The subtle attractions of cross dressing

[alwayshave]

Subtle difference for sure. When I first started fully dressing I noticed everything, though a lot was positive, some was negative. I was always pushing the hair from my wig off my face, forehead, eyes. My fiancee kept correcting me saying, don't touch your hair, its supposed to come across your forehead/corner of your eye like that. Changing they way a sit also took some work.

[Suzie Petersen]

Rachel: I do think that if I were to be able to dress way more often than I do these differences would stop being differences and become normal and I would not give them a second thought.

I think you are right, and others have mentioned this too, but isn't that a shame somehow? If those little things are actually triggering the pleasure gene, it seems a shame to loose it and allow it to become normal.

One of the things I noticed a long time ago, when I was going out in girl mode a fair bit, was that I would sometimes forget that I was dressed! Not like forgetting it really, but it changed from being the primary focus to just being a fact of the day, just the way things were. This was both good and bad actually. Good because when you stop trying so hard, things often get easier! If you try to pass or blend in, you sometimes overdo it and that gives you away, whereas if you dont try so much, it often comes natural instead.
Of course, you also stop looking for peoples reaction which again makes you feel comfortable and as a result you pass or blend in much better!

But my point is, if some of the original thrill is the little tactile sensations and the pleasure that gives, then we kinda' loose that when it becomes "normal" to us!
I distinctly remember the first time I shaved my legs and put on a pair of hose. That sensation was unbelievable, but I never felt it the same way again. When shaving my legs became a normal part of the day, the thrill of it was much less.

- Suzie

[UNDERDRESSER]

I feel this, even as just a "Dude in a dress" (skirt mostly) There are many aspect to it. The simple comfort factor of no cloth bunched between your thighs, cooler air circulating, easier feel of the fabric just simply hanging there, that kind of thing. When wearing my favourite opaque thigh highs, the feeling of my legs being caressed, the support they give my legs, the awareness of how they enhance my legs. With heavier and longer skirts, the feel of it moving and brushing the skin is very sensual, not sexual, just being aware of my body in a pleasant way. The feeling of being "on display" makes me very aware of how I sit, stand and walk, it's doing wonders for my posture! One funny thing that I thought about reading this thread, when I was younger, I would cross my legs as a habit, but I don't do that now. Have I been conditioned not to by criticism? Or is it just my legs are bigger now?

Sometimes, I like to think of men as diamonds in the rough. Women are also diamonds, but precisely cut and polished into dazzling gems. I am comfortable being a crude rock. But it is a distinct pleasure to be a jewel now and then.

Interesting way of looking at it, if true, I think my male side is being polished up nicely!

[Stephanie47]

I think if you have been dressing long enough you have a tendency to forget you're doing it at all. Recently, when I was having a physical I was searching for a word or expression to explain how my diabetic neuropathy was affecting me. He said, "You have to think about doing something, that you use to do without thinking!" He was right on.

Yes, pushing away that lose strand of hair; smoothing your dress when sitting down; getting into a car sitting down first and swinging your legs afterwards; holding your dress at the sides when a strong wind blows in; holding hands on lap; crossing legs at the knee rather than the ankles; sitting with knees together and not splayed out like a guy; take small steps and don't kick your feet out like a man, etc.

Several years ago I was walking behind a person, who I knew without seeing a frontal view, that the person was a cross dresser. The person walked like a man and carried her handbag like it was a lunch pail. As the person walked in high heels boots, the ankles caved in. In my mind I did give her credit for venturing out in public, but, looking at tutorials on YouTube would be helpful for her.

[joanna4]

True, I'm very cautious about my movements. Overtime, I noticed I developed an auto-pilot feature when I have too much going on such as being in a crowded public place.

[CynthiaD]

I dress a lot, so the little things don't have as much impact as they used to. Every once in a while though, i do notice something, like smoothing my skirt as I sit down. When I notice something like this, I'm impressed with how right it feels. It's like something is telling me, "This is how things ought to be.

[pamela7]

do you feel subtle differences between andro and skirted, skirted and fully wigged/made-up? I do.
the andro is like a socially acceptable way of dressing, but leaves me really in male mode in others perception
a skirt/tunic/leggings are essential to really root into my fem side

sometimes it feels subtle, others immense, i guess down to the contrast on my previous activity?

[Sarah-RT]

They are all typical mannerisms or requirements, in male mode I don't think of them at all but when dressed I try to emulate them as best as possible.

I sometimes find myself "people watching" to learn new ones or do them better. I've noticed as well that when women are relaxed they are not so bothered about some of them, such as when they are at home and not out in public.

I've noticed lately that some of those mannerisms have "bled" into my usual routine such as crossing my legs when sitting which I try to avoid doing in male mode.

[Helen_Highwater]

Jenifer,
I am with you on this one. A while ago I posted about it being "way more than the clothes" By that I alluded to amongst other things while wearing a long wig to develop the head flick that takes the hair from in front of your face when you bend forward. To how you sit in a skirt, walk down stairs in heels, get into/out of a car, type or even scratch yourself while wearing false nails.

Even if I have a day at alone at home and I do mundane chores such as tidying the kitchen, I behave and act differently to doing the same things en drab. My actions are different. Perhaps in drab I don't really care if I get dirt on my clothes but enfemme, that's a different matter. I pay greater attention to what I do. Now is that just because I'm a CD who's dressed or is it because GG's just take that little bit extra care and we seek to emulate that?

[gailbridges]

The little things women experience.... pretty amazing.

There was once an old episode of "Taxi" where this woman that Reeger was seeing was also dating his father. Reeger asked her what was so great about his dad. And she described how the dad was nearly brought to tears just because he enjoyed the poetry of her motion, even just putting on her earrings.
Obviously, that stuck with me.

One thing that surprised me was a few years ago when I had long hair (musicians can get away with it).
I remember having my hair in a pony tail at work. Then getting in the car, taking the rubber band off it, and letting it loose. Then as I was driving, my hair would be between my back and the seat-back. I would try rotating my head down in front, but couldn't because my hair was trapped in back.
This fascinated me when it first happened. A revelation. Wow, girls with long hair probably have this happen all the time.
After that, I loved trapping my hair. Made me also realize why some women like their hair tugged/pulled.
I would grow my hair long again if it weren't for the fact that as a guy I think I look dumb with long hair. That may change as I lose more weight.