Control issues....

[crfriend]

Sapphire signed us up for a "masquerade ball" in our little hamlet that's occurring next month to raise funds for one of the local parks and recreation areas, and I (Sapphire, too) figured it'd be a fun time to show off my new finery in a fairly spectacular setting. However, one problem remains -- that of controlling the very long skirts I just acquired.

Both of the new skirts are almost floor-length and they're heavy; they are also damnably difficult to manage properly and seem to get in the way when they shouldn't. They're fine if I'm standing in one place, but cause "issues" once I start moving at any sort of speed.

So, I tossed an order off this afternoon for a very long petticoat (or, as the purveyor puts it, an "Edwardian Hoop Underskirt"). The skirts are designed to be full enough to accommodate this sort of a layer, so it just makes sense to do, and I believe it'll solve most of the problems I've experienced.

Fortunately the hoop is removeable. I say "fortunately" because there's precisely no way I could get into my car with an "up to 80-inch circumference hoop" under a skirt that already takes up quite a bit more room in the passenger compartment of my car than I do! Eighty inches in circumference comes to [reaches for slide rule (and reading-glasses)] about 25.4 inches in diameter -- slightly more than two feet (it's even worse than I thought, that would not fit under the steering-column).

I'll post a followup detailing the adventures (both with the skirts and the ball) once the piece in question arrives and I've survived the latter. (If I do not survive the latter, I specifically reserve the right to not respond.)

[AMM]

This is why I don't wear skirts that get closer than 9" to the ground, except maybe when hanging around the apartment. I want the skirt to be responsible for keeping it off the ground, not me.

As for hoops: I think you'd need to ride in the back of a limo to find enough space. I sometimes wear crinoline petticoats to dances, and it's not trivial fitting myself, the skirt, and the petticoat into the driver's seat of a minivan.

I also wonder how a mere 80" hoop would lift the skirt enough to keep it off the ground. It can't be 80" at the waist -- how far down does it reach that circumference?

[Uncle Al]

<snip>
I'll post a followup detailing the adventures (both with the skirts and
the ball) once the piece in question arrives and I've survived the
latter. (If I do not survive the latter, I specifically reserve the right to
not respond.)

AHHHHHHHHH
But WE reserve the right to know how it worked out for you
and want the pic's to prove it

Uncle Al

[Kilted_John]

Carl,

Yes, pics, or we call shens.

With respect to wearing a skirt and petticoat, while driving, I noticed that it was harder with a double layer petticoat of the stiff nylon type, whereas, a softer single layer one was quite easy to deal with. Still provided just enough width to the hem. Granted, the square dancing skirt I was wearing was knee-length, or just above knee when either petticoat was added, so it wasn't as hard to deal with as an ankle-length (or floor length) rig. The double-layer was still doable, just made me sit about 2" higher in the car. Normally, I don't sit any higher than I do whilst trousered, if I'm skirted, but, I do have to readjust the mirrors when kilted, since that bumps me up about an inch or so.

-J

[crfriend]

As for hoops: I think you'd need to ride in the back of a limo to find enough space. I sometimes wear crinoline petticoats to dances, and it's not trivial fitting myself, the skirt, and the petticoat into the driver's seat of a minivan.

I know your vehicle well, AMM, as I piloted sister ships for 20 years. They are positively magnificent vehicles (an improvement on many of their successors, I'll add), but, as you allude to, even "large volume" minivans can be "lacking" in key areas when dealing with entirely-obsolete attire. My current sports-car is even more so.

The hoop in this one is billed as "removeable" which implies that it's also "reinstallable" -- the question, then, becomes, "with how much effort and potential embarrassment?". I'm looking at the hoop as a "science experiment"; the rest of the garment is really a moderate petticoat.

I also wonder how a mere 80" hoop would lift the skirt enough to keep it off the ground. It can't be 80" at the waist -- how far down does it reach that circumference?

According to the doco the hoop is about 4 inches from the bottom of the underskirt, which, on me, would out it about eight inches from the ground. This would likely be enough to keep the skirt from causing interference with either legs or the terrain. As I've mentioned before, both of my newest skirts are "extreme" when it comes to length; if I can tame them with tools, talent, or sheer will, I'll state the results.

Yes, pics, or we call shens.

I hate sound like a noob, but what's a "shens"? We may have a dialect problem here.

The double-layer was still doable, just made me sit about 2" higher in the car. Normally, I don't sit any higher than I do whilst trousered, if I'm skirted, but, I do have to readjust the mirrors when kilted, since that bumps me up about an inch or so.

Here's something I hadn't contemplated -- vertical clearance for the noggin.

I normally sit with less than a quarter of an inch clearance betwixt the top of my little pointy head and the headliner of my car. The sunroof provides an extra half-inch of clearance for the right side of my head (I'm in the US, so I sit in the "left seat"). Over the years, I just learned to adjust to leaning my head over then presented with an upcoming chuckhole; if the new garment shoves me vertically by much (as measured from my backside) we may have another set of problems to worry about.

Does it really need to be this complicated? I'll posit no, but in my case I admit that I'm blurring "timezones" just a wee bit.

[Kilted_John]

Carl,

Shens = Shenanigans (sp?). Just a shorthand way of saying it.

You might need to tilt the seat back a little more, since there's not much clearance. I drive Volvo wagons, so I do have some more headroom, plus I am kinda short.

-J

[Raakone]

Hope it goes well/went well.

Another thing....did you know that it was because of the hoop skirt going out of style that....the measuring tape was invented? At a factory somewhere in the US (forgot where), in the 1800's, they were making metal for the frames of hoopskirts. And then....hoopskirts started falling out of fashion. Someone there noticed that the metal, which was solid, yet easily bendable, or even rollable if need be, could be used for a measuring device. Interesting, eh?

[crfriend]

Hope it goes well/went well.

It hasn't gone down yet, that's on the 20th of March. The underskirt I ordered hasn't shipped yet, so it may be a bit of a tight squeeze actually receiving the garment and then figuring out how to control the whole rig. Compounding the "opportunities", there's a rememberance for H.P. Lovecraft in Providence on the afternoon of the 14th, which is typically Goth-styled that I am contemplating.

As I mentioned, I'll post details and other tidbits as they roll in or get scraped up off the floor.

Another thing....did you know that it was because of the hoop skirt going out of style that....the measuring tape was invented?

I did not know that. Out of curiosity, and I mean no disrespect, do you have a citation for that? I'm usually rather wary of urban legend, although this one does sound somewhat plausible.