From the Yahoo Utilikilt board...

[mcnice]

rhino, i wouldn t even say that the other poeple think about the kilt as a womens clothing. for sure a lot of folks there don t know what a kilt is. but i think most of the poeple think we are just eccentric, ad in a way there are right as we feel our masculinity in another way. but, and that is not understandable to me, they don t get the idea from themselves how comfortable the kilt is... they stop sthinking at the eccentric perception.

[GG]

Hi.
My answers

1. So, why do you wear a skirt?
I nowadays seldom wear skirts, but quite often kilts. By all means I do it for comfort and variety. I consider a kilt (a skirt) as an important addition rather than a substitute for pants. Pants are not providing very much variety. Even the choice of colours is quite limited when it comes to men’s clothing.

I have not the slightest intention to look femme, not even if wearing a skirt. It should be noted, that in Europe the “mental” difference between wearing a kilt or a skirt might be less than in the Anglo-Saxon countries.

When wearing a kilt you feel some added freedom. I think this (and the need for variety) is why women have never abandoned skirts and dresses, even if they are mostly of the opinion that trousers are the more practical garments.

In fact, skirted garments fit men better than they do women. That’s due to anatomy and that men don’t to the same degree as women feel cold

If you look at the way people live today, and had there been no clothing “history”, men should probably as their first choice have skirted garments, women pants.

That said, for a lot of tasks pants are incredibly practical for both genders. Therefore I should never give up pants myself. But provided kilts were better accepted I should use them more frequently than today.

2. What does your partner think of it?
My wife is tolerating rather than supporting. She definitely prefers kilts to skirts.

3. Do you think there are any skirts that are of limits to men? Sure. Only masculine looking skirts come in question. That means front zipper, pockets, belt loops, coarse fabric (e.g. denim, corduroy), manly colours etc. - and kilts of course. Further skirted garments should be “roomy” enough for unimpeded moving around.
Personally I find kilts and other skirted garments reaching below my knees as feminine.

4. How long do you think it will be before skirts for men are an everyday sight? It’s difficult to say. If men interested in wearing skirted garments do it frequently and in a proper way – focusing on a masculine appearance - the idea could spread rather fast.
Unfortunately some men are demanding almost anything from women’s wardrobe, making them in the eyes of society simple cross dressers.

5. Why do you think male skirts are still only worn by a brave few? The main problem is lack of understanding and acceptance, or is it rather the prejudices that men dressing differently are no real men? Men are rather timid when it comes to their way of clothing. We have been limited for too long.

6. Is there any occasion when you wouldn't wear your skirt?
Yes. But first of all there are many occasions where I would like to wear a kilt, but where I feel that it would not be wise: Work etc.

7. How do you choose to accessorize it?
Wearing a kilt I combine it with a sporran, socks, belt and buckle. As my kilts are mainly for casual wear, I will use them together with poly shirts, shirts and sweaters. In general shoes are heavy. As I have no Scottish roots, I don’t try, in any way to pass as a Scotsman. To me the kilt is not a costume, but a garb. Therefore, I have kilts in various tartans as well as solid coloured, and I’m not always wearing my socks to the knee etc.

GG