The Gurdian: Fashion designer Thom Browne: ‘Men should be able to wear anything’

[Coder]

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/202 ... r-anything

The theme of his collection this season is Moby-Dick, because he read it as a boy. It includes a dark green, below-the knee Harris tweed skirt for men. It’s a manifesto, something to wear to a corporate office. “I think we live in a world where men should be able to wear anything,” he says. “I don’t really care if anybody wants to wear it, but I think it looks good, and it’s an interesting proposition for anyone who does.”

The article didn't solely focus on skirts - but I genuinely believe this approach - and mindset - is what we need. Maybe cheaper skirts, mind you. You'll also notice a name in the article which should be familiar to the history of MIS (Bolton / Bravehearts exhibit).

Though it isn't linked from the article - you can find his line of highly priced skirts here:

https://www.thombrowne.com/us/sets/mens-skirts

Not sure any of them appeal to me - I like the Prince of Wales pattern, but it's awfully long and I can't imagine it's easy to walk in.

[geron]

Nothing to do with your theme, Coder, but your title will instantly remind British readers of a certain age of times long ago when early editions of The Guardian (then named The Manchester Guardian, and printed only in Manchester) would be hurried off the presses in the small hours of each morning to catch the early trains to London. The aim was to get them to our capital city in time to go on sale alongside the main national papers.

In the days of hot-metal typesetting, this need for haste didn't always allow enough time for thorough proofreading and correction of the early editions, and the paper acquired a reputation for misprints or typos -- sometimes comical ones. On occasion, it even managed to garble its own name, though generally somewhere inconspicuous, such as in the small ad columns. Hence, to this day, it is affectionately known among media folk as the Grauniad.

[STEVIE]

Hi Coder,
I get where Mr. Browne is coming from, but the title should read "Men should be able to wear anything, if they have enough money".
The difference between a Tom Browne Skirt and a skirt stands at around £/$ 2,000, the currency is irrelevant at this point.
Yeah, unique, great quality and long lasting, but as daily work wear, I rather think that's a niche within a niche perched atop an ivory tower.
Thing is, men are actually able to wear anything in the here and now, that's pretty much a proven.
If we wait for designer men's skirts to filter down to regular retailers, it's going to be a long one.
As an actual case, mine, I wore a black pinafore dress in London at the meeting.
Frustrated at not being able to find anything satisfactory, I explored having one made. The cost was quoted to me at around £350, plus fabric.
A bona fide dress, created for a bona fide male torso, but no way.
I eventually purchased one from across the aisle at £20 and it worked perfectly well, with the added bonus that it will become a regular work piece.
I will admit though, that there are skirts in Browne's range that I would wear in a heartbeat.
Never read Moby Dick, but please explain the Bolton Bravehearts MIS reference.
Steve.

[Coder]

Nothing to do with your theme, Coder, but your title will instantly remind British readers of a certain age of times long ago when early editions of The Guardian (then named The Manchester Guardian, and printed only in Manchester) would be hurried off the presses in the small hours of each morning to catch the early trains to London. The aim was to get them to our capital city in time to go on sale alongside the main national papers.

In the days of hot-metal typesetting, this need for haste didn't always allow enough time for thorough proofreading and correction of the early editions, and the paper acquired a reputation for misprints or typos -- sometimes comical ones. On occasion, it even managed to garble its own name, though generally somewhere inconspicuous, such as in the small ad columns. Hence, to this day, it is affectionately known among media folk as the Grauniad.

LOL. I guess I'll leave it alone, and not ask the mods to correct the tipo (yes, intentional, if you are wondering).

Never read Moby Dick, but please explain the Bolton Bravehearts MIS reference.
Steve.

Browne's partner is none other than Andrew Bolton... otherwise known for:

https://www.metmuseum.org/press/exhibit ... -in-skirts

Bravehearts: Men in Skirts is the expanded version of the exhibition Men in Skirts at the Victoria and Albert Museum (2001), and will be organized by Andrew Bolton, Associate Curator of The Costume Institute. A fully illustrated book, available in hardcover ($40.00), will accompany the exhibition.

