skirtcafe.org

Hey guys, I'm Marcel, i study fashion design at the Gerrit Rietveld Aademy in Amsterdam.
I'm doing menswear and currently exploring the world of skirts.
My theory research is also about skirts for men.
So could you maybe take a few minutes to answer some questions, you would HELP ME A LOT.

- Why are you wearing skirts? ( as a fashion statement, comfort, crossdressing/transgender etc etc?)

- How does it feel to wear a skirt?

- Do you have a partner? If so, how does he or she reacts when you wear a skirt?

- How do people on the street react when you wear a skirt?

- What kind of skirts are you wearing and why?

- Describe the perfect skirt for men... ( material, length, details etc)

+ How old are you? Where are you from? Are you gay, straight, bi-sexual or transgender?

+ Could you add a picture of you in your nicest skirt?



Thanks a lot for helping me out

Cheers, Marcel

[attachment=2]1.jpeg[/attachment] [attachment=1]2.jpg[/attachment] [attachment=0]alan taylor.jpg[/attachment]

Hi Marcel and

I'm a 62 yr old who enjoys the comfort of wearing skirted garments, mainly kilts.
Here is a pic of my Irish National Kilt with the "trimmings". My preference is
"Wash-n-Wear" type of material(easy to care for) with the length at 'Mid-Knee".
Short enough to keep cool yet long enough for modesty.

Our grandsons don't care either way about "Paw-Paw" in a kilt, skirt or pants.
Wife still has a few 'problems' with me being skirted in public, yet she has
no problem with the kilt.

My idea of the "Perfect Mens Skirts" is to look like a pair of knee-length shorts
but with a deep box pleat in the front and back. Still have the look of 'Dress-Pants'
from the bottom of the front zipper up to the 7 or 9 belt loops on the waist band.
From the zipper down to the hem line would be skirted with the deep box pleat to
allow for a long walking stride. The pleated material would fall 'properly' when
seated to cover the "Modesty Issue".

Best Wishes for your studies and I hope to see your designs,
not only on the 'cat-walk' but on the rack in our local shop.

Uncle Al

Hi Marcel, welcome aboard, and good luck with your studies!

I'll answer these one by one, as that's easiest for me at the moment.

marcelkropfl wrote:Why are you wearing skirts? ( as a fashion statement, comfort, crossdressing/transgender etc etc?)

Offhand, I'd say comfort first and as a fashion statement second. When I initially put on a skirt my first thought was, "Damn! I've been cheated all these years." They're that comfortable.

How does it feel to wear a skirt?

This may sound odd, but it feels liberating. I feel vastly more free in skirts than I do in trousers.

Do you have a partner? If so, how does he or she reacts when you wear a skirt?

I have a wife of almost 25 years, and she is fully supportive of my skirted looks.

How do people on the street react when you wear a skirt?

I pick up the occasional second glance and a few questions, but mostly never anything overtly negative. I've also had many very positive and affirming comments over the years, and those do put a spring in one's step. The only openly negative comment I've received was to a white mini-dress that particularly torqued off one of my good friends.

What kind of skirts are you wearing and why?

I wear, for the most part, lengths ranging from upper-calf length to "floor-sweepers". It seems I don't have the body type that looks good in above-the-knee or mini lengths.

Describe the perfect skirt for men... ( material, length, details etc)

The short answer to this, although it may not be particularly helpful, is whatever type of skirt in whatever fabric and style appeals to a guy and that he can make look good in public settings.

How old are you? Where are you from? Are you gay, straight, bi-sexual or transgender?

At the moment I'm 52. This is, of necessity, increasing and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm from the northeast part of the United States and I'm straight.

Could you add a picture of you in your nicest skirt?

Imagery may be had on the site here.

Thanks a lot for helping me out

Good luck.

I've answered all your questions twice but each time the system broke down -- did not like my picture, probably.
Sorry.
Martin

marcelkropfl wrote:Hey guys, I'm Marcel, i study fashion design at the Gerrit Rietveld Aademy in Amsterdam.
I'm doing menswear and currently exploring the world of skirts.
My theory research is also about skirts for men.
So could you maybe take a few minutes to answer some questions, you would HELP ME A LOT.

