A skirt is the lower part of a
dress or a separate outer
garment that covers a person from the waist downwards.
At its simplest, a skirt can be a
draped garment made out of a single piece of fabric (such as
pareos). However, most skirts are fitted to the body at the waist or hips and fuller below, with the fullness introduced by means of
darts, gores,
pleats, or panels. Modern skirts are usually made of light to mid-weight
fabrics, such as
denim, jersey, worsted, or poplin. Skirts of thin or clingy fabrics are often worn with
slips to make the material of the skirt drape better and for modesty.
In modern times, skirts are very commonly worn by women and girls. Some exceptions include the
izaar, worn by many
Muslim cultures, and the
kilt, a traditional
men's garment in Scotland, Ireland, and sometimes England. Fashion designers such as
Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier (; born 24 April 1952) is a French haute couture and prêt-à-porter fashion designer. He is described as an " enfant terrible" of the fashion industry and is known for his unconventional designs with motifs including cors ...
,
Vivienne Westwood,
Kenzo and
Marc Jacobs have also shown
men's skirts
Outside Western cultures, men's clothing commonly includes skirts and skirt-like garments; however, in North America and much of Europe, skirts are usually seen as feminine clothing, and are not always considered acceptable for men and boys to ...
. Transgressing social codes, Gaultier frequently introduces the skirt into his men's wear collections as a means of injecting novelty into male attire, most famously the sarong seen on
David Beckham.
The
hemline of skirts can vary from
micro
Micro may refer to:
Measurement
* micro- (μ), a metric prefix denoting a factor of 10−6
Places
* Micro, North Carolina, town in U.S.
People
* DJ Micro, (born Michael Marsicano) an American trance DJ and producer
* Chii Tomiya (都宮 ち ...
to floor-length and can vary according to
cultural conceptions of
modesty and
aesthetics as well as the wearer's personal taste, which can be
influenced by such factors as
fashion and social context. Most skirts are complete garments, but some skirt-looking panels may be part of another garment such as
leggings,
shorts, and
swimsuits.
History
Skirts have been worn since prehistoric times as the simplest way to cover the lower body. Figurines produced by the Vinča culture (c. 5700–4500 BC) located on the territory of present-day Serbia and neighboring Balkan nations from the start of the copper age show women in skirt-like garments.
A straw-woven skirt dating to 3900 BC was discovered in
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''O ...
at the
Areni-1 cave complex.
Skirts were the standard attire for men and women in all ancient cultures in the
Near East and
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
. The
Sumer
Sumer () is the earliest known civilization in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. It is one of the cradles of ...
ians in
Mesopotamia wore
kaunakes, a type of fur skirt tied to a belt. The term "kaunakes" originally referred to a sheep's fleece, but eventually came to be applied to the garment itself. Eventually, the animal pelts were replaced by kaunakes cloth, a textile that imitated fleecy sheep skin. Kaunakes cloth also served as a symbol in religious iconography, such as in the fleecy cloak of
St. John the Baptist.
Ancient Egyptian garments were mainly made of linen. For the upper classes, they were beautifully woven and intricately pleated. Around 2130 BC, during the
Old Kingdom of Egypt, men wore wraparound skirts (kilts) known as the
shendyt. They were made of a rectangular piece of cloth wrapped around the lower body and tied in front. By the
Middle Kingdom of Egypt, longer skirts, reaching from the waist to ankles and sometimes hanging from the armpits, became fashionable. During the
New Kingdom of Egypt, kilts with a pleated triangular section became fashionable for men. Beneath these, a shente, or triangular loincloth whose ends were fastened with cord ties, were worn.
During the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
, in the Southern parts of Western and Central Europe, wraparound dress-like garments were preferred. However, in Northern Europe, people also wore skirts and blouses.
In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, men and women preferred dress-like garments. The lower part of men's dresses were much shorter in length compared to those for women. They were wide cut and often pleated or gored so that horse riding was more comfortable. Even a
knight's armor had a short metal skirt below the breastplate. It covered the straps attaching the upper legs iron cuisse to the breastplate. Technological advances in weaving in the 13th–15th century, like foot-treadle floor
looms and
scissors with pivoted blades and handles, improved tailoring trousers and tights. They became fashionable for men and henceforth became standard male attire whilst becoming taboo for women.
