How on earth do you sit down in a fitted latex skirt?

Question

Went to a thing at the weekend in a fitted latex skirt and spent the entire evening standing up, because every time I went to sit down I did not know what to do with myself.

It rides up when I lower myself, then it feels like it is under strain across the back, and then when I stand up again the whole line has gone. So I stood for four hours and my feet have not forgiven me.

Is there a technique? Do people smooth it under themselves, sit differently, or is a tight skirt genuinely something you accept you cannot relax in? Also, is there a real risk of damaging it by sitting, or is that only in my head?

hemline_hana · Accepted Answer

Smooth the back of the skirt downwards with your hand as you lower yourself, exactly as you would in any tight skirt. What you are stopping is the hem riding up and gathering behind you, which is what creates the bunched look when you stand back up. Sit back into the seat properly rather than perching on the edge, because perching puts all the tension on one line across your thighs.

glossgirl_g · Answer

And be very careful what you sit on. A rough or splintery bench, anything with a metal stud or a rivet in the seat, and a bar stool with a textured top are all things I have learned about the hard way. Metal is the one that leaves a permanent mark rather than a temporary problem.

wardrobe_wendy · Answer

Honestly some skirts are simply not sitting-down skirts, and knowing which you own is half the battle. A very narrow one with no seam allowance to give is designed to be stood in and photographed. If you want an evening where you can eat and talk and sit, buy something with a bit of ease or a vent, and keep the other one for nights where you will be on your feet.

perched_awkwardly · Answer

That is probably the honest answer for the one I have. I bought it for the line and it does look wonderful standing up. It is just not a chair sort of garment.

subtle_shine · Answer

The shine also transfers, which nobody warns you about. If you have polished it and then sit on a pale fabric chair for an hour, check the chair before you get up. That has been a genuinely awkward moment for me at someone's house.

no_shine_needed · Answer

Which is another quiet argument for matte at anything involving other people's furniture.

floorwalker · Answer

One practical thing from the venue side. If you know you will want to sit, take something with you to put down. A silk scarf, a jacket, anything smooth. It sounds precious and it is the difference between relaxing and standing all night.

glosswork · Answer

Also stand back up slowly. Most of the stress a skirt takes across the back happens in the half second where people push themselves up off a low seat. Take a moment, use your legs rather than hauling on the fabric, and smooth it down again once you are up.

How on earth do you sit down in a fitted latex skirt?

Post a reply

From the field guide

More in Fashion & fit