MEN IN SKIRTS: A NEW TREND CHANGING THE STIGMA

Although traditionally male-inspired fashion trends are commonplace today, it’s less acceptable in society to see men in skirts and dresses. It is fine for women to adopt men’s clothes, and that has to do with the difference in power and status of masculinity and femininity, but for a man to adopt something feminine is seen as a renunciation of his power. How absurd, right?

But all signs point to the fact that this is about to change, and fashion and society are revolutionizing for men to start showing off their legs in fashionable skirts.

Fashion revolution: the male skirt arrives

At what point did men stop having the freedom to wear a dress or a skirt – isn’t it just an item of clothing?

During Ancient Egypt, men wore skirts. In Ancient Greece and Rome, skirts were worn exclusively by warriors. In contrast, all the other men and women wore tunics. 

In the Middle Ages, people continued to wear tunics. And during the Renaissance, iconic figures such as Henry VIII wore velvet skirts with satin linings and gilt fabric, often encrusted with glittering gems, all to denote the wealth and power of royalty.

Who says only women can wear skirts?

Fast-forward to the present day. The fact that trousers are worn by either gender is a social construct. A woman wearing trousers 200 years ago would have been an aberration. 

In the 1920s (barely 100 years ago) the first women in “masculine” suits appeared and were not at all welcome… Still, women in trousers are de rigueur. If women could adapt to suits, what prevents men from wearing skirts?

This is intrinsically related to gender connotation. Men have always been associated with power, so when a woman adopted these clothes, it was seen as a message of positive empowerment. But thankfully, this is starting to change, and we are seeing more and more men going one step further. 

Famous men in skirts: find out about them

Today, designer Thom Browne has made sleek men’s office skirts the hallmark of his brand. Marc Jacobs has been a big influencer in wearing skirts on his own. Brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Maison Margiela (among others) contribute to the presence of this garment in the market. 

But what has made this controversial garment so popular for men is that renowned celebrities wear it in their daily lives as well as at important events, on the red carpet, on magazine covers, on music videos, on social media, and much more.

Here are some of the celebrities you can see wearing it:

Bad Bunny