- Why are you wearing skirts? ( as a fashion statement, comfort, crossdressing/transgender etc etc?)

Some of it is curiously, like, "I've tried pants and shorts; I wonder what a skirt would be like." But it's also fun to do something non-mainstream, to project myself and see how people react.

marcelkropfl wrote:- How does it feel to wear a skirt?

A little breezy around the hem, freer around the hips, but the best is the swish against my legs.

marcelkropfl wrote:- Do you have a partner? If so, how does he or she reacts when you wear a skirt?

Yes. At first she was confused and hostile, then she became grudgingly tolerant, and now she's growing toward acceptance. She still doesn't want me wearing a skirt around the neighborhood, though, and she doesn't want to be seen in public with me skirted.

marcelkropfl wrote: - How do people on the street react when you wear a skirt?

Some don't noice. They're busy with something else when I pass.

Some notice and probably think, "Oh, that's weird," but show no reaction.

Some notice and then visibly ignore me.

Some notice and look me in the face. I look them straight back and maybe say, "Hi, have a good day."

Some, particularly women, smile in approval. I get this much more often skirted than not. And no, they're not laughing at me.

Some stop and ask polite questions, like, "Where can I buy one of those?" One woman asked if I was from Seatle or San Francisco, as she'd heard from her son that those were two hotbeds of men's utility kilts.

A few notice and then scowl or give some other nasty look. Screw' 'em.

Grade-school kids sometimes go slack-jawed and stare, presumably xpanding their world view. The parents are generally OK with me, though.

Yesterday I was at a trailhead, stowing my gear after a hike, when two Mormon missionaries noticed me and visibly gawked. They, of course, we're wearing the required white shirt, black tie, black pants, and dress shoes, making them a whole lot more out-of-place than I was, like wearing a business suit to a beach. Oh well.

marcelkropfl wrote: - What kind of skirts are you wearing and why?

Mostly utility kilts, because they're somewhat known and different from what a skirted women would wear. But I also own some true women's skirts and intend to wear them out eventually. Most of these are denim or corduroy jeans-like skirts. It's nice to have usable belt loops and pockets.

marcelkropfl wrote:Describe the perfect skirt for men... ( material, length, details etc)

Casual, denim or cotton, 2-inch belt loops, usable pockets, knee-length, loose enough to avoid visual mishaps when seated.

marcelkropfl wrote: + How old are you? Where are you from? Are you gay, straight, bi-sexual or transgender?

65, Phoenix AZ, straight.

marcelkropfl wrote: + Could you add a picture of you in your nicest skirt?

Thanks a lot for helping me out

Cheers, Marcel

You can find a photo of me in the Pics and Looks forum. It's titled Hiking in Phoenix and dated Feb 28, 2013

marcelkropfl wrote:Hey guys, I'm Marcel, i study fashion design at the Gerrit Rietveld Aademy in Amsterdam.

Hi, and welcome to the café.

You may find the Jupe-Skirt Infomation web site useful. The linked page is the one with my answers to their questions and many of the answers you asked for will be found there too. However, I will answer again here and it might be interesting to see if my answers have changed in the past three years or so.

- Why are you wearing skirts? ( as a fashion statement, comfort, crossdressing/transgender etc etc?)

Comfort primarily, but I also get a small buzz from just being slightly rebellious.

- How does it feel to wear a skirt?

Comfortable, free, natural.

- Do you have a partner? If so, how does he or she reacts when you wear a skirt?

I've been married almost 25 years and have a son (now 18 years old). Carole was OK with a kilt, but a bit hesitant about other types of skirt initially. Over time she has become more used to my skirt wearing and has discovered that most other people don't seem to mind how I dress, so she no longer worries that my being weird will somehow reflect on her or our son. As a result she is now relaxed enough to go to the pub or out to dinner with me skirted.

- How do people on the street react when you wear a skirt?

Most don't, or at least don't seem to. Those that do remark to me have been universally supportive, a few have muttered to other people that it's somehow "wrong" or inappropriate, but even they have become used to it as the novelty was worn off. Out in public the most common reaction is a smile or an occasional conversation; I have never noticed a serious negative reaction in public.

