"Practical" skirts for various activities

[hiker]

That's just ageism. It suggest prejudice and a closed mind.

Charges of "ageism" and other similar claims are a fall back to name calling. In today's society name calling is used a substitiute for critical thinking and careful consideration of other's viewpoints.

What length skirt is best suited to a person depends on their build, height, weight etc. - not their age. What on earth does that have to do with it? I'm 55, tall and skinny. Plenty of women have said I look OK in a short skirt. I think I look OK in a short skirt.

Adjust mid calf to your own build - skirts that more than 6" above the knee rarely work on anyone other than the young, who wear them as a symbol of their youth and inexperience. On others short skirts send a much different message.

If you are overweight - then perhaps it is best to wear longer skirts, but for skinny people like myself, long skirts just look ridiculous. I regard 35 inches as long. Most of my skirts are 12 to 15 inches.

Again this seems a little like name calling. You may be in good shape, but you'll have to work hard to keep up with me in my mid 50's. My weight, health, and appearance are excellent. In the past 9 months I trekked above 14,000 feet in the Andes for more than 3 weeks, walked 16-20 miles a day for two weeks on the edge of the Sahara desert, spent a week off-trail in Whiteclouds in Wyoming, I even spent a few days walking in the UK. I walk 5-10 miles a day and run 3 miles a day - often in a skirt. I found that typical short skirts were binding and unpleasant; short skirts that were fuller tended to get caught up in my pack and coat; a mountain kilt (falling a few inches above the knee) was better but provided difficulty with stride, sitting, and other basic movements and still got hung up; a longer skirt with sufficient hem for stride worked well except off trail in heavily bushy areas and in areas where hand-over-hand climbing was required (I don't think any skirt will work well in these cases.

[snip ...]

Anyhow - if anyone wants to peek up my skirt they are welcome. They won't see anything - as usually I wear leggings and also dark coloured cotton mens underwear anyway.

I doubt anyone wants to look up the skirt of a 50+ year old man (or any man for that matter). That said I also think that they don't want to be inadvertantly exposed to leggings and/or underwear of a 50 + year old man. And I don't think that it helps move the men-in-skirts movement forward.

[Milfmog]

Hiker,

I'll resist the urge to reply to your comments regarding name calling and critical thinking, as I see little point in descending into a flame war.

So, sticking to the topic:

I found that typical short skirts were binding and unpleasant; short skirts that were fuller tended to get caught up in my pack and coat; a mountain kilt (falling a few inches above the knee) was better but provided difficulty with stride, sitting, and other basic movements and still got hung up; a longer skirt with sufficient hem for stride worked well except off trail in heavily bushy areas and in areas where hand-over-hand climbing was required (I don't think any skirt will work well in these cases.

I find a knee length wrap skirt (like an unpleated kilt and broadly similar to a Mountain kilt as far as I can tell from pictures) to be extraordinarily practical for walking, offering no restriction to my stride, plenty of modesty and with a tightly woven fabric it does not tend to catch on brush. Maybe this is due to nothing more than different walking environments.

Have fun,


Ian.

[Departed Member]

Hiker,

I'll resist the urge to reply to your comments regarding name calling and critical thinking, as I see little point in descending into a flame war.

Ditto!

As with any item of clothing, surely it makes sense to choose something suitable for whatever activity is envisaged? One can climb a step ladder, whilst wearing a long skirt, to change the hallway lightbulb, provided one's careful, but it wouldn't be practicable to do so to, say, clean all the downstairs (& upstairs?) windows.

[crfriend]

I think the most practical skirt is a plain, dark colored skirt 35" in length and with a broad enough hem that that you can large steps without being caught by the hem. Macabi's work well.

That's one definition of "practical", but only one. If you follow that logic to its ultimate conclusion, you'll find that trousers are more "practical" for just about everything. "Practical" can also be in one's mind as to how one is going to put something to use. I'll concur that most of the skirts I wear are calf-length, dark, and fairly wide (except for my red one which is calf-length, cranberry red, and wide) -- and that's because I tend to not want to attract a whole lot of attention that brighter colours would get. I also have a couple of minis that I like as well, but I just have to be more "careful" in those.

On a separate note, sometimes it's fun to toss practicality to the wind. The usual snide comment that gets tossed around when one reaches his mid 40s is, "midlife crisis" (you know, when the bank clerk mortgages his (family's) house to the hilt so he can buy a Lamborghini) and that's sad. What in blazes is wrong with wanting to have just plain simple fun every now and then and toss practicality (which, face it, is usually synonymous with "boring") aside.

