Are you a blender?

[Frédérique]

My SO has taught me to aim at "Blending". Mixing in with the world as me without causing a wake (as follows a boat in the water), without causing a stir, just part of existence like everyone else.

[SIZE="2"]Keep smiling, Mirani!

Yes, “blending” is a good description of what I try to achieve out in the real world – I definitely avoid causing a stir, preferring to slip past everyone in a peripheral sense. By the time someone thinks about what they might have seen, I’m long gone and hard to find. It’s a little hard to blend in out here in Kansas, since my mode of dress clashes with normal female presentation, unless I’m taking in a threshing demonstration at a Mennonite community, of course. One slip-up there and I’ll quite literally be damned, so yours truly needs to be careful, blending visual perceptions like a DJ mixes audio tracks into a seamless trance. With this idea of blending in mind, my wardrobe is very non-flamboyant in nature, but I’m attracted to everyday clothes regardless of what other, more extroverted types prefer to wear. I’m quite happy being plain, out here on the plains… [/SIZE]

[Astrid Star]

I agree with you Mirani. I believe that "blending" is an affirmation of our womanhood (or rather our "percieved" womanhood). I have only started dressing recently and am quite young but my dream is to blend in also. I love the idea of going out and being viewed as just another "cute girl" walking down the street.

Astrid

[wetlook crossdresser]

I'm afraid I'm not a blender, I'm more of a trash compacter. When I walk along the deck beside an indoor swimming pool in Vancouver, B.C. during a public swim session my face is obviously one of a man with a full beard, but I'm wearing a full length formal dress over breast forms and pantyhose. I am certainly not passing and, judging by the looks on many faces around me, I am definitely not blending either. Out on the street when dry, I still crossdress but more discreetly. I am making my own inroads about my clothing choices and where and when to wear them. Blend if you like, pass if you like, but I just simply enjoy being myself with a unique mix of garments on top that portrays a free spirited image of a fun loving eccentric.
Cheers!
Chris

[Joanne f]

I can see the sense in this blending thing but is blending you wearing what others would expect to see you in rather than you wearing what you would like to wear and would this not change depending on where you were going .
I know of a town where it is not unusual to see people dressed as pixies,fairy's, witch`s warlocks, wizards, goddess`s and they do not worry about blending (but then i guess for this town it is) .
So although i can see that it might be less stressful to blend it may also stop you from being an individual , just pick what is right for you .

[linnea]

I don't want to be outlandish or draw attention to myself, but I do want to present a lovely feminine appearance and lady-like behavior. My idea of those qualities is probably a bit of a throw-back to times when most women wore dresses, skirts, pretty blouses, etc. But lots of women still do so.
Insofar as I blend in, it's into that mode of fashion and the behavior that tradionally goes with it. If that makes me stand out--and I don't think that it really does unless I wear an evening gown to rake leaves from my lawn (I wear pants [not jeans, Karren!] and a feminine top)--then I guess that I'll stand out.

[janis murray]

I suppose I am a "blender" inasmuch that when I walk down the street I just want people to see me as a woman just going about her business, which is all I've wanted to be or do, and I'm proud to say I've been very sucessfull at being a "blender".

[Blaire]

Blend? Definately blend. Conform? Not likely!

A lot of people here take offence to the concept of "blending". You can blend banana's into a strawberry margarhita. Does that mean that you can't taste distinct strawberry and banana flavours? No, not at all - but it does mean that the two have to go together.

Blending doesn't mean do-the-same-as what most people do. It's also not pointing a sign at yourself that says look at me, I'm in your face. It's right down the middle of those two, and it's a wide line.

The biggest example is the skirts vs pants debate. Just because 8 out of 10 gals in your area wear jeans, doesn't mean you have to - and certainly doesn't mean you'll not fit in. Now if 10 out of 10 gals in your area wore jeans every single day, all day, no variation... then ok. A skirt might not work out so good for blending.

[PatriciaT]

So, guys and gals, I suggest we make it easier on ourselves and dress and behave so as to blend in rather that aim at the Nirvana of passing!

