Regrets

[DrFishnets]

I am now wearing my kilts more often than my skirts, dresses, tights and leggings when going out shopping. Just last week I attended band practice and one of the girls in my band admired my kilt and told me she loves my style with the kilt. In fact everyone liked my kilt in the band and one guy shook my hand for wearing as he is a big fan of the kilt too. When I go out shopping nobody bats an eyelid amd it makes me feel confident.

I have lots of regrets in life but having the fear of wearing kilts, skirts and dresses in public when I was younger is one of the regrets I have. When I get home after shopping or being at band practise after wearing a kilt, skirt or dress I cannot help but wish I had worn those when I was younger in my teens and 20s. Wearing kilts, skirts and dresses in public has helped me gain confidence in life as before I lacked confidence and it’s been a great therapy tool for my anxiety and depression.

[Stevej180]

That's a really encouraging story, thanks!

[Warren]

As the Butthole Surfers once said:

"Well son, a funny thing about regret is that its better to regret something you have done than to regret something you havent done"

Also, well done and keep it up!

[Faldaguy]

I am now wearing my kilts more often than my skirts, dresses, tights and leggings when going out shopping.... Wearing kilts, skirts and dresses in public has helped me gain confidence in life as before I lacked confidence and it’s been a great therapy tool for my anxiety and depression.

From my own experience and reading SC, I clearly get the sense that "confidence is both what is lacking and what is gained" in the transition to bucking the normative expectation.

When we first get the gumption to wear a skirt in public, typically we soon find it is no big deal. There is something about the nature of the confidence that builds from that simple act, to feeling an entitlement of oneself that carries well beyond just a choice of garb -- a feeling of personhood that is commanding confidence.

These may not be quite the right words, but I find I am less frequently intimidated than before I had that sense of self and strength that permeated my whole being that derived from wearing my skirts in public. Whoever thought walking down the street in a colorful skirt could cure depression -- and more!

[Mouse]

These may not be quite the right words,

For me they are the right words. I too think I now have a totally different feeling about free me.Thank you.

[DrFishnets]

Thanks for the replies
.
What I’ve learnt from what I have already mentioned when I created this thread is that the only thing to fear is fear itself when gaining confidence. If someone was to say to me last year that I will be wearing skirts, dresses, tights and kilts when out shopping or going to band practice I wouldn’t believe them and my reply would be “are you joking! I don’t have the confidence” but now it’s a different story and the only negative is my regret that I didn’t wear those clothes when I was younger.

[FranTastic444]

I cannot help but wish I had worn those when I was younger in my teens and 20s.

I have thought about this in the past. The reality (for me at least) is that if I had dressed this way in my teens and 20's, my life would have been pretty unbearable. I grew up in a very working class part of the West Midlands of England in the 70's and 80's and many of my peers would have labelled me "a poof" for dressing that way (at a time when "gay bashing" (literally, not just figuratively) was a very real prospect).

If I could be that age again but in modern times, I still don't think I would have had the confidence to wear a skirt or tights or even a kilt (even if it is more socially acceptable / common than it was in years gone by). My public skirting is still somewhat limited, but it has taken me many years of life experience to get to where I am now.

So, yes, I would have loved to have started public skirting at a much younger age but, for me at least, I think the stars aligned such that I am only doing so now in my 50's.

[Spirou003]

The first moment when stars were perfectly aligned for me to wear a skirt, was when I was 18 when I started studying at university (14 years ago). I was focused on the studies more than on dating women or going to any party, I was really not giving a phoque to how I was looking or what people were thinking of me (so long that they weren't bothering me (*)). I was not opposed to any romantic relation, but was not seeking at it. In addition I knew that five years later I would probably drop most if not all connections I've made with anyone when finishing my university courses. It was the best time... granted that I was willing to wear a skirt at that time (which I wasn't)
Anyway, I already managed to have a reputation of being crazy for lots of various reasons, I was described as "in another world" by my peers (except one which was in the same mood as me) and my ease to get brilliant scores at the exams was confirming that (mathematics being considered as hard by almost everybody, seeing someone getting the best notes without any effort looks like anything but normal). The skirt would just have been "one more reason" for being "in another world".

(*) I was being bullied by people during all my scolarity but the University, where such thing seemed like to not exist at all. Really, I did not heard of any such story in these five years. Another reason why stars were aligned for skirting

[denimini]

Perhaps we are lucky we have discovered skirts at all. Better late than never and I am sure it is easier to not conform now than 20 or so years ago.
Regrets and hopes for the future are not that useful; enjoy the present.