How come men are not allowed to wear skirts or dresses like women do?

Question

It is interesting that women can choose to wear pants, skirts or dresses! But men do not get this choose, why not allow some type of skirts or dress designed for men(I do not mean a kilt) that would allow men to have these same choices that a women have.

Answer 1

Men CAN wear skirts and dresses, in fact the designer Karl Lagerfeld had a whole range featuring skirts for men several years ago. Polynesian men wear a type of loose sarong that is skirt like, and so do men in many other tropical and warmer climate countries. Many men around the world wear clothing that resembles dresses and skirts, but in western culture it is unusual.

The fact is, men CHOOSE in our culture not to wear these clothes, for their own reasons ~ mainly because of peer pressure and because other men will not consider them 'manly' if they do.

Women did not start wearing trousers because someone suddenly designed trousers for women. Women wore trousers because in some circumstances trousers were better and more comfortable than skirts, especially in the days when women wore long skirts.

There was a time when 'respectable' women would not wear trousers because it was not considered proper, in fact many older women still don't wear trousers for that reason.

If you want to wear skirts and dresses you are free to do so, no one can stop you and most women wouldn't bother trying.

You will have to sort it out with your fellow men, though.

Best wishes :-)

Answer 2

Men seem to wear clothing that identifies them at first look. Almost like a uniform. Golf cloths for instance all look the same, (ugly) but you can tell its golf. An Armani suit says you are rich. You seem to need be identified at a glance. Cloths for men, not only say what you do, but how powerful the person is, or athletic ,or creative, a cowboy,or in the military or what ever. For several hindered years in Europe, only royalty were allowed to wear the color purple.
When I was growing up all men wore hats and the hat told a lot about you also.
Any man wearing a dress would be considered perverted,or nutty or unstable, in today's society, so you don't need laws, the social pressure is already in place.
In the book Dress for Success, it found that both men and women pick the type of person they want to be with or are attracted to by the clothing they wear.

Answer 3

Well men do wear skirts, we call them cross dressers. But men have very hairy legs, and there usually pale, no one wants to see them anyway. I am very happy wearing pants, i have an extensive choice in what i want to wear to work as opposed to what i wear when i go out, or what i wear when i go to the gym.
If your really adamit about the whole skirt thing, then maybe you should start your own clothing line for men. But first you should do a little research and find out if there is a big enough market that will purchase man dresses.

Answer 4

Western Women had to fight for their social right to wear pants.
Few men are willing to put up the fight to wear a skirt/dress because they are afraid to appear "weak" or "feminine." Things associated with women are not always viewed positively by society, and the dress/skirt is long associated with women.

If you want to wear a skirt or dress, do so. Take up the fight, the chance will happen sooner or later. The only thing that is stopping you is yourself.

Answer 5

You can. There's no law against it in the U.S. There are transvestites all over the place. BUT, it is WAY outside the social norm, and it makes people both scared and nervous. When you do something in a buffalo herd that make the beasts scared and nervous, you take your life into your own hands. People are no different. A PERSON may come to accept a man who dresses in women's fashions (or feminine male fashions, should one come up with such a line of clothing), but PEOPLE never will. It's just too out there.

Answer 6

in the early ages both men and women wore skirts and dressess so to speak if u look back on history Jesus wore a dress. it all evolved upon the needs of society pants bdcame more convient to men so they wore pants. if u want to wear a skirt go ahead no one is gonna stop u many of womens clothing is not compfortable pantyhose for one is not compfortable.

Answer 7

There is no law that states you cannot wear a dress or skirt. Just be prepared for people to look at you different.

Answer 8

Men can wear whatever they want. Who says they can't wear skirts or dresses?

Answer 9

Romans wore tunics, so I'd say it could be acceptable. Mid-easterners wear robes. It just takes a few fearless people to break the convention of men not wearing open hemmed garmets

Answer 10

Personally I'd like to be able to wear a tie. I think it's a fantastic accessory. But it's so 'masculine' that a gal can't wear one without making at least an inadvertent political statement.
C'est la vie.