Is your desire to dress linked to your activity on here?

[fresan]

I think I've made an interesting observation where lately my dressing seems to be related to how often I read this site. It's almost like reading the posts "ropes" me back in.

For the past two years, I haven't been dressing much nor really reading the postings here regularly. Then about two months ago, I started reading almost daily and started under dressing to work quite often.

I think that the posts give encouragement to do something you enjoy... not to mention they give ideas on what to try next.

Anyone else notice this in them?

[kimdl93]

It may be that by sharing experiences and ideas with fellow CDers, you are more inclined to think of dressing and more likely to follow through on those thoughts. It might also just be a coincedence in that your interest in dressing happened to lead you here. I'd guess its the former.

[tamarav]

I found that being on this site actively really did tend to amp up my dressing. I was excited to share with others and felt that I was in a much larger supportive community than I had previously been.

To me it is like having friends that I can talk with and share ideas and experiences with, not just some impersonal board. I also find that I tend to keep my web site more up to date simply because I expect it to show current looks rather than the old me.

[Freddy12]

Absolutely!

Since becoming more active on this site I've dressed more, thought about dressing more and come to realize that this is part of who I am. It helped me recognize how long it has really been a part of me, even though it has been most often supressed. You are right on!

[suesan]

for me the need to crossdress led to this site,idont think it leads to morecding, that desire is always there sometimes as a slight echo, thenat times atidal wave but it comes from within

[Tina B.]

Not sure if dressing more leads me to this site, or this site leads me to dressing more. But they do go together well.
Tina B.

[Megan Thomas]

I can honestly say no web site related to crossdressing has made me dress more or less. For me wearing women's clothes matches my state of mind and it's only social aspects which prevent me doing so all of the time.

[Sweeterica]

I have to agree with Jo, for me its more my mood due to everyday life,yes i would love to dress more,being on this forum doesnt make me want to dress more but its made me realise just how many of us are out there .

[Kate Simmons]

Not really.:)

[Mea GG]

Short answer:

Yes, but...

Long answer:

Not quite the same thing, BUT...

I'm a GG, and I had pretty much stopped wearing makeup or doing anything about my appearance for a few years, aside from still wearing casual and office dresses most days.

Since I started hanging out here, I have gotten all new make-up, spent a small fortune on new bras, including underwires and colors, which I had not done in years. New dresses and tops. New panties and shapers. Then two pairs of shoes...both beige summer sandals but different--You Know!

I'm wearing make-up to work every day, choosing being late over no makeup in fact, and cut my hair in a new style.

This weekend i colored my hair for the first time in maybe a year or more.

Yesterday I found on eBay a replacement for the little summer bag I lost a few years back...

What else? well, you get the idea. And aside from coming here, there have been no other changes to account for my girliness which I am really enjoying.
It is a part of me I let go for various reasons i don't need to explain, but it does feel like the real me is kinda back. Not that I have ever been a high maintenance type but I do like being more than plain jane.

I've been losing weight fairly steady for several months but that started before I was here, and everything else was after. So, it works on those who already have it in them by example and encouragement. :battingeyelashes:

And here's one factor for me that is different. I'm not a natural beauty by any means and very overweight, and I kinda thought for a while it was a waste of time to try to look pretty... but then I see men with all sorts of things to overcome, like beard cover, build, etc. and they manage to look absolutely gorgeous. Or pretty darn good. Or sometimes, oh, not bad. So I thought, well, if they can do all that overcoming all kinds of challenges, I could spend a little time on looking at least "not bad"! Now I'm into it, so actually that will help with the diet too because I can't wait to wear some almost-but-not-quite-too short-fitted-dress-that-shows-my-nice-figure-with-good-cleavage. :daydreaming:

But don't hold your breath on that one. Hey, maybe even boots! OK, high heels too, but just for pics. I can't walk in the darn things.

Here's for all the girls who are a good influence: :love::love::love:

[Nicole Erin]

I come here to socialize.
I was pretty well past the whole "thrill of dressing" long before I found this site.
So my dressing/transition really are not connected to what goes on here.

