when did you decide?

[Kimberly Marie Kelly]

But the desire to dress up fully is only a couple of years now. I always wore panties and feminine athletic pants, leggings and such for 35 + years but since my separation/divorce 10 years ago I've been cognizant of the fact that I am a crossdresser, that I enjoy dressing up.

Now I dress up at home as soon as I get home from work and get out for walks everyday. I wear more and more feminine items to work as times goes by, Spandex pants, feminine blouses (Polo Tops) that are pink but could pass. I always wear thongs.. And like others dressing up relaxes me. Kim

[Sandralatv]

I knew I was attracted to lingerie from a very young age, maybe around 8-9. I remember waiting for the one full page lingerie add in the Sunday NY Times magazine section every week

MY sister was sort of a big time lingerie model, but back then it was really only Fredericks that was big. VS wasn’t around, but she did allot of normal commercial work so I couldn’t walk into a woman’s store without seeing my sister in a bra. But what’s funny is this never had an impact on me wanting to put on lingerie, but it any other ads and pics sure did.

Through my teems and early twenties, I would from time to time, get some article of clothing to hide and wear for a while.

But what triggered my full commitment to it, wig, shoes, make up, going to clubs, actually started when I had a bi sexual experience, and decided I liked it.

Something inside me clicked and I knew that I wanted to really experience being a woman.
Dressing is one of the most powerful experiences in my life and I always wish I could do it more freely than I am able. At the same time, I have always just remembered to accept what I can do and try to live it then.

[PamelaTX]

Shortly after I joined this forum I started accepting the truth about myself. I've been dealing with this by denying everything and doing my best to ignore it, and I'm sure I would have retreated back into that except for one thing. I decided to get back in touch with an old friend I hadn't seen in many years. I went to her website to get her E-Mail address, and saw a memorial to her daughter who had died a couple years ago from a congenital defect.

I had met her daughter several times, and was utterly stunned by this. I couldn't do anything but sit there and cry. Before accepting the truth about myself I would have forced myself to stop, because it wasn't manly. But instead I said to myself, "I'm part woman too, so I can sit here and cry if I want to." I knew then, that that was the person I wanted to be.

[dresser1974]

I was in my twenties when I said i was a crossdresser I was will my now wife and she has been with me and very supportive

[darla_g]

i was in my twenties

[Celeste]

I wish I could have accepted it a little younger when I was a teen.People were so intolerant of anything out of the norm.After a divorce 4 years ago and learning how to reconnect with myself I've allowed desires to resurface and learned to be at ease with it,I really feel if someone is offended then they have issues they need to deal with

[Tiffy]

I think for me I was nearly 25 before I knew I was not broken and there were others like me. It was not long to follow that I understood I was and am and always will be a crossdresser.

Tiffany

[Bethany_Anne_Fae]

I've always adored women's clothes, particularly the victorian, gothic, but didn't foray into CDing until 97. I've only admired the exterior clothing, the underthings... not even interested.

Zara

[Claire3]

18 years ago after getting married and finding out my childhood desires were still with me

[lazytara]

it was probably around 14 or 15 when girls clothes really started to get my attention. I really just got curious and wondered how it would feel to wear girls clothes. Then I found different sites on crossdressing and I've been hooked ever since.

[Amy Hepker]

Many years ago, I do not remember when. I would say in my 20s

[Jennifer in CO]

For me it was like falling in love. You never know the date you fell in love with ***, you just know at some point that you are and can't live life without ***. Same for crossdressing. I'd say it happen'd when I was 10/11 over a 3 week period I spent with my cousins (all girls) and spent the entire time as a 4th girl in the family (very long story). I'd grown up to that point a sickly child. I never played outside/rough-housed with other boys (or anyone for that matter) and stayed inside most of the time so I thought of myself as a girl anyway since I did everything in my life with other girls. I honestly thought of myself as TS before I settled on CD...then went back to TG/TS for almost 6 years then back to CD...then cold withdrawals to "guy" (that sucked) for 8 years and now back to CD.

We are defining a CD as someone who cross dresses for other than sexual purposes?

Jenn

[janexx]

Susan,

My mother asked me to wear her dancing shoes, to stretch them, when I was arround seven - I never looked back!

Middle years were dificult as I grew to be 6'. Now I am entering my 60's dressing as a large Granny seems more easy. No body takes much notice of a lady, however well dressed, who has white hair, I can go out in my own hair very well if I havent had a haircut for a few week.

Altenativly a pale blond wig, of conservative style, that matches my eyebrows does not raise much interest.

As my wife and I are now semi retired I get few chances to dress which hurts a lot. I could never tell her and dont realy want to - I like Jane as a close, personal thing.

Once you have enjoyed dressing it never goes away. I think it was something of a sexual thing years ago but now I am sure it is a comfort thing as when dressed I feel so relaxed and comforted - and real - as Jane.

Jane is always inside me which can be a little confusing.

Does this help at all?

Love,

Jane