skirtcafe.org

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... man-skirts

£820 for a kilt - daylight robbery!

It really needs to be £80 very tops before anyone will buy this. Just my opinion....

renesm1 wrote:...£820 for a kilt - daylight robbery!...

Sounds like a machine gun was used instead of a pistol

I totally agree---Daylight, Highway, (your explicative goes here) robbery indeed

The picture in the article really does not show the quality, if any, of the kilt.
In my opinion, the 'top' was not the correct match for the kilt. The socks & shoes
were wrong too. The picture, to me, was set up to riddicule the outfit.
To make it LESS APPEALING to the public.

I might wear this kilt if
a) it was at a much lower price point,
b) I could get a closer look at the details of the kilt, stitching, etc.
c) I could see other color options.
d) (Your choice of words goes here.)

If I were to 'dress-up' this specimen of a kilt, I might add a light, solid color shirt,
a dark color solid jacket, to match the dark color of the kilt. Then I'ld replace the
socks and shoes with over-the-calf dark hose and dress shoes.
This would be keeping the kilt as the visual focal point of the outfit.

To change the 'focal point' I would add a bright red dress shirt, a white jacket/coat
with shirt collar over-laying the jacket/coat. White 'O-T-C' hose with white casual shoes.

These are my two 'suggestions' for 'cleaning up' the picture in the news article.
I'm sure each person who reads the article, and views the picture, will have
a 'suggestion' or two for the kilt, and the picture.
(Please do not include the trash-can as an option.)

Anyone else care to add their 'suggestions'

Uncle Al
Duncanville, TX

Some wiseacre asked for "suggestions". Well, I haven't any of those, but I do have a couple of observations on the article and the image included therein.

The text associated with the article is actually quite matter-of-fact, and doesn't outright bash the notion of mens skirts, but does point up the difficulty of getting them accepted into the mainstream -- and that difficulty is primarily one of mental inertia on the parts of the vast herd of lemmings out there. I especially got a chuckle out of the final paragraph which merely points up that the ensemble (OK, "outfit") just didn't work.

Now, before somebody goes and rips me another one for using the forbidden "O" word, I'd like to point up my personal take on the look presented:

1) I don't know whether the top is a T-shirt or a sweatshirt, but it just doesn't, in my opinion, go. It looks like the skirt is in a subdued plaid, and bold stripes just don't go well. That's a coordination problem that guys are going to have to learn to deal with. The same holds with "don't mix prints with plaids". I committed that sin more than twice back in the 1970s when plaid pants and print shirts could be easily had. I regret it; I looked like an explosion in a fabric shop. And, no, I will not be publishing pictures; use your imagination.

2) The socks. I don't know if they're two-tone or whether the man has tan lines. I also don't particularly care, either. They don't work; the length is wrong and they place a sharp horizontal divider where the eye is not expecting one; that's a distraction and detracts from the look. If one is going to wear a skirt in "kilt mode", one should likely adhere to the usual kilt-hose etiquette; if not in "kilt mode" I believe that one should try to minimise any extra "breaks" in the verticality of the leg silhouette.

3) Trainers. These are OK for extremely casual settings -- i.e knocking around the house on a Saturday afternoon or walking the dog on a trail someplace. Unless one is trying to mimic such a setting, they don't belong in the photographer's studio. "Shorty" socks work well with trainers -- and they avoid the mid-calf dividing line; make use of them.

OK, so much for what's wrong with it. How about asking, "What's right?"

I can immediate think of three things:

1) It portrays a reasonably healthy mens body type,
2) it shows a smiling visage, and, last but nowhere least,
3) it shows a bloke in a skirt having a bit of fun and "hamming it up".

Alright, I will make a couple of "suggestions", but beware that they're strongly influenced by my own sense of style.

