I don't need a dress for anything

9 years ago

So many requests for help with dresses. I gave up wearing dresses and skirts a decade or more ago. About 5 years ago a SIL and I were talking about what we would wear to upcoming family wedding. I told her I was "over" dresses and didn't think I'd ever wear one again. She responded "Me too." We both wore pants to the wedding.

Anyone else give up on them?

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User

9 years ago

I like dresses and skirts and pants. I gave up slips though years ago. I hate slips!!!

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Comments (60)

joaniepoanie
9 years ago
I gave up dresses probably 25 years ago. I did wear a long dress 2 years ago when DS got married, only because I couldn't find a dressy pants outfit I liked. Conversely, I have a friend who gave up pants 25 years ago. She always wears skirts.
grapefruit1_ar
9 years ago
I still wear skirts/dresses to church...have never worn pants. I always wear dresses to church and any other special event. I can find jeans that fit well, but I do not own any dressy pants that fit....long legs...no butt....
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llitm
9 years ago
I gave up dresses and skirts decades ago but then my son got married a couple of years ago and felt I should wear a dress. Shopping for it was tortuous and I hated it. Eventually I found one which was flattering and I felt good in it but took it to a consignment shop as soon as the wedding was over. Since then I've purchased a simple sleeveless black dress which I've worn once but it is timeless and looks nice with jackets, sweaters, etc. It came from Chico's and has sort of a body slimming built in "slip". That will be my go-to dress for a winter funeral. I recently purchased another Chico's dress for a couple of funerals/memorial services which will take place in May and June. It his from their Traveler's line, has 3/4 length sleeves, is lightweight, above the knee and very flattering. It is a print in black, brown and some white. Lately I've toyed with the idea of a cute summery dress worn with a jean jacket and have been keeping my eyes out for one. I'm slowly coming around to dresses but they'll probably never be a big part of my wardrobe.
jlc712
9 years ago
Do what suits you! Thank goodness we have the choice. Can you imagine wearing dresses/corsets/petticoats/hats/hairpins all the time. I would have been a very grumpy woman in those times.

Dresses never fit me properly; I'm too short, and short-waisted. And not petite. I prefer seperates.

My mother is horrified that I don't wear slips or pantyhose. Tights in winter, spanx if needed, yes. I don't buy anything sheer enough that it would need a slip.
User
9 years ago
I do still wear dresses now and then, but only if I feel I have to.
I'm very modest so unless it's a denim dress I can't imagine going without a slip. And no mountain, sadly not all thin dresses are lined.
Annie Deighnaugh
9 years ago
I have worn skirts and dresses, and yes slips to prevent see-through and so the skirt hangs better. If it's lined, you don't need a slip. Also the full length slips can add warmth as it's an extra layer of fabric.

I hadn't worn dresses in years, but am now back into them for the summer. The light weight cotton knit dresses are simply the coolest things to wear in the summer. Esp now that you don't need to wear panty hose like we used to, they are as comfortable as wearing a house dress. The no-wrinkle kind are perfect for packing. I plan on taking a couple of them to France with me. With sandals, great for tooling around town; throw on heels and you're all set for dinner.

My father's mom never, ever wore pants, neither did DH's grandparents. All were big into gardening. I remember my MIL complaining how hard it was to find pants for her to wear in the early days, so she ended up buying jodphurs as at least they made those for women. I think Katharine Hepburn had a lot to do with changing the image of women in trousers.

I'm not sure there is any occasion any more where women are required to wear dresses...I've been to weddings, funerals, and even black tie affairs and seen women in pants...dressy pants, but pants nonetheless.
tibbrix
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I haven't worn a dress in decades. However, I love pencil skirts with tights and loafers in the fall, and I like "skorts" in the summer.

