Wearing skirts and dresses, what's stopping you?

[iKate]

I must admit that I had this fear of going out in public with a skirt or dress for a long time now. I just don't know. The reason was pretty silly too, in that wearing pants would not get people laughing at me or staring. But if I wear pants and a femme top, HOW is that any different?

So when going full time I just said, "screw it" and I wear skirts and dresses almost exclusively now. In fact my loose fitting jeans are probably going to be donated and I'm keeping maybe 3-4 pairs of the tighter ones.

The amazing thing is that public reaction is about the same, in terms of stares and looks. So I was worried for nothing.

Live and learn, I guess.

[Swayallday]

Behind closed doors, certainly... Far too male as of now.
Although a few Gay people I know constantly push me to just come meet them (cross);dressed.
I got my eyes on a fluffy skirt though

[Yenneffer]

I'm trying to tackle this problem myself

[Metanoia]

I love that long skirts are in style right now (at least in MN.... We're always years behind actual fashion trends) and I will soon be wearing some methinks

[Swayallday]

I'm trying to tackle this problem myself

EVERYBODY PRETTY IN LOLITA AAAHHHHH<3

[Starfire]

Haha, what a timely topic!  Today is the first day I'm wearing a skirt to work.  Why, I'm not sure... part of it is I tend to dress conservatively anyway and also the realization a few weeks ago that I've been full time for a long while now even though I hadn't planned that to happen this soon.

[Yenneffer]

EVERYBODY PRETTY IN LOLITA AAAHHHHH<3

Lol 💖

[iKate]

Behind closed doors, certainly... Far too male as of now.
Although a few Gay people I know constantly push me to just come meet them (cross);dressed.
I got my eyes on a fluffy skirt though

Do you go out in public wearing any feminine clothing? I'm primarily referring to people who go out in public dressed feminine.

[iKate]

I'm trying to tackle this problem myself

Don't worry. Take small steps if you have to. But I've found that looking "in between" is more trouble than it's worth. But I can totally understand wanting to ramp it up instead of just going all out all at once.

[Yenneffer]

Don't worry. Take small steps if you have to. But I've found that looking "in between" is more trouble than it's worth. But I can totally understand wanting to ramp it up instead of just going all out all at once.

I love leggings and this cute hoodie

[RavenL]

I've said this before but I'm the exact opposite. I can't stand pants at all and only wear skirts out in public or dresses. And can't work up the courage to go out in pants or shorts yet.

[KristinaM]

What's stopping me right now primarily is not having any!  lol.

I'm not out at work yet, so that means only pants there, but I went out with some girl-friends the other night and wore my jeans.  I looked hideous imo because they don't quite fit right, and I don't have the hips to pull them off properly.  So I've got my eyes on some "fit-and-flare" dresses (gives the illusion of hips!) as soon as I can build up the courage to buy them.  I say I need courage because my wife doesn't want me to buy them yet, until I'm ready to present female in public.  But how am I supposed to get ready to present female in public if I don't have anything to wear! lol, catch 22 there.

So yeah, I'm ready to go out and give it a whirl, but I need the clothes first. 

[carlab]

I have been going through the exact same thing with skirts and dresses, though very recently I have gotten mostly over feeling "silly" when I wear a skirt or dress. And I am not sure why I felt silly, considering I have been wearing women's pants, jeans, capris, shorts, etc for years, with no feelings of being silly/out of place/etc. I am talking bright red fairly tight jeans too

I think there is a point where you kind of have to say "screw it" and walk out the door wearing a skirt or dress, especially if you are already presenting as a woman. I did this and while I am more conscious of people looking at me when wearing a skirt, at the same time I find my skirts to be comfy and pretty flattering. And my partner did point out that women generally are more conscious of themselves when wearing dresses and skirts because of the potential for exposing more skin than you would with pants. So maybe part of feeling silly and self conscious was just due to having to pay more attention about how I had to sit, squat vs bend to pick things up, etc. Stuff you never have to think about in male clothes or even when wearing women's pants.

[ainsley]

iKate, I was nervous as could be about wearing a skirt/dress to work, or out in public my first time, and I was already out as trans full time.  I could not put my finger on the issue, but I was just nervous about it.  Maybe I was afraid of how I would look...more like a guy in a dress than a transwoman.  I don't know...
Now I wear them more than pants...by far.  Especially when the temp is 96 degrees and the heat indices are around 110.  My boss, who is cisfemale, told me one day that she feels more comfortable in pants.  I told her that I have had my fill of wearing pants.    She laughed and said I bet you have.  I think we make more of it than there is to it.

[stephaniec]

I'd like to do skirts, but I only do dresses because of my stomach sticking out. Once I get this stomach  issue solved it will be pencil skirts.

[Serenation]

even after living full time 12 years I rarely wear dresses and skirts, only to weddings and special places which is pretty much the norm for cis girls where I live. Except in Adelaide when it was 40c I just put on a miniskirt and blouse and met my friends in the cbd, and yep I was totally feeling overdressed, all the cis girls were wearing denim shorts and t shirts.

Oh well I rocked it, good times. Maybe I'll do it some more this summer

[jessical]

I was self conscious about wearing a dress or skirt at first, but it actually helped me pass more.  Now I don't even think about it.

[Kellam]

I only have but one skirt but it took me a while to wear it out. I had some irrational notion of apearing in clothes that were too feminine for someone like me, that people would point and laugh. I also didn't wear flats out for a while. I also just wanted to slide into a more visibly female presentation. Baby steps etc. I have done everything in transition by feel. Waiting until I felt ready. One day only my flats felt right, so out I went. When the day came that I felt like wearing my skirt I did waffle a bit. Trying out different outfits for an hour or so. Nothing worked but the skirt and top I had first picked out. It was marvelous. It did help me with passing too. I need a couple more skirts but to be honest I am more of a shorts and capris kinda gal!

[sparrow]

Right now, I'm apparently passing as a somewhat macho twink.  Yesterday, I came out to two of my friends, and mentioned how I'd been femming up my wardrobe.  One was a super-fashionable girl, the other was a rather twinky boy.  Both of them were like "wait, you have?"  I've worn tattered, baggy black clothes since I was 10.  In the last month, I've been wearing brightly colored girl-cut tees and short shorts, and apparently, nobody thinks this is strange.  Oh, and I shaved for the first time in... ever... even my legs!  Amazing the things that people don't notice.

So apparently, despite all my effort, I'm fully in the closet.  I've got to wait a few months before I can come out for real.  But then, it's skirts & dresses whenever I damned well please.

What's really stopping me from wearing skirts: I love my long, flowy skirt.  But I cannot walk up stairs without stepping on it.  I'm gonna split my face open one of these days...

[awilliams1701]

That's been my experience as well. I originally chose a skirt that could be mistaken for shorts, but when I got outed by a bratty teenager, I posted my situation on the neighborhood Facebook and was shocked by the support I got. I took it a little slow, but it wasn't necessary.