Guys & Gals,
Well, we are going to our first contra dance, wife as agreed to allow me to wear a skirt. However, a Sport Kilt that I ordered just arrived (see pic below), so I am considering wearing the Kilt instead -- it is very nice.
I am not sure what to wear with the kilt, so I would appreciate a little help.
I am considering a long sleeve, white dress shirt (the kind you would wear with a necktie) and perhaps a brown vest.
I have knee socks in dark gray and navy blue, probably go for the dark gray. Finally, a pair of black shoes -- normal dress black shoes -- reason for this is I have a special pair made for ballroom dancing that move very nicely on the dance floor.
Does this sound reasonable? Does anyone have any suggestions? I wouldn't mind something more authentic for the top, but I don't know what or where to get it.
Going to the dance
Going to the dance
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-John
______________________
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself (Rick Nelson "Garden Party")
______________________
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself (Rick Nelson "Garden Party")
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cessna152towser
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I'd say the kilt is always good for going dancing. A lightweight sport kilt would be fine for a warm dance hall. As its not a formal kilt, I'd probably wear it casual with a polo shirt, though if the dance is more formal you can always wear a dress shirt and necktie. I have found that conventional blazers and jackets do not work with a kilt as they give a top heavy appearance - if wearing a jacket you either need to have a proper kilt jacket such as an Argyle, or tailor an ordinary jacket to suit the kilt by shortening its length a few inches. Though while dancing you would leave off your blazer/jacket as you would get too hot.
Please view my photos of kilts and skirts, old trains, vintage buses and classic aircraft on http://www.flickr.com/photos/cessna152towser/
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AMM
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Keep in mind that Contra Dances are usually pretty hot, regardless of the temperature outside, because you and everyone else is doing vigorous physical exercise pretty much continuously for 2.5 hours out of a 3 hour evening.
You don't want to dress too warmly. You might be too warm in a kilt, even if you don't wear anything else. You may see some people who dress as if they were going to the gym for a workout, but I think that that goes to far: it makes it seem as if they see the evening as just exercise and not a social event.
A lot of people (men, especially) bring extra shirts and T-shirts, so they can change during the evening, and not gross out their partners with their soaking wet shirts. When I go to longer dances, I often bring a change of skirt (and extra slips), too. The nice thing about a nice full, but not too long, skirt is that you can spin around to cool off the lower part of your body.
Experienced women dancers generally wear lightweight dresses or skirts and blouses, and avoid tights and pantyhose, also to keep cool. (Some people even dance in bare feet.) Your wife may regret her decision to wear jeans!
Shoes: many halls require that people change into shoes that they don't wear outside before entering the hall -- I'd advise wearing other shoes on your way to and from the dance. If you're older, like me, you may want to make sure that the shoes don't grip too tightly on the floor; when you're swinging (which you will be doing roughly 1/4 of the time), you want your shoes to slide easily so you don't apply too much torque to your right knee.
You don't want to dress too warmly. You might be too warm in a kilt, even if you don't wear anything else. You may see some people who dress as if they were going to the gym for a workout, but I think that that goes to far: it makes it seem as if they see the evening as just exercise and not a social event.
A lot of people (men, especially) bring extra shirts and T-shirts, so they can change during the evening, and not gross out their partners with their soaking wet shirts. When I go to longer dances, I often bring a change of skirt (and extra slips), too. The nice thing about a nice full, but not too long, skirt is that you can spin around to cool off the lower part of your body.
Experienced women dancers generally wear lightweight dresses or skirts and blouses, and avoid tights and pantyhose, also to keep cool. (Some people even dance in bare feet.) Your wife may regret her decision to wear jeans!
Shoes: many halls require that people change into shoes that they don't wear outside before entering the hall -- I'd advise wearing other shoes on your way to and from the dance. If you're older, like me, you may want to make sure that the shoes don't grip too tightly on the floor; when you're swinging (which you will be doing roughly 1/4 of the time), you want your shoes to slide easily so you don't apply too much torque to your right knee.
