirely unremarkable and shouldn't attract any derogatory comment. Looks good to me.

I couldn't agree more Dennis but the key words are "unremarkable and shouldn't".
We all know that a fair proportion of humanity disapproves of our skirts and don't have the good grace to keep it to themselves.
Unfortunately, we just have to shrug that off and carry on regardless.
Not as easily done as said sometimes.
Steve.

Yeah but still, the odds are very low, even in some of the most unforgiving of locations.

[rivegauche]

There are different ways of looking at this.

The first is that if you wear a skirt in the street, shopping, at a restaurant or to the beach, no one will pay much attention. So far so good.

The second is that in most cases - at least in the UK - you will be allowed to wear skirt to work as long as it is also suitable for women who do similar work - there are safety issues in some work environments. At worst, you will get 'witticisms' (some fairly witless) from colleagues but only if you already get that - they will just be using a different topic. It is not really skirt opposition.

Thirdly, however, your reputation might suffer. Many, many people - probably the vast majority - will admire your courage. There will be a small but significant number who downgrade you for being so odd as to be unprofessional. Your reputation in your workplace will be based partly on your clothing instead of on the quality of your work. You will become 'the guy in the skirt' instead of the 'expert IT guy' or whatever you do.

Fourthly, those who have partners really have to consider their feelings. It is wrong that a woman's position in society is partly determined by her husband's position but for many this is reality. This gives your partner a legitimate reason for asking you or even requiring you not to wear a skirt in public. It is not just your image that is at stake here - it is also hers. Should we succumb to these unjust social pressures? In principle, no, but if you really love your partner you will consider her position as much as your own.

The more of us wear skirts in public, the faster these remaining barriers will fall, but we are not there yet. We live in a world where you can wear a skirt of you want, but there are implications for your professional standing and possibly your relationship if you do. So you CAN wear a skirt in public, but your individual circumstances should determine whether you SHOULD. I limit my public skirt wearing to places where no one will know me and I disguise myself with a hat and glasses (currently also with a mask) or by dressing as a woman complete with heels, make up and wig - changing my appearance beyond recognition. So I will be part of this fight but not on the battlefront - in my life there are more important issues to address in society and I don't want to reduce my effectiveness in this work.

Others have often commented on the difference between tolerance and acceptance. I think in the UK we are well along the spectrum of acceptance but a long way short of the third stage - normality - when it is no more unusual for a man to wear a skrit or dress than for a woman to wear trousers

[Sinned]

Thank you rg, and I gree with your sentiments regarding my wife. I don't think that status is the issue with her, I think that it's more her upbringing with staid "Victorian" attitude parents. I push the boundaries where I can and wear a skirt outside when she isn't around. But I am not going to push her beyond her tolerance. She will come around when she is ready.

[partlyscot]

A couple of interesting(?) incidents today. I went to get a checkup for my pacemaker, nothing unusual about that, though it seems I'm close to needing a new one as the battery dies, still at least 6 months off. I've worn skirts most of the last few years of these checkups, with absolutely zero comments, or any reaction that I could detect.

Today, the fun lady technician complimented me, on my shirt! It's actually a sort of tunic blouse, I like it, and it has drawn compliments before, but not a word about the skirt. The skirt is kind of plain, sort of a grey cord/denim fabric, but it's not like she could have missed it, as I'm facing her, while laying back on a sort of reclined examination couch.

The second thing was going down in the elevator, there was a lady wearing a shirt dress from Prana, google "Prana flint shirt" and you'll see what it looks like. I own one of those. I haven't worn it out much so far, but it's getting more use while gardening in the hot weather we're having. I really wanted to compliment her on it, and tell her I have one just like it, to see her reaction. I didn't, as there were several others in the elevator, and she walked off the elevator and out the door before I could catch her, I didn't want to run after her and make a fuss. Oh well...

[Eborian]

I am out around the Wells and Cheddar area today. Wearing a denim mini skirt and polo shirt. Amazing how no one seem to notice you.

[greenboots]

Still no skirts as such - too much going on to face the wifely opposition, and sneaky changing in the car before and after going shopping has lost its appeal!

However, we took some holiday (after 10 days of self-isolation ) visiting family. I wore my plain black kilt for the journey down and on several days during the holiday, including a visit to my niece to see the new baby. No comments from my parents or niece and nephew-in-law (is there such a thing?). The baby mostly sucked and slept! I did wear shorts on some days, particularly the family get-together with my wife's four sisters and other halves. Given they can all be nit-picking at the best of times, I didn't want to risk ruining the first full family get-together since September 2019.

We also attended a Christian convention in Moray (that's up in the Scottish highlands-ish) with a mix of shorts and kilt. One neutral comment from a friend we shared accommodation with, and my wife warning me as I came out of the bathroom that I had my "skirt" caught up in the unmentionables!

(Second time she's referred to a kilt as a skirt. I'm not sure what that means)

So from my point of view, no issues. As for MOH - who knows?

[Faldaguy]

Sounds like a small break-through to me. Use of word skirt could be derogatory, but just as likely revealing a crack in the opposition and "testing or allowing" you to acknowledge it is skirts you wish to wear, not just the socially "approved" kilt. Take your victories where you can get them, that was already a pretty big door with parents and niece demonstrating the attire made no difference. Go forth....

[New-in-Skirts]

This was a fun day a coup;e of days ago. Went skirted through out the day wearing and denim skirt just aboTWent to the local McDonald's for a cup of coffee. From the went to a local bank where I had to put some papers in the safety deposit box. While there checked on some US Savings Bonds for my kids and I. Had one of the tellers figure out what they were worth as most of the except maybe 2 or 3 were mature. From there went to LensCrafters to look at some glasses was there for 45 minutes to an hours picking out frames and doing the necessary paperwork for new glasses. From their to Dairy Queen for a quick lunch. In order for me to cash my US Savings Bonds I needed to open up an account and have it in place for 6 months in order to do so. So went back to the bank where the Safety deposit box was located. Spent half hour maybe 45 minutes going through the necessary paperwork. Later on that evening went to a local ice cream drive in for some ice cream. Through this whole day no looks, comments, nobody seemed to care or notice that I was going about my day wearing a skirt.