Cold Weather Skirting Issues

[David]

I wore skirts (all converted men's pants and shorts) in northern Virginia during warm weather for many years without notable incident and I firmly believed that nobody cared what I wore. Two years ago, I retired in South Carolina where the climate is more temperate and one of my goals was to wear these skirts year round. The first winter was too cold so I delayed until this one. I first noticed a change in public reaction on Election Day (November 8, 2011) which was rainy, damp, and cool. We voted, went to a restaurant for dinner, and then stopped at a supermarket on our way home. In all three locations, my skirt drew unexpected attention and I overheard two young supermarket employees mocking me. As the fall/winter progressed, the strange looks and comments became more frequent as people suddenly became aware that I was wearing a skirt. I can only conclude that during the summer, people did not pay too much attention and they just assumed I was wearing shorts. Once fall arrived, they started taking second looks because it was too cold for anyone to wear shorts and that's when they realized I was wearing a skirt. Has anyone else had a similar climate related experience?

I spent the winter trying to resolve the matter. My "accepted" summer look included sandals with no socks or dress shoes with low rise socks. So I tried wearing crew socks, socks that fell just below my knee caps, and even bought a pair of black thigh high socks when the temperatures got cooler. None of the above made my appearance more acceptable to the local community. When I wore the black thigh high socks, my outfits were the better coordinated and more pleasing to me. Unfortunately, this look was the least accepted in public where it drew both chuckles and a couple of outright laughs. I recently turned 65 years old, and after pondering the reactions, I conclude that this look was not age or gender appropriate for me. It would have been better received on a woman in her 20s or 30s out on a dinner date.

I also tried long skirts. I never wore any of my women's skirts (long or short) in public except to walk the dogs around the block. I pulled a fairly full denim skirt that ended 4 or 5 inches above my ankles from my closet and wore it with black socks that covered the visible portion of my legs. I'm 6 feet tall so even a long women's skirt on me usually ends well above my ankles. Since the skirt pockets were useless, I used a fanny pack on my first outing and purchased a black cross-body leather purse that resembles a "manbag" for my second wearing. I was prepared for strange or puzzled stares and/or audible chuckles and received some of each. Even though a long skirt cannot be mistaken for anything else, public acceptance was still less abrasive than I received this winter with my skirt conversions. It looks like long skirts may become my winter mainstay.

Most of my long skirts are made from stretchy knit fabric or have walking slits which render them unsuitable for public consumption. I looked for wearable long skirts in several thrift shops with identical results. Each of the women's departments contained about 6 or 8 racks of pants and shorts and only about 2 skirt racks. None of them had a suitable long skirt in my size. However, I did buy a lightly to never worn, 26 inch long medium brown corduroy skirt. It is about 4 inches longer than my skirt conversions and may prove more age appropriate since it extends below my knees. I have a dental appointment in a about a week and a half and, weather permitting, I may wear it then. It will afford more coverage than a shorter skirt when I am reclined in the dental chair.

I plan to wear my skirt conversions more often as the warmer weather returns and I hope that they will revert to their previous stealth status.

David

[crfriend]

I wore skirts (all converted men's pants and shorts) in northern Virginia during warm weather for many years without notable incident and I firmly believed that nobody cared what I wore. Two years ago, I retired in South Carolina where the climate is more temperate and one of my goals was to wear these skirts year round. The first winter was too cold so I delayed until this one. I first noticed a change in public reaction on Election Day (November 8, 2011) which was rainy, damp, and cool.

Without proceeding immediately to what the "rather-more-Southern-than-Virgina" landscape is like, I'd surmise that there are likely a couple of other factors in play here.

First and foremost, the folks in South Carolina likely view winter with precisely the same disdain that we view it here in New England, and so what may be positively balmy to those of who've lived in more northern climes is likely unpleasant for them. This was brought into high relief when Sapphire and I were vacationing with friends in Florida in mid-winter: they'd be bundled up like pillows and we'd be out in shorts and minis. Secondly, and I cannot really comment on this with any sort of accuracy, there may not be any sort of tradition of skirts being a year-round garment there so they'd look really alien on anybody, especially a man.

Even here in New England, skirts are a bit of a rarity in the winter although long heavy ones are actually warmer than trousers so long as you can keep the hem dry. However, that seems to be "lost knowledge" amongst the general public.

Once fall arrived, they started taking second looks because it was too cold for anyone to wear shorts and that's when they realized I was wearing a skirt. Has anyone else had a similar climate related experience?

