Women wearing skirts

[Stu]

I know that women wearing skirts is a bit off topic in this section, but I have something to relate that I found interesting.

I retired from university teaching earlier this year and, while my university email account closed with my retirement, some former colleagues and a few students have my private email address. One former student I shall call Mayumi, was Japanese. She sent a round robin email to university contacts as general chat about where she is and what she has been up to since graduating in 2015 (as they commonly do). Her mails are generally aimed at female contacts and contain a lot of girly stuff that wouldn't normally interest guys. One comment she did make was in response to someone asking her what differences she had noticed going back to Tokyo after spending five years living, studying and working in Lund, Sweden for 6 years. To my surprise, she said that far more women and girls wear skirts in Japan, especially when the weather picks up. She went on to say that she had "rediscovered" how lovely it was to wear skirts again after wearing almost nothing but jeans or leggings in Sweden and had bought several new ones from designer stores in Omotesando Street, which I gather is an exclusive shopping area in Tokyo. Mayumi has secured a very well-paid job in Japan (no doubt because she passed her Master's degree under the tutorship of a brilliant lecturer called Stu ).

When I walk around my local town in the UK, skirts on women are almost a rarity except perhaps on very warm days when more seem to appear.

[Sepchugang]

I very much agree with your observation Stu. In the UK a large majority of women are now wearing shorts rather than the skirts they would have worn in the past. This is reflected in the clothing sold directly in shops. You can find skirts advertised online by most women’s clothing outlets but go into the shop itself and there are rows and rows of shorts, jeans and dresses etc. but very few, if any, skirts on sale. Maybe the time is getting much closer for men to reclaim their lost entitlement to skirts since women seem to have gone off wearing them in a big way. To back this up it might be worth checking your other half’s wardrobe. Unlike my wardrobe, my wife’s only has one skirt in it.

[Seb]

I think there is something in this too. Most women seem to prefer trousers or shorts, both dresses and skirts seem to be out, atleast for casual or professional atire. Of my patients almost all have trousers, there is the occational dress(especially on friday/saturday nights) but I hardly ever see anyone in skirts. Even the hospital "gowns" are joggers and tee nowadays.

The dress seems to still hold some value for dressing up fancy, but even there trousers are seemingly taking over, 3/5 of my female coworkers had bifurcated apparel (4/5 for the men) to our Christmas party last friday.

Well, if they aint gonna use them, we better make sure they get some wear and tear.

[Grok]

I would say that dresses can be the most elegant of outfits. Examples, for the most formal events, include evening gowns and wedding dresses.

[Modoc]

I usually make it a point to notice how many women I see during the day are wearing skirts or dresses as compared to some kind of shorts or trousers. The pants always outnumber the dresses by a huge margin. There are many occasions where the only one in the building wearing a skirt is me.
Once an older lady looked at me and said "Oh, you're wearing a skirt?" As if she weren't quite sure. I replied that I was, and liked how it felt. She paused for a moment and said she should probably wear one more often and that she wasn't quite sure why she didn't.

[timemeddler]

Definitely, around here the only women who seem to wear skirts regularly are the apostolics, everyone else it's pants, pants, pants, short, shorts, shorts. If women don't want them, I call it free game, just like corsets.

[new2skirts]

I very much agree with your observation Stu. In the UK a large majority of women are now wearing shorts rather than the skirts they would have worn in the past. This is reflected in the clothing sold directly in shops. You can find skirts advertised online by most women’s clothing outlets but go into the shop itself and there are rows and rows of shorts, jeans and dresses etc. but very few, if any, skirts on sale. Maybe the time is getting much closer for men to reclaim their lost entitlement to skirts since women seem to have gone off wearing them in a big way. To back this up it might be worth checking your other half’s wardrobe. Unlike my wardrobe, my wife’s only has one skirt in it.

Tons of skirts on Marks and Spencer - M&S (formerly popular clothing firm, but seen as frumpy of late), but when I go in the store, hardly any shoppers, though I think many buy online. More skirts and dresses on women as it's Party Season, but outside of corporate wear, not that many I've seen in skirts. Many say it's just easier to put on leggings / jeans, perhaps it's the hassle of hosiery or warmth (though I've felt warm enough in pencil skirts) and I notice those who do wear skirts to work are a little less careful how they sit with knees slightly further apart it could be girls so used to trousers this happens... I think Lockdown and Covid drastically changed workwear... in most offices, jeans are acceptable for men and the days of suits have long gone. No one really cares what they wear in that sense, but I do see more designer clothes being worn (perhaps copying influencers off Instagram )

