Dresses?

Discussion of fashion elements and looks that are traditionally considered somewhat "femme" but are presented in a masculine context. This is NOT about transvestism or crossdressing.
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Pdxfashionpioneer
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Re: Dresses?

Post by Pdxfashionpioneer »

OR, you could go to the store and try it on!
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Midas
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Re: Dresses?

Post by Midas »

In store choice is too limited, at least outside the biggest cities. Online shopping provides much more variety. Most suppliers do free returns, so trying dresses on at home is easy.

You can also do ‘click and collect’ which means you can try it on in the shop and return it immediately if needed.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by STEVIE »

Pdxfashionpioneer wrote: Sun Feb 26, 2023 11:23 am OR, you could go to the store and try it on!
Certainly my preferred option too but Midas also makes a valid point.
Shopping local sometimes works but come with limitations of its own.
Can't win!
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gender free universe
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Re: Dresses?

Post by gender free universe »

I bought this dress after a vacation in Egypt in a women's department because the design is exactly like an Egyptian Jellabiya. The bodice is tighter and the A-line skirt is flaring because two triangular gores were sewn in. The medieval cotte or cote (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotte) was also cut this way and was also worn by men.

Men can wear dresses because they have done so for several thousand years.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by STEVIE »

gender free universe wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:20 am Men can wear dresses because they have done so for several thousand years.
But they were most certainly not "Gender Free", non-binary, fluid or any other buzzword that you care to mention.
Today, we should mostly be able to wear whatever suits us without reference to anything or pretty much anyone else.
If we want to have that freedom, we just have to be seen to be using it.
Steve.
PS that does look good on you and really makes my point too, GFU.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by gender free universe »

Here you see the same gored cut in a medieval Cotte, worn by one man and two women. The design shows only slight gender differences in width, hem length, or color. Basically, un-bifurcated clothing was intended for everyone, regardless of gender.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by Chris Schumann »

When it's getting warmer again, from Spring till Autumn, i will be quite more often on shopping tours again.
No matter if just alone, or with some of my friends. And then we enter all those store and try on, what we like.
Makes much more fun, and often you say: "Oh, i need one size smaller/bigger"... - and can easily try that...

Online shopping is easy. Yes, for sure. But inormally only buy things there, when i know them.
Like mentioned, it makes a lot of fun to us, walking through the city, showing of what men can wear, drink some coffee at a bar and enter all those stores... - even the one for girlies... :mrgreen:
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Re: Dresses?

Post by Grok »

gender free universe, the garments intended for men would have broader shoulders.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by STEVIE »

Grok wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 11:18 pm gender free universe, the garments intended for men would have broader shoulders.
Can I also add that as one swallow does not make a summer, one illustration from antiquity is no indicator of the social norms of the period.
I will agree that the garments are all unbifurcated, maybe even very similar in cut, but I'd be very doubtful that there were not very distinct differences in what was deemed acceptable between men and women.
Naturally there would be cultural differences across all societies, then as there is now but I feel that it is unhelpful to try to use examples from past times to justify our fashion aims and aspirations.
Just as a Kilt is not a skirt, a jellabiya is not a dress.
Yes, it is tedious tiresome semantics but it is how they are perceived by society and it is that perception which we need to change.
The Universe is really gender free you know, we just have to convince our fellow earthlings of that simple fact.
Please note, for this purpose I am only referring to the assignation of gender in a very broad sense and to inanimate objects.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by rode_kater »

STEVIE wrote: Wed Mar 01, 2023 3:34 am I will agree that the garments are all unbifurcated, maybe even very similar in cut, but I'd be very doubtful that there were not very distinct differences in what was deemed acceptable between men and women.
If a group of people were stuck on a island and the only available piece of clothing was a simple grey shift, within short order people would be adjusting it, altering it, wearing it differently so that others would be able to see which "group" they belong to. It's just the way we are.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by STEVIE »

Yup, nowt queerer than folk we say.
Queer=strange in this case.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by Barleymower »

Stevie I just can't get on with dresses. I look at them and think they gorgeous and together with Mrs Gray I've tried a few of hers on. Then I've seen myself in the mirror and omg I look so bad. I just don't suit a dress.

Gender free universes dress however looks really good and very masculine.

Trouble is I see 'womans' dresses and think wow I'd like that but I know my broad shoulders,.arms, hairy chest and back are going to look abysmal. I could clear way the hair I know.

I will have to satisfy myself with beautiful skirts. At least then I can wear what I want and make it masculine in my own way.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by STEVIE »

Barleymower wrote: Wed Mar 01, 2023 4:17 pm Stevie I just can't get on with dresses.
That's OK cos you don't have to.
Fact is that if any garment makes you less than comfortable it will show so just don't go there.
That is another fundamental aspect of the advantage of choice which men have to grasp.
Sadly too that women are way ahead of us here as well.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by Barleymower »

I still think the are lovely. If only.
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Re: Dresses?

Post by gender free universe »

STEVIE wrote: Wed Mar 01, 2023 3:34 am
Grok wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 11:18 pm gender free universe, the garments intended for men would have broader shoulders.
Can I also add that as one swallow does not make a summer, one illustration from antiquity is no indicator of the social norms of the period.
I will agree that the garments are all unbifurcated, maybe even very similar in cut, but I'd be very doubtful that there were not very distinct differences in what was deemed acceptable between men and women.
Naturally there would be cultural differences across all societies, then as there is now but I feel that it is unhelpful to try to use examples from past times to justify our fashion aims and aspirations.
Just as a Kilt is not a skirt, a jellabiya is not a dress.
Yes, it is tedious tiresome semantics but it is how they are perceived by society and it is that perception which we need to change.
The Universe is really gender free you know, we just have to convince our fellow earthlings of that simple fact.
Please note, for this purpose I am only referring to the assignation of gender in a very broad sense and to inanimate objects.
Steve.
Indeed, there have always been differences between the clothing of women and men. Often the differences were limited to details. Men's clothing, for example, was shorter, but the basic cut was the same. It was merely adapted to the shape of the body.
The reason why a kilt (or a jellabija or a cotte) is not a skirt is that since about the French Revolution we have assigned skirts exclusively to females. Therefore, although the kilt is unbifurcated, it cannot be a skirt.
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