I had a very good skirt-wearing experience last weekend. The previous year I had been in the habit of driving places wearing a skirt and changing to shorts to visit towns or go to the toilet at a service station. This year I have worn my skirts MUCH more, and hardly ever change getting out of the car. And you know, the thing is, 99% of people don’t notice what you’re wearing. I think the greatest fear we have of wearing skirts in public is the fear itself. The hardest part is the walk out of the front door. After that it’s easier, because what you notice most if that hardly anybody notices.

I use the following as a guide as to the suitability of an occasion for skirt-wearing. If it’s appropriate to wear shorts then mostly it’s OK to wear a skirt. I find that in hot weather they are much more comfortable.

Last Saturday I drove into Madrid with my wife, spent several hours shopping, went on several Metros (underground trains), had lunch, and drove home, all skirted. I only had one comment from a bloke in the centre of Madrid, obviously gay as he had another bloke on his arm, who said something like ‘Ooo, and what do we have here then?’ I looked at him and said ‘Bonjour’, whereupon he ran off, somewhat confused, his partner in tow. One assistant in a posh shop started to approach us and then turned away. I don’t know if that was because of the skirt or because we were speaking English, but later she was very helpful when we approached her for help, speaking Spanish. You have to remember that your money is just as good as anybody elses, irrespective of what you’re wearing.

The skirt I was wearing I suppose could be called a kilt, but it isn’t tartan and isn’t pleated. It’s something I made myself out of a light synthetic denim with lycra, which starts on the left thigh and wraps to the right (clockwise), round the back, crossing the left thigh again and finishing at the right thigh. It’s sewn to an elasticated waist. I believe, along with a lot of people in this group, that the kilt is the way forward for men in skirts, but I think it’s important that looks as much like a skirt as possible. That’s why this skirt isn’t pleated or in tartan. I find that when I sit down the two halves fall naturally to protect my modesty.

Finally, yes, I admit it, I DID take a pair of shorts "In case". Even I draw the line at crawling under the car in a skirt if it breaks down.
Ali, Ávila, Spain September 2005.