Dresses

[Kelly]

The interesting (and great) thing about dresses is the multitude of styles in which they are available: they can hang from the shoulders, from below the breast, from the waist, or the hips. They can be tight on any part of the body, or loose and swingy as you move; they can be of any length from scandalous to prudish, and the neckline and arms can range from racy to austere. It's odd: you have n^2 styles in tops and bottoms, and yet there are many more innovative looks in dresses than in separates.

What will happen when you wear a dress in public? Well, it depends upon where you do it, but I'd bet it will be much like wearing a kilt or skirt, namely nothing. Some people will avert their eyes; others will smile and even give you a high five, and a few may show their disdain. But why should you care what other people think? Keep your head high, look others in the eye, smile, and show them how happy you are wearing whatever you like. Who knows, maybe they'll wake up thinking of the same freedom you've shown them is possible.

[Grok]

Well, there are precedents for men's dress-like garments.

I was in London (UK, not Ontario) recently, playing tourist, and to judge from the paintings I saw reproduced, in the middle ages through the renaissance, robes of some sort or other were almost the norm for men. It was mostly laborers in certain fields and knights (i.e., fighters on horseback) who wore bifurcated garments.

One reason, I think, is that robes are easier to make than trousers, and the fit is less critical. This is a big advantage if you have to spin, weave, and sew your clothes by hand. If you're worried about whether you will have anything at all to cover your body and protect it from the weather, you're going to be less concerned with how the style relates to your gender image.

Moreover, even today, even in what we call modern Western culture, theere are situations where robes are accepted as normal for men. Robes are almost the norm for (male) clergy -- priests/ministers, monks, etc. And when I walk down 125th Street in NYC (Harlem's "Main Street"), I see a fair number of men in robes going about their business, and no one looks twice.

I've thought of making a sort of monk's robe, with a belt, and seeing how I feel about it. And in the summer, a Greek/Roman-style tunic might be very comfortable.

Of course, precisely because "men in robes" have associations in people's minds, they are more likely to assume you are doing it for religious or cultural reasons, and it will be harder to have it taken for just a fashion choice.

-- AMM

Perhaps - being the path of least resistance - a loose robe- or gown-like garment will be the next to be popularized. If someone hopes to sell a non-kilt MUG, perhaps this is the way to go.

[Grok]

man in a dress

[Grok]

History of the native dress of Ireland.

[Kirbstone]

Great piece of research, Grok. We're not likely to go back to wearing that kind of garb again anytime soon, but it is interesting to see the illustrations &c.
BTW. I just picked this up from a local paper. I expect the Yemeni vernacular 'dress' hasn't changed in centuries.

Donkey walking, Yemen..jpg

T.

[straightfairy]

Well, there are precedents for men's dress-like garments.

I was in London (UK, not Ontario) recently, playing tourist, and to judge from the paintings I saw reproduced, in the middle ages through the renaissance, robes of some sort or other were almost the norm for men. It was mostly laborers in certain fields and knights (i.e., fighters on horseback) who wore bifurcated garments.

One reason, I think, is that robes are easier to make than trousers, and the fit is less critical. This is a big advantage if you have to spin, weave, and sew your clothes by hand. If you're worried about whether you will have anything at all to cover your body and protect it from the weather, you're going to be less concerned with how the style relates to your gender image.

Moreover, even today, even in what we call modern Western culture, theere are situations where robes are accepted as normal for men. Robes are almost the norm for (male) clergy -- priests/ministers, monks, etc. And when I walk down 125th Street in NYC (Harlem's "Main Street"), I see a fair number of men in robes going about their business, and no one looks twice.

I've thought of making a sort of monk's robe, with a belt, and seeing how I feel about it. And in the summer, a Greek/Roman-style tunic might be very comfortable.

Of course, precisely because "men in robes" have associations in people's minds, they are more likely to assume you are doing it for religious or cultural reasons, and it will be harder to have it taken for just a fashion choice.

-- AMM

Perhaps - being the path of least resistance - a loose robe- or gown-like garment will be the next to be popularized. If someone hopes to sell a non-kilt MUG, perhaps this is the way to go.

It may well be. In the same way that a kilt is accepted as a man's skirt, some of the robes/dresses traditionally worn by men in many cultures will be the first types of men's dresses to be widely accepted socially as items worn through choice for fashion.

