Very simple - a CD takes male clothing for granted.
Most CD's just don't care as much about their male looks as they do their femme side.
Now I am sure I will get a reaming for THIS statement but really, I imagine if most CDs really had to choose, they would probably opt to be female. Why? Cause once again, a GM takes the maleness for granted.
It takes a true Erin to be a pain in the assatar.
lol. Everything works if you're a thin [insert race] [insert gender] [insert hair color].Originally Posted by AmandaM
Reine
Being a guy, presenting as a guy takes no effort - you 'pass' regardless.
Being a guy, presenting as a girl takes effort.
Even to fool myself I have to pay careful attention to body shape, colour matching, trying to consider the ensemble rather than just individual items.
When shopping for clothes (rarely in either mode to be honest) I find that I don't actually like much of what's out there for either gender, but at least I have an interest in the female stuff.
Susie
Sadly no. Men really do not need a variety of clothes, we can get away with just a few items. This is not just a CD issue, it can be found throughout the male community. There is nothing in the male upbringing that encourages them to become fond of clothes or their appearance in general. Indeed to spend any attention on your appearance immediately make you a suspected gay. So men basically just ignore clothes in favor of computers or cars etc. Clothes simply do not present most men with any excitement or pleasure.
Most men left by themsleves would only shop for clothes once a year and that is just to replace those which are worn out. In fact once men are married their wardrobes are usually updated by the wife so they may go many years without ever buying anything for themselves.
And of course for a CDer, all the focus is on building up the female wardrobe. Without a money constraint, CDs routinely buy hundreds of outfits. I would say this is part of the girly validation process knowing you have outfits for every conceivable occasion even though you will never have the opportunity to wear it.
For myself, if you ignore the dress shirts and pants I need to wear to work, my causal male clothes consist of 6 jeans and say 20 Tshirts/polo necks many of which are old.
Reine, I also don't get what's to be proud of about not having male clothes, CDers-wise anyway. To me, transgenderism comes from within, regardless of the apparel sitting inside my closet. So, not owning a suit freaks me out as much as not owning a dress, because it limits my ability to fully express either side of me.
LOL! You Brits definitely have a way with words!I do have two suits that are worn for Hatchings, Matchings and dispatchings
I think that any guy is pretty happy with one suit just in case, a couple of dress shirts and a couple of ties. Then for regular dress most of us just wear jeans (the older the better) and pull over shirts from polo to T. It's just the way we are.
As a guy (I speak for myself) I am a very pragmatic dresser. Comfort is the main word. Aesthetics is just unimportant.
As en femme, I care what I look like. I will be uncomfortable for a while if it makes me look good. As a girl, that is what I do. In other words some discomfort is worth making me feel good inside because I look good (or I perceive that I do). As a girl, it is just the way I am.
Hugs and Kisses
[SIZE="2"][SIZE="3"]Gina[/SIZE][/SIZE]
I find it amusing that a number of posts in here state things like "most men want x" or "most of us need y". Maybe the irony of such statements on a forum for people expressing their individuality isn't apparent.
My hubby has an extensive male wardrobe, and usually wears suits or at a minumum dress shirt and tie when he's at the office. Dressing smartly and presenting himself in a professional manner is important to him... That's probably why he also wears elegant lingerie and stockings under the suit
For those men who condone going out in old jeans, t-shirts and sneakers: Are you the same guys who bemoan the fact that women don't dress to the nines in nylons and petticoats any more? Tell you what... If you start to take pride in your male appearance when you're in "drab" mode, I'll make sure I'm wearing the LBD and killer heels, okay?
as a guy I like camouflage & black cargo pants, leather combat boots, and converse chuck taylors, t-shirts that are funny or have a cool picture / design, Leather trench coats, top hats, fedoras (real ones),derbys, zoot suits and so-on
as a girl I like pleated pink dresses, Pink Babydolls, bikini style panties, strappy 3 inch heels,mary janes, easter dresses pleated cheerleader's skirts
as opposed to the sausage skin ones I’ve been seeing 
lol
just a Compact Disc LOL
IM NOt GAY 
meow 
We I have more womans clothes then mens however I do hate to go back to male because I do not get enough time as a woman.
Now if male clothes had more verity that would be nice
OMG! You are so right. LOL!lol. Everything works if you're a thin [insert race] [insert gender] [insert hair color].
I do not really know if this go`s here but it is a slightly different slant on your question but still dealing with it in a sense.
We are preparing to go away on a holiday which i know will be special for my wife so we went clothes shopping (for both of us), knowing that my wife is looking forward to it i thought that i should put in some effort and buy some male clothes , OK i find it very difficult to get motivated to buying male trousers but still kept at it looking at different ones but in the end did not get any (yet), on the way back to the car my wife said to me " do you mind if i say something" i jokingly said "well you usually do without asking", to my surprise she said " you are looking at manly trousers and i do not like that as i am not use to you in them .
So i do not know what to do quite yet .
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Joanne
I do not own any suits or ties. I can not stand to wear suits (the last one I wore was back in 2000 and it was my USAF class A dress blues and only because I had to). I can't stand ties or anything around my neck. My male clothing consist of jeans, tee shirts and gray hoody sweatshirts. I have khaki slacks and polo shirts for work.
