Skirt Training Fundamentals: Part One

By Tes Staylace
Copyright 1997

In memory of June Allyson (who knew how to manage them the best!)


Hello all you petticoat lovers! This is my inaugural column here at Transgender Forum. I am happy to join all the girls here for a monthly informational niche. Next month, this column will be devoted to corsetry! We will alternate between "Petticoat Pond" and "Tightlacing Topics" (my URL for corsetry is http://www.staylace.com)

There are basically two types of skirts, and, in wearing them day in and day out, women must constantly be aware of the them, especially when pursuing certain activities.

Straight skirts, especially if of a longer length, are probably the most restrictive. Bending down, negotiating stairways, and sitting number among the many of those times when a woman is VERY aware, whether she likes it or not, that she is wearing a skirt,

It is mostly impossible for a lady to bend down at the waist to pick up something, as the tightness about her thighs and restricted ability to spread those thighs necessitates her keeping them tightly together and bending at the knees. With high heels on, this can take much practice, as balance is precarious. In this case, the skirt actually forces the action: There is very little else she can do in order to accomplish her task! Of course, the more "pegged" (accentuating the tightness about the lower part) a straight skirt is, the more difficulty she will encounter.

Heels also tend to hinder her ability to climb stairs. Combine a tight, straight skirt with high heels and, sometimes, the task may be impossible. Most ladies accomplish this by ascending the stairs in a "sideways" fashion. This technique works for descending stairs as well, a time which can prove to be very dangerous, since a large chance exists that she may trip up on those heels! An ankle-length straight skirt makes the situation even more precarious. While most of these tend to have slits (vents), some slits are not very long, and do not really make the job of climbing stairs easy. One wonders how ladies in the hobble skirt era managed stairs (they were probably carried!).

"Sideways" seems to be the key word when wearing a straight (and tight) skirt. Even sitting down requires this technique, especially if a couch is low and even more if she is wearing heels.

So one can see that heels really are an important part of the skirt management discussion, particularly since women usually wear them with straight skirts. As a result, it is imperative that all skirt management practice be done wearing at least 3" (and preferably 4") heels. Without them, all is for naught.

If the straight skirt is very short, modesty becomes a consideration. When short skirts are tight, they tend to ride up with body movement. Therefore, it is imperative that a lady continually pull the skirt down, in order to keep her crotch covered. Stretching up is another activity that should be avoided when wearing any short skirt. Awareness is something ladies always must practice when wearing such garments. Then, that provides for an aura of femininity in the manner in which she walks, sits and otherwise negotiates her way through the day. The helplessness and hindrance engendered by straight skirts certainly adds to her attractiveness.

One last note: Although many do not wear slips with tight skirts, some choose to. It is important to match the slip with the slit in the skirt, so as to be congruent. A man will appreciate the time a lady spends making this effort, and certainly the sloppy look of a non-slitted slip blanking out the slit in a skirt presents a very careless look.

Feel free to write me at staylace@aol.com! All e-mail will be answered.

Be sure to visit my Petticoat Pond website too!

Coming Next: FULL AND BOUFFANT SKIRTS





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