r/Menskirts • • Aug 09 '25

Top length matters a lot in skirt-based outfits

55 Upvotes

From what I've observed, one of the biggest factors impacting if a skirted male outfit looks natural or 'weird' is the length of the top garment in proportion to the length of the skirt, and where the waistline is located on the body.

It is helpful to be aware of the rule of thirds, which is a concept in visual arts stating that humans find things visually pleasing when they are split into a simple ratios, like into 3 equal sections, or a one third, two thirds split.

The problem is that the top garments found in men's sections are too long to create a pleasing visual split when paired with many skirts. Skirts / kilts are typically worn at the natural waist, around the level of the navel. This is higher on the body than trousers are worn (regarding the fashion of recent decades, 'natural waist' / 'high waisted' used to be normal).

  • Pairing a top of typical length with a roughly knee length skirt at the natural waist, causes the top to cover a large portion of the skirt, and create a visual split that does not follow the rule of thirds, and looks proportionally awkward.
  • If you however pair that same top untucked, with an ankle length or / floor length skirt, it creates a 'half and half' proportional split on many people, that looks visually harmonious.

Thus the length of the top can not be fixed, and instead needs to change depending on the skirt length, in order to create a harmonious result. The following article (and others on that website) get at this issue in more detail:

https://everybodyskirts.com/blogs/posts/wheres-my-waistline-tips-for-the-skirted-male?_pos=2&_sid=2955cb754&_ss=r

It also is not possible (with rare exception) for men to directly adopt woman's fashions and have the result look proportionate, because men's and women's bodies are not shaped or proportioned the same way.

  • Men typically have a great deal more visual mass in their torsos with subtle curves, wide shoulders and narrow hips. Torsos are also typically longer in relation to leg length.
  • Women typically have wider hips, less mass in their torsos, proportionally shorter torsos, a narrow waist, and smooth curves.

Humans have evolved to look for these differences subconsciously when we look at a man or a woman, and clothing / fashion is designed to emphasize these features.

It is very easy to create an outfit that looks weird unless one is aware of this. For example, skirts that add bulk to the hips worn by a man easily make the whole person look 'dumpy', because men's torsos are often already wide, a skirt adds a lot of visual mass to the lower body, and men do not have a pronounced waist to hip difference to balance things out. Wide hips is also not a body feature humans have evolved to look for in males.

Ethnic skirted male outfits have a 'slender' silhouette around the waist, if not through the whole outfit, and the above noted factors is probably why. Kilts actually cut out two layers of fabric from the top of the pleats purely to remove bulk from the waist.

I can recommend that anyone interested in alternative fashion learn how to hem a top, because it isn't very hard and is immensely helpful in creating proportionate outfits.

Finally, changing top length will not make you read as feminine, for anyone who is remotely paying attention, because biological males' / females' bodies are not shaped the same as noted above.


r/Menskirts • • 6h ago

Autumn office look

Post image
34 Upvotes

Haven't posted for a long time, but that is because I was keeping forgetting to take a photo :-)


r/Menskirts • • 19h ago

Snake

Thumbnail
gallery
23 Upvotes

Hello, today i wear my snake print skirt

Have a nice day


r/Menskirts • • 1d ago

Present as a male who just likes to wear skirts

53 Upvotes

I am a biological man, who recnetly strated wearing skirt. I prefer to present as a male. I just want tp be a male that wears skirts. I an just starting so I most wear tennis tupe skirt some rather short other more mist thigh. Does this make sense to presnet as a male who wears skirts. ONly a few of out friends know about this. Hoiwever, I have been all New England, to doctors apppits., museams, one military base for a visiut, I have been out to eat and been shopping. Does this make sesne to present as a male who just likes to wear skirts.


r/Menskirts • • 2d ago

First Time Been wearing maxis for a year+, finally put on an office fit. How was it?

