Why don't women wear dresses? Why don't men wear suits?

[lingerieLiz]

So today I was watching a documentary from back in the 50s. Yep, all the women wear wearing dresses. For the most part they were slim and were wearing long skirts while the younger girls were wearing petticoats under theirs. Reminded me of my youth. I could remember the layers of the petticoats and letting the right amount of lace to show under your skirt. I digress!

While the women were dressed as most of us here on this forum would like it if all women wore dresses, I suddenly thought look all the men have on suits and ties. I know that I have not worn a suit in probably 3 years and seldom a sport coat. Ties are seldom seen except for regimented sales offices.

If you want women to wear dresses do you wear a suit and tie in guy mode? If not why not? Women like guys in suits. Or so I've been told by several who complain that their husbands never dress up.

[Amy Lynn3]

As for myself....as a man I wear suits, sport coats and ties whenever possible. I love to dress that way and wish I could all the time. I seldom go over a week without dressing to the hilt, in both modes. I think we have lost the battle to get the women to return to wearing dresses again. Ugh ! Guess it will be up to us cders to keep the pantyhose and dress makers in business. A job I don't mind doing.

[MelanieAnne]

Like I said in another thread, if you want to see nylons, high heels, and dresses, it's a do-it-yourself project!

[LeslieSD]

That's a good point and indeed a very interesting observation. I would also wonder what would be answer be if asked to the members of the FtM board on this forum. As MtF CD, I know that for myself the cloth does play a major part in the experience, maybe even more so than living a woman's life. In other word, I would definitely want to stay as a CD as I am now, instead of becoming completely a woman. So if I was presented an opportunity to become a woman permanently (such as an SRS), I would not take it. (Being able to switch back and forth is a different story). That's just me. I know everyone is different.

So back to the original question, I am guessing that reason that most of us prefer dress is that most of us are really crossdressers (which is like a circular statement because we are on a crossdresser's forum).

[Nadine Spirit]

While I don't see lots of men in suits, I frequently see women in dresses. I often point them out to my wife and jokingly say 'she must be a cross dresser.'

I wonder where most of you live that you all never see women in dresses?

[Yoshisaur]

I see quite a few women in dresses in my area, as well as men in suits. I myself though don't really like to wear suits it's just not my thing.

[Rachael Leigh]

No question dresses are now more for special occasions, such a evenings or church or more formal events.
Rare is it you see any gals wearing a dress shopping. I have 3 dresses and wonder if I went out I would not blend.
So I shop for the blending styles.
Shame too cause dresses are just so pretty

[justmetoo]

I do see a good few women in more casual dresses/skirts. I don't like to wear suits myself because it's almost always too hot where I live, and because wearing a suit would stand out too much in most instances. Just like many women don't dress up to go to many of the casual locations and events in my part of the world many men don't wear suits in the same situations. The few exceptions are certain jobs, and certain occasions/events. I don't work in that kind of job, and I don't often go to that kind of event or location. I do support each and every person's freedom to choose their own apparel and adornment, so I don't expect women to dress in any particular way for my benefit.

[Katey888]

Liz - this question comes up so much, I do think it depends where you live and work and the season....

If you Google 'office fashions 2014 images' you'll get quite a broad mix of dresses, skirts, tops suits and trousers for GGs - and that very much accords with what I would expect to see around London or other major cities in Europe.

In my last role a tie was not essential in the office when no clients were present, but when they were it simply was ALWAYS a suit and tie and when out on business too, even if it were Dubai or Nairobi - for women the alter ego fashion was tops and skirts or trousers for the office and a suit or smart dress for clients... It's all out there - but you have to go to the right places if you want to see it or blend into it...

I wonder where most of you live that you all never see women in dresses?

As a good Californian colleague of mine used to say: The Boonies..?

Seriously... If you live anywhere that has a milder climate year round and a tendency towards utilitarian clothing versus fashion or 'smart' business mode (and I'm thinking most of the USA here...) then you're going to have to up sticks and move to the city or Europe..

I can recommend Milan, Madrid or Nice... London ain't bad either...

Katey x

[Sarina Curtis]

I wear suits and ties to my job quite often, but there is a somewhat different and more old fashioned expectation for clothing here in Japan. In spring and autumn it's really nice to see all the women here in skirts and dresses, I get lots of great ideas for my own wardrobe although it does also make things trickier for me as a foreigner wanting to pickup clothes for myself, especially shoes. I'm hoping I'll eventually be able to find a discreet place that would dress me in a woman's kimono! (I already have a men's one)

[silkycdresser]

I'm a straight crossdresser and wear suits, shirts, black shoes and ties every week for my work - and when I dress in women's clothes, I like to dress smartly, too.

