Basically I'm confined to suits, jackets, shirts and trousers. Anything else would cause disapproval and dismay. But such a limited selection is horribly boring and restrictive.
I know some female clothing is absurdly uncomfortable and impractical, like shapewear or high heels, but at least women have the choice of whether to wear them or not wear them. They can be as flamboyant or dazzling as they wish and nobody will object (except in an office of course).
The irony is that every item of so-called female clothing has been worn by men at some time in the past - high heels, corsets, tights, skirts, whatever (men wore high heels for centuries before they were gradually reborn as female footwear).
Men do tend to stick to recognisably "masculine" clothes, and recoil violently from anything that's deemed "feminine". The very idea of wearing anything "feminine" is seen as humiliating or belittling or just weird.
Those men who want to cross-dress either have to do it in private, out of the public eye, or simply stifle their desire and pretend they're happy with a suit and tie. Unfortunately wives of cross-dressers are not always supportive. They often react with horror when they learn of their husband's "abnormal" inclination.
Oddly enough, Nick, I always felt that it was men who had more choices than woman in clothing choices.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: How would that be? I don't see any men in Belfast wearing dresses or high heels!
DeleteMaybe not there, but perhaps in other places, Nick 😉
DeleteNick, why follow what society indicates ? You can wear what you wish , if you do not care what others think. As you say men wear about centuries feminine.clothes and in other countries the dressing code is quite different.
ReplyDeleteHannah
Hannah: I don't have the courage to ignore what society indicates. And I don't think Jenny would be happy if I did have the nerve!
Delete"Recoil violently"? Please, Nick, do me a favour and don't become one oft those who exaggerate to the hilt.
ReplyDeleteCome again? Cross dressers do not hide where I live. Or is it called drag? No idea. Do what you like. Though, admittedly, when burly men with muscly calves, donning wigs, rather obvious and badly applied make-up, in dresses, with no idea how to navigate a high heel with some dignity, stagger in my direction on my street, my amusement barometer goes up. But, then, I am easily amused.
That men have to dress drab is a myth. Look at Italians, look at the music scene; look at other artists; even poor old Rod Stewart wore platforms to make himself taller. Not that he ever reached his wife's towering height. Look at the Scottish. Skirts. Lederhosen and knee high socks in Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland. Then there are Indians (by which I mean Asians - England). Tunics, turbans. Look around the world. There is no end of variety. And no one bats an eyelid.
Do what you like. All it takes is courage.
U
PS Come to think of it: We used to have cyclists (in the nude - no bull) once a year doing what cyclists do, cycle. Birth suit, letting it, literally, all hang out. Or down.
Ursula: No one bats an eyelid? Now who's exaggerating? I certainly wouldn't want to walk the streets if I just looked like a badly dressed drag queen. And yes, if I was a rock musician I could get away with anything, but I'm not.
DeleteMen's clothes have ALL the pockets. So not fair. Women have to carry loads of shit around in a bag that men can't be bothered to carry.
ReplyDeleteTry a kilt, Nick.
Sx
Ms Scarlet: Jenny complains all the time about lack of pockets in women's clothes. I do have a shoulder bag for all those bulky things I can't keep in my pockets. And I dislike kilts.
DeleteMore and more, I see men and women wearing just about anything. However, they are possibly trans, which is a different topic than I believe you are discussing l
ReplyDeleteBijoux: The message hasn't got through to Northern Ireland! People here generally conform to gender-appropriate clothing. Oh for a bit more flexibility!
DeleteNow a days a lot of men will brush off the mens clothing stereotypes and wear whatever they want.
ReplyDeleteMary: I don't have any confidence that I could walk round my local neighbourhood in a dress and heels and not be gawped at!
DeleteWomen for a very long time were expected to wear dresses and skirts. They were to cover their bodies, no matter how warm it was. There were strict rules. Even when I grew up there were rules. I doubt there are many men who want to wear heels and skirts! I don't want to wear heels and skirts.
ReplyDeleteSandra: When I was growing up (the 1950s and 1960s), women were just starting to wear trousers. Agreed, I doubt many men want to wear heels and skirts, but that's partly as I said because men don't want to wear anything "effeminate".
Deletehave you seen the pictures of the enormously masculine man who wears skirts and heels to his job as (if i remember rightly) an engineer?
ReplyDeleteMark Bryan. Google him