Hello from Belgium!

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Spirou003
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Location: Belgium, Charleroi

Hello from Belgium!

Post by Spirou003 »

Hi all,


As almost every man in this forum, I'm a man enjoying to wear skirts. I'm from Charleroi in Belgium and I'm 27 years old, working in IT sector, and still not sure about which future to give to my carreer (except that work should not vanish my private life in any way). Also, I want to move out from my father's home, but there is some very specific problems in my life that make it impossible actually, and since two years ago... I would like it to evolve quickly after lockdown, but I've no great hopes on this! But let's back to skirt.


My adventure with skirts started about one year ago. At this time, I was going to getting started at sewing. I needed thus, in addition to first easy projects, to have some textile for my training. Like that if I had to destroy something at the very first tries, it would not be any important clothes. Luck was with me at this moment, or in fact with my brother, who found a bag fulfilled with clothes. Clean clothes. So as it seemed to be an abandonned bag, he did take it. There was in it no clothes that he could wear (too small for him). As he knew I was about to start seewing, he phoned me to propose me these clothes. I directly accepted his proposition, but as I hate to waste anything, I mentionned I will try everything before throwing in the "crash-tests" box.

...You're starting to guess what will happen, isn't? You're true! In this bag, there was 4 pants, 2 T-shirts, and one skirt. As I told I would try every cloth, but also as I was alone in my bedroom at this moment, I tried the skirt. Irony of the situation: it was the only cloth well-sized for me! :lol: But the feeling was just... waaouh! I fell in love. It was so pleasant to wear, that I kept it for the rest of my evening, taking advantage of being alone for the entire evening. After this, I fastly speaked to my father before starting to wear them when he's home. He said yes, but added that he didn't want me to wear it in public, because neighbors could do nasty remarks. Weird query, but why not, it's a correct starting point (better than for some other people I read on Internet), so I wore it only at home.

After few days, I found a brief letter at my computer, asking me to not wear skirt at home this evening, because a friend will come (reason of the letter is that he came back home after me twice a week). Nobody came, neither his friend nor him (search after any logic). Days later, twice, he wrote again one letter to ask me to not wear any skirt in the evening. But these times he came back, and his friend too. Each time he did check if there was a skirt on me before the friend arrive at home. At end of september, wheather started to be cold and I stopped to wear skirts. But I was remembering the last weeks, something went wrong. Additionally of some little comments at few moments, I finally understood that in fact, he didn't want me to wear any skirt but wouldn't dare to tell me it. And as I know him, it will be impossible to have a real discussion with him without strongly disrupt our "not too bad but not good" relation. So this year, I won't wear skirts because I don't want to take any risk with him, mostly because I know I will have to endure him for still a complete year and it's already difficult enough.

Anyway, I bought some skirts last year (but it would have been easier if I could have wore one to go shopping) but never got any advice from anybody (I felt like a perverted guy when searching skirts at shops so I did it quietly when there were nobody near from me). I talked with my two friends about that. The girl was totally okay with that, but (there is always a "but"...) as she's teatcher and has to keep a clean picture of her, she asked me to not wear it with her when we're at Bruxelles (where we work) (it's not only the skirt, she did also ask me for another funny garment). Of course, her boyfriend is so jealous that we can't have any public interaction when approaching our respective homes (he don't know about me, even if I met her in november 2018). My other friend, a man, didn't ask anything but I don't want to make people to think he can be homosexual while he's not. They can think whatever they want about me - sometimes I also act like an homosexual without realizing it - but letting them to infer such things about my friend from me... don't sounds acceptable to me. Thus, there is no situation in which I can wear skirt actually without problem.


Curious fact: one day, I broke her pompom hat and the pompom went away, so I told her we will go shopping at Bruxelles so that she could show me which one she wants and I'll buy it for her. But when arrived to shops, she directly went to clothes pulling me by the arm to search after skirts for me... WTF?! :lol: I tried few in fitting room, but showed her only one (others are too much move restrictive for me) and she exclaimed "Oh, it's not shocking at all. It fits you well". But no way to wear it that day, she was in such a hurry to not come back too late at home (because of her boyfriend...)


So, that's my little skirt adventure. Actually I think I shouldn't expect anybody around me to give any advice on my skirts, despite de fact I want to avoid wearing skirt appearing too feminite. So it's why I relies on you: what do you think about these ones? I did a photoshoot one day in the attic, but don't ask me why I did that face in some photos :mrgreen:

Photo: https://www.casimages.com/i/20051511104 ... 9.png.html (Don't pay attention of all these random circles in photos. I don't know why my camera does that and didn't found any way to avoid it yet)
(I don't know why, but BBCode seems to not work very good. Maybe because I'm new in this forum? No big deal)


As usual, I realize after writing my message that I'm unable to keep it short... aah lalalala! Also, if there is weird sentences in the message, it's probably because I'm not very used to english. I learned it at university, so it was totally IT-oriented and I logically don't know much about common english (if I can call it like that). It took me around 3 hours to write! Sometimes (often) I'm crazy :lol:


I wish you a nice week-end!
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Epiceneguy
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Epiceneguy »

Happy weekend to you too Spirou003,

Your skirts look good on you and love your story,
Welcome to Skirtcafe
When life gives you lemons, slice them and put them into your G&T!
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Fred in Skirts
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Fred in Skirts »

:welcome:

A hearty welcome to you Spirou003.

I would wear any of those skirts they all look really nice. You will find a large data base of skirt knowledge here at the cafe and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Good luck on getting your own place to live..

Fred
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
Always be yourself because the people that matter don’t mind and the ones that mind don’t matter.
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beachlion
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by beachlion »

Welcome to this forum.

