Pondering dresses vs. skirts - YouLookFab Forum

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Pondering dresses vs. skirts

Keix

Veteran

Recently I was doing a mini closet edit and got to thinking about why I have many more dresses than skirts. I own 20 dresses and 13 skirts, and while every single dress is easily memorable, I hardly wear or remember the skirts. Some of it is an orphan issue, but I can come up with at least 1 outfit for most of the skirts--I just don't want to wear them these days.

Skirts were actually my first foray into fashion and dressing intentionally, because my high school had a strict dress code with a uniform polo shirt and no jeans allowed. I hated khakis so started wearing skirts instead. And in college, I wore tights with skirts and sweaters as a break from the monotony of jeans during winter.

Peri's thread about her dress struggles also made me think about the shopping aspect. I LOVE shopping for dresses. I wouldn't say I'm an "easy" fit per se, as my waist is 1-2 sizes larger than the rest of me and oversized pieces tend to overwhelm my petite frame, but a stretchy knit fit-and-flare or a fabulous printed silk slipdress make me feel so feminine despite an eternally boyish figure. I'm going to two weddings this year and still have no excuse for dress shopping because I already have multiple appropriate options to choose from!

Skirts should be equally girly, right? If only they weren't so fussy around the waist, my most sensitive part. I gain 1-2 inches in the waist throughout the day and am sitting all day at work. I've pared it down to primarily elastic-waist skirts, but since I have no waist definition of my own, it's harder to create a flattering silhouette. I despise sitting for long periods of time in pencil skirts, so I banned them from my closet a few years ago and have been much happier since. A-line and full skirts, though, aren't the style that I "should" be wearing as a rectangle/apple.

One of my goals for this summer is to wear ALL of my skirts, at least once. It's hard for me to evaluate them while playing dress-up because a lot of my aversion comes from having to live/sit in a skirt all day. Of course, I also want to wear my summer dresses more, now that I've sorted the medium-weight topper issue for indoor air conditioning. We'll see if I successfully manage to avoid falling back on jeans and t-shirts.

Which do you prefer, dresses or skirts? Is it primarily due to ease-of-wearing or ease-of-shopping?

Dressing

36 replies

Latest reply was from retailgirl

Bijou

Veteran

I find I am quite seasonal in my preference for dresses vs skirts. In summer, I wear dresses often. I find them to be cool and comfortable. However, in winter, I find it harder to find dresses with sleeves and will wear my skirts with a knit top probably more often than dresses. I do not have any discomfort in wearing skirts. Being comfortable is a priority for me, especially at work so if I was uncomfortable in skirts, then I would not wear them.

anne

Veteran

I'm exactly the same as Bijou!

Sally

Veteran

I dont own any skirts. I either wear pants, leggings or dresses. I find skirts uncomfortable on my waist too and hard to style as I'm quite apple shaped and I don't like any tightness around my waist. I used to wear some skirts that hung on the hips but still found that hard to style. I find dresses so much easier to wear and my skirts have slowly disappeared from my wardrobe. I'm also fussy about my trousers too and prefer jeans with lots of stretch and a mid rise.

Penny

Veteran

I live in dresses, and have given away all of my skirts over the years (other than two skirt suits) - like you, KL, they aren't as comfortable to me, and dresses are so much easier to style. As you go through the summer and wear your skirts, it may make sense to think about which ones are making you happiest and maybe let go of some that you don't enjoy wearing as much. Good luck!

Brooklyn

Veteran

I used to have a preference for dresses over skirts in all seasons. Not for comfort or fit reasons. It was more because I found it easier with a dress to create a pulled together look (without too much thought!) than it is with a skirt. But more recently I have realised that skirts are probably better for me because they give me more variety than dresses. It is harder to create a variety of looks with a dress. And I really like variety. So I have actually been trying to buy skirts and not dresses. I do wear a lot of stretchy skirts, so there is no comfort issue for me.

harmonica

Veteran

Like Bijou I wear more skirts in the winter and dresses in summer. I'm constantly looking for great everyday dresses because they make me happy. I find dresses more fun and dressier, though often fit is easier with skirts. Over the years, I've found that a charcoal pencil is my #1 wardrobe essential. I like the versatility with skirts (just change the top). I'm like you, petite, apple shaped and short waisted, and wear a line skirts. What is it about a line skirts you find difficult? Does the waistband move around? (That's really annoying)

ETA: Dresses aren't necessarily dressier than skirts, but for me it *feels* more festive with a dress, even the most casual ones.

Anonymous

I like and wear both dresses and skirts but find it hard to find dresses that are long enough. I like dresses for the instant outfit and skirts because they can be worn with different pieces and I can be more creative. I find that tube skirts are the most comfortable and flattering, especially with a draped top worn untucked.

