family shopping trip

[Lulie GG]

My other half and I are still on the road to working things out although everyday we seem to be getting further along the 'bumpy road' and are very happy together.

Yesterday we went out for lunch as a family and then shopping, this was with our daughters aged 14 and 10, we got him some male t-shirts, which he needed as he has lost weight. Then into the ladies department for me and my elder daughter. OK I wanted a gypsy skirt and tried on several.

I just wanted to know:-

1 how you feel buying male clothes

2 how do you feel helping your wife choose her clothes

I felt a little awkard helping him choose male clothes, he said afterwards when we talked 'I needed them'.

I felt even more awkard when I was trying on skirts and parading them in front of him and my eldest daughter for their approval, to be honest I felt like a bitch rubbing his face in it, although it was not meant that way. Again we talked later, there was a little gentle teasing as I said he can try my skirt but he is a size larger than me.

I just wanted to know how you married cders feel in these sort of situations.

[Cindy K]

Hi Lulie

I hate shopping for male clothes but I love shopping for female and helping Julie my wife. Although I know she likes to rub it in my face at time’s when I have to dress in male mode. She will often whisper in my ear “just tell me how much would you like to be wearing this dress or skirt”

[Julie]

I used to buy almost all my wife's clothes and she loved it. She would go into a store and if something didn't 'jump out at her' she'd leave. She hated taking the time or spending the money to buy herself clothes. So I 'came to the rescue' and would shop for her, always without her. Then I'd come home and would lay out the clothes on the bed and let her know anything she doesn't like she can take back, no hard feelings. I got pretty good to the point where she took back very little of what I bought for her.

For me it was like therapy. I had stuffed my dressing in a box because the kids were getting older and it was too hard to do it any longer w/o them knowing. So this was one of the ways I coped.

I remember one time having a sales lady comment on how rare it is to see a man spend so much time shopping for his wife (I was in the lingerie dept. for over an hour). "I can see you put a lot of thought into your purchases." And I did. When shopping for her underthings I had to be aware it had to be something she was comfortable in, not just something I liked.

But I'd do this often and my wife really appreciated it. When Julie came back out of the box and began replenishing her wardrobe I heard my wife tell me I don't buy her things anymore. Actually I had stopped long before I came back out because her weight fluctuated so much with menopause and the meds she was taking. I lost track of what size she was. I can't tell you how many times I saw something I thought she'd look cute in that I didn't buy it because I didn't know her size. But that's another story.

As far as buying male clothes, it's like buying milk or bread. If you're out, you need to replenish it.

[Elysia]

As far as buying male clothes, it's like buying milk or bread. If you're out, you need to replenish it. This is how I feel about buying male clothes so I appreciate the help that I get from my wife. As for helping her buy clothes, I enjoy it. I do sometimes feel a little jealous but this is hardly a great taxation and there’s an easy solution, we buy something feminine for me too. We can’t afford to spend as much money on feminine clothes for me as we do for her. I have no expectation that we should; it would make no sense as I have no utilitarian use for female clothes. If I get a little something feminine for me, once in a while, then I’m quite happy.

[DonnaT]

I don't usually go clothes shopping for male clothes. Heck when I started loosing weight, I'd wear the size 48 even though I was a size 44. Dropping to a 42 then a 40 did force me to find better fitting clothes however.

I like shopping with my wife. Didn't use to be that way, because I would want to look at things for me, not buy but window shop, but she was uncomfortable with that.

Now that she's become more accepting I get to take the time to look, and she'll even suggest some things. I don't always want to look for me, and she'll ask me if I want to. When I tell her no, I'm fine, she'll ask if I'm sure.

She's still uncomfortable, but not as much, because she worries that someone will figure the clothes are for me.

The biggest problem is that we have different tastes, but she's coming around ;) .

[Jenny Beth]

I detest having to buy male clothes and only buy what is absolutely necessary, mostly work clothes. As for the femme things my wife and I have different tastes, she rarely wears skirts or dresses. What I find funny is that at times when going through a mall or walking along in front of shops I sometimes get a nudge in the ribs from her elbow. What she is doing is pointing out an outfit in a display window she knows I'd like. The elbow thing works both ways. Sometimes I'll nudge her when I see a nicely dressed and attractive woman coming our way. She knows I am admiring her clothes, not the woman herself. What is so great about this is that I can look at other women and my wife does not feel the least bit threatened by it. Sometimes she nudges me if she's spotted a classy woman before I do. It's a bit of a game really, just going to a hardware store can be a lot of fun.

[Olivia]

In drab, I could care less about shopping for clothes. But, Olivia loves to shop for new things. Until this past spring, I had very few femme clothes really but not now! Now, I get lost in the racks; I get so focused on finding something I like(not too hard, that) that I just sort of go into trance mode, lol. My wife sometimes looks with me and she as brought home surprises for me several times. She knows my tastes and yes, it's very different from hers too. Yes Jenny Beth, I've also pointed out women to my wife when they were wearing something I'd like. Shopping has taken on a whole new meaning for me now. I love it! Olivia

[mmandy31]

i love shopping for my wife because she wonders how come i got good taste in womens clothes

[Rikki]

I haven't shopped for male clothe in so long, I can't remember what it was like. My wife has always bought male stuff. I have bought more femm clothes than I have ever bought male clothes. I like to shop with my wife for clothes, but I hide behind her and we look together. :(


Rikki

[LindaAnn GG]

My husband and I have fun shopping for clothes together. We can browse the racks together, looking at various items which may be for one or the other of us, with both of us offering suggestions and ideas. This arrangement seems both practical and fun. Shopping for his male clothes is a more mundane affair that I usually leave entirely to him.

LindaAnn

[Chrissycd]

men's clothes literally depresses me, so I only do it if I feel I MUST. The last time I did buy anything, it was a polo shirt -- a pink one. :) I am just so disgusted w/ how BORING men's clothes are in general.
I don't need to comment on shopping for women's clothes. ;)
I think it's sweet when couples are sensitive to one another this way, though when shopping.

[Clare]

Ditto Jules.

Your response is almost identical to what I would have written. No kidding, its so close to reality for me, its scary!

Essentially, i was the one who had to convince my ex wife that she needed - or i wanted to buy for her - new lingrie, clothing, shoes, etc...

Now she's gone, I have nothing to drool over - her as an attractive woman and the clothes i bought her. Perhaps i should have bought all the clothes for me instead?

Christine