why do people think wearing dresses....

[bellaiceberg]

means 'dressing up'?

I wear them for most things, I have fancy ones for fancy things and practical ones for everyday things, more solid, utilitarian ones for anything else - gardening, hypothetical dog walking with wellies, etc.

Im defo with the 'if monty don was a woman' fan club (a recent thread about clothes on here)

Is it so odd to just throw on a longish raincoat over a dress, paired with some tough boots and get on with your day?

I never found jeans or trousers very comfortable and don't think they suit me much, so it's a non brainer, but it's strange how many people consider it dressing-up to just wear skirts/dresses. Usually I just throw one on and there's no fuss. I wear the same footwear with most of them (boots in winter, converse in summer or birks, and that's that. It's simple and comfy.

Perhaps when people call it fussy or over-dressing maybe they mean more tailored stuff or club wear?

Im not overly 'girly' either, in the sense that my boots are usually a bit rough and ready and my hair is all over the place. I think I just prefer the ease of dressing this way.

I live in jeans as I find them the most practical - I do a lot of gardening & dog walking.
However I have just bought two dresses on sale at Weird Fish.
Every so often I promise myself I'll have a no jeans month- I only last a couple of days!!

For me wearing a dress is dressing up because it restricts how I move.

I tend to sit cross legged, or with one foot up on the chair and my knee bent, or just generally in an odd position that would show my pants if I was in a dress.

More than once a week I will throw in the odd handstand or cartwheel too.

I love dresses but they just look awful on my horrible body. I live in jeans, I pretend I love jeans but tbh it's to hide my disgusting stomach. I don't feel dressed up in jeans. I've a sister who wears dresses all the time, she always looks amazing, I do think she looks dressed up but she doesn't feel dressed up.

For me it’s the tights and shoes issue. Most of the year dresses are cold without tights and tights aren’t the comfiest.

In summer sandals are ok for a month or two where I live then too cold. I can’t wear most shoes with bare feet without rubbing / blisters so then I’m trying to find socks that hide inside my trainers but not so much they scrunch up under my feet.
None of this is as effortless as jeans.

I agree, it's not uncommon where I live to see people with dresses/skirts under coats.

I wear dresses almost every day in summer (not in the UK...) but in winter I struggle to find tights that don't dig in or fall down. I have some lovely winter dresses but don't wear them enough because of this.

I think it’s because I associate dresses with work - so even on a casual ‘in the office but no meetings’ day I’ll tend to wear a less smart dress dress with flat pumps. I wouldn’t wear the kind of dresses you linked to (I’m slim too, if that matters, and they wouldn’t look crap on me, I just don’t like them). In winter when it’s really cold here in my corner of Scotland I wear thermals or thick fleece lined tights under trousers - I don’t feel warm enough with them on their own under a dress.

I do wear more dresses in summer, but I have a lot of broken veins on my legs sadly, so have to get the length right to cover them.

I’m sure if I could pull this look off i would be comfy in a dress…. But tbh I’m not sure anyone can pull this look off

I think jeans are so over rated. I hate the feel of them. Hate how they look on me. And tbh they aren't as flattering on most people are they think. Prefer dresses, more comfortable.

I prefer jeans because then I've a pocket for my phone around the house and garden. I can have a podcast on as I get stuff done moving room to room. Check messages and ping a quick reply.

Or if walking jeans mean a secure pocket for my phone and another for my mask and door key. Dresses mean I need a bag. That's annoying for a quick walk locally.

I've never found a dress with pockets that wouldn't let a phone fall out if I crouch down to throw washing on, or did a quick yoga stretch.

I love loose, long with long sleeves dresses with trainers or flip flops or boots (in fashion right now so I was rarely out of dresses this summer, but mostly I associate dresses with high maintenance- like shaving my legs/wearing uncomfortable shoes/being cold/figure hugging so I don't bother unless it's a wedding.

I live in shirt dresses (mostly Hush ones with pockets) with tights, they're comfortable and I like only having a single item to think about :P My smartest clothes are dresses too though, just a different style to my casual ones.

I liev in jeans and leggings but have just founds seasalt tunics and tunic dresses...I don't think of dresses as particularly dressy unless they are dressy dresses.

all of my skirts and dresses have pockets, has made no difference to my bag situation.

