Step 2

[Nolyn]

I had a chance yesterday to look for skirts in a store for the first time (step 1 was figuring out where to look). I was out and about on a series of meetings and errands and looked in a Kohls (did not find anything worth trying on) and a Goodwill. I realized I did not know what size I am. I am a 34" waist, but this doesn't translate into women's sizes. While I was at the Goodwill, I grabbed three skirts that looked like the style I would want to wear and tried on three (or at least tried!). Two of the three were too small (size 6 and , but the size 12 fit very well. It was knee length and I thought it looked reasonably good on me. Within the confines of the dressing room I moved around in it in a range of movements to see how it wore. When I sat down, I was surprised at how high it rose up; I see now what some of you guys have said about length, I would want to wear something measuring below the knee. One question I have for you more experienced MUG wearers concerns the male bulg. Do you guys worry much about the "package" bump showing in the skirt? Are there styles of skirts that are better than others that hide that distinct male anatomy feature? What thoughts/advice can you send me?

[PatJ]

I understand your problem with trying to determine the proper size.

I have found one web site: http://www.denimskirts.com/deskcale.html that sells
skirts by waist size and length. The interesting thing is that each skirt has its own
measurement for actual waist, hip, and length. For example, the size may be 34,
but they tell you it's closer to 35 inch waist.

They are a bit pricey, and I have no affiliation with them other than being happy with
the fit, and delivery of items I have purchased.

One tip was given here a long time ago that may also help you find a good size.

Take a pair of pants that fit you well in the waist, button them closed, then cut a
piece of string that fits across the inside of the pants. The string is easy to carry,
and is a good indicator if the skirt waist will fit you if you use the string to measure
a buttoned skirt.

[skirtyscot]

Do you guys worry much about the "package" bump showing in the skirt? Are there styles of skirts that are better than others that hide that distinct male anatomy feature? What thoughts/advice can you send me?

A front fastening skirt will make it less obvious. Failing that, some kind of pattern or seam. What you want is something else going on at the front of the skirt. And of course a loose-fitting skirt will drape more gently round you than a tight one.

But look at yourself in the mirror with a few different pairs of trousers on, and look around you in the street. Men's "bits" are often clearly on display so how much do you need to worry?

[r.m.anderson]

Regarding de 'Bump' - - -
When wearing a kilt no problem as there are two aprons (one inner and one outer) to mask the obvious.
Moving on to the skirt as skirtyscot noted with a front (fly) fastening it is not as noticeable just like wearing pants.
With a side or rear zipper closing a lot has to do with type and color of the fabric. Denin is real easy to mask
de bump as well as most dark colors. The trouble occurs when wearing white or pastel colors and flimsy light
weight sheer unlined materials; think silk or nylon.
With wearing an athletic skirt think skort with internal compression pants (shorties) de bump is for the most part
kept in check.
If de bump is a problem then consider wearing spandex shapewear to reduce it.
Another way to view de bump is to think of a view point from overhead; looking down on the head as north facing
to the front and the spread of the hips as being east to west and the rear as being south.
A womens profile is an oval that spreads largely east to west and very slim north to south and of course with no
de bump.
A mans profile is the opposite - large north to south and slim east to west.
Thus de bump is more pronounced because of the profile.
If de bump bothers you wear a fanny/bum bag just like a sporran.
Also recognize that in general it is expected that a mans package will be on display to some extent and having too
flat a look may be the source of whatever the viewer wants to think otherwise pro or con.

Wearing a skirted garmet should be enough of a distraction that de bump should not even be considered.
Then there are folks like myself that love to quality check every thread, button, pattern and how the garmet fits on
the frame of the wearer and if any lines are crossed but don't worry yourself I am not the fashion police I just like
to play them. LOL

So just go ahead and wear the darn skirt skort dress or whatever suits your fancy.
Something like de bump may be all in your head.

"The-Unfashionable-Police"
rma

[couyalair]

As far as sizes are concerned, there's only one solution -- trying things on.

As far the male bump -- quite impossible to disguise with any stretch or knitted cloth. The two layers of the kilt, or a single layer of good non-stretch denim, work quite well. As mentioned already, not many men seem to mind how much bulge appears in their trousers, but somehow, with a skirt, one can't help wanting to look as "correct" as one can.

Martin

[ethelthefrog]

What is correct about feminising your bump? We have them, it's part of the physical expression of our maleness. I don't see any particular features in men's trousers that disguise it, and I don't have any particular problem with having one, nor with it affecting the lie of a skirt. We're blokes in skirts, we have bumps.

Having said that, though, my wife does find it a little odd, as she's used to skirts being on the type of person who doesn't have a bump.

As usual, it comes down to "if it bothers you, do something about it; if not, don't." Various options of doing-something-about-it have been suggested above, and all sound eminently reasonable. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it overmuch.


Paul.

[Nolyn]

Awesome replies, thanks! The advice about not worrying about the bump since it is a visible thing with trousers occurred to me after I posted. But it was good to read all of the helpful thoughts.

[renesm1]

agreed - we're men. Men have bumps there. I'm not going to hide being male!!!!

[kingfish]

Translating "34 inch waist" into "size 12", is a tricky business. There's enough exaggeration by the marketing departments trying to flatter people the actual dimensions for a particular size number can vary wildly. That being said, stretched flat, the waist size shows up as half the length inside. I actually carry a tape measure with me and will do a quick check right at the rack. Also, for mail order and online places, it is pretty much standard practice to provide a size chart to convert their standard number into bust (that's around the chest and matches my suit jacket size), waist (I usually go around my "spare tire" at the widest point), and hips (I measure this at widest point around the glutes).

To make matters worse, the waist band may land in one of two likely spots. This is either just above the hips, or about midway between the ribcage and pelvis (just above the belly button). Thanks to a body mass index that leaves me on the overweight/obese threshold, my higher waist happens to be several inches bigger than that lower one.

If I'm wearing the skirt is at the lower waist, I still won't actively hide the "male bulge", even though my gut sticks out enough to conceal if I'm wearing it at the higher waist.

[SkirtedViking]

Women are not hiding their parts so why do we have to hide ours?