Denim again

[Boatman398]

My landlord has decided to do some repairs lately and I have had a good share of contractors running about my home lately. I have been skirted during the whole thing and no comments. My usual attire is denim mini skirts as I live in Florida where it is warm most of the time. I was wearing a 11 inch denim skirt (sits low on the hips and come 2 inches past finger tips) ( I have short arms LOL) all day as one guy was installing a new bath tub in the master bath. I greeted him at the door in the morning and he was in my garage talking to me as I was machining parts on my lathe. He came out and asked me for some tools he needed and I helped him a couple times through out the day. It was as if he did not even notice the skirt. As he left for the day he finally asked if I was wearing a skirt. And of coarse asked why. I said it was a skirt and I find it very comfortable and he said must be a bit airy and I said that is the best part of wearing a skirt. He said it was not until the end of the day that he even noticed it was a skirt, he thought I was wearing shorts all day. Act natural and masculine and people really don't notice a denim skirt.

Bob

[Sashi]

Wow, I still can't imagine how a denim skirt turns out to be so invisible. Sounds like it would make a good starter material for a skirt, although I personally prefer the look (can't comment on feel until I try it) of more "flowy" skirts. Found some really nice ones in this Himalayan shop in the mall. They also have some nice swords and statues there, although I can't remember if I liked the rugs or not... hmm, either way those are some skirts I would like to try out some time, although they would probably be too feminine for most people here. Still, I should definitely think about trying out a denim skirt first, since it seems to make you invisible and could be a great way to gain some public skirting confidence. Definitely enjoyed the story though :ninjajig:

[crfriend]

Wow, I still can't imagine how a denim skirt turns out to be so invisible.

It doesn't get noticed because it's so ubiquitous -- denim (cursed stuff!) is positively everywhere and on everybody so the human eye just tunes it out.

Sounds like it would make a good starter material for a skirt, although I personally prefer the look (can't comment on feel until I try it) of more "flowy" skirts.

Some of the "tiered" "hippy" skirts that were in fashion this past year work really well on men. The sizing is pretty hard to make a mistake with as they tend to have elasticised waists and some even have drawstrings. They're very comfortable, and, depending on the fabric and how the skirt is cut, have lots of "flow" to them. I have three (and occasionally borrow a fourth) and think they're great.

[AMM]

... a denim skirt turns out to be so invisible.

This is the Received Wisdom(tm) here, but it is not my experience that a skirt automatically becomes invisible if it is made out of denim. On the two occasions I have worn (long) denim skirts in front of the general public -- once to a large supermarket (Vermont, USA) and once pumping gas (Massachussetts, USA) -- people pretty clearly noticed what I was wearing.

I have noticed that in most of the pictures I have seen here of men wearing skirts (and especially denim skirts), the skirts are fairly short (just above the knee) and fairly straight. They could easily be mistaken for shorts if you don't look carefully.

Around my village, I often see men wearing shorts whose bifurcation is not immediately obvious. Add to this the "rule" that men don't look closely at men (especially that area) lest they be thought "gay," and it makes sense that a skirt cut to look a lot like these shorts could pass as shorts.

Utilikilt makes a nylon "kilt" ("sport kilt"?) that looks an awful lot like the baggy basketball shorts that a lot of males in my area wear; I'll be they would be just as "invisible" as the "invisible" denim skirts.

-- AMM

[cessna152towser]

Utilikilt makes a nylon "kilt" ("sport kilt"?) that looks an awful lot like the baggy basketball shorts that a lot of males in my area wear; I'll be they would be just as "invisible" as the "invisible" denim skirts.

My personal experience of wearing a navy blue kilt with matching knee socks is that it is invisible. I wear it often around my home town and it never turns any heads.

[Stu]

Wow, I still can't imagine how a denim skirt turns out to be so invisible.

Sashi - believe it! I have had people poke fun at a hat I was wearing while being utterly oblivious to my denim skirt! My denim skirts tend to be around knee-length, so I can understand AMM's comment that his long skirts were noticed, but short ones really are invisible.

