Dressed Age

[JacDoe]

Do you tend to dress younger or older than your biological age while dressed (or about the same)?

Being a large 24yr old male, I think it'd be difficult to pull off looking like a 24yr old female even to my own eye. Skin, shape of face, overall 'tautness' of body, etc.

I imagine that people in their 50's-60's might do better dressing younger than they are, due to various concerns like the 'perkiness' of breastforms, the use of more cosmetics than a similarly-aged GG and thus the younger look of the face, the (big one) use of wigs that tend to have more life than a GG of the same age's own hair.

Is there a "golden period" of female development wherein it's easier for a male to look like a female? Early 40's, aging starting to set in, use of more cosmetics than 20's through mid 30's, etc?

Curious on the opinion of members here (either GG or MtF).

[Miranda09]

I tend to dress younger than my biological age since I look younger than my biological age. As for a "golden period", I've never heard of anything like that but someone else my have some insight to it. :)

[DonnaT]

I don't dress according to age. I dress in what looks good on.

And what's available in my size at the stores. ;)

[Joni Marie Cruz]

If I dressed my bio-age it would be black lace up orthopedic shoes and a walker. How much fun would that be?

Hugs...Joni Marie

[kellycan27]

I dress appropriate to my age...26

[Deedee Dupree]

Well, I have never considered dressing older than my age, although there are times when I do dress my age depending on who I am with and what we will be doing. In either case I always look much younger, and that is very pleasing.

You know, as I get older I still buy what is in style and in good taste off the racks, but I always recall some of my previous favorite "retro" looks and it is fun to do that once in a while. You will have favortites too as you go along, just don't throw anything special away, some of it may be difficult or impossible to relace.

dd

[JacDoe]

You will have favortites too as you go along, just don't throw anything special away, some of it may be difficult or impossible to relace.


Hopefully, over time, things will become easier to 'relace'(sic), not harder :heehee:.

In any event, I was just thinking about a time that I was asked to drive my grandmother to her styling salon, and saw how women of various ages looked going in and coming out.

Thinking about it in retrospect (this would have been 3 months ago or so, so not THAT retrospective), it strikes me that it would be difficult for a male to pull off being a woman over 65 or thereabouts, due to 'natural aging factors' including breast sag, and how difficult (though not impossible as kellycan's avatar on this thread shows) it might be for most men to pull off looking like they're in their 20's.

38 or so strikes me that it might be the most plausible, between body shape, posture, amount of cosmetics, a reasonable amount of 'style', shoe-choice, hair condition/vibrancy/bounce, etc.

Was wondering if anyone else had thought about the same thing.

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

When I'm all made up, I both look younger and dress younger than my age.

Having said that, I've never been one to believe in "age appropriate" dressing or looks. What the hell does age have to do with anything? This is why a lot of gg's begin looking older - they start dressing their age when they don't need to.

Hit my flickr photos (link in sig) and then try and guess my age based on my appearance. Obviously, you know I'm older than I might appear as I'm making that clear now, but can you really guess my age based on my appearance alone?

Without makeup, I look like any weathered, aging man. It's been at least 10 years since I turned any women's heads in guy-mode. When I'm Gabrielle though - screw my age! If I can pull it off, I'm WEARING IT! I exercise and work my butt off to look good and all that caked on makeup does wonders for my old face!

Age doesn't mean squat. I believe that's universal. If you can pull off a certain look - what does your age matter? If you look good in it, then enjoy! :)

In terms of our "golden period" question, I'd say that would be in the late teens and early 20's. That's before the skin loosens up and the metabolism slows down (causing weight gain and muscle loss). Sadly, I never got to see what Gabrielle looked like at that age. I bet she would have been a real hottie... but I'll never know.

With continued exercise, diet, and facial creams, I think I've got the better part of a decade left before I can no longer pull off what I like to wear any more. It will have little to do with my age and a lot to do with how my body looks. According to the "age appropriate rules" I'm already dressing way younger than I should.

My wife dresses even younger than I do, btw! She's older than me and can pull off some rather sexy looks, showing a lot of skin. Guys half her age (and then some) kick it to her regularly. If she was dressing her age... well, it just wouldn't be very pretty, and what a waste of her beauty, imo.

