Skirt Cafe is an on-line community dedicated to exploring, promoting and advocating skirts and kilts as a fashion choice for men, formerly known as men in skirts. We do this in the context of men's fashion freedom --- an expansion of choices beyond those commonly available for men to include kilts, skirts and other garments. We recognize a diversity of styles our members feel comfortable wearing, and do not exclude any potential choices. Continuing dialog on gender is encouraged in the context of fashion freedom for men. See here for more details.
Dust wrote: ↑Sun Jan 21, 2024 6:10 pm
This is good news. If skirts for men are going to catch on, we need shoes for men to go with them. Most men's formal shoes are ugly, and better partly hidden under a trouser cuff...
The shoes are typically clunky. And the more formal shoes-intended for suits, for example-are extremely limited in terms of color. They are not meant to be noticed.
Somebody compared mens shoes to aircraft carriers. I would compare mens shoes to oil tankers.
I completely agree regarding comparing men’s shoes to oil tankers. I no longer own any men’s shoes. I am hoping that someone can explain the following to me:
Men typically have larger feet than women. Why do shoe designers create men’s footwear that makes the foot appear even larger than it really is? What is the logic here? I would think that since men have larger feet, shoe designers would be creating men’s shoes that make the feet appear smaller?
Dust wrote: ↑Sun Jan 21, 2024 6:10 pm
This is good news. If skirts for men are going to catch on, we need shoes for men to go with them. Most men's formal shoes are ugly, and better partly hidden under a trouser cuff...
The shoes are typically clunky. And the more formal shoes-intended for suits, for example-are extremely limited in terms of color. They are not meant to be noticed.
Somebody compared mens shoes to aircraft carriers. I would compare mens shoes to oil tankers.
I completely agree regarding comparing men’s shoes to oil tankers. I no longer own any men’s shoes. I am hoping that someone can explain the following to me:
Men typically have larger feet than women. Why do shoe designers create men’s footwear that makes the foot appear even larger than it really is? What is the logic here? I would think that since men have larger feet, shoe designers would be creating men’s shoes that make the feet appear smaller?
Thoughts wanted.
Jamie
A lot of clothing/shoes/makeup/etc. are designed to accentuate those physical characteristics that differentiate the sexes. Usually we think of this as things like calling attention to a woman's breasts or showing off her curves. Heels and other women's shoes are designed to make their feet look smaller and more elegant (the word "dainty" comes to mind). It makes sense that a lot of men's shoes would do the reverse...
While part of men's suit design is about hiding his less desirable features (gut or whatever), you can also read about how there is also an attempt with the suit jacket to give a man that V-shaped torso, whether he has it or not. Large hands (and I suppose to a lesser extent, feet) imply strength. Some classical statues (Michelangelo's David comes to mind) have disproportionately large hands, apparently for this reason.
I am not sure I totally agree on the shoe front. As members may have noticed I love my crazy heels. To me there is no stronger statement of power than a 7" heeled boot.
Mouse wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 5:53 pm
I am not sure I totally agree on the shoe front. As members may have noticed I love my crazy heels. To me there is no stronger statement of power than a 7" heeled boot.
Mouse I agree with you regarding those boots. I love the boots! They are very powerful and feminine at the same time!!
Mouse, I don't disagree that the high heeled boots are a powerful statement! Not quite sure what they are saying, but they do look fun!
That said, most of the time I'm not looking to say anything quite that loudly with my shoes. I've taken to wearing loafers to the office (with trousers) in part because they seem more skirt friendly and understated than the typical male clunkiness. I'm trying to not have two completely separate wardrobes.
Most guys around the office wear heavy lace up leather shoes, or the sneakers designed to look like formal shoes. It's warming up here, and I still saw a guy in leather lace up boots with a jacket and tie the other day. I just don't get it...
Mouse wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 5:53 pm
I am not sure I totally agree on the shoe front. As members may have noticed I love my crazy heels. To me there is no stronger statement of power than a 7" heeled boot.
Mouse I love your crazy boots and heels! They look fabulous!
Dust wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 10:34 am
Not quite sure what they are saying, but they do look fun!
I have loved high heeled boots since a kid. Now I have skirts, I get a licence to buy what ever boots I like for my feet. I then challenge myself to make journeys in them.
Dust wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 10:34 am
I'm trying to not have two completely separate wardrobes.
I don't quite get the point, all of my boots from my Uggs to my 10" heels are in one place and can be worn with any of my skirts?
stephanie53 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2024 3:33 pm
Mouse I love your crazy boots and heels! They look fabulous!
Thank you Stephanie53, I am quite proud of the picture. It is one thing to wear these boots at home and quite another to go on a jaunt across London in them. I also wore them all night at the party I was going to.
Dust wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 10:34 am
I'm trying to not have two completely separate wardrobes.
I don't quite get the point, all of my boots from my Uggs to my 10" heels are in one place and can be worn with any of my skirts?
I can't/don't always wear skirts. Sometimes it's boring standard male attire. I've started trying to get clothing and shoes that could be used with either skirts or standard stuff as much as possible. I still try to push the envelope a bit towards skirt friendly items in my regular wardrobe, but it's about being able to sub in skirts with my regular stuff. It's the approach that works for me, and one that I hope will help move the needle towards wider acceptance and more men wearing skirts regularly.
I enjoy seeing the crazier stuff, don't get me wrong. It's just not the sort of thing that I will actually wear at this point. And finding things (shirts and shoes especially) that work well with either has gotten me to pay more attention to what I'm wearing, how it fits, and generally take better care of my appearance, even when I'm not in a skirt. And by trying to integrate everything into one cohesive wardrobe, I think the skirted outfits feel less costume like, and the regular stuff actually feels less boring...
Dust wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 12:12 pm
… And by trying to integrate everything into one cohesive wardrobe, I think the skirted outfits feel less costume like, and the regular stuff actually feels less boring...
Sorry, Dust. I just found it funny that you had the concept of two wardrobes. I think it is a reflection on me since I did have two sets of clothes in my past, one public and one private for secret play. Over the last few years I have been putting the two in to just one and it is for me a really healthy thing to do. I of course have it easy since I only worry about things working with skirts for the moment.
And within those there's stuff that doesn't go together, color palette wise (earth tones vs. grey, etc.). There's stuff I wouldn't wear together due to fit or length as well. But there's also crossover.