I lived for 65 year in the Netherlands and passed Charleroi many times on my way to France but never visited it. I'm sure I missed a nice city looking at Google Streetview to Place Charles II and beyond.

There is a lot of expertise on this forum so if you have any questions, fire away.
All progress takes place outside the comfort zone - M J Bobak
Spirou003
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Location: Belgium, Charleroi

Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Spirou003 »

Thank you all for the welcoming :)

@Fred : Hehe, I think I will need some luck but actually it's not with me: a few weeks after I started to get informed about getting a new own home, the corona lockdown did start... :lol: ( :blue: )

@beachlion : In fact I don't know much about Charleroi (I never had any elaborate social life, which didn't helped to explore cities), only things I can do are mostly to use public transports (I know them quite well and can deviate from my initial path easily without being lost) and to go to some shops. I thus can't really tell you if you missed things or not :mrgreen: However, a part of Charleroi city center (near from the Place Charles II) was deserted when the new shopping center called "Rive Gauche" was inaugurated in march 2017. It's partially like a ghost town now as shopping streets have now almost no opened shop. But for sure, there is some nice districts and parcs near from Charleroi :)
Faldaguy
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Faldaguy »

Welcome. Some of my heritage comes from your neck of the woods on my Mother's side; cousins et all still about....anyway, I'm now in Latin America bucking the trend and enjoying it all. You will come to discover that family sometimes provide more obstacles than everyone else put together, so look for opportunities such as the young woman who has helped you, to wear your skirts in public settings and soon your attic days will be over! Your skirts are all quite 'tame' and should arose little notice and a few compliments -- especially from the young women -- so have fun. Welcome aboard.
Faldaguy, Costa Rica
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Pdxfashionpioneer
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Pdxfashionpioneer »

Welcome to the SkirtCafe.

Looking at your pictures I feel the one that looked the best on you was the short, plaid number.

Keep things cool with your Dad and good luck on finding a place of your own.
David, the PDX Fashion Pioneer

Social norms aren't changed by Congress or Parliament; they're changed by a sufficient number of people ignoring the existing ones and publicly practicing new ones.
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skirtyscot
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by skirtyscot »

Hello and welcome, Spirou003.

I agree with pdx that the plaid skirt is good, but can I suggest you wear it with the shirt out? The skirt on the right is nice as well, though it needs a more formal shirt.
Keep on skirting,

Alastair
Spirou003
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Location: Belgium, Charleroi

Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Spirou003 »

Faldaguy wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 2:47 am You will come to discover that family sometimes provide more obstacles than everyone else put together
I already discovered it since years... my actual situation is not wanted, and is the result of an accumulation of "let's choice between plague or cholera", caused themselve by errors of my family in the past... and now I'm stuck with somebody with whom contact is quite bad (at any level), for at least months if not years. Welcome family!
Faldaguy wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 2:47 am so look for opportunities such as the young woman who has helped you
Oufti, it's very complicated with her :D Except in the train, we almost can't meet, reason being hey jealous boyfriend.
Faldaguy wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 2:47 am Your skirts are all quite 'tame' and should arose little notice and a few compliments
I'm not sure to understand the "tame" word, but thanks for your message :)

@Pdxfashionpioneer & @skirtyscot:
Here one photo of the same skirt but out of the shirt: https://nsm09.casimages.com/img/2020/05 ... 807219.png (Hey if you revert the first part of the link you get MSN! Ok I'm already out)

The skirt on the right is the one I choose with my friend :) I love it too but unluckily (or not that unluckily, as far as I know it's a common problem with skirts) it has no pocket and with the used textile I can't add it myself :( (Not able yet to do so when it is extensible, and I have no other similar piece of cloth to use for)
If you want to see it with a better resolution, it comes from H&M: https://www2.hm.com/fr_be/productpage.0831610001.html (hope this link is reachable from your country)
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skirtyscot
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by skirtyscot »

It is better with the shirt out. The shirt is quite loose, so it goes well with the wide shape of the skirt. It all looks very relaxed and comfortable.

No pockets --- very common problem with skirts. You must choose between a jacket and a bag.
Keep on skirting,

Alastair
Spirou003
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Location: Belgium, Charleroi

Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Spirou003 »

Yes, seeing them again I think you're right. I don't know yet for which occasion I'll wear it, I find it rather short and am quite bashful, so...

I will probably have to. But I don't like it because I have some cards I use often when going tu Brussels, especially my subscription card for public transports. Putting them in a bag is excluded (too long to take it up to 6 times a day, and when I started to work up to 12 times a day) and a jacket is often too warm for me (I rarely wear warm garments even in the winter. Sometimes when it snows I can endure it while wearing only one pant, one shirt, socks!) Bouuuh! :(
Spirou003
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Location: Belgium, Charleroi

Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Spirou003 »

Oh cool. I was thinking about that kind of bag to not need pocket anymore with skirts but I don't like the belt (I already don't use any belt with pants, I always put elastics instead). And I just found this kind of bag which could maybe represent an alternative :)
But it will need to be very resistant, don't want someone to snatch it (I'm sometimes a bit parano with such things)
Shilo
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Shilo »

I think that second bag with clips is a great idea that I’ve not seen before. I do agree with you about the security. It’s only as strong as the belt loops.
:roll:
Faldaguy
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by Faldaguy »

I like that second bag; where did you find it?
K_Highlander
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Re: Hello from Belgium!

Post by K_Highlander »

Appears from ASOS that the bag is part of a skirt:
https://www.asos.com/us/collusion/collu ... d=16549769
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