Skirts are still worn by men and women from many cultures, such as the
lungi,
lehnga The ''lehenga'', ''lehnga'' or ''langa'' (also known as a ''ghagra'' or ''gagra'', ''chaniya'', ''pavadai'', or ''lacha'') is a form of ankle-length skirt from the Indian subcontinent. Different patterns and styles of traditional embroidery are used ...
,
kanga and
sarong
A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid ...
worn in
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;; ...
and
Southeast Asia, and the
kilt worn in Scotland and Ireland.
One of the earliest known cultures to have females wear clothing resembling
miniskirts were the Duan Qun
Miao Miao may refer to:
* Miao people, linguistically and culturally related group of people, recognized as such by the government of the People's Republic of China
* Miao script or Pollard script, writing system used for Miao languages
* Miao (Unicode ...
(短裙苗), which literally meant "short skirt Miao" in
Chinese. This was in reference to the short miniskirts "that barely cover the buttocks" worn by women of the tribe, and which were probably shocking to observers in
medieval and
early modern times.
In the Middle Ages, some upper-class women wore skirts over three meters in diameter at the bottom. At the other extreme, the
miniskirts of the 1960s were minimal garments that may have barely covered the underwear when the woman was seated. Costume historians typically use the word "
petticoat" to describe skirt-like garments of the 18th century or earlier.
File:Fur skirt.jpg, Sumerian man wearing a kaunakes skirt, ca. 3000 BC
File:Egyptian kilt.jpg, Statue of Ramaat, an official from Gizeh wearing a pleated Egyptian kilt, ca. 2250 BC
File:BronzeAge01.jpg, Drawing of a girl's skirt made of wool yarn found in a Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
tomb in Borum Eshøj (Danmark)
File:Vincha 066.jpg, Vinca figurine depicting a skirt
19th century
During the 19th century, the cut of women's
dresses in western culture varied more widely than in any other century.
Waistlines started just below the bust (the
Empire silhouette) and gradually sank to the natural waist. Skirts started fairly narrow and increased dramatically to the
hoopskirt
A hoop skirt or hoopskirt is a women's undergarment worn in various periods to hold the skirt extended into a fashionable shape.
It originated as a modest-sized mechanism for holding long skirts away from one's legs, to stay cooler in hot clima ...
and
crinoline
A crinoline is a stiff or structured petticoat designed to hold out a woman's skirt, popular at various times since the mid-19th century. Originally, crinoline described a stiff fabric made of horsehair ("crin") and cotton or linen which w ...
-supported styles of the 1860s; then fullness was draped and drawn to the back by means of
bustles. In the 1890s, the
rainy daisy skirt was introduced for walking or sportswear. It had a significantly shorter hemline measuring as much as six inches off the ground and would eventually influence the wider introduction of shorter hemlines in the early 20th century.
In the 19th century, in the United States and United Kingdom, there was a movement against skirts as part of the
Victorian dress reform movement, and in the United States, the
National Dress Reform Association. There were also different ways to wear skirts being created. For example, in 1851, early women's rights advocate
Elizabeth Smith Miller introduced
Amelia Bloomer to a garment initially known as the "Turkish dress", which featured a knee-length skirt over Turkish-style pantaloons. Bloomer came to advocate and promote the dress, including instructions for making it, in ''
The Lily'', a newspaper dedicated to the "Emancipation of Woman from Intemperance, Injustice, Prejudice, and Bigotry". This inspired a craze for the dress, which came to be known as
bloomers.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
Susan B. Anthony, and
Lucy Stone, other early advocates for women's rights, also adopted this style of dress in the 1850s, referring to it as the "freedom dress". Concurrently, some female labourers, notably the
pit brow women
Pit brow women or pit brow lasses were female surface labourers at British collieries. They worked at the coal screens on the pit bank (or brow) at the shaft top until the 1960s. Their job was to pick stones from the coal after it was hauled to th ...
working at coal pits in the Wigan area, began wearing trousers beneath a short skirt as a practical component of their uniform. This attracted the attention of the public, and various photographers produced records of the women's unconventional manner of dress through the mid- to late 19th century.
