How to normalise skirts for men: proactively reduce the barrier to entry

[yardstick]

For me, the test of whether my clothes are OK is to look at myself in a full length mirror and ask myself if I feel happy, confident and relaxed with my appearance?

Surely this is the only thing that should matter, each and every one of us is an individual who should dress how they want to so there should be no rights or wrongs as we should all be able to see what works for us.

This thread is about normalising skirts for men and so to focus on that subject. My experience is that living in North Devon, in the summer time, there is very much a holiday/beach theme to clothing and so I did not find if too tricky to swap my denim shorts for a denim skirt that fitted and looked OK. Indeed I gather there were some people locally who had not even realised I was wearing a denim skirt rather than denim shorts! Once I had made a start, it was then a matter of applying my mirror/confidence test to move on a little.

This is why the denim skirt is the classic entry to normalising skirts for men as the ones that are similar lengths to shorts go mostly undetected by the casual onlooker. To prove this point further I have previously worn a utility kilt to the BM meet ups which attracts some attention as its "different" but the most recent one I went for a Roman black denim skirt & tights viewtopic.php?t=25953&start=30 and I have to say I felt nearly as invisible as I do in trousers so much so I almost forgot I was wearing a skirt.

[Grok]

I googled "denim skirts, women" and found many webs sites for such. Many sizes, multiple lengths. Jean style included. So if one is willing to indulge in a little free styling, you can find your gateway garment.

[Grok]

The Orttu web site features the Walker Denim Skirt. Of blue denim. Worn by a male (an important point!) model.

[Uncle Al]

I like several of the ensembles on their site.
They just don't come large enough for, IMHO, most men

Walker Denim Skirt


I have to pass this on this product item

Uncle Al

[Yonkas]

Styling difficulties…A lot of existing menswear upper garments don't pair well with skirts, meaning that the default outfits that first timers will end up with, look proportionally awkward by default. Men are not typically taught how to balance visual proportions in an

Yup! And this is why, for the most part, I have given up on shopping for male clothing for my ensembles, and almost exclusively visit the “women’s” side.

Fortunately for us, some retailers have actually caught on to the fact that women’s bodies comprise a diverse spectrum of shapes and proportions, so that, when I shop for separates, it often happens that I can find a top and skirt combination that matches my build—and I am 6’3” and 290 lbs, so that’s saying something!

You aren’t completely out of luck if you wish to stick to “men’s” tops, however, if you are willing to take a chance with online clothing like incerunmen.com. Unfortunately, though, sites like this tend often tend to hew to close to clubwear, and even when you do find an exception, quality is quite inconsistent (they also really like constructing garments out of the same fabric as graduation gowns, which is not my preference). Still, you can find some rare jewels amongst the rubbish. Three of favorite tops come from that site.

At any rate, I think styling difficulties runs deeper than the failure of retailers to offer options that complement the skirted look: modern men have no basis to draw from.

We are not trained from a young age to match colors and patterns. In fact, you could say that most men have no sense of taste to guide their fashion sense—not because men are inherently tasteless, but because we are greatly discouraged from cultivating any taste in fashion to begin with.

Fortunately, there is hope. I recommend looking at archaic men’s fashion for inspiration. While you probably don’t want to be channeling an 18th century dandy (but please do, if that’s your thing), or a Roma senator (ditto), you can at least borrow from such aesthetics and use them as a basis for a more modern look that will accommodate your body better than any look designed for women.

[Grok]

We are not trained from a young age to match colors and patterns. In fact, you could say that most men have no sense of taste to guide their fashion sense—not because men are inherently tasteless, but because we are greatly discouraged from cultivating any taste in fashion to begin with.

"...cultivating any taste in fashion...." Given how even mens formal wear is dull at best, there wouldn't have been much point.

[Mouse]

Walker Denim Skirt

To me this skirt is odd. Susie pointed out in one of my pictures a certain male lump in a skirt. I feel while making the fly large enough to be usable, the designer has made the same emphasis to the detriment of the skirt IMHO. With a giant hole in the bottom of a skirt, urinal use to me has never been a problem, which this skirt is attempting to fix.