- What kind of skirts are you wearing and why?

I don't generally wear bright colours or patterns, either in skirts or in shirts. As for length my shortest is 400mm (15.5 inches) in length and my longest is 1080mm (42.5 inches). To put that in context I am 1.90m tall (6 foot 3 inches) so those range from mini but wearable to skimming the tops of my feet. I don't go all the way to floor length as dirty hems and trip hazards become an issue. I also have a number of kilts although none of them are tartan.

None of my skirts are narrow enough to restrict my stride significantly.

- Describe the perfect skirt for men... ( material, length, details etc)

I will not attempt to describe the perfect skirt for a man; instead I shall describe some of the features that I like in a skirt, others will have different opinions.

Freedom of movement. There must be enough material that I can take a full stride in the skirt; I hate being hobbled. The material can be loose as in an A line or in the form of pleats, I have two long skirts with two deep pleats each, one has one at the front and one at the back, the other has two down the left leg. Both these skirts use the pleats to keep the volume of fabric tidy.

Modesty. I do not dress to show off, so the skirts I choose have to allow me to be seen with no danger of startling the horses.

I like plain colours and usually prefer to have at least a pocket that will carry a cell phone. The ability to add a belt is often appreciated.

I do not have any shiny or ultra light weight fabrics, but am considering having a long skirt made of silk (there are some great Thai manufacturers out there who can make whatever I want from Thai silk at a reasonable price so a more formal silk skirt may be on the cards). If I do it I will post a picture or two in the pics and looks section of this forum.

- How old are you? Where are you from? Are you gay, straight, bi-sexual or transgender?

I am 52 years old and have worn skirts and kilts since I was around 45. I live in southern England about 25 miles west of London and am straight. (I don't believe the last point has any relevance to skirt wearing, however it will be interesting to see if your research suggests I'm wrong).

- Could you add a picture of you in your nicest skirt?

There are a number of pictures in the link I provided above and some more can be found in the "Milfmog" threat under pics and looks, here.

Thanks a lot for helping me out

You're welcome. Hope the project and studies go well for you. Please share your final papers with us when you are able to. I'm sure there are a number of people here who would love to know how your research turns out.

Have fun,


Ian.

marcelkropfl wrote:Hey guys, I'm Marcel, i study fashion design at the Gerrit Rietveld Aademy in Amsterdam.
I'm doing menswear and currently exploring the world of skirts.
My theory research is also about skirts for men.
So could you maybe take a few minutes to answer some questions, you would HELP ME A LOT.

- Why are you wearing skirts? ( as a fashion statement, comfort, crossdressing/transgender etc etc?)

I wear skirts because they are more comfortable than jeans.

marcelkropfl wrote:- How does it feel to wear a skirt?

I like the ventilation, the lack of anything binding and pressing on my undercarriage, the fact that after a couple of skirted weeks, skin problems in normally sweaty areas clear up. I also like the feeling of a skirt moving around in a breeze and also the feeling as you reach the limits of the width of the skirt. In wet weather sometimes a skirt can feel better than cold wet jeans because it is not pressed against your lower body the way jeans are. I just like them!

marcelkropfl wrote:- Do you have a partner? If so, how does he or she reacts when you wear a skirt?

No partner, friends that have seen me skirted have hardly commented at all, well not to my face!

marcelkropfl wrote:- How do people on the street react when you wear a skirt?

Mostly no reaction at all, a couple of complements and a couple of questions (mostly Why?). Wearing a kilt gets more comments, even in Glasgow!

marcelkropfl wrote:- What kind of skirts are you wearing and why?