[Deanna2]

I love ultra short mini skirts, but I've got to say that it has been some time since I was a teenager or even twenty something.

[Empress Lainie]

When I'm all made up, I both look younger and dress younger than my age.

Having said that, I've never been one to believe in "age appropriate" dressing or looks. What the hell does age have to do with anything? This is why a lot of gg's begin looking older - they start dressing their age when they don't need to.

Hit my flickr photos (link in sig) and then try and guess my age based on my appearance. Obviously, you know I'm older than I might appear as I'm making that clear now, but can you really guess my age based on my appearance alone?

Without makeup, I look like any weathered, aging man. It's been at least 10 years since I turned any women's heads in guy-mode. When I'm Gabrielle though - screw my age! If I can pull it off, I'm WEARING IT! I exercise and work my butt off to look good and all that caked on makeup does wonders for my old face!

Age doesn't mean squat. I believe that's universal. If you can pull off a certain look - what does your age matter? If you look good in it, then enjoy! :)

In terms of our "golden period" question, I'd say that would be in the late teens and early 20's. That's before the skin loosens up and the metabolism slows down (causing weight gain and muscle loss). Sadly, I never got to see what Gabrielle looked like at that age. I bet she would have been a real hottie... but I'll never know.

With continued exercise, diet, and facial creams, I think I've got the better part of a decade left before I can no longer pull off what I like to wear any more. It will have little to do with my age and a lot to do with how my body looks. According to the "age appropriate rules" I'm already dressing way younger than I should.

My wife dresses even younger than I do, btw! She's older than me and can pull off some rather sexy looks, showing a lot of skin. Guys half her age (and then some) kick it to her regularly. If she was dressing her age... well, it just wouldn't be very pretty, and what a waste of her beauty, imo.

What you wrote I could have written about me completely re apparent age and dressing. I have only been guessed between 42 (love it!) and 55(hate it!)

[Koka]

I dress according to my age
K

[docrobbysherry]

However, do what I do JD!
Do the best u can, with what you've got, and dress as OLD AS U CAN!:thumbsup:
EVENTUALLY, I HOPE to reach my CD 20's!:straightface:

As a CD beginner, it may be awhile before this 60 y/o reaches his 20's, tho!:brolleyes:

89123

[Rachel Morley]

This is an interesting thread to me because not only a couple of days ago my wife was bemoaning that she is going to be 40 this year and that she didn't want to be because that will mean that she will have to dress "age appropriate".

I said to her: Darling, what are you talking about!? You look ten years younger than your real age, you have a great body, and you're married to a crossdresser! Our whole social life is around friends that love dressing up in cute clothes, with different hairstyles, lots of makeup, and having a lot of fun in the process. No one cares about how old they are or aren't relative to the clothes they're wearing - we're having way too much fun for that! :)

[sara_also]

I also dress younger than my age. I would imagine about 10 to 15 yrs younger than my real age

[JacDoe]

OK: Let's put this a different age, perhaps, moreso than "dress appropriately to one's age".

When dressing, you have a "target appearance" that you wish you would look like with wigs, forms, etc.

Let's take wigs as just one initial example:

Someone wearing this wig:
http://www.glamourboutique.com/ProductImages/products/main_jasmine.jpg

...obviously has a different 'age goal' than someone wearing this wig:
http://www.thebreastformstore.com/_graphics/_pagecontent/wigs/Elements/2832_Destiny_web_zoom.jpg

or someone wearing this wig:

http://ep.yimg.com/ip/I/yhst-50633275896697_2053_63395043l

Obviously, there's an 'eternal feminine' ideal that anyone between 10 and 120 would try to achieve, but you must have some target of "I want to look about [X]" when you dress?

[CharlotteW]

What a great question Jac.

