Do People Notice?

[Stu]

I was out walking my dog earlier today, wearing jeans, when I met a woman I vaguely know from my village walking her spaniel. I don't know her name and I am sure she doesn't know mine - we are dog-walking acquaintances only. We had a brief chat about the weather (what else?). She was wearing slacks and a rain jacket. She mentioned she had set off for a walk earlier in just a blouse and skirt and got a few streets from home when the skies opened and there was the heavy downpour. I asked if she got drenched and she said absolutely. There was nowhere to take shelter where she was and she was soaked. She said something like: "...and my long cotton skirt was sticking to my legs as they do when wet as you know - well you wouldn't know obviously..." That surprised me because the last time I saw her was a hot day two or three weeks ago. I was walking past her front garden, in a black, knee-length denim, and she was clipping her hedge. We had a very brief chat and I continued. No mention of the skirt, but she couldn't have missed it, surely? Either she just didn't notice it or else it didn't register because the rest of my attire was entirely conventional for a man.

I'm not sure what to make of what happened. I regret that I missed a chance to tell her that I do occasionally wear skirts so I do know what it's like when they get wet in heavy rain.

[Mouse]

- we are dog-walking acquaintances only.

I presume that you are in the box marked "men with dog" in her brain. She has probably clocked the make of your dog, but that is about it.

[TSH]

She said something like: "...and my long cotton skirt was sticking to my legs as they do when wet as you know - well you wouldn't know obviously..."

This is somewhat tangential, but I've always found the phrase "you wouldn't know" annoyingly presumptuous, as if the person they're talking to experienced that individual's entire life. Don't presume to tell me what I wouldn't or (actually) WOULD know; I might know "it" better than you.

[petieken]

Some people honestly don't notice I think. Usually when I have an interaction with someone I can see their eyes wandering down to the skirt. That's a clear sign for me they noticed.
On the other hand I've had plenty of interactions where the eyes don't wander, and I assume some of them simply didn't notice the skirt.

[JeffB1959]

People notice what they want to notice. While on my outings, I’ve had people (mainly women) mention my shoes, earrings or even my purse. Yeah, they see the skirt (or dress) too.

[Barleymower]

It shows that people are hardly ever thinking what you think they are thinking.
An agressive guy might hiding his want to do the same and he's jealous.
A encouraging women might tell her friends that she would never toterate her man in a skirt.
And it may not be even on their radar as demonstrated.

So with that in mind treat everyone as an ally, with a dose of caution

[DrFishnets]

I’m my time wearing skirts most people don’t notice but some people notice but say nothing but I overhear one or two people make a comment. One incident happened a few weeks ago when I was in my local shopping centre wearing a tank top over a women’s striped t shirt and a long black tiered cheese cloth skirt and Doc Martens. An elderly woman passed by and I overheard her saying to her friend “is that a man?” I just laughed it off as I find it quite amusing.

Then a few weeks before that I was walking into town wearing the same black cheese cloth tiered long skirt and a guy in a van stopped and asked me for directions. He was friendly and thanked me but and I noticed him having a quick look at my skirt before he took off.

Just today I was in town and walking home I noticed an elderly woman staring at me as if I’d walked off a spaceship. I was wearing my long black tiered skirt with a black tank top.

One time I wore black ripped jeans with black fishnet tights underneath and a t shirt mini dress with my black short leather biker jacket and a black bandana. A middle aged woman approached me to tell me she loves my ripped jeans and loves how I’m dressed all in black and she also commented that I’ll be blast. I’ve never had any positive or negative comments about my skirts yet though a female friend from my guitar group gave me a positive comment about a kilt I was wearing.

[Seb]

I think when a lot of people see a man up top they don't bother registering what's on his legs, I mean it's a 99.9% chance it's just boring trousers or shorts.

[alexthebird]

She said something like: "...and my long cotton skirt was sticking to my legs as they do when wet as you know - well you wouldn't know obviously..." That surprised me because the last time I saw her was a hot day two or three weeks ago. I was walking past her front garden, in a black, knee-length denim, and she was clipping her hedge. We had a very brief chat and I continued. No mention of the skirt, but she couldn't have missed it, surely? Either she just didn't notice it or else it didn't register because the rest of my attire was entirely conventional for a man.

I'm not sure what to make of what happened. I regret that I missed a chance to tell her that I do occasionally wear skirts so I do know what it's like when they get wet in heavy rain.

When I read this I thought it was her way of opening up a conversation. This could have been a way to resolve what she thought of as a contradiction that would go something like this -- “When I last saw this man, I saw him wearing a skirt but men don’t wear skirts so this does not compute. How can I resolve this dilemma? I know, I’ll say something now that will allow him to confirm what I thought I saw without embarrassing him if I’m wrong.” That phrasing allows you to confirm her observation if you were proudly wearing a skirt but if her observation was wrong, you can remain silent and you both avoid an awkward scene.

[STEVIE]

Apart from getting nice compliments, it doesn't matter unless there is adverse reaction.
I don't believe her comments fell into the negative though, maybe she didn't notice?
Individual powers of observation and eye witness accounts can vary enormously.
That said, lack of reaction is not a sign of invisibility, a guy in a skirt is delusional to think otherwise.
We are certainly visible and what's more, skirts and dresses make us memorable too.
Steve.

[familyman34]

If you really want people to notice your skirt, then wear a very bright coloured one and plain colours in the remainder of your outfit; on the other hand, if you want people NOT to notice your skirt, then wear a plain, drab one with brightly coloured garments elsewhere (top, socks, etc.)
When I was starting out, I tended to wear a bright-coloured hat to draw people's eyes upwards, and thus make my skirts less obvious. (Now I generally don't bother, and say What the Hell! I was out earlier today in a Royal Stewart mini-skirt.)

[jamie001]

In my case, most people that I interact with casually do not notice because I usually wear mid-length denim skirts. They assume that I am wearing jeans or some type of hip-hop fashion. Only people that I closely interact with really notice.

[Skirt18220]

I live in an area with a small population. Local town around 12,000, greater area maybe 20,000. I wear a skirt or a kilt all the time. I use to get a lot of comments. Now not so many. I still get comments from men and women when I am away from home. I think people in the area have just gotten use to me wearing skirts and kilts and no longer comment.

[jamie001]

I live in an area with a small population. Local town around 12,000, greater area maybe 20,000. I wear a skirt or a kilt all the time. I use to get a lot of comments. Now not so many. I still get comments from men and women when I am away from home. I think people in the area have just gotten use to me wearing skirts and kilts and no longer comment.

Why would they comment? Most people just mind their own business.

[Susie]

Women tend to notice and critique the appearance of most people in their vicinity, we're a lot more subtle and tend not to stare.