Timewaster's Guide Archive
Local Authors => Writing Group => Topic started by: EUOL on April 05, 2004, 07:35:26 AM
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So, what exactly does it feel like to wear a dress? Any comments that would help me with descriptions? What if you'd never worn a gown before, what things would you notice? Also, skirts, regular dresses, that sort of thing--any issues a male writer should know about?
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they say you can only write what you know.... so you'd better to try on a dress, EUOL...
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Man, I KNEW someone was going to say that. I almost included a parenthetical remark along the lines of 'let the cross-dressing jokes begin' in my original post. Ah, well.
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Check your rickstranger account EUOL if you allready haven't in the past little while.
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You mean my email? I don't have any new messages. Did you spell everything right?
Edit--I found your email in the trash. Wonder why it went there.
Um, I don't know how to do what you told me to. I'm not sure how to access my root directory or anything like that. I don't think Tage has made one for me yet.
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I found your email in the trash. Wonder why it went there.
That's how you treat your own flesh and blood? Wonder what happens to mom's e-mails?
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You don't have an FTP access to your site? The base folder is your root one. It's no big deal, I just thought if you have the domain regesterd there should be something saying what the page is until we get the site up. I made that in like 5 minutes.
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Perhaps I put this in the wrong place. None of the ladies seem to be seeing it.
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If you'd never worn a gown before (and even if you had), you'd notice the way the bodice part fits (whether it allows you to breathe, if it's comfortable, if you can lift your arms, if it's a flattering cut, and you'd also notice the neckline--is it too high, too low, does it enhance your figure, or detract from it?). You'd notice the way the skirt fits--if it flows nicely over the hips, how short or long the skirt is, etc.
You'd notice the color=does it look good with your skin color, or does it make you look washed out?, the fabric, the feel of the fabric (silk=very nice. Wool=very scratchy)
I've got to run to class--if I think of more, I'll post again later.
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Sorry, would have seen it earlier had I been at work today. (Home sick, slept till 11.)
I second all of Brenna's, and add that if she's been used to wearing pants, she's going to notice how cold her legs are all of a sudden (unless she's got thick long underwear or tights). And depending on how long the skirt is, she'll notice where the hem is and what kind of a line that creates for her body type--for example, for a girl who's a little heavier but tall, a knee-length skirt cuts her off at the knees and makes her seem short and fat. An ankle-length A-line lengthens her and emphasizes the height, not the width, and makes her waist seem skinnier.
It's all about line. What kind of a line does the gown create? And it's all about size--how fat/not fat does this make me feel?
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Oh--also, if you're talking just skirt and not a dress, you have to be careful of the waistline. I have a couple skirts with those stupid low-rider waistlines that I have to be sure to have a shirt that's long enough to cover. Also, for some reason this kind of waistline doesn't stay put. If I walk anywhere in it, especially if I have a backpack or shoulder bag, my skirt twists around till the zipper that's supposed to be on one side is on the other. Sometimes it twists completely around to arrive where it started.
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/me vows never to create a female protagonist so he never has to describe how it feels to wear a dress.
deciding on a color for a minor character was a big enough pain.
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One other thing--the kind of fabric. Is it heavy, for winter, a wool or thickly woven cotton? Or is it silky and flowy, light and wispy? Will she be cold in it, or is it yards and yards of fabric (such as a southern belle hoop dress) that will ensure her sweating herself to death in summer heat?
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Don't drown in the details though. Pick a few observations from the plethera we're throwing out and go with them.
If it's a hoop skirt, she'll notice that she's tripled in size, and will probably knock somethings over on accident with her volumous skirts. If it's hoop skirt genre, she'll also probably find the plethra of underwear quite restricting/annoying/infuriating.
Some of us don't choose to be awake at 4 in the morning.
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Heh. I was mostly referring to Tekiel and Fuzzy, both of whom passed through the board without seeing this thread. Sprig's comments above probably kept mention of the topic off of the 'ten most recent posts' area, which worried me that none of them would see it.
This is all very good--thank you. Even more would be appreciated. Don't worry about 'drowning me' in details--I know how to pick and choose.
The dress I'm thinking of in this case would be frilly and multi-layered at the bottom, but not a hoop-dress. Perhaps of the wedding-dress style, though probably not quite as bulky. However, anything about all dresses will help for the future.
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They make you feel pretty. I'm not sure how your protagonist is going to feel about it, but despite occasional discomforts (that you get used to anyway) wearing a dress is fun.
I've also heard it said that they have a strange effect on guys. I know my husband always seems more complimentary when I'm wearing a skirt.
And, umm, skirts twirl. Which is sometimes fun to do when no one is watching.
/me blushes.
