That Damn Denim

[STEVIE]

Denim must be about the most widely produced fabric on this planet.
Sorry, Carl, while I share your feelings, it is just a matter of taste and certain fashions.
My strongest association with it is primarily Levi or Wrangler jeans but denim skirts and dresses are ten a penny too.
I do not own a pair of jeans but I have got 2 denim skirts which don't get worn very often.
Sadly, I have to concede that if a fabric is likely to help sell a manskirt, then it will be the blue stuff.
I say "sadly" because once again, men are likely to stifle their own freedom by behaving, well, just like men are expected to.
However, that also leads to the question why, and here my reasoning is.
I would imagine that there are also more women's denim skirts in the world than any other single fabric type so would men really adopt it as their own?
In the final analysis the criteria has to run along these lines, demand=profit=supply and if you want a skirt just for men then part with the cash, then we may see it happen.
Steve.

[crfriend]

Steve, I disagree with neither your precepts nor your predictions. It virtually certainly will be "that damn denim" and the world will be visually poorer for it.

I am an outlier -- a bit of a renegade, and one with a sense of style. In architectural terms, denim to me represents dilapidated old buildings bereft of any of their former charms (and denim fades out extremely quickly), and even brand new ones so clad will soon lose whatever charm once endeared them to humanity (or what passes for). "Visual noise" is the best label I can put on it, like snow on an ancient analogue TV set that interferes with the picture.

I try to aim a bit higher, and have compared this, too, to architectural styles. What is appealing to you and what sort of structure would you like to dwell in and live your life in? Boston City Hall (a splendid exemplar of the "Brutalist School" of architecture!) or a gaily-painted and adorned Queen Anne Revival house in the New World sense? Denim and leggings represent the first -- simple, brutal, expression of simple function; the latter represents an exquisite beauty, grace, and elegance -- things also gone from modern life as we know it. Hilariously, I have argued down detractors of Boston City Hall because I personally like the structure; it's a strong statement, and a very bold one. I just wouldn't want to live there. (Work there on occasion, yes. I used to have a computer site there in the 1980s and enjoyed it very much. I also recall the time the sub-floor of the computer room in the basement flooded with raw sewage, I could have done without that! That's "leggings" and shredded denim.)

[Grok]

My Running Kilts (yes, I know they aren't really kilt like) are made from satin like fabric. This seems to be suitable for some specialized athletic wear.

What are sarongs made of? What ever it is, it seems suitable for colorful patterns.

[denimini]

Well I can't let this thread go without putting in my 2 cents (or tuppence in the UK) worth.
Denim has been around for about 150 years, originating in France and becoming popular by people needing clothing that would last long. That clothing became even more durable by Levi Strauss & Co adding copper rivets at the end of seams. The rivet at the crotch was subsequently deleted due to complaints.
Denim is basically cotton (which is not a bad fabric, except for environmental concerns in some places it is grown) and is woven in a way that is tough and durable (again not a bad thing). Traditionally the warp threads were dyed with indigo and the weft left white, creating that particular look of denim.
I think that the dislike for denim is because it has become too ubiquitous due to it's success. I can think of another garment that is lightweight very colourful and suffers a similar reaction due to it's ubiquity. Also I can think of a very dull garment that is probably more common than any and attracts very little of the criticism I think it deserves.
I like denim, although blue is not my favorite colour and I prefer green, beige or plaid when I can get it. Also I prefer a fabric that has 2% to 5% elastane which will allow a closer fitting skirt to remain comfortable, while reducing visual exposure from posture or wind (climatic). An alternative means of increasing comfort and freedom of movement is the use of pleats but they do not address the exposure factors.
In summer I do not wear denim as much because it is a comparitively thick material and I prefer something cooler like a linen, rayon or viscose skater skirt, which are fun to wear but do not offer as much durablility or modesty. .
One of my favourite mini skirts is called "The Classic Miniskirt", marketed by Cotton-On, made of a quite a stretchy blend of denim with belt loops and pockets. A size 10 (UK, Au) fits me perfectly and at 13.5" long I will wear them anywhere. Unfortunately they only come in light blue, dark blue and charcoal which perhaps is part of the "Classic" composition.

