Today is the first “ROKJESDAG” of 2017. What is Rokjesdag or Skirt Day? It is officially the first day on which Dutch women wear skirts with bare legs.
Every spring the men look forward to Rokjesdag, the day when the temperature is high enough for women to wear summer skirts and bare legs ;-). Well, it can be also dresses and shorts too… works the same way. Yes: women look forward to it too.
It’s an old term, but it was Dutch journalist Martin Bril who popularised the term from 1996 in his column in Het Parool and later in de Volkskrant. For years it was spring in Holland from the moment that Martin Bril had announced the first Rokjesdag in the newspaper. According to him, Rokjesdag is the first day of the spring, when all women, as if by magic, suddenly wear a skirt with bare legs underneath. Here you can find cited the original explanation by Martin Bril himself. But mind that – the term is not meant to be sexist. Not at all! It’s all about having fun and enjoying yourself.
Here is a video from last year of Daan Speelman, inspired by Rokjesdag, created in honour of Martin Bril.
According to news agency Novum the official Rokjesdag must be a sunny day and the temperature must reach at least 20 degrees. There is an app that tells you if it’s that day of the year yet. Seriously!
According to the Dutch newspaper AD today was the first rokjesdag of 2017. The next Rokjesdag will be on Thursday, March 30 and Friday, March 31.
And when do you ladies and gents (as men can wear shorts too on Rokjesdag) wear skirts, dresses or shorts with bare legs (in the Netherlands)? Â Please, mention your nationality also.
