Overweight Dressing Tips

[Yonkas]

Do any of you have tips for how to sport a skirt when you are an overweight man? Some skirts, in particular ones that are flat in the front typically look terrible on me because it emphasizes my stomach protruding over my waist. Mind you, I am not grotesquely overweight, but enough so that this looks terrible. It can also make you look frumpy, as is the case with wearing some large, long skirts. Does anyone have any input on the matter?

[Departed Member]

I suppose the female advice to "accessorise" would be a good idea. I often hear them saying something like " . . . . . wear a belt to draw the eyes there instead of . . . . . [insert choice of anatomy here] . . . ."
Whilst men are not usually prone to going to "Claires" or "Monsoon" there is a case for the manbag slung across the front to make an equivalent eye catcher. Depends on the man & the bag, too, I suspect.

[Since1982]

2006 wsop pic.jpg

I'm 6'1'' and 325 lbs. Here's a picture of me at the 2006 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. No bulges or flappy clothing, it's a straight skirt with a 12" slit in the back. Very comfortable and I had 4 similar skirts at the event, this blue one, an Orange one, a Green one and a deep Purple one. I had 10 T-shirts of various colors to intermix with the skirts. I got lots of compliments and no slurs or unfriendly comments.

The skirts were a great conversation starter and got at least 10 alcoholic drinks offered to me. I thanked them and asked for soft drinks instead as I'd stopped drinking booze or beer when I was 27 after a major fight with my best friend where I nearly killed him with a bar stool across the shoulders, breaking 2 arms, fracturing his skull and dislocating his shoulder.

After getting out of jail and paying for all hospital bills, I swore off alcohol for life and am still there 43 years later. Each year, on my B-Day I purchase a bottle of my favorite beer (St. Pauli Girl Imported) and break it against a floating bouy in the Atlantic Ocean offshore of my home.

The fellow behind me with his thumb in his mouth wasn't looking at my skirt, he was commiserating with his thumb as he'd just lost a thousand dollars in 7 minutes. The picture was taken with my camera by one of the pretty blondes not in the background and over by the courtesy suites.

[Kirbstone]

Here's an alternative: Buy the skirt with a 36" waist or whatever, spend 6 months seriously losing the weight, then celebrate when at last you can get into it!

Tom K.

[klaatu]

Yonkas.... the simple answer is a question. Would you try to hide it if you were wearing pants??? I too am a bit portly and I don't try to hide that fact. I look at it this way... there are lots of overweight women out there wearing skirts .... why not men???

[STEVIE]

Klaatu,
I am with you on this one, embrace your own shape and be proud. I was at the opposite end, too skinny, for a guy, that is, and was told that too often for my own good.
Every body,(deliberate space) , comes in the shape you see, there is no right or wrong, only an individual getting along as best they can.
Strangely, since, I have become more comfortable in a skirt, the weight has increased. I will admit to having had doubts about some garments, but that is also an age and simple confidence issue.
What I have observed, over many years is certain people having the confidence to dress to please themselves and, me, being quite envious.
Well, now I feel my turn has come and if I can encourage just one, it will not have been a waste.
Bear in mind, if this is still an issue, remember there is always "shapewear" to fall back on.
Steve.

[Since1982]

Here's an alternative: Buy the skirt with a 36" waist or whatever, spend 6 months seriously losing the weight, then celebrate when at last you can get into it!

I've heard at least a million persons suggest all kinds of methodology for me to lose the weight. Most of that million eat far more and worse stuff than I do. I specially like the ones who are less than 110 pounds and 6' tall who eat over 4,000 calories a day and never gains a pound. I'm lucky to be alive. I'll be happy with whatever shape GOD gave me and all folks who think they know best, but don't know me or my physical problems can think what they like. I'm 70, most ppl my size are long time in the ground and not even close to as healthy as I am. I can STILL swim 20 miles a day. Will you be able to at 70??

I'm mostly surprised a Doctor would say that. My weight is a product of a Pituitary inbalance and is UNfixable.

[straightfairy]

Here's an alternative: Buy the skirt with a 36" waist or whatever, spend 6 months seriously losing the weight, then celebrate when at last you can get into it!

I'm mostly surprised a Doctor would say that. My weight is a product of a Pituitary inbalance and is UNfixable.

I'm not surprised at all. It's good generic advice considering his lack of knowledge about your particular health issues.
There's a big difference between the number of people who claim they have medical issues causing obesity and the number of people who actually have them.
Unfortunately that makes it harder for those people, like yourself, who genuinely do have conditions.

[Kirbstone]

Hi All,
I'd better set things to rights here. On Feb. 24th I posted a quick one-liner urging people to crash diet for 6 months and dive into a skirt made for sylphs. That's the stuff of Womens' magazines and is in most cases a lot of nonesense.

From me it was just a joke.

Seriously though, People are born with their own genetic mix, which includes Phaseotype (Thin, Muscular or Fat) and also hormonal make-up. The distribution of excess flesh on the body is largely dictated by this and various glands secrete internally to influence this.

There generally is little the individual can do the alter this. The body will assume the shape it wants to be and the individual learns over the years to accept this and dress accordingly.

Any attempt to change shape to a 'more desireable' i.e. thinner shape on a permanent basis beyond simple dieting will undoubtedly give rise to serious medical complications.
A case in point is liposuction. Has anyone ever seen a really good lasting result there?

Tom K. (with his Medical cap on!)