What is the purpose of a dress?
Ok this one of those topics that I have been pondering. I should Google this topic before I start rambling, but I’d rather shoot from the hip on this one rather than be skewed by other people’s ideas.
I hate dresses and skirts. It’s no secret. I only own 2 dresses. One for weddings and one for funerals, but I usually end up not wearing either one of them to the occasion. In fact, in the last 3 years I have only worn a dress twice. Once was to a formal dinner on a cruise and the other was at a friend’s wedding where my husband had to wear a tux so I thought it would look better if I “dressed up”. I hate formal “suit and tie” affairs, but that’s another topic.
So what is the purpose of a dress? Personally, I just don’t see the practicality of it. Wearing a dress is so limiting. I’m all for modesty so I wear pants or shorts ALL the time. I figure why torture yourself with worry about whether you are showing off your panties or not? The less stuff on my mind the better and clearer I can focus on the task at hand, but that’s just me.
I am probably a unique case in my reasoning for not wearing a dress. It’s not because I want to look like a boy. I don’t. I actually have a couple of legitimate reasons for not wearing them. Number one, I play the drums. I play almost every day either at a practice, in church or at a gig. Wearing a dress while playing drums isn’t practical. And then there’s that modesty factor again… Number two, the car accident I was in as a teenager messed up my back and hip. To this day I cannot completely cross my legs without major cramping. Crossing them part way - with my ankle resting on my knee - is about the only comfortable way for me to sit and even then I can only do that in short bursts. My hip is also a little crooked on my right side so just keeping my legs together without getting cramps in my hip is a challenge as well.
Putting all that aside tho, I still see no purpose for a dress or skirt. Take my kids for instance. I have two girls who like to dress up. They own several dresses. However, my youngest daughter, Kirstie, is a bit of a wild child. She takes after her mother. If you’ve ever seen a poster for ADD, her picture is probably on it. She is a huge bundle of energy and if given enough room she cannot take more than four steps without doing a cartwheel. Now imagine Kirstie in a dress at church, or even at school, doing her cartwheels across the gym floor. Not exactly the picture of modesty. She can’t help it, though. That’s just the way she enjoys the world.
My other beef with wearing a dress is what you have to wear with it. Shoes for starters are majorly uncomfortable. Heels? What is the point? I cannot wear heels because of my injury, but even if I could I wouldn’t even buy a pair. No thank you. I am very active and anything that would restrict how fast I can move or get something done is a waste. Also, pantyhose. Who invented this stuff? In Kirstie’s case, everytime she wears a dress I can guarantee that I will be investing in a new pair of tights the following week. She has never been able to wear a pair more than once without ripping the knees out. It is to the point that I just tell her to wear socks.
Yes, I know that dresses can look nice and fashionable. I guess I am just more interested in being practical and moving forward with a project than I am about how I look doing it. Wearing a dress is like putting my personality in a cage. I just can’t do that. Anyone else have some comments? I know I am probably in the minority here, but I’d love some feedback on this topic.
September 18th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
First I want to correct Michelle on a few points of fact. Women™s buttons are opposite from men™s for a reason, but you’re a bit inaccurate as to why. Men did not dress their wives. Only the wealthy could afford buttons originally and women with that kind of wealth had servants who dressed them. The buttons are on the left side so that a right handed person (or female servant) can more easily button and unbutton them.
High heels were first worn by men. Primarily by footmen who rode on the back of coaches to help them stay on (like heels on cowboy boots do with stirrups) and to keep them a bit out of the muck. Think of Cinderella and the footmen on her carriage. Women adapted heels for themselves. With long dresses there would be no reason for women to wear heels otherwise; they don’t make legs hidden under layers of fabric look any better.
The bra was invented in the 20’s to provide some support for breasts that were not being held up by corsets. Again, think of those straight, loose flapper dresses. They were originally a couple of handkerchiefs pinned together. The word brassiere come from French and was s term meaning arm protectors (more or less) and referred to a piece of armor worn by a knight.
I promise womens™ clothing is not a conspiracy to keep women helpless.
That being said, I love women in dresses. It™s so rare to see any woman in a dress it™s become quite a treat. Dresses are quintessentially feminine (the Scottish kilt being an exception) and a pretty, well fit dress enhances a womans figure, leaves some room for the imagination and
just looks downright good. Heels and nylons add to the total picture.
And I wear suits and ties every day, rain or shine. I understand that some clothes are not always as comfortable as we™d like. But I wouldn™t go to work or church in anything else. Image isn™t everything, but it sure is something.
All the best.
October 13th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
im a man i love wearing dresses and high heels esp stockings and pantyhose women can keep the pants and i will take the dresses!
October 15th, 2007 at 11:11 am
i love wearing dresses, skirts, and heels. When I go to the store I do not buy an item unless it flatters my figure. I try to wear heels every day (unless I know I’m going to have to ride the bus and walk for a long distance, lol then its some cute flats, boots or flip flops). It’s fabulous to look great and feel great and I love the variety that women get to have in our wardrobe.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
What is the purpose of asking this question? The fact is that a woman never has to wear a dress at all if she doesn’t want to; one often sees women at formal events looking attractive and smart regardless of whether they are wearing a dress with heels or pants and low-heeled shoes, as my wife does. However, there’s no doubt in my mind, and that of most men, that dresses and heels make a woman look more sexually attractive - hence the fact that most when dress like this when they want to appear their most attractive. What could be wrong with that? Gretchen can come any party of mine without wearing a dress - as long as she doesn’t go on a silly rant about them! Thanks.
January 6th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Thanks Jeff, I’ll be watching for that party invitation.
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