Bravehearts: Men in Skirts

by Andrew Bolton

What do Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Prince Charles, and Boy George have in common? These and other sharply dressed, sexually secure, 21st-century men are incorporating skirts into their wardrobes. In this provocative, one-of-a-kind book, Andrew Bolton traces the warrior origins of kilts and sarongs and reveals how, far from feminizing men, skirts actually reinforce their virility. Some 150 photographs illustrate this colorful salute to the growing numbers of the few, if proud, men in skirts.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published October 31, 2003

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book now as much as I did on the first read years ago. Why this isn't common menswear is beyond me.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is the companion volume to the Victoria & Albert fashion exhibit (which also appeared at the MET Costume Institute). A better title would be Fashionable London Men in Skirts, as all others are relegated to afterthoughts, footnotes, or not mentioned at all. Though there is more history here than my first cursory glance suggested, it is poorly researched and highly Anglocentric.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skirts and more. Sarongs, tunics, robes, gowns, coats, dresses, body wraps, waistcloths, kimonos and long shirts. Sartorial motifs are considered through a variety of lenses including military history, ecclesiastical ritual, anthropological field notes, subcultural movements (punks, hippies, glam rockers, queers) and contemporary fashion.

Lovely pictures. The 'culturally appropriative' glam shots made me uncomfortable.

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few months ago, I watched an episode of Glee where Chris Colfer's character Kurt Hummel wore a kilt to prom. Reactions were mixed. Kurt's dad, Burt (Mike O'Malley), accused him of wanting to "stir the pot". As in, knowing how much trouble Kurt had already had in school because of his flamboyance, his dad thought it was unwise for Kurt to show off his unique fashion sense in the public eye. Kurt's boyfriend Blaine wasn't happy either. Meanwhile, Kurt's stepbrother Finn said, "It's like gay Braveheart."

And there I was, thinking, "Oh, wow. Kurt must have read the Andrew Bolton book about men in skirts!"

Any fashion-minded individual would find this book not only informative on the topic, but also rather inspirational in terms of developing one's personal style. If I were a male fashionista, there would be a lot of styles I could copy from this book. From fashion runways to cultural garbs, the fact is, males of this world wear a lot of "skirt". Whether it's sarong, long tunic or kilt, this piece of clothing does not exclusively belong to females. Guys like David Beckham and Ewan Mcgregor, both of whom are featured in Bolton's book, prove that anyone can still look macho while wearing a skirt.

is thus far the only book published on the topic and it remains relevant even today. The text and references provided by the book are quite substantial (it's a well-researched book, so this can serve as a textbook as well) while the photographs are gorgeous and attractive. A must-have for anyone interested in fashion!

[Kathryn Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book because it shows another way to approach the wearing of skirts. I'd sort of like to wear them myself, sometimes, but wearing them in a traditionally feminine way feels all wrong to me - I can manage it for an evening, but then it feels like dressing up, not me. As a very long-term project I'm still working on making a skirt that works the way I want it to, and until I do, I've always this book to look at to inspire me.

[Terri Klemetson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dispels the myth that the skirt is an exclusively female garment. Ewen McGregor and Samuel Jackson in skirts, the utili-kilt, and Deuteronomy 22:5 all mentioned. Looks at history: “As anthropological accounts of dress reveal, there is no natural link between an item of clothing and femininity and masculinity, but instead an arbitrary set of associations that are culturally specific.”

[VioLeT · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is worth looking at for the photographs alone - but the actual history of men, skirts, and fashion was very interesting.

[KiltGuide]

Good book.
https://kiltguide.com/listing/utili-k...