skirtcafe.org

Just joined after reading a post at the atrium, a place I feel I myself am losing connection with. I have been at the attrium since I first got my computer connected to the net. I was searching for info about guys having the choice to wear spandex leggings as male garb, cause that is exactly what I did. To my suprise I found the attrium, Brave hearts, and Tom' cafe, along with Lewis's site.

All of them showed great promise in what I now refer to as freestyle fashion or fashion freedom.

Over the past 7 years this has unfortunately morphed into trans sexual fashion. Lewis's completely degraded into really nasty and raunchy stuff.

The Attrium's admin decided to have a sex change, which somehow was followed by more trans gender related posts.

Let me be clear. I do not mind transgenderism. If you wanna change your gender, fine. What I don't like is the automatic social implication that because I wear skirts or other non-traditionally male clothing, I am someday going to have a sex change. Another eronious social connection I despise is the whole, guy in skirt = gay. Once again I have no problem with homosexual people, but I do not want to be labled that which I am not.

My view on fashion is it is limited. Overly limited, much more so for men. I think the whole gender re-assignment is a result to the limitations placed on men in both appearance and behaviour. Women do not have as many limits placed upon them as they used to. Women can like sports, wear jeans, flannel, t-shirts, tank tops, what have they. We men? Shorts, pants, jeans, t-shirts...that's pretty much it. If we show interest in fashion then we must be homosexual. Have any interest in interior design, or sexual orientation is imediately put to question. Why?

I am a freestyler goth, if you must label me. I wear skirts, spandex leggings, catsuits, and hose or tights. My appearance is anywear from man in skirt to androgonous. The andro look comes about mostly because of my build really. I shave my face and legs because facial hair and leg hair cause awful itching that leads to gouges being scratched into the surface, due to the itching. I have shaved my legs since my swiming team days where I was forced to do such. Didn't like it at first, but grew to definitely like it.

I think the way most men behave is deplorable. The way some guys leer at women make me ashamed to be male. My work mates sometimes make me shudder. The field I am in is slowly losing its ultra machoism, but unfortunately is still there, which limits my clothing styles around the job.

Recently I attended a wedding in a chinese silk dress that was tailored for a male body. I wore black hose, beatle style ankle boots with a one inch heel. The reaction from everyone at the event (which was a failed fancy dress event) was positive. The dress felt increadible to be in. At the attrium I got one gripe by a fellow (lady?) that thought the outfit did not fit me. That is not what I heard from my female roomate, who said the outfit was awsome looking. But then again the individual offering the critique is one of those people that is between being male and female.

I hope to be a participating member in this forum, and hope to meet some free minded GG (genetic females) that like guys with the guts to wear what they want.

Here are some shots of me in the dress for the wedding I attended.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/559708630BvuQSK

Comments welcome

As a fellow freestyler I congratulate you for your look!Definately you stood like a man!The dress is nice and it fits you well.I,personally would wear other type of shoes,probably ankle-strap high heels but yours do just fine.Keep it up and be brave and show them that you are a real man and masculinity is something inner!I do agree fully with your introducion in the first post,I suffer from the same double standart!

Pythos: Nice pics. You do indeed look good in that dress. While I agree with SkirtedViking that a more feminine style shoe would've enchanced the outfit, you still displayed plenty of panache. In that regard, more power to you, my friend.

Pythos,

Welcome. I hope you find the Café to be more accommodating than the Atrium has been for you (I was with the Atrium from the start, but rarely post there now).

I've seen the dress photo before - it's a good look.

Regards

Ray

Hi Pythos. I'll join with the others here in saying welcome to the Skirt cafe - and that I also like the 'look' that you have defined for yourself. You appear very comfortable with it - and that's the main thing. Shoes are the bugbear though. I think the ones that you chose are pretty good - although perhaps something lighter, like a lightweight sandal would be better. But - what the hell do I know? - I wear trainers!

I've fancied trying spandex leggings for a while. I wear leggings a lot with short skirts and what attracts me to spandex is partly the wild colours available and partly the slightly sparkly effect. I'll have to try some.

