At last I went out in public

[skirtyscot]

Try wearing a different style of skirt - heavier or straighter or longer.

[GerdG]

Well, Hairy, as a matter of fact, you don’t need to be a driver, and you don’t need to have a car to wear a skirt in public. I know, however, that it is what many starters seem to believe; I myself being no exception when I many years ago would use my car as a shelter.

You have a wife supporting you. Why then, don’t you just go out of your entrance door, dressed in a skirt? The neighbours? I can assure you they’ll soon get accustomed to the look. And after all what have they to do with it? With other people, it’s the same.

The important thing is that your wife is behind you in this.

If you have a feeling that you are going too far, just take another approach. Just a skirt and apart from that a manly appearance – no problem. Or let me kindly whisper into your ear: YOU yourself might very well be the only problem.

Just do it.

[Caultron]

Congratulations on your skirted adventure!

From the sound of it, being out in public has only increased your confidence. So just keep going with it, appearing skirted in more and more situations, and pretty soon you'll be comfortable everywhere.

As to hopping gates and riding motorcycles, those are some occasions where you might want to be wearing underwear. I favor black stretch-cotton long-legged briefs, which look almost like bicycle shorts, but whatever works for you is fine.

[STEVIE]

Hairy,
I kind of assume that you didn't know the "macho family".
I'd add that I've also had this levelled at me, prejudgement.
If they had seen you in the skirt, how could you possibly have known how they would have reacted?
On balances of of probability you may have been right, equally wrong.
There will be reversals, back downs or whatever, that's life as we have to live it.
In the main just do not let it stop you!
Steve.

[hairy]

Quite right stevie, for all I know my so called Mr macho man could well be sitting back in a skirt at this very moment, so I eat my words. It was however that feeling I had at the time and I shouldn't pre judge.

[johnb]

I don't like returning home as I still put jeans on once I get in our road to go from car to house, that's the down part. I don't want neighbours to know as I don't like or trust any of them. I'd like the chance to be out and about, relaxed a lot more.

We liver in a close on a modern estate, so many residents have seen me either around the front of the house or going to or from the parking area where I keep my Land Rover, in a skirt. What they actually think I don't know, but many are friendly and give a greeting or chat, others don't say or do anything, however that situation hasn't changed since I started wearing kilts or skirts on a fairly frequent basis. I would add that the skirts I wear are mostly the home made wrap around ones, that I've posted pictures of elsewhere here, and are not particularly feminised.

John

[STEVIE]

Hairy,
I have done all of the things that you are now describing and it really is all about when YOU are ready and comfortable to take a next step.
Go to it at your own pace, grow the confidence step by small step.
Also remember that you should prepare for the worst and expect the best. People can be very, very surprising and delightful given the opportunity.
Johnb gives a perfect example, he knows his neighbourhood and goes about it accordingly, you will find the same in time for sure.
Just sit back and enjoy the journey.
Steve.

[hairy]

With the UK heat I decided to use my motorbike around the country lanes yesterday, the freedom of being me was nice I didn't feel odd about it. Only thing was that heat from engine and the air was just too hot so I didn't feel any cooler. I do have to ride very carefully, don't want to fall off in a skirt.

[skirtingtoday]

.... I do have to ride very carefully, don't want to fall off in a skirt.

Cartainlly not!!

[STEVIE]

Hairy,
My son is a motorcyclist and we discussed riding bare legged recently. His considered opinion was that it is not to be recommended.
Be very, very careful. I get the idea and even in a car with all windows open there's a great feeling.
Steve.

[crfriend]

My son is a motorcyclist and we discussed riding bare legged recently. His considered opinion was that it is not to be recommended.

Indeed not. It's more than just falling off the bike or having to put it down in an emergency, it's that there's all sorts of other debris and insects close to the ground. Imagine a bumblebee colliding with your leg at 50 MPH or a small stone kicked up by the truck in front of you (or various parts that one might shed whilst in motion).

It might be one thing at limited speeds on infrequently used lanes, but on a major thoroughfare at speed you'll want armour.

[r.m.anderson]

I can attest to the slings and pains of outrageous motorcycle incidents without loss of life.

