Summer dress?

[Since1982]

Back to topic, there are lots of Upscale Men's shops that still sell men's nightshirts. These DO have slits on both sides but, those can be easily sewn up making a fine A-line Men's Dress. Most have wide stripes up and down, similar to but not nearly as expensive as the Middle Eastern men's robes while still being lots thinner also. The good part is they are made FOR men, and have no bumps for women's chests and no wide hips either. Being bigger than normal, I buy them from the Tall and Big men's catalog I get every month. Or you can call them at 1 800 846 1600 24/07

[Jack Williams]

I seem to be a size 16 (L) in both skirts and dresses, which simplifies things a bit.

[Sylvain]

I'd like to acquire a lightweight summer dress for the hot days.

With such a dress, how would a man carry his money, keys, cards, cell phone, etc?

[Milfmog]

I'd like to acquire a lightweight summer dress for the hot days.

With such a dress, how would a man carry his money, keys, cards, cell phone, etc?

In a bag?

Have fun,


Ian.

[Jack Williams]

That's the problem! Have'nt got my head around "manbags" yet.
Great to see so much interest in dresses. The ultimate garment it seems to me.

[Milfmog]

That's the problem! Have'nt got my head around "manbags" yet.

Nor have I. I don't own anything to which I would assign the name "manbag", anymore than I own any "mantrousers" or "manshoes". However I have a couple of over the shoulder bags (messenger bags?) that I regularly use even when wearing those strage and uncomfortable dual tubed garments. The bags hold wallet, change purse, diary, cell phone, glasses, car keys, house keys and the most essential item of all, a folding Swiss Army knife. Quite frankly they are by far the easiest way to keep my stuff together and ready to go.

Folks around here seem to have no more issues with men carrying a bag than they do with men having long hair or wearing an earing. I suspect that the use of a bag garners far fewer expressions of disapproval than wearing jeans below the backside.

Great to see so much interest in dresses. The ultimate garment it seems to me.

I will confess to both an interest in dresses and an extensive collection of zero examples This is simply because my sewing skills are limited to replacing a button and I seem to have the perfect shape not to fit any dress I've ever seen and thought "I wonder what that would be like to wear?" The modified Tshirt dress has some appeal, though I think I'd be more inclined to start with a polo shirt (or three) However, I just don't see me wearing anything like that outside the house anytime soon; Carole has enough doubts about the skirts that I will not push any harder for now, even if I found a dress I really wanted to wear.

Have fun,


Ian.

[sapphire]

Hey,
I'm still mystified by bra sizing and I've been wearing them since I was 12.

I do like the idea of men getting T or tank style dresses from Land's End. What you guys need is a dress that hangs straight down from the shoulders with no contoured seaming or darts.

Also see the thread in which Carl and I discuss his "little white dress"

Mentioned in this thread is the "racerback" styled dress. That is usually designed for athletic women, meaning those with a more developed, muscular upper body and would probably be stunning on a man.
Sapphire

[straightfairy]

Mentioned in this thread is the "racerback" styled dress. That is usually designed for athletic women, meaning those with a more developed, muscular upper body and would probably be stunning on a man.
Sapphire

I have a number of racerback style dresses for the house - I'll try and take some pics and upload at some point.

[crfriend]

Have'nt got my head around "manbags" yet.

I haven't either, but that's mainly because I don't think that sticking the three letter prefix of "man" in front of something necessarily makes it true.

I'd gotten on fine with "travelling light" until my workplace decided to shove a "smart 'phone" (will somebody please define "smart" for me?) at me once every three weeks, and this thing is about as pocket-friendly as the original Hewlett-Packard HP-35 "pocket calculator" (I have one in my collection; I know about them). So I found a bag. Here it is:

bag.jpg

This is one of Sapphire's old cast-off bags -- and a semi-formal one at that. It functions quite nicely as a clutch, and the thin strap is leather so it won't tear away too easily. It holds my wallet, my mobile 'phone, the work "smart 'phone", and my reading glasses quite handily. I usually carry it as a clutch, but the strap is useful for when I'm trying to carry other things in my hands. The stainless-steel bit is a six-inch ruler for scale.