Some men actually like to be noticed for the fact that they are wearing skirts and, if you are one of those, then keep away from them because you get zero reaction when you wear them. One day last summer, I asked a neighbour if he had noticed that I had been wearing a denim skirt the previous day when he was showing me his new car (because he hadn't seemed to notice it). He not only told me that he hadn't - he told me I was kidding him and that he remembered that I had really been wearing jeans... or was it shorts? Nope. It was a denim skirt!!!

Try it. You'l be amazed.

Stu

[GerdG]

Act natural and masculine and people really don't notice a denim skirt.

Bob

And not just in a denim skirt. Some months ago we had an electrician to make some repairs in our house. Accordingly I decided to work from home and when he rang the bell I was dressed in a traditional casual kilt.
When I opened the door he didn’t seem to notice at all. We talked a little bit about what he had to do and he started off. It took him about four hours and from time to time he would come and ask me some questions or inform me about what he intended to do.

No comments to my kilt, no looks at all – just the way it would have been had I been wearing trousers or shorts.

A similar situation had occurred in spring last year. We changed from an analogue to a digital satellite receiver and had a technician to mount a new parabolic antenna and have the system function. I was wearing my postal blue Utilikilt.
He fine tuned the receiver and explained how it worked. No looks, no nothing. We had just a complete natural conversation.


GerdG

[Departed Member]

This is the Received Wisdom(tm) here, but it is not my experience that a skirt automatically becomes invisible if it is made out of denim. -- AMM

Have you tried 'black' denim, rather than 'blue' denim, especially in the ankle length version? Seems to 'work' rather better!

[AMM]

... Act ...masculine and people really don't notice a denim skirt.

I keep seeing comments like this, about acting masculine, or wearing "masculine" skirts, and stuff, but I have to confess, I just don't get it.

What exactly constitutes "acting masculine"? How does one wear a long, full skirt (or a miniskirt, for that matter) in a "masculine" manner, anyway?

When I hear this, it reminds me of the scene in La Cage aux Folles, in which the "feminine" guy is told to "walk like John Wayne," and fails. I don't think I could walk like John Wayne, either.

It's not like I'm likely to be taken for a woman -- fat, balding, and bearded as I am. But I don't think I go to any trouble to "act masculine." I think I just act without thinking about it ("cluelessly", some might say.)

-- AMM

[crfriend]

I keep seeing comments like this, about acting masculine, or wearing "masculine" skirts, and stuff, but I have to confess, I just don't get it.

What exactly constitutes "acting masculine"? How does one wear a long, full skirt (or a miniskirt, for that matter) in a "masculine" manner, anyway?

Rather than trying for the elusive (and some might argue impossible-to-attain) "masculine", I find it vastly easier to just be myself. There's precisely no way that I could be mistaken for a woman (not with my height, facial hair, and baritone voice), and I make no attempt to disguise the fact that I'm a man wearing a skirt. I'm confident, polite, and respectful of those who express the same towards me -- that's just who I am. In short, I behave exactly the same way in skirts as I do in tr*users.

When it comes to "masculine skirts", I suspect the admonition is to mainly avoid clearly "feminine" colours and/or prints, as well as skirts that are a bit "frilly". I suppose the thrust is to make the garment look practical and not too "fussy". That said, I like my tiered skirts, some of which have ruffles and/or lace trim at the seams between the tiers; from a distance the trim isn't very noticable and they're all solid colours. I also have a floral-print, but that's a subdued print, and in dim light probably looks like a very dark grey. I also really like the silk skirts I have (which are very flashy and look darned good on). So, it's a bit of a crap-shoot. I guess, "wear what your'e comfortable with" is about as close as one can get to good advice.

It's not like I'm likely to be taken for a woman -- fat, balding, and bearded as I am. But I don't think I go to any trouble to "act masculine." I think I just act without thinking about it ("cluelessly", some might say.)

I suspect you're on the right track. It's a lot easier being yourself than some sort of charicature.

[cessna152towser]

As crfriend said above looking masculine is more about avoiding bright colours, floral prints and frills. I've been mistaken for a women when I've been wearing light coloured knee-length shorts, despite my facial hair, but never when I've been wearing a kilt or skirt. Besides dark tartan kilts, my single colour kilts are in black, olive grey and navy blue and both my skirts are in camo print patterns.

