skirtcafe.org

Grok wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:34 pm Suggestion to those who would market a teeshirt dress for men....

Avoid the word "dress". Market the garment as a "tee", as though the name has been casually contracted.

Totally. I think a smart/fun marketing campaign could avoid the word dress altogether, call it a long tee or something like that, and extoll its casual benefits (ie, loungewear in the house, beachwear over trunks, etc...). And I do agree - being more formal in a skirt raises all sorts of style questions that - at least for the general male population - would question their "masculinity to the core".

Grok wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:34 pm Suggestion to those who would market a teeshirt dress for men....

Avoid the word "dress". Market the garment as a "tee", as though the name has been casually contracted.

I wrote a whole thread about what we call garments on here a couple of weeks ago - and everybody disagreed with me:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=22745

Stu wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:53 pm

Grok wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:34 pm Suggestion to those who would market a teeshirt dress for men....

Avoid the word "dress". Market the garment as a "tee", as though the name has been casually contracted.

I wrote a whole thread about what we call garments on here a couple of weeks ago - and everybody disagreed with me:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=22745

I wondered about that thread too - but I think there is a difference between calling a skirt:

A kilt (I don’t like it when fashion retailers do this) - this seems like they are glossing over what the garment is. If the garment has ties to a kilt in a few ways it feels less incorrect.

A manskirt/etc… just feels tacky and unnecessary

Whereas with a t-shirt dress you can call it a tunic - stretching the definition a bit but it’s up to the wearer whether they wear pants with it or not

Or a long tee - it’s similar to a manskirt in that it’s a fake name… but doesn’t try to gender it in any way and the name literally describes what it is.

IMHO, I’m not advocating for this, just wanted to clarify my thoughts.

Tunics as worn by modern women.

Mostly common sense although the initial suggestions could be summed up in one category of tunic with pants of any sort. The suggestion with a skirt looked wrong as the proportions seemed completely off. Nothing really knew learned but some things confirmed.

Coder wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 9:12 pmA manskirt/etc… just feels tacky and unnecessary

Hence my argument of, to quote Admiral Farragut's famous line, "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!"

That notion seems unpopular here, but I believe it's worth considering if my life experience has any meaning. In my local environs I am a "one-off" -- somebody truly remarkable and noticeable -- and it's mainly down to attire, but also to demeanour. Bearing, I have found, overrides appearance almost every time and that counts for a lot. If you're a decent human being and demonstrate that by behaviour then folks will appreciate that most of all and shuffle the "appearance" aspect into the background until it's brought up.

If you can carry it well, and behave unapologetically then you should have no problem whatsoever.

Is this what you mean?

STEVIE wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 9:08 am Is this what you mean?

Is that someone about to to look up your skirt?

Carl, I suggest you watch yourself; once again I'm agreeing with you.

I own and wear all kinds of dresses; to church, to the grocery store, to work, to job interviews. In fact, the other day I had a phone interview that I was told upfront would be for just 15 minutes that I still made a point of putting on one of my skirted suits with a silk blouse for. I wanted to be sure I was in the right frame of mind. Even when the interviews were by Zoom or in person and I wore a skirted suit or dress, they went just fine because that is how I dress for work.

So what is the right dress or skirt suit for business? Look at what your female colleagues are wearing (at least the ones who wear skirts or dresses). Make note of the ones that resonate with you. Find a version that's at least a half of a cut above. Take whatever precautions you feel necessary to make sure you're not going to lose your job over this. And then just do it!

With your head held high. You'll be glad you did, because the feeling of freedom will be exhilarating! What's more you will find that you just unleashed your authentic, best self and people will respond better to people and they will to you much better than they ever have before.

There won't ever be a perfect business dress for men because that's the best part of womenswear, the incredible variety. We may never see a majority of men wearing some sort of skirt or dress. We all that will be their loss. But more to the point, it shouldn't matter one whit to any of us. Every one of us knows who we are and that we have nothing to be ashamed of so live that reality. Be yourself, everyone else is taken already.

And before you dismiss what I am saying with some observation about how long my hair now is (and my nails too for that matter), look at the pictures of me at work from before I went to Hair Club. I got LOTS of compliments on my appearance and my clothing choices from both friends and strangers long before I got my new hair.

If you put some thought, taste and effort into your presentation, it will work the same way for you!

STEVIE wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 9:08 amIs this what you mean?

That, Sir, is one exuberant look! Top marks

What an exuberant look. I love the waistcoat, it's a long time since I wore one. I used to wear three piece suits all the time along with a pocket watch.

Sinned wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:32 pmI used to wear three piece suits all the time along with a pocket watch.

Back when I was wearing suits I did the same -- and also carried pocket-watches.

I still do the latter, mainly in my waistcoat pockets, but I also have a delightful little one that's a pendant design and works very, very nicely with several of my dresses and double-breasted waistcoats. I also have the watches of several of my ancestors going back generations, including one exquisite piece that dates to 1895 when a timepiece was given to my grandmother's father's sister on her 21st birthday -- a woman's pocket-watch designed to be worn in a blouse (or upper waistcoat pocket) with a very short chain and an exquisitely beautiful fob that hung outside the pocket which terminated in a stamp designed to wax-seal envelopes emblazoned with her family's surname initial which, by happy coincidence, matches my given name. In keeping with who/what I am, all are operational and see occasional use when the fancy strikes.

My great-grandfather's and his sister's are the ones that tend to catch peoples breath up short.

I used to wear 3 piece suits for a few years right after finishing school - I have always had a thing for clothing and I did like the waistcoat and the tailoring on good suiting. That said I am converted to skirt suits now - but I have not paired a waistcoat with any skirt suits - the jackets on your skirt suiting are usually shorter to accentuate your hips/skirt so I haven't tried it.

good suiting - be it pant suits/ skirt suits is good suiting and is to be appreciated.

NZF

nz, a waistcoat should end one inch below the trouser waistband so therefore should pair up with a skirt without any problem. But since a jacket in a skirt suit is generally shorter than a man's suit jacket then in theory this could be a problem. Or not. I have googled this and the pictures I have seen look favourable for the combination. Maybe a conversation with a tailor might be suggested, if your interest is piqued. It's something I would consider. Of course the jacket could be dispensed with, the result being a good look.

Sinned wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 12:08 amOf course the jacket could be dispensed with, the result being a good look.

Indeed I wear waistcoats with skirts very frequently and the look is a nice one. It works well. It's certainly more casual than with a jacket/blazer, but well above what the rest of the general population wears.