One day Peter comes home from school and tells his mother that there was a boy at school wearing a girl’s dress. “I don’t think that’s true Peter.” his mother said.

“Honest mum it is true..” Peter insisted, before naming the boy and describing the dress he was wearing. “We were teasing him but the teacher told us we mustn’t.”

“Well it’s not nice to tease people Peter, you know that.” his mother said. “Now, are you certain he was wearing a girl’s dress?” she asked.

“Er.” thought Peter, “Well, yes… it was a dress like girls wear.”

His mother grinned before informing him that “Not many girls wear dresses these days Peter… and they do make them for boys too.”

“What?!?!” Peter thought. “Boy’s don’t wear dresses.”

“Well you know one boy that does.” his mother states matter-of-factly. “And I’m sure he was wearing a boy’s dress and not one made for a girl.”

The concept of dresses for boys was as new to Peter as it was to most people. His mother was only aware of the changing fashion due to an article on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour a month or so previously. Like many boys, Peter was adamant that he’d never wear a dress, and his mother was fine with that. Many people figured the trend of dresses for boys would, like most fashion trends, disappear as quickly as it came. Although seeing boys in dresses was a rare sight, the pages of many women’s magazines were home to plenty of adverts and articles; either promoting or discussing the trend.

This side effect of the genderquake didn’t snowball into something massive overnight, but it didn’t burn out and fade away either. Over the following year or so the trend just seemed to trundle on, wallowing in its mediocrity, a bit like a punk rocker; we still see one occasionally but they don’t shock or offend any more, they just ‘are’.

Of course, there were signs of this inevitable side effect; but only in hindsight. As girls began almost entirely wearing trousers for school, boys gradually began wearing trousers of a similar style; being Lycra and tight-fitting down to the knee, then flaring into a boot cut. This led to VPL issues for boys and as a result, underwear with an invisible hem became available for them.

When fashion veteran Jean Paul Gaultier introduced the reverse shirt; a formal shirt for men with a flat front, split collar, and buttons up the back. It broke decades of traditional front fastening shirts being the only choice and quickly gained a firm foothold in mainstream male attire.

Around the same time, boy’s and men’s t-shirts adopted the ruffled hem, which was re-branded the ‘ruff & ready’ hem. Yet another subtle indicator of what was around the corner was the ubiquity of boys and men having both ears pierced.

It wasn’t too many years ago when the seaside resorts of Brighton, Bournemouth, and Torquay introduced by-laws making it an offense for men to bare their chests in public places. This, for the most part, didn’t include public swimming pools but most certainly applied to beach fronts, promenades, shopping precincts, and public parks. This legislation proved popular amongst the moral majority and soon spread inland before being covered by national decency laws. Whilst most men simply complied and kept their shirts on, some began wearing crop tops, strappy tops, halter necks, cami-style vests, even boob-tubes, and skimpy bikini tops were adopted in order to get maximum exposure without risking a fine for indecency.

Peter and his mother were on holiday with his Aunt Jo, Uncle George, and cousins; James and Michael, aged nine and thirteen respectively. Peter couldn’t help but snigger when James wore a pretty dress for a day to the seaside. Michael wore his boy clothes but did admit to having a couple of dresses too.

“I don’t like them!” Michael insisted. “But I have to wear one when mum wants me to look nice.”

Peter, now twelve-and-a-half is flabbergasted. “Even if mum did buy me a dress… I wouldn’t wear it… no way!”

Michael is somewhat surprised that Peter doesn’t have one, “I think every lad I know has at least one dress.” Michael states, “But most of them don’t like having to wear them.”

“I’m not surprised. I think it’s pretty rotten making you wear something you don’t like.” Peter replies.

“Yeah, I suppose… James likes them.”

“I noticed,” Peter replies, glancing at James who walks with Peter’s mother, chatting away. “I’d hate to dress like that all the time.”

“He doesn’t wear them all the time,” Michael says, defending his younger brother.

Later, they stop for a bite to eat in a seafront café. Peter’s mother says “Doesn’t James look nice in his dress Peter?”

“I guess,” Perter replies as he thinks the exact opposite.

“So have you got many dresses, Peter?” Aunt Jo asks. She is genuinely surprised when he tells her he hasn’t got any. “Why not?”

Peter shrugs, “I don’t like them.” he replies.

“Well neither does Michael but…” she turns to her eldest son, “…you’ll wear one occasionally won’t you?”

Michael gulps and nods.

“I keep thinking about buying George one too,” she adds, casting a smile at her husband.

Uncle George claims he’s too old. “Dresses are OK for boys, but not grown men.”

He is accused of being a stick in the mud before his wife points out that in ten years’ time both James and Michael will be grown men, and there’s a strong likelihood that most men will be wearing skirts and dresses by then.

Peter’s mother agrees with her sister-in-law, but adds, “I couldn’t imagine George in a dress.” Before saying that she could imagine Peter in one. A look of horror sweeps her son’s face at this revelation. His mother casts him a smile. “Don’t worry Peter… I’ll only buy you one if you want one.”

“Phew!” thought Peter.

“Why don’t you come shopping tomorrow with James and me tomorrow?” his aunt suggests, turning to her youngest and smiling. “You could try a couple on to see if you like it… you never know.”

“Erm….” Peter stammers, looking nervously from his aunt to his mother, then to his young cousin. “I’d rather go fishing with Uncle George and Michael… if that’s OK?”

“Of course Peter.” his aunt smiles. “But you can’t fight progress… all boys are going to find themselves in dresses sooner or later… and you’re no exception.”