Drumming, My other hobby
To me, it's a bit like the dichotomy in Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Mainenance. Classic vs. Romantic.
Mens clothes are for function and do not have an asthetic component. They are classical, practical; with no extra features save what they are designed to do. They are tools. Womens clothes are purely romantic. They serve to support a wonderful fantasy, an illusion or projecting an image. This of course includes make up and heels and gloves and accessories and the myriad of fanciful designs. Men's clothes are about survival. Womens clothes are about attraction and mating.
Personally for me it's essential to be able to cleave the world and step from one mode (wearing GoreTex lined, vibram soled boots) to the other (wearing patent leather pumps).
It's good to be a man and it's good to be a woman.
Yes I am one of those that have a much larger female wardrobe, than male, properly 3 times bigger. I do own a couple suits, but have not worn them in years. I doubt if they even fit anymore. Small town, no place to go that requires more than a pair of slacks and button down shirt. use to try dressing up but always found myself feeling very over dressed. I have nothing against my male wardrobe, but the stuff seems to last for ever, so no reason to replace or add to it. Although the wife does get me a new shirt from time to time. I don't remember the last time I bought any.
We both buy for Tina, and that must be why my female wardrobe is so big.
I did look a while back, but every thing looks just like the stuff I have had for years, now my new skirts are all different than anything I have seen in years, so it's a lot more fun.
Tina
Oh boy, I can read so much into this. I will likely get it all wrong,but here goes anyway:
She could have said this in acknowledgment of her gratitude, knowing that looking for guy clothes is not your favorite activity. She might have wanted to soften the blow of having you feel you need to do this, by saying something that indicates her support of the CDing. She might also have felt some guilt, feeling badly for her need to appear in public with the guy side of her husband. If she is like me, a part of her wonders why she should care about what other people think.
She might have sensed your unhappiness over having to find guy clothes, and is feeling guilty about this too.
Reine
Of course, I live in a beach community. So, shorts and flaps r normal attire here, for males AND females, all year round.
When attending evening symphony concerts at our formal concert hall, I've stopped wearing ties. But I always wear dark dress pants and coat, and black dress shoes. Many older men wear complete suits. However, I'm increasingly seeing younger men in Hawaiian shirts, a variety of jeans, casual pants, and recently, shorts! Usually ALL in lite and/or brite colors!
I recently met a real estate broker at his muti-million dollar listing. He was wearing a wrinkled, casual shirt, grubby shorts, and boat shoes. Looked like he hadn't shaved!
I have a closet FULL of fancy dress shirts, jackets and suits! May as well give THEM to Goodwill. Oh wait, I'll save ONE outfit to be buried in!
It's NO WONDER some of us enjoy dressing to the 9's in LADIES GEAR!
U can't keep doing the same things over and over and expect to enjoy life to the max. When u try new things, even if they r out of your comfort zone, u may experience new excitement and growth that u never expected.
Challenge yourself and pursue your passions! When your life clock runs out, you'll have few or NO REGRETS!
my wardrobe is definately more female than male. for work im required to be in uniform but i wear female garments underneath. the male clothing i have is purely functional when needed to be just that.
I wrote earlier that my usual attire are shorts, Hawaiian shirts, and flip-flops. A new night club opened in town that was advertised to have a dress code. Since there are mainly dive bars in this town, the night club, a blues themed place, is highly unusual. As I was going to attend the monthly Bollywood movie at at theatre only a block away, I decided to check the place out afterwards. Highly unusual for me - 50 years old, somewhat a hermit, and had my share of the local dives in my 20s.
I wore kaki Dockers type of pants, a designer sports shirt, and brown and black saddle shoes. Apparently, the dress code was that you had to be dressed in clothes!Except for a few guys in suits, who were mainly employees and band members, I was one of the better dressed guys there. I guess the dress code is to keep gang related items out. As I was leaving, I saw the doorman make a guy hand over something, which he put in a glass display case. I looked as I left and it was a ballcap.
The women in the place were dressed to the nines, but s majority of the guys were their usual sloppy, small town Arizona selves.
Its nice to push the envelope a bit. Hey ReineD...Saw the pic....I got a great trench at Winners last weekend that pushes the metrosexual edge. Double breasted, extra zippers. Wore out today with skinny T, skinny jeans, hose, and women's heeled oxfords. Metrosexual or androgynous? Just plain fun for those of us in the closet....Dee
I think Susie has part of the key to the issue. There is a big functionality concern here. Since passing as a guy is no issue, we automatically slip to the next level. What is required by the situation we are dressing for and is it possible to be comfortable while meeting those requirements? At work there was a dress code that didn't require a suit, but I had to wear button shirts, slacks, dress shoes, a tie and occasionally a jacket. I tried to find ways to be comfortable and wear the most outlandish ties I could find. Not much but it was a bit of color.
