Hello from Middle England

[JamieO'H]

Where to begin? I can't really say why I wear skirts, but I do know I've always been wired slightly differently. I have a distinct memory from primary school, aged 5, and a gold satin dress in the class dressing up box. I couldn't tell you any of the other clothes that were in there, but I always homed in on that dress.

A few years later, when I was around 9 or 10, we had some family friends come to stay, and their daughter (who was several years older than me) had an ankle length, Indian print style skirt. Something about it captivated me, possibly the way it moved, and I can recall sneaking into her room and rifling through her suitcase so that I could handle the skirt.

If I was going to pinpoint anything thought, it woukd be my old high school teacher, who wore ankle length skirts all the time. I admit I had a bit of a crush on her.

About this time my mum was given a long, hippie style skirt by a relative, but it wasn’t her thing so it got put in a charity bag that lived in my wardrobe. I found it in there by accident, but would regularly get it out, lay it on my bed, and run my hands over it, imagining it was my teacher (please don't judge me, I was only 12 and awash with hormones). The more I did it, the more I got the urge to try it on, but I resisted for a long time. Then one day I caved in, grabbed the skirt and ran to the bathroom, and my life changed forever.

I'd regularly wear it, and other longs skirts, after that. I 'liberated' lots from the wardrobes of friends and relatives too (sorry guys), and later frequented charity shops etc., until I started buying online.

Alas, I'm very much 'in the closet' as far as this goes. I wear long skirts (and only long skirts) at home 90% of the time, but never outdoors or in public. I have ventured out on a few occasions, namely in the wee small hours or when I know I'll not be seen, and have enjoyed woodland hikes in Wales when far from the beaten track. I know I should bite the bullet and get out there, but just can't make that leap...yet! Maybe reading about other members' experiences will help with that.

Thanks for reading.
Jamie

[Barleymower]

Where to begin? I can't really say why I wear skirts, but I do know I've always been wired slightly differently. I have a distinct memory from primary school, aged 5, and a gold satin dress in the class dressing up box. I couldn't tell you any of the other clothes that were in there, but I always homed in on that dress.

A few years later, when I was around 9 or 10, we had some family friends come to stay, and their daughter (who was several years older than me) had an ankle length, Indian print style skirt. Something about it captivated me, possibly the way it moved, and I can recall sneaking into her room and rifling through her suitcase so that I could handle the skirt.

If I was going to pinpoint anything thought, it woukd be my old high school teacher, who wore ankle length skirts all the time. I admit I had a bit of a crush on her.

About this time my mum was given a long, hippie style skirt by a relative, but it wasn’t her thing so it got put in a charity bag that lived in my wardrobe. I found it in there by accident, but would regularly get it out, lay it on my bed, and run my hands over it, imagining it was my teacher (please don't judge me, I was only 12 and awash with hormones). The more I did it, the more I got the urge to try it on, but I resisted for a long time. Then one day I caved in, grabbed the skirt and ran to the bathroom, and my life changed forever.

I'd regularly wear it, and other longs skirts, after that. I 'liberated' lots from the wardrobes of friends and relatives too (sorry guys), and later frequented charity shops etc., until I started buying online.

Alas, I'm very much 'in the closet' as far as this goes. I wear long skirts (and only long skirts) at home 90% of the time, but never outdoors or in public. I have ventured out on a few occasions, namely in the wee small hours or when I know I'll not be seen, and have enjoyed woodland hikes in Wales when far from the beaten track. I know I should bite the bullet and get out there, but just can't make that leap...yet! Maybe reading about other members' experiences will help with that.

Thanks for reading.
Jamie

Hi Jamie and welcome,
Your story is familiar and will strike a cord with many guys here. Check out Stevie's "that's my boy thread".

There will be a meet-up in February in London. I'll be there, Mouse has said he will come and so has Victor1964. Maybe you could join us? If you have never been out before then you can wear whatever you want and see how the folk of London react to Men in Skirts.

I'm hoping for a big crowd again but I have no expectations.

