Progress - maybe lack of it

[crfriend]

[...] I'm not keen on going any further than a skirt. That leaves me with a whole new exciting world. More than enough for me.

Once one gets outside the Dockers/jeans coffin the world opens up dramatically -- and sometimes frighteningly. The baffling number of options that present are going to be confusing at the beginning, and you will understand how a woman with a closet bursting at the seams can "have nothing to wear".

It's a big world; embrace it heartily. Once you climb out of the coffin, that is, because if you can't you'll never even glimpse the possibilities.

[Barleymower]

Crfriend it is mind blowing. My tastes are changing rapidly. My first choices are now in the bin or the charity shop. I'm not sure how I can dive in without.. crossdressing. I don't want to do that.
Today I am enjoying a bit of colour

[crfriend]

Crfriend it is mind blowing. My tastes are changing rapidly. My first choices are now in the bin or the charity shop. I'm not sure how I can dive in without.. crossdressing. I don't want to do that.

Rejecting the notion that one is "crossdressing" is part of the process of climbing out of the coffin. The overriding thing is that you're not modifying mannerism, voice, behaviour, or demeanour -- only outward costume. Other than necessary posture changes that skirts can demand (e.g, "Don't bend, crouch" -- which is valuable protection for one's back!) nothing else is necessary. You remain you in all points.

Expect to lay the occasional egg on the voyage. Heaven knows I have! But, not once was I sorry for the experiment.

Today I am enjoying a bit of colour.

Good, because that's part of if. Learn some colour theory, it'll come in handy as you mix and match in new creative ways. Right now I've got burgundy banged against yellow to good effect. Interesting results can be had with green and purple as well. Just be careful not to overdo it.

[Coder]

Expect to lay the occasional egg on the voyage. Heaven knows I have! But, not once was I sorry for the experiment.

That might explain why guys don’t wear skirts a lot - although I haven’t had that particular problem

[Barleymower]

Interesting point I forgot to add about the local ladies discussion regarding men wearing skirts:
The reason they have mostly stopped wearing skirts is .. their thighs painfully rub together. They realise the answer is to wear cycling shorts underneath but that defeats the object of wearing one. Basically they are more comfortable, less self-conscious, in trousers.

Conversely I am far more comfortable in a skirt. My thighs don't rub. I am very self conscious but I'm pig headed enough to stick two fingers up at anyone who looks down their nose at me.

[Coder]

The reason they have mostly stopped wearing skirts is .. their thighs painfully rub together. They realise the answer is to wear cycling shorts underneath but that defeats the object of wearing one. Basically they are more comfortable, less self-conscious, in trousers.

Conversely I am far more comfortable in a skirt. My thighs don't rub. I am very self conscious but I'm pig headed enough to stick two fingers up at anyone who looks down their nose at me.

When I first started wearing skirts (in college for a short amount of time) an older female coworker was "confused" as to why I'd want to wear skirts for that very reason. It seems to be a common complaint - I've heard it here and elsewhere. I've always wondered if there's a skirt design that could include a solid (hidden) panel between the front/rear to provide the separation they need without the full short/skort design.

[crfriend]

The reason they have mostly stopped wearing skirts is .. their thighs painfully rub together. They realise the answer is to wear cycling shorts underneath but that defeats the object of wearing one. Basically they are more comfortable, less self-conscious, in trousers.

We can put this down to the super-sizing of meal portions, a sedentary lifestyle, and the modern general problem of being overweight that much of the population has.

Women of healthy proportions do not tend to experience "chub rub". Yes, women do typically carry more fat than men, but women's hips are wider than men's and thus less likely to have their thighs rub together. We're not looking at biology here, we're looking at culture.

[rode_kater]

Hi Stu,

I largely agree with you about the meanings of gender and sex. You give fairly good explanations there, but then jump to the notion of pronouns, without explanation. I don't understand why people worry so much about pronouns. Consider this:

B: Hi, I'm Bob
A: Hi Robert, your birth certificate says Robert so I'm going to call you that.
B: I'd really prefer Bob thank you
A: No, the world will end/society will collapse/riots will start unless I call you exactly what your birth certificate says, your personal preferences are irrelevant

At what point is it simply being rude not considering people's harmless preferences?

Personally, I think the singular they is very nice and miss it in Dutch. It's very nice to be able to discuss things on the internet without assuming gender.

[STEVIE]

Expect to lay the occasional egg on the voyage. Heaven knows I have! But, not once was I sorry for the experiment.

