Are dresses coming back in style?

[LizzieMaine]

I hate pants. Hate hate hate pants. The darned things don't ever fit me correctly.

If working in a skirt given some of the things I do was an option, I'd likely have no pants. Fortunately, I have no desire to die in a horrific chainsaw accident while wearing a skirt.

If you haven't sensed it yet, I hate pants.

A skirt is as easy to pull on as a pair of jeans, but yet you get credit for "dressing up." I've gotten much more casual since having kids, but because I manage to pull on a dress and some jewelry, I've been told that I haven't "backslid into being frumpy like most moms." I even got called stylish the other day.

So, I think as long as women get "extra" credit for dressing up and pants remain the vortex of evil, skirts and dresses will never go out of style.

Yep. I'm long-legged and thick-waisted. There isn't a pair of pants out there that fits me right, or doesn't chafe me in places where I don't care to be chafed. Dresses aren't a style statement to me, they're a necessity.

In lieu of pants for hard labor, I just pull on an old suit of oversized coveralls, roll up the sleeves and legs, and that suffices for going up ladders in public or crawling around in muck. Otherwise, there's nothing I could do in pants that I can't do just as well in a dress.

 

[sheeplady]

Yep. I'm long-legged and thick-waisted. There isn't a pair of pants out there that fits me right, or doesn't chafe me in places where I don't care to be chafed. Dresses aren't a style statement to me, they're a necessity.

In lieu of pants for hard labor, I just pull on an old suit of oversized coveralls, roll up the sleeves and legs, and that suffices for going up ladders in public or crawling around in muck. Otherwise, there's nothing I could do in pants that I can't do just as well in a dress.

Where does one get coveralls, particularly coveralls that fit ladies (roomy enough for the hips)? Given the kind of work I do, a pair or two could be a good investment.

I'm about to start stripping paint at the new house again. When I'm finished I get to toss some of my hole-filled work clothes that are too disgusting to even work in- because if a neighbor dropped by I'd be embarrassed. (Not much embarrasses me, but I'll forever remember when the neighbors bought me a new straw "farm" hat because they felt sorry mine had holes. Being 14 at the time this gesture, while touching, totally mortified me. They just said, "your hat had a lot of holes and we saw this at the store the other day," but I knew darned well they didn't just run across a hat in any local store.) This means I get to demote my remaining clothes. (I have a t-shirt that I bought in 6th grade that is filled with holes, barely has a recognizable collar, and is paper thin. So excited to say, "You're filled with lead paint! bye bye nasty old shirt!"

 

[LizzieMaine]

I just bought a pair of second-hand men's coveralls at a thrift store. I got a chest size about four inches larger than the size I'd expect to wear, which allows ample room for my gunwales while still being loose enough when worn over regular clothes. I get lost in the legs and arms, so I just roll those up. I suppose I could cut them off and hem them, but I haven't bothered.

I've been wearing these for heavy work at home and the theatre for years -- they're covered in paint, transmission oil, dirt, grime, and even a little blood (long story), but they haven't ripped and they don't bind. What more can you ask of work clothes?

 

[Fading Fast]

⇧ and super kudos for wearing them with saddle shoes. Oh, and this picture just gave me a thought for a "This or That" (where I'll be going next).

 

[sheeplady]

That's pretty good wear for dirty work! Something like that would be quite safe for cutting trees, etc.

Your saddle shoes are in better shape than mine... mine are always scuffed. (I prefer to call them "Vassar Girl Authentic.") I take them to get re-heeled every year and the cobbler is like, "Well, I can't get these in-scuffed for you..." And I'm like, "they're my sneakers, don't bother." But the poor guy always tries.

 

[LizzieMaine]

That's actually my new pair -- my old ones, which I just wore on our annual trip to the county fair, are a filthy grey-brown, and the upper of the left shoe has a big rip in the side. But the soles haven't worn thru yet, and they're still good for a stroll thru the cow, sheep, and pig barns.

 

[sheeplady]

These are mine:

In their defense, they are about 5 years old.

 

[Edward]

I'd like to be able to buy saddle shoes I could have re-heeled; all the UK suppliers seem to do only the redbrick soles, which I find wear out much faster than leather. (I've got no issue with wearing a nominally ladies' pair, either, if they do 'em big enough - here in the UK agian it's practically the only way to find a decent range of colours!).

We even had a guy working here for a while a few years back, who liked to wear a kilt. And he wasn't even Scottish.

