By Adam Webb

AS I sit here at my computer desk in my Downtown apartment, staring at the flashing cursor, and then turn my head from the window to look at the screen, I reflect on the glorious warm breeze gently encircling my various exposed parts and smile at the yumminess that is summer in Central Europe.

And my how the seasons fly. In just over a month we will be packing away our fürdö ruha (swimming dress) in exchange for jeans and lightweight autumn jackets.

Swapping beach wraps for evening shawls and sun tan lotion for antifreeze. But, we still have time, handsome English reading Budapestians! Time to enjoy the rays here, at the Balaton, perhaps in Croatia, or perhaps in Santorini (my preferred sun spot).

Dressing for the sun has always been an issue for so many people, what with the myriad array of swimsuits available now - but what about accessories! That's where the rub is for me. That's where I get more than just one bee in my bonnet. That's where I want to start throwing shopping vouchers at people who really should know better.

So, without any more wild sun infused ramblings, let me speak to you in a free and easy manner of something I adore - men in skirts.

Women have been secretive about this for far too long, and frankly, its time I blew the whistle on it all.

Of course, women too are covered in this article, as being women, you wear skirts with great regularity. All I am trying to do, in the lithe yet gentle way that I have, is to blow the wind right up the man who is not man enough to wear a skirt.

Braveheart wore one. Scottish men in general wear them. Zulu Kings wear them. Politicians wear them. Even the local electrician (local if you are, perchance, reading this article in Bengal) will probably be wearing one.

To us it's a skirt.

To the rest of the world, it is a distinctive, attractive, fashionable, sexy and damn comfortable way to dress.

And what are they called?

Well, with a million different variations on fabric widths and stitching aside, you can impress friends and influence colleagues as you call your body scarf a Pareau, or a Pareo - as it is called in Tahiti.

I own several hand dyed Lava Lava which I purchased whilst working several years ago near Samoa, as well as several kilts which I had woven on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh recently. Your preference, summer lovin' reader, may of course be more to a wrap called by the standard name of Sarong - which is of Indonesian extraction.

Then on the other side of the Indochine waters one wears a Kain in Malaysia, whereas in Hawaii both men and women get about in a luau friendly number called a Kipeka.

In India I racked my brains remembering the get up I got up in, called a Lungi, and even in Germany there is a trend towards a magnificent fashion garment called Mannerock, and you will find many a Kikoy lover amid the wild charms of Kenya and many other nations of eastern Africa.

So the skirt is a great idea, but you want something even simpler and breezier to wear during summer?

Then how about a Caftan, popular throughout the Middle East (and there is nothing better than being topical in your sense of style). Or a Dashiki which almost everyone will wear as they wander the markets throughout Africa.

A Djeballah is popular in northern Africa and especially Morocco, where flowing robes are de rigeur, and don't even think of stepping off the plane at Mykonos boys if you aren't sporting your knee length pleated Fustanella.

Galabiyah might be hard to pronounce, but crickey it is comfortable to wear as you camel over to the pyramids of Egypt. Even our editor has one (And I have seen the pictures, although I can bet you one wont be selected to accompany this article. He has final veto you know÷)

In the Nepalese kingdom of Bhutan don't even bother packing pants as no one is allowed to wear them. By royal decree of all things, and as an attempt to promote and preserve the native culture of the Kingdom, citizens can only wear national, traditional dress. At all times. And that means shopping at the local store for a Gho in every colour. With matching tights.

So why am I telling you all this?

Simply because I cannot understand why us white folk (Scots not included) cannot bring ourselves to wear skirts if we are blokes! Its certainly hot enough.

We wander around in bikinis and speedos and hardly anything else and no one bats an eye lid.

Yet, throw on a wrap of linen or cotton over a pair of hairy legs and we all fall about in disbelief and some kind of bizarre pseudo amazement. Are we so locked into our own self fulfilling stereotypes?

I hope not. Summer is here, let's not forget that, and a breeze wafting around any part of your body is always an exciting thing.

And wearing a skirt is fashionable for everyone this summer, as sarongs become an almost compulsory part of fashion in the warmer months.

Wandering Budapest in a wrap of fabric, whether a man or woman, is cool - and with the breeze factor, it's now a word we can use in its original context.

Hoorah for us rescuing our own language at the same time.

Try it, boys. The girls will lend their sarongs (whether you move onto the business skirts and leather minis is completely at your own discretion), give it a go.

You will be amazed how natural it all feels. Trousers are about 600 years old. Men in skirts have been around for more than 10,000 years. And they are still worn today. Pharoahs wore them and they were considered Gods. Top designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Dior have been designing skirts for men for years.

Women should look to the new ranges from Collette Dinnigan and Chloe for the new range of frilly lacy girlie girl skirts that are the paramount fashion item while its still warm enough to show off your tan (Solariums are so Dynasty '80s television melodreadfulness).

Be brave(heart). Be hot. Be cool.

Throw a wrap on.