UTILIKILTS - Chicago Daily Herald

Will men's skirts catch on? Despite the occasional efforts of designers like Jean-Paul Gaultier and Donna Karan, skirts for men haven't exactly become common. But will it stay that way? Or will skirts on men someday be as familiar as pants on women? The answers vary. "I don't think skirts for men will ever catch on in the mainstream - even on casual Friday," says Aliza Licht, public relations director for Donna Karan. Licht notes that Karan's line of "sarongs" and "wraps" for men first hit the runway in 1994, then were launched as part of a collection in 1995. Although not too many men own anything resembling a skirt, Licht insists the clothes "were not a flop." That said, Licht says skirts will likely only be worn by "the more artsy, freer, more liberal kind of guy." But what about women wearing pants? That used to be taboo, but now it's an everyday thing. "I think men are perfectly happy in their pants, whereas women were sick of wearing only skirts," she says. Others aren't so sure - like Utilikilt creative director Megan Haas, who says her company is growing steadily. "We're constantly in the middle of a growth spurt," she says. "We've been growing every month." Utilikilt founder and self-titled "captain" Steven Villegas adds he's gotten virtually no negative feedback on his product. "In the beginning, I was worried people would say, 'I wore it a few times and got harassed and I don't want it anymore,' " Villegas says. "I haven't heard one negative thing, and we haven't gotten one person asking for their money back. Not a single one." Enthusiast William Parry of Philadelphia acknowledges he doesn't currently see too many kilt-wearers on the streets. Nevertheless, he is adamant that men will eventually come around. "After all, you see guys with earrings, or there are guys with long hair," he says. "You never used to see that before." Parry, who's worn a kilt since 1972, says he's been to cities across the country wearing a kilt. The reaction? "Nothing. Zip," he says. "Nobody cares. Men who don't wear these don't realize there is really nothing to be afraid of, and they're really missing out on something. It's just so functionally perfect, when you wear one you wonder, 'Why didn't they come out with these years ago?' " ~end