Lori Lothian reveals the real reason men in kilts are so hot. And it’s not about the knee socks.
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Since then, I’ve realized that most women I talk to agree: Men in kilts are hot. We’ve discussed why the attraction to what amounts to a man in a skirt. Consensus is that it’s all about the legs (guys we love your hairy muscled legs) and the blush-inducing hint of what’s hidden under the kilt.
Unlike with pants, there’s a kind of erotic thrill to the idea a guy’s skirt might, say, blow exposingly in the wind, or that access to underneath is so, well, accessible. (None of that fumbling with the belt, and pants caught around ankles deal).
Maybe one day the kilt will come into a mainstream men’s fashion revolution, in the way that the murse (man-purse) caught on for hipsters. In the meantime, whenever I need a dose of a man in a skirt, I’ve taken to watcing this hilarious William Lawson whisky 46 second video featuring actress Sharon Stone. (There’s a clever reason for casting her….you’ll laugh at why).
What’s absent is historical awareness of what caused the trouser skirt division of the sexes, and how women came to wear both styles only due to the overriding social force of the World War Two factory work. The use of the horse in transportation, agriculture and warfare caused men to switch to pants. And there it is all concisely stated—the skirt and the trouser are differences of activity, not differences of sex. Which factions have the tiniest grasp of this? Psychiatrists, psychologists, ministers, suit and tie and blue jeans manufacturers—and female impersonators. Men do not have to present as women… Read more »
Great article Lori Ann – its nice for men to feel appreciated as something more than just a “wallet.” By the way, the other night for St Patrick’s Day I taught my yoga class wearing a kilt and everyone loved it. Maybe I should do that more often!
There seems to be a long tradition of the schoolgirl peering under the kilt fantasy. For example, the old ditty/joke about the drunken Scotsman, for example at:
http://www.allerdice.net/scotsman-song.htm
Satire on the Scottish: while two Highlanders in their kilts lean forward to inspect some eggs being offered for sale, two well-dressed ladies playing with their child lean forward in order to peer under their kilts. October 1815 Hand-coloured etching http://bit.ly/MTtsyf other plates from 1800s. women apparently loved trying to look up the skirt. http://bit.ly/MTtsyf Satire on the Scottish: a Highlander holds up his kilt to hold the chestnuts that he is buying from a French street vendor. c.1815 Hand-coloured etching http://bit.ly/LtrlCQ evolution of the kilt http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/articles/scottish-articles/the-evolution-of-the-kilt-the-18th-century-and-the-kilt.html the kilts caused a sensation with the french women when the scots first… Read more »
correcction
first plate link is:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=100483&objectId=1338999&partId=1
Satire on the Scottish: while two Highlanders in their kilts lean forward to inspect some eggs being offered for sale, two well-dressed ladies playing with their child lean forward in order to peer under their kilts. October 1815 Hand-coloured etching
I love the kilt. Love. Men look great in it. Don’t even think about what’s under, just how he looks in it.
HI everyone. I wrote this as playful and light humor. But fact is, yes, men don’t have the latitude culturally to leer at women or make suggestive comments about her skirt and what is under it. But that is not what this piece is doing, either–it’s not about leering and making creepy assessments of men’s bodies (under the kilt). It’s rather simply suggesting women are turned on by the non-social-norm of a man in skirt–period. To flip this properly, it would be a piece where a man writes about the turn of a a woman in a traditional male outfit–for… Read more »
About the flip: History shows that it works nicely. No surprise there.
But what I would like to ask you: What exactly is it that turns you on about the kilt-wearing man? Is it the garment itself and the physique it reveals, or is it the fact that breaking of social norms takes place? If it is only the latter, then if it were common for men to wear skirts it would not be attractive any more.
And the comment about the guys’ legs was…..what, exactly?
Either this is ok behaviour for both genders, Lori, or it is not.
“Consensus is that it’s all about the legs (guys we love your hairy muscled legs) and the blush-inducing hint of what’s hidden under the kilt.” That IS ok behavior for both genders, don’t you think? Come on. In fact, I have always heard men talking about women’s legs in that fashion (if not more aggressive). I have always seen men talking about liking long legs or thick thighs (never hairy, though), for example. Never saw any man speaking in such a delicate (“blush-inducing hint”…? cute!) tone, though. Maybe only in books. I guess they could learn to be more tactful,… Read more »
“Unlike with pants, there’s kind of an erotic thrill to the idea of a guys skirt might say, blow expo singly in the wind or that access to underneath is so, well, accessible” Your words Lori. Somehow, if you flip the genders, I just don’t see this being accepted as “Playful and light humor”. But then again, I think this just shows the difference between what’s acceptable behavior regarding the treatment of men as opposed to women
That is so accepted that many movies (including comedy ones) show women getting their skirts blown up. Right now I can remember the movie Bruce Almighty, for example. There is a scene where Bruce himself makes the skirt of a random female passing on the street blow up. He also makes his girlfriend’s breasts get bigger later on, but that is irrelevant (or is it?). I don’t think anyone in their right minds would believe it is necessarily bad that men could also feel that same erotic thrill; in fact, I believe most of us actually believe many men feel… Read more »
They certainly feel it- the point is that men are very often criticised for expressing the same sorts of sentiments.