[crfriend]

As crfriend said above looking masculine is more about avoiding bright colours, floral prints and frills.

Actually, when it comes to colours, I'd just avoid pastels. Primaries seem to work OK (reds, greens, blues) if they're not too "washed out". I have had great luck in the past with a "cranberry" (a light but vibrant red) skirt paired with a bright red vest, and I'm looking for a replacement for that skirt. I may have to construct one of my own. The same thing goes for prints -- muted, or "subdued" prints seem to work reasonably well. Of course, there's also the "ultimate" "masculine" print -- camo!

I've been mistaken for a women when I've been wearing light coloured knee-length shorts, despite my facial hair, but never when I've been wearing a kilt or skirt. Besides dark tartan kilts, my single colour kilts are in black, olive grey and navy blue and both my skirts are in camo print patterns.

I've never been mistaken for a woman, even from behind (I have waist-length hair), no matter what I was wearing. I suspect I'm too big and ugly. That said, why is it that men should feel compelled, even when taking the avant-garde stance of wearing something other then tr*users, to wear dark drab colours? I'll stick to my wariness of pastels at the moment, but bright primary colours should be alright so long as the rest of the ensemble "goes with it".

[ChristopherJ]

That said, why is it that men should feel compelled, even when taking the avant-garde stance of wearing something other then tr*users, to wear dark drab colours? I'll stick to my wariness of pastels at the moment, but bright primary colours should be alright so long as the rest of the ensemble "goes with it".

I agree. While most of my skirts are either blue denim or black cotton or leather, I do get bored with that - as I like bright colours and have several pairs of brightly patterned.cotton trousers that I had made up for me after I chose the material.

So - imagine my delight when I saw a 1960's psychedelic (spell?) stretch mini skirt for sale on eBay. I've just received it and I am looking forward to wearing it when the weather improves a bit. Take a look - ignore the shape as it is very stretchy - the seller told me it would stretch up to 40 inch waist - and I think she is right. I'm a 34 inch (waist and hip) and it fits me easily.

http://i18.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/89/c0/5147_1.JPG

Now - is that cool - or is that cool?

I could wear it to the Glastonbury festival I suppose . . .

[AMM]

... That said, why is it that men should feel compelled, even when taking the avant-garde stance of wearing something other then tr*users, to wear dark drab colours? ...

Well, I don't always stick to drab colors.

My latest dancing skirt is a 30 inch long skirt in 7 tiers: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and black, with some red piping on the bottom.

But I'm not completely blind to what is considered acceptable for a man to wear: I still haven't gotten the nerve up to try wearing a pink satin or taffeta skirt, though.

-- AMM

[Boatman398]

I would say acting normally is acting masculine for most men. Here in Florida shorts and short skirts are the normal year round. Long pants or skirts cause one to look here. Having painted toe and fingernails is not normal masculine behavior. Shaved legs , pantyhose, high heels is not normal for men. Your right niether is skirt wearing normal for a man but just a solid color skirt everything else normal and it doesn't cause much attention. When the man arrived I was making stainless steel flanges on my lathe in my garage a normal thing for a man to do. Later I was sorting out the parts of my truck engine layed out on my work bench. These are things one would not expect to see a man who wears a skirt doing. If I were sitting at my sewing machine (which I do and enjoy) sewing a new skirt I am sure the preception of me would have been much differant. The guy I work with (mister macho type) is the last person on earth I would expect to accept my skirt wearing. We have worked together for a year and he has seen me welding, machining, and rebuilding large diesel engines. He came over one day when I was cleaning my garage wearing a skirt and no comment. It was just me doing normal things and acting just like I always do but wearing a skirt. I thought he would joke about it to no end but as yet hasn't even made a comment. My point is if the only female attire you have on is a skirt then people don't take much notice and you are being masculine. If you want to paint your nails , wear hose and high heels you are going to reach apoint where being masculine looking is lost. Not knocking those who want to go further but don't complain if people don't accept it. I wear skirts most of the time except when it is not practicle. Crawling under my truck and leaning upside down removing the engine would be a bit showy and not practicle. I have cordoroy, canvas, cotton and other solid color skirts and all have the same reaction.