"Ritualistic circumstances"?

[CMcG]

On a serious note: I understand that 'skirt' refers to a garment that covers from the waist down, to varying lengths, and that robes and leines would not qualify. But are there no historical incidences of a skirt being worn as male attire in The West?

In the Balkans, there is also the fustanella:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fustanella

Even in the miscellaneous section though, this thread runs rather close to breaking some forum rules. Let me spin this back towards semiotics... and kilts!

As the most recognizable unbifurcated male garment in Western culture, the Scottish kilt has had an impact on language. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "kilt" can now refer to any unbifurcated knee length male garment with pleats in the back. Some people prefer to call modern kilts "male unbifurcated garments" (MUG) because they feel the word "kilt" should be reserved only for the traditional tartan variety. Usage and the OED beg to differ...

The cat is out of the bag and kilts have spread far and wide beyond the Highlands of Scotland. In 21st century Western culture, kilts can be found in a plethora of both special and mundane circumstances. Since the early 1990s there has been an amazing proliferation of kilt styles, fabrics, designs, etc. As a signifier, the kilt has been destabilized; I would argue that consumers, manufacturers, and retailers have all taken advantage of the semiotic availability of the kilt as a sign.