This from a reader of hopes blog.

 This from a reader of hopes blog.

I also think that other feminizations apply - shaving legs and underarms etc - I hate pubic hair so I shave it (all) off but I sometimes have concerns to how people may perceive it. At the same time, I think they can stick their opinions where the.......
Shaving and even waxing is becoming more commonplace amongst men, certainly in the southern hemisphere. For me this is surprising as in my opinion it's blighted by rugby and other masculine judgements of men. I've lived in both hemispheres and the female perception of men in the likes of NZ and Australia is that they have to be brutes, hunters, rugby players and so on, to be a man. They couldn't be further from the truth most of the time.
Why should any of these things, clothes, fragrancies, materials, body hair preferences - all be deemed feminine, it's ridiculous. Even if SOME weren't deemed feminine it would be a start, but none are!
Slap on the "moisturizer" boys cause it's as far as you can go without being stigmatized!

The world would be a better place if men were allowed to be more feminine!

Equality in Fashions for men and women, men wearing skirts.

I'm an imigrant from another discussion board about men wearing skirts. I'm very glad to have an alternative board to visit to share heterosexual experiences wearing skirts.

I am biological male and in every way male. I avoid and dislike the mocho image some men portray and and generally prefer to spent my time with women rather than men. I do have some men friends, the frendships have been forged over many years and very close to these guys.

I wear mostly mini skirts and some dresses depending on the weather. When it's warm I wear mini skirts, and when the weather turns cold I bring out my long dresses, and sometimes I wear shorter dresses when it's not too cold. I find the dresses the most comfortable because they hardly touch me and thererfore don't bind. I usuall wear skirts because I feel that combined with a mans dress shirt it presents a more masculine immage.

Being on a limited income (as oposed to being able to buy anything I want) I buy mostly womens skirts, and sometimes, when I have time and inspiration, I make my own skirts.

Since most skirts don't have pockets, and the fact that I was told many years ago to stop sitting on my wallet that it was throwing my back out of alignment, I carry a purse everywhere I go even when I have to wear pants.

I find that many people don't realy care what I'm wearing. Sure, they notice, and are too polite to say anything to me or even to allow me to hear them laugh about it. Sometimes I do notice them laughing but that isn't so bad.... after all isn't bringing laughter to the world a good thing?

The most threatened are other men, I'm secure in my masculinity, but it seems the masculinity of some other men is much more fragile. �Even at that very few try to make trouble, still I keep an eye out for the trouble makers.

I've worn skirts off and on for about 30 years and for the last 3 years have become convinced that I'm right and the rest of the world is nuts.

Well I feel that I've rambled enough... I hope I've given someone out there the courage to put on a skirt and start enjoying life. �Just do it!

Cross-dressing

Cross-dressing 03-08-2004 12:16 PM
Since I started wearing a skirt, a couple of women have told me that I am cross-dressing. I asked them to define the term and they said that I am wearing the clothing of the opposite sex. The women making these comments were wearing pants at the time and I said that they must be cross-dressing as well. Only one woman said that was correct.
I have told all of the people that suggest that I am cross-dressing that the term is outdated and in fact wrong. All of the clothing that men wear is worn by women as well. All of the clothing worn by women, except the brassiere, was first worn by men and women. Even the high heeled shoe was not worn by women only. The generations of the twentieth century were so adamant about how they did things that they made it appear as if things were always done that way. This is not true and never was true. This is a constantly changing world and will always be so.
As I have told everyone who asked me about cross-dressing, there is no such thing. Clothing is not gendered, never was, and never will be. It is time for men to realize this and get out there and enjoy their fashion freedom. I know I am!!

Higher stage of evolution for men in Equality in Fashions

It seems to me that feminine values, which have been in humankind’s shadow for untold millennia, are now rivaling masculine ones. Many educated, aware people are becoming conscious of how masculine values, such as the domination of nature (perpetuating the illusion we are separate from it); the warrior mentality, competitiveness (as opposed to emulation), and compartmentalizing feelings, are bringing our culture and the planet to the brink of ruin. Feminine values--the opposite of the aforementioned values, are growing in esteem and rightfully so. A second reason for viewing women as a higher stage of evolution for men, is the rise of women over the last hundred years to positions of authority and prestige, once reserved for men.  Many males, especially young ones, secretly or openly admire women and don't feel any shame in wanting to emulate their success and hence their styles.  This is a good thing. In the past, the human role models were all male and now women are taking the place of role models.


  What's wrong with women providing role models, including clothes, and being mentors to men and boy's?   While human evolution is usually not in a straight line, it seems to me that the future of the race requires the restoration of feminine values, styles, and ways of being in the world.    
  Women may not be better than men in the ultimate scheme of things, but in the stage of development we are now entering, women and feminine values need to be emphasized and come to the fore. 

Evolution of mens fashions from the stone age to the future.........

February 20,2011

---

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.