Why do I so rarely wear skirts? - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing

Why do I so rarely wear skirts?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I figured it out as I sip my coffee this morning, pondering what to wear and looking at my collection of unworn skirts.

Jeans are my uniform for my casual lifestyle. Easy to style, no fuss. Dresses I have to put a little effort into to dress down, but not much -- add a pair of boots and a casual jacket, and I'm ready.

Skirts, however, seem to take a whole new level of experimentation, especially with my new shape and style goals. In theory, it's only one additional piece beyond grabbing a dress, but it's a stumbling block for me. I think I I'll either need to spend a little time experimenting with the skirts I own, or chalk it up to a new style preference that I default to either jeans or dresses.

Is this weird, or does anyone else feel this way?

Dressing

22 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

kimlee

Veteran

Janet, I feel the exact same way. I have numerous skirts in my closet but only seem to wear them either to work or to church. In my mind, skirts are reserved for "dressy" occassions. I suppose that I feel as though they can not be dressed down - but that's not the case at all. As you said, it just requires some effort and experimentation. I would love to see what looks you could create from your skirt collection.

Nakidra

Veteran

It's probably because unlike dresses, you have to come up with something to wear up top! too much fuss!!!
When I'm in a hurry I'll reach for a dress every time.

missvee

Veteran

I'm the opposite - I love skirts. I wear the same tops with my skirts as I do with trousers or jeans, so the only difference is adding a pair of tights. I like them in the winter because I'm not dragging my hems in the slush! I wish I had more dresses, but can't seem to find them...

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Interesting, Janet!

We share so many similarities. We've both lost some weight over the past year and are a different size and shape. We're both artists who mostly need to dress comfortably and be able to move around in our clothes (or lounge and daydream, as the case may be, LOL.)

Yet you are not wearing your skirts very often...and I'm reaching for mine even more than I used to!

Some questions:

Did you ever wear skirts frequently? If not, maybe you're just not a skirt girl! And no reason you should wear them if they don't feel fab! You look SO spectacular in trousers, with your fantastic long legs—why mess with a great thing? (I've always worn them, so maybe it's just a default for me.)

Are some of your skirts orphans? If so, no wonder you wouldn't wear them. As Nakidra says, if you have to figure out a top and you don't have some easy basic tops to use, it's tricky.

Are you buying skirts the same shape as you used to? I've found that I need a different style of skirt. A lines (which used to be no-brainers for me) now are trickier; I can still wear them but they need to be just so. Pencil skirts or other shapes are easier to fit and look better.

And maybe it has to do with the fabrication of your skirts. Maybe they aren't casual enough to feel wearable?

It really is interesting how body changes seem to influence our fashion choices, and sometimes our minds don't catch up with that until we've already purchased a bunch of things that are what we USED to consider wardrobe workhorses. Sigh...

Isis

Veteran

Interesting, I am the opposite! I wear skirts much more than dresses. Especially in the summer when they are so breezy, and easy to pop on with sandals, and a tank. I also wear them with the same tops that I wear with pants, but it is key to tuck in the top, so the length is right. Perhaps you aren't a tucker?

And, in contrast with Suz, I find pencils the least easy to wear if I'm moving a lot. But I think that's because I bike alot. Are your dresses a different shape than your skirts?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Suz, your questions are excellent, as always. You're definitely onto something. I think part of the issue is that when I wore some of my skirts this summer, I didn't love the A-line shape on me as much as I used to. I like the silhouette of a slimmer skirt, BUT pencil skirts seem harder to dress down.

I definitely think some of it is in the fabrication -- most of my skirts are not necessarily "easy" looking. I do have some that are more flowy, but again, I have to do some work to toughen them up.

I think I need to spend a little time playing with different options, maybe challenge myself to a skirt week or something! I have one that I'm anxious to wear -- I bought it when the weather was still warm, and it's more of a fall/winter item. It's above the knee, straight, gray ponte, with black zippers up each side. A bit more sexy and rock'n'roll than most of my skirts, I'm thinking it will look good with tights and boots. Now I just need to figure out what to wear on top!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I agree completely that pencils are harder to dress down, and as Isis says, often harder to move in. I don't usually wear them when I'm at my desk in my saddle chair. I do have one in ponte that I CAN wear easily, though, and maybe you'll find that with your new one. If you have a denim or leather jacket you might be able to dress it down (though it sounds like leather would give you a real rocker chick look with your particular skirt!) But, yes, tights and boots are great.

Looking forward to seeing some of your experiments!

Anonymous

Janet, I don't even own a skirt. I am baffled by them!

Diana

Veteran

I love skirts and wear them often, but I do get what you're saying. Particularly in the winter, when skirts require not only just a top, but also tights and slip (to prevent it from sticking to the tights), sometimes it's just too much of a hassle! In the summer, I wear skirts (and dresses) a lot more often, especially given that I pretty much don't ever wear jeans (except for one pair of crops) in the summer.

If I were you, I would definitely experiment with different skirt shapes... My favorite skirt shape is a knee-length trumpet shape - it's flippy and flowy but without a ton of volume (volume is fun but harder to deal with and style). My second favorite style is a tulip shape (like a pencil but a little more voluminous around the hips) a few inches above the knee. I like that it's a little less overtly sexy and dressy than a pencil on me. I particularly like the tulip in winter with boots and tights. I suspect, that with your loooooong legs, this would be a super fab look for you too.

