Why do you Wear a Skirt/Kilt

[skirtguy22]

Because I can
Because they are comfortable
And because, looking at most of the women today, I feel as if I'm crossdressing when I wear jeans.

[RichardA]

Because I can
Because they are comfortable
And because, looking at most of the women today, I feel as if I'm crossdressing when I wear jeans.

that about sums it up

[Sasquatch]

I guess it has to do with a sense of personal identity. I've always felt like the round peg in a world of square holes - never found a place where I felt like I really fit in so for me the question Why? is more of a Why Not?
Sasq

[Peter v]

Some things you do just because you like it.
It is a choice.
No rational explanation needed.

Skirts are not always practical, etc. But they are prefferred by many people to be worn, both men and women.

I have always been intersted in skirts, and now at 52 I am actually wearing them. I now have a very large choice in garments to wear, much larger and interesting than when I only wore men's clothing.

I think that we make the step to have more freedom in what we wear, the skirt being the step needed to break from the pants domination and enter into a whole new world of possibilities, even if you don't use them.

I for one could never have been so free with my clothing choice if I had not decided to wear skirts.

Peter v

[CJFMix]

Comfort comes in first , then the sensations , the looks comes in third , and finaly , the wish to break stereotypes of the (conformist) social establishment !!!

[JRMILLER]

Why?

My first skirting event was last October or so -- thus, I can give you my original and first reaction: wow! this feels so comfortable, actually looks good and feels right! I wish I knew about these before!

Thus, I was hooked from the first moment I put one on.

You may as well ask someone why they like the color blue? Or why does someone put hot sauce on their eggs? It's a simple matter of personal taste.

There isn't anything inherently "sexual" about it, it's just a garment and works equally well on anyone with legs including perhaps a dog if Rover was so inclined.

[Bri]

This is a when and why..

When I tried a skirt on at my gf's house (I bought her when when I was visiting relatives over christmas, one of the many things I bought for her then) and walked around in it. She didn't laugh or anything but said "oh my ******* god, you look better in that skirt than me, and that's pissing me off". I laughed for a while and asked, you actually like me in a skirt? She replied "Yes, you look incredibly sexy in it, and your legs look hot".

Now I'm to the stage where I wear it as often as I can. Haven't gone outside yet, she doesn't know the people who live around her well (even after a couple decades of living there) and has had some family drama that resulted in some of the neighborhood losing confidence in her and her family. I don't want to add to that negatively.

I think the why is more of, the whole damn store just opened to me, not the small dark section known as "men's". I like having a choice in things. My gf also looks to me for fashion advice and I really don't know how that ties into wearing skirts, but just wanted to say that. I want to completely break the mold of what's seen as normal and if that involves rocking the boat, "let's rock!"

Another part of my personality which around here, I think I'm the only person who possesses it. Is that when I want something I do it. When I say I'll be there, I'll be there. She likes how honest I am about things. When I don't know something I say so. But I have too strong of a personality for this place (another good reason why I'm moving to Colorado).

[mugman]

I think trousers/pants were initially a protective garment connected with both the type of work carried out, plus protection from weather and temperature. As I don't intend being dragged along behind a horse and plough today, in a muddy field with wind and rain belting at me, a kilt seems like a more comfortable option.
Tomorrow, if my luck holds, I'll probably not be shovelling coal into an iron foundry furnace either, with scorching heat aimed at my legs - so I'll probably wear a kilt tomorrow as well.
I believe women started wearing trousers/dungerees/pants when they became more involved with industrial work, for safety and protection.
I envisage no similar protective issues arising from what I do, so a kilt is my choice.

[Uncle Al]

A couple of weeks ago I was at a friends house helping to
rebuild and convert an Analog console organ into a Digital
console organ. I wore my Black Watch SWK. Annette, his
wife, asked me if this was a special day by me wearing my
kilt. I told her that it was a FTHOI day. She gave me a quizical
look. I explained that FTHOI was For The H--- Of It. She
laughed for quite a while! Then I started to solder wires
again. Big hands, tiny wires, small spaces. I can only
do about 25 wires, then I have to get up, stretch my legs,
and massage my hands to stop the cramping.

Uncle Al
Duncanville, TX

[Artemis]

Interesting reading through people's responses.

I'm not much of a skirt wearer.

Here's why:

* In my late teens I fought to wear slacks to work. I still think of it as fighting the good fight everytime I wear slacks to work and appreciate the fight of those who came before me that allow me to do that.

* I think I look better in slacks than a skirt (large woman, skirts don't give me any shape).

* No fabric between the thighs means painful rash 90% of the time.

* No pockets in skirts and those with pockets - well putting the essentials (mobile phone, hankie, keys) in pockets ruins the line.

* Sensible shoes don't go with skirts (but I'm getting over that).

* Feel too feminine in a skirt - it just isn't me.

