Is a Dress or Skirt an Acceptable Clothing Choice for a Man?
You know that amazing feeling when you put on a dress and you feel like the most beautiful and elegant person in the room, all eyes on you? If women get to experience this feeling in a dress, a garment that some feel most confident and beautiful in, why can’t men? Men wearing dresses and skirts, clothing traditionally worn by women in the eyes of society for many years, is starting to become more popular today on the streets, runways, and even the red carpet. Yet, not everyone agrees with it. Some people think it’s wrong for a man to wear a skirt or a dress because it redefines gender norms. Usually the people judging have issues with other things not exactly relating to the dress itself but to the LGBTQ community as a whole, even if the person wearing the garment is straight, which is an issue in itself because a man in a dress or skirt does not automatically define their sexual orientation or identity. However, other people just think it’s weird and unusual. But why? Men should be able to redefine gender norms and express themselves in a dress just as women were able to do the same when wearing pants became popular for them in the mid-20th century. If women could successfully redefine gender norms the way they did then, why can’t men to the same today? Well, they can, and they are. In recent years we are seeing men in skirts and dresses more and more, from celebrities to regular people on the streets in our everyday lives. This is a great step forward because the more it is seen on a normal bases, the more normal it will become. People that are against it or that are uncomfortable with the idea really just need to realize that it affects them in no way, shape, or form, and it really isn’t even a new concept.
The more society sees the growing concept of men in skirts and dresses, the more normal it will become. Seeing men in skirts and dresses more commonly in social media and everyday life is a great start to redefining the gender norms of men and will help it to eventually become something people don’t look twice at. In an article called Gender in the Fashion Industry the author talks about some examples, “…such as Louis Vuitton in 2016. They launched a clothing campaign that featured Jaden Smith and other women modeling traditional ‘women’s’ clothing, such as skirts and dresses.”(Kimble, 2017) When Jaden Smith was seen in an ad wearing a skirt it was really noticed and he didn’t only wear it in the ad, he’s known to wear skirts commonly. He isn’t the only celebrity known to have worn skirts, Kanye West is known to wear skirts, as well as David Bowie and Kurt Cobain. Recently, there are men bringing the style to the red carpet, these dresses are designed to flatter the male body type and they look really good, a couple examples are celebs such as Billy Porter and Jonathan Van Ness. It is also shown on tv, such as on an episode of Glee where that character Kurt Hummel is ridiculed for wanting to wear a skirt to prom and was told it wasn’t a good idea. Many men want to wear skirts, so why shouldn’t they be able to without being judged? The good news is, it is becoming more and more popular, and hopefully accepted, every year. Skirts for men are now being shown in fashion shows by popular designers, which is a big step. “De Rien bolts together rare and difficult to find cloth in designs that are inspired by the traditional men’s dress of North Africa, India and the Middle East, particularly those of nomadic tribes, workers and artisans.”(Tong, 2014) De Rien was literally inspired by the past,
just proving that it isn’t something that is new, it’s something that society lost and is finding now. Also, in 2017 New York Fashion Week unisex clothing was all over the runways. It is becoming something that people are thinking of and incorporating into their designs. Some men wear dresses that could be more flattering on their body type, but it’s understandable because it’s really hard to find a dress that’s made for a man’s body, you almost have to get it custom made, which is something that needs to change. It actually looks really good when it fits right and there’s nothing wrong with a man in a skirt or dress. Maybe not all men, but many men want to wear skirts and like the way it looks, just like many women don’t like to wear pants for reasons like comfort or style, why would men be any different? Everyone has their own taste and style, just like the celebrities that decided to act on their wants. It’s really great that designers are incorporating skirts and dresses designed for the male body type because it means it will become a more accessible garment for everyone.
People most likely find the concept of a man in a skirt or dress strange or uncomfortable because it is a fairly new concept and humans typically need to adjust a little bit in order to feel comfortable with new ideas. Except, it’s not new. Men in dresses and skirts is something that became less normal as clothing and fashion developed. Many men wouldn’t dare wear a dress today, “[h]owever, if you were a baby boy in the 19th century you could have easily ended up wearing a dress and that wouldn’t be weird in any way. On the contrary, that was a common practice.” (Blazeski, 2018) Boys normally wore dresses, until the age of six or seven. Parents would dress them like this to make, dressing, and diaper changing easier because buttons and zippers were not invented yet and pants were too complicated for young children to put on by themselves. An event called “breeching” was something that was done when the boy was ready to wear pants, which symbolized their entrance into manhood. “The boy would get a haircut and dress in pants for the first time, and would walk around the neighborhood, showing off his new clothes for everyone to see.” (Blazeski, 2018) If you see Victorian era photos and paintings of young boys, they are most likely wearing a dress. Kings in medieval times would wear robes, tunics, and dresses accessorized with things considered more feminine today such as feathers, silks, velvets, furs, and beading, and it was considered a sign of wealth. Yet, even today after all this, a little boy wearing a dress would be considered quite odd. Let’s go back
even further in time, when not only the boys, but the men wore skirts and dresses as well. “The ancient Greeks and Romans had their loose chitons and togas. Egyptians wore wrap-around linen skirts called shendyt.” (Crawford) In the past, when there was no sewing, buttons, zippers, or clasps, fabrics and animal skins were simply draped around the bodies of men and women, resembling what we know today as a skirt or dress. Men wore skirts and dresses before pants were even invented. “Although local practices varied, both men and women often wore the same garment types. These were skirts of various lengths; shawls, or lengths of woven fabric of different sizes and shapes that could be draped or wrapped around the body;”(Encylopedia.com, 2019) Also, of course, in ancient drawings, none of the men are wearing pants. So if you think about it, history has just gone full circle, just with more of a design aspect. It shouldn’t be looked at as odd or unusual, it should be accepted as a piece of clothing that does not belong to any specific gender.
Overall, wearing a dress is really comfortable so why should it be restricted to women’s wear only? Many have their beliefs and opinions on it for different reasons but what the ones that don’t agree with it don’t realize is that it’s really none of their business and it affects them in no way. Women were able to change their gender norms in the past and make pants a popular option for women, some may say even more popular than a skirt or dress. With everything going on in the fashion world, men will be able to do the same one day soon. It’s being seen more and more every year, which is just making it a more accepted and normal thing for people to see over time. Although it may be seen as somewhat odd by some right now, it is not a new concept at all, it is simply something that was lost in history. Skirts and dresses were worn by both men and women in the past before pants were worn. Even after pants came into fashion, skirts or dresses were worn by kings showing wealth and high status. Also, despite the varying opinions, it looks really good when the garment fits the wearer in a flattering way, so hopefully men’s dresses and skirts become more accessible in the next few years. The bottom line is everyone has a personal preference and their own personal style and shouldn’t have to hide it or feel judged when expressing themselves. The future of men’s fashion is looking bright.
