Friction

[rivegauche]

I am going dress shopping today and can't be bothered doing the whole dressing as a woman thing so going as man in skirt. I have two skirts to choose from that I bought recently. The problem is that at this time of year you need to wear tights unless you want to freeze. One of the skirts is a long brown linen one from M&S that catches on tights and wearing a slip with that one would be fine but the other is a pale green cargo skirt from Next with the same problem. The Next skirt is quite masculine looking if a skirt can be but it is tight with a back slit that would show any waist slip long enough to offset the friction on the tights. I have a brown one that would not be as conspicuous as a white or beige one. I usually avoid back or side slits as I don't like them but I rather liked this skirt for its cut and fabric. I am leaning towards the Next skirt but the other issue is that it is very tight with no stretch, so a stride is suddenly limited, even with a back slit. I asked a woman friend about this and she described skirts like this as dangerous as sometimes you need to be able to take a long stride, for example getting off a bus. I will be driving so no bus problems but it illustrates how many factors you have to consider when wearing a skirt that don't apply to trousers. One time I had a borrowed SUV and was taking a woman friend out for a meal. The vehicle was so far off the ground that she said she would not have been able to get in if she had been wearing a tight skirt. I know I could choose a different skirt - I have over 1000 - but I like to wear recent purchases as it helps me justify the expenditure. BTW the M&S skirt was one of the few skirts or dresses classified as LONG that I have seen on sale in the shop in M&S - usually they just exist online and I don't buy online - that way you end up with no shops.

[Mouse]

I think the different ways some skirts work is all part of the charm of skirt wearing which you don’t get with trousers. Some skirts fly up in the wind, some are really tight and restrict your stride. I just find the wide range of skirts really fun to try different styles, materials etc.

[rivegauche]

Just back from my skirted dress shopping, having chosen to wear the tight skirt by Next. Five new dresses and one skirt bought, all tried on. I almost changed into the very loose new skirt but I need higher heels as it is white and very long indeed and would have trailed on the ground. My friend was right about a skirt with a restricted stride. Walking was a pain having to take 50% more steps which means 50% more time. Next time I will listen to advice from women on skirt wearing. It is hardly worth reporting that there were no reactions - that is standard for almost all of us. I had a list of dresses I wanted to try and the staff in the shop could not have been nicer, taking great trouble to dig them out from the stockroom. Their honesty about some of the dresses being wrong for me was very welcome.

[crfriend]

My friend was right about a skirt with a restricted stride. Walking was a pain having to take 50% more steps which means 50% more time. Next time I will listen to advice from women on skirt wearing.

Yes, advice from "experienced practitioners" is worth its weight in gold. Never discount that.

I had a list of dresses I wanted to try and the staff in the shop could not have been nicer, taking great trouble to dig them out from the stockroom. Their honesty about some of the dresses being wrong for me was very welcome.

That's a magnificent outcome. Bravo!

[Coder]

My friend was right about a skirt with a restricted stride. Walking was a pain having to take 50% more steps which means 50% more time. Next time I will listen to advice from women on skirt wearing.

Agreed. I've only worn a restrictive skirt once or twice to work, and each time I regretted the choice. Not just walking but steps and sitting are uncomfortable or awkward. It's just not worth it at the end of the day, at least if you are looking at this from a comfort/practical standpoint.

[Uncle Al]

I've only worn a restrictive skirt once or twice to work, and each time I regretted the choice.
Not just walking but steps and sitting are uncomfortable or awkward. It's just not worth it at
the end of the day, at least if you are looking at this from a comfort/practical standpoint.

This why I will never wear a pencil skirt. My skirt wearing is for, and about, COMFORT, getting rid
of restrictions on movement. Just as we(MIS) are shedding the trouser restrictions for comfort.

Uncle Al

[jamie001]

I've only worn a restrictive skirt once or twice to work, and each time I regretted the choice.
Not just walking but steps and sitting are uncomfortable or awkward. It's just not worth it at
the end of the day, at least if you are looking at this from a comfort/practical standpoint.

This why I will never wear a pencil skirt. My skirt wearing is for, and about, COMFORT, getting rid
of restrictions on movement. Just as we(MIS) are shedding the trouser restrictions for comfort.

Uncle Al

I agree on the pencil skirts. Love them!

[Mouse]

Not just walking but steps and sitting are uncomfortable or awkward..

My skirt wearing is for, and about, COMFORT

I agree on the pencil skirts. Love them!

I think to just say we wear skirts for comfort, misses a large part of why I wear skirts. Women don't wear skirts for comfort, they wear trousers. Women wear skirts and other things like high heels for many other reasons where comfort and practicality is way down the list. I feel I wear skirts for similar reasons. So yes I go out in difficult to wear skirts and boots.

[rivegauche]

Definitely not going out in public again in a long skirt that significantly restricts my stride. It is fine around the house but not when you need to go a bit of distance. Not all pencil skirts do this so that option for that is still open. I agree that physical comfort is not the only criterion. I like to have a lot of skirt to blow around and arrange when I sit down - something women probably get fed up of. For public wear I quite like to go short (not mini) around 21" as I have the legs for it - at this length the legs need managing when sitting as well as the skirt. Women have given me grief for hiding these legs in long skirts but I have also had a woman friend wear a long skirt specially instead of a short one because she did not want her legs on display beside mine! You would think that my shopping trip would have taught me to listen to female advice on skirts but I have done it again. When I tried on a long cotton skirt in the shop the assistant said it was too long. I said I would wear higher heels and I bought it. I am wearing the skirt today with higher heels and it is still catching - I measured it and it is 41" long - probably the longest skirt I own. I might get it shortened as I rather like it - it is very light white cotton and very full - it will be great with bare legs in a light summer breeze though I might need to add a slip as it would be translucent in strong sunlight. Another option might be to wear a big stiff petticoat to make it stick out and keep the hem off the floor but a net petticoat isn't really an everyday fashion statement. I have gone there but only twice - both times for dinner in country house hotels.

[Andy_G]

Out of interest, which shops did you use where you tried the clothes on?

[Ray]

Rivegauche,

Do you really think you need another skirt when you say you have 1,000? That number seems excessive not to mention environmentally destructive…

[Modoc]

S - usually they just exist online and I don't buy online - that way you end up with no shops.

I try to buy in person as much as possible. It's so much easier to examine and try on goods before buying them. But it's getting to the point where going in to a store ends up with someone going online because they don't have that size, style, color etc. on hand but you can get in online.