Almost No Skirt Options!

[mishawakaskirt]

Myopic Bookworm wrote:
> I was in M&S recently, and they seemed to have hardly any skirts at all
> on display, whether as suits or not.

Its a post-lockdown thing. Sales of formal workwear, be it skirts of suits, has plummeted so most retailers are opting for casual wear. That means more flowy skirts and fewer structured cuts.

I can't figure out how skirts came to be considered formal wear.
From what I have seen in history the 1950s skirts and dresses were a every day daily wear, dressy or casual.
Of course 1950 s women didn't really have the pants option.
How in 70 years did the skirt virtually die?

I know some women that pretty much wearing any skirt is considered dressing up. How did they loose the casual so to speak?
Like every thing there is formal and casual.

I feel saddened by the attitude of alot of women that have abandoned skirt s and dresses.

This weekend, I went to a festival in a park.
Now I couldn't possibly see everyone there in the estimated crowd of 10 thousand. So I have no way of figuring out how to get a accurate sample.
But in waking around that day I did see at least 70 women in skirts, skorts and dresses.
I don't count outfits where the trousers could be clearly seen underneath the skirt. Or little girls that look to be 7 or younger figuring mommy probably dressed then and they didn't willfully choose the skirt or dress.

The 70 surprised me, either I got better at watching and spotting skirts, or more women actually were wearing them from years past.

No men in kilts or skirts spotted.

While men in skirts isn't quite commonly accepted yet. I feel like we might be heading that way.

[Grok]

...festival in a park... Was this with warm, sunny weather? It has been noted that summer weather may bring skirts/dresses out of a woman's closet.

[Faldaguy]

We live in a very popular tourist destination, and although most of area ranges from about 1300 -1500 meter elevation -- thus it is often cool, wet, breezy and not what I consider warm; our tourists, and especially the women tend to dress as if they were at the beach.

No doubt the ninnies that forget most tropical paradise destination also have mountains beyond the beaches may not come fully prepared, but my sense is that being away from home brings out the more edgy clothing and freedom to be a bit more sexy, casual, and carefree.

What underlying attitudes and circumstances might be influencing a trend toward fewer folks buying and wearing skirts?

[STEVIE]

No men in kilts or skirts spotted.
While men in skirts isn't quite commonly accepted yet. I feel like we might be heading that way.

Hello Mishawakaskirt,
A tad pedantic on my part but these statements don't quite fit together, or am I being stoopid?
Up in my corner of heaven, the younger females are wearing a variety of skirts from mini flippy tennis ones to flowy floor sweepers.
Sure, there will always be the jeans and leggings brigade but there are plenty skirts and dresses too.
Kilts on men occasionally, skirts never, except me.
Steve.

[Grok]

I can't figure out how skirts came to be considered formal wear.

I know some women that pretty much wearing any skirt is considered dressing up. How did they loose the casual so to speak?
Like every thing there is formal and casual.

I understand that the kilt survived in Scotland as formal wear. In general, skirts lend themselves to the role of formal wear. So for women skirts may have survived in this role, even as women otherwise mostly abandoned skirts/dresses.

[STEVIE]

I understand that the kilt survived in Scotland as formal wear.

In Scotland as a nation, the "kilt" has always been associated with formality and privilege.
You really have to look to the Highlands and Islands where the "Great" kilt was worn by the crofters and drovers, the clansmen.
It is that which was worn on a permanent basis and could serve as a tent and blanket combined when required.
It was popularised across the country only in Victorian times and only then for the folks who could afford it.
No cheap knock-offs in those days. Even when I was a kid in the 1960s, it was the better off boys who had one. I didn't!
Steve.

[moonshadow]

I too have noticed a decrease in skirts in my stores of choice lately. Many of the thrift stores only have a few feet of rack in my size, and virtually all of the skirts are not my style or too "churchy" for my liking.

Even a jaunt in Misty Mountain in Bristol TN didn't yield anything I liked, just a handful of wrap skirts and that was it. Too bad... I always like their long flowy hippie skirts even if they did cost $100 each plus Tennessees 10% sales tax, plus charging 5% for using a Visa...

Oh well... there are still a number of online retailers I like. The Little Bazaar comes to mind.

[STEVIE]

Still plenty dresses guys, the gals don't limit their options!
Steve.