Ps I also meant to say trousers are fine too

[JamieO'H]

Thanks for the welcome, BM, and I'd certainly be interested in details of the get together in London. At 6ft 5in tall I've always stood out, and that self consciousness has definitely been a factor in my remaining behind closed doors. Being part of a larger group would almost certainly help.

I've tried searching for Stevie's thread you mentioned, but couldn't find it. Do you have a link?

Thanks again.
J

[Mouse]

Welcome JamieO'H, Your story is so similar to a number of us on here. I was a skirt wearer for many many years. It took me a long time to move from there to where I am now. Now I wear skirts all of the time. I have an early memory of being six and a visiting drama group came to our school to perform a play. There was a women in a long blue dress..........I wanted to grow up to be her........ I am still on a journey where I have decided that I am happy with my body, but I do not like the set of cloths that society expects me to wear. When I got to 50, I decided to worry less about what other thought and more about me. I am now 60, society is much less worried about what anybody wears. I now get to wear a skirt every day. I live in Cambridge and work in London. If you would like a fun/scary/lifechanging trip, I would be more than happy to meet you some ware and go with you to Barleymower's meet up in central London. I normally drive from Cambridge to Cockfosters, then tube to wherever I am going. Last meet up was in Piccadilly. Once you have got out there and realised that nobody cares, I think you will have a blast. DM me if you are interested.

[Barleymower]

Thanks for the welcome, BM, and I'd certainly be interested in details of the get together in London. At 6ft 5in tall I've always stood out, and that self consciousness has definitely been a factor in my remaining behind closed doors. Being part of a larger group would almost certainly help.

I've tried searching for Stevie's thread you mentioned, but couldn't find it. Do you have a link?

Thanks again.
J

Hi Jamie,
Perhaps I better let Stevie do his own introductions.

In the meantime here's one of my earlier posts. Looking back, perhaps I was a little bit too candid. Too late now .
viewtopic.php?t=23215

[Spirou003]

Welcome on board JamieO'H
I wish you a skirted journey that meets your expectations

Hey guys, don't forget that the "Skirted Get-Togethers", "Personal Stories" and "Pics and Looks" sub-forums are all unavailable for "Junior members"
Right now, he can't read any of the topic you're referring to, but it shouldn't take long before a moderator validates his full membership

[Faldaguy]

Hola Jamie O;

I cringe at yet another man still in the closet over fear of wearing the clothes he wishes. As other's noted, it is not an uncommon story, sad as it is. I'm glad you've found this site and with it hopefully you will find the courage and inspiration to get out of that closet -- be it a small step or a grand leap -- many have.
It seems 'crazy' that we all supposedly want to be 'individuals' yet most of us conform to some narrow rut supposedly dictated by John Doe public's arbiter. I recall the great shouting and clamoring about being my own individual from high school and college years -- yet I go back and look at those Yearbooks only to see hundreds of stale heads that all sport the same haircut and clothing style! Being radical seems is buying a Chevrolet instead of Ford, or a Citroen instead of a Renault -- wow!
Share your concerns and read on -- lots of stuff has been recorded in this cafe on most any skirt related topic you can imagine, and a horde of it on the challenges of getting past the closet door. BUT -- the yips of freedom and joy you read from those that do may be all you need to move forward. Truly, John Q Public really does not give a hoot about what you wear, and as soon as you declare yourself your own person and step out (with confidence) life will burst with color, relief, joy and self-assurance you've never known before -- and it will carry over to other parts of your life too!
Welcome aboard, from Costa Rica and a full-time skirt wearing male.

[Epantsimated]

JamieO'H wrote:
>I know I should bite the bullet and
> get out there, but just can't make that leap...yet! Maybe reading about
> other members' experiences will help with that.

Hi, Jamie! I'm newer here than you, but I guess I can still say 'welcome.'

My experience also included that major hesitation about being in public in my skirt (at the time, I only had one). What broke the wall down for me was this realization in early 2018: a certain maniac politician was basically risking nuclear war, and here I was worrying if it was okay for me to wear a skirt!

