Skirts to dresses

General discussion of skirt and kilt-based fashion for men, and stuff that goes with skirts and kilts.
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rivegauche
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by rivegauche »

I wore a skirt to a shop where I tried on a dress. It was fitted but not tight and had short sleeves and a back zip. I decided to wear it out of the shop and it was another level of freedom beyond a skirt as there was no waistband. And it was linen, so lovely and cool.

I have bought a T-shirt dress but not worn in outside yet. The aim is to wear it tucked into my trousers until away from home then just remove the trousers. Also thinking of trying a new one from M&S that has pockets and is only £12.50 - can't seem to copy the link here.
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Sinned
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by Sinned »

Steve is right. Wearing a dress IS a matter of confidence and we will come to wear them when we are comfortable doing so. Trying too early will just generate conflict within ourselves and that produces the discomfort and pain. Baby steps, baby steps. I have worn dresses out late at night in walks around the local lake but because of the cold I have worn a jumper or jacket over so it's not obvious what I am wearing. I'm not yet ready to wear one in daylight without a disguising top. Time will tell. Summer is such a long time away still.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
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beachlion
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by beachlion »

Another roadblock is my wife. She is between tolerance and acceptance and in this bracket more to the tolerance side. I have no idea how to sell the wearing of dresses to my wife. To my feeling, it is 10 times more difficult to go from skirts to dresses than from kilts to skirts.
All progress takes place outside the comfort zone - M J Bobak
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Sinned
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by Sinned »

Yeah, I have that OH problem too!!!! Even though MOH gave me some lbd's they were donated on the expectation that they would only be worn indoors and just between the two of us. But even without that issue I still have the mind block. I don't count going out walking round the lake at night as the dress is disguised and could just be considered as wearing a skirt which I can do without issues.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
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shadowfax
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by shadowfax »

rivegauche wrote:I wore a skirt to a shop where I tried on a dress. It was fitted but not tight and had short sleeves and a back zip. I decided to wear it out of the shop and it was another level of freedom beyond a skirt as there was no waistband. And it was linen, so lovely and cool.

I have bought a T-shirt dress but not worn in outside yet. The aim is to wear it tucked into my trousers until away from home then just remove the trousers. Also thinking of trying a new one from M&S that has pockets and is only £12.50 - can't seem to copy the link here.
rivegauche - Is this the Marks and Spencer T-Shirt dress with pockets for £12.50 which you referred to? Pockets in the side seams, so not too obvious. Looks good. :)
rivegauche
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by rivegauche »

Hi Shadowfax. No - the one I saw was available in orange or green but looks very similar in style.
Mercury
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by Mercury »

moonshadow wrote:And finally, I will end my dress show with this shot of me trying to pull of a "Kilted John" pose with my very widely flared boho dress...
ms_dress_skirt008.JPG
Oh dresses are SO FUN! You guys don't know what you're missing!

I love those pictures! It really makes me want to get some fabric and sew one right away. :D
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by Mercury »

skirtyscot wrote:I bought a dress a while ago, must be at least three years ago now. It's basically a knee-length polo shirt in bright stripes. It hasn't seen the light of day, and Mrs SS doesn't know about it (AFAIK). It looks fine except that the shape is wrong. I wear a size 12 skirt. I guessed size 18 for my shoulders and it's nearly big enough up there, very slightly on the tight side. It's the right size on my chest and it has no darts so it's not particularly "womanly" shaped. But of course it's three sizes too wide round the backside.

All of which makes me ask Mercury this: why make a dress from a pattern? How much will you have to adjust the measurements to get it to fit well?

I could get mine taken in but I doubt it's worth it. Wearing it in public would be a big step which I don't feel the need to take. Mrs SS would go ballistic. She pretty much accepts my skirts without complaint these days. Any extra physical comfort would be outweighed by the grief I'd get - it might even reverse the progress I've made over the years.
I don't think I would have to make many adjustments for it to fit well. The pattern I'm talking about is simplicity 8833. I think all I would need to do is take a few inches off the bust. I might make a trial garment in muslin, so I can see any problems and work them out.
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by Mercury »

moonshadow wrote:I've been a dress wearer for almost as long as I've been wearing skirts. I have no major issues going out in a dress, at least no more so than I would over going out in a skirt for the most part.

