UKC

The last few weeks have been pretty warm and muggy. Even in my lightest trousers, I find I am getting uncomfortably sweaty.

Whilst walking along the coast, I found myself pondering the airflow of a simple, wraparound, pleated back skirt. A quick google found some 'school skirts' in exactly the style I had imagined, in simple polyester, and even made in England, £10 delivered...

I shall be experimenting over the next few weeks. I expect to get a few odd looks: no, I haven't taken up cross-dressing; this just seems to be a practical solution. I am wary of the wildlife issues, as I am a tick magnet.

Anyone else used a skirt or kilt? Any thoughts on pockets, or length advice?

On behalf of all of us, before you try this out on a windy cliff top I have one request ......

I was thinking of weights in the hem; traditionally, ha'pennies or pennies...

Your fears will be part of the experimental assessment...

A sarong type of clothing is used in many places in India and Southeast Asia. I remember wearing one when in Goa many moons ago. It will soon become high fashion in the northern hemisphere too when global warming really kicks in.

Dish dash maybe? Seems to work in the torrid Middle East.

How about some seventies style shorty short shorts?

I have a male work colleague who wears a kilt almost all the time. He goes for knee-length. I don't think it has any pockets, but a little bum bag would probably work in lieu of a pocket, esp for walking.

I fear that might be even more disturbing than LSRH's fears...

I was thinking sporran... May help with the unintended exposure issue, too... I have been using pockets for hankies for so long, though, it is automatic to reach for them.

The skirt I found comes just above the knee (18" long, 32" waist). I am thinking of getting a second, and having it shortened. Experiment will determine if that is, shall we say, 'viable'...

Is that because you're afraid that your old boy might poke out of the bottom of the shorts?
If so, post a photo of that happening on Tinder and you'll have no shortage of people wanting to meet you...

Despite the warmth, my 'old boy' normally retreats when I'm walking, so not too much risk of popping out. I don't think anyone on Tinder would be impressed (I've binned Tinder, anyway). However, shorty short shorts were rather tight; not a pretty sight.

On a serious note I like just below knee length. Anything shorter and you need to take care to maintain your modesty when bending, getting out of the car, or sitting. Longer and it becomes a trip or entanglement hazard.

Skirts are cooler in hot weather, but for walking I prefer the practically of shorts.

That there Peter MacFarlane can give you some tips:

https://petesy.co.uk/devils-in-skirts-part-1/

But its a sad thing that he's gone for that purple perversion and not the finest Ancient Hunting MacFarlane that I have it on good authority is the finest hill wear in 17oz to the yard*

(*you will sweat like a b'stard however, so does not fit your brief)

Is ptc* still at it...? I remember him from OM.

I don't think I'll be venturing out in winter; this is a summer thing only.

A skirt would actually have the advantage over shorts of allowing easy access to check for them crawling right up to your underpants. Wearing it pantless like a kilt would be even better.

I’ve used tartan kilts for decades though not intentionally for hot weather. Have had to wear them in hot conditions when I used to perform demonstration Scottish dancing, but wouldn’t be my first choice. I would suggest not getting a traditional tartan kilt as they are warm and more so if you are active due to the broad waist band and the usual tight fitting.

However, plain polyester kilts, mostly black seen about (which wouldn’t be the best colour for hot weather maybe?) are often seen in Scotland and up here nobody would give a second glance. It is something to do with it being a kilt rather than a skirt.

A sporran is essential for wearing a kilt and serves to hold money, keys, etc, if you want traditional (or to save some modesty depending on how, eh, you’re built!). That said lots do wear kilts without a sporran. Yes a sporran helps to keep the front of the kilt down in wind and the pleats weigh down the back.

Rule of thumb for length if you want Scottish tradition is if it’s sitting on the hips correctly, when you kneel on ground it should just touch or be very slightly above the floor (roughly mid knee when standing). Of course many wear longer or shorter to be different.

Kilts are extremely comfortable to wear overall in my opinion so could well be a viable option for you. In winter the tartan ones are nice and warm.

