Why More Men, Including Celebrities, Are Wearing Dresses and Skirts Nowadays
“Real men wear skirts,” according to a tweet posted by Jared Leto in 2010. Since then, the actor has appeared several times in dresses or skirts, including at red carpet events. Many other celebrities are following in his footsteps, but in the past few years, wearing a frock has become more popular among the general male population as well.
We at Bright Side admire people who decide to freely express themselves, whether it’s lifestyle or fashion choices that break stereotypes.
Men have often worn skirts throughout history.
Skirt and dress-like garments were often preferred by men throughout history, sometimes paired with hosiery. Even the armor of Roman soldiers resembled a modern mini-skirt, making it easier for them to march without overheating. In the Middle Ages, men wore tunics, and later during the Renaissance period, they put on diverted skirts.
Over the following centuries, men’s interest in skirts and dresses waned, and they started preferring trousers instead. But skirt-like clothing items like the kilt and the fustanella continued to be part of cultural wear in some countries.
In 1985, Jean Paul Gaultier designed his first skirt for men, and some male celebrities like David Beckham and Axl Rose started wearing skirts more often. In 1999, Brad Pitt was photographed by Mark Seliger for Rolling Stone wearing several different dresses, necklaces, and hoop earrings in the shots.
Nowadays, more and more people believe that clothes aren’t gendered.
East News, Pixelformula/SIPA/EAST NEWS, ANGELA WEISS/AFP/East News
Many designers have started incorporating skirts and dresses in their menswear collections, often using more neutral colors like black, brown, gray, or white, and simpler cuts. In 2022, more and more people believe that every kind of clothing item can be worn by anyone, regardless of gender. It’s also becoming more acceptable for men to discover and experiment with their feminine sides, whether that means wearing makeup, high heels, or dresses.
It’s not just celebrities and fashion designers who are starting to embrace the male frock, but also recently, more regular people have started wearing them. This led to more representation and an increase in sales, for example Thom Brown’s skirts for men were one of the top-searched items of 2021. And a few years ago, Mark Bryan, an engineer and father from Germany, went viral for posting his daily outfits featuring skirts and heels.
And many celebrities are rocking frocks.
1. Gerard Butler
Stoccy /DDP Images/East News
2. Bad Bunny
3. Oscar Isaac
4. Damiano David
5. Russell Westbrook
6. Redfoo
AFP/EAST NEWS
7. Jared Leto
Gilbert Flores/Broadimage/Broad Image/East News, ANGELA WEISS/AFP/East News
8. Travis Barker
Kristin Callahan/Everett Collection/East News
9. Billy Porter
DN Photography/ABACA/Abaca/East News, JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX/AFP/East News
10. Kid Cudi
11. Jonathan Van Ness
MICHAEL TRAN/AFP/East News
12. Lil Nas X
Do you usually follow fashion trends? What do you think about menswear that incorporates dresses?
Preview photo credit MICHAEL TRAN/AFP/East News, JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX/AFP/East News
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