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by Lionel Wijesiri

Since prehistoric times, people in almost all societies have worn some kind of clothing. Many theories have been advanced as to why humans began to wear clothing. One of the earliest hypotheses is the so-called modesty/shame (or fig leaf) theory which is based on the biblical story of creation. In the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve, the first human beings, realize they are naked after they eat an apple from the tree of knowledge. Ashamed of their nakedness, they make clothing for themselves out of fig leaves.

Evidence that early clothing was indeed functional came from a 1991 discovery of a 5,000-year-old male body, frozen on top of a glacier near the Austrian-Italian border. It was clothed in a fur cap, a crudely tanned leather cape, a loincloth (strip of cloth wrapped around the waist and between the legs), leggings, and leather shoes. A grass cloak covered the fur and leather clothing. These clothes would have provided protection against the cold and rain.

As late as the 19th century, most Europeans and Americans believed that people wore clothing primarily for reasons of modesty. With the rise of a nonreligious worldview, however, people began to offer other theories. Some argued that the origin of clothing was functional - to protect the body from the environment. Others argued that some clothing was designed for sexual attraction - to display the body's beauty.

The Story

The Skirt-styled garments - are traditionally male clothing that has been worn by men throughout history. They have been worn by the men in the Bible, by Roman gladiators, Vikings, and Scottish Highlanders. Even today in parts of the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific islands it is common to see men in caftans, djellabahs, sarongs, lava-lavas, or other skirt-like garments. Scotland, of course, is famous for its men in kilts. The Greeks and Albanians have the fustanella. In the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, all the men wear a traditional knee-length robe called the gho.

Although there was a relatively brief period in history when manhood was symbolized by the wearing of trousers, this is no longer the case. Today trousers have become unisex garments that women wear most of the time. In any modern shopping complex in the city of Colombo, for example, a youth wearing blue jeans will find himself dressed the same as perhaps 50 per cent of the girls.

What is so special about trousers that men have become shackled to them? Trousers do have certain practical advantages - especially when performing various physical activities, in riding horseback and in cold weather. perhaps this is why trousers became standard male attire throughout Western society. In contrast, women were kept confined in long, cumbersome skirts and dresses until the early 20th century. The male/female distinction in clothing was reduced to a simple equation: trousers were exclusively male and skirts were exclusively female.

During the mid 20th century, women's fashion underwent a revolution. They freed themselves from the confinement of the long, bulky skirts and dresses of yesteryear and switched to styles that gave more freedom and comfort. Next, they demanded - and won - the right to wear trousers. Nowadays, a man can no longer prove his masculinity by putting on a pair of jeans - because this is now standard female attire.

Of course, trousers will always have their place. For certain activities and environments they are clearly more practical. Some people - both male and female - may prefer to wear trousers all the time.

The Kilt

Of all the skirt-styled garments, the Scottish kilt is the most popular and accepted by the public (at least in Europe and North America). The kilts wrap around the waist and thighs, with overlapping panels in the front. The outer front panel of a man's kilt (called the apron) opens on the wearer's right side. Women's kilted skirts usually open on the left side. Although they are usually fastened with buckles, some varieties are not. They are pleated. A man's kilt has deep, overlapping knife-type pleats in the back. Therefore, the kilt hangs relatively straight, while having plenty of material to allow for freedom of movement.

In order to accommodate kilt-wearers in climes warmer than Scotland, men's kilts are sometimes made with alternative fabrics. Because they don't have pockets, men's kilts are usually worn with a pouch, called a sporran, hanging in front. The American variation includes models that do not wrap around, but go on like trousers. They maintain the rugged, masculine spirit of the Kilt, with the added convenience of cargo pockets and a front fly. Kilt-wearing men are almost unanimous in their praise of the kilt's comfort and practicality.

According to the US Professor in Anatomy - Nicholas McKinley, the basic anatomy explains why trousers might be more comfortable on a woman than on man. He says "For example, if an alien unfamiliar with our clothing styles were presented with a naked man and woman and asked to match them up with a skirt and trousers, it's easy to imagine that, based on anatomy, the man would get the skirt".

The Change

If women wear trousers, is it acceptable for men to wear skirts (as an alternative option to wearing pants - not as a replacement).

I asked this simple question from a few known people, aged between 18 and 60 from students to company directors. There were a number of revealing and innovative replies.

Senarath - Company Executive - "Men should try to achieve a conservative, attractive, masculine look while wearing skirts. In any event, it's perfectly acceptable".

Kanthi - teacher. "The skirt or kilt is extremely comfortable and practical. Several other cultures have traditions of skirt-style clothing for men. The notion that such clothing is automatically "cross-dressing" is not well-informed. Historically it has gone both ways. A skirt can look good on a man; it can also look absurd, depending on how it's done".

Rodney - Computer Systems Analyst: "Frilly pink micro-minis never will look masculine, but we can make skirts that fit the male form in appropriate colours, with fly front, belt loops, and pockets; much like shorts but with a different line. Like it or not, its coming. Society is changing and the presence or absence of cloth sewn at the crotch will not be the determining factor of presentation of gender in the future".

Jagath - Medical Student. "Sure, why not. I have never worn one but it seems they would be cooler in the hot season. More practical at times. But we would have to learn to sit properly in them".

Deva - Company Director: "I think it's pretty much unacceptable at this point in time because our society at large doesn't accept the skirt as a masculine clothing article. Like it or not, one's gender is one of the most fundamental aspects of one's personality. The display of gender is similarly fundamental to one's appearance. These factors dictate that anyone wearing the clothing designated for the opposite sex will be considered something of a societal outcast".

Hameed - Engineer: "Two interesting points come to mind about this topic. One is that kilts are perfectly acceptable for men to wear. I think this shows that it's not the fact that a skirt doesn't have legs that make it unacceptable at present, and I think it shows that there's some hope for skirts coming into vogue for men. The other interesting point is that it is more acceptable for women to wear men's clothing than vice versa".

Dharmasena - Accountant: "I would like to, and so would many other men, but because few men do, it is not an accepted norm".

Jinadasa - Govt Officer: "I think you'd have to see an upswing in either kilt or robe usage before men start being allowed to wear skirts. Personally I don't think long skirts are very attractive on men".

Kamal - A'Level Student: Not at this time for Sri Lankans. I have never done it although practicalities dictate that at times skirt wearing would be better. I fall into the traditionalist category where trousers are for men and skirts are for women.

The Future

They may not be wearing them in your neighbourhood yet, but it never hurts to be prepared. Asela, a Dress Designer, ponders the meaning behind the recently revived phenomenon of men wearing skirts. He believes that the photographs of men attired in leather skirts and kilts are more appealing than you might expect.

"Men and women can wear the same clothes and still remain men and women", he says.

"But", he adds'" there's a significant lag between our intellectual preparedness for the prospect of a gender revolution and our emotional readiness".

It's one thing for Michael Jackson and Boy George to adopt the traditional feminine styles; quite another for the young man next door to start wearing skirts with his hiking boots.

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