Client Story – Designing and making a bespoke men’s skirt
Chris is my first male client and we have now worked together for two years. It has been amazing to be part of his journey these past couple of years and to see his confidence grow as he dresses to express his authentic self.
When Chris contacted me he was still relatively new to the world of ‘men-in-skirts’. He enjoyed wearing skirts and had already bought a few from high street shops, but felt as though he was ‘dressing up’.
Chris has a classic smartly tailored style. To date, his wardrobe consisted of well-fitting tailored shirts and trousers. In contrast, the poorly fitting women’s skirts he had bought from the high street didn’t feel right. This is what led him to explore the idea of having skirts uniquely tailored to his shape and style.
The challenge of cutting a men’s skirt
I was excited to work with Chris and help him express his sense of style. At our first consultation, he arrived wearing jeans and a smart shirt. I asked him to change into one of the ready-to-wear skirts he had brought with him.
The change in his energy and posture was immediate – he instantly radiated and looked more himself in the skirt than in the jeans. The shift in his energy and sense of self was palpable, it felt like dialling up the light with a dimmer switch.
Considering the fit
It was clear however that the fit of the skirt was not ideal. It was too curvy from hip to waist and the length proportions were wrong too. Creating a skirt for his shape was clearly going to be a new way of pattern-cutting for me. A challenge I was happy to accept.
I took his measurements, discussed style details and showed Chris a range of beautiful wool worsted cloth to choose from. His style is classic and elegant, and he knew that he would be wearing his skirts with shirts.
We chose a couple of gaberdine cloths from the British mill Holland & Sherry, as well as beautiful shot twill linings from Bernstein & Banleys. Both British institutions in the world of Savile Row tailoring.
The first skirt fitting
At our first fitting, Chris’ delight was evident. For the first time, he was able to slip on a skirt that had been perfectly tailored to him. The hip curve matched his own and the length, cut and details all reflected his style. Having a men’s skirt made for him helped Chris to truly feel himself and not like a man dressing up in women’s clothing. A subtle, but important distinction.
Celebrating Chris’ new style with a photoshoot
Once I had created a few skirts for Chris to wear he asked me if I could recommend a photographer. He wanted to have a few images to share with friends and family in order to introduce them to the idea of his new style direction. I was happy to put him in touch with Annie Armitage, an award-winning photographer based in Surrey. Her calm professional manner put him at ease and the resulting photos speak for themselves.
If you or someone you know would like to explore having a men’s tailored skirt made please get in touch for a consultation. Read more about how I work including my bespoke and made-to-measure services here.
Very nice. But bespoke clothes are way above my budget: I hope we can seem some properly made men’s skirts in mainstream fashion soon.