Dungarees...ok, not stylish or beautiful...

[SenseofEntitlement]

I want a pair (set?) of dungarees.

I need an outfit that will let me do gardening, proper hard work cleaning, painting (I use acrylics, and I'm prone to splashing paint about, wiping brushes on my clothes, etc) and so on without riding up or down or getting in the way.

Jeans just don't fit - I have tried pair after pair. They either fall down or are too tight, and both options lead to bum crack reveals, bulgy bits and general uncomfortable feelings. Skirts are my usual choice, but they sometimes get in the way of active jobs, and I need something tough for battling through bits of tree.

Is there any way at all that dungarees can not make me look like an overgrown toddler/pregnant? I don't need to actually look stylish, but not to be embarrassed would be good. I don't embarrass easily, but being asked when I am due when I'm not is something that never fails.

Is anyone likely to see you doing these activities? If not, I'd say go for it, at best they'd be fantastically comfortable, and at worst you'd look like one of the Koala Brothers.

I'm a big fan of comfort for practical activities.

I had a pair during pregnancy. I thought I looked bloody great but after the birth I was told I looked bloody enormous in them.

I wouldn't want to be seen in public in a pair now. Where have you seen any?

What about a pair of proper overalls like workmen wear instead? I have seen a few boiler suits around in the last few months, you might be able to pick one up on ebay?

Yes! A proper boiler suit is the way to go, and you would also then protect your top. In hot weather you can roll the top part down and do welding like in Flashdance.

Or what about proper painting dungarees from B&Q or somewhere, then you'd maybe feel less giant baby-ish?

Oh my god. I totally forgot about dungarees for adults. I love them on toddlers. And I had a rather natty pair myself in the late 80s

Can we start an MN campaign to raise the profile of the dungaree and bring it back in to fashion??

Practical and cool comfy

But when you go for a wee, don't accidentally dip the straps down the loo.

I love dungarees. I'm pregnant and have been considering a pair

I left a pair of marvellous dungarees on a train in 1988, I hope they're not the ones you're talking about cat.

I had a maternity pair from Mothercare when I was pg with DD. I looked terrible but they were so very comfortable, I love them. They're several sizes too big now (yay!) as well as being maternity ones but I still hold on to them for gardening etc.

Yeah, I go to a painting class (at the community women's centre, but still) and I mostly arse about with the front garden while watching the kids play out, so I will get seen.

Mind you, a neighbour recently assumed we read the Guardian based entirely on our fashion sense (we do, but we have to order it specially because the newsagent has more copies of the morning bloody star than the Guardian, so we must really stand out for her to think that) so my birkenstocks/docs, hairy legs, long skirt, floaty scarves, paint splatters, daft hair colour type outfits don't exactly blend in on our ex council estate in an ex mining town. . . :-)

Oh I had a great pair of carhartt dungarees that I wore with the bib hanging down. Those were the days. Would look hellish in them now