It’s “creepy”, or “oppressive”, or “objectifying”, or etc. etc.
I see your point. Again, I see it is often out of annoyance and revolt, so they just start generalizing everything (illogically so). Women’s bodies are overly sexualized by the media (while men’s bodies gets mostly covered up) and this kind of double standard is really upsetting and feels oppressive for most women (and also for men that wished their bodies weren’t considered as a object for ridicule as the media also likes to portray it) and many many times some men are too crude, judgmental and offensive, even hateful, in their remarks over female’s bodies. So many people will… Read more »
The guy in the video isn’t hot because he is wearing a kilt, but because he is just plain hot with a gorgeous body lol. I understand the appeal, though, and agree it adds a different charm to him. Nice video! 🙂
Just one thing, even though I defend everyone’s right to have them hairy, I dislike hairy legs (or pits). Not a big deal breaker, but prefer it smooth just like mine. And I love not only muscled, but skinny legs/men as well.
I mean really,picture this. “There’s something special about seeing a woman’s shapely legs with a short skirt . Especially on a windy day. You always have that sence of excitement that maybe the wind will blow just right and you’ll get to see what’s underneath. And there’s always the hope that she’s going ‘commando’.” Somehow, I don’t see that as being well recieved.
You are of course correct. But I feel like we should give that sentiment a pass here! The act of breaking open old-established gender norms and giving men permission (or even blessing) to do something they were hitherto prohibited in the strictest sense, is such a worthwhile endeavor that it must be supported, even if the form of it is lacking in tact. Or in less pretentious language: I would like to be able to wear a skirt when I feel like it. If what it takes for that is women finding it sexy and saying so, then I will… Read more »
You know, it’s kind of ironic that women see a built or handsome guy, and they always seem to wonder what he’s ‘packing’, you know , trying to get a peak. Yet if you took a smart phone picture and sent it to them, well then you risk being arrested for sexual assault!
Wondering and actually trying to get a pick are very different situations.
And I guess most women just wonder, they do not really want you to send pictures; and you should know if any woman want it first, just like women should know if any man want their pictures before sending, too. I guess anyone risk being arrested for sexual assault for inconvenient “surprises”.
I can’t help but think if a guy wrote this about skirt-wearing women, the cries of “creep” would be coming in thick and fast.
Yup! As I ‘be said before, different gender, different standards.
Also I have no idea where that hyperlink on my username came from, but I didn’t put it there.
We have double standards indeed. Wearing skirts is common for women. Men talking about the female body is extremely widespread (and sometimes very vulgar and aggressive, if not condescending, hence many people getting overly sensitive and remorseful over it and labeling even light and inoffensive comments by men as “creepy”), men keep doing that anyway.
I believe affirming skirts for men are sexy and that women do enjoy the male body is something we need more of in our society. I think what she said was respectful enough, and honest.
I think we need more affirmation of skirt-wearing men and also less baseless creep-shaming of men too.
But hey, if it’s ok to see a cute person of either gender in a skirt and hope to get a glimpse, then rock on. Let’s see if people really put their money where their mouth is on this one.
I agree with you on the baseless creep-shaming; I do not see many baseless creep-shaming of anyone happening, actually most people already let a lot of disrespectful behaviour slip, but that should not happen. I see some problems, like how will someone be able to determine what a real “creepy”/tasteless/condescending/offensive comment is and everyone has their unique boundaries, but I hope we get there. I guess it is ok to hope, that is only in our minds, maybe not that much if you reach to a strange random person in a skirt and say that to their faces lol. I’ve… Read more »
We have double standards indeed. Wearing skirts is common for women. Men talking about the female body is extremely widespread (and sometimes very vulgar and aggressive, if not condescending, hence many people getting overly sensitive and remorseful over it and labeling even light and inoffensive comments by men as “creepy”), men keep doing that anyway.
I believe affirming skirts for men are sexy and that women do enjoy the male body is something we need more of in our society. I think what she said was respectful enough, and honest.