Part of my desire to crossdress is because my wife doesn't wear any feminine clothes, apart from in her job. As soon as she comes home from work, on go the jeans or baggy sports trousers/pants. Her sister dresses like a man too, and so many other women dress either scruffily or masculinely these days. It makes me sad and that's part of what drives me to crossdress. I also love the feeling of women's clothes.

Yes, it would be great if society could go back to the days when women dressed as women and men as men, with people taking pride and care in their appearance.

[Sara Jessica]

I'm a straight crossdresser and wear suits, shirts, black shoes and ties every week for my work - and when I dress in women's clothes, I like to dress smartly, too.

Part of my desire to crossdress is because my wife doesn't wear any feminine clothes, apart from in her job. As soon as she comes home from work, on go the jeans or baggy sports trousers/pants. Her sister dresses like a man too, and so many other women dress either scruffily or masculinely these days. It makes me sad and that's part of what drives me to crossdress. I also love the feeling of women's clothes.

Yes, it would be great if society could go back to the days when women dressed as women and men as men, with people taking pride and care in their appearance.

This thread was born on a slippery slope and didn't last much more than six hours until the "women dress like men" theme invaded.

Where do you live where women dress like men (aside from your own home but I have a feeling your perception is mistaking casual for masculine)??? You make reference that your wife doesn't wear feminine clothing apart from her job, that she puts on the comfies when she gets home. What is she supposed to do, hang out in a dress and heels for your amusement? Seriously, have you ever spent an entire day in the real world dressed like that? Give me 8 to 10 hours and I'm ready for the comfies much sooner than that.

As for your wife's choices in clothing driving you to crossdress, that's a new one.

If you think she dresses like a man, put on her comfies and head out into the real world and see how many "dude dresses like a lady" looks you get.

An individual can be utterly casual and still take pride in their appearance. Women in particular are absolutely beautiful and unmistakably feminine whether casual or dressed to the nines.

As for the gist of the OP, society has gone less formal, no question about it. But that doesn't mean style is completely out the window. Look around, there's lots of style going on.

And right on Nicole, for both women and men, the increasing casualness in the work environment means lower dry cleaning bills for all of us!!!

[Ressie]

Styles change. Men in suits are either going to a formal event or have a professional job that requires a suit. I'll be wearing a suit this weekend and it's job related. Lots of office working women wear slacks now days, but some wear skirts.

Did factory works of the '50s wear suits? That was reserved for management mostly. Occupation has a lot to do with clothing no matter what era. The '50s & '60s were so long ago, I can't remember how many women weren't actually wearing dresses in the real world. But, not every woman was June Cleaver. I'm sure that all of my female school teachers wore dresses 50 years ago, and the male teachers wore sport coats rather than full suits.

[Gina Glowe]

I too like to look the part as is needed - if it calls for a suit, than I am more than happy to wear one- I only have to wear office wear and dressing up is great for me and my wife too, likes when I do- when we have the opportunity to go all out. I believe women don't wear dresses because of the women's lib thing- the opposite sex wants to be more like the opposite sex. And that is probably one of the reasons I wear lingerie when I dress- I wish my wife would more often - I buy it for her and compliment her on it, but she mostly likes the casual look. I try to exude femme- Gina loves pearls, hose, lace, gossamer, silk, corsets, heels, and doesn't dress any other way- as if that is how women should dress, and if given the opportunity in the real world, would only be seen in smart dresses. As the man, as must be, I am all too happy to dress in ties and suits when ever I can.

[noeleena]

Hi.

We have grown up since then and cast off how we were expected to be seen in public the 2 nd WW saw to that and who in the main had to work at home while the men were at war, we have a freedom to be us and not ...TOLD .... what to wear . plus ease of what we wear ,

In the 60,s we were starting to see a easing off of the stiff upper lip attitude and Victorian attitudes, us English we were locked under for years, you wont us to go back to that draconinan life no thanks, it may look good on film .

no way ,

yes the clothes look nice and lovely from your perspective and other,s and how males wont to see us yet we have unlocked those chain,s never to go back there again ,

Real world, many women will tell you the same.

I have a few dress,s yet im in skirts most of the time why well i prefer them over dress,s and i can mix and match my clothes , though i wont be wearing those undergarments you quite like, for like mowing the lawn ,s or doing house work and a lot of other work , I dress nicely and i have lovely clothes and go visit my friends and down the road and again not in high heels ether,

And many women will slip on their jean,s and a top and out the door, your way how long to get ready to be out the door 1 / 2 an hour or more .

