Linn Gabathuler
in the echo chamber of my social circles and physical surroundings, it has been hard not to notice a certain clothing trend creeping into everyday fashion: the controversial 'skirt over pants'. whether one loves it or hates it, the layering trend has become a common fashion choice in many spaces. these days, on a stroll through my art school or other alternative and creative spaces, i’m very likely to come across several people, mostly female* presenting, wearing the combination. jeans or pants, loose-fitting or flared, paired with skirts and dresses of all lengths, materials, and styles. I do want to preface this essay by saying that it is based on my personal, local observations, taking place in young, urban, alternative and queer spaces. my research has been primarily conducted in swiss cities and is under no means complete and/ or absolute. intrigued by how much of an increase in people wearing the 'skirt over pants’ i have been noticing, i decided to dedicate a trend report in one of my classes to the topic. originally, i thought of 'skirt over pants' as a fashion trend with the underlying empowering force of wearing something that questions the gender binary in fashion and challenges conventional female* beauty standards. although these aspects can empower a 'skirt over pants' wearer and are also important aspects to consider, i started to rethink the phenomenon while talking to people participating in the trend. i now see it as less of a rebellious, playful act and more as a way in which women* are hiding, creating comfort and how this somehow seems to contradict both mainstream feminism today as well as my initial thoughts about the infamous 'skirt over pants'.
many people i spoke to simply enjoy expressing themselves through the layering of skirts over pants. it is an unconventional look that questions the feminine connotation of skirts and makes space for gender fluidity and self-expression. in my original report, i had dedicated an entire section to the importance of breaking the gender binary through an item of clothing as heavily gendered as the skirt. additionally, the thrill of wearing and loving something that contradicts the patriarchal standards of what women* should wear, or that reinterprets a garment as traditional as the skirt, can be very empowering. the conclusion of my original report was very positive and optimistic, ending with these sentences: „'skirt over pants' redefines gender, uses fashion as a political act, and creates spaces where identities can emerge outside the binary system. this trend has been going strong for years and seems to be becoming a symbol of a new generation that, through its love of fashion and self-expression, is stripping the patriarchal binary system of its power layer by layer.“ beautiful, right? well, revisiting this report months later and rethinking the phenomenon, i now have a far more pessimistic view of the subject. in today's political and social climate, it is hard not to feel defeated and give in to this pessimism. i have become quite bitter, especially when considering the patriarchy, and while i would love to say „yey, 'skirt over pants' so #feminism, fuck the male gaze!“–it is simply not the reality i see.
i feel that being a woman* and having a body is hell. female* bodies are so inherently sexualized that there is no way to escape it. from “boob guys” to “ass guys”, foot-, ear- or thigh-fetishes, there is hardly any part of the female* body that has not been sexualized by men. as a woman*, your body becomes a political playground. this is visible in the constant endangerment of reproductive rights, audible in the way female* public figures are discussed in the press, and visible in advertisements promoting anti-aging. most of all, it is felt in encounters with men. the first time i was hit on in the streets, i was twelve. it was a fully grown man. i ran the whole way home. all of my female* friends have similar stories. by having a body perceived as female*”, you are exposed to the male gaze the moment you step into public spaces. especially in warmer months, when clothing tends to become more „revealing“, as men like to say, wearing a short skirt comes with the awareness that i will be stared at on the bus. actually, my thighs will be stared at. the only time in my life i have not felt the constant gaze of men on me was when i had a fully shaved head. back then, i was almost relievingly invisible. which is an entire topic in itself, but i don’t want to get distracted.
people perceived as female* are objectified and sexualized regardless of how they dress, but certain outfits make them especially aware of this through stares and comments. this is where the 'skirt over pants' comes back into the discussion. in my observation, the butt is one of the most sexualized aspects of the female* body. beyond what is visible in mainstream and social media, this attention given to the female* butt can also be felt on the street. i often notice men staring at a womans* butt. i have also caught men staring at mine, and it has been the specific subject of conversation in instances of sexual harassment i have endured. when talking to friends who wear skirts over pants, almost all of them say that they simply feel more comfortable and protected in this combination compared to wearing the pieces separately. many pants designed for women emphasize the butt or thighs too much, while skirts expose the legs and can create insecurity about coverage. the people i spoke to during my research often feel uncomfortable and self-conscious in form-fitting or “revealing” clothing. whether due to insecurities about how their body looks or how it might be perceived, many describe the 'skirt over pants' as a way of concealing certain body parts without losing the practicality of pants. hiding their butt feels like a relief. it reduces comments and attention, conversations and thoughts that they know would be had, would it be „exposed“, and it is also a way to wear a skirt without having to think about „exposing" their legs. wearing a skirt over pants gives the wearer a sense of protection, or even a form of immunity from the male gaze.
women* covering their bodies is an age-old concept and can be read as a simple attempt to escape patriarchal violence. many see this practice as a way in which women* are being „protected“, shifting responsibility for sexual violence from men onto women*. whether women cover their bodies voluntarily or are obligated to, it is another sign of women* having to limit themselves because men refuse to change. in a country like switzerland, where most people believe that men and women are equal, this covering-up contradicts a prominent type of feminism that i observe most in this country. first of all, swiss mainstream feminism is, of course, extremely white, eurocentric and often fails to think intersectionally. what i find interesting is that this modern feminist ideology i am trying to describe centers around being „empowered“ and „free“, doing what you want, and presenting your body exactly how you want without taking men into account, thereby directly opposing the idea of covering-up. still, i have found that many of these young women* simply cannot bear the everyday consequences of patriarchy anymore and return to this „old“ practice of covering up simply as a form of protection. no matter how feminist and “free” you live, you still exist under patriarchy. you can only fight so long in a never changing system, until you ultimately adapt, find ways to hide, and try to protect yourself. whether this “hiding” comes from exhaustion or feels more like an act of protest, it is an adaptation that would not occur if women* did not experience this constant male gaze and the fear of violence.
the 'skirt over pants' isn’t just a fun fashion trend pushing boundaries. it has become a way for women* to protect themselves. it has also become a way to wear a skirt or a dress without being afraid of the attention it might attract. in a world where we constantly have to keep fighting, where we actively have to work against becoming numb, we do have the right to hide away from time to time. of course, it is always important to recognize the privilege of being able to fight in the first place. but how do we take care of ourselves as women* in a system that constantly works against us? when can i hide and when should i use my privilege and fight? when men have been asked for centuries to change but simply do not take on the responsibility they should, women* are forced to take it into their own hands, which can feel restrictive, especially when talking about “hiding”. at this point, i would like to make an appeal to men: change. change yourself, and change the men around you. gendered violence starts with letting jokes slide, with feelings of entitlement, with uncritical consumption of media, especially pornography, without questioning traditions and norms, and with so much more. question your privilege, how you view women*, how you talk about and to us, how you move in public spaces, and how you stay silent. and most importantly: do not expect praise for actions like these.
i do not really have a conclusion to all of this. i would like to emphasize that it is okay to hide. it is your right to protect yourself and to take care of yourself. being aware of and dealing with patriarchy is exhausting. gendered violence is a real threat to the lives of all women*, and it should not be underestimated how much stress our patriarchal system puts on women* every day. take your time to hide from the world. an infinite battle like this is tiring, and everybody needs much-needed rest. a safe hiding place is where we gather strength and come together, where we find ways to navigate this system and, most importantly, how to keep resisting it.
the use of the genderstar (*) in this essay aims to include all people who identify with the term woman and/or female, or the experiences discussed.
written by linn gabathuler, created for and in collaboration with the magazine (dis)appering by lia bellini and meret gut