Skirting around Buenos Aires
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:01 pm
Thank you for the invitation. I'll grab my mug and take a seat right here, close to the potted plant near the River Plate. I’ve been a male skirt wearer for several years now, and I also dress in other garments traditionally considered “feminine”. But only recently did I come across these Internet forums (this is the second I actually sing up for). I should admit that the reason may be that I’m not much of a “forum” person. I stay away from all those pointless controversies and debates that are the subject matter of so many fora, so it hadn’t even crossed my mind to look for them. Actually, I didn’t even know they existed. But on the other hand, I do love to share, share experiences, share sightings, stories, pics. So it really came as a wonderful surprise to stumble across you, people, since it made me realise that I'm not the only guy out there wearing skirts in public!
So thank you Bob, Crfriend, Uncle Al, and anyone else responsible for all the effort in putting together and keeping up this meeting place.
Male skirts and male fashion freedom in general are not what they used to be. I cannot affirm that rejection, disrespect and contempt are entirely a thing of the past, but, at least in my experience, unless you actually enter a male-skirt-un-friendly place (like certain churches or other exceedingly tradition-oriented organizations, or testosterone-driven gatherings like a football field), the overall balance is actually positive. I mean, after all, you come face to face with savagely pierced and horrifyingly tattooed youngsters all the time, displaying outrageous hairdos and freaky outfits… a man wearing skirts and other apparel conventionally considered “feminine”, is probably not really something “way over the top” as is used to be. Unusual or funny perhaps, but not really offensive or disgusting to most people.
I acknowledge that wearing a skirt might get you to be discriminated against under certain circumstances. For example, when applying for a job. You may also get singled out in a particularly conservative environment, like some religious services… but then, why would you want to work in a place where you are not accepted the way you are, or attend a service you are not really welcome to? (I’ve attended Catholic masses in very sober skirts without any problem, so I guess the issue is not the outfit, but it being perceived as a provocation)
As for me, I wear skirts all the time. I don’t keep any record, so I can’t really tell how many times a week, but I guess I wear them just as often as I wear trousers, if not more. I can’t leave the house without my earrings (I have both ears pierced) and most of my shoes have moderately-high heels. No, I don’t wear stilettos… but all my footwear comes from the “ladies” section. I love platforms. Can’t have enough of them: I guess I just got stuck I the 70s. Platform-wedge sandals, mules, and clogs really drive me nuts (they take up a lot of space in the closet!) I seldom wear makeup (the only reason being that it’s one of the few things my wife´s still not comfortable with), but I often polish my nails, especially my toe-nails during the summer.
As a hobby, I’ve taken up dressmaking, and I’m very skillful at that. I sew my own clothes (and my wife’s), so all my clothing looks exactly the way I want it to look: I wear 70s-like bell-bottom pants, and palazzos, as well as embroidered blouses. I guess I look quite feminine by traditional standards.
Am I a cross-dresser? I don’t know. What do you think… am I? I don’t intend to look or “pass” as a woman (let alone with my beard), although on occasions I’m called “ma’am” (when addressed from behind).
What’s wrong with me, then? Nothing, I believe: I simply give myself “permission” to wear whatever garments I like, those I feel identified with, no matter what others think a “real” man “should” wear. It may have something to do, I wonder, with shifting gender roles. As I’ve always performed in my relationships those activities traditionally assigned to the female partner, at some point (very early on!) I may have started relating with a more compliant, unassertive, and creative image of myself.
Now, picture me the way I was dressed last night: an ankle-length black Indian skirt embroidered in gold, a black turtle neck sweater, large black knitted shawl, my high-heeled black boots with matching handbag (I was quite “dark”, now that I think about it!), accessorized with large crystal ear-studs, a black-and-golden necklace (it’s plastic actually, but looks great), silver bracelets and rings, walking confidently through the streets. What happened? Did I get any mocking comments? Astonished stares? Did I overhear giggles?
No: nothing of the sort. Nothing ever happens, actually. Of course I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that, along these many years, I’ve had to face offensive comments and scorn once in a while, but those have been very rare, isolated events.
Positive remarks and compliments by far overshadow negative ones. So, if any of you guys out there is still uncertain about going out in a skirt or high heels, my advice would be: go right ahead! You have nothing to fear, nothing to lose, and a lot of fun to win! Just do so naturally and in a relaxed way, and enjoy the experience. Don’t take my word for it: try it for yourselves. I tell you: even my most extreme flowered skirts or chunky-funky-platform sandals at most get as little as a startled glimpse or a muttered comment. Now: if you are intending to wear those garments as a provocation or transgression… you might feel disappointed: people are too concerned about their own affairs to care less about what you wear.
On the other hand, I don’t have a single friend who has taken his “fashion freedom” to the extent I have. I don’t even know of any single male in my city who does, so I do feel a little like the “black sheep” at times. That’s why this forum is such a great find for me. I hate controversies, plus I don’t feel discriminated against, nor do I have much to rant or argue about, so you won’t have me “defending” any particular “cause” or attacking anybody. What I’d love to have is simply fellow “free-dressers” (let’s call us that) to share ideas and experiences with.