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Charlie
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I contra dance in a modern 21stC kilt, with a polo shirt. I imagine the sport kilt is about the same weight as the 21stC kilt - not too heavy. Legwear is knee-high woollen socks and (shock horror) sandals - my feet get far too hot in shoes. If anyone knows of a thinner and cooler alternative to knee-high woollen socks, please let me know.
For the top, how about a Jacobite shirt. See:
http://www.kilts.org/components/com_vir ... afad06.jpg
although the long sleeves may make you quite warm.
The kilt is great fun, you can twirl in the do-si-dos and make it flare out. Best to wear something underneath though
Have (great) fun
Charlie
For the top, how about a Jacobite shirt. See:
http://www.kilts.org/components/com_vir ... afad06.jpg
although the long sleeves may make you quite warm.
The kilt is great fun, you can twirl in the do-si-dos and make it flare out. Best to wear something underneath though
Have (great) fun
Charlie
If I want to dress like a woman, I'll wear jeans.
Tonight's the night
OK,
The gig is still on and it's going to be the kilt, red polo, black socks, black shoes. Would like to wear ankle high clod hoppers, but I don't think they will dance very well. I do have a 2" wide black belt and will bring it along in case of problems, but the kilt stays up without it.
Considering wearing the polo out rather than tucked in. Does it matter either way?
Wife is going to wear a skirt, we shopped and found a nice outfit for her.
Don't know if we will run into anyone we know, it's possible since we have friends in dance and theater. If so, then they will be introduced to a new side of me!
The gig is still on and it's going to be the kilt, red polo, black socks, black shoes. Would like to wear ankle high clod hoppers, but I don't think they will dance very well. I do have a 2" wide black belt and will bring it along in case of problems, but the kilt stays up without it.
Considering wearing the polo out rather than tucked in. Does it matter either way?
Wife is going to wear a skirt, we shopped and found a nice outfit for her.
Don't know if we will run into anyone we know, it's possible since we have friends in dance and theater. If so, then they will be introduced to a new side of me!
-John
______________________
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself (Rick Nelson "Garden Party")
______________________
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself (Rick Nelson "Garden Party")
-
SkirtDude
Went to the dance!
Well, we arrived at the dance last night around 7PM EST - I was wearing my kilt outfit and wife in her shirt (pretty black with pink flowers, light and breezy). We signed in, then introduced ourselves.
We told people we were new to this, so we were quickly taken under their wing and shown a few of the steps.
Looking around, there were many women in skirts, one guy in a skirt (first I have ever seen). His skirt was pretty lightweight too. In fact, most of the skirts in general were lightweight and twirled very well. Guys in tie-dye shirts and shorts -- a few pairs of long trousers. Felt sorry for the guys in long trousers! Wife says it look like a hippie reunion!
I danced the first dance with the gal that showed us some of the initial steps. It went pretty well, caught on, but the swing your partner stuff got my head spinning a bit. This became easier after a couple of dances -- found that people look each other in the eye and that seems to help keep from getting the whirleys.
The dances became progressively harder, but people were very helpful, the music was great, they had three different live groups that night and they did very well!
We left about an hour early because my wife was having knee trouble and couldn't say no to someone who asked her to dance. I didn't want to risk breaking her first time out, we will work into this!
The only comment about the kilt was "are you Scottish Dancer?". I had to say no, just an American dancer. I was asked to dance by two different ladies so the kilt was pretty much a non-event. It is a "sport kilt" and made of lighter material than the typical 10+ yard kilt and as a result, it was quite cool. I was sweating and consuming vast quantities of water, however, because it is a heck of a workout and you can't just quit when you want to, you have to finish a dance!
Since we left early, we went to a bar where my wife's friends were singing karaoke. I didn't change out of my kilt, decided to go for it even though I didn't know anything about this particular bar.
