Ending Trouser Tyranny!

[Galant]

A question - if an alien were to come to earth and was presented with a challenge - match these items (a skirt and a pair of trousers) with the right person (a naked man and a naked woman) - how do you think he would answer?

I found this question and many others after stumbling upon The Kiltmen. How I got there I don't quite recall but I do know that when I saw the site and read the headline I couldn't help but think, "Is this a joke?". Go there yourself and you'll find out that it is not.

Kiltmen is a site dedicated to the promotion of of MUG's, that is, Male Unbifurcated Garments. Nope, I didn't just swear. put simply, MUG's are male garments that are not divided into two separate legs. Put even more simply, MUG's are male garments from the skirt family. That's right, skirts for men. Shocked

Now at this point you're probably thinking "Weirdos!", but I challenge you to read the article on the home page of www.kiltmen.com and tell me that the only argument you can find against men wearing MUG's isn't, "Well, some of them look like skirts - and that just doesn't look right". I know that by the end of that article I wasn't thinking what I had expected to be thinking.

The author affirms that for thousands of years men wore skirts/dresses - but of course male variants - kilts, robes, whatever. There's nothing but current styles and fashions to tell us that men shouldn't wear MUG's. What's more, not only are these men unashamed to be wearing 'skirts' but they proclaim the masculine nature and style of the garments. These are no cross-dressers! Quite a thought.

And here's another - go and read the article then come back here and tell me if you haven't given a thought to those many wedgies, pant readjustments, occasions of rubbing. Then tell me if you haven't been tempted, if only for a second, by the unknown quantity that is the MUG.

Oh and ladies - what do you think?

Cross refs - http://www.utilikilts.com, http://www.macabiskirt.com, http://www.pittsburghkilts.com, http://www.amerikilt.com, http://www.freedomkilt.com, http://www.bearkilts.com - and many more! The world of the MUG is perhaps bigger than we thought.

[Mangafanatic]

All I know is that all the guys in my youth group made kilts out of bed sheets and wore them once. The image is seered into by brain. There are no words with which I can tell you why men shouldn't wear kits. But there's a reason. *brain explodes* Oh yeah, there's a reason alright.

[RoyalWing]

I think kilts are cool~ For girls, but also for men, if they are confident with them. I think the article (I only read your first link) is a bit too serious. It's just.. a kilt? People can wear them if they want, if people criticize because you do something different then you should prepare to defend yourself. It would be the only way I would recommend that article (?) I don't know.

Off topic:

*brain explodes*

Not without me!
[<<<brain explodes too.]

[Cap'n Nick]

I read this article and now my pants hurt.

[Gypsy]

I've always thought that people should wear whatever they want as long as it's not inappropriate. However, if you're going to go against your society's basic fashion standard you had better not be getting angry, defensive, or indignant because people look at you funny. Be your own person, or have your freedom as the site put it, but be prepared to be the only one doing it.

I would like to point out that defying your culture simply for comfort isn't a good trend to be starting. I'm sure most guys wouldn't appreciate it if women decided to stop shaving their legs or did away with other certain aspects of feminine grooming or wardrobe that are "uncomfortable." Just a thought. ^^

[Ingemar]

-eyes hurt-

If I haaaad to choose, I'd go with a tunic.

[Icarus]

Cassocks are fun, but I gotta say, Utilikilts? Strange looking things.

[Fsiphskilm]

Shatterhear

[Arnobius]

KInd of makes me think of the Simpsons episode where Homer gains weight to qualify for a disability. Because pants are confining, he winds up wearing a muu-muu.

[Galant]

I have to say that although I thgought it a hoax when I first saw the site, but after reading I had to agree that the only real reason that people think it's weird or doesn't look right is because we've gotten used to the modern, and western idea of trousers for guys.

Check out the link, top right, on the kiltmen website - World MUGs.

Guys wearing women's skirts if right out - obviously, but having thought about all this, I really don't see any issues with guys finding male skirted options as many wear around the world and have in the past. I've not tried it yet, but I'm thiking about picking up a kilt. I fugre that I'll never know until I try it for myself and see what it's all about. Maybe it's just hype, but maybe it really is more comfortable. Only one way for me, or any other guy to find out. What's more, there's nothing to stop us, beyond fashion conventions.

Or am I wrong?

