Out and About -- In the World at Large

[Darryl]

I had been blown out of the water a couple weeks back when I encountered a young lady while leaving the office (and saw me in my skirted outfit) and I was just mesmerized by her bright, shiny, kilowatt smile. I felt like a moth meeting the candle.

Now, where the office is located is in the downtown area near the brand new KFC Yum! Stadium, International Convention Center and a few major hotels and so on so there is a fairly large number of people from outside the local area out and about that I seem to be running into on the one hand. On the other hand there are the times when I go to one of the several large shopping malls scattered about the metro area with the eastern area being somewhat liberal, the south and southwest being more country/redneck and the west...poor.

Either way, I notice a lot of ladies smiling when they see me, not all, but many. Today, after walking to the garage I caught the elevator at the pedway level and there was a middle-aged blonde business-lady in it, who just got a non-stop smile on her face. Just as the doors were closing someone hit the button outside and another brunette got in who just kept a straight face and just kind of kept 'eyes front.'

Given the lowered temperatures tomorrow I'm wearing my fleece-lined tights and a shapewear-half-slip that is on the warm side with a slightly longer skirt as I accumulate more data.

[Caultron]

I bet you never has anyone react to your pants that way, eh? Enjoy!

[Kingussie]

. . . I encountered a young lady while leaving the office (and saw me in my skirted outfit) and I was just mesmerized by her bright, shiny, kilowatt smile.

It's a shame we can't read their minds and discern the precise reasons and feelings behind those smiles.

[Caultron]

It's a shame we can't read their minds and discern the precise reasons and feelings behind those smiles.

So ask.

[skirtyscot]

My fellow choristers are quite used to seeing me in a skirt. I doubt they notice any more. But last week I decided to go for the denim mini and tights look for a change - pretty much as on page 3 of my pics thread http://www.skirtcafe.org/forums/viewtop ... 4&start=30 - and there were quite a few gobsmacked expressions. It's nice that I can still get some sort of reaction, I suppose. It was chilly in the church and lots of people were looking cold by the end of the rehearsal. But the only bit of me that was suffering were my fingers. If anything, my legs were too warm. So they can look askance all they like, I don't care!

Mrs SS, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice it, and she certainly didn't comment, which is a first. I can't tell if she does mind any more or if she has just given up!

[Charlie]

I was talking to a rather pretty Polish girl at our folk dance club the other night. She is the youngest club member by several decades
As I always wear a utility kilt to dance in, she asked if I wore a skirt on other occasions (I think she just sees a skirt, rather than call it a kilt). I replied tht I wore it most of the time because I find skirts more comfortable and, in the interests of equality as most women now wear trousers, why shouldn't I wear a skirt?
She replied (without a hint of malice) that perhaps I was a woman in a previous life. To which I should have replied, but didn't think of it, perhaps many women were men in previous lives

Charlie

[Caultron]

It sounds like she was accepting you as you were but still trying to figure you out.

But the important part is that she was accepting you and continuing the polite conversation.

And would this conversation with a pretty girl even have occurred if you'd been wearing trousers? I'm guessing not...

[Charlie]

And would this conversation with a pretty girl even have occurred if you'd been wearing trousers? I'm guessing not...

We've danced together before and know each other by name; I sat beside her and asked how she was, as an opener. But the conversation wouldn't have been about skirts if I'd worn trousers.
Charlie

[STEVIE]

Hi Charlie,
I've had more conversations with females from 18 to 80 about my skirts than I would ever had trousered.
Personally, I'm not interested in a "chick magnet", but if I was, the skirts would be way up there.
In many of these interludes, I didn't even make the "opener".
Steve.

[Caultron]

I have to say, in all my many years, I've never had a woman (let alone a young and attractive one) say, "Hey, I like your pants."

[Darryl]

I bet you never has anyone react to your pants that way, eh? Enjoy!