20th and 21st centuries
After 1915, ankle-length skirts were not generally worn in the daytime. For the next fifty years fashionable skirts became short (1920s), then long (1930s), then shorter (in the
War Years with their restrictions on fabric), then long (the "
New Look"), then shortest of all from 1967 to 1970, when skirts became as short as possible while avoiding exposure of
underwear, which was considered
taboo.
Since the 1970s and the rise of
pants/trousers for women as an option for all but the most formal of occasions, no one skirt length has dominated fashion for long, with short and ankle-length styles often appearing side by side in fashion magazines and catalogs.
Skirts by geography and ethnicity
East Asia
China
*
Han Chinese:
Qun
(), referred as () prior to the Han dynasty, () and (), and sometimes referred as apron in English even though they are not apron as defined in the English dictionary, is a generic term which refers to the Chinese skirts used in , especially ...
, including
mamianqun (see also
ruqun
(;) is a set of attire in which consists of a short jacket typically called () worn under a long Chinese skirt called (). However, when use as a general term, can broadly describe a set of attire which consists of a separated upper garment ...
,
qixiong ruqun
(), which can also be referred as (), also known as "chest-high ruqun", is a set of attire in , the traditional Chinese clothing worn by the Han Chinese. The is a unique style of (), which is characterized with a high waistline , Chinese ski ...
,
qungua categorized under
hanfu and
maweiqun
(, ), also called (; ) is a form of underskirt, which was made of woven horsetail. It was tied inside the undergarments of its wearer. The function of the was similar to a crinoline making the outer skirt appearing wider.
The wearing of wa ...
)
*
Miao Miao may refer to:
* Miao people, linguistically and culturally related group of people, recognized as such by the government of the People's Republic of China
* Miao script or Pollard script, writing system used for Miao languages
* Miao (Unicode ...
: duanqunmiao (短裙苗)
Korea
*
Koreans:
Chima (see also
chima jeogori
Chima jeogori is a Korean term for a women's outfit consisting of a '' chima'' skirt and ''jeogori'' top. Men wear baji jeogori: '' baji'' (baggy pants) and ''jeogori''. It is not a national costume per se, but a form of ''hanbok'', the traditiona ...
categorized under
hanbok)
Basic types
; A-line skirt
: An ''
a-line skirt
An A-line skirt is a skirt that is fitted at the hips and gradually widens towards the hem, giving the impression of the shape of a capital letter A. The term is also used to describe dresses and coats with a similar shape.
History
The term was ...
'' is a skirt with a slight flare, roughly in the shape of a capital letter A
; Bell-shaped skirt
:''A
bell-shaped skirt'', flared noticeably from the waist but then, unlike a church bell, cylindrical for much of its length
; Circle skirt
: a skirt cut in sections to make one or more circles with a hole for the waist, so the skirt is very full but hangs smoothly from the waist without darts, pleats, or gathers
; Culottes
: A form of divided skirt, split skirt or pantskirt constructed like a pair of
shorts, but hanging like a skirt.
; Divided skirt
: See under: Culottes.
; Full skirt
: A skirt with fullness gathered into the waistband
; Gored skirt
: A skirt that fits through the waistline and flares at the hem. May be made of from four to twenty-four shaped sections. Dates from the 14th century and much used in the 19th century. Very popular in the late 1860s, mid-1890s, early 20th century, 1930s, 1940s, and now worn as a classic skirt style.
[Tortora, Phyllis G. et al. (2014): Dictionary of Fashion. New York: Fairchild Books. pp. 370-374]
; Inverted pleated skirt
: A skirt made by bringing two folds of fabric to a center line in front and/ or back. May be cut straight at sides or be slightly flared. Has been a basic type of skirt since the 1920s.