Consider this:

Dresses, or dress like garments, really are the genesis of human clothing. The ancients often wore robes, caftans, and other dress like garments that hung from the shoulders. They can be beautifully elegant on both men and women, depending on the style.

In general, skirts are more popular than dresses, even amongst the ladies. It's too bad that there isn't more to choose from in the thrift stores and other establishments.

In case you haven't noticed by now, yes I'm a BIG dress fan. There is just so much you can do with them, sometimes I even like to combine them with skirts (let them hang over the skirt, with some of the skirt sticking out of the bottom). It may not be a popular look, but I personally love it. It also can be a toasty choice in the cold of winter.

Why, dresses seem to be so much of the core of our evolution as a civilized species, that even our phrase to don clothing at all tends to be "to get dressed".

So what are you waiting on?
ms_dress_skirt004.JPG
ms_dress_skirt002.JPG
ms_dress_skirt003.JPG

I really like your jumper dresses. I should make one for myself. It would be nice to wear here in Alabama when the heat gets bad.
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by Mercury »

beachlion wrote:Another roadblock is my wife. She is between tolerance and acceptance and in this bracket more to the tolerance side. I have no idea how to sell the wearing of dresses to my wife. To my feeling, it is 10 times more difficult to go from skirts to dresses than from kilts to skirts.
I can relate. I can tell my boyfriend sometimes feels uneasy about my wearing skirts. When people look at me, he often brings it to my attention. I usually don't notice. I just tell him I don't care. I haven't told him about my desire to try dresses. I expect some resistance. When I put on a skirt and look at myself in the mirror, it seems normal and natural to me. I wish everyone could feel the same or at least respect it.
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shadowfax
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M&S T-Shirt Dresses

Post by shadowfax »

rivegauche wrote:Hi Shadowfax. No - the one I saw was available in orange or green but looks very similar in style.
Must be this one then? :)
Myself, I prefer the one with horizontal stripes. :wink:
Sadly, I lack the courage to wear a dress out in public, so for now, I'll stick with skirts.
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oldsalt1
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by oldsalt1 »

I wear skirts just about everywhere . I am very confident when I wear them. I haven't reached anywhere near that level. I have gone to a couple of my clients (they are LGBT associated and I have gone to some private parties in a dress and I have run some late night errands. Sometimes in my office I wear a suit with a dress and a jacket .
Actually when I read all of the above I guess I wear dresses. oh well.
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Mercury
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by Mercury »

Oldsalt, you're definitely more confident than I am right now. :) Right now I'm still working on my confidence in wearing a skirt, but I am better than I was. I was at Target today with my boyfriend. I was wearing a long brown tartan circle skirt. He told me that people were talking about me. I didn't hear what they were saying, but that's probably because I ignore most of the things most people say and do. :lol: I kind of wonder if he was imagining it. I don't know if he will be able to handle it when I finally do start wearing dresses.
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skirtyscot
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by skirtyscot »

Sounds like a nice skirt, mercury. Got a picture of it for us?

I'd wait a while before going out with the boyfriend in a dress if I were you. Let him get comfortable with the idea of being seen with you in a skirt first.
Keep on skirting,

Alastair
weeladdie18
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Re: Skirts to dresses

Post by weeladdie18 »

Mercury ..somewhere there is a similar thread which I believe I started last year....same comments different subscribers......

I find the skirts to dresses a difficult bridge to cross........even after wearing skirts over 30 years ago........
We do seem to be living an a world where we can put on our skirts instead of our trousers.....
but many of us do have this mental block with the Man in a Dress issue.....I am at present wearing a male tweed sports jacket
with my summer skirts ...I feel the lassies love to see the range of skirts I wear..They speak to me face to face and then look at my skirt...
Sometimes a lassie will pay me a compliment if she likes a particular skirt I am wearing

The eventual answer is to pluck up courage and confidence to just go for it...............weeladdie
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