With my new kilt on - more smiles and 5 ladies even asked what the occasion was. I just grinned and said 'just got it, so I had to wear it!'

That was yesterday, wearing a "Pride of Scotland" tartan with kilt belt, sporran and kilt-pin over black fleece-lined tights and black dress shoes, with a white dress shirt without a tie and collar open with a green and black plaid fleece-lined hip-length coat with a hoodie.

Today, same outfit but with a black long-sleeve polo shirt with a Hilfigger jacket and hoodie as it was above freezing, finally.

More grins from the ladies and as I bought some Girl Scout cookies (4 boxes) I said I didn't need a bag. One young lady disregarded that, bagged the boxes and presented it to me with a flourish and a grin.

Leaving, I got a phone call so I stood there by the door to take the call and a guy came by, looked down at the kilt as he walked from my left to my right, then looked up at me with a grin and gave me a thumbs up. Hopefully he is a kilt-person and likes a well-done presentation.

[Caultron]

Darryl: And I bet you were so afraid the first time...

[Darryl]

Darryl: And I bet you were so afraid the first time...

Well...not petrified...but....concerned, perhaps.

After I'd started 12-hour shifts in the NOC and had support hose recommended by the nursing staff where my mom was...I snuck into the grocery, found the support hose, looked about surreptitiously once...twice...three times before picking up a pack by the tiniest piece of the corner and tossed them quickly into the cart and covered them up. Literally. My next time I had a shopping list "she" (who didn't exist) wanted me to fill for her. Still...they WORKED! Legs weren't dead tired after 12 hours on my feet (or more) and they even alleviated some of the leg cramps I'd been having. Then moving from wearing under trousers to "with" shorts.... Though by that time I'd had two medical doctors not only recommend I keep wearing them, but writing prescriptions for them.

It seems that each "demon" must be dealt with individually. Though with practice and experience it may become somewhat easier to plan and perhaps implement your plan. Then the nagging question are like 'have I gone to far this time' rather than simply "am I going too far?" Is there a line I didn't see that says 'this far, but no further?" Now I simply repeat the ditty: the only gender-specific clothing in existence is the jock-strap. Though I suspect each piece of 'forbidden' clothing will have its own 'demons' to conquer so unless one goes all out to present as a female - which may work cause you're a good actor - or people may notice and just act politely. Or.....

I always wanted to wear kilts, and after Polly muttered 'skirt' every time I said 'kilt' I said 'why not?' I do have the impression even after only two days out and about in the kilt and several months in skirts...that men in kilts are more tolerated than men in skirts. I think my only remaining frontier is a "long, shirt-like garment." A tunic, or dress in other words. Something coming to mid-thigh and/or knee-length that could be worn over leggings. Or hose?

I have a maxi-skirt but wear it...well, maybe once or twice.

So. Afraid? Somewhat. Something new and all that. Petrified? No, not this time.

[Eborian]

Had a good day out yesterday wearing a denim skirt, grey cable knit tights, black boots and a red fleecy top. Spent my time shopping in Street, Glastonbury and Cheddar. Had a few conversations but no bad comments.

[pelmut]

I went to a committee meeting a few nights ago which was supposed to be held in a converted farm outbuilding, The last time the meeting was held there, it was a bit chilly - and the weather this time was even colder - so I wore my woollen 'floor sweeper' with an extra underskirt for warmth. As we arrived, there came a message that the keyholder had been delayed, so we let ourselves into an old water mill building nearby and began the meeting by the light of electric torches in sub zero (C) temperature.

Among the committee was a very macho ex-army parachutist.

Someone asked me if I was finding the cold unbearable and, without thinking, I replied "Not really, I've put on an extra petticoat". The effect on the ex-para was stunning, being made all the funnier because I managed to keep a completely straight face. He later commented that he never expected to hear a man say that, but if anybody could carry it off, it had to be me.

The moral: Act normally and let the others wonder if they have got it wrong.