A Brief History Of Men In Skirts And 5 Ways To Pull It Off Today

Marvel’s newest small-screen hero Oscar Issac captured the hearts of fans during the London premiere of Moon Knight where he was dressed in a Thom Browne suit-and-skirt number. 

But he's definitely not the first one. Other celebs such Vin Diesel, Jaden Smith, Billy Porter, Keiynan Lonsdale and even Kanye West have all worn the skirt for several high profile events.

While men wearing skirts might be a polarising thought, there is a dedicated hashtag on TikTok with over 57 million views solely on this trend and its inception began in 2020.

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Since then, fashion labels such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Miu Miu, Fendi and Stefan Cooke have included skirts in their menswear repertoire.

But men wearing skirts are not a new phenomenon. 

Back in the ancient world, Egyptian males wore gauze-like fabric around their waists. The Romans and Greeks had togas and chitons, which served as a symbol of elite status and class. Even the Aztecs were depicted to wear woven skirts based on historical drawings. 

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Similarly in Asia, the Japanese have the kimono and the Koreans have the hanbok – the skirt comes in many variations and they were not gendered. The only difference lies in length, skirts and robes for men were often shorter than those for women.

It wasn’t until the 14th century that a gender distinction was subtly made in Europe due to the evolution of tailoring. Drapey and misshapen fabrics were no longer in trend, tunics and skirts became shorter and tighter, which led to the introduction of hosiery for men to show a little leg. 

When the industrial revolution hit, men officially hung up their skirts for the classic two or three-piece suit. Since then, the world had not seen this many men wearing skirts until now.

Although Thom Browne pioneered modern male skirt across collections since the 2010s, the creativity stifling home quarantine and lack of freedom reignited the love for this article of clothing. After all, most of us had nothing better to do but play with our wardrobe for months.

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Wearing a skirt is liberating – literally. Singapore’s humid weather is not playing around and pants can feel constricting at times. A flowy skirt provides a little relief from the tropical temperature. 

Understandably, some Singaporean men are not ready to ready for skirts yet but for those that do want to dabble, here is a guide on how to pull it off and where to buy. 

Suit Up

Mimicking Oscar Issac’s look is a no-brainer – the entire getup is fashion-forward and posh at the same time. 

Go Graphic

If you are going to stand out by wearing a skirt, you might as well go all the way. The graphic prints add to the punk-rock vibe and provide a hint of contrast to the overall look.

Pop Of Colour

An all-black or white ensemble might be too boring for some. How about a mix of pink and green to spice things up? 

Embrace Distress 

Channel your inner e-boy and go with a shredded fit. Top the subversive look off with a balaclava to up the ante.

Casual Layers

Let the skirt do all the talking. Throw on a simple oversized t-shirt, a pair of sunglasses and some clogs, voila – you are ready for the world and a cool picture for the ‘gram.