Last year, I wrote an innocent little post reflecting on an article I had read about men wearing skirts. I had NO IDEA whatsoever that a year later, it would still be such a popular post. Several of the top search terms for people who visit the blog have something to do with men wearing skirts, skirts for men, shopping for a man skirt, etc. It is also the post with the most comments, including three in the last month.
I thought it'd be interesting to think about that a bit more, now with pictures!
I saw a post a while back on Sociological Images entitled Rejecting the Gender Binary in Fashion.
Now, I don't know about you, but I think this is actually rather stylish! This guy looks AWESOME in those skirts. He rocks his skirts better than I rock mine.
From my original post:
The reason I find this so interesting is because I often bring up the issue of skirts when I am trying to convince people that masculinity and femininity cannot possibly be biological or else there wouldn't be so many social/cultural differences. As the article points out, there are articles of clothing in other cultures (consider kilts, sarongs, kaftans and the djellaba) that are like skirts. This doesn't take away from their masculinity, so why is it so appalling in the West?
I'm sure you see where I'm going with this: Masculine men in the West aren't supposed to wear skirts. If masculinity is natural and it's unmasculine for men to wear skirts, then it wouldn't be okay for men in other cultures to wear skirts either.
I still think this argument is 100% valid and important. Furthermore, reflecting on the comments on my original post, it seems there are at least some men out there who find skirts very functional and more appropriate and comfortable than pants. Some have gotten positive feedback, while others have gotten a lot of negativity thrown at them.
I think the key is still the same, norms and customs won't change unless more people push for them to change. As one anonymous commenter said:
Men, just do it! Go and wear skirts whenever you like!
6 comments:
- At Sat Jul 25, 09:36:00 PM Chally said...
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This comment is nothing insightful, just... I really like what that guy's wearing! I think we have a similar fashion sense.
- At Sat Jul 25, 09:52:00 PM frau sally benz said...
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hahaha right?! I really like his outfits! He's way more stylish than I am.
- At Tue Sep 01, 10:33:00 AM Anonymous said...
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Really surprising that skirts to men aren't like pants to women. Wear what you want whenever you wish. They are comfortable. My wife wife & daughters wear pants almost to the exclusion of skirts & dresses. I tried a skirt one hot summer day many years ago when one remarked that it was too bad that I couldn't wear a skirt like they do since it was so much more comfortable whenever the temperature & humidity are approaching 100%. On that dare I initiated myself to a few snickers. A skirt is MUCH more comfortable if you are a biological male. Trust me on that one. Never looked back. My wife has maybe two skirts in a closet of pants whereas I have three pairs of pants isolated in a closet filled with dresses & skirts. Never regretted the change.
When informed that skirts & dresses are women clothing it always seem to be said by a women who is wearing pants. If skirts & dresses are women's clothing, why aren't women wearing them? Duh!
Men really don't have to wear pants since they are clearly no longer a garment identified as belonging to the male gender.
Guys just need to emancipate themselves & get comfortable. - At Tue Nov 03, 09:20:00 PM Anonymous said...
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Yes, get comfortable, guys. Not just that most men looking very good in skirts, it is about equality.
I think it is time to stop this double standards, men can not do or wear what women can. Not so long ago men knew what they want to wear, today the public telling them what to do and wear. Are these really this men we know and what we are expecting?
I don't think so. Men just wear what you like, be a manly, means "real" man and go skirted.....'Jumpf off the bridge'.
Mara - At Fri Nov 06, 08:29:00 PM Anonymous said...
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Skirts for men aren't like trousers for women for that the skirts in history were both a women's and men's garment, trousers were made only for men. It's not emancipation but return to the type of clothes better to our anatomy. Skirts are comfortable, trousers aren't. Also trousers cause some serious medical problems (prostate cancer and infertility for example). Thus I say: it's time to change our thinking about skirts for men, not only for aesthetical and fashion causes. In fact, men in skirt with full men's outfit can be still manly (look Scotts, and many men in skirts with swords in the films).
strikemaster - At Tue Feb 09, 07:53:00 AM robert said...
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There is much to do about this issue. It has spanned from allowing it inschools to womens blogs. It is being discussed at teens, adults, males and females websites, especially since Nov. 2009. H & M Fashions have even negoitiated with several sporting goods stores or outlets to carry their line of UTILIKILTS. I support men and boys wearing skirts, skorts and kilts. If for no other reason then medical. In societies, it has been discovered, that there is an increased rate of testicular and prostrate cancers. I don't remember the universities that made the studies aforementioned. I can tell you this however that I am 59 yrs of age and my doctor has told me that I have the virility of an average 40 yr. old male. I think this may be because I've worn skirts since I was 11 yrs of age. I've also noticed that I perspire less down there and have never had the rashes associated with the region mentioned (jock itch). So there are benefits associated with it.
