Crazy(?) Skirted Guy

[Bob]

Was walking along a street in NYC today and saw... a guy with a big bushy multi-colored beard sporting a pink strapless dress. And he had a multi-colored miniature poodle walking behind him. Yea... dogs DO look like their owners!

Either he was an artist doing a show or stunt, or he was just plain crazy. His attire stuck out... WAY out.

Totally made my day, of course!

[SkirtDude]

Deleted.

[Uncle Al]

Talk about negative impact

I would walk on by, out of sight and then

Uncle Al
Duncanville, TX


Don't you just love these updated Smilies

They do say a picture is worth a thousand words.

[crfriend]

Well, I suppose he didn't worry too much about people violating his private space.

To be honest, sometimes I find even our initial visceral reactions to something different unsettling. Here we are, happily bending fashion rules as we see fit, but if somebody else does, and it doesn't follow the same "curve" as the way we're bending things, we poke fun or disapprove. That's not particularly charitable, is it?

So, in this case, what was the main issue? The multi-coloured beard? The multi-coloured dog? The pink dress? All of the above? Any or all of these could just be things undertaken on a whim or fancy; the dyes could be washable ones (I'm given to understand that outrageously loud temporary hair dyes are popular in Japan with the business set) put in on a lark. I don't necessarily "get" the strapless dress on a guy, but that may be my rigid thinking (see, even I'm not "immune").

Speaking of hair: We have a chap at work who used to have slightly greying hair. A couple of months ago he came in with it jet black with a shock of irridescent blue in it. Some lightweight ribbing was issued on the matter, and that was that. He's still got it, and the bright colour has changed a couple of times, so this is his "statement" -- and more power to him.

[Bri]

In a show of support, several students have organized an "Equality Protest" this week, by showing up to school dressed in garments of the opposite sex.

Yesterday, about a dozen teens gathered at a local deli with boys wearing skirts, wigs and dresses and girls donning caps, cargo pants and T-shirts. They said about 60 students cross-dressed yesterday, though school officials said the number was far less.

Exactly how is the 2nd one cross-dressing?

I also emailed the author of the article, marcela rojas. Asking her how the girls cross dress? I told her that it really doesn't seem possible in todays way of dressing.

[Bob]

This guy made my day not as an example for skirted men to follow, but just as one of those crazy out-of-the-ordinary things you see from time to time on the streets of New York.

[Peter v]

Jes, he was not walking around with a bill board announcing skirts for men, was he, so there should be no problems there. Therefore he was just another guy having a good time, enjoying himself. The reason? Ask him, then you will know the truth, or at least what he himself will tell you, and not what ever we may conjure up.

Thae same happened to me when I met with three other skirt wearers in the Netherlands. two came in a skirt, somber, but I suppose manly, the third was a home wearer, and was genuinely interested enough to come, and was willing to go a step further and wear out in the open. I was wearing the same as on my foto.

That was the reason for one of the others to practically go back straight on home the moment he saw me. As if me being dressed the way I was could in any way be attributed to how he was dressed. We also did not have any billboard or whatever to our forum, rokvoor mannen Or in english, skirts for men. Never the less, he had later stated on the forum, that he was thinking about never going to a meeting again if there was again anyone dressed in the manner that I was.

He doesn't have to agree with my way of dressing, or do it himself, and he said he respected me, but still did not want to be seen with me.

As for your example, the man sure had the balls to go like that.

And as for the straples dress, I too am thinking about that, but have a manly hair issue to resolve Otherwise I would have such a dress already. Why do men ""Have"" to wear shoulder covering shirts etc? That too is the same as men in a skirt. It is all new. I am sure that strapless tops / dresses should be comfortable, at least if the stay up, there being little to hang on to... Having decency and also bare shoulders would I imagine be comfortable. Finally getting rid of another male compulsary item, shoulder bands be it a shirt, or shoulder straps from tank tops etc.

Seeing a happy person in clothing rather than looking for anything absurd ( in the onlooker's eye) is the way to go, just as looking at a man in a skirt, at the happy man, and not looking at a man with uncertain intentions which make his clothing doubtful. The way that others look at you being the problem, not what the man is wearing. ( I have seen that some where before.. )

But some people will seek personal satisfaction in finding ( imagining) something strange, dubieus, even sickly in everybody. They have a vivid imagination used in a sickly manner.

[crfriend]

[Nobody has] to agree with my way of dressing, or do it himself, and [this chap] said he respected me, but still did not want to be seen with me.

That's sad, and doesn't really show a depth of thought that one might hope. I hope he gets on well with his experimentation, but am saddened that he had such a hard time dealing with your attire. I suspect he might have the same things to say about me, but that's just life. Maybe he'll come 'round in a few years' time.

And as for the straples dress, I too am thinking about that, but have a manly hair issue to resolve Otherwise I would have such a dress already.

