Skirts + building things - tips?

[Coder]

Yesterday I was working on some flooring, and decided to wear a skort - I rarely wear skorts but the choice seemed appropriate. Two things were apparent:

1) The skort was a good choice as I had to step over a board, and was able to hitch the skirt up while retaining some semblance of modesty. The board was on sawhorses, and it was as tall as my inseam. Modesty in this situation wasn't required - indoors by myself - but still one day could be an issue.

2) Generally with this project I've been wearing pants of one kind of another, so I felt I needed to put cardboard down so as not to hurt my knees .

#1 could be addressed I suppose with a longer skater skirt or a stretchy skirt. #2 just requires some sort of knee pads. I wasn't wearing my maker skirt - it felt overly redundant, though I could have swapped the skort for the other.

So I was curious - I know some members here do all manner of building/construction skirted - what kind of skirts are appropriate/practical for different "construction" activities? My typical go-to are a pair of heavy canvas pants (think Carhartt), very unskirt-like.

Some styles of skirt are obviously out - pencil skirts, wiggle skirts. But I presume some styles would lend themselves to one activity or another. The activities I'm thinking would be "problematic":

welding - I suppose a LONG skirt would be required here, but my concern would be sparks bouncing up and under, also mobility issues for the foot pedal

painting a room (that is, one would absolutely have to wear a more restrictive skirt so as not to get paint all over it or from brushing it into the wall or your paint tray/can, but at the same time that limits mobility when one might need it)

[FLbreezy]

In the past I've worn a heavy cotton (I think?) utility kilt for a lot of things like that, but depending on what I'm doing it seems kind of bulky. I picked up a few stretchy cotton skorts from Sam's Club recently and they've kind of been my go-to for a lot of things. Over the last week I've been installing wood floor with lots of cuts on the mitre saw and table saw, getting up and down and getting dirty on the concrete slab etc, plus taking out some drywall, laying down self-leveling concrete mix, and some plumbing fixes. The skorts were nice because I didn't really worry about flashing anyone (not that it matters, but it's become a mental awareness habit anyway), and they moved with me without feeling bulky ever. If I was going to be doing painting I'd probably throw on a pair of old gym shorts or something that already has paint on them.

[Chirp]

Yesterday I was working on some flooring, and decided to wear a skort - I rarely wear skorts but the choice seemed appropriate. Two things were apparent:

1) The skort was a good choice as I had to step over a board, and was able to hitch the skirt up while retaining some semblance of modesty. The board was on sawhorses, and it was as tall as my inseam. Modesty in this situation wasn't required - indoors by myself - but still one day could be an issue.

2) Generally with this project I've been wearing pants of one kind of another, so I felt I needed to put cardboard down so as not to hurt my knees .

#1 could be addressed I suppose with a longer skater skirt or a stretchy skirt. #2 just requires some sort of knee pads. I wasn't wearing my maker skirt - it felt overly redundant, though I could have swapped the skort for the other.

So I was curious - I know some members here do all manner of building/construction skirted - what kind of skirts are appropriate/practical for different "construction" activities? My typical go-to are a pair of heavy canvas pants (think Carhartt), very unskirt-like.

Some styles of skirt are obviously out - pencil skirts, wiggle skirts. But I presume some styles would lend themselves to one activity or another. The activities I'm thinking would be "problematic":

welding - I suppose a LONG skirt would be required here, but my concern would be sparks bouncing up and under, also mobility issues for the foot pedal

painting a room (that is, one would absolutely have to wear a more restrictive skirt so as not to get paint all over it or from brushing it into the wall or your paint tray/can, but at the same time that limits mobility when one might need it)

Well 1st off sounds like skort was good idea for what u were doing at the time.
Now i do not own any skorts, i have Kilts shortish skirts much same as kilt and long skirts to my ankle's

I do work in my kilts a lot as with my skirts. But it do depend on what i'm doing. If working under the car then skirt or kilt is not best, so shorts or jeans, If welding i will wear kilt or long skirt, Never set my self on fire yet and don't plan to,
I have done drywall to flooring in kilt or skirt with no prob,
Running lawn mower i will wear skirt long or short and not think about it, Using weed wacker i rather have jeans on. 1st off things sting when they hit ya,. 2nd rather not get a skirt all dirty.

Like i said i don't own any skorts so what i wear under will also very from nothing to tight bike shorts. Again depends on what i'm doing.

[Faldaguy]

As pointed out, different skirts for different tasks. But it is inevitable you will at times find yourself needing to do something you are not most suitably dressed for, and then you just gotta do what is needed regardless of your attire -- sometimes it is a bit of an adventure -- and certainly a 'learning' experience!

Mostly, for times with known tasks ahead, I grab one of several old, mostly denim skirts that I've long since messed up; or perhaps even bought for just that purpose. I' have an old black utility kilt like thing that had gotten bleach splatters on it -- now it is a perfect 'work' skirt! Except for those times you are wearing clothes as protective garments you can pretty much go with whatever feels comfortable and is not apt to get caught in any machinery to be employed. I keep knee pads in my shop as well as foam floor mats that link together and those takes care of metal flakes, tacks, branch bits and such in the knees. Keep welders gloves and apron in your shop and you are pretty much covered for most tasks.

For me, it is mostly a question --"is this a skirt I'm ready to otherwise discard", one that no longer qualifies as a 'dress' item. The old denim jean skirts from the thrift shop are great for these projects.