I tend to dress about the same age as I am, late thirties although I think I look older, perhaps mid forties. Probably because my wife has bought the majority of the clothing I have, and she buys what would suit her as she is about the same size as myself for tops (18-20+)

I have no complaints:)

[Kathi Lake]

Although I'm nearing 50, I tend to dress about 20 years younger. I like shorter skirts, frilly tops, straight longer hair and all that goes with it. As for shoes, I'm not planning on "sensible" shoes anytime soon. You'll have to pry my stilettos from my cold dead hands! :)

Kathi

[Marie-Claire]

When I'm in drab, I don't think about dressing my age, other than avoiding extremes. It's like DonnaT said, it's a matter of what looks good.
Some things are classic. You can wear a Chanel suit at any age. The same little black dress will probably work for ages 25-50 or 60.
If one is concerned with passing, the most important things are being comfortable with yourself and avoiding extremes that call attention to yourself in other than the best way.
If basing clothes choices primarily on age appearance works for you - great. For me, I can't see it.
:)
Marie-Claire

[Carly D.]

I think I dress my age or at the very least very conservative.. I really can't show my self from the neck down in a sleaveless dress or outfit of any kind because I am extremely hairy.. from the waist down I shave from the neck up I shave but the middle section and that includes my arms are hairy.. very hairy..

[dilane]

I don't shoot for an age, but I do tend to wear "grown up" clothes, not teenaged style or edgy, no strange color combos, and no rips or tears. I also don't wear skirts much above the knee, which puts me in a distinct minority here. My legs get plenty of attention at knee length, and I'm not trying to draw attention to myself as a sex object.

No midriff showing (although my tummy's flat and I could pull it off), because it's not age appropriate.

I'm 57, but most people ID me as younger, and the darker the place, the younger I look! I've got current pix up on my profile for the morbidly curious.

[Mistybtm]

All depends on my mood some times i dress ****y like i should be out on some street corner other times i dress for everday wear or classy.:D

[kellycan27]

and how difficult (though not impossible as kellycan's avatar on this thread shows) it might be for most men to pull off looking like they're in their 20's.




it's not all that difficult to look like you are in your 20's ..... When you are IN FACT..in your 20's.

[Denise01]

I have been told by many people that when i am Denise, I look at least 10 years younger than my real age.

I do dress a bit on the conservative side, but also dress some where between my age and the Age that most people think that I am

Denise

:):):):):)

[5150 Girl]

I've been told I look 10yrs younger than what I am. Makeup takse off about another 5.This gives me a lot of room to cheat...
Besides, if one dresses too far outside their age range, it increses you odds of getting read. But if one is stay'n home it don't matter what you do.

[Barbara Dugan]

I always try to dress within the range of my real age... I am 40

[joann07]

I'll be 40 in a few months, but when I'm all dolled up, people think I'm in my mid to late 20's so I dress like 15 years younger.

Hugs!

[Kate17]

Don't we all fight growing old? I am fighting it with all I can muster so I probably dress younger than my real age - but then again, I feel a lot younger than my real age. It is a much different perspective when you are staring at 60 as opposed to 30-40 -50! I am sure those staring at 50 can say the samething.

[Celeste]

It's both,as old as my age or a bit younger.If I'm getting made up and it comes out looking younger I'm usually thrilled with the results.I've learned not to expect that every time though, my mood and where I'm at on that day greatly affects the looks I can achieve.

[Carrie R]

I'll be 40 this year as well, it's only the number of times I've went around the sun, why change anything?

[linnea]

a bit younger--so I flatter myself into thinking

[anda_mouse]

gina is the same age as i am so 24 it is. a quirky 24 year old though.

[Annesah]

I wear whatever, whenever. My wordrobe runs the gamit from grand doughter to granny. Jeez; I just wish I could still fit comfortably in some of my grand-daughter stuff! ( Yes; that pleated denim mini skirt is a little tight these days. )

[APRIL0401]

I'm 57 but I try to dress like a lady who is in her 30's. I buy clothes that younger women would wear.

[RachelZ]

Does cute have an age range???:battingeyelashes: I sometimes dress like I want to be more mature, but alot of the time I just dress in whatever's comfortable.

[sometimes_miss]

I'm not trying to fool anyone when I dress up as a female. I just wear what I feel like I'm supposed to be wearing. Teenage things. And I feel 'normal' like that. I know it sounds stupid to some, but I will probably forever be a teenage girl, well part of me, anyway.