Well, the biologist in me feels the need to point up that most blokes don't have the features that will actually hold up a strapless dress. Beyond that, bare-chested males are more or less accepted in most casual milleiux so there's no "need" for such garments -- merely chuck on a sarong and dispense with the top.

The above having been said, I find the notion of a male "dress" intriguging on a couple of levels. For one, blokes tend to get round about the gut ("keg abs") as they get older; wouldn't it be great if the garment could be suspended form the shoulders instead of the waist? I really believe that there's a workable, and believeable, man's "dress" out there waiting to be developed.

Why do men ""Have"" to wear shoulder covering shirts etc?

This, I suspect, comes down to convention. Face it, most blokes don't have anything "of interest" above the waist; what's there is a bland tableau, likely covered in patchy hair. Given that visual, even I'll state that it may be best to keep it covered. However, I'd be happy to be proved wrong in that assertion. Who's going to do it?

But some people will seek personal satisfaction in finding ( imagining) something strange, dubieus, even sickly in everybody. They have a vivid imagination used in a sickly manner.

That's something that skirtsmen everywhere have to deal with on a daily basis. I'm not sure whether "ramping the look to the next level" would make much of a difference in the common perception, but I do wonder whether the average "bloke in a skirt" is willing to take on the extra baggage. (And I do salute you Peter for hauling that baggage in a damnably fine manner!!!)

[AMM]

Why do men ""Have"" to wear shoulder covering shirts etc?

This, I suspect, comes down to convention.

In my case, it's a question of comfort.

If it's at all cold, or there's any sort of breeze, my shoulders tend to get chilled and achy unless they're covered. My back, too, and lately my calves have taken to being sensitive to the cold. Oddly enough, since I've started wearing skirts, I've noticed that the area from my waist to my knees can take getting pretty chilled (to the point of numbness) without it being all that painful.

When it's sunny, I tend to burn. I usually wear short-sleeved shirts in the summer, so my arms get tanned, but my shoulders don't, and since the dress code at work requires long trousers, my legs stay pale, too. So I tend to wear shirts with sleeves even when I'm on vacation. I also wear shorts (when I can't wear skirts ) on vacation, so I have to watch out I don't burn my legs. (This becomes a problem when I go out in/on a Sunfish on the lake during my summer vacation.)

It's possible that if I had been in the habit of going shirtless a lot of the time, I might be less sensitive to chills. I'm guessing that's why so many women don't seem to mind going out in sleeveless shirts, blouses, and dresses, even in cool weather. Or maybe they just figure "you have to suffer to be beautiful." (Me, I'd rather stay ugly.)

[Since1982]

Peter, you do seem to have some things you're very sensitive about. It's definitely your right to dress any way you please. It's ALSO your friend's right to not want to be around you when you're dressed very femme. I have no idea why you wear what you wear but support your right to wear what you please. Personally, what you wear reminds me too much of what I've seen in the CD or Drag Queen associations for me either to be around you when your dressed femme or to speak out to others to accept or deny you. To me, I wear a MUG for comfort, not to look like anything but what I am, an old, tired, retired man permanently out of trousers between my waist and my ankles. Otherwise, I wear T-shirts, normal men's shoes or Birkenstock sandals, and in cold weather, either a leather or denim long sleeve jacket.

[Peter v]

Peter, you do seem to have some things you're very sensitive about. It's definitely your right to dress any way you please. It's ALSO your friend's right to not want to be around you when you're dressed very femme. I have no idea why you wear what you wear but support your right to wear what you please. Personally, what you wear reminds me too much of what I've seen in the CD or Drag Queen associations for me either to be around you when your dressed femme or to speak out to others to accept or deny you. To me, I wear a MUG for comfort, not to look like anything but what I am, an old, tired, retired man permanently out of trousers between my waist and my ankles. Otherwise, I wear T-shirts, normal men's shoes or Birkenstock sandals, and in cold weather, either a leather or denim long sleeve jacket.

I can understand your associations, and that is where actually looking good at the person involved or better still talking to him will make things very clear, always better than making assumptions on just seeing someone.

I understand and respect the other guy, but question his insight as to my negative influence for the male skirt wearer, as I had said, we were walking around, only three men in skirts in the large crowds of an inner city. Without any visual referance to any cause at all.

He wants to promote a very narrow segment of skirt wearing, namely very sober "" manly"" skirts and attire, and by doing so limits himself and all others enormously if he or they want to deviate even a little from that which he meticulously has made the public aware of. It is only a small part of the whole freestyle movement, in which any soort of skirt wearing and wider choice of clothing / way of dressing is made possible, and if explained correctly is I believe the easiest to understand for most. Within freestyling, once well known, any form of skirt wearing is then acceptable, for the general public. Being defined if needed. Naming / specifying any skirt outfit "manly" automatically makes most other something else, probably femme. That is how it works.