That might explain why guys don’t wear skirts a lot - although I haven’t had that particular problem

Add to the mix that boys are not encouraged or widely allowed to be experimental or creative in their clothing choices.
We grow into men a hell of a lot less self assured and apparently able in this area than women.
Difference being, they have had a lot more practice and got over the worst disasters as teenagers.
Two things have worked for me, pleasing myself and a wee bit of thought beforehand.
The result is a matter of opinion and in that, it is mine which matters the most.
Sure approval and compliments are lovely but crucial to my happiness, hell no!
Barleymower, other factors aside, the greatest risk you face is to your bank balance.
Enjoy the ride.
Steve.

[Coder]

Expect to lay the occasional egg on the voyage. Heaven knows I have! But, not once was I sorry for the experiment.

That might explain why guys don’t wear skirts a lot - although I haven’t had that particular problem

Add to the mix that boys are not encouraged or widely allowed to be experimental or creative in their clothing choices.
We grow into men a hell of a lot less self assured and apparently able in this area than women.
Difference being, they have had a lot more practice and got over the worst disasters as teenagers.
Two things have worked for me, pleasing myself and a wee bit of thought beforehand.
The result is a matter of opinion and in that, it is mine which matters the most.
Sure approval and compliments are lovely but crucial to my happiness, hell no!
Barleymower, other factors aside, the greatest risk you face is to your bank balance.
Enjoy the ride.
Steve.

I have a feeling my comment wasn't obvious enough. I was joking - maybe I should have added, "yet, but it would save me money on breakfast."

However - I've had my (rare) regretful moments where, looking back on what I've worn, I cringe. But you just move on. Unfortunately most of us haven't had - as Steve alludes to - adolescence to make mistakes and learn from them. I think that's a terrifying aspect to confront - we live our lives either in fear of not conforming or perhaps one day we think, "I wonder what a skirt is like". But we're established - anywhere from in college, just out of college, in a new job, employed for a long time, retired, married - and changing this one aspect of our outward appearance threatens to upend all of that*. It's silly - because clothes are just clothes - but a lot of meaning gets attached to them. Your only options are to press on and forge your own style, or settle back into conformity with the masses.


*and from reading accounts here and elsewhere, my own experiences, generally doesn't (although spouses tend to be difficult to convince if they aren't on board).

[Barleymower]

The reason they have mostly stopped wearing skirts is .. their thighs painfully rub together. They realise the answer is to wear cycling shorts underneath but that defeats the object of wearing one. Basically they are more comfortable, less self-conscious, in trousers.

We can put this down to the super-sizing of meal portions, a sedentary lifestyle, and the modern general problem of being overweight that much of the population has.

Women of healthy proportions do not tend to experience "chub rub". Yes, women do typically carry more fat than men, but women's hips are wider than men's and thus less likely to have their thighs rub together. We're not looking at biology here, we're looking at culture.

True.
Meanwhile, down in Torquay last week. I saw (more than one) a shirtless fat man with an extra belly hanging off his enormous belly. Also a woman with an equally enormus bum, sporting a thong. Fair play to them for having the courage to show their bodies. It really does beg the question: why would anyone get in a froth about someone stylishy dressed in beautiful clothes?

[Coder]

It really does beg the question: why would anyone get in a froth about someone stylishy dressed in beautiful clothes?

And experience points out people generally don't except in regressive areas. And even then, it's a subset of a subset.

[Big and Bashful]

Getting back to the thigh rubbing, I have found it is no longer a problem for me, it used to be, but having lost a lot of weight due to illness, my legs have slimmed down enough that friction is no longer an issue.

[lithaborn]

I'm new to the forums so excuse me for backtracking the conversation a bit but tights/pantyhose with kilts??

I'm sweating buckets just thinking about that!

I've been out in a -10°c blizzard in my 8yd kilt and a big pair of socks and army boots and been toasty right next to my OH freezing her bum off in jeans and a ski jacket.

I've also been close to heatstroke wearing a much lighter kilt in the height of summer.

The very thought of having warm tights under one is just scary!

[Ray]

It’s down to the climate where you live.

In spring / autumn in the UK, temperatures are around 10-15c. Sheer hosiery can be very comfortable in this range.

Below 10c? Opaque tights are fine.

I’ve got a grey tweed kilt which is a touch itchy on the skin. A kilt liner and sheer tights is a perfect combination. Good also for keeping the midges away!