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Depending on the skirt. That's why you have to get the full skirts, because straight skirts don't twirl. And it's nothing to blush about--I do it all the time! ;D
Another thing, if you're going to have skirts as full as a wedding dress, is that they're going to rustle a LOT. They're going to be downright noisy compared with pants. Especially when you twirl.
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I've also heard it said that they have a strange effect on guys. I know my husband always seems more complimentary when I'm wearing a skirt.
You know, I've been told that--to get more dates, wear skirts more often. They do make me feel more feminine, and you move in a different way when wearing a skirt. Your movement is more restricted, and you have to sit more gracefully (no crossing legs like a man, or sitting with your legs apart, etc.). That said, I think it's also kind of annoying how much more complimentary guys get when you wear a skirt, as if you don't look as good wearing pants--do guys somehow like that girls' movement is restricted, that they somehow diminish themselves physically?
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I think it has to do with the facts that people our age had moms who almost always wore skirts or dresses, and we had to treat them nice....
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I think you're reading far too much into it, Stacer. Nothing offensive.
I can think of some cruder reasons why dresses/skirts are seen as more attractive, but I think the best reason is that they're different. Guys don't wear them, so you're definitely set apart from guys. It also definitely has to do with the forbidden
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Or with the fact that it's simply more formal. I think men look better in suits, and women look better in dresses.
In addition, while they undoubtedly feel restrictive, I don't think men see them that way. I think dress and I think 'flowy, free, unrestrictive.' Men are the ones who, in our culture, are supposed to be reserved and stiff. Have you ever tried to run in a three-piece dress suit or a tux?
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like wearing a straight jacket
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really, tailored mens clothes hug the body like a glove.
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I think dress and I think 'flowy, free, unrestrictive.'
I suppose that's true, depending on how many yards of fabric you've got in the dress. Plus, all that loose fabric tends to tangle.
Have you ever tried to run in a three-piece dress suit or a tux?
Actually, no. And I can't imagine it would be that great. But try running in a hoop skirt with 15 layers and I doubt you'd get as far as you could in a tux. But point taken.
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youd think so but sudden movements in a properly fitted tux are a no-no. An all out run wouldn't be all that fun either but yeah we'd win....
cause we're better than girls.
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I think the other girls have covered most of it. The only thing I can think is that if you never had worn a dress before you'd notice how breezy it is. I don't know what kind of underwear your society enforces on its women, but if she's just wearing a dress after being used to pants she's going to feel a little exposed.
Unless the evil wizard has invented pantyhose already.
Oh- and I almost never read the writing group section because when it started I said I didn't want to be part of the writing group, as I had no time. So I just figured that this was all writing group stuff.
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Dresses being "flowy, free, unrestrictive" depends a lot on the material. If it's a stretchy material, it'll be a lot more comfortable to move around in than say, taffeta, or other stiffer materials. Also, ease of movement depends on the style and length of the dress. My wedding dress is fairly comfortable, but it touches the ground. It is VERY DIFFICULT to walk up or down stairs and not step on the hem, potentially tripping me up, even when holding the hem up a bit.
Full skirts allow more range of motion than a tight skirt, but then you have to contend with the yards of fabric swirling about you, tripping you up, especially if they are heavy fabrics. Light fabrics (like those used in ballroom dance gowns) are fairly easy to run/dance/walk in freely.
Your character will have to be careful if there are multiple layers at the bottom of the dress--if the dress is a little too long, then she could accidently step on a layer and rip it--not fun.
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Dresses make me feel like an elegant person. As if I'm flowing as freely as a river, and as tough as a steel crate. I especially likes skirts more because they show more of my leg.
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really? because that's not anything remotely like what they do for your appearance, Gemm.
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My wedding dress is fairly comfortable, but it touches the ground. It is VERY DIFFICULT to walk up or down stairs and not step on the hem, potentially tripping me up, even when holding the hem up a bit.
Not being used to long long flowy dresses, I constantly tripped over my wedding dress. I was giddy enough that I didn't really care, but I felt quite clumsy.
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Not being used to long flowy dresses, I constantly tripped over my wife's wedding dress. very clumsy.
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Not being used to long flowy dresses, I constantly tripped over my wife's wedding dress.
Really? How often do you wear it?
[/Expected response to SE's first post on this thread.]
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bwahahahahaha!
Ok, turn about's fair play.
Btw, it made me feel pretty adn sparkly. Also. Exposed and a touch silly. I hope that helps you know how wearing a dress feels.
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EUOL, just wanted to say that your handling of the dress issue in MISTBORN was very smooth. Really worked--especially at the point at which she found it too bulky to do what she needed to do. Good job.
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If it worked, it was because I had such wonderful coaches on the message board.