I posted this about masculinity: http://thehiddenfountain.blogspot.com/2005/02/studies-in-masculinity.html

[Fsiphskilm]

Well skirts a

[Yeshua-Knight]

actually, i've worn a real kilt myself, and if made properly, as in the right waist size and length, they can be quite comfortable, a lot also has to do with environment that you are wearing the mug in, let's face it, if everyone was wearing a mug in the middle of winter, then people might literally be freezing their hindquarters off, and you also have to be careful of the updrafts and running too fast 'cus the wind can blow that thing right up and *poof* victor's secret is out! (yeah, i said victor, not victoria, sicko)

you also have to remember, it wasn't just the scots that wore kilts, the romans wore even shorter ones (yeah, and look what happened to them, buncha male hoochies), it really is a personal preference thing, if it was more socially acceptable here in america, kilts would most likely be seen in public more, i went to the highland games in north carolina a couple of years ago, and let's just put it this way, if you were a guy there and not in a kilt, then you were the oddball, not only that but you also have to consider the fact that kilts are still socially acceptible in scotland, you'll be walking down the street and you see a guy in a suit jacket, neck tie and dress shirt, and he'll also have on a nice kilt made from his clan tartin, in any case i've probably ranted enough

'nuff said

[Raiden no Kishi]

I now want a Utilikilt. And some cool tall boots to wear with it. ^_^

Rai

[AngelSakura]

<<There are no words with which I can tell you why men shouldn't wear kits. But there's a reason. *brain explodes* Oh yeah, there's a reason alright.>>
This reminds me of how fun my so-called friends at school think it is to say, "Okay, think of [random male anime/manga/videogame charater]." Pause. "Now think of him in short shorts." Not fun for the person on the recieving end (namely, me). Especially since I only really have time to see them at lunch. My brain...it buuuuuuurnnnnnnns!

[Kaligraphic]

to AngelSakura:

Think of Nicholas Wolfwood.

Now think of him in short shorts.

(Please forgive me. The voices made me type that.)

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I think only people who want to wear kilts and/or are of Scottish origin should wear kilts. Anyway, they can't be all that comfortable since the user doesn't wear boxers underneath! I'm not going to be wearing one anytime soon and that website is hilarious!

[Yeshua-Knight]

well now, that all depends on how authentic you want to be, when i wore a kilt i did have on a pair of shorts underneath, but i almost went in my boxers, its a matter of comfort level, as far as whether or not you're of scottish origin, i don't think that's really an issue 'cus most old world cultures have at least one people group in which the guys were a type of mug, i even remember when i went to the scottish games there was a black guy there that was competing in the athletic events and was proudly sporting his black and yellow tartin kilt

[Fsiphskilm]

wait a min.

[Debitt]

Find the lyrics to "Under the Scotsman's Kilt"

[Joshua Christopher]

I quit.

That's it, I just quit.

I wear nothing but jeans. That's it....well, aside from a shirt. And...you know what I mean.

Okay, no more, finished, I quit!!

[Fsiphskilm]

It's been 6 yea

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Impact, you are hilarious man!
Yes, Volt originally kilts were worn without anything underneath. Yikes!

[Raiden no Kishi]

to AngelSakura:

Think of Nicholas Wolfwood.

Now think of him in short shorts.

(Please forgive me. The voices made me type that.)

You evil, evil (checks gender symbol) man. What are you, trying to give the girl a nosebleed?

::still wants a black Utilikilt::

Random thought: Batman in a black Utilikilt.

Rai

[AngelSakura]

<<to AngelSakura:

Think of Nicholas Wolfwood.

Now think of him in short shorts.

(Please forgive me. The voices made me type that.)>>

<<What are you, trying to give the girl a nosebleed?>>

*gets a nosebleed*

[true_noir_chloe]

I really liked the utikilt. ^___^ And all those models looked quite nice in their kilts.

I've always thought that people should wear whatever they want as long as it's not inappropriate. However, if you're going to go against your society's basic fashion standard you had better not be getting angry, defensive, or indignant because people look at you funny. Be your own person, or have your freedom as the site put it, but be prepared to be the only one doing it.

I'd have to agree. I don't see why you would have a problem with someone dressing however they want unless it was somehow offensively showing off body parts no one wants to see. And before anyone says something about men's hairy legs, all I have to say is - shorts.

I would like to point out that defying your culture simply for comfort isn't a good trend to be starting. I'm sure most guys wouldn't appreciate it if women decided to stop shaving their legs or did away with other certain aspects of feminine grooming or wardrobe that are "uncomfortable." Just a thought. ^^

I recall women in Europe already do this. If I recall, America is oddly hygenic compared to every other culture I've encountered. I've yet to meet people who shower as much as we do (Americans) or shave as much. *hehe*

I remember when Katherine Hepburn decided she would never wear a dress again and the uproar it caused. Well, times change. Who knows?

Maybe in this decade men will start wearing kilts. *haha* Oops, there goes Osaka's brain again. -__-;;

[termyt]

I've always thought that people should wear whatever they want as long as it's not inappropriate. However, if you're going to go against your society's basic fashion standard you had better not be getting angry, defensive, or indignant because people look at you funny. Be your own person, or have your freedom as the site put it, but be prepared to be the only one doing it.

I'm going to go ahead and quote this again because it's that good and goes beyond fashion. If you want to wear a mohawk, fine, but don't get indignant when your hair attracts stares.

Anyway, on the issue at hand, pants are a relatively new fashion trend. No one in antiquity wore pants. They definitely have their place - I'd hate to work in a machine shop wearing a flowing robe - but I'm not sure how we ever got to the place where the only acceptable garment to cover men's lowers were trousers.