There were three gals just outside the entrance cooling off and clearly under the influence. They made quite a bit of noise as I approached and didn't even notice my wife who was dressed in a nice skirt. Told them it was a kilt and we had been to a contradance, they decided it was OK and allowed me to pass -- no toll from the door trolls.
Once inside, I was introduced to my wife's friends who seemed to approve, one said "good choice", but later said he thought I was wearing a dress -- egad. Must be the red shirt. I also got the "what's under your kilt question". I have to admit I lifted my kilt at that point and showed her -- what the heck (stripped boxers).
All in all, we had a great night, the world didn't end and best of all, my wife was supportive and managed to get through all of this without coming unglued and being overly embarrassed. We now have a new group of friends and a new activity we can do together this winter. I love contradancing! It's more fun than a white man should be allowed to have!
We told people we were new to this, so we were quickly taken under their wing and shown a few of the steps.
Looking around, there were many women in skirts, one guy in a skirt (first I have ever seen). His skirt was pretty lightweight too. In fact, most of the skirts in general were lightweight and twirled very well. Guys in tie-dye shirts and shorts -- a few pairs of long trousers. Felt sorry for the guys in long trousers! Wife says it look like a hippie reunion!
I danced the first dance with the gal that showed us some of the initial steps. It went pretty well, caught on, but the swing your partner stuff got my head spinning a bit. This became easier after a couple of dances -- found that people look each other in the eye and that seems to help keep from getting the whirleys.
The dances became progressively harder, but people were very helpful, the music was great, they had three different live groups that night and they did very well!
We left about an hour early because my wife was having knee trouble and couldn't say no to someone who asked her to dance. I didn't want to risk breaking her first time out, we will work into this!
The only comment about the kilt was "are you Scottish Dancer?". I had to say no, just an American dancer. I was asked to dance by two different ladies so the kilt was pretty much a non-event. It is a "sport kilt" and made of lighter material than the typical 10+ yard kilt and as a result, it was quite cool. I was sweating and consuming vast quantities of water, however, because it is a heck of a workout and you can't just quit when you want to, you have to finish a dance!
Since we left early, we went to a bar where my wife's friends were singing karaoke. I didn't change out of my kilt, decided to go for it even though I didn't know anything about this particular bar.
There were three gals just outside the entrance cooling off and clearly under the influence. They made quite a bit of noise as I approached and didn't even notice my wife who was dressed in a nice skirt. Told them it was a kilt and we had been to a contradance, they decided it was OK and allowed me to pass -- no toll from the door trolls.
Once inside, I was introduced to my wife's friends who seemed to approve, one said "good choice", but later said he thought I was wearing a dress -- egad. Must be the red shirt. I also got the "what's under your kilt question". I have to admit I lifted my kilt at that point and showed her -- what the heck (stripped boxers).
All in all, we had a great night, the world didn't end and best of all, my wife was supportive and managed to get through all of this without coming unglued and being overly embarrassed. We now have a new group of friends and a new activity we can do together this winter. I love contradancing! It's more fun than a white man should be allowed to have!
-John
______________________
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself (Rick Nelson "Garden Party")
______________________
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself (Rick Nelson "Garden Party")
-
Charlie
- Member Extraordinaire
- Posts: 679
- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:52 pm
- Location: Somerset, England
Glad you enjoyed the dance John, contra really is quite a workout. I'd guess you expend as much (or more?) energy in 90 mins of contra as you would playing football or rugby. You certainly get a lot hotter.
I hope your wife is glad she wore a skirt. Nowadays, my wife never wear trousers to dances - she learned the hard way
I find gazing into your partner's eyes during the swings is OK, but I like to keep track of who I'll be dancing with next, so I'll know who to grab when the swing ends
Charlie
I hope your wife is glad she wore a skirt. Nowadays, my wife never wear trousers to dances - she learned the hard way
I find gazing into your partner's eyes during the swings is OK, but I like to keep track of who I'll be dancing with next, so I'll know who to grab when the swing ends
Charlie
If I want to dress like a woman, I'll wear jeans.