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Why Men Should Wear Skirts
Until now, men have considered the idea of wearing
something other than pants or long shorts in public
to be nothing less than a sacrilege against
humanity. Although, throughout history, the concept
of men wearing skirted garments was all too common.
After all, pants were not widely used by any
society more than three hundred years ago. - Pants
were originally an invention to make it easier to
ride a horse. The idea stuck, and the two-legged
garment became standard apparel for working men to
stave off cold and abrasion.
At the onset of the industrial age, Levi's were
probably the most popular mass-produced garment
made for men. Sewn of heavy canvas, Levi's jeans
were designed to stave of the scrapes of workman's
toil. The political rise of the working class in
the 1800's transformed the workman's attire into a
symbol of raw power against the pompous and
flagrantly dressed gentile statesman at the polar
ends of the political and fashion spectrum. The
power struggle of the working class has since
grayed into the history books. So many men today
live comfortable lives transporting themselves from
their cozy homes, to their climaxed controlled
cars, and into their environmentally shielded
workspaces. Their female counterparts, transgressed
long ago into the once male-dominated career
lifestyle, are comfortably donning non-bifurcated
garments as they go off to work and play.
The idea of men wearing skirts in today's sex
polarized society is a hot subject in certain
corners of the Internet. Is it cross-dressing or is
it the reemergence of an old-world fashion trend? -
The topic is frequently debated in various Internet
discussion groups and forums. For the most part,
there is relatively widespread interest and at
least moderate acceptance of the 'men wearing
skirts' idea in one form or another.
It seems that many men are rediscovering the
comfort and practicality of the skirt. (Men's
skirts are often referred to as kilts, sarongs or
pareos for those who are fearful to associate the
word "skirt" with men. - Get over it, it's just a
word). When you step back and take an objective
look at things, the idea of restricting such a
broad class of garment design to women seems a bit
absurd. - Especially when you consider the
anatomical configuration of the male species - "The
three-legged pant just didn't take off like it
should have". Skirt style garments are unarguably
the least encumbering configuration of lower-body
apparel that men could wear. It's more than a style
statement according to some doctors, loose
non-restrictive clothing can help men live
healthier and reproduce easier.
The indisputable fact about skirts is that they
are extremely comfortable to wear for both men and
women. If one follows the cardinal rule of design;
"form follows function", then it is obvious that
the idea of restricting men from wearing skirts
today is largely a fashion argument. Just as the
idea of women wearing pant's can equally be argued
as fashion in most casual living situations.
In other parts of the world such as the South
Pacific, Indonesia, Africa, Middle East, India, and
the Philippians it is common to see men wearing
skirts and other non-bifurcated garments. Certain
cultures like Scotland and Greece maintain kilts
and men's style skirts as formal military attire.
After many brief showings on the runways of Paris
and Milan over the last couple of decades, it seams
that the men's skirt trend is starting to stick.
The main reason for hesitance over the years is the
overwhelming fear by most men for being identified
as homosexual. However, subculture stigma seams to
be having a diminishing influence on the emerging
men's skirt market for heterosexual males. The
trend is not about feminine skirts for men but
rather masculine skirt designs that are made for
the male body shape.
Skirts made for men are appearing in a wide
range of social circles from hikers and runners to
carpenters and artists. Currently, the most common
skirt configuration worn by men is a modern
adaptation of the Scottish kilt. Previously
relegated to traditional dress, the kilt has seen a
recent rise in popularity beyond the borders of its
Scottish heritage. (A kilt is a special type of
pleated skirt that wraps around the waist and has
an overlapping front.) A number of manufacturers
are now offering modern kilts for men. Companies
like Utilikilt, Amerikilt and Union Kilt have taken
an old idea and revitalized it with heavy-duty
construction complete with cargo pockets and tool
holders. Other companies such as JDEZ offer
lightweight cargo sarongs, and hiking skirts that
convert to shorts for warm weather recreation. And
Macabi Skirt, who offers a cleaver unisex skirt for
backpackers and travelers. While other companies,
like Men-in-Time and AMOK, make high-fashion
masculine long skirts for men.
The idea of skirts made for men is both a new
and old concept. While probably a long ways from
going mainstream, men's skirts, kilts, sarongs and
the like are probably going to continue to increase
in popularity.
Source: Jay Dezelic is a fashion
designer for www.jdez.com/men
- a manufacturer of unique and comfortable informal
wear for men and women. Jay is also fashion writer
for www.justchange.net
- an ezine focused on helping people make positive
changes in their lives. Additionally, Jay is a
freelance fashion model who's unique portfolio
could be seen at www.jdez.com/models/jaydezelic
Related Issue: Men
in Skirts
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