Day at the hospital

[UNDERDRESSER]

Well, clinic and hospital. Went to get checked out for a vision problem. Got sent over to the hospital, where I went through 2 more doctors, the last one being a retinal surgery specialist, who confirmed a tiny tear and ended up having minor laser work on the retina. Everything is fine, but I spent a lot of time in various waiting rooms yesterday, and I was very visible pretty much the entire time. On display almost.

I was wearing a typical daily work outfit, male T shirt in 2 tone blue, A-line knee length skirt that is becoming very much a favourite because of the way it hangs and moves, grey, with sort pin stripe/rib/tweed look, dark grey opaqu stay ups with little bit of shine, men's casual slip on fabric loafers. To my mind, the skirt is pretty obvious, but I may be overestimating. Caught several looks from other patients, not many from the medical staff, nobody seemed to be concerned or bothered, and absolutely no comments at all.

[Justina]

Nice

[Maria 60]

Sounds like that's the way of the new normal if we all dress that way. Good for you for the courage and leading the way for us all.

[giuseppina]

Hope it wasn't too close to the macula, Underdresser. I'm sure you were told that if you have any more issues like this, they want to hear about it on the double.

[UNDERDRESSER]

Hope it wasn't too close to the macula, Underdresser. I'm sure you were told that if you have any more issues like this, they want to hear about it on the double.

He didn't say anything about it being close to the macula, it was a little towards the outside of the eye, and down a bit. Have a check up in about 2 weeks, and maybe another one in 2 months, to see if the vitreous detachment (that prompted the whole thing) has settled down OK. He did say that my Optic disc is unusually large, nothing wrong with that, just a little uncommon. I am keeping close attention on my vision, I am alert to the issues if there is any change in visual field. What prompted the checkup was a sudden increase in floaters, that came after I thought I saw a flash. PSA, this was a Posterior Vitreous Detachment, common for people from 60-70 and possible for short sighted people at any time. Of itself, not an issue, but can lead to retinal tears, (I had a very, very small one) which in turn can lead to Retinal detachment. that's the one you need fixed right now.

[ChristinaK]

I'm glad you knew enough to get prompt attention. Must be the female side of you ;-)

Your name is Underdresser, but you wear a skirt in guy mode? That's not really undressing, just saying.

Good for you though to be out there showing muggles we're not frothing at the mouth weirdos. I guarantee people noticed, but it's been my limited experience that people are much more circumspect than I ever thought.

I'm sure you were talked about around the dinner table, but that's what it takes to normalize us. Thank you for being brave.

[giuseppina]

That's good, Underdresser. I'm not a MD, but assume that eye issues are to be treated as urgent if not emergent until proven otherwise. I sent a new friend with macular degeneration to the local optometry school, who sent him to an opthamologist with an appointment four days after he was seen at the school. There is at least one new treatment that didn't exist when my maternal grandmother developed the condition 30 or so years ago.

There is other information in your post that may prove relevant to me at some point in the future. Thank you.

[UNDERDRESSER]

Your name is Underdresser, but you wear a skirt in guy mode? That's not really undressing, just saying.

Well, I chose the name when I joined, and that was some time ago and I had a different view of myself then. I do underdress as well as the skirt, panties, tights, stockings and garters sometimes. Of course, the tights and so on are somewhat visible Stockings and garter belt not so much, most people assume tights of course.

[SherriePall]

Glad all went well in the repair of your eye. Had a similar situation a while back when my one eye went kind of black. I figured it would clear so I waited a day. When it obviously did not called an eye doctor who saw me right away and immediately set up an appointment with the eye facility she was associated with.
Traveled there and was found to have a tear in my retina through which blood rushed into the vitreous fluid. It was sealed from behind by freezing it.
Over the next couple of months it cleared up.
Everyone: don't fool around if this should happen to you.
BTW, I was 100 per cent male to see the eye doctors. Well, hairless, but I didn't have to worry about that.

[Tina81]

Underdresser,
Glad to hear your vision is going to be OK.
What other times have you gone out in drab wearing a skirt and pantyhose/stay ups/garter belt? What other dresses have you worn and wear? Are your dresses typically knee length? Are the skirts generally A-line? Any pencil skirts or maxi skirts? Ever thought of wearing women's flat, kitten heels or wedgess or even unisex clogs? I've got a just above the knee length ponte skirt fromn Talbot's I'd like to wear to the Dress Barn along with some flats or wedges.
What's the been the range of reaction?
Tina

[UNDERDRESSER]