Short skirts on 50+ year old men work even less well than on "women of a certain age."

I'm going to call "BS" on this one. Age isn't the determinant in this regard, it's whether the individual in question has the shape for it, and the courage for it.

Interestingly, this is one place where women are as trapped as men -- when was the last time you saw a 50+ woman with long flowing hair (or wearing a short skirt if she had the body for it)? I'm not at all interested in getting trapped in that quagmire, I'm stuck in enough already. (And, yes, by the by, I do have the shape to pull off a mini and I'm creeping up on 50! My wife figures, "What the heck, if you've got it, flaunt it.", although she's a bit jealous that I can pull it off.)

Interestingly, and one would need to carefully study the sociological forces behind this, we're getting into a period of time where even with national trends towards obesity, there is a significant undercurrent of "older" folks that take good care of themselves and look damned good. Happily, many of those folks thumb their nose at "you're too old to wear that" when it comes to their fashion sense. That is really rather refreshing in the wake of everything else that's going on.

[ChristopherJ]

Hiker - I don't appreciate your personal attack on me at all. But I won't respond in kind - it's just too boring and not appropriate in a forum like this.
I'll just make a couple of points.

Charges of "ageism" and other similar claims are a fall back to name calling. In today's society name calling is used a substitiute for critical thinking and careful consideration of other's viewpoints.

Discrimination against any person or people simply on account of their age is ageism. It is not name-calling. To say that a person should not wear certain clothes because they are over a particular age is blatant discrimination. What other things should we discourage the over-50's to participate in?

Adjust mid calf to your own build - skirts that more than 6" above the knee rarely work on anyone other than the young, who wear them as a symbol of their youth and inexperience. On others short skirts send a much different message.

What message? I'm not sending any message - and if anyone reads a message into the fact that I wear short skirts - then that is a product of their own mind.

[AMM]

That's one definition of "practical", but only one. If you follow that logic to its ultimate conclusion, you'll find that trousers are more "practical" for just about everything....

Well, as the guy who started this thread (for whatever that's worth), I think I'll stick my oar back in and try to row us in the direction I wanted it to go.

What is "practical" depends upon your goals and your constraints. Having a Monet in your kitchen may or may not be "practical", depending upon how important looking at beautiful paintings is to you and how much money you have.

My goals in (hypothetically) wearing a skirt to such a weekend were:

a. To wear a skirt,

b. to participate in the same activities that I would if wearing trousers (e.g., I don't participate in the activities that involve a lot of wrestling, anyway), and

c. Not to wierd everyone out any more than the simple fact of wearing a skirt would. In particular, I shouldn't be exposing myself in normal activities.

If you don't mind people seeing what you have on under the skirt (e.g., if you're going to wear shorts or at least boxers anyway, or if you're a bit of an exhibitionist), or if you're willing to restrict your movements and your positions more than I am, you might find certain skirts "practical" which I would find "impractical".

It also depends upon what you're doing. If I'm just going out to the post office, or to a movie, or for a walk, I would find a short skirt "practical", too. (Maybe even more so, since it might pass in some people's minds as a "kilt.")

And if I'm going out for an evening (or whole day!) of contra dancing, I'd consider brighter colors and the odd "feminine" touch to be "practical." (Though we'd be more likely to use the word "fun.")

On the other hand, if I'm going to be crawling under a porch or in an attic pulling electrical cable, I'd probably go with trousers (or even coveralls.)

"We now return you to your regularly scheduled flame-fest."

-- AMM

P.S.: A word to the wise: one advantage of being "50+" is that you have finally learned that most foolish remarks are best left un-responded to. Responding requires you to think as if there were something sensible to respond to, whereas if they are allowed to stand in solitary splendor, their innate foolishness becomes obvious to everyone.

[crfriend]

My goals in (hypothetically) wearing a skirt to such a weekend were:

a. To wear a skirt,
b. to participate in the same activities that I would if wearing trousers (e.g., I don't participate in the activities that involve a lot of wrestling, anyway), and
c. Not to wierd everyone out any more than the simple fact of wearing a skirt would. In particular, I shouldn't be exposing myself in normal activities.

It sounds like some of the skirts you already have would be fine, so long as you mind your motions. The full calf-length tiered one you posted a picture of comes to mind.

