I ~Always~ dress my age. On the days I think i'm 25...i dress
like i'm 25. On the days I think i'm 45...same.
On the days i think i'm +55....i mow the lawn.
lol!
I ~Always~ dress my age. On the days I think i'm 25...i dress
like i'm 25. On the days I think i'm 45...same.
On the days i think i'm +55....i mow the lawn.
lol!
Last edited by Anna H; 08-20-2014 at 07:15 AM. Reason: spelling! lol!
I have found that as time goes on - I dress more appropriate to my age...the key word is..'more'.
Perhaps this is nothing other than maturity in style and at the same time - an evolution from CD being a different experience than it once was now that I involve my SO much more.
Saying something isn't age appropriate is like saying men shouldn't wear womens' clothes. I have just started expanding my wardrobe (everything was black) so I guess I was dressing for a funeral. Fit and style are the two things I look for more than age. There are things my wife wear that drive me crazy. Floral patterned shoes remind me of my grandmother. Thin sweaters over her blouse seems to put on ten years. But she likes them and they do look good on her, so I have let it go. We are both 38 so I may have to watch a little more Project Runway to expand my knowledge of fashion and people watch a little to see what age appropriate in my area would be.
There has always been a part of me that wanted to wear those cute and fashionable things but I found it cought too much attention simply because I was an old broad in a young girl's outfit. I have mellowed a lot in the past few years and now I feel so comfortable in clothes that BLEND IN rather than somethng that STANDS OUT. When I wanna wear something really sexy I Keep in here in the house.
Little bit of GG input (disclaimer - I am not posting this as an advocate for the acceptance of CDing in public - just giving some practical advice). If your goal is to "pass" or be accepted then age/occasion appropriate dressing is a must. If you don't really give a sh#$ what others think, wear whatever floats your boat. Now when I say "age appropriate" I'm going to pass on an observation, which is based solely on posted pictures and may not be a realistic reflection of how many of you dress. I see many of you dress "era" inappropriately. I understand wigs are expensive, but the hairstyles I see are extremely outdated in many of the pics...as are some of the dresses and shoes.
I know you all love stockings/hose, but guess what? Most women don't wear them anymore, except maybe on really cold days. Try a spray tan or self tanner! If your influence is from your mother or the era of your childhood (NOT drawing conclusions, just referring to several comments I have seen) then you will draw more attention to yourself and likely not pass. Many shop at Goodwill/thrift stores. Good option but understand much of their stuff is dated.
From the other end of the spectrum, you would not wear a club dress to a funeral or vice versa. Please think about the occasion. Most women don't "dress up" for a shopping trip. If the GG's are in a dress, it is usually very casual, with sandals. I happen to be approaching 50 and wear the same size as my 21 year old daughter. I would not borrow a dress from her to wear to either a club or a funeral. We do actually share clothes, but it's jeans and t-shirts and sometimes a cute tops.
I have no idea if CDing will ever be completely accepted, especially in public. The truth is, most men and women can spot a CDer at 100 yards...sorry but it's true. I'll admit, I usually do a double take, but I think that's human nature. It's not just your choice in clothing, it's facial features, body shape, hand size, foot size, the way you walk, the voice....and don't forget the Adam's Apple. I look at the struggles the gay/lesbian community is still having to be accepted and I think CDing has a way to go. Many more people are seeing g/l as being "born that way" but probably not the minority. CDing runs a whole different line-especially when the fetish aspect is thrown in. TG will probably get more recognition, especially with the laws regarding public restrooms, etc, but even that is still facing a fight. Most of the GG I know refuse to use non-gendered restrooms. They just feel awkward. I can't really guess how the men feel.
Jennifer, your comments always bring a grin. I tend to be very upfront and sometimes sarcastic/blunt. Your "dude in a dress" comment still always comes to mind.
Last edited by SO1Adam12; 08-20-2014 at 08:33 PM.
As Sammy Davis Jr sang, "I gotta be me."
Great observation indeed, if not somewhat US-centric, but that's to be expected. In Western Europe, you can get away with a more formal style. For one thing, hosiery is still pretty common in a lot of age groups including teenagers, spray tan not so much. What many consider 'office looks' on this forum are relatively save street looks over here to a certain degree. You're not going to see many people in patent pumps, nude hose and a formal skirt, but a more toned-down version of that or a combination with more informal items is not that out of the ordinary. Context, even within the outfit itself, is everything.
Anyway, yes, I try to dress appropriately in regard to age, weather, occasion, etc. but that's a personal choice. I'm a dude in a dress as much as the next guy here, but I surely can do it my way if I want to.
I definitely get into that quandary sometimes. I am in my mid 50's and totally don't want to be seen dressing like a teenager. Some months ago, I went to my favorite dress shop. I wore a knee length patterned pencil skirt, neutral top, black cardigan and low heeled sandals. (BTW, no wig or makeup. I do "guy in a dress" normally). I was met by the 20 year old SA who said, "I just love your skirt. I wore mine everywhere until it literally fell apart." I thanked her but thought "OMG, I dress like a 20 year old." I related the story to an older SA, including my grave misgivings about dressing too young. "Don't worry about it. We sell clothes that are not age specific. They work on anybody. And you know we'd tell you if you were making a mistake.". Whew, good thing, because I love that skirt, too!
Joceylyn - what has black or white got to do with it? I do certainly take your point about gangsta rap though. If that is the way some black youngsters want to portray themselves, that does reflect on the rest of the community. And there in a nutshell is the answer. If you are out there, crossdressed and looking like a perverted creep, exactly the same logic will apply, and all crossdressers will be tarred with the same brush. Dress how you like in private or at a party, , but please, don't make like any harder for the rest of us
If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got!
Being into costuming I can dress any age I want to be.
I will be 72 next birthday but prefer to dress younger in good taste!
Martha,
You Go Girl. MUAH !
Fulfilling a Lifetime Dream of Living as a Woman in My Adult Years. Ten Years Living 24/7 as a Mature Lady
My Love of Cat's Eye Frames, Bangles, Red Lipstick, Nails, & Cheeks, Comes From My Mother - An Irish Beauty
I'm Always Rainbow Proud