1) Use a dress shirt, or at least a "polo" style.
2) if not in "kilt mode", either wear legwear that won't leave visible breaks in the line of the leg or very short, "invisible" socks.
3) Either go white for the shirt -- a "poets'" style shirt works devastatingly well with both kilts and skirts -- or some other solid colour. Crimson might go well with that skirt. Or a cobalt blue.
4) If formal or semi-formal, use dress shoes. Trainers are only appropriate for the gym or serious "knocking-about" activity.

Note that I didn't say anything about the skirt. In fact I rather like it, bit not at better than 800 pounds sterling. That needs addressing.

The skirt itself isn't bad

IF you knock off the last zero on the price!!

Still pricey at that!

Terrible promotional event for the introduction of a Kilt!
Starting from top to bottom:

The top should be of plain design for casual/athletic wear whether it is a 'T' shirt or sweat shirt.
Nothing fancy about field hockey; lacrosse or tossing the caber.
If for a formal event then the tuxedo shirt with bow tie and if semi-formal the jacobite shirt-
shirt with the shoe lacing placket.

The KILT itself - come-on give me a description: Is it an 8 yard kilt made of wool or a 6+ yard kilt
made of polyester acrylic? Is it pleated to the stripe or the sett? Conventional knife pleats or box
pleats? Are the pleats sewen down at least 6 inches below the waist? 3 strap and buckle waist fasting?
A generic tartan pattern or clan affiliation? What is the Hem length and is it selveged?

The sox - for formal wear kilt hose with an over the calf roll top hiding the garter with flashes at knee level.
For anything else plain athletic sox or ankle crew sox but nothing so blindingly as this display of 'RED' sox!

Footwear - formal wear low quarter black shoes or brogues with shoe lacing criss-crossing the kilt sox.
For other activites footwear suitable for the event. Now tennis shoes for a photo shoot "I do not think so!"

What an extreme abomination for selling or promoting kilts !!!!!!!!!!!

AND ONE FINAL POINT "KILTED MEN DO NOT FAN OUT THE APRONS AS IF TO CURTSY!"

"VERY KILTED-"OFF" BY THIS DISPLAY OF IGNORANCE!"
rm

The final paragraph of the article reads...

The problem was what to wear on my feet. The stylist suggested the trainers and socks. I said I thought what was going on below my knees was spoiling the look. "Frankly," she frowned, "what's going on above is no feast for the eyes, either", suggesting the fashion world's persistence with the man-skirt has yet to pay off.

The key to the problem with the look is the second word of the second sentence above... "stylist". In other words someone who has no intention of wearing the outfit, who, being female, has no experience of wearing a kilt but has a professional interest in doing what other stylists expect, albeit trying to do it a little better. To fix the outfit start by getting rid of the stylist; the author clearly knew her advice was wrong but took it anyway.

Looking at this the other way around, perhaps it is stylists who need to be educated, rather than Joe Public. If stylists can put together wearable, rather than laughable, kilted or skirted outfits then fashion trend setters may try wearing them and the the fashion could eventually percolate down the various strata of fashion into the wardrobes of real people.

Have fun,


Ian.

PS: £800+ -silly but expected with the John Galliano name tag. £79 for a striped sweater is almost as daft.

PPS: The stylist did not get a name check, so I guess the editors were not sufficiently impressed with her work to give her credit for it.

Ian,

I didn't catch the part about the Stylist, but I agree that the
person 'claiming' to know fashion--needs another line of work

I know--I have a small barn that needs painting--OH! The Stylist probably
would not want to paint the same colors again. I shudder to think what
the outcome would be. On second thought, I would not hire the Stylist to
paint my barn. I know what I want so I guess I'll have to do it myself

Uncle Al
Duncanville, TX

Someone's got to tell that Alex guy that on a man it's a SHIRT. On a woman it's a TOP. To me, a top is either something with a string and metal point. Or the lid on a jar,bottle or can. I figgered that Alex fellow splaying the skirt of the kilt out might enrage all the kilters here...curtsey huh? Mairzie Doats and Dozey Doats and Little Anzie Divey...Diddley Ivey Doo Wouldn't Youuuu...? I've picked out these 2 tartans for my site, anyone like them?