I think many people think about dresses from only urban stores - warehouse, Hobbs. etc.

many, many dresses and skirts now have good pockets.

@AuldAlliance

I wear dresses almost every day in summer (not in the UK...) but in winter I struggle to find tights that don't dig in or fall down. I have some lovely winter dresses but don't wear them enough because of this.

Sounds silly but have you tried putting an extra pair of knickers over the tights? It really works and they don't fall down.

Depends what you are doing. A dress would get caught in my tractor!

I like a dress, but tights are just horrible, they cut me in half . Do you wear tights @bellaiceberg on your dog walks in winter? I never used to wear jeans but I tend to in the winter for walks all the time. I don't feel I'm a jeans person as they are so boring.

I'd love to see a Utilitarian dress example can you screen shot one off the web and post it up ?

@flowerycurtain

Depends what you are doing. A dress would get caught in my tractor!

I leave my tractor at home

@smileandsmilesooooooo

I like a dress, but tights are just horrible, they cut me in half . Do you wear tights *@bellaiceberg* on your dog walks in winter? I never used to wear jeans but I tend to in the winter for walks all the time. I don't feel I'm a jeans person as they are so boring.

I'd love to see a Utilitarian dress example can you screen shot one off the web and post it up ?

I don't have a dog, but I do scruff around in stuff like that. I have some wool tights and some lighter ones for autumn but I tend not to snag them much, for some reason. For the 'dog walk' I guess I'd wear with my docs or 3/4 wellies to be honest and maybe wear my long Mac or shirt wax jacket over the top. If I am feeling lazy I will just shove some leggings and a puffer on!

I did once snag a gorgeous pleated long skirt on a wire egg holder in John Lewis in a city center that had to be thrown away. that was fucking heartbreaking. give me tractors any day!

For me, it would be because I find trousers and leggings much more practical. I also get cold easily so would rarely walk about with bare legs. The thought of a skirt, wellies and bare legs It somehow sounds both cold and sweaty. I wore a dress recently WFH. The dog dropped her ball down the back of the couch, I leaned over to get it and ripped a seam/popped a button. £50 dress needs repaired now. £10 leggings wouldn't have ripped. And yes to the fact you need to wash it every wear, I can get multiple wears from a pair of jeans.

A lot of your posts are about why you prefer dresses OP, and that's fine. But lots of us prefer trousers/leggings, and not just cos dresses are 'too dressy'. I wear a lot of jumpsuits which I'd argue are just as dressy.

I must admit, I'm no fashionista, but I'm struggling to see what anyone would think looked good about the outfit in that Instagram pic. None of the garments go well with each other in style, shape or colour, and the overall effect is... kind of eccentrically dowdy!

@lazylinguist

I must admit, I'm no fashionista, but I'm struggling to see what anyone would think looked good about the outfit in that Instagram pic. None of the garments go well with each other in style, shape or colour, and the overall effect is... kind of eccentrically dowdy!

I couldnt pull of her style, but I think she looks pretty good! Stylish, individual, creative. only my opinion of course, but she looks a hell of a lot less dowdy than someone wearing Hobbs, Boden, skinnies and stripes top...or joules (MC dog walkers Mecca).

but she looks a hell of a lot less dowdy than someone wearing Hobbs, Boden, skinnies and stripes top...or joules (MC dog walkers Mecca).

On that we shall have to disagree. I don't think classic style is the same as dowdy at all. You can look elegant/smart etc without looking edgy or cool. But equally, sometimes eclectic/alternative just looks messy, baggy and unflattering!

@lazylinguist

but she looks a hell of a lot less dowdy than someone wearing Hobbs, Boden, skinnies and stripes top...or joules (MC dog walkers Mecca).

On that we shall have to disagree. I don't think classic style is the same as dowdy at all. You can look elegant/smart etc without looking edgy or cool. But equally, sometimes eclectic/alternative just looks messy, baggy and unflattering!

I'm like this, I LOVE stylish, eccentric clothes but look like crap in them, prefer to admire others. I don't think the instagram lady looks eccentric though, she looks creative to me, very Hockney-esque there!

I get that influencer is trying to look ironic, but it’s not a good look.