I used to have a colleague who somehow managed to always wear a dress to work (in quite conservative surroundings!) He has left now. So again I’m the only nutty skirt-wearer in town. Good that you are all out there, guys! I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.
Juan
So thank you Bob, Crfriend, Uncle Al, and anyone else responsible for all the effort in putting together and keeping up this meeting place.
Male skirts and male fashion freedom in general are not what they used to be. I cannot affirm that rejection, disrespect and contempt are entirely a thing of the past, but, at least in my experience, unless you actually enter a male-skirt-un-friendly place (like certain churches or other exceedingly tradition-oriented organizations, or testosterone-driven gatherings like a football field), the overall balance is actually positive. I mean, after all, you come face to face with savagely pierced and horrifyingly tattooed youngsters all the time, displaying outrageous hairdos and freaky outfits… a man wearing skirts and other apparel conventionally considered “feminine”, is probably not really something “way over the top” as is used to be. Unusual or funny perhaps, but not really offensive or disgusting to most people.
I acknowledge that wearing a skirt might get you to be discriminated against under certain circumstances. For example, when applying for a job. You may also get singled out in a particularly conservative environment, like some religious services… but then, why would you want to work in a place where you are not accepted the way you are, or attend a service you are not really welcome to? (I’ve attended Catholic masses in very sober skirts without any problem, so I guess the issue is not the outfit, but it being perceived as a provocation)
As for me, I wear skirts all the time. I don’t keep any record, so I can’t really tell how many times a week, but I guess I wear them just as often as I wear trousers, if not more. I can’t leave the house without my earrings (I have both ears pierced) and most of my shoes have moderately-high heels. No, I don’t wear stilettos… but all my footwear comes from the “ladies” section. I love platforms. Can’t have enough of them: I guess I just got stuck I the 70s. Platform-wedge sandals, mules, and clogs really drive me nuts (they take up a lot of space in the closet!) I seldom wear makeup (the only reason being that it’s one of the few things my wife´s still not comfortable with), but I often polish my nails, especially my toe-nails during the summer.
As a hobby, I’ve taken up dressmaking, and I’m very skillful at that. I sew my own clothes (and my wife’s), so all my clothing looks exactly the way I want it to look: I wear 70s-like bell-bottom pants, and palazzos, as well as embroidered blouses. I guess I look quite feminine by traditional standards.
Am I a cross-dresser? I don’t know. What do you think… am I? I don’t intend to look or “pass” as a woman (let alone with my beard), although on occasions I’m called “ma’am” (when addressed from behind).
What’s wrong with me, then? Nothing, I believe: I simply give myself “permission” to wear whatever garments I like, those I feel identified with, no matter what others think a “real” man “should” wear. It may have something to do, I wonder, with shifting gender roles. As I’ve always performed in my relationships those activities traditionally assigned to the female partner, at some point (very early on!) I may have started relating with a more compliant, unassertive, and creative image of myself.
Now, picture me the way I was dressed last night: an ankle-length black Indian skirt embroidered in gold, a black turtle neck sweater, large black knitted shawl, my high-heeled black boots with matching handbag (I was quite “dark”, now that I think about it!), accessorized with large crystal ear-studs, a black-and-golden necklace (it’s plastic actually, but looks great), silver bracelets and rings, walking confidently through the streets. What happened? Did I get any mocking comments? Astonished stares? Did I overhear giggles?
No: nothing of the sort. Nothing ever happens, actually. Of course I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that, along these many years, I’ve had to face offensive comments and scorn once in a while, but those have been very rare, isolated events.
Positive remarks and compliments by far overshadow negative ones. So, if any of you guys out there is still uncertain about going out in a skirt or high heels, my advice would be: go right ahead! You have nothing to fear, nothing to lose, and a lot of fun to win! Just do so naturally and in a relaxed way, and enjoy the experience. Don’t take my word for it: try it for yourselves. I tell you: even my most extreme flowered skirts or chunky-funky-platform sandals at most get as little as a startled glimpse or a muttered comment. Now: if you are intending to wear those garments as a provocation or transgression… you might feel disappointed: people are too concerned about their own affairs to care less about what you wear.
On the other hand, I don’t have a single friend who has taken his “fashion freedom” to the extent I have. I don’t even know of any single male in my city who does, so I do feel a little like the “black sheep” at times. That’s why this forum is such a great find for me. I hate controversies, plus I don’t feel discriminated against, nor do I have much to rant or argue about, so you won’t have me “defending” any particular “cause” or attacking anybody. What I’d love to have is simply fellow “free-dressers” (let’s call us that) to share ideas and experiences with.
I used to have a colleague who somehow managed to always wear a dress to work (in quite conservative surroundings!) He has left now. So again I’m the only nutty skirt-wearer in town. Good that you are all out there, guys! I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.
Juan