Btw, your thread title make me laugh out loud.
OutsidePlaying
9 years ago
I love dresses but dresses, or should I say dress manufacturers, don't love me. They all look great on models, but I find that except for a few expensive brands, most are very short, very short-waisted, look too ill-fitted for my frame or just out-dated/not stylish. I love the look, but do wish more would have sleeves, especially in summer. We have a/c in the South and it works very well indoors, thank you very much. Those cute sleeveless things are only meant for garden parties and aren't near as cute with a sweater on top. Rant over.
User
9 years ago
I totally agree that in the summer there is nothing more delightful than a dress. I prefer the ones that are midway between the ankle and knee and find that extremely flattering (and so forgiving with sitting and all). And to clarify, I agree there are some dresses that need a slip --- but I rule those out. :)
bpath
9 years ago
Outside, that's funny you find dresses to short-waisted,because I'm short-waisted and all dresses' waists hit me at the hips. Jackets, too. Only petites on top for me, and those are hard to find. And I can't wear suits unless they are sold as separates because I need a petite jacket but regular slacks or skirt.

I look so much better in a dress than anything else, and a slip or lining makes all the difference. It's just hard to find one that fits right.

My youngish neighbor always wears a skirt and top, even when gardening (and by gardening I mean using her chain saw) and she always looks ready for anything.
debrak_2008
9 years ago
Many of you mention being "short waisted". I always thought I was long waisted until I did the measurements according to Christopher Hopkins book and determined I have a balanced torso and legs but short midbody. If you truly are short waisted here is Christopher's advice.

Avoid drawing attention between your bust and hips with contrasting belts, pockets, and bright buttons.

Choose princess and chemise styles to elongate your midbody.

Choose moderate jacket lengths, avoiding cropped.

Avoid raised waist or low-rise, opt for a natural waistline.

Choose matching rather than contrasting separates.
4kids4us
9 years ago
Mtnrd, slips help prevent dresses from "sticking" to pantyhose and tights. I have several wool dresses that are not lined. I wear a slip with them otherwise the dress clings to my tights. The slip I have though is actually designed like shorts rather than a skirt type of slip. I don't wear pantyhose anymore. The only dresses I wear in winter are the type to be worn with tights and boots. I wear a lot of sundresses in the summer but can't remember the last time I wore a pair of pantyhose. As for giving up dresses...I actually look much better in dresses than pants on a account of my midsection being my least attractive area. I have nice legs though so dresses are much more flattering. I don't wear "fancy" dresses much but with four kids, typically have a couple of functions every spring where they aren't necessary but look nice (this year, my daughter's confirmation and my son's 8th grade graduation). In warm weather though I wear a lot of very very casual cotton sundresses and skirts rather than shorts (I do wear shorts but they make me feel hotter as they trap the heat).
MagdalenaLee
9 years ago
No dresses for me unless it's a lightweight summer dress. Or a moo moo...
busybee3
9 years ago
I like dresses but don't wear them often because I don't usually have 'occasion' too (ie-wedding/funeral! lol)... I never wear even sundresses out running errands and rarely out to dinner, tho I am thinking I should update my casual dress wardrobe and start incorporating them more--- when the lengths start increasing again that is! I don't mind wearing shorts, but I don't like myself so much in above the knee dresses...

I don't know if one of my grandmothers ever wore pants-can't remember her in them... my other grandmother fully embraced pants when she started wearing them-maybe in the early 70's when she was in her early 70's-- she always looked very nice in them because she always paired them with a nice blouse...

I have a couple of very old slips-- my mother (and of course grandmothers) always wore slips and I was taught I should to- to improve the way the dress looked(if lightweight) and to prevent clinging(?)-- they wore them with lined dresses too! I haven't worn a slip in many years- don't know why I haven't gotten rid of the couple I have!!
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
9 years ago
Re: slips - along w/ modesty & fit, they also help skirts & dresses last longer by minimizing wear in the seat area.

And I can't imagine wearing skirts for gardening in here buggy coastal Florida; I have trouble w/ insect 'invaders' just wearing shorts!

