Are UGs An Endangered Species?

[Father Bill]

Most ladies' dresses aren't quite as rough as our kilt twill, so the question may be academic.

[adempsey10]

Okay, having done the "field work" in the original post, I have done a bit of snooping in on-line chats of women re: wearing skirts/dresses vs. pants. Many, as some of you have already pointed out, only have a dress or two and only wear them on "special" occasions (not unlike some of us kilt wearers). Many cited the convenience, availability and lower cost of pants/shorts over dresses skirts. Quite a few said they wore pants when they really didn't care much about how they would look but wore a dress or skirt when they did care. A few mentioned "modesty" (avoiding "flashing") but hey, don't they make underwear for women too? You don't HAVE to go commando! ' Seems I remember slips, petty coats, pettipants -- but then I'm from the first half of the last century Finally, several actually mentioned "chaffing" as an issue -- any of you have "chaffing" problems wearing a kilt? Those who mentioned chaffing got several replies from other women who suggested wearing pettipants or boxer type shorts (do they make those for women?). I suspect a lot of it has to do with the clothing makers/market. It is a lot easier, I would think, to mass produce and mass market pants than dresses/skirts. The consensus of on-line ladies' comments however seemed to have a lot to do with wearing a dress or skirt when they actually cared what they looked like and pants when they didn't so much. I'm sure there are exceptions but...????

Most of my female friends do not wear skirts unless they're going to work. They opt for shorts or pants. My wife only wears skirts when she's hiking, in which case it is a skirt made of tech fabric designed for that purpose. She works as an engineer and makes a point not to wear skirts or dresses to the office; instead pant suits. This is mainly because, as an aerospace engineer working for one of the largest military defence companies, she is a part of an industry that epitomizes the term 'ol' boys club'. It's unfortunate in these times that she feels like she is taken less seriously if she dresses too feminine, but that is the truth.

[Green Dragon]

Another unscientific, but not so large survey taken while picking up groceries. 10 out of the 35 ladies I saw tonight, not counting store clerks, were in a skirt or dress. I was pleasantly surprised. Majority of the remaining were is shorts, but then it did top 100 F today.

[O'Searcaigh]

That's great. Texas seems to be a leader in the U.S. in percentage of ladies in unbifurcated garments? I have noticed a few more ladies here in dresses but largely those who wear them because of their religious beliefs/traditions. An interesting mix of reasons to and not to wear them????

[Silk]

I think it's a cultural shift for the most part. Jeans has become almost the "uniform" worn by the masses today. Ironically, I don't own jeans and have worn them very few times in my life because I hate the heavy and constrictive feeling of them! I have always preferred dresses and skirts myself but you know what, nowadays I am more often in shorts or pants, not because I prefer them (because I definitely DON'T) but because of the cost of buying a nice skirt or dress is prohibitive for many of us. I only wish I could afford some nice skirts and dresses! (It doesn't help that I'm 5'2" so it is harder for me to find them for my height and when I do, the cost seems even worse.)

As for my younger days in high school, I went to a convent school where the school uniform had 3 options for girls: grey pants and a white shirt, grey skirt and a white shirt or a kilt and a white shirt. To me there was no question that I wanted to wear the kilt and I did, 5 days a week for 2 years (until the school closed and I was shipped to a school that only allowed a grey skirt or pants.) But interestingly enough, some girls opted for pants or at least the grey skirt and even those who opted for the kilt would not put it on till they arrived at school and would take it off before going home. Myself, I travelled to and from school in my kilt quite proudly. ;) lol

I will say that one problem when I do wear a skirt or dress out is that sometimes it can result in some embarrassing moments when a gust of wind shows up. That's not to say that you don't have underwear on but even still, no one wants the whole street looking at their underwear! ;)

Silk

P.S. Vulnerability while wearing a skirt or dress is possibly part of the problem too. I know that I have been on dates in the past where the fellow has tried to take liberties let's say because I was wearing a skirt and with the ever increasing tendencies towards boldness that I've seen, I could understand how it might make other girls feel vulnerable too.

[O'Searcaigh]

P.S. Vulnerability while wearing a skirt or dress is possibly part of the problem too. I know that I have been on dates in the past where the fellow has tried to take liberties let's say because I was wearing a skirt and with the ever increasing tendencies towards boldness that I've seen, I could understand how it might make other girls feel vulnerable too.

Alas yes I unfortunately understand (in a former life I did a lot of counseling of young women who....) and how sad. Some people don't seem to need much of a what they think of as an "invitation" to inappropriate behavior. Even a kilt worn by a man sometimes seems to make some other people think they can say or do things that would never be said or done were the man not kilted. So sad that any style of dress is threatened by the irresponsible (to say the least) behavior of others. But again, and unfortunately, understandable.

[California Highlander]

Downtown San Francisco today. Informal survey while I had a cup of coffee at a sidewalk cafe mid-morning. Financial district, mind you, so slightly more dressed up crowd. About 60-65% of females in dresses or skirts overall. Of the remaining, 20ish% were in either jeans or leggings and the other 15ish% in nice pants. Very unscientific.

Later I was up by Union Square in the shopping/tourist area and it dropped to 20% in skirts or dresses, the rest in pants, leggings, shorts, capris, etc. of those 80%, most were in some type of jeans.

I also noted that most women of my generation (45-50ish) were more likely to wear pants, while the younger generation was in skirts and dresses (shorts in the tourist areas).

I also have seen a kilted guy randomly on the street. He works at Wm Glen & Son Scottish things and Whisky shop up the street.

YMMV

[dutchy kilted]

My wife and I were in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania, last night for First Friday, when all the restaurants, stores and galleries stay open late. Very nice night with temperatures in the low 80's and huge crowds. At least 30% of the women were wearing dresses or skirts - very nice! Sad to say, I was the only one in a kilt (but at least I got lots of compliments.)

[James Hood]

'Was in the big city today (Chicago) for the Tall Ships Festival.

Among the uber-gobs (read tens of thousands) of folks on and around Navy Pier, a good many ladies and girls were delightfully, casually clad in dresses and skirts of all lengths for a typical hot-humid-sunny day.

Blue jeans are so trite and stupid (especially in Chicago, which is certainly neither farm-y or ranch-y), they make this writer mildly mentally-bilious-nauseous.