[Sinned]

Well, until recently I was only a convert of wearing a skirt and thought dresses a step too far. I have frlirted with the full looking like a woman and have rejected that as not for me so I am definitley not a cross dresser. I still think of high heeled shoes in this way even though I have some and have worn them around the house but couldn't think of stepping outside in them. BUT recently I have been surprised and am perhaps becoming a convert of the dress anyway. My wife GAVE me a beautiful dress that we both think looks really good on me. If I can describe it accurately. It is black polyester with a high neck at the font and no sleeves. It flares only slightly from the waist area and is sufficiently androgenous to be wearable by both sexes. The bust area is fairly flat and the only girly thing is a large appliqued green and red multistemmed rose on the front left side just above the hem. The dress looks good either on its own or with a shirt underneath. Black looks good but green or red would probably work too. I am owed some photos of me in various skirts to be taken by my wife so if I can get a pic soon then I will post for you. Interestingly since then my wife has bought for me, from ASDA, a T-shirt dress in two tone purple that I have only tried on briefly so haven't yet figured out the particluar look for this. The front is lower and my hairy chest shows so I would have to wear something underneath but haven't determined what yet. Would I wear either outside? Well the black one possibly with a jumper on top. The purple one perhaps if I can work out the look for it. Would I think of myself as being too much like a woman wearing them? No not really although I would prefer the black one not to have had a flower on it. Am I a dress convert - maybe yes if the dress can be made to look right. But again as has been said so many times in this thread it will probably be a lot more difficult to carry this off without appearing to be too girly.

Sinned

[renesm1]

Are there any links you can provide to where these dresses may be viewed and bought?

Well, until recently I was only a convert of wearing a skirt and thought dresses a step too far. I have frlirted with the full looking like a woman and have rejected that as not for me so I am definitley not a cross dresser. I still think of high heeled shoes in this way even though I have some and have worn them around the house but couldn't think of stepping outside in them. BUT recently I have been surprised and am perhaps becoming a convert of the dress anyway. My wife GAVE me a beautiful dress that we both think looks really good on me. If I can describe it accurately. It is black polyester with a high neck at the font and no sleeves. It flares only slightly from the waist area and is sufficiently androgenous to be wearable by both sexes. The bust area is fairly flat and the only girly thing is a large appliqued green and red multistemmed rose on the front left side just above the hem. The dress looks good either on its own or with a shirt underneath. Black looks good but green or red would probably work too. I am owed some photos of me in various skirts to be taken by my wife so if I can get a pic soon then I will post for you. Interestingly since then my wife has bought for me, from ASDA, a T-shirt dress in two tone purple that I have only tried on briefly so haven't yet figured out the particluar look for this. The front is lower and my hairy chest shows so I would have to wear something underneath but haven't determined what yet. Would I wear either outside? Well the black one possibly with a jumper on top. The purple one perhaps if I can work out the look for it. Would I think of myself as being too much like a woman wearing them? No not really although I would prefer the black one not to have had a flower on it. Am I a dress convert - maybe yes if the dress can be made to look right. But again as has been said so many times in this thread it will probably be a lot more difficult to carry this off without appearing to be too girly.

Sinned

[Sinned]

The label inside the dress is Etam and it is a size 20. Just shows as I take a size 14 or 16 in skirt. I don't know where my wife got the dress from and when she got it. It could have been in her wardrobe for years.

[Sarongman]

I have decided that overall dresses are the dresses that I can probably wear out and about and, to "put my money where my mouth is", I have ordered two and will post up pictures for general comment when they arrive. These are most like bib overalls but skirted instead of trousered.

[Grok]

Great piece of research, Grok. We're not likely to go back to wearing that kind of garb again anytime soon, but it is interesting to see the illustrations &c.
BTW. I just picked this up from a local paper. I expect the Yemeni vernacular 'dress' hasn't changed in centuries.

Donkey walking, Yemen..jpg

T.

The examples discussed hint at what is possible. In the case of the modern West, there is almost a blank slate, except for kilting.

[Grok]

Well, there are precedents for men's dress-like garments.


It may well be. In the same way that a kilt is accepted as a man's skirt, some of the robes/dresses traditionally worn by men in many cultures will be the first types of men's dresses to be widely accepted socially as items worn through choice for fashion.

We end up with a strange vision-our wardrobes come to resemble the traditional garb of the Middle East.

[Ron]

Ancient Circles-robes

I like! I want to get a couple of those Druid Robes