Promoting a particular defined style, as seems to be his intention limits any variations on the theme. Thus making it difficult for himself, and all others if they want to deviate in any way from that which they have just spent so much energy in making the public aware of.

When people take the time to actually ask me why I dress the way I do, then I tell them that it is not only how I dress, but that I have the freedom to dress as I see fit. Just as many other men, who wear skirts, they too have broken with convention and wear other clothing freely, with the basis being skirts.

I believe you have to see the whole picture instead of a narrow street. Somehow that sounds strange, but I think you will understand.

[Peter v]

O and about bare shoulders, sure, unfortunately many men are adowned with body hair, as I am too I didn't ask for it.

That is I find not the most nice thing to see, so no wonder many men will want it covered up. I don't particularly admire men bar from the waist up. But men do wear tank tops. If men have any nice upper body, preferably hairless, then dresses with spaghetti bands, could be worn. Bare shoulders is not a bad thing. Being dressed, not half naked.... and yet still nice and fresh upper body. I would think that as in my case, the unsightly hair is the real problem. I am just now thinking of images of romans in films, julius ceasar, with white robes, affixed over one shoulder with a badge of some soort. quite nice for a warm evening, in a light material...

Being serious but using imagination in an unbiased situation.

Of course for the "real men" they enjoy being hairy.... and showing that, I suppose.

[crfriend]

If it's at all cold, or there's any sort of breeze, my shoulders tend to get chilled and achy unless they're covered.

The gals get chilly, too, you know; that's why shawls, and in really cold locations, capes are used (the latter by guys, too).

My back, too, and lately my calves have taken to being sensitive to the cold. Oddly enough, since I've started wearing skirts, I've noticed that the area from my waist to my knees can take getting pretty chilled (to the point of numbness) without it being all that painful.

Welcome to getting old.

When it's sunny, I tend to burn.

Join the crowd.

I usually wear short-sleeved shirts in the summer, so my arms get tanned, but my shoulders don't, and since the dress code at work requires long trousers, my legs stay pale, too. So I tend to wear shirts with sleeves even when I'm on vacation.

I used to own a few short-sleeved shirts but usually just make do with rolling my sleeves up when the temperatures rise. I find it works well enough. (What I hate are the long trousers).

The uneven tan that shirt-wearing gives us blokes likely also causes problems if we want to experiment with creative designs above the waist; it seems like we're consigned to have lines where our shirts fall, and that distinguishes us from those who can vary their attire seemingly at will. I can see only two answers: (1) succumb to the fashion "need" of an overall even tan and use false colouring, or (2) say, "Screw it" and deal with the tan-lines wherever they might fall.

Worse than rolled-up sleeves on the tan front, however, is my main problem; I get "driver's tan" which, in the US, means your left arm is perpetually darker than your right unless you take "corrective action". Such is the price of the 9-to-5 job....

It's possible that if I had been in the habit of going shirtless a lot of the time, I might be less sensitive to chills. I'm guessing that's why so many women don't seem to mind going out in sleeveless shirts, blouses, and dresses, even in cool weather. Or maybe they just figure "you have to suffer to be beautiful." (Me, I'd rather stay ugly.)

If I had to "suffer to be beautiful" I'd choose to be "ugly", too. Life is short enough anyway; why make it more miserable than it needs to be.

[Peter v]

I must admit, I too have the idea that some how women sem to be better suited to different temperatures than men. They are very often bare legged, ( pantys do woners) and bare armed, when men are still wearing long trousers and probably jumpers / jackets or at least long sleaved shirts.

I don't believe all those women have it cold. When they do, they put on a vest or what ever.

I would think that if you all your life wear bare clothing, like men who work in the bush, on farms etc, you get a certain resistence to the elements. That may be a factor for women as apposed to men.

As I have worn skirts every day since august 2007, the past months with panty hose, Tights, I can say that with regards to the legs, I did not think it would be so easy to go with only panty hose even in below zero temperatures. ( not with wind chill ) I sometimes get goose bumps and shivver in shops because I feel the draught with my bare legs. ( or in panty hose )

I do wear short sleeved shirts now, and want to wear tank tops and camisoles too, but I do have a very hairy back and no partner to remove the hair so that my back is also presentable.

[Bri]

Somehow I don't think women have it that much easier than men, or are that much more resilient. It really depends on the person. Most women that I know absolutely can't stand the cold. One of the contributors is lack of circulation and of course the other part is, women generally have much less hair than men; making the wind and cold that much more penetrable to them.


But over the years women have seen many more advancements in keeping themselves warm in skirts and other small amounts of clothes. Like tights, and leggings and other things that make them look really nice yet don't deter from the clothes they're wearing.