Summer dress?

Discussion of fashion elements and looks that are traditionally considered somewhat "femme" but are presented in a masculine context. This is NOT about transvestism or crossdressing.
Dinoco
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Summer dress?

Post by Dinoco »

Hello all,
Right off the bat I should admit that I haven't actually started skirting yet, although I've been lurking around here for a while. I'm still living with my family and since not even the women in this household wear skirts I've been rather intimidated. However, my girlfriend and I are moving to our own apartment next month, and I'd like to acquire a lightweight summer dress for the hot days. (I should note that she thinks this is a great idea.) My question is this: how do I figure out the appropriate size? There seem to be so many specifications and I'm a bit confused by them. Also appreciated would be any tips about how to find dresses without features for body parts I don't have (ie, built-in bras, fitted waist).
Thanks all... keep being cool.
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crfriend
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by crfriend »

Dinoco wrote:I should note that [my girlfriend] thinks this is a great idea.
I'd call that a win!
My question is this: how do I figure out the appropriate size? [...] Also appreciated would be any tips about how to find dresses without features for body parts I don't have (ie, built-in bras, fitted waist).
It sounds like the best bet for you would be some form of non-tailored lightweight T-shirt dress or a variant on that theme. Those usually do not have a lot of fitting involved and are frequently fairly plain. Some definition at the waist is usually nice of you yourself have a slim one, but not at all necessary (and can always be drawn in with a belt or sash if desired).

Sizes... 'Tis best not to get me going on that count because, put bluntly, it's a bit of a black art and not at all related to any standard known to man or beast. For somebody new to this, it's best to experiment with things that may be close -- especially if one has a supportive partner -- and to see what works. Carrying a length of string the size of your waist is helpful for skirts but not for dresses. My approach would be to make sure that you get something that your shoulders fit into properly and deal with the rest ad-hoc.
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by Jack Williams »

I mainly go on waist size, but a size "L" is a size 16, at least here, which is as British sixes. As a bit of a timid guy when it comes to selecting in women' department(!) I tend to get things from catalogues, and select dresses without tits so to speak, such as t-dresses, denim shirt-dress, polo ones. These don't tend to have tucks etc. You get a trial period to send back if not suitable, so one get's an idea if it looks OK. haven't sent any of my dress selections back from local "Innovations" Darmart. or Victoria Hill yet. all have been very acceptable. With your OK (?) I'll put up examples if you like: T-dress, Polo shirt-dress, denim one:
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MSpookshow
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by MSpookshow »

Women's sizing is indeed a bit of a black art. When I shop, I know that there are 3-4 sizes that could work for me, it just depends on the garment. One size 24 might be too small, another might fall off me. It's strange.

Anyhow, Carl is right, it sounds like you might be in for a t-shirt dress. If you are a bit on the larger size, like myself, I would caution you on the t-shirt dress, however, as it can quickly become a mummuu that even a belt cannot save.

I find the biggest problem with finding a dress is often the bust area, as many dresses are shaped to accommodate and even emphasis that area. I've found that shirtdresses seem to work fairly well for me, as the tailoring on most is at least somewhat similar to a men's button shirt. The main thing to watch out for with a shirtdress, however, is front darts in the bust.

Like Jack, I pretty much base all my purchases around waist size as well. For the most part, it works out.

As for sizing, just look online at several shops. Take your measurements and compare them to the size charts. You will at least find what "range" of sizes could work for you, which will help you narrow down your search a bit.
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by Dinoco »

I must say, this is one of the best forums I've ever seen in terms of swiftness of replies.

I'm pretty skinny, actually. I just measured my waist and it appears to be about 29 inches around (that's 73.66 cm to you lucky people using the metric system), assuming I'm measuring it correctly (the narrowest part?). So possibly a slight fit might be okay.

I'll take a look at some shirt dresses of various kinds. Can you recommend any online retailers, preferably cheap ones? I've looked at ebay a little but it's always such a free-for-all on there.

I don't know that I'd really be able to "test wear" any of my GF's clothes, as she's somewhat smaller than I am, and only owns about three dresses anyway.
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by crfriend »

Dinoco wrote:I'm pretty skinny, actually. I just measured my waist and it appears to be about 29 inches around (that's 73.66 cm to you lucky people using the metric system), assuming I'm measuring it correctly (the narrowest part?). So possibly a slight fit might be okay.
It's irrelevant for skirts, but with a dress you're going to have to worry about the size of your chest; the baseline size of a guy is usually quite a bit larger than it is for a gal wish similar waist measurements. This may have ramifications in what you need to get -- especially if fit is important and you're going for something with a bit of tailoring.

Take the advice offered in various on-line sizing guides. It's usually fairly accurate when it comes to telling you *where* to measure, but my comment about women's sizes being a black art holds. Then there's "vanity sizing"....

For instance, to take the supposedly "ideal" feminine measurements (and this'll date me) of 36-24-36 (chest-waist-hip) points out that a garment so fashioned would likely *not* fit a bloke with a 40" chest (in brassiere sizing, the number is the measurement directly below the bust and the letter indicates the delta to the fullest part of the bust, so that 36" does not include the bust). The reason for this is that the bust volume is a fraction of the entire upper body volume of your typical guy, so you may have to go "up" several sizes to even be able to get the thing on. Some size charts use the bust measurement as the datum for the top -- this can be fraught with peril if you don't know the underlying chest measurement the pattern was designed from. There is also the problem with male shoulders being typically wider than women's. This is why I postulated a T-shirt dress as a starting point -- not a lot of tailoring, cheap, and easy to modify if you get the desire.
I don't know that I'd really be able to "test wear" any of my GF's clothes, as she's somewhat smaller than I am, and only owns about three dresses anyway.
Broadly speaking, I can fit into some stuff of my wife's, even though she's almost a foot shorter than I am, and without exception the experiments with her dresses have ended "not well" (to be specific, "You look like a gorilla in a dress!") although skirts can be passed back and forth fairly easily.

