Does it matter which department your clothes come from?

[Pat]

OK, so first my story -- the other night I was out at a bar with my girlfriend and I was dressed what I consider "en demi-femme." That is, I felt I was presenting male, but I had on women's yoga pants and a women's long-sleeve t-shirt, some small gold rings in my ears, but nothing I wouldn't wear to a client's office. No wig, no makeup. The waitress came over and she was very lively and started hitting on my girlfriend -- lots of outrageous banter -- it was a riot. Then she turned to me and asked what I was having and when I started to answer her jaw dropped and she said, "I'm SOOO sorry! I thought you were a lesbian couple!" So I guess I finally "passed" in public. Briefly.

But now on to my question. My outfit wasn't especially femme. I mean really the only difference between a men's long-sleeve t-shirt and a woman's long-sleeve t-shirt is that a woman's cost twice as much. Yoga pants? Again the only difference between those and my workout pants is the yoga pants not only cost more, but they don't have pockets. I wouldn't have raised a (perfectly-shaped) eyebrow at finding either of these things in the men's department. And yet, it apparently matters to me that I got them in the women's department. Oh, yeah, I was going to ask a question, wasn't I? The question is: if you could buy your femme clothes off the men's rack, would you? It is the clothing or the knowledge that it's "women's" clothing that matters to you?

[Closeted Kat]

If its comfortable and I wanted to wear it, I wouldn't care at all what section in was in. though i might be more discrete buying it out of the ladies section.
-Kat

[MsVal]

I have some trouble presenting as female, and need all the help I can get. That means obviously feminine tops (in good taste, of course), shoes, etc. Otherwise I'm just a guy with makeup.

My masculine shirts have a much higher neckline than my feminine shirts.

Best wishes
MsVal

[Kate Simmons]

The magic really isn't in the clothes. It's in the "schmaltz" we impart to bring life to the image.

[PaulaQ]

I'd rather die than wear clothing from the men's department. I'm not exaggerating.

@Jennie-cd - gratz on passing.

[CynthiaD]

Where's the men's department? I haven't bought anything there in years. There's a reason they call it drab.

[Leslie Langford]

Jennie, being a Boston-area resident, you are likely a Bruins fan, and probably have more than a cursory knowledge of loudmouth/"shock-jock" Canadian hockey commentator Don Cherry, who is known in part for his outlandish suits and sports jackets which are integral to his on-air persona. Here are some typical examples:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/02...n_4731920.html

So, to answer your question, even if - and that's a big "if" - it became mainstream for men to wear such colorful garb, I'd still opt for a nice women's floral top as opposed to one of Don's eye-searing equivalents.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Jennie, I have a couple pair of jeans from the ladies side that I wear en-drab.

[DorothyElizabeth]

The only jeans I own are Lee "comfort fit" size 16. IF men's jeans were made with the same material and cut, I'd buy them. But they aren't, and I don't see a change likely in that regard. IF leggings were sold in the men's dept, I'd wear them too, but here again, I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[Purple Puppy GG]

I have been told by Erika that women's clothes are much better to wear, a lot softer and have more of a personality--not all black and grey colors.

[giuseppina]

That situation would have me telling off the waitress, Jennie, even though you passed. Her manager would also hear about it. It's not appropriate conduct, IMO.

As it happens, I have feet that fit women's shoes better than men's. I have reason to believe this is a side effect of a body issue at puberty: hips like a girl. The hips are more or less gone, but I still have a few features like my feet that are side effects of what was likely a hormonal issue.

[Ressie]

I don't mind getting away with wearing ambiguous clothing when presenting as a male. But if I'm presenting as female I'm keeping it all fem clothing. I never see anything on the men's rack that looks fem, so no thanks.

[Lily Catherine]

I've successfully bought women's jeans and sweaters without anyone batting an eyebrow. (Yay!) They fit me much better than their male counterparts, which happen to be much baggier for my frame. My main beef, of course, is the pockets or lack thereof. As 'guniang' (derogatory term for 'effeminate' in Singapore colloquial English) as it may seem, I go nowhere without my Vespa shoulder bag. And I still get addressed 'Sir' when not presenting as female.