; Pleated skirt
: A skirt with fullness reduced to fit the waist by means of regular
pleats ('plaits') or folds, which can be stitched flat to hip-level or free-hanging
; Short skirt
: A skirt with hemline above the knee
; Straight skirt
: A ''Straight skirt'' or ''
Pencil skirt'', a tailored skirt hanging straight from the hips and fitted from the waist to the hips by means of darts or a yoke; may have a vent or kick-pleat set in the hem for ease of walking
; Underskirt
: Simple, basic skirt over which an overskirt, or drapery, hangs.
; Wrap or wraparound skirt
: A skirt that wraps around the waist with an overlap of material
Fads and fashions
; Ballerina skirt
: A
Ballerina skirt is a mid-calf full skirt popular in the 1950s.
; Broomstick skirt
: A light-weight ankle-length skirt with many crumpled pleats formed by compressing and twisting the garment while wet, such as around a broomstick. (1980s and on)
; Bubble skirt
: A bubble skirt, also called tulip skirt or balloon skirt, is a voluminous skirt whose hem is tucked back under to create a “bubble effect” at the bottom. Popular in the 1950s.
; Cargo skirt
: A
cargo skirt
Cargo pants or cargo trousers, also sometimes called combat pants or combat trousers after their original purpose as military workwear, are loosely cut pants originally designed for rough work environments and outdoor activities, distinguished b ...
is a plain utilitarian skirt with belt loops and numerous large pockets, based on the military style of
Cargo pants and popularised in the 1990s.
; Crinoline
: A
crinoline
A crinoline is a stiff or structured petticoat designed to hold out a woman's skirt, popular at various times since the mid-19th century. Originally, crinoline described a stiff fabric made of horsehair ("crin") and cotton or linen which w ...
is a very full skirt supported by hoops or multiple petticoats, popular at various times from the mid 19th century onwards.
; Dirndl
: A
dirndl skirt, (durn′del) is a skirt in the Bavarian-Austrian dirndl style, made of a straight length of fabric gathered at the waist. The style derives from Tyrolean peasant costume.
; Denim skirt
: A
denim skirt
A denim skirt, sometimes referred to as a 'jean skirt' or 'jeans skirt', is a skirt made of denim, the same material as blue jeans. Denim skirts come in a variety of styles and lengths to suit different populations and occasions. For example, fu ...
(or ''jeans skirt''), is a skirt made of
denim, often designed like 5-pocket
jeans, but found in a large variety of styles.
; Godet skirt
: A godet skirt (go-day’) is a skirt with triangular pieces of fabric inserted upward from the hem to create more fullness. Popular in the 1930s.
; Hobble skirt
: A
Hobble skirt
A hobble skirt was a skirt with a narrow enough hem to significantly impede the wearer's stride. It was called a "hobble skirt" because it seemed to hobble any woman as she walked. Hobble skirts were a short-lived fashion trend that peaked betw ...
is a long and tight skirt with a hem narrow enough to significantly impede the wearer's stride
; Kilt-skirt
: a wrap-around skirt with overlapping aprons in front and pleated around the back. Though traditionally designed as women's wear, it is fashioned to mimic the general appearance of a man's
kilt.
; Leather skirt
: a skirt made of
leather
; Lehenga
: A
Lehenga The ''lehenga'', ''lehnga'' or ''langa'' (also known as a ''ghagra'' or ''gagra'', ''chaniya'', ''pavadai'', or ''lacha'') is a form of ankle-length skirt from the Indian subcontinent. Different patterns and styles of traditional embroidery are used ...
(also Ghagra; Garara ), is a long, pleated skirt, often embroidered, worn mostly as the bottom part of the
Gagra choli in North India and Pakistan.
; Maxi skirt
: An ankle-length daytime skirt, popular with women in the late 1960s as reaction against miniskirts.
; Micromini
: an ''extremely'' short miniskirt.
; Mandala skirt
: A skirt with a
mandala motifs.
; Midi skirt
: A skirt with hem halfway between ankle and knee, below the widest part of the calf. Introduced by designers in 1967 as a reaction to very short mini skirts.