I haven't personally, but I can understand why other folks might receive such treatment. Especially with denim skirts, I can see why nobody'd notice during the summer ("they're shorts") but who in his right mind wears shorts during the cold season, and you, as a "foreigner" are used to colder temperatures than they are.

[...]I recently turned 65 years old, and after pondering the reactions, I conclude that this look was not age or gender appropriate for me. It would have been better received on a woman in her 20s or 30s out on a dinner date.

"Age appropriate" is a bit of a minefield, and "gender appropriate" even moreso, so it's the courageous individual who steps into it. Too, depending on local culture, skirts may, on the gals at least, be a "hunting outfit" much the same way that bikini swimsuits are -- once the prey has been taken such articles of clothing tend to disappear.

I also tried long skirts.

From personal experience, long skirts work quite nicely in winter but it's usually very visible unlike shorter skirts in summer.

[skirtyscot]

I tried wearing crew socks, socks that fell just below my knee caps, and even bought a pair of black thigh high socks when the temperatures got cooler. None of the above made my appearance more acceptable to the local community.

Did you try thick tights? I can't claim to be an expert, this being only my first winter since I started wearing skirts, but I think that might be a bit less surprising or remarkable to other people. Would also mean no cold bit of thigh!

When I wore the black thigh high socks, my outfits were the better coordinated and more pleasing to me. Unfortunately, this look was the least accepted in public where it drew both chuckles and a couple of outright laughs. I recently turned 65 years old, and after pondering the reactions, I conclude that this look was not age or gender appropriate for me. It would have been better received on a woman in her 20s or 30s out on a dinner date.

Shorts or mini and over-the-knee socks was a trendy combination hereabouts last year (for young women at any rate), but personally I thought it looked daft even on them.

I also tried long skirts ... I pulled a fairly full denim skirt that ended 4 or 5 inches above my ankles from my closet and wore it with black socks that covered the visible portion of my legs. I'm 6 feet tall so even a long women's skirt on me usually ends well above my ankles. ... Even though a long skirt cannot be mistaken for anything else, public acceptance was still less abrasive than I received this winter with my skirt conversions. It looks like long skirts may become my winter mainstay.

Denim should be OK, or cord. Three-quarter length is a bit of an odd length, I find. Can't really get it to work for me. I'd keep looking for longer ones if I were you. I'm 5' 10" and my long skirts are 36" to 39" long, though 36" is just a touch short. Your legs are probably 1" longer than mine so you should go for 38" or more to reach your ankles.

Most of my long skirts are made from stretchy knit fabric or have walking slits which render them unsuitable for public consumption. I looked for wearable long skirts in several thrift shops with identical results. ... None of them had a suitable long skirt in my size.

Try Ebay. You'll find plenty.

I plan to wear my skirt conversions more often as the warmer weather returns and I hope that they will revert to their previous stealth status.

You are exhibiting the same conflict as many others here, including me. We want to go out wearing something that only 1 man in 100,000 or more would wear in public, and not be noticed. A tricky one to pull off! You have one answer with your shorter skirts which no-one seems to spot. The other answer is increased confidence (and selective deafness). I'm working on it, but finding it takes time and quite a bit of practice.

[David]

crfriend wrote:
Secondly, and I cannot really comment on this with any sort of accuracy, there may not be any sort of tradition of skirts being a year-round garment there so they'd look really alien on anybody, especially a man.

Good point! I think that, irrespective of the season, a skirt of any type could be considered alien in this area. Virtually everyone, regardless of gender, lives in t-shirts and shorts in the summer due to the extreme heat and humidity. When it gets cooler, they all seem to change into to slacks or pants. The only places where you will consistently see someone wearing a skirt is in the more professional business establishments (where it is probably expected, if not required) and at church. Even in church, I am guessing that only about 10 to 15% of the female adults wear dresses or skirts on any given day.

crfriend wrote:
"Age appropriate" is a bit of a minefield, and "gender appropriate" even moreso, so it's the courageous individual who steps into it.

I agree that the terms "age appropriate" and "gender appropriate" are hard to wrap your arms around and I would hate to be tasked with drafting definitions that would stand up in court. Nevertheless, people are very opinionated and terms like this form the basis for stereotyping someone dressed outside of what they consider the "norm." As mentioned in my original post, there were several negative reactions when I wore opaque black thigh high socks with a knee length skirt to dinner on a cool winter night due to the fact that my outfit apparently was at wide variance with public expectations. I concluded that age and gender appropriateness were probably the main reasons for my conspicuousness.

crfriend wrote:
From personal experience, long skirts work quite nicely in winter but it's usually very visible unlike shorter skirts in summer.

