Dressing for Men, Dressing for Women, Dressing for Yourself?

[Bathsheba]

What are peoples' thoughts on this?

I'm conscious that i dress differently according to who i need to feel comfortable with... or amongst who i need to "fit in with". Largely though i dress for myself and the world be damned if they don't like it!

Ok so i have this dress. I bet 99% of you wouldn't be caught DEAD wearing it It's a 1950's cotton "house dress". Floral, A-line, zip up the front number.... ok stop wincing LOL so i used to "save" it for special occassions at home... it used to be the dress i wore at Christmas. But recently i have boldly stepped out the front gate wearing it... and have even done the school run wearing it! Why? it's the most comfortable thing i own on a stinking hot day. It seems to let air flow in all the right places and being 100% cotton deals with sweat very nicely. This dress i wear for me alone.

But back to the broader topic... what things do you consider fit into either of these catagories? For example... I tend to paint my fingernails if i'm going out on a girly night because it's the kind of thing women like: groomed glossy coloured nails. My DH doesn't 'get' why women spend so much time and money on manicures... he finds long nails a turn off... so I don't tend to grow them. Nails are to impress other women (from my perspective).

And men? Well when i was single i knew that anything that accentuated my curves appealed to men. That was easy... i didn't bother with jewellry etc because i once over heard two guys talking who seemed to agree that girls who wore lots of expensive looking jewellry are probably going to be high maintainence... they spoke like they were scared LOL strangely I found a guy (DH) that actually likes jewellry and has been disappointed that never wear the things he had bought me... though i also don't like the feel of it on me.... i might wear some out on a girl's night out though

What's your view?

[alioops]

I usually wear what I am most comfortable in, but in being comfortable, I am also aware of other people's comfort levels. Ie, when I am going to be around young guys I try to cover up quite a bit, because sometimes they think of pictures that they really don't want, and I don't want them thinking of me.

I dont wear a huge amount of Jewelry because I am allergic to a lot of it but what I wear has to be expensive because otherwise I will react.

To be perfectly honest, when I am not going anywhere and not expecting anyone I prefer to be naked, but I know that this is not always the most appropriate, so I do get dressed.

I have now come to the conclusion when I am out with women that life is not a competition and I am there to enjoy time with them, not to show off, so I just wear what I am comfortable in.

[Bathsheba]

I totally agree with avoiding competition! Although some groups of female acqaintances that i kind of "need" to get along with do seem to have a set of unwritten 'rules'. They are very girly girls... and that's ok... i can bring out my inner girl if need be... but not doing the school run!

[sushee]

I don't think most guys could tell the difference between K-Mart and Alannah Hill (I know my DH can't), but because I can, I tend to buy higher end stuff to wear if I'm going to be going out with others who would know too (i.e. other women). But I'm also not shy about mixing an expensive top with cheap jeans and vice versa, if it looks good. But on the whole, yes a woman's opinion woulkd have clout with me where a man's wouldn't.

BUT having said that I don't get manicures or pedicures and don't paint my nails. I only usually wear lipstick at work, and only light make-up (no foundation or anything) for a night out. I will choose flat heels over stillettos if possible, and being warm/cool is more important than being fashionable any day!

So while I do dress for women, I am not so concerned that I will compromise comfort! So up to a point I dress for other women, then I dress for me!

I think men are generally fairly easy to please. There are one or two things that I wear that my DH doesn't like - a silky shirt dress that I wear with leggings, and an a-line skirt that he thinks is a bit garish in colour, but I've had compliments from women on both, so they stay in my rotation!

[briggsy's girl]

if i'm at home, i'll sloth it in jim jam pants and a singlet - for comfort, and cos they wash and wear easily - and if i DO manage to snag them on a rose in the garden they're much cheaper to replace. anywhere else, i dress for ME, but i dress very differently. i sometimes wears jeans but mostly if i'm going to someones house for a casual bbq or something - mostly i wear dress-ish pants/crop pants and a simple top - comfy, looks decent, and matches most things. the only thing i really vary is the shoes i wear - or the colors (depending on where/what i'm doing - darker for a funeral etc)

ummm, with jewellery - i wear what i'm comfy wearing and i don't look at who i'm going to be around when i choose what to wear. my engagement/wedding and eternity rings hve been fused together so i wear all three all the time, and usually will have a ring on the other hand - just change which one depending on my mood. i have a gold bracelet that i wear all the time, and an anklet that i wear when i go to health related appointments (got it made while going through IVF so it just feels right to wear it - like for luck or something - it's usually covered). i haven't done the girly girl nails things since our wedding - and only then cos of the photos - i keep my nails mostly short and functional.

[AngelPunks]

What I wear, I wear for me, usually appropriate to the venue. Now that I'm losing weight, I like to look good. Currently I'm not wearing any expensive clothing because I'm still dropping weight and don't want to waste money on it - but I am clothes swapping with one of my best friends since we're similar sizes (clothes & shoes). OK if I'm at home, I'm usually nekkid as much as possible or in grotty gym gear.

The boy's reaction to one of my best friends and I mentioning via email today that we were going shopping on saturday was "again" (until I mentioned lingerie shopping and he grinned) - yet he is a bigger label queen than either of us, is really particular about what he wears out on the weekend and can tell my perfumes apart and will comment on my jewellery.

I wear jewellery every work day - necklace, rings & watch. On weekends usually just necklace and rings. These change daily dependant on my mood.

I wear make-up to work and on weekends (usually when I'm going out only), I wear perfume ALL the time, rarely paint my nails and I try to keep them at a nice length.

Oh My .... I'm turning into a girlie-girl

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I wear what I want. I really don't dress for other people! I do check with my DH that he likes my outfit every now and then, but he usually does. I don't like wearing "slobbing" clothes (eg tracksuit bottoms) so don't own any of those. I like dresses and skirts, so own a lot of those.

I feel more comfortable covered up, so I cover up. So long as I'm comfortable then I really don't care.

Make-up: I like doing my make-up. So when I have time, I do it. Nails I do when DS asks me to do his (I put all the nail varnish on my nails so he gets an almost empty brush to paint his... I'm mean, I know). Eyebrows when I have time.