; Mini-crini
: a mini-length version of the crinoline, designed by
Vivienne Westwood in the mid 1980s.
; Poodle skirt
: A
Poodle skirt
A poodle skirt is a wide swing felt skirt of a solid color displaying a design appliquéd or transferred to the fabric. The design was often a coiffed poodle. Later substitutes for the poodle patch included flamingoes, flowers, and hot rod cars. ...
is a circle or near-circle skirt with an
appliqued poodle or other decoration (1950s)
; Puffball skirt
: A puffball skirt, also called "puff" or "pouf", is a bouffant skirt caught in at the hem to create a puffed silhouette. Popular in the mid-late 1980s when it was inspired by Westwood's "mini-crini".
; Rah-rah skirt
: A
Rah-rah skirt is a short, tiered, and often colourful skirt fashionable in the early-mid-1980s.
; Sarong
: A
Sarong
A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid ...
is a square or rectangle of fabric wrapped around the body and tied on one hip to create a skirt that can be worn by both sexes
; Samare
: A
Samare
Samare was an outer garment of ladies in the 17th century. It was a loose jacket with extra frills hung down to the knees in the style of a gown. It was worn with a petticoat.
As per Randle Holme
Randle Holme was a name shared by members of ...
was a long-skirted jacket, in which a loose
jacket with extra
frills hung down to the knees in the style of a
gown.
; Scooter skirt
: A scooter skirt or ''
skort'' (variant), a skirt that has an attached pair of shorts underneath for modesty. Alternatively, but with similar effect, a pair of shorts incorporating a skirt-like flap across the front of the body.
; Skater skirt
: a short, high-waisted circle skirt with a hemline above the knee, often made of lighter materials to give the flowing effect that mimics the skirts of figure skaters.
; Squaw dress
: A
Squaw dress or fiesta dress is a one or two piece outfit based on Native American clothing. Fashionable in the 1940s and 50s.
; Swing skirt
: flared skirt, circular or cut in gores, fitted at hips with a wide flare at the hem. Popular in the late 1930s and at interval since. Very popular in the mid-1980s.
; T-skirt
: A
T-skirt
The T-skirt or (Tee-Skirt) is a skirt made of re-purposed or "recycled" t-shirts. They are generally knee or above the knee in length and normally highly patterned with varied designs. The skirt is generally an "A-Line" design which is tight aroun ...
is a skirt made from a tee-shirt. The T-skirt is generally modified to result in a
pencil skirt, with invisible zippers, full length two-way separating side zippers, as well as artful fabric overlays and yokes.
; Tiered skirt
: a skirt made of several horizontal layers, each wider than the one above, and divided by stitching. Layers may look identical in solid-colored garments, or may differ when made of printed fabrics.
; Prairie skirt
: A
Prairie skirt
A prairie dress or prairie skirt is a modest American style of skirt, an article of women's and girls' clothing.
Prairie dresses may be straight to slightly flared to very full, and may have one or more flounces (deep ruffles) or tiers; prair ...
, variant of a tiered skirt, is a flared skirt with one or more flounces or tiers (1970s and on)
; Trouser skirt
:
Trouser skirt
Culottes are an item of clothing worn on the lower half of the body. The term can refer to either split skirts, historical men's breeches, or women's under-pants; this is an example of fashion-industry words taken from designs across history, l ...
or culotte, a straight skirt with the part above the hips tailored like men's
trousers, with belt loops, pockets, and fly front.
; Tulip skirt
: see under: Bubble skirt.
Lengths
File:Batik Fashion 01.jpg, Ankle-length skirt or 'maxi,' a term introduced in the late 1960s
File:Dark Girl 2.jpg, Mid-calf length or 'midi,' a term introduced in the 1970s.
File:Woman in a red miniskirt and green cardigan crop.jpg, Miniskirt, a skirt ending between knee and upper thigh. ( 1960s onwards)
File:Microskirt (Karmen Pedaru at Anna Sui crop).png, Microskirt, an extremely short miniskirt.