Ginger

Veteran

I wear both equally, I think. But my preference is for dresses, because of what Brooklyn said: it's so much easier to look pulled together. I really like variety, too, so I solve that with MOAR DRESSES. (I'm contemplating another one!) I'm kind of grumpy at the moment, actually; this faux spring weather is hard to dress for, and a number of my in-between dresses and workhorse skirts are sitting in the ironing pile. :p

Anonymous

Funny - after reading this and thinking about it a bit, I realize that I have not bought a skirt now in more than a year. Way back when - lol - when I was slim and trim, skirts were part of my work wardrobe 12 months a year. But as I became less easy to fit, it wasn't worth the fussing and anxiety trying to find a skirt that flattered and was comfortable, and that didn't require purchasing a whole new slew of pieces to go with it. The only skirts I own now are golf and running skirts . I love dresses for everyday wear, but am petrified of them for dressy/formal occasions .

shiny

Veteran

Another apple here who prefers dresses vs skirts due to comfort & fit issues. I wish skirts were easier to fit, for exact reasons Brooklyn mentioned: versatility. All those capsule wardrobe and what-to-pack plans always include a skirt, and for good reason.

Currently I think I have exactly three skirts in my closet: two tube skirts and a pair of EF skirted leggings (not sure those count). All are knits with elastic waistbands. Whenever I'm tempted to buy another skirt, I go into my storage stash where I have lots of pretty skirts, that each fit for a couple of weeks when the moon was full and I was dehydrated just enough. LOL

El Cee

Veteran

I prefer the mix-and-match versatility of skirts. I also find that they are easier to "casualize" for my current lifestyle. And, as a tall, curvy woman, I find that my options for flattering "long enough" dresses are quite limited. I did add a few cocoon and sweater dresses to my wardrobe this season. They are mid-thigh on me, so I wear them as tunics over skinny jeans or flares.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I love to wear dresses in the summer, because they are so cool and comfy and easy. I have work ones, and casual ones. In the winter, I don't wear a lot of either, but I think I tend to favour skirts. I have noted however, that Every Single Skirt I still wear, is a ponte knit, or a tube skirt. No tight waistbands for me, either! I also wear a lot of running skirts or Edie Bauer skorts in the summer, depending on the level of casual. They feel dressier than shorts, but with the ease.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Your reasoning makes a lot of sense, KL.

I slightly prefer skirts to dresses, but love both. Skirts are more versatile. I have more skirts than dresses at the moment, but want to get more dresses because they are an easy pull-on-and-go.

Anonymous

I really want to wean myself off jeans at work too. (I think this change of heart is because I'm getting older.)

I tried skirts last year, KL, and they're fine, but they're not where I'm at in my style journey. I like pants with a bit of a heel--this is the silhouette that feels most 'me' at this point.

I do love dresses, though shopping for them is difficult. A-line shifts are the best, but are surprisingly hard to find.

Elle

Veteran

I'm primarily a dress person for many of the same reasons - hate hate anything constricting my waist, riding up of narrow skirts, and matching problem. Wearing dresses seem so easy to me. just put on and go. I do have one stretchy tube midi skirt that I love. Obviously, I'm all about comfort.....

JAileen

Veteran

I wore skirts and dresses when I worked. Only pants on Fridays, and never jeans, unless I had to go in on the weekend.

Dresses are an instant outfit. With skirts, you have the possibility of multiple outfits, assuming you have a variety of tops. I bought a skirt the other day and Angie scolded me for not buying the accompanying top. There wasn't one, though. It definitely worried me, but I eventually found a few tops that I hope will work. Since I don't work, the skirt (and I also bought a couple of dresses!) are for events that always seem to come up - dinners, weddings, etc.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I am finding skirts AND dresses more problematic lately. I think the last skirt I bought was my blue ruched tube skirt, two years ago, that is a summer semi-workhorse. All my other skirts are slowly disappearing from my closet. I just don't wear them. I know that part of the issue is that my preference is for pencil skirts, and my old pencil skirts now pinch in the waist in a way they never did before (thanks, menopause! :-P). But they are also kind of fussy to dress down for my casual life.

My dress collection has dwindled over the last couple of years too. There is such a dearth of interesting, casual dresses that are long enough for my taste. I want something unusual and fun, but still flattering and versatile. Seems to be a mythical creature.

Keix

Veteran

It’s interesting to see all the variety of skirt-owning habits!

@Penny: Yes, I’m hoping that my skirt exercise will help me decide which ones to pass on. The majority of my skirts are several years old, and some of them don’t really fit into my current style.

I tried hard to cull in favor of elastic-waist skirts because they are so much more comfortable, but then the waistband is also bulkier. I do love the look of a fitted-waist flared skirt—when I’m standing up most of the time, which isn’t my life.

@Brooklyn and Ginger: I love variety too, but like Ginger I’ve done it by acquiring a wide variety of dresses Also jeans, which are still the most practical option for me.

@harmonica: Please share your skirt-wearing secrets with me! Especially pencil skirts, which I find the most aggravating piece of clothing ever: the waist constricts when I sit down or eat anything and tends to rotate around too. I prefer A-line skirts for the greater ease of movement, but still find them tight in the waist usually. Many of my skirts have an adjustable waist but aren’t fully elastic, e.g. an “elastic” waistband created by a ribbon tie. So I end up fussing with it throughout the day. The fully elastic skirts tend to slide up and down when I tuck a slippery top into them, as I like to do because silk tops drape better and tucking gives me a longer leg line.

