New members may come across mention of the Great Renunciation. This is a reference regarding the use of color (or lack there of) in mens wear. A trend towards color-less clothing began a couple centuries ago. This eventually led to the dreary drabness we see in mens wear today.
Members have commented that women have embarked on their own Great Renunciation.
For mens wear we may now be in a long trend that will reverse the Great Renunciation. We may eventually see more use of colors bright and bold, as well as the subtle use of pastels.
I see color as being as significant as any (non-skirt) style.
Style
Re: Style
Further comments regarding color:
Color may tend to gain traction more easily, and sooner, compared to other changes, such as MIS. Without any style changes, color can be applied to otherwise ordinary items from the male side of the aisle.
Pastels may work well with shirts, particularly dress dress shirts, because of the tendency to layer other items over them. Jackets...ties...necklaces.... The soft neutral of the shirt may serve well as the background for items with more vivid hues.
Of course, bright and bold colors can look good on shirts too.
Adding more color would work well with socks.
If used as a statement piece, bright and bold turns a skirt into a peacock tail.
Going in the opposite direction, for the sake of style, we should consider shoes and hats.* Consider the tendency towards earth tones for leather shoes. This can have the effect of grounding an outfit. Helping to keep the rig from going over the top. While hats can look good with vivid color, they can also look good with earth tones. I believe that earth tone hats can reinforce the grounding effect-from the other end of the body-while paradoxically looking dashing.
* Individuals with a special eye for clothing may make more colorful items work for their rigs, while other, less gifted people may not.
Color may tend to gain traction more easily, and sooner, compared to other changes, such as MIS. Without any style changes, color can be applied to otherwise ordinary items from the male side of the aisle.
Pastels may work well with shirts, particularly dress dress shirts, because of the tendency to layer other items over them. Jackets...ties...necklaces.... The soft neutral of the shirt may serve well as the background for items with more vivid hues.
Of course, bright and bold colors can look good on shirts too.
Adding more color would work well with socks.
If used as a statement piece, bright and bold turns a skirt into a peacock tail.
Going in the opposite direction, for the sake of style, we should consider shoes and hats.* Consider the tendency towards earth tones for leather shoes. This can have the effect of grounding an outfit. Helping to keep the rig from going over the top. While hats can look good with vivid color, they can also look good with earth tones. I believe that earth tone hats can reinforce the grounding effect-from the other end of the body-while paradoxically looking dashing.
* Individuals with a special eye for clothing may make more colorful items work for their rigs, while other, less gifted people may not.
Re: Style
That was supposed to be "personal expression." 
Patterns in mens socks.
If the socks I have linked to seem a bit tame, you might explore socks from the other side of the aisle
Patterns in mens socks.
If the socks I have linked to seem a bit tame, you might explore socks from the other side of the aisle
Re: Style
If you were to base skirt colors based on the colors of mens trousers.
Re: Style
I have a few of the seven colours in my working skirts. I am missing brown, olive and white, however, it made me smile when he had a picture of a man in white trousers standing next to a proper Land Rover. IMHO, while I love my Defender, it and white skirt/trousers do not make a good combination.Grok wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2026 5:21 am If you were to base skirt colors based on the colors of mens trousers.
Daily, a happy man in a skirt...
Re: Style
I can't say white worked with my Wrangler, nor current Land Cruiser -- maybe if we switched to all white lithium grease for them?Mouse wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2026 7:12 amI have a few of the seven colours in my working skirts. I am missing brown, olive and white, however, it made me smile when he had a picture of a man in white trousers standing next to a proper Land Rover. IMHO, while I love my Defender, it and white skirt/trousers do not make a good combination.Grok wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2026 5:21 am If you were to base skirt colors based on the colors of mens trousers.
Re: Style
Some thoughts about colors.....
During our childhoods, my brothers and I wore suits to church. A couple ties stand out in my memories:
1. An almost colorless necktie, with two washed out shades of blue, one slightly lighter than the other. Arranged in stripes.
2. A bow tie that featured the ultimate mud color, brown. Brown doesn't function as a decorative color, not really. It simply looks like...mud.