File:Hi lo skirt.jpg, High-low/hi-lo skirt, a skirt with an asymmetrical hemline.
Dancing and skirts
Many forms of dancing require females to wear skirts or dresses, either by convention or competition rules. In
Scottish highland dancing
Highland dance or Highland dancing ( gd, dannsa Gàidhealach) is a style of competitive dancing developed in the Scottish Highlands in the 19th and 20th centuries, in the context of competitions at public events such as the Highland games. It ...
, for example, women wear the
Aboyne dress, which actually involves a skirt, for the national dances, and wear a kilt-based outfit for the Highland dances. However, tartan
trews can be worn by women in the United States.
International norms regarding skirts
Since 2004 the
International Skating Union
The International Skating Union (ISU) is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, N ...
has allowed women to wear trousers instead of skirts in competition if they wish.
Law regarding skirts
In the 1980s in Puerto Rico,
Ana Irma Rivera Lassén was not allowed to enter court in trousers and was told to wear a skirt. She sued the judge and won.
In 2022, the
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled against the Charter Day School in North Carolina, which had required girls to wear skirts due to the idea that girls are "fragile vessels" deserving "gentle" treatment from boys. The court ruled the requirement was unconstitutional.
School policy regarding skirts
The skirt is a part of
uniforms
A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, s ...
for girls in many schools around the world, with lengths varying depending on local culture. The
pleated
tartan skirt began as a component of girls'
school uniforms in the early twentieth century in the United Kingdom. Most UK schools now allow girls to wear trousers, but many girls still wear skirts in primary and secondary schools, even where the choice of trousers is given. In the late 20th and early 21st century, many schools began changing their uniform rules to allow trousers for girls amidst opposition to skirts-only policies - the most publicised possibly being Jo Hale vs Whickam Comprehensive in 2000. Although it is commonly accepted that girls may wear trousers to school, no test case is known to have been brought before the courts, making the legal position uncertain on requiring skirts as part of girls' uniforms. The rule is still enforced in many schools, particularly independent and selective state schools. In fact, United Kingdom government guidelines expressly state the decision of allowing girls to wear trousers is with individual schools.
In 2022, the
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled against the Charter Day School in North Carolina, which had required girls to wear skirts due to the idea that girls are "fragile vessels" deserving "gentle" treatment from boys. The court ruled the requirement was unconstitutional.
Male wear
There are a number of garments marketed to men which fall under the category of "skirt" or "dress". These go by a variety of names and form part of the traditional dress for men from various cultures. Usage varies – the
dhoti is part of everyday dress on the Indian subcontinent while the kilt is more usually restricted to occasional wear and the
fustanella is used almost exclusively as costume. Robes, which are a type of dress for men, have existed in many cultures, including the Japanese
kimono, the Chinese
cheongsam, the Arabic
thobe
Thawb ( ar, ثَوْب "garment"), also spelled thobe or tobe and known by various other names in different regions, is an ankle-length robe, usually with long sleeves. It is commonly worn in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, North Afri ...
, and the African
Senegalese kaftan. Robes are also used in some religious orders, such as the
cassock in Christianity and various robes and cloaks that may be used in pagan rituals. Examples of men's skirts and skirt-like garments from various cultures include:
* The
fustanella is a full-pleated skirt worn by men in
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and share ...
and Greece and other parts of the Balkans. By the mid-20th century, it was relegated to ceremonial use and as period or traditional costume. It is worn by the Evzones, or Evzoni (Greek: Εύζωνες, Εύζωνοι, pronounced
vˈzones, evˈzoni, which is the name of several historical elite light infantry and mountain units of the
Greek Army. Today, it refers to the members of the Presidential Guard who parade the
presidential mansion
An official residence is the House, residence of a head of state, head of government, governor, Clergy, religious leader, leaders of international organizations, or other senior figure. It may be the same place where they conduct their work-relate ...
wearing a short version of this historic costume.
* The
gho is a knee-length robe worn by men in
Bhutan. They are required to wear it every day as part of national dress in government offices, in schools and on formal occasions.
