How do you feel about wearing male clothes?

[Ruth]

Most of us here spend some time dressed as men.
Since I started spending considerable regular time as Ruth, I have found I have a new perspective on my clothing. When I get dressed en homme, as you might say, I am now more aware of actually putting on a costume and assuming a role.
It's not unpleasant - I don't dislike my man time - but I am aware of a separation between the essential me and the person I become when I'm presenting as a man.
Something similar happens when I'm en femme, but I'd say the separation is less, and it feels less of an assumed role.
So CDing has heightened my awareness of the function of clothing, and very much reminded me that gender roles are very much social - probably more social than sexual.
Any thoughts?

[JulieC]

I find male clothes to be boring, perfunctory appearance layers. I try to get motivated about looking good in male clothes, and find it's very hard. It's just not interesting. I walk into the men's dress shoe section and oh my! what selection! I can choose brown, or black! Woohoo! What's new in men's fashion? Suits! The same suits they've been selling for >100 years. BORING.

I don't mind wearing male clothes. It's just not interesting to me.

[Mandy Burgundy]

I don't mind long as its fashionable. I like designer jeans, shirts with sublte artsy graphics (not Ed (try)Hardy or affliction). There are some interesting mens shoes out there. And then top it off with a nice pendant. Some times even men's rings, bracelets and watch. I try to stand out a little, but keep it as subtle as possible. Over the top just isnt seen right unless your a rockstar. But en homme will never be as elaborate as en femme mode. Thats when we can all go crazy and layer everything from the toes up.

[Kathi Lake]

Agreed. From the colors to the fabrics to the designs, women's clothes are so beautiful. Men's clothes are just coverings. Women's clothes are as much a work of art as their bodies are. Sigh.

</jealousy>

Kathi

[Nicole Erin]

I hate wearing men's clothes to the point that if something is women's but "boyish" like those stupid "boyfriend" tops that are in style, I won't even touch it.

Wearing a men's suit? Well, I won't post the profanity to describe how I feel about that, thank goodness it isn't but once a year or less that I have to wear one.

Side note - I hate "dressing nice", I even hate skirts pretty much, too dressy.
LEsser of the evils is wearing a skirt instead of a "men's suit".
Gyod I don't even like typing those two words.

so that is how *I* feel.

[tricia_uktv]

Hi Ruth. The trouble is that for now my life is definately split between male and female although mind is merging. If I'm out as a male I do my best and vica-versa but I'm not unhappy dressing as a man. I think of it as ... would I play cricket wearing wearing a football kit? So its horses for courses but who knows what is around the corner? That certainly makes things fun.

[SweetCaroline]

I have to wear a shirt and tie for work and I hate it, but if I wore a shirt and tie en femme I think I could like it. When not working, I usually wear Hawaiian shirts--some very colorful--because they remind me of ladies blouses. I suppose, ultimately, it's not really about the clothes, but the means of expression, and the typical limited male "uniform" doesn't cut it for me.

[jenna_woods]

I find male cloths borring and very disinteresting, I miss my prety things wen female mode

[DanaLynn57]

Male clothing is what I have to wear in an every day mode...Female is what I love and want to wear when ever possible...But its just not the clothing anymore...For me its being comfortable in what I feel good wearing...My mind is more and more moving towards a female than ever before...When Im in a dept store I hardly ever shop the male clothes...Im hanging around the ladies dept. looking for something on sale...and so much to choose from...Styles and colors...Mens clothing is very boring and dull and I dont understand why society has decided that you have to wear very dull clothing to be a man...Maybe more color, some of us might where some male clothing as if it were female...NOT...hehe...Nothing like a silky blouse and a nice skirt and a pair of heels and silky hose that accent your legs to look so good...and you get a second look when you walk down the street...I want to feel what that is like and maybe soon I will...besides experiencing it only in my mind....

DanaLynn

[Angie G]

I adore dressing as a woman and could completely do with out guy clothind If only the would world let me.
Angie

[Rebecca Jayne]

When I mowing the yard, cleaning the pond filters, landscaping, home construction, house painting, stirring a mulch pile, get the idea, there is nothing better than man clothes.

