Mark Bryan, a 63-year-old married father of three, is challenging gender stereotypes with his fashion choices, and his followers can’t get enough of it.
Bryan, an American who lives in Germany, has become an Instagram sensation by regularly posting “outfit of the day” (OOTD) photos. His signature style features conventional men’s attire from the waist up, paired with chic skirts and high heels from the waist down.
Breaking away from traditional fashion norms, Bryan uses his unique style to challenge the notion that clothing should be gender-specific.
His Instagram bio describes him to his 609,000 followers as: “Straight, cis male, Porsche fan, loves wearing skirts and heels daily!”
The robotics engineer even brings his unique fashion sense to work, around town, and within the comfort of his home.
Bryan told Bored Panda, “I dress this way because I can, and I want to stand out. I’ve always admired women who wore tight skirts and heels—not for sexual reasons, but for the sense of power they conveyed.”
“To me, clothes have no gender. I prefer skirts over dresses because skirts allow me to blend different styles and expressions more easily.”
The style icon, who also coaches American football, explained his fascination with skirts and heels: “It’s all about the fashion options. Men’s pants typically come in just a few colors—black, gray, navy, and brown—and rarely have prints. Skirts, on the other hand, offer a wide range of colors and patterns, like reds, greens, bright blues, florals, and animal prints. The same goes for shoes.”
Although some might wrongly associate his fashion choices with his sexual orientation, Bryan is focused on de-sexualizing clothing. He explained, “To me, it’s just clothes. Naturally, on a cold or windy day, they feel different physically. Wearing heels makes me feel taller and, for some reason, more empowered. My wardrobe has actually boosted my confidence, both in daily life and in dealing with workplace pressures.”
What does his family think? They’re fully supportive. His wife often suggests new styles, and his daughter is a bit envious of his designer shoe collection.
Bryan favors a “five-inch stiletto” for his footwear, though he acknowledges that navigating cobblestone streets or uneven sidewalks can be challenging. He also mentioned that he prefers skirts over dresses to better blend masculine and feminine elements in his outfits.
In an interview with PurpleHaze, Bryan shared the impact of his work: “It became increasingly clear that my Instagram presence was helping many people who wanted to wear non-gender conforming clothing but were afraid of having their sexuality questioned.”
“I receive over 100 direct messages a day on my Instagram account, with many followers expressing their gratitude for the courage to wear what they want, regardless of others’ opinions. However, some still struggle with this fear.”
“This needs to change, so one of my goals has become de-sexualizing clothing. My aim is to help everyone—regardless of sexual orientation or gender—feel comfortable wearing whatever they choose.”
In a world where gender norms are increasingly being questioned, Mark Bryan is more than just a dad of three, a robotics engineer, or a football coach—he’s a fashion-forward icon proving that it’s more than okay to be yourself, no matter what you’re wearing.