Just sharing my view. Feel free to agree/disagree


Well said and I agree 110%!

"Blending" or "being accepted" which is the term I like to use is far more possible that "passing" which is virtually impossible for most of us.

My firm conviction is that you can go out and about en femme,　and function normally. As long as you can confuse them so they are really not sure,　people just tend to accept you.
Exprience has taught me that the more feminine I try to look, the more I blend or am accepted.

[LisaM]

I am all about 'blending' although at 6'3' the blending is a little more difficult.

[Ellen47]

I also dress to blend in.
I Know I am not fooling anyone when out and about. But so far I have not had any negative reactions.

Ellen

[Princess Chantal]

I tend to not be a "blender" and so far I haven't had issues with negative attitudes when I exagerate my looks. Actually, it seems that I get more respect and supportive comments/actions when I go that extra mile in my joys of dressing

[nikkijo]

aparently i blend... to a point... but not sure what i want now... was in bath and body works and only semi done up and got 2 maam's and 2 correcting sir's.. makes me wonder what woulda happened had i been fully done up...

[ReineD]

If I wanted to blend..... I would wear women's jeans!!! Ekkkkk.. No way I don't blend..... I'm typically the only person in a store in a dress..... and that's the way I like it... Crossdressing for me is about looking feminine.... may be my opinion of feminine but but then again it's my "hobby"..... I refuse to try to look like the typical woman who dresses more like a man than I do.....

Karren, that's an exaggeration!! Not every woman out there is wearing jeans. And certainly women wearing dresses and skirts don't get looked at as if they have horns growing out of their heads.

I've seen your pics and you blend very well, IMO. You can go anywhere and be treated respectfully as Karren!


To Mirani, I agree!

[dominique]

When I go out I want to blend in. Sometimes I wear jeans or trousers, but mainly a skirt. In a skirtless mall I do tend to stand out a bit. But hey I'm dressing for myself.

[erickka]

I will NEVER pass in a century of sundays, so the best I can do (and it seems to work well) is dress normally (like we see 90% of GG's) and do my best to act as a female,and try not to draw any unwanted attention to myself. So, in a nutshell, I guess I am a "blender".

[sfwarbonnet]

Where I come from it is possible to blend in wearing a skirt and heels and that is what I wear when out. i rarely see women wearing jeans around here although quite a lot wear slacks or trousers as it is getting colder. Over here at least it looks as though women are dressing more like women and I am happy to go along with that.

I wish GG's here would wear skirts and dresses and appear as ladies. That would make "blending" easier. Skirts and dresses appear to be worn more frequently by GG's of European decent my daughter-in-law is Swedish and she wear them quite frequently. Hopefully my Granddaughters will learn from Mommy

[kellycan27]

Put blending or passing aside for just a moment. Isn't the basic idea of cross dressing "to wear the clothes of the opposite gender"? If you are dressing up I would think that wearing jeans, or sweats wouldn't really do the trick.... in the eyes of a lot of cder's. if you run around mostly in drab,when you finally get to "dress" wouldn't it stand to reason that you would want to "do your best" to dress the part. ( I am trying to watch my semantics here because I know that there some that just enjoy the clothes and are not trying to present as anything but a guy in a dress, so if you would please bear with me hehe). This may be a dumb analogy, but isn't like say.. You love Halloween, and you go out,but without a costume. What's the point?

For me, because I choose to live full time, I have found that even though I do like like to "girly" it up with dresses,skirts,make up and heels, it isn't always convenient, and to be perfectly honest.. after a while the novelty tends to wear off. I don't always the have the time,energy or even the desire to do the whole nine yards. I want to throw on some jeans, put my hair in a ponytail,slap on some lip gloss, a ball cap and my over sized sunglasses, run to the market or the mall and be done with it. it just becomes more utility than adventure.
Wearing dresses and skirts for gg's is pretty much the norm for them, so they don't look at it in the same way that some one who does it for some kind of outlet, whether that be some kind of fantasy, or to pass,blend,or express..whatever. Does this make sense?

Kel