* The
hakama is worn in Japan. There are two types of hakama, divided umanori (馬乗り, "horse-riding hakama") and undivided andon hakama (行灯袴, "lantern hakama"). The umanori type has wide and divided legs, similar to
culottes. Some hakamas are pleated.
* The
kilt is a skirt of Gaelic and Celtic history, part of the
Scottish national dress in particular, and is worn formally and to a lesser extent informally. Irish and Welsh kilts also exist but are not so much a part of national identity.
* The
sarong
A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid ...
is a piece of cloth that may be wrapped around the waist to form a skirt-like garment. Sarongs exist in various cultures under various names, including the
pareo and
lavalava
A lavalava, also known as an ''ie'', short for 'ie lavalava, is an article of daily clothing traditionally worn by Polynesians and other Oceanic peoples. It consists of a single rectangular cloth worn similarly to a wraparound skirt or kilt. The ...
of the Hawaiian islands and Polynesia (Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, and Fiji), the Indian
dhoti and
lungi, and the South Indian and Maldivian
mundu.
Aside from the wearing of
kilts, in the
Western world skirts, dresses, and similar garments are generally viewed exclusively as women's clothing which, historically, was not always the case. However, some Western men have taken up skirts as forms of civil protest.
Other Western men advocate skirts as a measure of co-equality between women and men.
Gallery
;Basic types
File:A-line skirt.jpg, A-line
File:NMA.0060085, Fashion Photo by Erik Holmén 1944.jpg, Circle
File:Culotte skirt and interior view.jpg, Culottes
File:Manisharora1.jpg, Full (in motion)
File:Pleated skirt.jpg, Pleated
File:Pink_pencil_skirt.jpg, Pencil
;Fads and fashions
File:Falda Jean Azul Cassoli.JPG, Denim
File:Gazette du Bon Ton fashion plate 1914.jpg, Hobble
File:The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis - Poodle skirt.jpg, Poodle
File:Woman in rah-rah skirt.jpg, Rah-rah
File:Phoenix Rising TSkirt.jpg, T-skirt
The T-skirt or (Tee-Skirt) is a skirt made of re-purposed or "recycled" t-shirts. They are generally knee or above the knee in length and normally highly patterned with varied designs. The skirt is generally an "A-Line" design which is tight aroun ...
File:Young woman in marinière, denim jacket en wrap skirt.jpg, Wrap
Wrap, WRAP or Wrapped may refer to:
Storage and preservation
* Gift wrap or wrap paper, used to enclose a present
* Overwrap, a wrapping of items in a package or a wrapping over packages
* Plastic wrap, a thin, clear, flexible plastic used to ...
;World culture
File:Dirndl.jpg, Dirndl
File:Spiridon_louis.jpg, Fustanella
File:Black watch kilt.JPG, Kilt
File:Khmer Traditional Dancing.jpg, Sampot
A ''sampot'' ( km, សំពត់, ), a long, rectangular cloth worn around the lower body, is a traditional dress in Cambodia. It can be draped and folded in several different ways. The traditional dress is similar to the dhoti of Southern As ...
File:Maninsarong crop.jpg, Sarong
A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid ...
File:Fiji palace guard.jpg, Sulu
See also
*
Trousers
*
Trousers as women's clothing
*
Victorian dress reform
Victorian dress reform was an objective of the Victorian dress reform movement (also known as the rational dress movement) of the middle and late Victorian era, led by various reformers who proposed, designed, and wore clothing considered more ...
References
* Brockmamn, Helen L.: ''The Theory of Fashion Design'', Wiley, 1965.
* Picken, Mary Brooks: ''The Fashion Dictionary'', Funk and Wagnalls, 1957. (1973 edition )
* Tozer, Jane, and Sarah Levitt: ''Fabric of Society: A Century of People and Their Clothes 1770–1870'', Laura Ashley Ltd., 1983;
External links
ApparelSeach glossary of textile and apparel termsAn international dress size converter
{{Authority control
Medieval European costume
History of clothing
Articles containing video clips