I am interested in the idea of stretchy tube skirts as a few people brought up. I have one draped top now that might work untucked over one. Previously I was trying to tuck tops into the tube skirts that I bought, which never worked and led to a prompt return.

Many people also expressed annoyance at finding dresses that are long enough. That must be one of the advantages of being short! I’ve passed on a few too-short skater dresses but my latest dress acquisition (I know, I shouldn’t be adding to the collection, shhh) needs to be hemmed. I do have to get the torso altered sometimes, due to petite proportions, but I can choose dress styles that are more flexible in fit (e.g. adjustable spaghetti-straps, higher necklines).

Diana

Veteran

I prefer dresses but I own more skirts (if you don't count the formal wear). This is because skirts are easier for me to fit, as my bust is a size smaller than my hips, and my shoulders/back are even more so.

My favorite style is a waistless dress (either a sack/a-line shift or princess seamed) because although I am a pear shape with a relatively small waist, I also cannot stand things that are tight around my waist. This is even more true in the summer heat and humidity. I'm also very short waisted so the waistbands on dresses are never in the right place. Anyway, this particular style of dress, without waist seams or elastic, is surprisingly difficult to find. I also think it's easier to wear a dress over skinny jeans/pants, which is a look I like in the winter, whereas it just looks/feels bulky and weird to wear a skirt over pants.

For skirts, I get around the waistband issue by buying a size larger (which is often necessary to fit my butt anyway) and having the waist sit lower. This does not work for pencil skirts but I don't like them anyway and don't own any. (I do like tube skirts though.)

Anonymous

KL - Jeans have a constricting waistband too, so perhaps it's not the waistband per-se that's the problem with skirts. Just a thought...

Diana

Veteran

Re: the constricting waistbands on jeans vs. skirts. This is why I like low and mid-rise jeans and hate high rises on pants (well, that, and the fact that they emphasize my short-waisted pear shape way too much). I don't mind waistbands when they are lower down, around my hips or even my lower belly. It's just when they're around my natural waist (or even worse when they shift up to crush my ribs) that I am really uncomfortable. This is why I like to size up on my skirts so that they are lower rise. The problem with pencils and other fitted/stiff skirts (and hence why i avoid them) is that they'll ride up to my narrowest point (natural waist) anyway. Jeans/pants, because of their construction, really can't ride up in the same way.

Anonymous

Ah, I see, Diana! And now that you mention it, I don't like skirts for that reason TOO! My waist is essential right at my rib cage, and skirts will ride up that high.

Keix

Veteran

Smittie: like Diana, I only wear low-rise and lowish-mid-rise jeans that sit on my hips. I have a long torso and a short waist, so my natural waist and tummy bloating all happens above my jeans waistband.

I can definitely imagine having a similar waistband issue with high-rise jeans, though.

rachylou

Veteran

Gosh. Have to think, but I don't believe I should have to (lol). In theory, I like them equally. BUT... I wear dresses/skirts when it's hot. And when it's hot, I like the simplicity of just putting on one thing and being done - i.e., a dress. But then again, I wear skirts quite a bit over leggings for the apron effect.

DonnaF

Veteran

I like and have many more skirts than dresses. Easier to fit and easier to find toppers that work with them. And I probably have an opposite body type than those of you who love dresses. I am an hourglass/pear with a very long waist, and waistbands are never tight on me if a garment has sufficient ease in the hips and thighs. This means that I've had the elastic tightened on tube skirts. Shift/sack dresses look ridiculously bad on me. I like to be comfy in my (machine washable) clothes, but the dress styles that tend to look best on me is the sheath and maybe fit'n'flare -- both constrictive styles! And so many dresses I've seen are polyester.

Hope springs eternal, so today UPS will be delivering a couple of washable sheath dresses.

Isn't it crazy how some of us find dresses so much easier, and others of us just the opposite?

DonnaF

Veteran

One of the four dresses I ordered actually works! Good thing it's from Nordstrom so I'll be able to use my alteration allowance to have this lined dress hemmed. http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/mu.....n=wishlist

Aida

Veteran

I like dresses more than skirts but have more skirts than dresses, hmm...

Echo

Veteran

I very rarely wear skirts, but I love to wear dresses. It is hard for me to identify why, except that it always seems harder to find tops that work. I don't like to tuck, and I find that wearing things untucked looks less professional. If a skirt is anything to me, it is professional (yes, I have a very narrow definition of skirts). So I really only have one or two skirts, and those are for interviews or important meetings, so I rarely wear them. For some reason (again, probably my very narrow definition of what skirts "should" be for me), I also feel far less comfortable not wearing hosiery with a skirt than with a dress. A dress is much easier to wear in a more casual way for me than skirts are. Given that and the issue I have with putting a top with skirts, dresses just tend to work out much better for me.

Anonymous

I have 2 skirts and about 19 dresses. Dresses are easier to fit and easier to style. Also, as a short-waisted petite, I like the way dresses elongate my body.

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