3. Dress shirt was white, as was standard for the time. Jacket and trousers were so undistinguished that I don't even remember the color.
My parents ensured that their sons were formally dressed in a gender conforming way. But I suspect that they found the suits so dull that they put little effort into adding color or anything even slightly interesting. I think they grabbed whatever in the most expedient way for purchase.
I don't care if other men wear traditional trouser suits, but I have a permanent distaste for such rigs.
Going back to number 1, the almost-colorless-necktie (need a better term for such color schemes), I think that there is a bit of potential there. While pastels have a softening effect, this could have a calming effect. With a modest pattern adding a bit of visual interest, this could function almost like a neutral, sandwiched between items sporting colors bold and bright.
During our childhoods, my brothers and I wore suits to church. A couple ties stand out in my memories:
1. An almost colorless necktie, with two washed out shades of blue, one slightly lighter than the other. Arranged in stripes.
2. A bow tie that featured the ultimate mud color, brown. Brown doesn't function as a decorative color, not really. It simply looks like...mud.
3. Dress shirt was white, as was standard for the time. Jacket and trousers were so undistinguished that I don't even remember the color.
My parents ensured that their sons were formally dressed in a gender conforming way. But I suspect that they found the suits so dull that they put little effort into adding color or anything even slightly interesting. I think they grabbed whatever in the most expedient way for purchase.
I don't care if other men wear traditional trouser suits, but I have a permanent distaste for such rigs.
Going back to number 1, the almost-colorless-necktie (need a better term for such color schemes), I think that there is a bit of potential there. While pastels have a softening effect, this could have a calming effect. With a modest pattern adding a bit of visual interest, this could function almost like a neutral, sandwiched between items sporting colors bold and bright.
Re: Style
I am having a problem with analysis. "Masculine" skirts are supposed to be angular rather than round; have straight lines rather than curvy lines. The design that is probably the least masculine in these terms is the bubble skirt.
Yet.... Mouse has worn bubble skirts, and made it look good
Does anybody know why? Maybe it has something to do with wearing an Australian bush hat?
Yet.... Mouse has worn bubble skirts, and made it look good
Does anybody know why? Maybe it has something to do with wearing an Australian bush hat?Re: Style
I've found that men tend to avoid colors for their lower half. I think this is in part because they have fewer pants than shirts. Men tend to wear only a few different pairs or styles of pants, and put the variety in their shirts. If you only have a handful of pants, you need them to go with everything. This may be a holdover from suits, which a man would only have a few of.
I think this also leads to men being less inclined to try something new with their lower half. I agree that getting guys into skirts will be easier in those drab "mud" colors that guys are used to for pants. That's where a started, and still lean towards.
That said, I sometimes pair something like a bright yellow or orange T-shirt with a plain black skirt or kilt. I did this a lot in my early days to somewhat consciously draw attention away from the kilt. I also just love bright colors like that, and the contrast makes them pop.
I think this also leads to men being less inclined to try something new with their lower half. I agree that getting guys into skirts will be easier in those drab "mud" colors that guys are used to for pants. That's where a started, and still lean towards.
That said, I sometimes pair something like a bright yellow or orange T-shirt with a plain black skirt or kilt. I did this a lot in my early days to somewhat consciously draw attention away from the kilt. I also just love bright colors like that, and the contrast makes them pop.
Re: Style
Yeah, Dust, I think you are right that it will be easier to sell skirts in Mud colors. That aspect is what men are used to.
Also, skirts will more resemble traditional male trousers if they are angular, have straight lines. Good pockets will also help sales.
Also, skirts will more resemble traditional male trousers if they are angular, have straight lines. Good pockets will also help sales.
Re: Style
Over the next 20-30 years, it may be only one, or at most a few, skirt designs gain traction among men.
That may be disappointing. But there may be promise in diversifying shirts. The easiest change-more use of colors bold and bright. Also, consider the possibility of different sleeve lengths or types; maybe somewhat different necklines.
That may be disappointing. But there may be promise in diversifying shirts. The easiest change-more use of colors bold and bright. Also, consider the possibility of different sleeve lengths or types; maybe somewhat different necklines.