We're men, We're men in skirrrrts.

Little did we know that when we landed in Burma we had hit cross dressers heaven. Burma ,along with some other countries in the region, have a long tradition of men wearing a piece of clothing called a longyi, but let's face it, it's really a skirt. And this skirt is everywhere....
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We had heard, vaguely, that this was present, but it wasn't until we landed that I think we really began to understand how widespread the practice is. I pictured them as something like kilts in Scotland, formal, kind of fun, but not really that common for day to day wear, but man, was I wrong. Longyi are the clothing option of choice for most men in Burma, from your 15 year old delivery boy to your 55 year old banker. Sure there are slacks, jeans, and other pant-ing options but the most prevelant is eaily the longyi.

Since we are here a few weeks and since this is a conservative country where shorts aren't around, we decided to invest in some longyi ourselves. We asked multiple people before we bought them if it's ok for us to wear them (we were always told yes) and so we did.

I've now worn my longyi several days, and while I get some weird looks, I get many more compliments and smiles. And even then I think the weird looks I get are not because I, as a man, am wearing a skirt but because I, as a foreigner, am wearing local clothing. It is all a very surreal experience but one that I've slowly begun to enjoy (??) though I don't think I'll ever wear one back in the states. (I could hear my dad's sigh of relief with that last comment).

Anyway, we though you should all know what is required to wear a longyi (both the male and female versions).

To begin it should be noted that the longyi is simply a huge sewn loop of cloth (like a big tube) that you pull up over your waist, normally while exclaiming, "Why is this thing so big? It could fit three of me!" Once you have inserted yourself in said cloth tube pull it up to (or above) your God given waist, not where you wear your pants. Men stand in the middle of the longyi pulling both sides out, whereas women stand on one side pulling the other across.

Next you wrap yourself in the folds of the longyi, an easy task because it is so big! Women have a particually easy time of this as all they have to do is pull the end of the longyi they are holding to their other side of their bodies (or around if you're really skinny). Men on the other hand get to do a "shuck and catch" routine, where in you take the fabric that is between your hands do a quick toss into the air and then encircle this fabric with the fabric in your hands. Its kind of like throwing a christmas present in the air and then trying t wrap it before it hits the ground.


After this all there is left to do is tuck the tails of your fold in (once again the women's is easier), women simply tuck this in at the top of the longyi. Men however, get to pretend that their longyi is a giant twist tie and wrap the tails around themselves twice before tucking it into the top of their longyi.

And now you can wear your longyi with pride! After all, it isn't that often that you can wear a skirt and be proud... kind of... depending upon who you are... and I guess how proud you are.