Underdresser,
Glad to hear your vision is going to be OK.
What other times have you gone out in drab wearing a skirt and pantyhose/stay ups/garter belt? What other dresses have you worn and wear? Are your dresses typically knee length? Are the skirts generally A-line? Any pencil skirts or maxi skirts? Ever thought of wearing women's flat, kitten heels or wedgess or even unisex clogs? I've got a just above the knee length ponte skirt fromn Talbot's I'd like to wear to the Dress Barn along with some flats or wedges.
What's the been the range of reaction?
Tina

I've been wearing skirts full time for close to a year now, even at work. (I work retail, and am interacting with the public ALL the time) I had been wearing skirts in public for about 18 months previously, on a somewhat random basis. I have not yet, found a dress that works for my look, I have a few shirtdresses that I am modifying for fit, we'll see how it goes. Shoes have been men's so far, though I have bought a pair of boots for colder weather, they still need a bit of stretching for width, and I want to see if I can get the calf tapered as well. (bit baggy for my tastes) I am finding that most men's shoes look a little too heavy to go with skirts and hosiery, but mary janes and the like go too far the other way, Not much interested in heels at all, I'm 6'2" and I clunk my head too often as it is! Found a pair of business style ladies slip on loafers that work, debating whether to buy them and make them fit. (too narrow) The skirts started of with a very simple hiking style skirt, and has pretty much stayed around the knee, give or take, though in the coldest days, I was commuting in wearing wind pants, and changing at work. One day I packed a mini instead of my usual skirt. (oops!) I started wearing the hosiery during the Winter, that seemed to generate more attention than the skirts I think. At the same time, I found some nice tweed look skirts that I am finding very comfortable, physically, and from the way I think the look works. Stay ups are my preference, tights are a terribly hard to find in my size, and they either constrict too much, or get the dreaded saggy crotch. Wanting to get some specific styles, I converted them from tights to stockings with garters. Have found some very colourful harlequin style tights (that fit for a miracle) and am working up the nerve to wear them to work. They will get comments.

A large part of why is comfort, closely followed by showing off. I've often felt that it is more acceptable for women to "display" their bodies, and frankly, it makes me envious. (I do understand that some women don't like to do so, and often feel pressured to do so against their will.)

Reactions have been extremely limited, virtually no negative ones at all, actual negative comments I can count on one hand. Have had many looks, ranging from puzzled or confused, to startled, amused, and approving. (I think, hard to tell from amused that one.) There have been a couple that I took to be strongly disapproving, but as they didn't talk to me, cannot be certain. Have had many comments, usually from women, that are very much in approval. Surprising number have told me their husbands wear skirts or kilts at home, when they've said that with husbands present, the husbands are usually somewhat embarrassed. I do think that there are a sizeable percentage of my customers that don't like it, but are too polite to say so, and their attitude is "well, whatever, he seems to know his stuff"

Phew! Should stop rambling now, but would just like to say, that if you behave like it's perfectly normal and acceptable, to be wearing a skirt, then most people won't say a damn thing. Consider the whole look, and how it works with your body type and personal style. Kilts are easiest (well duh!) followed by utility style skirts. Cargo skirts, denim A-line, simple linen ones, that sort of thing. Floaty, frilly, floral etc, can work, but you have to seriously own the look, one of the mods at SkirtCafe.org has got that down to an art, and he goes with poet shirts, waistcoats, and the like. I have bought most of stuff at thrift stores, the price makes it much easier to experiment.

[HelenR2]

I'm impressed, and would dearly like this to become a fashion. I work at a large store and asked if I could wear a skirt at work on Sundays because on that day I finish before the customers are allowed in. No, was all they said.

[Rhonda Darling]

Thanks for the interesting and thorough filling in of the details of your dressing. Sounds very interesting to be in a very clearly middle-ground. Since you don't do makeup and try to blend, would you mind sharing your general location with us? It helps to know where pockets of tolerance, versus intolerance, reside. Wearing what you wear might well work in New York city, for instance, but not so much in Charlotte, North Carolina. Those who follow you may benefit from knowing where your style works.

Thanks for being the trailblazer that you are.

Rhonda

[phylis anne]

perhaps we have a bit of history repeating itself -- there was a time when men wore a skirt style affair , carried shoulder pouch much as womans purse now ,when effeminate style was for men including lace ,this last xmas i was in oregon at a almart and one of the male s/a's was wearing a pleated skirt he noticed me looking and I gave him a smile and thumbs up

[UNDERDRESSER]

Since you don't do makeup and try to blend, would you mind sharing your general location with us?

Thanks for being the trailblazer that you are.

Rhonda

Thanks. I live and work in Calgary Alberta, Canada. I'm NOT going to name my employer, I don't want the name associated with this account, but they have a reputation of being extremely inclusive. I did ask before putting the skirts on at work, and was given the OK, (go for it! was the answer) but it took me a couple of months to do so.