I rarely wear skirts/dresses these days, but I recall back when I was in elementary school, that was the only things girls could wear, & my knees were often a bloody, scabby mess.
User
9 years ago
Yes, slips do have other purposes, but for me it's as much about the modesty.
My Aunt Liz and my Grammy B. (my Mom's side) never worn pants even once in their lives. My Grammy passed away in 1986 and Liz last year. My Mom started wearing them in the seventies as did her other older sister. I'm not sure when the two younger sisters did, but it was probably early on. They were/are the wild ones. Ha ha!
My Dad's Mom Gramma A and his Sisters never wore slacks either. The last of them passed in the 1980's.
Annie, my Daddy wore Jodhpurs back in his heyday.

Does anyone remember when Pettipants (slips with legs) were popular?
robo (z6a)
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I love dresses in the summer! So comfortable! But I only now wear them either bareleg or with leggings. Tights and pantyhose are too much trouble.

On the other hand if I'm walking around for miles and it's hot, I get devastating chub rub in skirts and dresses and am actively pursuing solutions for that. I could totally use a pettipant.
4kids4us
9 years ago
Robo, I wear a lot of skorts in the summer. Athleta has several very casual/active wear type of skorts. The built in shorts underneath the skirt help prevent that chub rub that you refer to. I have a couple of bamboo knit skirts from Cariloha that are lightweight and while not sheer, I feel a little exposed with just underwear so I wear something similar to this underneath. Again, no chub rub! http://www.freshpair.com/Spanx-New-and-Slimproved-Power-Panties-408.html
OutsidePlaying
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
bpathome, the visual of your neighbor with the chainsaw in her skirt made me laugh! In a modern day 'you can do it' sort of way. I have several running skorts, which are similar to a tennis skirt but with compression shorts under the short skirt instead of the panty-type things. I love them and feel much more comfortable, for some reason, wearing one for a quick stop into the grocery store. Seeing the reference to pettipants made me think of the running skort!
robo (z6a)
9 years ago
Maybe I will investigate these skorts!
Holly- Kay
9 years ago
I love pencil skirts and dresses and I haven't worn a slip in probably 40 years. I especially love dresses in the summer. They are so much cooler than shorts. I have had trouble for the past several years finding attractive sun dresses.
flowerpwr45
9 years ago
"chub rub"; so that's what my problem is haha.

I'm weird, but if I wear a dress to a sort-of formal occasion, pantyhose it is. Summer, or not.
dedtired
9 years ago
I don't even own a dress or a skirt. They look awful on me. I wish I could wear them in the summer, but that is not to be. If I had to wear a dress to some event, I don't know what I would do. I wore a black skirt and nice top to a wedding a few years ago with spanx underneath. Ugh. Never again.
violetwest
9 years ago
I do wear pants, of course. For work outfits, I would prefer skirts, but it's difficult now we "can't" wear nude pantyhose anymore.

I wish I could find a shaper slip that does NOT have an attached panty. I had one, loved it, wore it to shreds. Cannot find one now.
flowerpwr45
9 years ago
fwiw, I like this thread because no one is saying "wear whatever you want". People want opinions sometimes. And yes, there are always more pressing issues in the world.
rosesstink
Original Author
9 years ago
I'm kind of surprised at the number of women (I assume you are all women ;-)) who don't wear dresses or skirts. I distinctly remember the last time I wore a dress. It was to an out of town wedding. We stayed in a cheap motel (the only rooms available in the area) with lousy AC. DH had shingles and was miserable. I had to put on pantyhose in an 80+ degree room and was miserable. That experience is not the only reason I don't wear dresses but it sure is part of it!
Olychick
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Pettipants! Who could even remember that word?! I don't wear skirts either, but remembering pettipants made me curious if they or anything like them are still made. Yep! The nylon is way too hot in the summer, but here's a pair of cotton ones for you hot weather women!