Now writing for TGO, the blogs still a good read but a bit less hill focussed

First couple of tries have been very successful; stayed nice and cool, but not chilly. No chafing. Nice freedom of movement, and very convenient when you want to have a pee.

Some care needs to be taken when using stiles. Wind didn't seem to be a problem, probably because the wraparound closure means the two sides face different directions, so if wind takes one side, the other remains in place. Nevertheless, I have created a little pocket in the corner of the outer apron to hold a coin, held in place with a safety pin; the same principle as a kilt pin.

Also makes undressing and dressing to take a dip in the sea much easier; no staggering about trying to get feet into trouser legs; just a quick swish, mate the Velcro tabs, and engage the slider.

Is that a euphemism?

Good to hear your investigations are ongoing. You could build a prototype for Rohan to make in beige polycotton for just a few hundred quid...

I have a small down blanket that I picked up in Gothenburg a few years back which has poppers on it to make a wraparound skirt with adjustable waist. Packs down to the size of a baseball. It was allegedly a 'belay skirt' that could be whipped out and slipped on to make those snowy winter belays more tolerable. The kids won't let me wear it out.

b

(also ex-OM, even ex-mtn.net - god I feel old)

I think most of the women here will have all the info you need, since we wore these more or less continually between the ages of 11 and 18 for school. Notice not many of us wear them while hillwalking now.

These have been around for a while

https://www.511tactical.com/commando-kilt-multicam.html

wow - it has multiple cameras! Is this really necessary.

This thread has all the convincing tone of someone in A&E majors who is claiming... he was just doing the housework naked when he accidentally... ... ... 😂

I do have a friend into ultralight hiking who takes gram saving to the nth degree, who told me of a waterproof skirt he'd made to wear over shorts when raining and he wasn't impressed when I told him to just get a waterproof jacket that comes down his thighs (e.g. Berghaus long jackets). Maybe you'll be unimpressed when I tell you that you can get linen (and cotton/linen) shorts and a skirt is not needed.

If you wish... that's your prerogative to wear one, each to their own. But it's not actually necessary.

This combined with the thread about barbed wire and electric fences is a recipe for disaster.

I’ve travelled to quite a few countries where there’s a tradition of wrap-around skirts and have a couple that I use regularly (sarong, lava lava etc.). They are my equivalent to a towel in the Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in that they get used for everything - a blanket to sit on, a blanket on a bus or plane, yes as a skirt around huts or campsites, sheet on a hostel bed etc. etc. I always travel with one.

I’ve never tried hiking in one though, mainly because I prefer via ferrata and I’m not sure they’d be great with a harnes. 

There was one for sale on one of my local FB buy and sell groups recently, I had to do a double take!

Fill your boots, loads of outdoor skirts available:-

https://www.globetrotter.de/outdoor-roecke/

Aber keine Outdoor-Röcke für Herren...

Given the forecast high winds on the S Coast, I gave it a go today. Stuck a 2p weight in the apron.

Mostly successful at keeping the skirt in place...

Bumped into a couple of lovely young ladies as our paths converged. They greeted me with 'hello fellow short wearer!' (They were both wearing shorty short shorts, matching TNF waterproofs, and crocs). I waved the pleated back. 'Oh! A skirt!'. We had a chat about my rationale, and kilt pins, and the risk of 'loss of dignity'. Their parting words were 'enjoy the liberation'.

Given my other recent threads, I soon regretted not having chatted with them further, as they were lovely, chatty, friendly and didn't seem freaked out by a bloke in a skirt, 'going regimental'... Hey ho...

Then the rain hit. Whilst the skirt obviously got wet, it felt less unpleasant that clingy wet trousers...

This should probably become a UKH feature article/guide.  

But none of you have the problem of Betty Swollocks, though...

I don't have those years of experience, so I'm finding out for myself at the moment. In the current weather, it is working well for me.

That's so that you can get multiple upskirt photos of yourself going commando.