Clothing isn’t inherently gender-specific, debunking a long-standing societal belief that certain apparel is off-limits to specific genders. This notion is particularly challenged in the male wardrobe; while women have long embraced a versatile array of clothing from suits to skirts, the idea of men expanding their fashion horizons has been more contentious. However, an individual from the United States is challenging these norms, showcasing that men can indeed stylishly don skirts and heels.
Mark Bryan, an American residing in Germany with a career in robotics and a keen interest in fashion, champions the idea that clothing transcends gender boundaries. Mark is known for his preference for skirts and heels, integrating them into his daily work attire and owning an extensive collection of footwear. His fashion choices are well-received by his peers, who admire his ability to pair skirts with chic heels.
“I dress like this because I can. Just to be different. I have always admired the women that wore tight skirts and heels. Not sexually, but the power they presented. I don’t dress to be sexual, but to dress like any professional woman would,” Mark told Bored Panda.
To me, clothes have no gender. I prefer skirts to dresses. Dresses don’t allow me to mix the genders. I prefer a ‘masculine’ look above the waist and a non-gendered look below the waist. It’s all about clothes having no gender.”
Mark critiques the monotony and constraints of typical male fashion, celebrating the vast array of options skirts and heels offer in terms of colors, patterns, and styles—choices that extend beyond the limited palette of men’s trousers.
“All the fashion options. With men’s pants, you have just a few color options: black, gray, navy, and brown, and no pants with prints. With skirts, you can add reds, greens, brighter blues, floral prints, animal prints, etc. Same with shoes, but then you also have many more styles and heel types. Plus you can wear open-toed shoes when the weather is nice.”
The robotic engineer added, “I feel no different as to me, it’s just clothes. Naturally, on a cold or windy day, it physically feels different. When wearing heels, I feel taller but also empowered for some reason. In all, maybe having the inner strength to have the confidence to wear non-conforming clothing has also given me the confidence and strength to handle my pressures at work.”
He also said that he has been happily married for eleven years, and his wife fully supports and cherishes his wardrobe choices and fashion sense.
“My wife often makes suggestions on what I should wear. My daughter wishes she could borrow my shoes at times,” he said.
“I am 6’ tall and weigh around 165 lbs,” he told Bored Panda. “I also have medium to small feet. I wear a size 8.5 US and 41 in Europe. I have a 29″ waist, so I wear a size 8 skirt in the US or a 38 in Europe. I also work out 2-3 times a week. So finding clothes my size is no problem.”
He said he mostly purchases his heels online and wears them at home; by doing that, he can test his shoes well before carrying them to work.
“I buy most of my heels online so that I can try them at home. This way I can have some shoe time and try going up and down the stairs. Feel how much they slip, and the stability when testing stilettos. I’ll also wear them while sitting for half an hour or so. If they hurt right out of the box, then back in the box they go. So having a good comfortable shoe is important, but so is the style.”
He said his favorite heels are stilettos, especially those five inches tall.
“My favorite is a 5-inch stiletto. I just love the way they make me look and the feeling they give. My least favorite thing is walking on uneven surfaces like a cobblestone walkway or a sidewalk with pavers that have gaps big enough to swallow a stiletto heel.”
Talking about other people’s reactions toward his clothing, Mark said that he often receives compliments from women but not from men.
“Take a person with bright green hair. Green hair is not normal. You look up and see this person, your mind tells you it’s a person with green hair, you think to yourself, that’s odd or interesting, then you go back to do what you were doing and don’t give it another thought. I believe this is the same when people see me in a skirt and heels.”
Mark also owns a public Instagram account with 599K followers, where he regularly shares photos modeling for different fashion brands.
