Men wearing skirts and religion?

[crfriend]

I got pinned to go into work today to fix a recalcitrant computer and figured that, since it's a day when not a lot of folks will be around, I'd just simply wear one of my skirts 'cause they're more comfortable than tr*users. Well, I was right about not a lot of people being around -- it was the security guard and myself.

The security guard didn't bat an eyelid at me or my attire, but the chap that delivered the parts I needed to effect the computer-repair commented on it, and asked if it was "some sort of religious thing".

This brings me to the thrust of my question: Are there certain sects in which the men customarily wear skirted garments in public (i.e. outside "official duties")? This doesn't count "officials of a Church", but rather lay people. This is at least the second time I've been asked this question, and whilst I'm not religious I'm curious if there are religions that encourage male skirt-wearing (that are common in the Northeast part of the US, that is).

[Since1982]

About 4 months ago there was something about some cult or sect in Australia where everyone, both men and women wore very dress like robes. There was a Golf Tournament and about 6 men in ankle length dresses were watching from the gallery. Later they were questioned and said they regularly played golf at that course and always wore the dress like garments. They seemed to have the same mindset as the USA hippies of the 60's except for the dresses. In the 60's the hippies brought MEN the long hair, these guys are trying to bring MEN to wear more skirted garments.

[aaron12345]

My church (an emergant methodist church) encourages individual expression but not men in skirts/dresses specifically. I'm on staff in the media & marketing department and I wear skirts to services somewhat regularly.

[hiker]

I have been asked a couple of times whether there is a religious connection to the skirts that I am wearing. I presume this was related to the color (black) and the length (ankle) of my skirts. As well as people trying to understand why a man would wear a skirt.

[Bob]

Robes are traditional religious wear for men in many sects of Christianity, Judiasm and Islam.

[talon2mech]

Just a thought...

Maybe men wearing skirts/etc is in itself a religion. I have heard of vegetarians being themselves a religion...

Just a thought from the book of Matt.

His holiness of the sacred order of the skirt-Matt.

[Since1982]

I saw something in here not too long ago saying that lace was definitely feminine and never masculine. That's interesting, the POPE and nearly every other high ranking member of several old time long time religions, like Catholics, Episcopalians, and various offshoot religions that have habited members wear nearly completely lace robes, habits, hats and other vestments that have lots of extremely expensive lace on them. I'd never even consider that the POPE or any of the Cardinals, Bishops or high ranking priests are anything BUT masculine. Lace is just another kind of material like twill or denim is just another kind of material. What we wear has nothing to do with our intelligence or human rights. Clothing of any kind is basically one of the things that makes us above and separate from all the other mammals. It's for protection from the elements, what it's shaped like or made from is really a personal choice and right. I don't think/believe that any kind of clothing defines any of us in any wrong or right way.

This is my opinion and anyone has the right to disagree. Opinions are like noses, everyone has one, even Michael Jackson. His may be plastic, but it's his own bought and paid for nose. :shake: ~pray~

[crfriend]

I saw something in here not too long ago saying that lace was definitely feminine and never masculine.

I'm not sure where that notion came from, but there's a single word to describe it: "poppycock". (OK, "rubbish" and "balderdash" came to mind as well, but slightly later on in the thought process.)

Lace has been used for centuries as ornamentation on mens' clothes, and was frequently used as a "status marker" (mainly because the stuff was expensive). So, the notion that it's a "girls only" fabric is well wide of the mark.

[me012247]

Lace has been used for centuries as ornamentation on mens' clothes, and was frequently used as a "status marker"....

Well, now the lace is on the hem of my slip..This is *my* status marker :ninjajig: :p

[Mary Jane Boy]

I try to wear lace trimmed white ankle soxs with my Mary Jane (bar) shoes always.

As you can see from this photo of me wearing my twin-bar Mary Jane sandles from muffys.com. they look fantastic!

[skirttron]

To return to the original question, I think black skirts and kilts are the main trigger for the religion query. I got asked that by a supermarket checkout girl. I guess robes are used by priests of various religions because they are ancient and different from average streetwear.The color black indicates subservience of the self to an idea I suppose. Similarly ancient garb is worn in the UK by judges (tights and wigs) to emphasize the endurance of their institution.

[Stu]

Robes are traditional religious wear for men in many sects of Christianity, Judiasm and Islam.

And Buddhism!

Stu

[crfriend]

Robes are traditional religious wear for men in many sects of Christianity, Judiasm and Islam.

And Buddhism!

True, in all cases, but those cases seem to be more for the "officials" (be they cardinals, bishops, monks, or what-have-you) rather than "lay people", and that was where I was going with my question. I'm clearly, from my casual garb, not a "power player" in any church, nor am I a monk -- I'm just a bloke in a skirt who's wondering why people feel the need to ascribe anything religious to my attire.

[...]I think black skirts and kilts are the main trigger for the religion query.

That may be possible. I've never been asked about religion when wearing any other colour. I don't buy the "subservience of the self" idea because religious vestments are frequently in far more daring colours than black, but that just may be my take on the matter.

[binx]

Great masculine ensemble in the other thread; your avatar picture. I just have to say, with the hair and beard, you do look a bit like those that live a modest lifestyle, without the modern conveniences of today. But that's not a religion, is it?

binx

[Since1982]

If that vest was black and you were pictured from the waist up, you could easily pass for either an Orthodox Jew or an Amish, German Baptist or Mennonite elder. LOL :rolleyes:

By the way, a side story I just remembered that might give folks a good hearty guffaw or two.

I was 6 years old, my mom was going from Reading Pa. to Philadelphia and there were about a half dozen Mennonites on the train keeping to themselves. as is their custom, the men were sitting on the window seats and the women were sitting on the aisle seats. I asked my mom who those people were and she told me they were mennonites....I have always been a forward type person (very un-shy around strangers) and I walked back to where they were sitting and asked one of the women a question....Now I'd just heard my mom say they were Mennonites, but I'd also heard a very similar word somewhere else and got the 2 words confused, so I asked the nice lady all dressed in black this question....."My mommy told me you people were Morphodites, is that right, ma'am?" Well, for a very very very long minute that "lady" looked me square in the eye and then sweetly asked me, "Where is your mommy, sonny?" I innocently pointed my mom out to the lady, who walked right back to where my mom sat and gave my mom a huge roundhouse slap right on her cheek then walked back to where she was sitting and said not another word to either I or my mom who asked the conductor what that was all about.
The conductor had overheard what was said and explained to my mom what had happened....It took my mom a week to take me off punishment details all over the house. It took ME 3 years before I found out why I'd been punished.

Hey, they DO sound a lot alike...Mennonite and Morphodite...LOL