Others have wisely commented that confidence in your choice carries a lot of weight when you venture out. I might add that when you have put together a look that makes you feel good, you bring on confidence. Good luck!

[miloshlavka]

Alas, I'm very much 'in the closet' as far as this goes. I wear long skirts (and only long skirts) at home 90% of the time, but never outdoors or in public. I have ventured out on a few occasions, namely in the wee small hours or when I know I'll not be seen, and have enjoyed woodland hikes in Wales when far from the beaten track. I know I should bite the bullet and get out there, but just can't make that leap...yet! Maybe reading about other members' experiences will help with that.

Hi, Jamie!
Welcome!
I also had a lack of courage to wear skirts in public. At first, therefore, I also wore skirts only at home or during evening walks in the woods about a kilometer from my place of residence. In June 2019, I began to overcome this lack of courage by ordering a kilt (his Czech imitation) and in it I dared to go out. Some people in our city were surprised at this, but then they got used to it. I note that I live in a small town (about 2100 inhabitants - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nov%C3%BD_Kn%C3%ADn) in the Central Bohemian Region about 40 kilometers south of the centre of Prague, so when I dared to go out in a kilt, practically everyone knew about it (if You are living in a bigger city, it would be easier for You). And at the end of June I dared to go out in a kilt on a trip to Austria, namely to Linz, where on the last Saturday of June Linzpride was held. No one was surprised by my kilt. And even then during a several-day hike from Linz through Gallneukirchen, Neumarkt im Mühlkreis and Freistadt to the Czech border. Only some people during my traveling in the Czech Republic asked me whether I was from Scotland.
And when I got used enough to walk in a kilt, I dared to go out in another skirt (in September 2021). In our city, some people again wondered, but then they got used to (they had to ). On the contrary, during my travels in the Czech Republic, people stopped asking. Some, perhaps, did not even notice that I was wearing a skirt (as a rule, I wear skirts of inconspicuous colors) - and some, perhaps, were so shocked that they could not take a word.
Anyway, now I wear skirts completely without shame.
Perhaps in your case, it would help your courage if you first got a cheaper kilt (or a skirt similar to a kilt), because this is a skirt commonly considered men's. And when you get used to it, when it's quite common for you, then you can try on another skirt.
I can't guarantee that this experience will help you, but in my case it worked.

Good luck!
Miloš H.

[skirtyscot]

Hi Jamie,

The first time out in a skirt is the hardest, but if you can make it to a meet-up, that could give you the courage you need. Even if you travel in trousers then skip into a skirt upon arrival. Perhaps you'd draw enough strength to go home in your skirt.

Failing that, try going for short walks in places where you won't meet anyone you know.

You'll be glad you've done it!

Being 6'5", how do you find skirts long enough to be long on you?

[TheSkirtedMan]

Hi JamieO'H from an adhoc member of this forum.

Pleased to hear from another man in a skirt.

Please do find the confidence to go public because when you do you will not regret it and ask why did I not earlier.

The first time is difficult, all on here will admit that. It is different, breaking from a society norm, but head high, shoulders back, walk out with confidence. Be you, be yourself. Yes you will be self conscious, but hide that. Confidence shows empowerment, looking uncomfortable shows you are not comfortable as you are. Some will look, ignore, carry on, nobody is perfect in the eyes of another in any aspect of life. 99% of people do not look and just as mamy interact with you as if you had trousers on. You will get compliments. Each time you go out you will gain inner strength.

I too am tall, 6ft 6inches and thin. Yes like you I do stand out. Just be you. I only wear trousers in public where the task makes it more practical for me, not for what others say or I perceive they think. I have said many times on this site, I am in skirts for hospital and doctors as patient, dining out, theaters, historic houses, general shopping, hotels..... I even volunteer as a Room Steward and do digital presentations in a skirt.

Trust me, and the advice of others on here, step out in a skirt and just be a man in a skirt. Trust you met others in London in February. London is too far for a brief meet for me, and I am 60 mins from a train station!

Good luck.