I notice how well off the skirted male instagrammers are, in nice cars and houses, on fancy holidays... but the number of instagrammers is growing (though some styles become increasingly feminine which puts me off - some on Reddit will appear with fake boobs and go the whole hog, but there are still quite a few blokes in skirts on a daily basis)

Costs of living may also put women off focusing on smart workwear (or buy discounted designer wear online)

Daily Mail's headline today is on Sam Smith - non binary singer who goes by "they/them" but clearly presents as male with goatee beard and man's haircut...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/a ... rophy.html

When ultra conservative papers run this as a headline (before reverting to the usual Meghan Markle / Omid Scobie stuff) you know times are changing...

[rivegauche]

Lots of dresses in the shops but few skirts. I am happy with this as I prefer dresses to skirts. Women have told me that in summer they prefer some form of trousers to prevent "chub rub" and one has told me that in winter she is fed up ruining tights when crossing her legs wearing boots and the zips damage the tights. M&S is undergoing a transformation at present and is seen as quite trendy even by young people. I recently bough a lime skirt that had featured widely in their advertising and I know it was seen as so desirable by women that the advert became a topic of conversation. The dress thing is a bit of a mystery. Women buy them but rarely wear them. I have even been told by a boutique owner that her colourful dresses sell out first but even when you see women in dresses they tend to be black.

A boutique in the Highlands has recently started designing its own clothes and some of their dresses are suitable for the male shape. I bought this one in a bluish colour (sold out) but you can get it in grey or black if that is your thing.

https://www.maggieblyth.com/collections ... coon-dress

[denimini]

A subject not so off topic as most of our supply of skirts are still markets for women or women's "hand me downs" via Charity shops, and online sites like eBay or Depop. Poshmark have ended their presence in Australia.
We wonder why women give up on such a good garment but I often remind people that skirts are actually more beneficial to the male anatomy and an inseam is less of a worry to the female.
Like some strangers look twice when they see me in a skirt; I now look twice when I see a woman in a skirt.

[greenboots]

In my office, the women who need to wear uniform opt for trousers (mainly is suspect due to the uniform skirt style). The majority of the rest opt for skirts and dresses - mainly maxis.

[Ozdelights]

I live and move in places where it can be very hot and also quite cold. I do see many women wearing skirts and floaty dresses for ease and the cooling effect. During winter it's usually back to pants or leggings. They appear to understand the benefit of different garments.

[Barleymower]

Speaking by my wife she has in the past said that firstly skirts and dresses are not that comfortable for her. The reason being thigh rubbing. Trousers and leggings are a more practical option for ladies.
She also said she also feels more secure in trousers.

Confidence is another element. They feel that if they dress up, others will be critical.

Since I started wearing skirts she said to be me if you can do it so can I. Together and with our fashion conscious daughters help my wife collected about 8 nice skirts that she now wears regularly with her favourite snag tights.

It's takes a lot of courage for a man to wear a skirt. We should be a little proud that we have over come the prejudice around male skirt wearing and remember women don't have it super easy either.

[KiltedBigWave]

It's takes a lot of courage for a man to wear a skirt. We should be a little proud that we have over come the prejudice around male skirt wearing and remember women don't have it super easy either.

well said!

[Faldaguy]

Since I started wearing skirts she said to be me if you can do it so can I. Together and with our fashion conscious daughters help my wife collected about 8 nice skirts that she now wears regularly with her favourite snag tights.

It's takes a lot of courage for a man to wear a skirt. We should be a little proud that we have over come the prejudice around male skirt wearing and remember women don't have it super easy either.

We are old enough that the trend for women from skirts to pants; and now to..... Anyway, since I took up wearing skirts most of the time, and now pretty much all the time my wife has also moved back to wearing skirts, and once in a while dresses, most of the time. [I'm curious if others have found this same pattern.]

Indeed some courage is required by men in most locales to don a skirt in public-- but if your spouse or S.O. is on board and out with you -- I found that too eased my period of adaptation. These days wearing a skirt is just the norm for me, but it is still just a bit more special when my wife or female friends are along. I got the rare chance the other day to teasingly use the phrase, "now we see who really wears the pants in the house" when my wife donned a bifurcated garment!

[STEVIE]

These days wearing a skirt is just the norm for me, but it is still just a bit more special when my wife or female friends are along.

Apart from the wife part Faldaguy, I'd agree wholeheartedly about having feminine companions.
My only grouch is that I don't get that often enough and apologies guys, but your company while fine, is just not the same.
Steve.