Housework, cooking, cleaning, lounging, well woman's clothes suit me fine, of course.

[michellebesweet]

When I am dressing in my male clothes every morning, I hate it. I think it would be wonderful if I could just put on my red dress and red high heels and go into the office, but I know I can't, I hate that. I feel my male clothes suck, they are ugly, even when I get compliments on my male suits, I still hate it.

I hate shopping for male clothes worst. When ever I am shopping I pay more attention to the womans clothing sales or what is being displayed in the womans department. I love just walking through and checking out the sales, and walking through the bra and panty section, I feel so much more Fem when I am shopping. When looking for male clothes, I just buy what ever fits, I am not looking at styles or colors. I am more interested in increasing my female wardrobe then my male one. Pretty soon, I will have more female clothes then male ones. As is, I have about 5 pair of mens shoes, and about 20 pair of womens shoes, we have got to have our accessories, hehe. I love my heels and all my female shoes.

Female Clothes - Great
Male Clothes - Suck

[Jamie001]

Caroline,

Have you considered not wearing the necktie in male mode? A recent survey stated that only 5 percent of the working population wears neckties. It is becoming a thing of the past. I hate neckties because they are FORCED upon men just because they are male. It is extremely discriminatory. If women were forced to always wear skirts they would never do it. Males should get the courage to ditch the tie and just say that it is discriminatory and that they don't want to wear it. I simply do not approve of what the necktie stands for/symbolizes.

Jamie

I have to wear a shirt and tie for work and I hate it, but if I wore a shirt and tie en femme I think I could like it. When not working, I usually wear Hawaiian shirts--some very colorful--because they remind me of ladies blouses. I suppose, ultimately, it's not really about the clothes, but the means of expression, and the typical limited male "uniform" doesn't cut it for me.

[ArleneRaquel]

Mens clothes what are they ? I am down to three pairs of mens underwear. 3 pairs of socks, 2 work/casual paints, 3 - 4 shirts

[TJ Tresa]

I perfer to wear women's clothing and would 24/7 if it wern't so taboo around here. I am more comfortale in women's cloting even with the biunding of a bra, or girddle, or control top pantyhose, whatever. But to answer your questioin -- no I don't feel anything like that I am me no matter waht clothes I am wearing. I just don't let eveyone know about Tresa, for a varity of reasons.

[Ballerina]

I just don't care about my male clothing. It's just on me, like some sort of rag or something. Don't fully hate it, but don't fully like it. It just sort of... is..

[Sammy777]

Agreed. From the colors to the fabrics to the designs, women's clothes are so beautiful. Men's clothes are just coverings.
Women's clothes are as much a work of art as their bodies are. Sigh. </jealousy> Kathi

I would have to agree, but as far as fabric and colors/patterns go.
You gotta give it up for the Hawaiian shirt.

Yes "Aloha" or "Hawaiian" shirts -
Helping men wear bright pastel colors and flowers in public for over 60 years.

When not working, I usually wear Hawaiian shirts--some very colorful--because they remind me of ladies blouses.

Aloha! Nice to see a fellow admirer of Hawaiian Shirts.

[Kathi Lake]

I would have to agree, but as far as fabric and colors/patterns go, you gotta give it up for the Hawaiian shirt.

I don't know about the beauty of a Hawaiian shirt. I mean, some of these things just about burn your retinas out simply by looking at them. Yow!

Kathi

[Sammy777]

How do you feel about wearing male clothes?

To answer the OP's question -
I do it as little as possible.
I do like wearing his clothes......... when working / getting dirty.
Why muss my wardrobe when he has all these clothes laying around doing nothing,

About the only articles of his clothing I still wear pretty much at all are T-shirts, Hawaiian shirts, oh and some socks.

All my jeans/pants, underwear, shoes/sneakers, belts, jewelery, most socks and some tops are mine and have been since Dec 08.
And I haven't gotten so much as a peep for doing it either.

[Sammy777]

I don't know about the beauty of a Hawaiian shirt. I mean, some of these things just about burn your retinas out simply by looking at them. Yow!