Hi, Pythos! I loved the pics! Reminded me of Eddie Izzard's mandarin top from "Dress to Kill". (Sorry, gotta learn fast I'm a SERIOUS Eddie fan, and can hardly go a day without referencing him!)

I rather liked the incongruity of the slouch boots with the dress. I mean, the dress on a guy was one level of brain-twist, as it were... the extreme high-cut leg was another... it seemed to me you were rather going for a look of layers of surprise, rather than trying to fit any sort of preconceived mold of what "should" go together. As such, I say you are doing well to keep exploring and having the bravery to continue pushing the limits of what we do expect. As long as while you do it you are confident and feel fantastic within yourself, then I think you're definitely achieving the MAIN purpose of fashion!

(Again, quoting Eddie) Fashion, like many things in life, forms a circle. You've got conservative on one side, then cool and groovy, sliding into looking like a ****head. You can't go around backwards. But to be really cutting-edge cool and groovy, you've got to risk looking like a ****head sometimes. (For the full context, see his "Circle" DVD.)

It is easy to play it safe. Very easy for everything in your closet to be either denim, or beige. But when you start taking risks, and doing what just plain feels like FUN to you, then some people will complain and start calling you names, but others will start calling you brave and cool. In the end, you just have to know you're doing it for YOU, because it's what you love.

I applaud folks with the guts to stand up to those who would call them names.

Thank you all for the compliments. I really did get a lot when in that dress. When it comes to the boots an aeronautical reference I use is the SR-71 black bird. Here is probably the hottest, sleekest, and fastest aircraft ever built, and look at it. It has these sleek lines that are interupted by these massive vertical stabilizers. The almost do not fit with the sleek frame. But somehow, they work.

My boots are much the same, at least to me.

As of late I have been toning down on my own personal style, kinda a result of the hostile atmosphere of our current ,fear-based culture I am sure brought on by our current occupants of this land's highest office.

On the other hand, I may just be becoming a coward:)

Thank you all for the compliments. I really did get a lot when in that dress. When it comes to the boots an aeronautical reference I use is the SR-71 black bird. Here is probably the hottest, sleekest, and fastest aircraft ever built, and look at it. It has these sleek lines that are interupted by these massive vertical stabilizers. The almost do not fit with the sleek frame. But somehow, they work.

My boots are much the same, at least to me.

As of late I have been toning down on my own personal style, kinda a result of the hostile atmosphere of our current ,fear-based culture I am sure brought on by our current occupants of this land's highest office.

On the other hand, I may just be becoming a coward:)

Hello and welcome!

I'm just getting back on after a few days absence.

Nice photos and the outfit looks great on you!

The building you're in looks quite interesting also.
Is this where the wedding was?
It looks huge!

You have a fun sense of style, Pythos. Quite a shame that many men these days have dropped shimmery fabrics from their wardrobe when it can look so good as you show.

Quiet Mouse

Pythos, I do like the dress but I think the slit at the side is a little too high for my liking...

Actually there are slits on either side. They really were not all that bad. The feel of the dress was like a mini dress, with long panels front and back. It is really an awesome (for lack of a better term) item of clothing that I think everyone, male and female, that have the build for should experience wearing.

I had control top hose on, and it took quite a lot of odd movement to have the bottom "hem" of the top portion to even show.

Also, remember this was for a fancy dress wedding, which most who attended chickend out of dressing up for, including the girl that stated she would wear a man's suit, which prompted me to wear this dress.

Pythos wrote:Here are some shots of me in the dress for the wedding I attended.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/559708630BvuQSK

Comments welcome

Awesome dress. I don't have the body type to pull off a look like that, but glad to meet someone pushing the envelope.

Sasq

Pythos wrote:Here are some shots of me in the dress for the wedding I attended.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/559708630BvuQSK

Comments welcome

Awesome dress. I don't have the body type to pull off a look like that, but glad to meet someone pushing the envelope.

Sasq