ETA Wait! They still make pettipants! pettipants!
Sueb20
9 years ago
Chub rub. LOL. My friend uses that term too. I have heard that some women will wear bike shorts under dresses/skirts to prevent that. I have heavy thighs so I know where you're coming from, Robo.

I generally look better in a dress than I do in pants, because I am bottom heavy (pear shape) and the right dress (or skirt) skims over the problem areas! I wear a lot more dresses and skirts in the summer because on me, shorts are a disaster and pants are too hot. I wish I could find more winter dresses that are warm and that would work well with tights. The "fit and flare" style dress works best on me. Lands End had some great ones last summer. I bought three!

Horny Toad makes some great casual summer dresses and skirts too. I found one that I loved and that worked great for me, so again, I bought 3!
jlc712
9 years ago
These are the best thing ever, under skirts in the summer:

http://www.jockey.com/catalog/product/skimmies-slipshort

I cannot bear "chub rub," or sweaty thighs (eww) when wearing skirts. I have big gymnast thighs and super sensitive skin. These are especially nice in humid weather. They are not hot or tight like Spanx. I almost always wear them with skirts. They're not very attractive, but neither is chafing or razor rash!

I've seen a product called Bandalettes- they're lacy bands you wear on your upper thighs, like thigh highs, but no stocking. They just seemed too strange for me, but they're kind of pretty, and they're supposed to be great.
User
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Olychick, I'm glad I'm not the only one that remembered Pettipants. It took a few seconds to remember the name, I first thought of petticoats, but knew that was wrong.

Thought I'd add that the last time I wore a dress was at our daughter's wedding almost three years ago and that today I bought a new summer dress and slip today to wear on our trip to Cali next month. I figure it will be nice to wear when we take our two year old granddaughter, and her parents, to the zoo.
User
9 years ago
pettipants. Yup. High School. and after until I gave up wearing dresses/skirts. That would have been about 1970.

We wore dresses to school. If we wore pants under them walking to school, we had to take the pants off when we got inside.
User
9 years ago
I was one of the group of young ladies at our junior high that organized a day we'd all wear pants in hopes of pushing the school district (Omaha Public Schools) to allow us to wear pants to school. I don't think there was a girl in school that day with a dress on. We got the dress code changed. That was in 1969, if I am remembering correctly, though it could have been 1970. This all started after my Home Ec teacher had me sent home for my dress (according to her) being too short. It was not too short, she just didn't like me because I knew more about sewing than she did.
I was brought up to be very modest, and I still am. Just as my nieces, they were shocked when the dress I wore to my daughter's wedding three years ago, showed a tiny bit of cleavage. I could find nothing modest enough to wear. I was so embarrassed when one of them noticed, but then had to laugh at how shocked and funny they thought it was.
maddie260
9 years ago
I wear all: dresses, skirts, pants; I'm commenting because of the slip issue. I think slips make clothes drape better. I went for years without wearing one, and was surprised to see what a difference wearing one made in the "look" of clothes. I now have a collection in all colors, lengths, full-slips, and half-slips! I have also bought "pettipants"- I feel like I'm in high school again wearing those.
User
9 years ago
I'm going to be on the outlook for some pettipants and skorts for this summer.
Annie Deighnaugh
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Not sure I ever knew what they were called, but my Mom used to teach sewing including bras and lingerie and she used to make the pettipants. I used to think they were weird...like a slip with a crotch.

