Why is it not that way anymore?
Maybe it was because of the practicality of the separates which began to be popularized in the 20's.
Maybe it was the feminism which grew and grew from the time of the suffragists onward, that influenced the fashion industry because women wanted to dress- well, like men.
Honestly, I think the biggest factor is the practicality of separates.
Say you have four dresses, two tops, and two skirts. Your four dresses are just that. You can't cut them apart to mix and match the bodice or skirt; if you're really daring you might layer them- but that is all. Just four stubborn dresses.
Now if you had two tops and skirts, you have half the amount of clothing of each article type, but just as many outfits.
Now don't get me wrong here- I am most certainly not against dresses. This is simply a ramble- maybe a teeny bit of a rant- against the fact that dresses have been upgraded pretty much to Church or Fancy Occasion only. That they are now what the women back in the day called gowns, no longer the everyday dress that you wore to fetch some groceries, or stay at home in.
I would seriously love it if dresses were to come back into everyday style. If they weren't just frosting- but cake as well. Perhaps that would be a good goal for building up my spring/summer wardrobe- to introduce more of those charming style of everyday sundresses. We'll just have to see...
What do you think on the matter?
Which would you rather have predominately in your wardrobe-
Separates or Dresses?
Which would you rather have predominately in your wardrobe-
Separates or Dresses?
TTFN,
lwb
Agree! Although they do cost a bit more, even if you find cheap fabric+pattern+notions=more than you expected. I guess I will have to start gradually. What are you tips for staying warm in skirts in winter? I get cold REALLy easily, and don't like wearing boots so much. Any tips for feminine warmth, in a very casual style?
ReplyDeleteYay! Happy to hear I'm not the only one :)
DeleteHehe, we've actually found that skirts are actually warmer than pants in the winter! It's because of the air circulation going on underneath that keeps you warmer.
A few tips to stay cozy while wearing skirts in colder weather would be to wear (not all at once, of course- unless you really need to!) long underwear, tights, petticoats (not crinolines- unless you want your skirt to really poof out), and bloomers (the former two we've actually made ourselves using patterns that we've borrowed/purchased. You can probably get away with one of those elastic waist pant patterns-just as long as you shorten them) If you don't mind adding a bit of bulk to your waist band, and if your skirts are rather full- bloomers and petticoats are awesome! Personally, however, I prefer just some leggings that I purchased from Target- and though I am not warm blooded, that suits me fine. If we're going out to a football game, or some other outdoor activity during fall/winter, I typically whip on a petticoat. I have found too that wearing my leggings along with tights keeps me warm and cozy.
Another tip is to tuck in your shirts. It may sound odd, but it really traps the heat and keeps you nice a cozy!
I am the same way with wearing boots! They're just not me- so you'll typically find me bedecking a pair of high-heeled oxfords, and the like ;)
Slippers can really help keep warm around the house, and my Mom has found that her Ugg-like boots really assist in trapping heat! The biggest places to cover are your feet and neck/head. As long as those are kept warm, you'll find that your in pretty good shape during the more mildly cold weather!
Sorry for such a loooong answer! I didn't know we had so many tips on this subject ;)
Hope this helps!
-Charlotte
the blog designer
You know, I always have gravitated towards skirts instead of dresses... I'll bet this is why!:) Great illustrations by the way!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I have fun throwing them together :)
Delete-Charlotte
the blog designer
I love dresses but...I only really have one that I can wear on a daily basis...And the reasons you mentionned are the ones that apply to me...Skirts are easier to mix 'n match, and it's more practical (I think !)
ReplyDeleteBut recently I've been in a dress mood, looking for pattern and stock piling fabric...Some more dresses might join my closet soon !
Have a great weekend !
Marie
http://lescrapdemarie.blogspot.fr/
I agree with you! I would love to wear dresses more often. However, I only have two in my wardrobe at the moment. The two dress that I do own don't get much wear. Part of the reason is because it's too cold right now and the other part is because I feel more dressed up wearing a dress versus wearing a skirt. I think I will have to sew some more dresses and wear them this spring/summer, because I do love wearing them!
ReplyDeleteI love dresses, but because nobody else wears them, I have no courage to wear one anywhere! Not even to places like church or parties. I rarely ever wear skirts either, usually I just wear jeans. I would totally wear dresses everyday if everyone else wore them. (I like setting trends, but I can't set certain kinds. Like dresses.) Really the reason why I don't have the courage is because I haven't worn one in so long. If I wore one, I would feel uncomfortable and when people tell me I look nice, that makes me more uncomfortable. I kind of rambled on this, but it's how I feel.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
DeleteI can understand how you would feel uncomfortable wearing skirts or dresses. A few years back when my sisters and I first started wearing skirts, I felt a little uncomfortable as well, at first. What made my sisters and I feel more comfortable wearing skirts, was that, for us, we felt more modest in skirts than in pants at the time (it was when skinny jeans first started coming out). Also, another encouragement was our parents, especially our Dad. Ask your parents what their opinion is on skirts, and I would encourage you to just maybe try to wear a skirt or dress a little more often. You might find that you like wearing them more than you think! Just take it bit by bit, and you'll find it's manageable, and you probably won't stand out as much as you are currently thinking.
Blessings,
Brigid
The Middle Sister and Singer
P.S. the worst time to start wearing skirts is the winter. Too cold! Try it in the spring.
I get what you're saying. It does seem like the versatility of separates likely contributed to the change in cultural attitudes towards dresses. Weirdly, I love wearing casual dresses for everyday, but would feel odd wearing one to church or a party. I probably wear my collection of day dresses/sundresses about as often as I wear separates...so I can wear my floral sundress one day and my pac-man tee the next :P
ReplyDeleteMegan