[ThiHi]

That situation would have me telling off the waitress, Jennie, even though you passed. Her manager would also hear about it. It's not appropriate conduct, IMO.

I'm sorry, I don't see the issue. Maybe because I get this all the time, regardless of how I'm dressed. I'm not trying to pass, I'm just wearing what I want and acting how I act. People in the service biz deal with a lot, and society is, like it or not, extremely gendered, something I have to remind myself of with great regularity. Unless the waitress was rude about it, I'd suggest she may have just been taken aback by missing her expected gender cues. Sorry for the thread hijack.

[lingerieLiz]

I seldom shop in the men's department. Most of my cloths are women's. I'm guilty of being hooked on women's clothes and lingerie. The one exception I do occasionally wear souvenir tees where there are not gg tops available.

[Pat]

That situation would have me telling off the waitress, Jennie, even though you passed. Her manager would also hear about it. It's not appropriate conduct, IMO.

I'm sorry, I must have told it badly. The waitress was hilarious and had heaps of personality; we were not offended by anything she did. She was clearly gay and thought she was acting out with a couple of sisters and her apology was sincere (and unnecessary.)

[Pat]

Re: Don Cherry -- honestly, I kinda like that pink floral sports jacket -- I have just the right shade of lipstick and nail polish to go with it.

[giuseppina]

Sorry, Jennie, I'm rather sensitive to teasing that I don't recognise as such. Past issues are talking.

[Maria 60]

Not only will I not wear something from the men's department, I don't wear something's I bought at a crossdressing store. I bought my first pair of heels at a crossdressing store and the owner told me the shoes were designed wider to fit better on a male foot. They are probably the most comfortable shoe I have, but because he told me they were designed for men I don't know why, but I don't wear them.

[Erica Marie]

As far as I am concerned they should put the two departments right next to each other and have a big blend area in the middle. I wear what is comfortable and what looks good. I wear certain girls cloths every day and no one knows. I have a few hoodies that I just love, they are girls and the only difference is they are cut a little different than mens and the colors are more vibrant, but not enough to draw a flag.

[Raychel]

For me personally I can's stand walking into the men's department in any store.
My men's wear is very old. still in OK condition, and I am not sure what I will do when
it comes to replace the men's clothes I have, I guess I will have to suck it up and
actually step in the men's section.

[Lori Kurtz]

For me, the only thing that mattered when I dressed up was how I looked in the clothes. Where they came from had nothing to do with it. Even if the item was originally intended as an item of men's apparel, like a snug-fitting t-shirt or sweater (or "jumper," for the Brits in the crowd), I could find it wonderfully exciting if it displayed my female figure well.

[Joanie_Shakti]

I have much more, and nicer female clothing than I do men's. For male clothing, I wear the same cargo shorts and Hawaiian or rockabilly shirts on my off time and sports shirts and jeans for work. I don't care for androgynous clothing. Women's clothing has so many varieties of styles and fabulous fabrics. Underdressing with panties on my time off and sometimes at work is the extent of my public crossdressing. I want to wear dresses and skirts, silk, satin, and nylon, among other fabrics when dressing as Joanie. Androgynous clothing and kilts have no appeal to me.

Though, I would like to be part of a "lesbian couple." I was once in Torrid looking for belts when a salesgirl came up from behind. When I turned around she let out a nervous laugh. I think she thought I was a woman from behind. I was dressed in the above mentioned shorts and Hawaiian shirt, but my legs were shaved and I think I was into wearing Frenched toenails at the time. Didn't mind her mistake one bit.

[heatherM]

I have 3 all woman outfits I wear in male mode, all athletic type, I love the look and cut many pairs of women's sneakers, the keds are my favorite, Levis 501s all female, and polos, wear them to work, everyday and out always no one has ever said anything, it really matters to me that their from women's dept. Really matters that's the point.

[Ms.Kenadie]

Mens clothes are all the same... I might like to go shopping at a Big and Tall for a nice button down or something that I could wear as a kind of dress/skirt ensemble with a belt. But other than that? No way.

Right now I am just beginning to work up to where I can go out en femme and there is a lot of work to do. I go to the mall or someplace and see the various womens clothing, and there is just so much, and so many styles. It is amazing and I cant wait until I can try them all