99.9% of anyone in my own experience who wears a kilt with any regularity isn't Scottish either, weirdly enough.

Like some other ladies here, I have always had this happen. "Why are you all dressed up and he's not?" When I wasn't dressed *up* I was just dressed. I'm lucky in that my husband will get dressed and then if he feels I'm dressier, he'll take his up a notch. He likes to dress nice, he just doesn't always think about it.

I think for a lot of guys, especially those who aren't really into clothes the way many of us are, it's an availability thing as much as anything. Might be diferent in the US, but over here original vintage is starting to become scarce, and outside formal evening wear is hard enuogh to find for the modern sized man. Most repro from the UK means either gonig to the expense of a tailor, or buying cheap but expensive repro trousers that are often little better than fancy dress for lindy hoppers who aren't interested in dressing vintage otherwise (that being the primary market for a lot of it). There are loads of places here that do pretty good repro for women, but much less so for men - in large part, of course, due to the much greater complication of men's tailoring as a rule. It's definitely getting better for 50s stuff (as long as you stick to Americana / Rockabilly), but it's gonig to take a while yet. You still tend to find a lot of guys reach for the denim because it's a much easier / more affordable way of doing a period look - that and, at events, military repro is very popular again because of ease of avaiability, and being able to just buy a complete, 'correct' outfit.

 

[ClassyMica]

I've stopped wearing pants in the summer and wear dresses with leggings instead. It is SO much more comfortable. I feel that it looks much nicer, as well.

I enjoy this as well! I love dresses I never felt that they went out of style...for me anyway. They feel sooooo good to wear.

 

[Trenchfriend]

This summer in Germany is AWESOME!!

Today, I visited the next bigger city by train, as usual. Summer dresses all around, girls of every age, but especially the youngsters!! I never thought, that the 90s would ever come back this way!

KEEP GOING, LADIES!

Floral dresses for President!!

 

[GHT]

I'd like to be able to buy saddle shoes I could have re-heeled; all the UK suppliers seem to do only the redbrick soles, which I find wear out much faster than leather.

Go to Colin's website, in fact I'll do it for you.
https://www.johnsoncustomshoes.com/...le-royal-blue-white-sole-in-stock-only-size-6
These are a small pair in six and a half being marked down. Read the description. Leather uppers, leather soles, which means that you can get a rubber stick-a-sole and a three quarter, steel, heel tip.
As for dresses, the only pants my wife wears are culottes, really baggy ones, otherwise it's dresses or skirts, every day.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

I was shopping at Whole Paycheck with my wife a few months back when I spotted a young woman who was wearing the full June Cleaver, maybe no gloves, though. There are dresses and there are dresses, but this woman was so unusual that I remarked on it to my wife.

My wife hasn't worn a dress since she worked as a Trust Officer in a bank about 30 years ago. I don't find any fault in that, but June really caught my attention.

 

[Sharpsburg]

I

My wife hasn't worn a dress since she worked as a Trust Officer in a bank about 30 years ago. I don't find any fault in that, but June really caught my attention.

Why hasn't she worn a dress since then? No interest or just don't want to?

PS - no to the June cleaver look for me!

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

Why hasn't she worn a dress since then? No interest or just don't want to?

PS - no to the June cleaver look for me!

She doesn't like to stand out or be noticed. Her favorite color is gray.

 

[3fingers]

She doesn't like to stand out or be noticed. Her favorite color is gray.

We have a friend like that. We tease him that in his world absolutely nothing is black and white or any other color. It's all shades of gray.
I would like for dresses to come back for ladies daily wear. It would sure be an improvement on ripped jeans and questionable choices in tights or yoga pants.

 

[M Brown]

when did dresses go out of style?

 

[Trenchfriend]

when did dresses go out of style?

Not out of style, in old Germany, but out of fashion in the 90s. Jeans (and Leggins) were huge until the early 2010s!

 

[GHT]

Dresses making a comeback? They have always been there in the company that I keep.

 

[GHT]

My wife saw this outfit in a vintage magazine, she said: "I could make that."

The fabric isn't an exact pattern match of course, and the hat she bought for a few pounds in a charity shop. She decorated it with artificial flowers and made a floral hatband, and here's the finished result. The hem of the skirt will have more flare when she's made a petticoat to wear underneath it.

 

[Tiki Tom]

So sorry that I have shied away from this thread and have never taken a peak. I am charmed, all the way around. What lovely people you all are. I second the notion that, among my friends, dresses have certainly never gone out of style.