justgotabme, you reminded me...it was my brother's SR class in '69 that got the high school to completely liberalize the dress code. It became one that defined what you couldn't wear...anything that would damage the school building, like cleats...anything that would cause a ruckus like a bathing suit...anything that was unsanitary like bare feet.... But I always cracked up because that was the era of "individualism" where we all had to be free to express ourselves....which we did by all of us wearing hip hugger bell bottom jeans and wearing our hair long, parted in the middle and bone straight!
eld6161
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks Justgot, for reminding me of the day when we were allowed to wear pants ("dungarees") to school! I used to have to wait for a bus and it was rough wearing a mini skirt in the winter! And, it strange, but I don't remember issue about us wearing those short skirts.
busybee3
9 years ago
oh wow... now they're attractive, olychick! lol

the 'slipshorts' are like what i would wear under a tennis dress because they don't have the built in pants like most of the tennis skirts do... I guess technically, tennis type would have ball pockets, but I prefer that they don't- I like compression shorts under... I never would have thought to wear them under a regular skirt/dress tho.... but they would be great to prevent rubbing if that's an issue.
dedtired
9 years ago
Pettipants! I remember them well. In junior high school we would practically compete to find the ones with the most outrageous colors and designs. Then we would wear them so they showed just a little below our skirts. It was like the kids today who let their pants sag to show off the tops f their boxer shorts.

We were not allowed to wear pants to school. It was very daring to go home after school and then return for activities wearing jeans. We had khaki colored jeans we called wheat jeans.

Skirts were supposed to be no shorter than your knee. The test was if you could kneel and the skirt touched the floor. Boys could nt wear jeans to school and all shirts had to have a collar. Funny to think of that now.
grapefruit1_ar
9 years ago
When I was in college ( 1968-1972) we could not go to dinner in the dining hall unless we wore a skirt/dress! In addition, our meals were " family style" where they put the food on the table in serving bowls. The boys would try to find a table of skinny girls to sit with....planning to eat most of the food!
User
9 years ago
Yep, those were the wild days Annie. Never did the long straight hair parted in the middle. I was born with curly red hair. Though I loved the look, which most of my friends had, I never wanted to dye my hair. I did try and iron it once. Hated it. It. Just. Wasn't. Me. I was one of the few, that I knew of, that actually was an individualist. I remember even in back in 5th grade I didn't want to be like everyone else. I started wearing glasses then and had black pair picked out with a tortoise shell rim around the lenses that I wanted so bad. The salesman who adored me, I later grew to really like him regardless of that first impression, talked my Mom out of letting me get them because they were not the "in" thing. That's precisely why I wanted them! I didn't want to be like anyone else. I realized early on when you have red hair, curls and freckles that you are different and instead of fighting it (other than the iron to my hair that one time) I went with it full force.
Ellendi, they were never strict about the short skirts/dresses at our school either, it was just my Home Ec teacher that didn't like me. Later that year she had some man in the classroom talking. She was sitting with her legs crossed and her dress was up so high you could see above the top of her hose and the clips on her garter belt. I couldn't resist letting her know I noticed. As I walked by her I cleared my throat very loudly, looked straight at her face giving her a telling look then at her leg and back at her face. She jumped up and pulled her dress down and held it while she sat down again keeping her hand on it. I think she was afraid I was going to walk out the door and go tell on her. I kept looking at her the rest of the class. LOL I wanted her to feel so shameful for what she did to me. Not that I felt ashamed of being sent to the principals office. I knew I'd done nothing worn. Heck I even wore a dress that hung below my knees to show her I wasn't ashamed. You know, "Is this long enough for you, nasty woman?" I mean I couldn't help if my Mom and two of her sisters were seamstresses so I knew better ways to sew then she was teaching. It's not like the garments I made weren't what was expected. I just skipped all the extra stuff she thought we needed to do.
We're pettipants meant to wear under skorts? I know we all wore them under our dresses too because they were so fun, but I think they were for skorts.
Dedtired, you must have been a wild woman! Ha ha ha! I never let mine show below my skirt. Again with the very modest upbringing of mine.
OutsidePlaying
9 years ago
Athleta (a division of Gap) has a good selection of skorts in varying lengths. They are a little spendy but the fabrics are good quality, wash and air dry well, so are great for traveling. Some/most they carry aren't really running shorts, and they give the lengths in the ads.

I remember well the no-pants rules. I don't recall having but maybe 1 pair of pettipants. They just seemed like too much to wear to me. I hated slips too. Give me freedom!