This is very true. Even from afar, a long skirt can not be mistaken for any other piece of clothing. Wearers of long skirts should recognize and accept this fact. In line with your observations, I have also decided that ankle length skirts will be more appropriate for the winter. While a guy in a long skirt is far from mainstream, I found the public reaction to be less abrasive and almost questioning in nature.

skirtyscot wrote:
Did you try thick tights?

I deliberately avoided tights because I do not like tight underpants of any type. Instead, I bought the "Extraordinarily Longer Thigh Highs" from sockdreams.com because they were both opaque and long. I am 6 feet tall and these socks covered my entire thigh with an allowance for any shrinkage when washed. The added length also allowed me to wear them loosely enough that they maintained their opaqueness, even when I bent my knees. I did have to fabricate elastic garters for around my upper thigh to hold the socks in place.

skirtyscot wrote:
Your legs are probably 1" longer than mine so you should go for 38" or more to reach your ankles.

A length of 39 inches is ideal for me. The denim skirt that I wore is 35 inches long so it was a little short. However, I do not think that anyone was focusing on skirt length.

skirtyscot wrote:
Try Ebay. You'll find plenty.

I have bought skirts for wearing about the house on ebay for more than 11 years and have gotten burned on several occasions. It is less risky now that more people are listing actual dimensions rather than just the size. Sewing is a viable option to ebay for me. I performed almost all of my skirt conversions and made one long skirt from a pattern so I can sew a little. I am self-taught, very slow, and proficient at ripping out newly sewn seams; but, I can make a presentable simple garment when I set my mind to it. I have not attacked zippers or pockets yet; but, I am going to at least experiment with them. I'll try to make enough long skirts for next winter and I hope to participate in the "sewing" group of this forum.

skirtyscot wrote:
You are exhibiting the same conflict as many others here, including me. We want to go out wearing something that only 1 man in 100,000 or more would wear in public, and not be noticed. A tricky one to pull off! You have one answer with your shorter skirts which no-one seems to spot. The other answer is increased confidence (and selective deafness). I'm working on it, but finding it takes time and quite a bit of practice.

I really appreciate your comments and support. Up until recently, I thought I had mastered the art of wearing skirts in public. Looking back, I was merely proficient at flying under the radar and avoiding conflict. I convinced myself that I was wearing converted men's clothing rather than women's skirts and this distinction became important to me. With that said, I still hope that my converted skirts will once again be accepted without scrutiny when warmer weather returns. However, when I start wearing below the knee skirts (perhaps as early as next week to the dentist) and ankle length skirts next winter, I am going to have to face up to the fact that they are women's garments that will be readily recognized as such. I have worn long skirts in public a few times now and I am sure that my courage was bolstered by the fact that my wife accompanied me. As you so aptly noted, building this type of self-confidence is going to take both time and quite a bit of practice.

David

[skirtyscot]

As mentioned in my original post, there were several negative reactions when I wore opaque black thigh high socks with a knee length skirt to dinner on a cool winter night due to the fact that my outfit apparently was at wide variance with public expectations.

I had assumed you were flashing a bit of thigh. Sorry! Your socks must have looked pretty much like tights.

Even from afar, a long skirt can not be mistaken for any other piece of clothing. Wearers of long skirts should recognize and accept this fact. In line with your observations, I have also decided that ankle length skirts will be more appropriate for the winter. While a guy in a long skirt is far from mainstream, I found the public reaction to be less abrasive and almost questioning in nature.

My only two sightings of men in skirts have been Buddhist monks (I think) - long maroon skirt and matching top. Maybe if you "go long" people wonder if it is for some religious reason, and are a bit more respectful. Somehow I can't see many religions choosing short skirts for men. (Though why not?) [/quote]

A length of 39 inches is ideal for me. The denim skirt that I wore is 35 inches long so it was a little short. However, I do not think that anyone was focusing on skirt length.

No doubt you're right: the difference betwenn a guy in an ankle-length skirt and a guy in a mid-calf length skirt is only of any interest to afficionados like us. But if you look at page 1 of my pics thread you will see me in a 34" skirt, followed by people trying to tell me nicely that it looked baaaad.

I have bought skirts for wearing about the house on ebay for more than 11 years and have gotten burned on several occasions. It is less risky now that more people are listing actual dimensions rather than just the size.

I always ask for waist, length and (for long skirts) hem measurements, and I bid only if I get answers. Not foolproof - some people are not very accurate.