Away from work there were different requirements. Not going to wear slacks to mow the lawn or go hiking, so jeans, shorts, tee shirts boots, polypro underwear, goretex, etc all work in. For dinners, weddings, funerals and the opera standards had changed enough that the better end of the work wardrobe served nicely. Whenever I have the option I pick something from my collection of 'Aloha' shirts, the closest thing to women's fashion that a guy can wear without any trouble at all. So I'm not a fashion horse when in male clothing, but then it was never needed.
However, when I want to wear women's clothing I want to present as close to the image of a woman as possible. The focus in that effort requires all manner of tricks and experimentation with fashion options that can help me get there. The challenge adds quite a bit to the pleasure of the experience. There isn't anything else that even comes close to the satisfaction of finding the right combination of padding, makeup, hair and clothing that create that illusion of femininty. Add to that the textures of the clothing and pleasing scents and I'm just really happy. Once I've been somewhat successful with one outfit, then it's time to see if I can extend the range of my skills and try something else. With the wide variety of womens fashions, it's not surprising that many of us have more women's clothes than mens.
Sarah
Being transgender isn't a lifestyle choice. How you deal with it is.
I present almost exclusively as male. I work in an office, and always wear dress pants and a dress shirt. I also have all the requisite suits, jackets, and ties that any guy would need, but I'm not even sure that my suits would fit since I haven't worn them for so long.
When I first started working, requisite dress code was either a suit or a jacket and tie. Then it went to shirt and tie, then to open collar shirt. A lot of guys at my office wear jeans and polo shirts. I used to wear suits for special occasions, like customer meetings, but even that has gone by the way side.
In men's clothes, there's just not the selection as in women's clothes. I have pants in blue, gray and brown, actually several shades each, but mostly interchangeable, except that some are in lighter colors or fabric more suitable for summer. I used to wash clothes on alternate weeks, so I needed 2 weeks worth of shirts. I was never the white shirt type of guy, so I had (and still do) have shirts in all colors, solids and mostly patterns, and I have a nice collection of eclectic ties, including a number of World Wildlife Fund ties with whales, giraffes, zebras, and wild cats.
When I started getting into women's clothes, I found that there were just so many more choices. Many more colors, types (skirts, dresses), lengths (long, medium, short), and styles (V-neck, scoop neck, etc). So, I may have a larger variety of women's clothes then men's.
Hi, I'm Steffi and I'm a crossdresser... And I accept and celebrate both sides of me. Or, maybe I'm gender fluid.
Hi ReineD...
All of my life I have cared not to wear suits, collared shirts or attire that requires extra care beyond t-shirts and jeans. To think I have to take extra care to not stain a comparitively costly dress shirt or tie etc, taking it to the cleaners is a headache. Dirty a t-shirt? Into the laundry. Stained beyond cleaning? That $8 shirt is not so bad to toss. I keep one male suit, two shirts, two ties and one pair dress shoes for special occasions but otherwise find no joy in wearing such things. Contrary to what past girlfriends, friends and my wife say I generally have always thought that I do not look very good - or comfortable - in such things.
Yes, female attire requires some extra care but the worlds they are worn in are different. I only dress at home so the likelihood of damaging the clothing is minimal. I do not necessarily look any better in a dress or skirt and blouse than I do in a suit but I feel better.
For a few years now I have attempted to address the clothing inequality in my mind. I would like to actually take some time to refine my male wardrobe to something more respectable for the sake of my wife while also continue gradually growing my female wardrobe.
I sometimes think/hide behind/credit/blame being a Gemini for flopping back and forth. One day I want to look good in male mode, the next I don't care. One day I enjoy my silks and satins and wish to wear them perpetually, the next I am rather indifferent.
So no, I do not resent my male wardobe although I do enjoy wearing my female wardrobe much more. I am striving to find symmetry between both sides of my wardrobe and the desires to live in both of them comfortably. As a side I admit...I much prefer to shop for dresses and the like rather than a suit and such. Much more fun to browse garter belts, panties, skirts and blouses than sift through ties, tie clips, suspenders and slacks. I enjoy looking at all the colours and styles found in the female fineries and speaking with female sales associates is always more fun than talking to a fellow in a suit. Still a guy at heart, I guess
Thanks for offering this thread.
I have a couple of suits, a sportcoat, and other male dressclothes here. When I need to, I enjoy dressing up in nice male clothes and presenting myself well as your husband does. But I do enjoy shopping for my fem clothes more than my male clothes.Like Sarah GG, I feel like I'm always answering for my SO. Like hers, mine also prefers other sites to visit while online nowadays.
My husband dresses quite well for a man. He's always in dress pants and button down dress shirts. Always. He really likes to present himself well no matter if he's in male mode or en femme. Although, he does have more feminine apparel to choose from. It's just more fun to shop for girly stuff! I'll give him that.
So, the limiting of male experiences because of the limiting of male clothes really isn't an issue here. He likes being a guy and looking nice as a guy. Yeah, I'm no help.
Must be a Lady Thing.
I second this. I dress to the nine's to look as much like a woman as possible. If I could turn into a hot chick at will, I would wear what they wear in Southern Calif. Practically nothing. LOL. Seriously, just skirts and tops, shorts, jeans, flip-flops, wedges, and nail polish. Nothing else required. Half the time I decide not to crossdress, it's cause it's so much work.
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