From your thoughts you and others see things differently and from a dresser,s point of view , not from our perspective as females, big difference,

As a ? you allready let your self down you dont get dressed up so why say we should when you dont. and again from what i read here, and would you get dressed up in your suit lovely new shoe,s and spent a lot on, and all to mow the lawns or do dirty work on the car underneath it and doing mucking out,

the old story call the kettle black. oh how i love it.....

of cause there will be some females who will wear clothes as you,v said for a do or Church or move,s or opera house or the like , or some thing ... oh yes a wedding . i,ll do that as well,

just every day ,, no thanks, never get any thing done, i do have a life you know and it does not include being dressed so i cant do any work, apart from wreak my clothes, even with my pinny on,

For many of us we were still coming out of the depression and still had short supply of goods and not much money to come and go on.

...noeleena...

[heather ann martin]

I suppose it's up to the individual. I always wear a skirt or a dress as a personal preference but I have female friends who spend their lives in pants. I do think guys look lovely in suits though!

[Kate Simmons]

We've come a long way from the attitudes of 60 years ago. Why can't we just be ourselves, gender notwithstanding? If we can't do it or refuse to do it, it means we haven't progressed with the times.

[Eringirl]

If I am wearing a suit and tie, I am either on my way to a wedding or funeral. I try not to wear one unless I have to because I look like a schmuck in a suit. I am fortunate in that I don't have to wear a suit for work, but business casual (dress pants, dress shirt) is acceptable. Having said that, I am fortunate to be in an environment where many of the women wear dresses and skirts year round. It is great to see! My office is 10 people, 7 are women, 5 of whom are really sharp dressers. Two other departments that I interact with daily are also majority women...one completely women and the other 80% women. Majority of them wear skirts or dresses daily. So, I have a lot of resources to see what is trending and how to coordinate outfits !

[Maria Blackwood]

I hate suits and consider ties the work of Lovecraftian entities of ancient world-eating evil. I'm amazed anyone puts any stock into a man wearing a suit anymore. To me it's the official uniform of corrupt CEOs, sociopath politicians, slimy salesmen, hypocritical televangelists and greedy lawyers. I see a guy in a suit and wonder what he's trying to hide.

Clean gloves hide dirty hands as the saying goes. To me its not a suprise that some guys who hit it big, such as many Intertent billionaires, who can now wear whatever they want because they have "F.U. money", don't wear suits unless they are in a situation that our dippy society absolutely dictates it. Some not even then.

[ReineD]

A History professor at the University of Nevada wrote a book about this. She believes that college students in the 20th century redefined American style. There's a short article about it here:

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/...fashion-trends

[NicoleScott]

Want to see women in dresses? Go to an Ole Miss football game in Oxford. But you probably can't get tickets this year.

I went to my bank recently for account changes. The branch manager was a man in a button-down collar oxford shirt, no tie, no jacket, no problem. My banking matter was handled competently, and that's what I cared about.

Many companies discovered that casual Friday had no downside, and made it full-time.

[JocelynRenee]

Sometimes I feel like the weirdest crossdresser on earth. I prefer skirts over dresses because they are more versatile from a mix/match perspective, but I love women's jeans and slacks as well. I definitely don't find women's pants to be masculine.

I prefer sexy men's underwear over those designed to fit a feminine body because of the fit and the fact that they are simply utilitarian to me. Same thing for bras; I just need one to hold my forms in place, although a touch of lace can enhance the right top.

I don't wear hose, probably because I live in the desert. And, if I do say so myself my bare legs look awesome!

I love heels, but not when I'm walking around for hours. Flats and sandals are beautiful as well.

I work for a bank where the expectation is business casual, but I frequently wear a suit and tie because I find them to be beautiful. I have a ridiculous collection of ties and male dress shoes in a variety of colors, patterns, and materials. Overall I would say my male wardrobe rivals my female wardrobe in variety of color, style, and textiles - and I love both!

Whether presenting male or female I dress not so much to blend, but with comfort, utility, and image in mind. I'm not going to wear a skirt and heels or a suit and tie for an afternoon of errands. But, I have no problem donning either outfit for an afternoon of clothes shopping, despite what others may be wearing. I think GGs do the same for similar reasons, and why not?

[BillieJoEllen]

My wife and I just watched an old 'Leave it to Beaver' episode. In it they all went to a football game on Friday evening and the boys and their father all wore suits. June of course wore a very nice dress. Yeah, things were different back then.

[Brynna M]

I'll respond as a guy. I don't wear suits and ties because, I am not obligated too they are too warm, don't help me with anything I do and I don't like the way I look in them. I suspect that women aren't all that different they wear clothes for a mix of practicality, comfort and self image.
As a crossdresser when I get to dress I like skirts and dresses because i want to feel more feminine but I am certain I would be in jeans (and a cute top) if I were doing grocery shopping enfemme .

[Beverley Sims]

Years ago if you flew in an aeroplane anywhere you wore a suit and the ladies wore hats and gloves and carried a handbag.
Now days most passengers wear what they like, or even less if it is hot and try to put bloody big suit cases in the overhead lockers.