Another "outing at work"

[r1g0r]

i wear skirts to work every day, so it's become a TRUE non-event for me.

today is different, so i figured i'd tell you about it.

i've been buying skirt-suits on ebay lately. a small handful, only when they are inexpensive yet nice-looking. unfortunately, the idea of wearing them to work is more daunting when it comes time to get ready for work than when i'm hunting for them or trying them on in front of the mirror. i work downtown st paul minnesota, and a LOT of people see me everyday. everything from the mayor, cops, lawyers, jurors, vagrants, college students. you name it, i walk past it.

for the suit to look "right" it requires the usual accompanying items: the right top/shirt, the right legwear, the right shoes. once i try these things on and get the look i think works best, i get nervous about the whole thing being "too feminine". i double-guess my suits to the point where they have been relegated to the dark corner of my closet, and it gets harder to go for them at all.

well i'm working today (sunday), and it's usually VERY quiet downtown on sundays. so...

today at work:

olive skirt suit.
skirt is calf-length, lined, has a slit on the left side to just above my knee. elastic at the sides, zipper in back. on a woman this would be ankle-length.
jacket is single-breasted, lined, has 2 lower flap-style pockets and 1 left-sided breast pocket (all surprisingly functional, for a woman's suit coat).

light grey sleeveless turtleneck shirt.
black stockings.
black oxford heels, about 2.5" high.

my wife gave my outfit the thumbs-up when i was leaving, so i know i didn't look like a complete doof.
i was able to park right across the street from my work entrance, so the fact that there is a BIKE & ROLLERBLADE RACE going on downtown actually turned out to not be a factor in my walk from the car to work (usually about 2 blocks, today about 80 feet).

my co-workers mostly complimented me on my look (almost all female, the 1 guy jokingly asked if i was dressed for church), and my supervisor (again female) was also supportive.

the day isn't over yet, but so far it's been VERY positive. this might make it an easier choice for in the future. don't know yet, but i really enjoyed the whole "dressing up" thing.

[crfriend]

i wear skirts to work every day, so it's become a TRUE non-event for me.

Well, here's more proof that it is possible to get acceptance in the workplace. It just varies from workplace to workplace.

for the suit to look "right" it requires the usual accompanying items: the right top/shirt, the right legwear, the right shoes.

The devil is almost always in the details -- and putting a skirted rig together can be a lot more daunting than a simple trousered one.

today at work:

olive skirt suit.
skirt is calf-length, lined, has a slit on the left side to just above my knee. elastic at the sides, zipper in back. on a woman this would be ankle-length.
jacket is single-breasted, lined, has 2 lower flap-style pockets and 1 left-sided breast pocket (all surprisingly functional, for a woman's suit coat).

How much alteration do the jackets require? I tried on one of Sapphire's waistcoats (specifically designed for the womanly form) and couldn't even come close to "filling it" much less making it look good (read, "right").

[r1g0r]

no alteration was needed. the sleeves are a tad short, but not bad looking. i choose suits that don't have darting for the female breasts, and they lay quite well.

[bmaxim]

Need for alterations is really brand dependent. I can't image how women with breast can even wear a Kasper classic cut skirt suit (the jacket fits me perfectly and I don't wear chest padding of any kind)

[Peter v]

I think that after wearing jeans and T shirts, day in day out at work, wearing a neat good fitting suit really makes me feel "the man" or "cleans me up". Why not then, get enjoyment out of "being dresed to kill", in a skirted suit. Being dressed very ""smart"" in whatever clothing usually makes you feel good. And look good.

The only real problem as I see it, for skirted suits for men is the availability, personally tailored, so that everything is the correct size, especially the jacket, and for a payable price tag.

[r1g0r]

i've said it before, and i'll say it again:

EBAY EBAY EBAY

almost all my clothing comes from ebay. it requires some attention to detail, and occasionally i get a "dud", but i've got a RIDICULOUS amount of clothes/footwear/etc that all came through ebay.

it's a shopaholics' paradise!