Why no skirt at work...

[Bob]

I work at a large corporation with an official "gender expression" anti-discrimination policy. I wear long hair with a barrette at work and I'm valued by my colleagues.

So... why don't I wear a skirt in the office?

I asked myself that question, and here's why. Like most people, I work in a setting in which I'm valued for what I DO, not what I AM. The shift to the industrialized society led to the great renunciation of fashion among men. Women are rare at my workplace, and invariably in lower-tier jobs. It's a male-dominated business. Sad but true.

Because of this, wearing a skirt would just seem too much like a step down in power and respect. It's the reverse of women entering the workplace and wearing trousers, which was a step up.

I like to be paid, and I like respect. Thus, no skirt at work.

I have no problem wearing skirts in other environments. In dance, I like to wear a skirt, I feel like I fit it more.

[Jock]

Because of this, wearing a skirt would just seem too much like a step down in power and respect. It's the reverse of women entering the workplace and wearing trousers, which was a step up.

I like to be paid, and I like respect. Thus, no skirt at work.

Bob, man, you said it yersel; You are respected for who you are, skirt or nae. Its no that pants=power its that men of power wear pants. Long ago men of power wore skirts.

So, be yersel, act 'the man', command respect by how you act, and then, once again, "men of power=MIS"

[crfriend]

[...] why don't I wear a skirt in the office?

[...]

I like to be paid, and I like respect. Thus, no skirt at work.

That's, I think. a bit simplistic. As you're already respected for your work and your contribution to the Corporation, it should, technically, be a non-issue unless you'd be interfacing with clients who might be, shall we say, "narrow-minded".

I go off to work every day in tr*users, as well, and save my skirts for "off-hours/off-premises" matters; it helps to draw a very bright line between "work and play". That said, I did wear my tiered skirt to work one weekend when I had to go in to fix a busted machine; my rationale was that, "This is my time, I'm on salary so I'm not getting paid for this intrusion on my time, and if you don't happen to like how I look off-hours then don't call me in."

I still get paid, and am still respected.

[Ingemar]

Hi!

I work at a school for youngsters and as a caretaker I have to climb ladders and doing that when there is risk of kids looking me up the skirt is a BIG NO, NO

Greetings

Ingemar

[deebee]

I work at a large corporation with an official "gender expression" anti-discrimination policy. I wear long hair with a barrette at work and I'm valued by my colleagues.

So... why don't I wear a skirt in the office?

I asked myself that question, and here's why. Like most people, I work in a setting in which I'm valued for what I DO, not what I AM. The shift to the industrialized society led to the great renunciation of fashion among men. Women are rare at my workplace, and invariably in lower-tier jobs. It's a male-dominated business. Sad but true.

Because of this, wearing a skirt would just seem too much like a step down in power and respect. It's the reverse of women entering the workplace and wearing trousers, which was a step up.

In my previous work, I would have often been expected to wear a suit. I never did. It would have been easier, helped me join the boys club that ran things, and 'ordinary' people don't argue with suits - they agree or go away grumbling. Such is status and power. Respect is just a euphemism.

The reason I didn't was a matter of principle. My arguments and suggestions had to stand up for what they were, not because of a false status imparted by a suit. I regarded it as a good discipline, and I believe it helped me do my job better.

At the time my skirts were in the closet. Would I wear a skirt if I was in the same work now?

We live in a prejudiced world (even if parts label themselves anti-discriminatory), where wearing skirts, looking after children, cooking food, cleaning, all comes under the cloak of what women do, and as such are generally regarded as a step down, and inferior to the real world of business and earning money.

I am not sure that I can say yes to my question above, but I know I should.

David.

[hiker]

I think the question of skirts/kilts at work is based on your relationship with your work. I have worn both skirts and kilts to work, but far more kilts than skirts. As a tenured professor I have some latitude in my attitude to work. In addition my pay raises, continued employment, and promotions are much more attached to how my work as an individual is percieved outside of my university than how I as a team player am perceived within my university. In addition, often in the university world odd or different clothing is viewed as a symbol of creativity rather than trouble making.

Perhaps that's that problem with skirts in the traditional workplace, being different often indicates someone who is out of step with the rest of their peers and hence a trouble maker. Whereas in my being out of step may be perceived as an asset.

[Since1982]

Latitude in your attitude? You're a poet and don't know it but your skirt choices show it.

[Skirt Chaser]

I work at a school for youngsters and as a caretaker I have to climb ladders and doing that when there is risk of kids looking me up the skirt is a BIG NO, NO

Have any SpongeBob boxers, Ingemar? :rolleyes:

Because of this, wearing a skirt would just seem too much like a step down in power and respect. It's the reverse of women entering the workplace and wearing trousers, which was a step up.

I can understand not wanting to become the skirt guy as an office identity but this part about power perception really has me thinking. Wearing a skirt these days doesn't mean you are back in the age where women wore skirts to be pretty rather than functional in an office. When the good jobs and the money went to somebody wearing pants women switched.

Now women wear skirts at work knowing they will be able to be taken seriously rather than there just to decorate the place. Yet, I do think it is an accurate assessment that people would treat you as having less authority in a skirt. Perhaps though it would come from meeting your own predictions rather than being a guy in a skirt as office wear.

Quiet Mouse

[Departed Member]

I can understand not wanting to become the skirt guy as an office identity but this part about power perception really has me thinking. Wearing a skirt these days doesn't mean you are back in the age where women wore skirts to be pretty rather than functional in an office. When the good jobs and the money went to somebody wearing pants women switched.

Now women wear skirts at work knowing they will be able to be taken seriously rather than there just to decorate the place. Yet, I do think it is an accurate assessment that people would treat you as having less authority in a skirt. Perhaps though it would come from meeting your own predictions rather than being a guy in a skirt as office wear.

Quiet Mouse

Interesting observations! Ironically, the tide appears to be swinging back (in the UK) where skirt-wearing women are concerned. In my last job, one of my female (be-tr*usered) colleagues was being unfairly picked on, as well as being harrassed by her former partner. This in an open-plan office environment where (sadly) most women had succumbed to bifurcation. During a break, I suggested that the blokes picking fault with her would 'back off" if she wore a skirt at work (We had had several conversations on 'the power of the skirt"). After another 'run-in' with her ex, she turned up the following morning, in an ankle length number, co-ordinated top, jacket & boots! You'd have thought she was a different person. A few weeks later, she came up to my desk, leaned over and said, "I cannot believe how everyone has changed! Now I know why you wear skrts (to/from work)!" The experience gave her the confidence to take on those who were harrassing her. Her ex was forced to resign, despite being in a much higher grade, over multiple harrassment issues! Unfortunately, as you rightly observe, it'll be a long time before anything similar happens for us poor, downtrodden blokes! :shake:

[skirttron]

Yeah, while I would love to wear a skirt to work, and I can't see why geeky shorts are OK when skirts are not, I can just imagine what my colleagues would make of it. I have, however, ceased to be concerned at all about meeting colleagues en-kilt in leisure time and met a female colleague while kilted at the gas station. In fact, recently the more public the occasion the better I like it, and I have had no comments in a while - maybe it's normalising.