[Stevej180]

As a design, I can see the advantages. I've been playing with designs of my own based on a utility kilt, but with a side opening it's hard to design in a decent pocket. With a front zip it means it's easier to add a pocket(s) at the side. To me it looks like it could be the perfect compromise (for some people) - very much a 'male skirt'. I suppose the counter view is that it's too 'male'.

[Seb]

Walker Denim Skirt

To me this skirt is odd. Susie pointed out in one of my pictures a certain male lump in a skirt. I feel while making the fly large enough to be usable, the designer has made the same emphasis to the detriment of the skirt IMHO. With a giant hole in the bottom of a skirt, urinal use to me has never been a problem, which this skirt is attempting to fix.

I though the zip works quite well on this model, it does make it look a lot more masculine with the closure in the front as we are used to. Just like a lot of shorts that have decorative false flies(flyes?). I'm guessing it's function is just to secure it around the waist instead of a hidden side/rear zip, not something you would bother undoing at a urinal.

I could definitely see myself wearing it if it didn't cost an arm and a leg.

[robehickman]

I like several of the ensembles on their site.
They just don't come large enough for, IMHO, most men

Walker Denim Skirt


I have to pass this on this product item

Uncle Al

The shape of this garment in the waist and hip area makes way more sense on a male body, vs the shaping of most women's skirts, it does not immediately trigger a 'that looks weird' reaction for me.

Styling difficulties…A lot of existing menswear upper garments don't pair well with skirts, meaning that the default outfits that first timers will end up with, look proportionally awkward by default. Men are not typically taught how to balance visual proportions in an

We are not trained from a young age to match colors and patterns. In fact, you could say that most men have no sense of taste to guide their fashion sense—not because men are inherently tasteless, but because we are greatly discouraged from cultivating any taste in fashion to begin with.

There are a huge number of outfit styling videos targeting women. While you can't adopt things directly, there is a lot of useful information in them about pattern and colour matching, outfit formulas, and outfit layering.

[robehickman]

I googled "denim skirts, women" and found many webs sites for such. Many sizes, multiple lengths. Jean style included. So if one is willing to indulge in a little free styling, you can find your gateway garment.

Many skirts made for women have very 'cirvatious' shaping in the waist ant hip area that looks bizarre on a male body.

[sellek]

''Many skirts made for women have very 'cirvatious' shaping in the waist ant hip area that looks bizarre on a male body.

''

But apparently less so than used to be the case;
In the 1950s the average female waist size was 28'' and the average male waist 34''
Today the average female waist is 34'' and the average male waist 37.5''

The average female waist is now the same size as the average male waist in the 1950s

In the 1950's male waists were 6'' (21%) bigger than female waists
Today male waists are 3.5'' (10%) bigger than female waists

Other average female body measurements have not increased by as much as the waist measurement.

[robehickman]

''Many skirts made for women have very 'cirvatious' shaping in the waist ant hip area that looks bizarre on a male body.'

But apparently less so than used to be the case;
In the 1950s the average female waist size was 28'' and the average male waist 34''
Today the average female waist is 34'' and the average male waist 37.5''

The average female waist is now the same size as the average male waist in the 1950s

In the 1950's male waists were 6'' (21%) bigger than female waists
Today male waists are 3.5'' (10%) bigger than female waists

Other average female body measurements have not increased by as much as the waist measurement.

Possibly, but women are still more curvy in shape generally. This kind of comment rather comes across as 'I have never seen a woman before', or 'II have never paid close attention to the difference in silhouette between make / female bodies'.

[Grok]

There are a huge number of outfit styling videos targeting women. While you can't adopt things directly, there
is a lot of useful information in them about pattern and colour matching, outfit formulas, and outfit layering.

I have endeavored to present this sort of information in the Style thread.

[sellek]

Further to my post above about the change in waist sizes, to elaborate further; I have found that skirts made some years ago do come in sharply at the waist whereas skirts made in more recent times have a much less pronounced difference between waist and hips. So much so that these days I can buy skirts made in recent years where the waist and hip measurements pretty close match my waist and hip measurements. Once you have a skirt that fits well on your waist and hips you can then match if with other clothing to give a balanced look. As others have pointed out, if you look, there is plenty of guidance available which you can adapt for the male body to produce an overall balanced look.