[Deb The Brunette]

.


If some of us were to dress our age we'd be wearing coffins :rofl::rofl:


.

[Hali]

When I'm all made up, I both look younger and dress younger than my age.

Having said that, I've never been one to believe in "age appropriate" dressing or looks. What the hell does age have to do with anything? This is why a lot of gg's begin looking older - they start dressing their age when they don't need to.

Hit my flickr photos (link in sig) and then try and guess my age based on my appearance. Obviously, you know I'm older than I might appear as I'm making that clear now, but can you really guess my age based on my appearance alone?

Without makeup, I look like any weathered, aging man. It's been at least 10 years since I turned any women's heads in guy-mode. When I'm Gabrielle though - screw my age! If I can pull it off, I'm WEARING IT! I exercise and work my butt off to look good and all that caked on makeup does wonders for my old face!

Age doesn't mean squat. I believe that's universal. If you can pull off a certain look - what does your age matter? If you look good in it, then enjoy! :)

In terms of our "golden period" question, I'd say that would be in the late teens and early 20's. That's before the skin loosens up and the metabolism slows down (causing weight gain and muscle loss). Sadly, I never got to see what Gabrielle looked like at that age. I bet she would have been a real hottie... but I'll never know.

With continued exercise, diet, and facial creams, I think I've got the better part of a decade left before I can no longer pull off what I like to wear any more. It will have little to do with my age and a lot to do with how my body looks. According to the "age appropriate rules" I'm already dressing way younger than I should.

My wife dresses even younger than I do, btw! She's older than me and can pull off some rather sexy looks, showing a lot of skin. Guys half her age (and then some) kick it to her regularly. If she was dressing her age... well, it just wouldn't be very pretty, and what a waste of her beauty, imo.

Yeah dressing age appropriate is vital in a way cos sometimes if u dont look age appropriate u will look rediculous, like a 40, 50 or older lady wearing a teen age pink leggings/tights and parading in public the color might not go with the whole concept. The age appropriate plays a role when our looks answers our biological age..........yes if a 20 year old looks 35yrs (age wise) if she dresses like a 20 it might look odd. The age has to match the look to be able claim the age-apropriate dressing.

[Chrissie P]

I dress my age, 50's, but I try to be stylish and up to date. I look younger than my age when I am dressed. I am small boned and only about 157 lbs so that helps.

[luvSophia]

I usually dress fairly conservatively, so within that definition I'm probably dressing age appropriate for age 30 and up. I like to think I look younger when dressed, there's for sure much less gray showing!

[gender_blender]

About 253 years older than my age when not presenting several years younger than my actual age.

[Empress Lainie]

I am usually taken to be in my 50's and I wear what any woman not in semi guy mode wears, mostly blouses and skirts, with floral patterns, and a few solids like my shiny golden blouse. I get approval looks all the time from other women, and even get told I am beautiful (what a surprise to me!)

[LisaM]

I dress age appropriately but women my age (50+) can dress in many different styles.

[TGMarla]

Dressing takes about 10 to 15 years off of me. I have no problem with that. I'm not conciously trying to look younger, it's just that the net effect of being dressed has that positive result. Hey, there's a huge industry that caters just to making women look younger, and there is a similar thread running through female society that tells them to look younger. The media tells them they must look young. All the female newscasters are young, as are the models and the people they see on commercials. They push cosmetics, Oil of Olay, creams, potions, hair color, shapewear, plastic surgery, and special diets.

With men, that same industry pumps "Just For Men" at them and is done with it.

So yes, dressing brings my age appearance down a few notches, but I kind of like that. I'm not trying to dress younger; it just turns out that way.

[Dekka]

I dress like a maybe 20-25 girl, and when I do, sometimes I feel like I'm that age. It's fun.

[Sarah_new]

As a guy I'm often told that I look 7-8 years younger (sometimes even more) than I am. However I don't think about age when I buy male clothes and I just dress in what feels comfortable and look good on me.

When I dress as a girl I'm dressing younger than my biological age, but hopefully not so far out that it looks really bad. Mind you, as I've yet to have to courage to venture out dressed I don't suppose it's that much of an issue.

