Wearing a Dress as a Man in Summer?

I'll admit it: this summer was great for a short while, but these days it just rains and rains and rains. Asking this question right now might feel a little out of place. It already feels like autumn, and some of us are already digging the nylon tights — or leggings — out of the drawer.

But now to the actual topic: "Can a man wear a dress in summer?"

There's a short answer and a long one. Which would you like first — the short one? Okay! It goes: yes, of course.

The long version follows in this post.

Why Men Shouldn't Wear Dresses in Summer

You already know my fundamentally positive stance on this. So let's actually talk about why men *shouldn't* wear dresses in summer.

When a man, like me, is blessed — or afflicted — with a lot of leg hair, my personal sense of aesthetics doesn't find it especially pretty when those long strands show through delicate clothing. I don't like seeing leg hair peeking out from under things like cocktail dresses or pencil skirts, regardless of who's wearing them — though to be clear, nobody should feel forced to shave every square inch of their body bare. Quite the opposite.

"I don't have to find them beautiful, but I get to accept them" is one of the best lines I've come across on this topic. My body hair is black and unruly — sometimes lying flat and close to the skin, sometimes sticking out in every direction. However it behaves, it's there. And it's staying! Still, the visual chaos it creates does bother me a little. Silky fabrics paired with delicate high heels, and then a whole lot of hair?

Every now and then someone wanders into the comments on my Instagram to suggest I should just shave my legs.

But I'm simply far too lazy to shave my legs. I'd genuinely have to do it several times a week, since stubbly, freshly shaved legs are not exactly my thing either. Besides, my wife loves the hair on my legs far too much — I'd probably lose my head over it if I shaved them, though I suppose my height would finally match my heels better if I did 😉…

So the hair stays. And I have to make my peace with that. Even more so, the people who see my pictures on social media have to make their peace with it. Because the hair stays put — even, unfortunately, in summer. It's simply very visible.

And especially when a dress lets your legs feel the hot air and sun, it's unbearable to then pull opaque leggings over them anyway. At that point you might as well just stay in your jeans.

Fundamentally, though, you'll have noticed this is by no means a prohibition — just my own personal sense of aesthetics. By the way, smooth-shaven bodies were once a beauty ideal for men too, namely in ancient Greece. So it's hardly some fact carved in stone that men always have hairy legs.

There are also men whose leg hair is barely visible, because it happens to be very light and/or thin. Others don't mind the effort of shaving at all. But at the end of the day, that's everyone's own call.

So, to bring it back to the headline: there's no reason not to wear dresses as a man in summer. Everyone should do whatever makes them comfortable.

Why Do Mostly Women Shave Their Legs?

One thing upfront: let's not start a whole gender debate here, okay? I genuinely mean it when I say it's mostly women who shave their legs, and I can back that headline up with plenty of research. But why do they actually do it?

It all began with social pressure to conform to beauty standards and shave your legs. As we all know, beauty ideals can shift over time. Underarm hair, for instance, was completely normal in the 1980s. By the 2000s, it all had to go again. But across the decades, one thing has generally held true: from the intimate area to the armpits, body hair on women has long been frowned upon.

And here's the kicker: did you know this beauty ideal exists largely because razor manufacturers pushed it that way? No? Then you're in for a surprise.

According to the official website of the Smithsonian Institution, American beauty standards and practices for women were also shaped by the invention and marketing of the razor.

Until that point, only men shaved. And the market for razors was correspondingly tiny. The account goes on to say that body hair on women was framed as "inherently masculine, unhygienic, and improper." And so it was born — the women's razor! Which is, by the way, a genuinely absurd idea when you think about it: that women need a special razor at all. Hair is hair. Stubble is stubble. But there you go. The tide has been turning steadily for a few years now, and I read more and more often that hair on legs and other body parts is being allowed to "grow back" again.

So, Into the Dress

The right skirts and certain dresses make an excellent alternative to, and expansion of, otherwise dull men's fashion. So if you're toying with the idea of wearing skirts and dresses, just do it. In my book, by the way, I've included plenty of new perspectives that will give you not just courage but real understanding — this topic is older than most people think.

And really, what's stopping you from simply having skirts and dresses in your own closet? It doesn't have to be a tight-fitting sheath dress if your body shape doesn't naturally suit that silhouette. Knits and other fabrics can drape certain areas beautifully.

It also expands the possibilities of men's fashion enormously — both stylistically and when it comes to adapting to the weather.

And you don't need to be afraid either. If you can handle a few stares, then get out there — skirt, and even heels included. Though a woman would face those same stares just as certainly 😉.

The acceptance of skirts and dresses on men is, incidentally, noticeably better and greater when your overall look stays masculine even in a skirt or dress. Which doesn't mean you can't bring in a feminine touch. Quite the opposite.

Stories from the Media

Have you heard about the British call center employee who just went for it? No?

At his company, men were required to come to the office in long trousers — no matter how warm or cold it was outside.

Women, meanwhile, wore skirts, dresses, short-sleeved blouses, tops, and pretty much anything else in the office. Not to mention open-toed shoes.

After the employee in question had had enough, he showed up to the office in shorts one day — much to his boss's annoyance. His boss sent him straight home, telling him to put on something long immediately.

The young man complied right away. He cycled home — and on the way, an idea struck him. If women are allowed to wear dresses, why shouldn't he, as a man, be allowed to as well?

So he went straight to his mother's wardrobe, grabbed a dress, and threw it on. Freshly styled, and with a compliment from his mom, he headed back to the office.

His boss couldn't quite believe it. But what was he supposed to do? His female colleagues weren't banned from the same style of clothing either. So the company changed its policy that very same day and allowed men to wear shorts. Dresses still weren't technically banned — though they weren't exactly welcomed either.

And the Moral of the Story?

So what do we take away from this whole post and that last story? At the end of the day, you can wear whatever you want. The more daring or extravagant your outfit, the more looks you'll get — that's just how it goes.

Nobody is banning you from wearing dresses. But a little courage is definitely required to get started.

And if you feel good in it? Then start today, right now!

PS: A Scotsman in a kilt, by the way, is perfectly normal 😉

Have fun 😉