It's perfectly possible to sit on a floor whilst wearing a skirt, and not do so with your legs crossed. I sit on the floor, when I have to do so, with both legs tucked up and off to one side; this pose, with the skirt loosely draped around me on the floor is surprisingly comfortable (if your back is in good condition) and, in the winter, amazingly warm if the skirt is moderately heavy.

Hanging upside-down in a skirt is right out -- no doubts against it -- but how many adults can actually do that, or have the desire to? Crawling around on the deck would be a pain in a longer skirt, but if lots of movement isn't required the longer skirt will work; else, a knee-length kilt might be better although one would have to watch his knees lest they get roughed up pretty badly.

It also depends upon what you're doing. If I'm just going out to the post office, or to a movie, or for a walk, I would find a short skirt "practical", too. [...] And if I'm going out for an evening (or whole day!) of contra dancing, I'd consider brighter colors and the odd "feminine" touch to be "practical." (Though we'd be more likely to use the word "fun.") [...] On the other hand, if I'm going to be crawling under a porch or in an attic pulling electrical cable, I'd probably go with trousers (or even coveralls.)

Those are all practical, and for different reasons, to approach different needs. There's no "one size fits all" (or even most!) in this regard, it all comes down to personal comfort, taste, and sense of sensibilities (or adventure).

[AMM]

...
It's perfectly possible to sit on a floor whilst wearing a skirt, and not do so with your legs crossed. ...

Actually, I think it's possible to sit on the floor in a skirt with crossed legs and not show anything. If the skirt is long and reasonably full, the material blocks any "view" while you're getting into place, and then you pull the material over your knees.

By the way, when girls are attending (the one I was at was a Men's weekend), there are usually a few wearing skirts, and they do everything everyone else does. Those in short skirts usually have something like bike shorts or footless tights on, or even jeans, but I don't think that those in longer skirts bother. So it's evidently possible. It's also a "safe space" (unlike school ), so even if they accidentally expose something, they don't have to worry about people making fun of them about it.

-- AMM

[Since1982]

On me, long skirts just look ridiculous.

Doesn't stating that long skirts look ridiculous on anyone smack of being prejudicial and of having a closed mind itself? I think calling "anyone" including yourself ridiculous looking when wearing any skirted garment is getting into the kind of discriminitory comments we are trying to get away from... :shake:

[binx]

If you are overweight - then perhaps it is best to wear longer skirts, but for skinny people like myself, long skirts just look ridiculous. I regard 35 inches as long. Most of my skirts are 12 to 15 inches.

Which could be taken conversely as stout people looking ridiculous with short skirts. When worn with an appropriate top, like a sweatshirt or a bulky sweater, a short skirt can look OK IMO.

binx

[ChristopherJ]

Doesn't stating that long skirts look ridiculous on anyone smack of being prejudicial and of having a closed mind itself?

I didn't say that - so don't twist my words. I was referring to myself. I have a perfect right to state MY opinion of MY own appearance when wearing MY own clothes - and I don't see what this has to do with you.

Which could be taken conversely as stout people looking ridiculous with short skirts.

I did not say that - so don't twist my words.

What is happening here?

I am stating my own opinions of my own appearance - so why do some posters feel the need to try and pick a fight with me.

Grow up.

[Sasquatch]

I'll be blunt about this thread; it isn't very important. We who "dare to wear" have bigger issues to wrangle with than who should or shouldn't wear short skirts. Wear what you like. I'm a big guy. I have a couple long skirts and a couple knee-length skirts and a couple short skirts. If you're a man in a skirt in public I'm not sure how much the style matters!

Sasq

[hiker]

[snip...]
What is happening here?

I am stating my own opinions of my own appearance - so why do some posters feel the need to try and pick a fight with me.[snip...]

I think that you may have started the fight with cries of "ageism" and other put downs. Of course I (and others) joined in -- a good fight will always peak other members interest. But don't be surprised in the response.

[Bob]

I'm sorry, I must step in as moderator.

ChristopherJ said: "On me, long skirts just look ridiculous."

That statement is entirely within the realm of appropriateness for SkirtCafe. ChristopherJ doesn't like the way he looks in long skirts. That is his subjective self-evaluation, so there can be no argument here.

ChristopherJ should not have to defend himself for making such as statement.

Now please, let's get on the with the thread.

[ChrisM]

Thank you Bob.