Denim cargo skirts from Midas, I use one knee length, one calf length for increased warmth and one ankle length, which is my favourite. If I wasn't wearing one of these I would be wearing jeans anyway. I like the Midas skirts, they have decent pockets, a proper fly, they are also made to order customised to my requirements, which I like. Why do I wear them? just a comfortable alternative to jeans, nothing more sinister. I do have many other skirts but do not wear them in public, I don't really want to wear more feminine styles or less practical styles when out and about. It has taken me a long time to feel comfortable wearing the skirts I do wear in public. I need pockets, most of the other skirts which lack pockets are not going to get worn outside the house. I use Macabi skirts when sailing but I find the fabric too thin for the local climate, most of the time anyway. I have a Midas full circle skirt which I think I would wear, it is a bright red tartan, the tartan is tilted at a 45 degree angle, to me that just seems wrong, also I have expanded a bit and wouldn't want to wear that one without a belt to help take the strain, it doesn't have belt loops. I wish I could lose a few inches, then I would take that one out for a spin.

marcelkropfl wrote:- Describe the perfect skirt for men... ( material, length, details etc)

For me, the skirt must have pockets and belt loops, elasticated skirts just don't work on a corpulant male! I think the skirt shouldn't be much shorter than knee length, although if a guy has incredible legs then why shouldn't he show them off? Anything from that to ankle length can look good.
I love the feel of a light wafty fabric, but as a 170 pound heavily built bearded male I just don't think it would look right! Also if someone asked me why I was wearing a full circle chiffon layered skirt, or a silk full circle skirt, or for that matter a medieval full skirt with a train I would find it harder to justify. I have them all, I like wearing them, but I would feel like a prat if I was caught wearing one of them! (It did happen once, and yes, I felt bloody ridiculous! in a really comfortable sort of gypsy type skirt, which later drowned in a boating accident!)

marcelkropfl wrote:+ How old are you? Where are you from? Are you gay, straight, bi-sexual or transgender?

Early fifties, Straight, Central Scotland.

marcelkropfl wrote:+ Could you add a picture of you in your nicest skirt?

Only in my Pics and Looks thread, maybe I will update it this week, I must make the effort, it hasn't been updated for a long time.



Thanks a lot for helping me out

Cheers, Marcel
[/quote]

marcelkropfl wrote:Hey guys, I'm Marcel, i study fashion design at the Gerrit Rietveld Aademy in Amsterdam.
I'm doing menswear and currently exploring the world of skirts.
My theory research is also about skirts for men...

As food for thought, most of the members here seem glad to see men's skirts on the fashion runways, but disappointed that the designs are so avant garde, so removed from normal streetwear, and so unlikely to increase the number of everyday male skirt-wearers.

I recall some years ago some fashion house requiring all male employees to wear a skirt or dress to work once a week. I don't think that produced any positive results but maybe if the fashion industry keeps trying...

I realize, btw, that most designer women's clothes aren't what most women would wear every day, either. So I think that popularizing men's skirts would take a combination of haute couture exposure to get publicity and ready-to-wear products for volume.

But this would still require something that makes a non-trivial percentage of men think, "Now that's something I would wear!" Unfortunately, though, I can't suggest what that might be. Being a skirt at all is quite a barrier.

Utility kilts seem to be the most successful recent innovation.

Hello Marcel, and welcome to this section of cyberspace. I'm sure I am not alone in looking forward to more input from you. As to pictures, they are in Pics and Looks which will only be available to members who have posted often enough to guarantee their bona fides. However, back to the subject in hand.

Q1--- "Skirts" are a perfectly liberating garment that has been worn by men for millennia until only a few centuries ago in the west, so why not.

Q2--- The feeling of a skirt aound the legs as opposed to trousers is, as I said above, liberating. Far preferable!

Q3--- Partner, yes and 5 grandchildren, No. 6 coming in a couple of months. She (partner) is comfortable with my skirt wearing and quickly corrects any faux pas I may inadverdantly create (some can be mal pas)

Q4--- Reactions range from nothing to a few double takes. Hostility is rare; I would say negligible.

Q5--- Length varies with the weather, although nothing too high above knee length. In winter ankle length is worn in denim and heavy cotton twill, Also looking forward to wearing a new denim with flannel lining. Today, I am in a just above knee stonewash denim.

Q6--- A perfect skirt is very subjective, and can throw up some vigorous debate. I go for denim, heavy twill or widewale corduroy. All skirts I own have to have practical pockets, able to accommodate things a man usually carries. It should also have front zipper or inside button opening and belt loops capable of fitting a masculine country style belt. I am more unadventurous in colour, mainly denim, khaki and grey, though I do own an emerald green ankle length twill, too warm for an Aussie St. Pat's day outing!