I wore Villager skirts with matching sweaters in winter, and in the summer I maybe had a sun dress but it was mostly shorts or for school a short-sleeved or sleeveless cotton shirt and skirt. Madras plaid was big down here, and we wore loafers or keds without socks. I had a madras plaid shift too. This was right about the time the mini-skirts came in. My mother made me a dress from the designer Mary Quant, when I fell in love with a dress I saw by her. She made it longer so I could wear it to school, but oh boy did I love that dress. It was pretty much the same when I went off to college. We could wear jeans (rolled up a little on bottom) on weekends. But we always, always dressed up for football games. And that was when my hair was the longest I ever wore it, and yes, parted down the middle and totally straight (which it is anyway). Fun times.
Fun2BHere
9 years ago
I can no longer wear pretty shoes, so dresses and skirts are out.
rosesstink
Original Author
9 years ago
I don't remember pettipants at all. Before or after my time maybe? I think I was in ninth grade when they started to allow girls to wear pants to school. By tenth grade I thought even dress pants were geeky. Corduroy jeans were my high school "uniform". In twelfth grade I went to semi-dressy event put on by the place I worked and I wouldn't even wear a dress to that. I made a spiffy pants outfit out of some sort of sparkly fabric to wear to it. I don't think my mother was too pleased. Oh well.
User
9 years ago
I sure am enjoying these stories.
Rosestink, pettipants were in during the late sixties if that helps you.
mitchdesj
9 years ago
pettipants in the sixties , but Hot Pants in the 70s, did anyone wear those when they were trendy ?

mine were navy velvet with a bib and straps, super tight baby blue popcorn tshirt, fishnet stockings, no wonder my parents were pulling their hair out seeing their 20 or so year old daughter go out that way to a dance......
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
9 years ago
Hot pants for sure! I was in Jr. High & the trendy girls had minidresses w/ matching hot pants underneath - tho we could not wear anything that short to school - I think they did the fingertip test. That is, skirts couldn't be shorter than your fingertips when your arms were down @ your sides. If a girl showed up in something violating the dress code, she was sent to the office & made to change into a goodwill dress - usually pretty awful-looking.

Additionally, I recall my sisters & I having the first pantsuits in our elementary school - my mom was always up on the latest fashions. I would wear the shirt dress tops w/o the pants & got a lot of grief from the mean girls over that.
busybee3
9 years ago
i was sl too young to get into the hot pants (and the gogo boots...lol)

i do remember having one onepiece pants suit that had a long front zipper-- i remember it was a pain to use the restroom with!! (not that i had to go too often back then...!)
User
9 years ago
Never wanted to wear the hot pants. My sister did though. She's 8 years older and bolder than I ever have been. LOL
I had a pair of white Gogo boots right after we moved to Omaha, so that would have been 1965. Wow I forgot all about them. Boy did I think I was somethin' wearing them.
rosesstink
Original Author
9 years ago
Late sixties explains why I don't remember pettipants. I was still under my mother's influence then and I don't imagine she would have approved of them.

Hot pants? No way! I remember the mother of someone I knew showing to a party in them. She was in her sixties I think (or she seemed that old to me). I was like "WTF?" The guy I was with said "She's got decent legs. Why not wear them?" I was like "WTF?"
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
9 years ago
I might still own a few dresses stored in a back closet but have not worn one in many years. I don't plan on changing that. I don't like wearing them. I do on occasion wear a caftan for lounging or the beach.

I sure do remember pettipants! And the long coulots. I wore hot pants which by today's standard would not be very hot! Today it's hard to tell if it is shorts or a thong. At one point I wore dresses and skirts a lot with heels, I would kill myself if I tried to wear heels and I don't even walk. Lol.

Comfortable is my current style. I can still look very nice and well put together and be comfortable. I see no reason to suffer. If I could only find a bra that was actually comfortable I would be extremely happy.

I don't need a dress for anything

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