At least, I'm pretty sure it's the same person. It would be a pretty weird coincidence if it were not.

[rivegauche]

I recall the many references to the Grauniad. I think Private Eye still calls the paper by this name. I also recall that some (maybe 20) years ago one of the UK broadsheets ran a story about the new skirt suits for men. It was an April Fool, but they were apparently inundated with enquiries.

Getting a dress made in Scotland costs about £60 plus material though obviously you would pay more for a complex design. I hadn't thought of wearing a pinafore dress as a male - good idea.

[Coder]

Yes - the price of his products are abhorrent - I too have seen much cheaper customized products - and by cheaper I'm speaking of cost, not necessarily care or attention to detail. There are plenty of independent boutiques - either through Etsy or their own websites where you can have a skirt/dress custom tailored. I've bought custom skirts from Etsy before, and in both cases was happy with the product I received.

I'm certainly not advocating for any of us here to buy his products - and it will be a slow slow change if we rely totally on fashion styles to trickle down from high street. But, with the popularity of high-end products come knockoff's and cheaper versions of said items - I mean - just look at the IKEA towel skirt as one prime example .

The more designer stuff gets out there, the more people will see it, and the more they will associate skirting with style/fashion and not some other reason.

I think skirt acceptance is going to be a combination of us going about our daily business skirted (I do my part), trickle-down from high street, and just the general direction society is headed in. I'm sure I'm tolerated by work colleagues and the stores that I visit, family... that's another matter.

[Barleymower]

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/202 ... r-anything

The theme of his collection this season is Moby-Dick, because he read it as a boy. It includes a dark green, below-the knee Harris tweed skirt for men. It’s a manifesto, something to wear to a corporate office. “I think we live in a world where men should be able to wear anything,” he says. “I don’t really care if anybody wants to wear it, but I think it looks good, and it’s an interesting proposition for anyone who does.”

The article didn't solely focus on skirts - but I genuinely believe this approach - and mindset - is what we need. Maybe cheaper skirts, mind you. You'll also notice a name in the article which should be familiar to the history of MIS (Bolton / Bravehearts exhibit).

Though it isn't linked from the article - you can find his line of highly priced skirts here:

https://www.thombrowne.com/us/sets/mens-skirts

Not sure any of them appeal to me - I like the Prince of Wales pattern, but it's awfully long and I can't imagine it's easy to walk in.

Coder I also believe this is the right approach. There is a problem in hearts and minds of men and women that needs to be faced and overcome.

Please dont take the following as my view
but this is how I see men's minds working:
"sure women can wear what they want, they can dress in all sorts. They can dress as men if they want too. We all know they are still women? am I right? they are still going to... you know... Apart from the other type of women; you know the ones that drink pints and smoke cigars? Anyway, anything is possible theses days. You see men out there in womens clothes, who are they trying to kid? Its a bit gay, if you know what I mean. They can do what they want but you wont catch me in a skirt."

This is how I see women's minds working:
"Nobody can tell me what I can and can't wear, its my right of self expression but god look at her in that, she's really too fat to wear that. Men in skirts? They can do what they want but its a no from me. Sorry guys. As for the men that completley transform themselves... I'm a woman, they can never be what I already am - It's not right.
Anything is possible these days but these men, in our skirts, they should stay out of the ladies toilets"

I know there a a lot of guys here who will say its all roses. I think it all gets mixed up in the minds of the less informed, the more basic human. It's because of the above that I get nervous when I go out.

[andrewsh]

I recall the many references to the Grauniad. I think Private Eye still calls the paper by this name.

If you open you browser’s Developer’s Tools, you can see the website of the Guardian includes, among others a JavaScript file named:

Code: Select all

https://assets.guim.co.uk/…/graun.standalone.commercial.js

So, the Graun call themselves the Graun as well

Also: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/ ... d-mistakes