Q7--- I am 64, live in rural Australia and, frankly, I don't really believe that sexual preference has any relevance here, but I have my hormones balanced towards the opposite sex, in other words, straight!

I believe that another part of the equation here has to do with that thing called IQ. An overwhelming majority of the members of this forum are very literate and of a higher than average IQ, whether their education level is as great as their potential is another matter.(a couple I know to be in Mensa.) With this in mind, there comes a willingness to defy perceived wisdom and ask "why is it so, and is this 'wisdom' valid?"

marcelkropfl wrote:Hey guys, I'm Marcel, i study fashion design at the Gerrit Rietveld Aademy in Amsterdam.
I'm doing menswear and currently exploring the world of skirts.
My theory research is also about skirts for men.
So could you maybe take a few minutes to answer some questions, you would HELP ME A LOT.

Hi Marcel.

marcelkropfl wrote:- Why are you wearing skirts? ( as a fashion statement, comfort, crossdressing/transgender etc etc?)

I got into this because from a fairly young age, I developed a fetish for female clothing. It has become much less of a fetish in recent years, I still get a bit of a kick out of it, but it's mostly now about the comfort, and a means of self expression.

marcelkropfl wrote:- How does it feel to wear a skirt?

Comfortable, very non-restrictive, I also like what it says about my feelings. I feel like a man, and I'm straight, but I'm starting to realize that men are very much repressed in Western culture, we are not expected to exhibit a softer side, and this is a way of rebelling against that.

marcelkropfl wrote:- Do you have a partner? If so, how does he or she reacts when you wear a skirt?

My Girlfriend is entirely supportive, she says I seem much more relaxed when i wear a skirt at her place.

marcelkropfl wrote:- How do people on the street react when you wear a skirt?

Not really worn any out yet, a couple of brief forays have not resulted in any hostility or negative reaction. If i get my kilt, and wear that out, I expect some widely mixed reactions. I think most will be approving, if sometimes mixed with humor, a significant percentage will ignore, or pretend to, a few will heckle, and the occasional bit of hostility, which doesn't worry me, the law is on my side, and I'm big enough to take of myself.

marcelkropfl wrote:- What kind of skirts are you wearing and why?

I plan on getting am elkomando hiking kilt, most of my skirts from thrift shops, are gray, black, or kahki. my typical look is like you first example, teamed with a sweater, I'd like to mix it up with a fairly colorful Indian Kurta, to just below the hips.

marcelkropfl wrote:- Describe the perfect skirt for men... ( material, length, details etc)

See above.

marcelkropfl wrote:+ How old are you? Where are you from? Are you gay, straight, bi-sexual or transgender?

50s, Western Canada, straight.

marcelkropfl wrote:+ Could you add a picture of you in your nicest skirt?

Not at this time.

marcelkropfl wrote:Thanks a lot for helping me out

Cheers, Marcel

You're Welcome.

marcelkropfl wrote:Hey guys, I'm Marcel, i study fashion design at the Gerrit Rietveld Aademy in Amsterdam.
I'm doing menswear and currently exploring the world of skirts.
My theory research is also about skirts for men.
So could you maybe take a few minutes to answer some questions, you would HELP ME A LOT.

Hey Marcel. Sure.

marcelkropfl wrote:- Why are you wearing skirts? ( as a fashion statement, comfort, crossdressing/transgender etc etc?)

Purely for comfort. I do wear kilts when I want to get in touch with my heritage or when I want to dress up a bit. Otherwise, a regular skirt works wonders. Used to wear trousers all the time. Mainly Levi's 560 denim jeans. But, 13 years ago, a friend of mine had been doing a year in shorts, so I decided to do the same the next year. After a few months of that, I figured, might as well try getting rid of the inseam. In February 2002, I started wearing skirts in public, but, strangely, not at home. Family wasn't at all keen on that idea. After a while, I was able to get them to accept kilts, getting my first tartan kilt in August 2002. For quite some time, all I wore were either tartan kilts or, for a while, Utilikilts. Eventually, it became ok for me to skirt at home, since I preferred to sleep in one, instead of wearing a pair of shorts or PJ's. Then, around 2008 or so, I started wearing skirts publicly again, but would throw on one of my kilts over the skirt when I'd leave or return home, so the family wouldn't get upset. In June 2009, I almost completely stopped wearing kilts and switched to skirts, but switched back to using a pair of athletic shorts to cover whatever skirt I was wearing for dealing with the departure/arrival stuff. A couple years ago, I finally said to heck with it and started leaving the house skirted. Discovered that family members didn't notice. Last year, I started wearing them when I was out with the family. They didn't like it at first, but are now somewhat ok with it.

marcelkropfl wrote:- How does it feel to wear a skirt?