Kathi

Sure, some of them should come with nuclear testing googles to hand out, but they are probably some of the most "girly" looking shirts a guy can wear without getting a "what the F' are you wearing?!?" response.

[noeleena]

Hi..
Male clothes .. oh them . dont have any . we gave them away . sorry guys . it.s all women.s clothes .dont mind my army boots other than overalls all female even doing my building work . & cabinat making .
...noeleena...

[Wen4cd]

Most crossdressers probably start out looking odd in girl clothes, then get better through experience and practice. It becomes a bit of a skill.

In considering gender, some will eventually see the androgynous 'both' nature of humanity, and realize that 'neither' also applies. (As in: we are both boy and girl, as much as we are neither boy nor girl.)

This means that we are always, as Ruth put it, 'putting on a costume and assuming a role' in either 'mode,' even if it's just for ourselves. As good as some of us get in this illusionary practice, it follows that we should be able to present both ways with better skill than most.

When I say 'illusionary,' I also mean both ways. Even dressing the 'role' of your anatomical sex, you are still creating a persona, as much as you are when dressing contrary to it. I'd say this is empowering, as we should have better understanding of presentation and be able to use it situationally.

[JoAnne Wheeler]

I just plain hate men's clothing - period.

JoAnne Wheeler

[StaceyJane]

My male clothes are just my regular clothes. I don't hate them. They just aren't special. I wear my girl clothes to express myself or to feel feminine.

[Angel.Marie76]

I have to wear a shirt and tie for work and I hate it, but if I wore a shirt and tie en femme I think I could like it. When not working, I usually wear Hawaiian shirts--some very colorful--because they remind me of ladies blouses. I suppose, ultimately, it's not really about the clothes, but the means of expression, and the typical limited male "uniform" doesn't cut it for me.

Caroline,

Have you considered not wearing the necktie in male mode? A recent survey stated that only 5 percent of the working population wears neckties. It is becoming a thing of the past. I hate neckties because they are FORCED upon men just because they are male. It is extremely discriminatory. If women were forced to always wear skirts they would never do it. Males should get the courage to ditch the tie and just say that it is discriminatory and that they don't want to wear it. I simply do not approve of what the necktie stands for/symbolizes.

Jamie

Well, I fit the shirt and tie category for my current place of employment, and it is a dress-code requirement of being a male in this place. We have 'dress down' days every so often, and in those moments males are allowed to ditch the shirt and tie in lieu of dockers and a polo shirt or something.. any day though JEANS are a no-no for men and women. As for fighting the dress code, especially in a conformist recession-riddled society as we have most places nowadays, it is not worth being fired for non-compliance. Believe me, my company has already been taken to court for a few wrongful termination suits that I know of, and they have never lost to my knowledge - they have some money to burn and good lawyers to spend it on.

But, I digress (after deleting a rant I just typed as I realize it strayed WAY off topic), for me, wearing male clothes right now, really, is a part-time requirement. I'm not out (to everyone) at work, my son is not yet completely accepting, and my GF is taking this all one day at a time. The parents and friends know and the rest of the world is learning slowly. As I move from one layer of my interaction with the world to another, I have to shift back and forth from female to male, and it is, frankly, quite tiring and frustrating. The more friends and colleagues I meet who are TG/TS or anyone while I'm out en femme, the more painful (and complicated) it becomes to separate these layers. Being here with the male costume on, it is almost depressive. The more sadness I feel being forced to present as a man day to day, the more it enforces my woman within to shine brighter whenever she can.

As for the monkey suits as Nicole Erin mentioned, I concur, so far it's only once a year, but I'll tell you that the brightness of my shirts and ties at those events is increasing each time. I glow from the INSIDE baby, whenever I can. :-)

Mens clothes what are they ? I am down to three pairs of mens underwear. 3 pairs of socks, 2 work/casual paints, 3 - 4 shirts

I hear you there hun, one small drawer of T-shirts, and a small section of the hanging area for ties, shirts, and pants. I think I have maybe two pairs of jeans right now too because my GF is picky enough to tell when I've girl's jeans on. Goodness she's particular about what's left of her 'man-time'. I just try to grin and bear through it.