A change at work results in no skirting.

[victor1964]

While I have been wearing skirts for sometime at work, recent changes mean the opportunity to turn up skirted will be very very rare.

You may be aware that I drive London buses, I also am a trainer for both drivers and office staff. Wearing a skirt has not been an issue, I wear a uniform when driving and have uniform skirts supplied by my company.

On of my colleagues is joining the training school as a full time instructor so I have been asked to cover his role. One key component of this new position is driver quality and carrying out driver assessments. The problem with this is that the majority of these assessments are covert, it's rather difficult to blend in with regular passengers when you're wearing a skirt!

I actually needed to think long and hard before accepting and a key issue for me was being free to wear what I wanted. But in the end I thought I would accept.

Let's see how it goes....

[Coder]

The problem with this is that the majority of these assessments are covert, it's rather difficult to blend in with regular passengers when you're wearing a skirt!

One suggestion - wear your skirt under a beige trenchcoat while wearing a pair of these:



I guarantee they won't suspect a thing

[Grok]

[Barleymower]

While I have been wearing skirts for sometime at work, recent changes mean the opportunity to turn up skirted will be very very rare.

You may be aware that I drive London buses, I also am a trainer for both drivers and office staff. Wearing a skirt has not been an issue, I wear a uniform when driving and have uniform skirts supplied by my company.

On of my colleagues is joining the training school as a full time instructor so I have been asked to cover his role. One key component of this new position is driver quality and carrying out driver assessments. The problem with this is that the majority of these assessments are covert, it's rather difficult to blend in with regular passengers when you're wearing a skirt!

I actually needed to think long and hard before accepting and a key issue for me was being free to wear what I wanted. But in the end I thought I would accept.

Let's see how it goes....

Did someone have a word with you and express their concerns with you wearing a skirt while performing the role?

[crfriend]

Did someone have a word with you and express their concerns with you wearing a skirt while performing the role?

I'd find that unlikely. Face it, any guy in a skirt is going to attract attention, and since it's already out that the OP wears skirts new drivers may be on the lookout for an Inspector in a skirt. Thus, clandestine behaviour is sometimes called for professionally. We can call it "occupational camouflage".

In the classroom, wearing skirts will be one thing; out in the field it'll be something else. This should not have any bearing on what the OP wears in his time off, however -- although if he observes bad operational behaviour then he's well within his rights to bring that up no matter what he's wearing at the time.

[Coder]

Sometimes I take the campus buses, and one time an instructor was observing/instructing a driver. She (instructor) was wearing 2" heels (not block!) and standing up the entire time while the student (in both senses of the word, as students drive our busses) proceeded down the road (eventually slow-hitting a curb, which resulted in no damage and just a word of correction). Presumably you wear flatter shoes, but would you do in-vehicle instructions skirted?

As for the idea of having an anonymous inspector in the back is very intriguing... at times I feel the drivers are going warp speed - I've clocked them 5mph+ over in some areas (we do have stretches that are 35mph with no stops). In all seriousness (despite my earlier post) would you have to wear a disguise of sorts? Presumably the bus' are only front-entrance? So you have to pass by the driver? Obviously if you can't divulge any secrets, I understand

[Mouse]

You could go the other way and rock a full goth look as a disguise...

[victor1964]

Did someone have a word with you and express their concerns with you wearing a skirt while performing the role?

Hi BM, no one has had a word... this is just my opinion. To do covert assessments without drawing attention to myself i need to blend in, a skirt would just shout "assessment". Given that I am well known to all the drivers because I trained a lot of them and I'm known for my skirt wearing. It is just a case of wearing clothes appropriately for the job in hand. Just like wearing trousers and safety boots on site.

[Myopic Bookworm]

Seems sensible to me: if you are known for wearing skirts, then trousers are the ultimate disguise!

[Barleymower]

Hi BM, no one has had a word... this is just my opinion. To do covert assessments without drawing attention to myself i need to blend in, a skirt would just shout "assessment". Given that I am well known to all the drivers because I trained a lot of them and I'm know for my skirt wearing. It is just a case of wearing clothes appropriately for the job in hand. Just like wearing trousers and safety boots on site.

Vic, I can see a situation where if they see a man in a skirt then it's highly likely its you come to covertly watch their progress.
Sounds like a change to the usual and maybe a bit of added interest.

Screenshot_20240226_122119_DuckDuckGo.jpg

[Shilo]

If you are already well known to drivers you’re going to have to wear a disguise anyway. You have to be the “grey man” and blend in. Dress in a similar fashion to other passengers depending on time of day

[STEVIE]

I actually needed to think long and hard before accepting and a key issue for me was being free to wear what I wanted. But in the end I thought I would accept.

Just a thought, how "free" is your option to refuse and could that have implications for your future career?
Not necessarily the ultimate deal breaker, but is there a financial incentive?
I have often said that there is a misconception about men's rights to wear skirts at work and broadly speaking, the employer can dictate.
However, we are in a similar position, we have been "permitted" and it would be difficult for them to rescind it.
Why not bribe someone from the cafe to do it as your understudy?
In reality though, if you enjoy it, trousers aren't the end of the world, more than half the population wear the damn things!
Steve.

[Uncle Al]

There's something else to consider about this 'situation'. Not just the skirt but his over-all appearance.
Change the hair color, beard color, add some fake glasses. If he has taught in a classroom atmosphere,
then 99%(+/-) have seen him and knows what he looks like.

Some hair color brands are wash-in/wash-out. Maybe include a short haired wig to cover his own hair,
if he doesn't want to change the color. If victor1964 has a friend in a theater group, he/she could help
with the 'make-up' to change his appearance. Think of the Reality TV show - Undercover Boss.
Now we have - Undercover Boss - Bus Driver Edition

Just my $.02 worth, but worth thinking about

Uncle Al

[Mouse]

Let's see how it goes....

Victor, it has been over a month and I wondered how things were going?

[victor1964]

Let's see how it goes....

Victor, it has been over a month and I wondered how things were going?

Hi there Mouse,

Early days yet.... I've only been in position for the last two weeks due to haggling over terms & conditions, but all sorted now.

I still get away with skirting on a Monday as I know I will be in the office all day due to me covering a long term sick colleague. I am one of the few who knows how to do payroll for our vehicle engineers so I am deskbound for the one day. As for the rest of the week its trousers, I never know when or where I will be needed to visit a driver out on the road.

One thing I have noticed when I'm not skirting is that I don't care too much about clothes matching. T-shirt, jumper, trousers and shoes are just thrown on without much thought. When in a skirt everything has to match, including my underwear and socks. Very strange