[Lorileah]

I am not sure what age appropriate means. Another of the societal mores that either make no sense or are rooted in an archaic thought process.

I am sure that GG's wear what they like especially when they get higher in yearly numbers (after all it is just a number) so that they can either relax or not attract attention if they are comfortable in their situation (i.e. married or at that age where they don't have to have a man to define themselves).

Exactly what age do people go from looking sexy and nice to looking like doudy frumps? I am so tired of this "age appropriate" BS. If it looks good on you and does not expose things that legally cannot be exposed and you are comfortable wearing it, then it is appropriate. We complain that we cannot be "Who we are" and then we start placing all these limits on who we can be.

I dress in clothes I like and things I wish GG's who want to be seen with me would wear. Around the house this may be a button up well broken in cotton house dress. On the town it may be a mid-thigh skirt with 4 inch heels. When I reach 100 I'll dress like a school marm, but just for the day before I put on my heels and go to Denny's

[Ms Mira]

If you're going to dress like a woman in the first place, you might as well go all the way and dress like a young one! Then again, I'm 26, so I don't have to worry about that yet.

[LeslieSD]

I've always thought that 25-35 is the golden age for women, and I have always worked to achieve that look. :-)

[CD Susan]

I do not dress "age appropriate" at all. I always dress to look much younger than I actually am. It would not be much fun trying to look like a 60 year old "granny" so there is no point in trying to achieve that look. I dress the way that I enjoy seeing myself as and the rest of society just has to accept that and if they don't then that is too bad for them. Cd"ing is supposed to be fun and that is how I look at it. If I am having fun with it then anything goes in my opinion.

[Sarah Renee]

I usually dress in my own age group but a couple of years ago I discovered I can shop in the little girls dept. and I do enjoy dressing like a little girl on occasion. Justice for Girls is one of my favorite places to shop.

[Ruby John]

I am going to be 70. Why the hell would I dress my age? I feel good with the way I dress[50 or so] and my make up looks better every time. Did I say my eyes are going . It's a Great Time To Be Alive. Ruby

[Pattie O]

You are only as young as you feel!I try to dress appropriately for my age but sometimes if in the mood it is fun to dress with clothes from a different age group or even era

Pattie:daydreaming::battingeyelashes:

[susancheerleader]

I tend to dress a bit younger then my actual age.
But the bonus is, I "look" and act, younger anyway!

[Jessica Who]

Yea I basically dress for my age group and I'm always trying different looks

[KateConnors]

I guess I see myself as a woman of my age (30), so dress accordingly....

[Marisa_M]

I tend to dress older than my age and my wardrobe is about 80% classy and conservative.

No need to say I'm a big fan of the 50s and early 60s fashions!:brolleyes:

[iwearstockings]

I wear what looks good on me, which is largely dictated by my bodyshape rather than my age ( 40). I look good in miniskirts that no woman over 20 should be seen in in public!!!!!!!

[Shauna marie]

I tend to dress a bit younger than my reasl age of 55, maybe late 30's to mid 40's.

[victoriamwilliams1]

I dress depending on how I feel for that day. I have noticed that many women dress on how they feel however not to much younger than their age.

[Starr]

i dress younger then my age by about 15 years.. ok maybe a little more .. but do so beacuse everyone tells me i look 15 years younger when i am dressed as a woman.

[Meredith]

If I dressed my bio-age it would be black lace up orthopedic shoes and a walker. How much fun would that be?

Hugs...Joni Marie

Yep!

[Jess CD]

Prefer to try to look younger.

[Emily01]

the question and commentary around it are very insightful....i've never set out to dress for a certain age, but because of make-up, occasional body shaping and wigs i usually end up looking at least 10 years younger than the calendar says. it's a concern to me too.....i want to age gracefully and artfully....food for thought, thanks.

[Aubrey Green]

I dress casual comfortable around home: shorts or jeans, with sandals or tennies and a comfortable blouse. When I style, it is always alot younger then my 52 years. I am slim, in pretty good shape and feel at least 30 years younger than I am, so why would I want to dress my age!! :daydreaming: