Just joined - successful sortie

If you're new to the Cafe, please grab a seat by the potted palm, settle down with a nice big latte, and tell us a little bit about yourself. Please also look here for forum principles and rules.
Post Reply
User avatar
familyman34
Distinguished Member
Posts: 115
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:55 pm
Location: Waveney Valley, UK

Just joined - successful sortie

Post by familyman34 »

I know myself and my tendency to indecision only too well ...

I happened upon the forum completely by chance during a web search last Saturday (18th Nov) and was entranced - so much so that I can't remember exactly what I was searching for. Much of the week-end was taken up with reading posts, and it became clear to me that my indecision bugbear wanted to be indulged; but I was determined to beat it this time.

On Monday 20th I went out and bought a denim skirt at the local charity shop where I had bought a pair of sandals during the summer, washed it overnight (you never can be too sure) and tumble-dried it, and screwed my courage to the sticking point for Wednesday. I wanted to make it a proper shopping expedition, with no furtive creeping about and no possibility of backing out!

So, on the morning of Wednesday 22nd I got myself ready (blue denim skirt size UK16, 4 inches above the knee, with a brown leather belt; black knee-high socks; black lace-up shoes; navy rugby shirt with 0.5 inch white horizontal stripes every 3 inches, red collar; navy rain jacket) and headed out to Lowestoft, the most easterly town in the UK. I forced myself to take no back-up/emergency change of clothes in the car so that I would be sure to go through with this, my first sortie.

I went to Bookers (national food wholesaler) in Oulton Broad (a "suburb" of Lowestoft) and got some drinks; on the way, out at the till, I saw another customer, a woman, who had a side of smoked salmon (1kg) that was marked down in price, and asked her if she had seen whether there were any more, to which she said yes. So I took my trolley back to the cold room (must have been below 5˚C) and asked one of the employees where the smoked fish was. He went and found it for me, two further 1kg sides, but told me that the price reduction label was incorrect - it should have been reduced even more as it had only 5 more days to its Best By date. So I waited while he went off to find his label printing gun (it was certainly cold in there in a skirt) and he eventually came back and marked the two sides down to £7.49 each. If I freeze them, they'll be fine for the Christmas festivities. I went back to the check-out, paid and went out into the car park. Did anyone notice how I was dressed? Apparently not. I certainly neither saw nor heard anything, I had made a really good buy with the salmon, and so my confidence was high for the next stage.

I drove into Lowestoft, parked in the back streets and walked into town (10 minutes), and then walked up the length of the High Street (35 minutes) stopping in 8 different shops, and then back down again and back to the car (about 25 minutes). It was quite cold and windy, there were people about, not in crowds, doing some early Christmas shopping, and I think that I just melted into the mass. After the High Street I went on to a retail park for another half-hour, visiting 3 further shops (including TKMaxx where I bought some Christmas presents) before heading back home. Again, I was not aware of any reaction or comments about my appearance - I suffer from tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and so can't hear what people may be saying behind my back; and I tried to look confident, step out firmly, hold my head up high, and avoid trying to look back behind myself.

All in all, pretty pleased with myself. As soon as I got home I determined to register on SC to tell the world about my day, and make it undeniable!

An experience to be repeated soon (this week-end?)
Last edited by familyman34 on Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
Familyman34
User avatar
oldsalt1
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 2470
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 8:25 pm
Location: Long Island, New York

Re: Just joined - successful sortie

Post by oldsalt1 »

:welcome:

I have to say that is a pretty big step for a first time out good job.

Suggestion get yourself some tights. Its getting colder out and the socks just don't give you the warmth you need.

The tights go well especially with shorter skirts.

again welcome to the cafe
User avatar
Caultron
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 4122
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 4:12 am
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Just joined - successful sortie

Post by Caultron »

familyman34 wrote:...I tried to look confident, step out firmly, hold my head up high, and avoid trying to look back behind myself...
Welcome to the board, familyman34, and congratulations on your successful outing! As you've discovered, an easy confidence is the key to bringing off a skirted outfit.

Had you thought about wearing a skirt before you discovered SkirtCafe? Or did something just pop into place after reviewing some of our rantings? And if you did have a longer-term interest, how long, and how did you express it?

The name familyman34 suggests a wife but you don't mention one. So are you living with a family? And if so, how did they react?

And once again, welcome!
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

caultron
User avatar
melsav
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 431
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:39 am
Location: Johannesburg South Africa

Re: Just joined - successful sortie

Post by melsav »

Hi and welcome to the Cafe. Here you will get all the help, advice and encouragement you need as i did when i joined. It sounds like you had a wonderful day out wearing your new attire and plenty of confidence to back it up. :welcome:
User avatar
shadowfax
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 483
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2013 9:05 am
Location: UK

Re: Just joined - successful sortie

Post by shadowfax »

Well done! :)
I made a similar decision, a few weeks back, to just go for it in a utility kilt.
The folks on here really encouraged me to make it more than just a single outing. :wink: :)
User avatar
Fred in Skirts
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 3988
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2016 6:48 pm
Location: Southeast Corner of Aiken County, SC USA

Re: Just joined - successful sortie

Post by Fred in Skirts »

:welcome:
Hi familyman34,
Please tell us more about yourself. I am happy that your first outing went so well.
The people of the Cafe are some of the best people around and will give you all of the help you need to become a full time skirt wearer if that is where you are wanting to go. I wear my skirts all of the time, it has been more that two years since I wore a pair of pants or shorts. It has meant that I can have the freedom and comfort I want, when and where I want. :D
"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.
User avatar
hoborob
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:03 pm

Re: Just joined - successful sortie

Post by hoborob »

:welcome:

I enjoy reading the exploits of the many members here, but to hear of such an adventure first time out is simply amazing. I have a feeling that it was indeed the many adventures and exploits of the other membership that gave you the courage to do that. I will certain add a :thumright: and a :thewave: , good job.
User avatar
skirtyscot
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 3448
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2011 10:44 pm
Location: West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scotland
Contact:

Re: Just joined - successful sortie

Post by skirtyscot »

Hello and welcome, FM34. That was an impressive first outing, to say the least!

Keep it up, East Anglia needs more men in skirts (in my opinion). And please let us know how you get on and what reaction you get from your family and friends. With support from them, fashion freedom should be easy for you.
Keep on skirting,

Alastair
User avatar
Daryl
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1219
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 4:25 am
Location: Toronto Canada

Re: Just joined - successful sortie

Post by Daryl »

familyman34 wrote:I know myself and my tendency to indecision only too well ...
Good job on overcoming indecision so, er, decisively. :D

Shopping really is a good way to get experience. When your primary mission is shopping, not just going out to be seen, you put yourself in a normal mode, and that is exactly what we want to be able to do. Having something to do keeps us from dwelling on ourselves.

The only thing I'm wondering is where the other 33 family men were...
Daryl...
User avatar
Wonderful Electric
Distinguished Member
Posts: 122
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Just joined - successful sortie

Post by Wonderful Electric »

Amazed at the bold first outing story! How encouraging that nothing bad happened. May there be many more like this.
Post Reply