Joining In On Women's Conversations About Clothing At Work

[Robin414]

I have a GG friend who insists I should design women's clothing as a career, I could totally rock the Tom Ford gig 😉 depending on the circumstances and your intrinsic style I think most women would value the input😀

[ChristinaK]

I have complimented women on their clothes at work and gotten the raised eyebrows from the men. Just the other day a woman had a satin, paisley and colorful blouse on. I told her it was very pretty and the guys in the room were obviously uncomfortable. That has happened several times. I'm sure they wonder about me, having a shaved everything.

One time, about a year ago, I got into a conversation with my sister about women's nighties and how I bought them for my wife and what my preferences were, then started talking nails, dyed hair and fashions. She knows I do my nails and dye my hair now. Later, she texted me that it was so weird to talk to her brother about such feminine things. Uh, this is the girl who I stole clothes from, wore them, hid them under my bed and did other things that I'm sure my Mom was aware of. Gee, do you think she's suspicious? Oh well, at this late point in my life, I don't think she's going to tell my school buddies!

[Piora]

I have complimented women on their clothes at work and gotten the raised eyebrows from the men. Just the other day a woman had a satin, paisley and colorful blouse on. I told her it was very pretty and the guys in the room were obviously uncomfortable. That has happened several times. I'm sure they wonder about me, having a shaved everything.

This, I feel is the main issue. If you engage in conversation about something that very few men care anything about, it's going to make people you work with wonder about you. And while in a perfect world, we shouldn't have to care nor worry about that, we have to work with people who are usually pleasant, friendly and easy to get along with....but are quite likely homophobic and/or trans-phobic. Since we cannot change them, and we cannot help but be ourselves, then we must remain cautious about what we talk about. We can say to ourselves that we shouldn't really care what others think. But, we have to work to earn a living regardless, and that includes getting along with others that you work with.

Presently, I have not shaved my legs for the summer, as I wear shorts to work. I have also not dressed since spring arrived. But, I was recently enveloped in the Pink Fog, so I have some new things arriving this week, including new hosiery, and I will likely shave my legs, as I won't wear stockings or pantyhose with unshaven legs. So, I'm a bit concerned about whether anyone at work is going to notice. Couple that together with the conversation about clothing, and likely there will be, as Christina said, "some raised eyebrows".

[Ally 2112]

The odd time i have complimented women on the hair clothes etc .They seem to take it quite acceptingly and if they do ask any questions i tell them i had 2 girls and my wife and as the only guy they always asked my opin .Which is the truth ")

[lingerieLiz]

I used to shop with a group of women who knew that I wore women's clothes. We would travel to different places to shop. After the day's shopping we would stop somewhere for happy hour and discuss our purchases. The first couple of times I was reluctant to show my fem purchases. One day one of the girls said you bought that blue blouse didn't you. It was pretty. Another girl wanted to see it. Soon after, I helped my wife and her friends find bras that they were looking for. I purchased one while helping them. At our wine stop the girls thanked me for being more helpful than the SA. Then asked me about the bra I had purchased. After that I relaxed and enjoyed the day. At one of the discount mall stops we went into the VF store. I picked up several pairs of their daphnia panties. One of the women asked me what they were like and I explained they were the sheerest and silkiest panty made. Three of the women ended up buying them also. On the way home they joked about getting my advice. Later they did admit how much they liked them. Soon I began wearing bras when shopping with them.

[ReineD]

Listen to them, and really care about their lives. Sure, it's difficult sometimes, with all the drama stuck in, but when they see that you care, they'll open up, and won't be surprised when you contribute to the conversations about stuff that they think you don't know anything about.

I agree with befriending the women at work. SM, I wish you hadn't said, "with all the drama stuck in" though ... if the OP genuinely is interested in becoming friends with these women, he will start to care about their lives and he won't view their concerns as "drama".

That said, we generally are a welcoming bunch. We don't care who joins our conversations, the more the merrier! Over the years I've known several men who fit right in ... they were nice, sympathetic, caring, they could get into the conversations about family problems and they could relate at an emotional level. Had the conversations turned to fashion, I don't think that anyone would have thought it weird if these men had offered opinions. The conversations that I've been involved with at work rarely turned to fashion, but I imagine if they did and if a man offered his opinion about what looks good, women would lap it up. This is because women who care enough about fashion to discuss it, will want to know what men like and what they don't like.

[Claire Cook]

Piora,

There was a time when I would have refrained from being part of such a discussion. Now I welcome it, whether en drab or en femme. As others have said (and our GG perspective expert!), I think women would welcome these comments. And if that raises an eyebrow or two, so what? Maybe it will result in a nice way of coming out ... and some suggestions on what might look good on you! (That has happened to me ... .)

... and I love it when I'm en femme, with my girl friends and we talk clothes!

[jjjjohanne]

I wore a skirt to work one Halloween. After that, I seemed to belong in such conversations with the women.

[Princess29]

I recently had a day out at a shopping mall with a female colleague from work. She was going to a wedding and was shopping for a new dress and shoes and when I met her, she was in the changing rooms of a store. I gave her my opinion and once she had made a decision, we went off and had lunch.
She wanted to get some heels to go with the dress and after visiting a few stores, I told her about a line of shoes at payless and so we went there and I ended up convincing her to get them. I keep referring to those sort of functions as "girls days out" around her (and also another lady from work) and refer to myself as "one of the girls" and they refer to me in that way when on these outings (even though I have been in guy mode). Around them, I feel like I can embrace the notion. It doesn't feel weird at all