[pernille d]

interesting thread . l too was lead to this site because of my long running urges to crossdress,

its intersting but since being here my dressing accelerated at a very fast rate , i am not sure if its just my age and i am moving into the next crossdrsser phase or if this site that has inspired me , but i can say it has lead to major changes in my life ,

i have learnt alot, met new friends and most of all it has helped me realise who i am and what i am , and i think due to this i dropped my guard and after 22 years i got outed by my wife.since being her on the site i have progressed into other areas and my dressing has taken on a whole new meaning .,After i was outed a fee months back i have done things i have never done before (IE by make/ dresses up in shops and i have gone from being a in the closset in the house crossdresser to out of the closset onto the street crossdersser ( ment in a nice way :) ) my confidence has just exploded 10 fold and now i dont care or worry what other people think, but for proffesional reasions i still keep it to myself and my wife and shop staff. If i have to put it in a single word "yes" this site has made me, dress more , buy more and push myself long over my old bounderies.

as a last note i consider it as a very possative thing what effect this site has had on me , as i know it has changed my life as at last i have realised who, and what i am. and for the first time i feel in ballance with myself

[Alice B]

I think that when I first started dressing there was a connection to this site and I learned a lot from reading others posts. But now that I am open with my wife and comfortable with being Alice I tend to go to the site daily, but just to read and comment where I think it is of help. But it does not fuel my desire to dress. Mysterious forces fuel my desire to express Alice.

[Von]

I think I've made an interesting observation where lately my dressing seems to be related to how often I read this site. It's almost like reading the posts "ropes" me back in.

I can see that. A lot of the conversations here could qualify as affirmation. How could a certain volume of that not make you to some degree more likely to accept something you already want to do.

On the other hand, what made you come back to the site? The key phrase above is 'something you already want to do.' Presumably there was already some heightening of the impulse to CD. Maybe you would be doing it more often anyway. Or maybe not. I guess the real question is if acceptance or denial are your only options. I may be less qualified than anyone here to answer that. I'm trying to figure it out myself. Consensus seems to be that those are largely the options, from what I've read. If that's the case, it's just a matter of whether you want to face those options with support and community, or without. It's a definite plus for me.

I just found the site a month or so ago, after discovering and struggling to understand an impulse to dress for a few weeks. I was considering therapy (which I still am), but I didn't want to rely exclusively on a clinical, and perhaps biased perspective as my only source of understanding. The whole concept still confounds me. But I understand it much more than I did. I'm still fighting the impulse, with bouts of embracing it.

In fact, in a way, i'm experiencing the opposite from you. I find the forums to be a substitute for dressing to a degree. As long as I'm really busy, and my mind is engaged (such as when I'm working) I don't really think of dressing. When I'm posting here, I am busy, engaged, and expressing myself freely. Not dressed at all right now, and I could be. Doesn't reflect everyone's experience though, obviously.

If I lost the impulse to dress as suddenly as I found it, I'd be thankful (unlikely from what I've read). But for now at least, I'm thankful to have found a place where there is understanding and acceptance.

[tricia_uktv]

Easy, my activity on here is linked to my desire to dress :)

[kimdl93]

Short answer:

Yes, but...

Long answer:

Not quite the same thing, BUT...

I'm a GG, and I had pretty much stopped wearing makeup or doing anything about my appearance for a few years, aside from still wearing casual and office dresses most days.

Since I started hanging out here, I have gotten all new make-up, spent a small fortune on new bras, including underwires and colors, which I had not done in years. New dresses and tops. New panties and shapers. Then two pairs of shoes...both beige summer sandals but different--You Know!

I'm wearing make-up to work every day, choosing being late over no makeup in fact, and cut my hair in a new style.

This weekend i colored my hair for the first time in maybe a year or more...

Here's for all the girls who are a good influence: :love::love::love:

I thought this was the greatest affirmation. This site not only helps us feel better about ourselves, but can help our GG friends rediscover themselves too! How cool is that!!???!!!

[Jean Dressler]

Can this be something like the question of which came first – the chicken or the egg? Do you desire to dress and need the encouragement of your fellow cders to enhance your experience or is it that other cders are expressing their female side and you feel left out and therefore you need to dress. I don’t know whether that ramble makes any sense or not but no matter which it is enjoy the female experience when you can.

