To Dress Or Not To Dress, Part 2

[JeffB1959]

SkirtsDad's thread where he asked for opinions on a dress he modeled led me to boldly do the same thing here with a sweater dress I recently bought from JCPenney. I'm thinking this dress would be for a more formal outing like dinner at a fancy restaurant or a night out at the orchestra, especially when I add hosiery, some jewelry and a clutch bag to match my shoes. Opinions? Does this pass muster? Can it be improved in any way?

[Kilted_John]

Looks good to me.

I'd probably go with something that has a fuller skirt, but this one looks good on you.

-J

[renesm1]

I don't know how you do it, but you manage to pull off some great looks!

I'm very jealous!

[hoborob]

I can't tell if you have on any hosiery or not but if not I'd add some skin tone or slightly darker than skin tone to make your legs stand out a bit but that's all.

[Taj]

On the serious side it fits well, compliments your build, and needs something to accessorize. Some kind of visual break is needed between top and bottom. A belt doesn't seem right and I'm at a loss. On the other hand, the humorous nerd in me and my tiny phone picture provides other ideas. The small picture makes the fabric look smooth and shiny. That coupled with your warrior's physique puts in mind a Klingon battle sash. Know that this is well intended fun, but it would be cool.

[Gordon]

Jeff! I like it! A lot! You pull it off very well. I think you need some dark hosiery for it.

I found it on the JC Penney web site. Too bad it doesn't come in my size. I would buy one.

[Ray]

Wow!

Dark SHEER hosiery!

[JeffB1959]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. When it comes to wearing women's clothes in public I take my presentation SERIOUSLY! As for hosiery (which I didn't think to don when I put on that dress, tsk on me), off-black pantyhose would work well and pair nicely with both the dress and the heels. Once I find a nice clutch bag to match my shoes, I'll take that dress for a night on the town. Should be fun!

[moonshadow]

Seems like a good modern look! While not my personal style, I think you wear it well.

[Pdxfashionpioneer]

With nice hose and jewelry it should look great at the symphony or wherever.

Don't get too hung up on finding a nice clutch. If you have a nice shoulder bag that should work just fine.

Finally, I fully agree with the other commenters that you do pull off great looks and I think it's because you DO take the time to ensure the dress or ensemble looks appropriate to you and well put together. I feel we owe it to ourselves, people we run into and our cause of fashion freedom to look as presentable as we can.

Well done!

[partlyscot]

It's not a look that I could wear and feel comfortable with, but it is very striking and fits your look. Agree that hosiery is necessary to finish it off.

[Fred in Skirts]

I like the dress and I think a shoulder bag would set it off nicely. My personal thought if I were to wear that dress I would need it to be at or below the knee. But that is just me and my preference.

Fred

[hoborob]

I actually think the dress by itself looks fantastic on you. Now with a handbag and some darker hosiery the look would have to be 'Da Bomb".

[JeffB1959]

Finally, I fully agree with the other commenters that you do pull off great looks and I think it's because you DO take the time to ensure the dress or ensemble looks appropriate to you and well put together. I feel we owe it to ourselves, people we run into and our cause of fashion freedom to look as presentable as we can.

Words to live by, everyone. The only way we, as fashion freestylers will be taken seriously by society and not be seen as freaks or perverts is that we do our very best to look as tasteful as possible when in public. Take your style seriously, that's what I do, if you don't have a style, create one, then work your ass off each and every day to develop it and keep it fresh. If you look good, you'll feel good, and that goes a long way towards our cause taking strides towards acceptance.

[dillon]

Finally, I fully agree with the other commenters that you do pull off great looks and I think it's because you DO take the time to ensure the dress or ensemble looks appropriate to you and well put together. I feel we owe it to ourselves, people we run into and our cause of fashion freedom to look as presentable as we can.

Words to live by, everyone. The only way we, as fashion freestylers will be taken seriously by society and not be seen as freaks or perverts is that we do our very best to look as tasteful as possible when in public. Take your style seriously, that's what I do, if you don't have a style, create one, then work your ass off each and every day to develop it and keep it fresh. If you look good, you'll feel good, and that goes a long way towards our cause taking strides towards acceptance.

I'm a pretty casual guy. I don't worry too much about a "look" more than any man pushing sixty would. I take the time to coordinate when I'm headed out for an evening, at least to avoid clashing colors and mixing patterns, but that's not why I wear skirts. I also think that it perhaps helps us more, as a minor-interest community, to present ourselves casually and comfortably, as if this is the new normal for men. I can understand those who feel they're having fun with flamboyance, but it's not my cup o' tea. I don't plan to change who I am just because I change my clothing. I much prefer comfort both in the physical garment and in the presentation of who I am. Like now; I'm in a purple patterned stretch nylon skirt from Woolrich, and a cheap grey tourist tee shirt from Roswell, NM, with black Sanuk flip-flip-flops, shaved legs, and toenails a Sally Hansen shade called "Crushed", sort of a tomato-pink. It looks and feels natural without looking like a costume. I reserve the "envelope-pushing" for nights out on the town, or travel weekends, not a daily theme.