[new2skirts]

Zara make some decent denim skirts, I own several, along with Dolce & Gabbana. They can be tight fitting or loose, but denim is "invisible" as it's so common. Though I don't think it's mistaken for shorts

[FLbreezy]

Not sure why denim gets so much hate...it's comfortable, utilitarian, easy to launder, and lasts forever. I don't wear it as much since I moved to a warmer climate, because I'm not a fan of jorts. Growing up in the country, we wore cut-offs all summer...if we wore anything at all.

I do have a denim skirt with a little bit of spandex in it, which is quite comfy to wear. The trick is finding a style that does not limit the stride, I think.

[steamman]

I own a few denim maxi skirts, both straight (stretch denim) and A line. Absolutely love them, I wear them more than any of my other skirts.

[Skirt18220]

I have three denim skirts that I wear at home always and out quite often. two I got at a used clothing store. one is a Walmart brand and is made from a stretchy denim. This one was 24 inches The second is a Gap brand. it is 16 inches. I got them both for under $7. the third I made from a pair of pants that had torn knees. I plan on checking out more second hand stores for used women's denim shirts. They come in all lengths and are fairly cheap and easy to shorten or lengthen.
I also wear kilts.

[Big and Bashful]

I have 5 or 6 denim skirts, various lengths and mostly with a decent selection of pockets.

[Fred in Skirts]

I own about 7 denim skirts. I wear some of them more than others. I have them in dark blue, light blue, stone washed, black, gray, and white. Some are a little stretchy and others are regular denim, some have ties at the waist. All are knee length or longer. and I really enjoy them.

[STEVIE]

It is just a tad ironic, and I could be reading this wrong.
The replies so far don't suggest any real departure from the current situation to me.
Men who wish to wear skirts, denim or whatever are being adequately served from across the aisle.
Rest easy Carl, for as long as this continues, denim, in all it's iterations and applications will just chug along as it has always done.
A skirt designed, produced and sold for Men in the menswear sections will remain a pipe dream.
It isn't really broken, the replies seem to say, so what is there to fix?
Steve.

[crfriend]

Rest easy Carl, for as long as this continues, denim, in all it's iterations and applications will just chug along as it has always done.

As I mentioned, 'm the outlier in this one. Propaganda and inertia will keep dungarees/jeans/denim firmly in the drivers seat for the rest of my days and I'm sure well beyond. It'll be a bleak ride for the rest of it I fear.

I was just wishfully hoping we could break from a crap fabric from the mid 19th Century and finally move on to nicer things.

The world will go on; it'll just be nauseatingly and hopelessly boring.

[ScotL]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a fabric. It reminds me of a question posed to Einstein about how he felt his invention being used for nuclear warheads. He is reported to reply something like it’s not the inventions fault, the fault lies with those who wield it as a weapon of war.

Some people like denim. I’m not one of them. But I feel disingenuous if I am fighting for my right to wear what I want and simultaneously argue others choices in clothing should be abolished.

Just my two cents on the matter.

N. B. I am not stating any previous posters or originators of this thread are wrong in any way. Opinions are not wrong. If anyone takes offense at my comments, please realize this was not my intention. My intention is to debate and discuss with respect.

[crfriend]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a fabric. It reminds me of a question posed to Einstein about how he felt his invention being used for nuclear warheads. He is reported to reply something like it’s not the inventions fault, the fault lies with those who wield it as a weapon of war.

There's nothing much wrong with the fabric itself -- it's the global psychosis that's made it a ubiquitous uniform pretty much worldwide, and the forces that caused that psychosis to emerge. It's become the song that blots everything out on the radio because it gets so much air-time that it makes the astute reach for the off switch knowing that all the other stations are going to be playing the same blasted thing.

Uninventing (not a word, I know, but it'd be nice to "uninvent" certain things) it would be nice, but not necessary in the overall scheme of things if the concentration was brought to something less than smothering.

[ScotL]

I still think there’s nothing wrong with denim or the people who choose to wear it.

My suspicion is you object to the fact jeans have become a uniform of sorts. I’m still not opposed to that if that’s what people are comfortable with.

I suspect once men are able to better express themselves through clothing without current judgment that suggests “there’s something wrong with them”, you’ll see jeans be less of a uniform. People will still wear them and that’s great, because I think we need a world where people wear whatever they please because it pleases them.

I do not think this means everyone goes goblin mode to quote the word of the year (though I thought that was two words. I’ve been accused of being a poor writer of English so, please correct me if that’s wrong). Goblin Mode for those who don’t know means dressing slovenly because you want to be comfortable and don’t care how you look. I want a world where we wear comfortable clothes that look good.