Bags work -- the Europeans have known that for decades. The first exposure I had to a bloke with a handbag was from the UK and was the "top dog" at the Milton Keynes computing facility that was a counterpart to the one I was at in Waltham, MA in the very early '80s. So, this is not "new".

Interestingly, I find myself now carrying the bag even when I have sufficient pockets available; I seem to find it more convenient. Quite amazingly none of the wags at work have given me guff for it; perhaps they just think that I've gone 'round the bend.

Dear Sapphire has another in the works for me, of the same scale, but this one's a hand-made crochet job made from twine. Once other matters quiet down I hope it'll be ready for duty.

[Big and Bashful]

Carl,
So you collect calculators as well, does your collection extend to a Sharp EL-5100? I bought one in 1983 and still have it.Apart from one row of pixels in the alpha-numeric display it was working last time I put batteries in it.

[Jack Williams]

The problem with a clutch purse is that it does keep that hand out of action, and I'd be afraid of leaving it on a bus or somewhere. A friend, Grant, though has a great small bag from Army surplus on a webbing shoulder strap, for use with pocketless attire. I looked for one of those but out of stock, but I did get an acceptable pouch, but have yet to get more webbing strap for it. Then I can get further afield in pocketless skirts or the light denim summer dresses. At present I hold a small coin purse in my hand for some cash and key to local shops, and add it to the purchases in the supplied shopping bag. That is good to the local supermarket, and my denim dresses are supurb on the street I humbly believe!

[crfriend]

So you collect calculators as well, does your collection extend to a Sharp EL-5100?

The "little machines" are a sideline for me, and mostly encompass bits I've possessed personally over the years and haven't had the heart to throw out. I do not have an EL-5100. If you're looking to divest yourself of it, please try to find somebody who'd passionate about such devices locally.

The problem with a clutch purse is that it does keep that hand out of action, and I'd be afraid of leaving it on a bus or somewhere.

Small purses do not necessarily have to be "clutches", and my sequinned bag is an example with its shoulder-strap (which fits cross-body, mind). Running in "clutch mode" (hand-holding) is perfectly appropriate in situations where one doesn't feel the need to have both hands free (for combat? how often does that happen?) and can casually carry the thing in one hand. Having a strap gives the best of both worlds. I wrap the strap around the bag when I'm carrying it in "clutch mode".

Leaving the thing someplace is a matter of discipline. When driving, mine is usually in the pocket of my car door or at my right side under the safety-belt (which I always wear when in motion); at work, it's in a locked filing-cabinet, and the key to that is on a lanyard around my neck. At bars and whatnot, it's on the top surface and squarely in my line of sight. It just works.

[Davy]

I agree with all the comments about women's sizes; they are absolutely impossible to figure out. I have not had this problem as I have bought most of my stuff at stores (usually 2'nd hand ones; they are great and always have tons of women's clothing) where you can try them on before buying. I also agree that dresses are tricky because the tops never fit right; for this reason I prefer skirts. They are also easier to size approximately without trying on simply by holding them up to your waist.

[Jack Williams]

Here, there are two ways of sizing it seems. One goes: Small, Medium, Large, XL, etc., And the other goes: 12, 14, 16, 18, etc.
I find I am consistently a size "L" in one, and "16" in the other, skirts or dresses.
I do find though that getting an "M" size in the cotton t-dresses, makes for supurb under garment for bigger ones or skirts etc.

[Lawrence de Grande]

To determine your dress size I think you first should to measure your chest at what would be your "bra strap line" then I would go to most any dress retailer's website and look for "size charts" and check the bust sizes. The real trick then is to find dresses that are made for women with very small breasts so you do not end up with one that sags where it would normally accommodate breasts. I have several dresses that I have that problem with but as I only wear them at home so it doesn't matter that much.