Very liberating. The second best thing to not having clothing on your body, but without the chance of being arrested for indecent exposure.

marcelkropfl wrote:- Do you have a partner? If so, how does he or she reacts when you wear a skirt?

No, not yet. But, when I start dating, I will be skirted, so it'll be a given.

marcelkropfl wrote:- How do people on the street react when you wear a skirt?

For the most part, people don't really care. The only ones who seem to care are teenage (and younger) girls, who will typically laugh or make a big deal about it. Sure, I've seen some adults look at me strangely. I typically just do the same, while looking down at their pants... Let them feel uncomfortable.

marcelkropfl wrote:- What kind of skirts are you wearing and why?

I typically wear full skirts, since I prefer not to have my stride hobbled. I do have a couple denim skirts that are straight, but, the majority of my stuff is either A-line, pleated, or full-circle. Unlike most guys, I don't see a reason to stick with dull, drab colors and patterns. I've frequently gone out in floral-print skirts that have a lot of bright pink, red, orange, etc, in them. No big deal. In fact, a lot of women seem to like seeing those skirts on me. I do find that I can wear lightweight skirts during the winter, if I layer them, then combine them with wool kilt socks and fleece sweatshirts, etc. Lately, I've been wearing ruffled skirts. Yeah, not what you'd normally think as a guy's skirt, but they work well and are very comfortable.

marcelkropfl wrote:- Describe the perfect skirt for men... ( material, length, details etc)

One man's favorite will be something that another doesn't like. For me, something light and airy, full, and either just above-knee or mid-knee. Any color's game.

marcelkropfl wrote:+ How old are you? Where are you from? Are you gay, straight, bi-sexual or transgender?

37, from the Seattle area of Washington state in the United States. Straight.

marcelkropfl wrote:+ Could you add a picture of you in your nicest skirt?

There are many pics of me in various skirts on my lookbook page - http://lookbook.nu/blue245ti - feel free to peruse them...

marcelkropfl wrote:Thanks a lot for helping me out

Cheers, Marcel

Oh, not a problem.

-J

marcelkropfl wrote: - Why are you wearing skirts? ( as a fashion statement, comfort, crossdressing/transgender etc etc?)

Comfort. Elements of cross dressing but that has also generally been with a comfort aim. (i.e. I wonder if that garment is as comfortable as it looks?)

- How does it feel to wear a skirt?

Very comfortable and liberating.

- Do you have a partner? If so, how does he or she reacts when you wear a skirt?

single.

- How do people on the street react when you wear a skirt?

I rarely wear skirts out. Kilts have generally had a positive reaction.

- What kind of skirts are you wearing and why?

I now prefer ones with a more masculine appearance. A-line jeans/cargo type items, for example.

- Describe the perfect skirt for men... ( material, length, details etc)

If men HAD to wear skirts, I think they would mainly choose; cotton, at least knee length, styled like trousers currently are, many pockets.

+ How old are you? Where are you from? Are you gay, straight, bi-sexual or transgender?

43, England, gay.

+ Could you add a picture of you in your nicest skirt?

found elsewhere on the site.

Does Marcel plan to actually design skirts for men? Or just write a paper?

Grok wrote:Does Marcel plan to actually design skirts for men? Or just write a paper?

Either will be useful.

To learn more about the "Gerrit Rietveld Academie" and their open-minded activities try this link:
http://www.gerritrietveldacademie.nl and choose English.
Gerrit Rietveld was a Dutch furniture designer and architect. Extensive info about this versatile artist and his work can be found on Wikipedia English.

Jan.