"My Motor Cycle Log 101"

In the early 70's on my Honda 750 machine I took a turn on a cloverleaf exit from one
freeway to another and there was an awful amount of industrial oil and grime on the
roadway resulting in my putting the bike on its side and my butt on the road surface.
The bike fared well only losing the turn signal - My butt was sore and was saved for the
most part by my wallet. The wallet lost it's outer cover and two credit cards inside were
fused together and my pants (Yes the damn pants) where shredded to pieces in the contact
with the road but still with enough dignity to head home for a change of wardrobe.
If I was wearing a skirt (which comes much later in life) I doubt that the accident would have
been very humorous.

In the late 70's on my Honda Goldwing with faring traveling on an interstate highway I was
struck by what I determined to be a rubber shock absorber bushing (about an inch thick and
an inch and a half in diameter). The effect was like being hit with a 12 gauge shotgun round
really knocking the wind out of me but not disabling my control and riding. The reason I was
able to identify what hit me was the rubber (bullet like) bushing came to rest inside a cubby-hole
compartment in the faring. Wearing a leather jacket I suppose helped a bit in absorbing the
impact and the angle the projectile hit me was not direct head on (the faring would have
prevented that).

Ah the thrill of riding a bike but then unless you are wearing leg and arm and body protection
the effects of bugs sand road debris and the ultimate stinging shower from RAIN are not
welcomed - I gave up riding in the early 80's much wiser and thus was off to a new frontier of
adventure - Hey heide ho the riderless skirt* wearer became something of the norm.
*SKIRT - well maybe not so much skirt but "KILT-ON" - kilts are in !
If I ever went back to riding a bike a Mini-Kilt or Skirt would have to be it - that BIG gas tank
sure would be an obstacle and how would one mount and dismount from the beast.
A bicycle with a dropped frame is doable but not a motor cycle unless the bottom hem is pulled
up into dangerous revealing territory ! Lady Godiva on a horse - well OK - on a bicycle - maybe
- on a motorcycle -STOP RIGHT THERE enough is enough !

Enjoy - now what was I doing before I went out the last time in public !

[hairy]

I very much agree with Stevie's comment and I get cross when I see teenagers nipping around in shorts on there little scooter's. Now it makes it makes things even worse when I tell you I'm a trained high speed biker, I used to deliver emergency blood supplies on bikes with all the blue lights, I also have a very bad ten inch scar on my leg that even getting a small cut on that would put me in hospital. I did ride very carefully in lanes with next to no traffic, I kept my speed below 25mph. That said it is madness to ride bare legged at any speed, even jeans rip apart so it should ALWAYS be full leather's, Stevie please tell your son that. I've been a biker for 40 years I've had a wasp nearly knock me off the bike leaving me with a black eye, my normal speed is 120 MPH. I'm not sure if I will ride in a skirt again because it is so dangerous but if I do I would take the greatest care. I found being skirted out in the air last summer to give me such a lovely feeling of freedom, who wouldn't want that?

[denimini]

I am relieved by everyone's good sense regarding the dangers of riding bare legged. I can imagine the wonderful sensation of riding in a mini - just a cool breeze while standing is a revelation. Safer to straddle a chair with a fan on full.
In an earlier life I was a motorcycle mechanic in Alice Springs where it was very warm working in a tin shed in summer which led me to work in shorts and thus testing bikes in shorts. I only once departed with a bike while riding in shorts, luckily at low speed in town, where a forklift had dumped it's hydraulic oil on a corner; I can still remember the feeling of my hands and knees getting warmer as I slid along the road, keeping to the correct lane. I heard another bike behind me so I stood up as soon as I could and put my hand up to warn them, it was a lady who did stop in time and instead of thanking me said "what about your knees!", I looked down and it was a terrible sight.
I am following this thread because you are at a similar stage to me in going public and getting the same great encouragement.

[hairy]

I just had a lovely afternoon out and about skirted. Went to an up market type town, sat by a water fountain and looked around a buzzy expensive department store. I know people did look, mostly women and kids but it was likely becouse I was looking a little scruffy, I'd left my socks on with flip flops and a baggy t shirt, Then I was also having worries about the wind again, put all that with carrying an awful Sainsbury's plastic bag, I just didn't look right. I let my wife take a couple of pics which did confirm this when I looked at them. I also went to a garden centre and got a right look from the women at the checkout desk, who I think had been told by some young male workers that there was a bloke in a skirt, but I was OK and did not get put off. I will work on the looks for next time out, but I'm not too troubled about it. I'm now feeling ready to start being skirted outside my house, I don't like many of the neighbours anyway so they will say what they like. I almost posted my pics here but Don't find that easy to do due to there size.