Here is a WIW with a tulip skirt:
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ew-oxfords

Julie

Veteran

I used to wear skirts with blouses, shirts, and sweaters all the time until about 2 years ago. My friends would always say I was easy to spot, just look for the short skirt and tall boots, and you'd find Julie inside. But, styles change, and tastes evolve, and you never find me in skirt, now. The tall boots, yes, but even they have given way to short boots about half the time. I used to only occasionally wear dresses, now they are the everyday choice. So, don't worry about it, and go with what makes you feel best.

Julie

ironkurtin

Veteran

I love skirts but I work in an open office where the desks don't have fronts, and in a city where the weather is too warm to wear opaque hose most of the year. Skirts have therefore dropped out of my wardrobe, alas.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Because you are a frock gal like me!

Aziraphale

Veteran

Janet, I feel exactly the same way. For me it's a simple math question, at least in the fall and winter, where tights are involved. It's either

jeans + top + footwear
dress + tights + footwear
skirt + top + tights + slip + footwear

....so if I choose the skirt, I've got one extra element that has to 'go' with the rest -- the top -- along with the required slip to prevent leg stickage! Plus I often end up faffing about with the waistband of the tights and the waistbands of the skirt and slip to achieve a comfortable arrangement. I definitely don't reach for a skirt on the days I'm in a hurry!

The thing that keeps me reaching for the skirts, however, is that I do feel fab in them. Also, if my goal is to showcase my footwear, a skirt will always work. (So will a dress or skinny jeans, of course).

I suppose, to be fair, I'm reaching for my waistcoat a lot these days, and I prefer it with jeans, so that means jeans + button-front shirt + waistcoat (three elements), but adding a waistcoat over top seems like no extra work because it's instantly comfy.

I think my stumbling block in all this is the tights (or sheer hose, or fishnet hose). Love how they look, but still getting used to them. Jeans are still way more comfy for me! I've noticed that I wear skirts a lot more in the spring and summer, when I can go barelegged.

crwilson

Veteran

I don't wear skirts much either. Lots of people have mentioned very good reasons, but I'll add another one, which may or may not apply to you at all. I don't wear skirts because I'm really short waisted and have long legs. One of the ways I balance things out is to wear slightly longer shirts. But, with skirts, tops need to be shorter, and it adds a horizontal line (even if the colors match) right across the most troubling part of my body (the waist and lower belly). I don't want to highlight that area in any way, shape, or form, and I haven't found a way around this yet. So, I stick to dresses or shirts and pants.

catgirl

Veteran

Sign me up. I was just thinking about how my skirts and cardigans are wasting away, while I think of excuses to avoid them in the morning. And I should dress up for work, but partly it's just too cold to contemplate a skirt. After yesterday, I put both too-short skirt and boring grey cardi in the consignment bag.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

nancylee

Veteran

Janet, I feel the same way about skirts. I much prefer dresses or jeans because they are so much easier to style. I don't like to tuck tops into skirts and it's hard to find tops that are the right length for both pants and skirts. They need to be a little shorter for skirts, so that complicates things. I also don't like how skirts bisect me. I feel dumpy in most of the skirts I try on....like the much-loved Halogen seamed skirt. I tried it but it looked awful and frumpy on me. It's SO much harder to get the proportions right with skirts.

I tend to wear skirts more often in the summer when I can just throw on a simple top or tee and go. I have three casual pencil-type skirts for summer, and they're cooler than shorts! That said, I've whittled my skirt collection to only those most basic ones that I know I'll wear and gotten rid of my orphans. And I'm focusing my energies on finding easy-to-wear dresses.

You are not alone in your dislike of skirts!

Scarlet

Veteran

I actually haven't been wearing my skirts much in the last year. Jeans are so practical; dresses are so easy. Skirts can seem like a lot of work by comparison. And then there are more parts to rotate or come untucked, etc. I used to love skirts. Go figure.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I have some awesome skirts (eg the volcano print) but yeah I barely wear them. I seem to be in a shorts mode as of late.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I do still wear my skirts, but almost exclusively the casual cotton ones. I don't reach for the dressier skirts at all lately. But the cotton cargo and straight skirts are almost like shorts replacements for me, and a bit cooler when my walk to the store starts to really heat up.

Kate

Veteran

This totally makes sense! I wear skirts just as often as I wear dresses, but they certainly have different advantages. The most wonderful thing about dresses, especially in the summer, is that I just put one on, add shoes, and my outfit is done! Skirts certainly take more work, but that also makes them more versatile. If I'm feeling adventurous, I go for the skirt, but if I'm in a hurry, I always go for the dress.

Irene

(website)

Because of the tights?
That's the only reason why I do not wear skirts a lot. Here, in suburbs tights are office or special occasion-type item, and nobody wear it just around.

Lisa

Veteran

I struggle the most with skirts. I find it much easier to wear jeans (they go with anything) or dresses (one item and you are dressed). But skirts have so many variables, the length, how short or long a jacket or cardigan is with it, the right top and they are hardest to fit my pear shape.