Interesting that some of my reasons for *not* wearing them, are some of your reasons *for* wearing them.

[AMM]

Artemis --

(Belated) welcome to SkirtCafe. (Do you do archery? )

It's interesting to hear different people's perspectives on things. One nice thing about SkirtCafe is that people here generally accept that a difference of opinion is basically Just a difference of perspective, and they don't need to convert everyone to the One True Way (OTW.)

In that spirit, here are my "different perspectives."

I think I look better in slacks than a skirt (large woman, skirts don't give me any shape).

If you've been looking at yourself in the skirts that are currently on the market, I have to agree with you. I don't know what you mean by "large", but I am what one might charitably call a "large" man (uncharitable folks call me "fat"), and I've pretty much given up on buying ready-made skirts, because I think the ones I can buy make me look like a fire hydrant (or worse.)

I've been making my own skirts, mostly fairly full A-line (I would say "conical") ones, and I think that skirts that flare out de-emphasize my "spare tire." I've got a few posted in the "pictures" forum here. I also occasionally see plus-sized women on the train, and sometimes they wear fairly full, long skirts, and in my (utterly objective and universally applicable ) opinion, I think such skirts look good on them.

I also think the skirts and dresses I see for sale show a remarkable lack of imagination and diversity, and the few items available in larger sizes are hideous (I call them American burqas.) I remember when I was married and looking for stuff for my wife, I had a hard time finding anything I thought looked interesting, and when I did find something, it was only availiable to fit anorexic models. My wife was size 18-20 (and IMHO not at all "fat"), and the stuff on the market in those sizes was uniformly dumpy.

(End of screaming rant....)

* No fabric between the thighs means painful rash 90% of the time.

Interesting how people's experiences differ. I find having no fabric between my legs means less rashes -- I find that the damp fabric irritates my legs, and the lack of ventilation leads to undesirable biological activity. But I also don't wear tights or underwear or anything else. My ex-wife also used to say that she had fewer problems when she wore skirts with nothing underneath (except a petticoat and socks.)

* No pockets in skirts and those with pockets - well putting the essentials (mobile phone, hankie, keys) in pockets ruins the line.

All the skirts I make have pockets, and if I buy a skirt that doesn't come with pockets, I add them.

I've heard guys here complain about "ruining the line," but when fill my pockets and look at myself in a mirror, I can't tell that there's anything in my pockets. All my pockets are side-seam pockets (and suspended from the waistband), and my skirts are fairly full, so full pockets don't drag down the skirt and there's no visible bulge. I can see where it might be different if you wear a pencil skirt, or the pockets are patch or cargo pockets. It's also true with my skirts that if the waistband isn't tight enough, the front of it tends to sag; but it does that anyway, due to the "spare tire" in front -- cf. Utilikilts' "beer gut adjustment."

[SkirtDude]

Deleted.

[Artemis]

I'll have to admit I've seen some larger women looking fabulous in skirts.
No larger men yet unfortunately though - ie, I haven't seen them - I'm sure they'd look fabulous too.

I am rather larger than your ex-wife AMM - and I'll admit I probably did start giving up on skirts (and dresses) due in part to the hideous choices available.

I just don't have one of those so-called "standard shapes" so to find something that fits my waist, means it drapes unflatteringly over my tummy bulges.

When I did/and do wear them - they are always ankle length, full ones, or ones that flare out at the ankles.

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and we're generally our own first beholder. I'm sure I'm way more critical than most people - but then I've faced a lot of negative social pressures becuase of my weight, so get a bit sensitive about it.

I'm starting to find skirts on-line that I like, but you have all been inspiring me to get out the dusty sewing machine and try my hand again. First thing will probably be some large thai wrap pants though. Even sarongman's US recommendation doesn't come in large enough sizes.

Having said all that re my size - back when I was a size 10 I did have a fabulous mini-skirt.
And my lurking b/f is a size 12/14 - that's my weight loss goal - to lose enough so I can borrow his skirts - we've got the same style

[AMM]

I'm starting to find skirts on-line that I like, but you have all been inspiring me to get out the dusty sewing machine and try my hand again.

One problem I find with looking at ready-to-wear stuff is that it can limit your imagination. I suspect that sewing patterns have the same problem (I don't use them.)

When I make something, I find that the hardest part of making it is coming up with a clear conception of what I want it to look like and me to look like in it.

The second hardest part is having the courage to actually carry out my whole vision. I often wimp out and make something less daring than I had in mind. And when I'm done and have worn it "out and about," I realize it would have been better to go with the original idea.

[Sarongman]

AMM charitably calls models anorexic. In my humble opinion they look like tidied up, just released Belsen concentration camp inmates. This totally inappropriate modelling is so far from the reality of most womens lives that it borders on the criminal. This unattainable goal is shown to young girls as the only way they will be "beautiful" so they head despairingly into anorexia and bulimia. Is there any way the fashion industry can be brought to account?