I don't know of any places where things of that ilk can be had on-line, but others here do, and I hope they chime in. Where you are, of course, may dictate which suppliers you may prefer.
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by Since1982 »

Carl said: "not well" (to be specific, "You look like a gorilla in a dress!")
That reminds me of a song my Dad used to sing when he was driving me to his weekly "secret" meeting of the "Invisible Empire" (also known as) the KKK. I was 7 and didn't know anything except to wonder why all those white men on our block wore those pointy hatted white dresses with crosses all over them twice a week. Anyway, I don't really think the song had a title, although a lot of men sang it at work. Whether they were referring to wives or girlfriends, I have no clue. Here it is>>

In the 50's there was a popular song that the former was a take off of called "Girl of my Dreams" 2nd verse on the real one was Put your arms around me tonight..

So "Girl of my Dreams, I lovvvve youuu, Put your arms around me tonight!!" became

"Gorilla My Dreams, I lovvvve youuuu, butcher arms around me tonight!!"

There were other correct and "plays on words" but I can't remember them. :faint:
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by skirted_in_SF »

If you can go US$30 - $40 you might want to try something like this from Lands' End:
http://www.landsend.com/pp/ShortSleeveS ... igin=index
These come in S/M/L sizing and if you know your men's tee shirt size then go up one size. That has worked for me at Lands' End. As others have said, this may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. I buy a lot from LE because their sizing is pretty consistent.
You might want to look around at the other dresses in the overstock section and click on the sizing button to get an idea of what they think the sizes mean.
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MSpookshow
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by MSpookshow »

Dinoco wrote:I'll take a look at some shirt dresses of various kinds. Can you recommend any online retailers, preferably cheap ones? I've looked at ebay a little but it's always such a free-for-all on there.
Well, I have to shop in plus sizes so any suggestions I have would largely be pointless, but I will say don't count out eBay so quick. You can easily filter results by size, and then even narrow out certain styles you know won't work (I don't bother looking at anything strapless or even sleeveless for myself, really, for example). It can take a bit of time to look through all the results, but I nearly always find at least 1 interesting garment doing this. I always figure out the maximum amount I'd be willing to pay for a garment (including shipping) and just put that as my max bid and walk away. It's so easy to get caught up in the bidding at the last minute so I find it's just safer that way. You can really snag some great deals by doing this, however.

A lot of people try to end their auctions on Sundays (for whatever reason, it's the most active day for bidding) so if you look on a Sunday and filter by Ending Soonest you may actually be able to snipe some stuff at great prices, though like I said I at least have to be careful with this. :lol:

The only other advice I can really give with regards to online retailers is to always try to do a search for "X coupon code" before you checkout. Often times you can find a coupon to make your purchase a little more thrifty, which is always nice. I find results from RetailMeNot.com to be pretty reliable.
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by straightfairy »

I have found sizing dresses to be easier than sizing skirts.
Measure your actual chest size using a tape measure.
CRoss reference that to a clothes size chart (in an on-line shop, for example) for the country you are in.
Buy a dress in at least the smallest size indicated for your chest size.

e.g. I have a measured 41 inch chest. In the UK, that equates to a size 16 dress, so that is the smallest I will consider and usually aim for a size 18.
I have recently purchased a 'Gap' military style tank dress and a 'Linea' racerback dress using just that technique.
Pics once the 2nd one arrives..
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by Sylvain »

crfriend wrote:(in brassiere sizing, the number is the measurement directly below the bust and the letter indicates the delta to the fullest part of the bust, so that 36" does not include the bust).
A 36 brassiere means the measurement under the breasts is 31 inches. And a woman wearing 36A will have a breast measurement of 37 inches... A woman's thorax (w/o the breasts) is usually much smaller than a man's.
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by crfriend »

Sylvain wrote:A 36 brassiere means the measurement under the breasts is 31 inches. And a woman wearing 36A will have a breast measurement of 37 inches... A woman's thorax (w/o the breasts) is usually much smaller than a man's.
I stand corrected on the sizing issue. Thank you.

I would like to know where the five-inch delta came from, however.
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by SkirtRevolution »

If you have a SO who is similar size to you it should be easy to find your size. My wife wears a size 12 (australian size) and so do I. Sometimes, I fit a 14, this all depends on the dress but usually size 12. If your SO is not the same size just order a cheap dress off ebay a few sizes up. Once you find a dress that fits you can usually use that as the bench mark for buying more. If you are bold, you can go to a second hand store and try some on. I have often gone into stores and found a dress that I like, then usually play the "naive husband" and ask for the SOs help in my selection, this way I can buy a dress without looking like its for me. Also, like you my wife is accepting so if she is with me I often ask her to try something on for me (if it fits her, it will fit me), the only problem with this is that, If I buy a skirt/dress then she wants me to buy something for her too. LOL. :lol:
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by Stevie D »

crfriend wrote:
Sylvain wrote:A 36 brassiere means the measurement under the breasts is 31 inches. And a woman wearing 36A will have a breast measurement of 37 inches... A woman's thorax (w/o the breasts) is usually much smaller than a man's.
I stand corrected on the sizing issue. Thank you.

I would like to know where the five-inch delta came from, however.
This is a slightly garbled explanation of the procedure adopted for determining bra sizes. Rather than rewrite it further, I refer you to this explanation:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A4455272
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Re: Summer dress?

Post by crfriend »

Egads! That makes the notion of working out skirt sizes seem positively trivial. :shock:
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