Why does no one wear dresses anymore?
I went to a concert on a chilly night late last summer…not just ANY concert, a celebration of 100 years of the National Parks and the headliners were Emmylou Harris and John Prine. To me, this was THE occasion to dress up in a skirt or dress if you ever were going to. I wore one of my favorite calf-length vintage red dresses and stuck out like a sore thumb- a red one (see photo). Now, I should be used to this by now…me, one of the only women in a dress…shocker? But it got me thinking…what happened to dressing up? Is it practicality? Did the women wearing jeans think they were warmer? Well, the joke was on them because I had a pair of long johns under my dress. In fact, I could layer whatever comfy pants I wanted under there and no one would be the wiser. Sometimes, I’ll wear my ugliest leggings or sweatpants underneath, just for the sheer thought of walking around with a secret no one else knows.
In the winter, my warmest outfit (besides my wool overalls) is a long wool skirt with long johns under neath. I’m basically wearing a blanket and am so cozy and comfortable while everyone else is shivering and layered to the brim. My favorite is to wear this outfit camping. Who says you can’t be cute and practical?
Now that it’s Spring, my favorite skirt is the new long pinafore. I wear it over a plain, comfy knit dress and it makes me so comfy and happy. It’s casual but with a little effort and it’s more comfortable to me than pants. I even ride my bike in it, just hike it up and show a little leg!
The women of the wild west did everything men did, except in long skirts or dresses, so when did we decide that pants were better? I know it was a revolutionary thing at one point…when we finally donned the right to wear the pants, but now, it’s just ridiculous. We can run businesses, work on farms, and be artists, why can’t we wear dresses anymore? I honestly think that part of taking back our feminine power from this masculine based society is to own our femininity. I used to think that I had to act more “like a man” in order to be taken seriously by one, but it’s been more apparent recently that this isn’t the case. The more I step into my femininity and the power that comes with that, the more confident I feel, and the quickest way for me to access that power, is putting on a dress.
Do you wear skirts or dresses at all or never? Leave a comment below and help me understand your reasoning!
smart savvy powerful girly girls hip hip hooray! luv, mikael
Yay! I thought you’d like this, Mikael!
Just curious why does dress=femininity?
You’re right, it doesn’t necessarily mean that, but historically speaking, they have always been hand in hand. They are not exclusive though. I do find that dresses are feminine but you can be feminine without wearing one.