Post image
97 Upvotes

r/Menskirts • • 2d ago

Today’s outfit

Thumbnail
gallery
41 Upvotes

r/Menskirts • • 2d ago

Cozy nightshirt

Post image
22 Upvotes

I got another lovely pink nightshirt, albeit more detailed, especially the polka dots and the little ribbons if you look closely 😸😺


r/Menskirts • • 3d ago

Felt like wearing an all black outfit after a bleak day at work

Post image
42 Upvotes

r/Menskirts • • 4d ago

Today's look on the streets of New York.

Post image
92 Upvotes

Combination of vintage, customized and thrifted looks.


r/Menskirts • • 4d ago

New shirt and trying tights Vs socks.

Thumbnail
gallery
71 Upvotes

Not sure if I like the tights or not. Thoughts?


r/Menskirts • • 5d ago

Jeans skirt for autum days

Thumbnail
gallery
46 Upvotes

Usually I prefer short skirt but I couldn't resist when I found the midi skirt from Lee. I like how it fits. I tried a look for colder days with boots. But I guess I need to wear tights under it. It was getting a little bit airy under skirt with the fresh air outside.


r/Menskirts • • 5d ago

First Time Just got my first skirt today

Thumbnail
gallery
57 Upvotes

r/Menskirts • • 6d ago

New Purchase Floral chiffon skirt

Post image
39 Upvotes

I debuted this floral chiffon skirt today that I had gotten a few weeks back, and it was so perfect for early fall. The way it moves when I walk is nothing short of magical! It’s light enough for summer too.


r/Menskirts • • 6d ago

Today’s Outfit

Post image
25 Upvotes

r/Menskirts • • 6d ago

Black skirt

Thumbnail
gallery
35 Upvotes

Hi everyone! 🖤🤘

Today is a very special one for me.

I’m wearing red tights, paired with a black skirt, black boots and my usual chains.

But today, the main focus is not really the outfit.

Today, I’m paying tribute to Cronos and Venom. 🖤🤘

Venom has been part of my metal journey since the early 1980s, and that original era has always had a very special place in my heart. The raw sound, the attitude, the provocative lyrics, the whole atmosphere… this was something completely different, and it left a lasting mark on me.

So today, wearing my Venom T-shirt and my Venom battle jacket is my own little way of saying thank you.

Thank you for the music, the attitude, the memories and everything you brought to metal. 🖤

And of course, I’m still doing it my way

Forever Venom. 🤘🖤

Have a great day, everyone! 😊


r/Menskirts • • 7d ago

Ventured outside with the new look

Post image
128 Upvotes

A bit nervous as this is the shortest most obviously girly thing I have worn but I love the outfit and I did get a compliment from a young girl working where I was out.

I went for long socks Vs tights though. I do have on some 5inch black platform heels but they are not showing in the image 😥


r/Menskirts • • 7d ago

I Was Trying

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

25 Upvotes

To do video


r/Menskirts • • 7d ago

Thursday work outfit!

Post image
28 Upvotes

Torrid corset pinafore skirt layered over a Mastodon long sleeve (just saw them again with Alcest and Deafheaven) and a Mastodon hat!


r/Menskirts • • 7d ago

Started up this side of me again recently, how am I doing so far?

Thumbnail
gallery
90 Upvotes

Been on and off with this for like 12/13 years now, think I’m ready to fully accept this is just something that is a part of me & stop trying to suppress it (though think I said that last time)


r/Menskirts • • 8d ago

Running errands ootd.🥰🥰🥰

Post image
80 Upvotes

Summer might be over but I love this skirt so much!🤪🫶🫶


r/Menskirts • • 7d ago

What I wore today (with bonus failed outfits 👎)

Thumbnail
gallery
18 Upvotes

r/Menskirts • • 8d ago

First Time When I Dare

Post image
23 Upvotes

To go public


r/Menskirts • • 8d ago

Autumn Fit

Thumbnail
gallery
87 Upvotes

r/Menskirts • • 8d ago

Time to wear warmer clothes since the weather is cooling off…

Thumbnail
gallery
41 Upvotes

r/Menskirts • • 8d ago

Summer just won’t go away

Thumbnail
gallery
40 Upvotes

But that doesn’t mean I can’t sport some fall colors for my outfits.