[jenna_woods]

yes I have been dressing more since i joined here to me its nice to know i am not alone,and I have learned a lot here from thee others.

[busker]

I was thinking about the very same thing this morning. I'm sure there is a correlation. Since I stopped being a guest and became a member (no pun intended) my dressing has grown considerably, my clothing allowance has been shot to hell and I have continuing plans.
While " when in Rome..." may aply, it certainly doesn't answer for everything. It is not any pressureachl know that we are not the only person in the world to CD, and by finding a community of like minded people, I do think that it does "give permission" to do it.

[minalost]

Can this be something like the question of which came first – the chicken or the egg? Do you desire to dress and need the encouragement of your fellow cders to enhance your experience or is it that other cders are expressing their female side and you feel left out and therefore you need to dress. I don’t know whether that ramble makes any sense or not but no matter which it is enjoy the female experience when you can.

For me the urge to CD again came first. I went looking for support and found this web site. Does frequenting this site "make" me dress more? No, BUT it does help me feel better about myself and I get good ideas and tips on how to be a "better" crossdresser. With this encouragement I do find myself crossdressing more often. Which, I think, is a good thing!
:hugs:

[Jamiegirl1]

I have been crossdressing for years but until I found this site,I was alone,feeling like some sort of freak,sneaking around.Once I started looking at this site,I realized that there are thousands of us.It made me feel more normal and comfortable with who I am and what I do.It took away some of the guilt.So now I have bought wigs and jewelry since coming here,and I feel more feminine.I have found a common bond with you girls here.Reading some of your stories was amazing to me how much you we are all alike.....Happy I Joined.....

[sherri52]

I think reading the posts helps you with your confidence. Because of the posts more girls have come out sooner than they would have. We find encouragement in the acts of others and wish to have the same enjoyment that others here have shared with us.

[Kelly DeWinter]

no, no influence at all. ;)

[t-girlxsophie]

The only way this site has impacted on my CD life is that I underdress more often,but it hasn't affected me in any Major way apart from that.
I do enjoy being on here more when am dressed,but seeing that im mostly dressed at home thats not a big change.

[Kirra_Moon]

No. I would say that it enhances my experience. “Enhance” meaning give me more knowledge on the matter. But I had the same tendencies before I knew this site existed. My amount of dressing has always depended on Reallife situations and is not really contingent upon this site.

[trixie]

This site gave me the confidence to open up to my wife. I can never say thank you all enough for that. :)

[TGMarla]

Is your desire to dress linked to your activity on here?

Not really. Both the desire to crossdress and the desire to "bang the boards" here on the forum come and go in ebbs and flows....not always at the same time.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

I think its self selection. When u start seeking outlets like this wonderful site its just another step in your exploration...then u start sharing with folks that share your interests and on it goes

[SandraAbsent]

I have always dressed in one form or another, I found this site after I decided that it was high time that I stopped feeling ashamed of it. I can definitely say that this site has influenced my dressing activity, as reading all the posts and seeing all the images have encouraged me to feel more confidence in myself, and inspired me to really focus on looking the best I can. So yes I can say this site and others have increased my desire to dress.

[blue_melody]

I have found that the more I read this site and reflect on what is said, the less I have a desire to dress.

[eluuzion]

If you are asking if you can grow birds by planting birdseed… the answer is no.:love:

This is the same “theory” (typically found in dysfunctional parenting strategies)…being presented from a reverse prospective. (Behavior being a product of external influence, rather than internal motivation.)

Problem = “Bad” friends = “bad” influence on your kid = “bad” behavior from your kid.
Solution = control external influences to control behavior = send kid off to military school. (My personal experience, lol).

Will the eggs in the Easter Bunny’s basket be rabbits when they hatch?
No, they will be chickens. (Rabbits do not lay eggs).

If you attend an AA meeting, will you become an alcoholic? Probably not.
If an alcoholic goes to a bar, will it encourage the urge to drink? Probably.

If you go to the circus, will you become a clown? No.
Do you have to be in a circus to be a clown? No.
Just like “people” making you feel “inferior”. It is not possible without you giving your permission. (Agreement to accept it)

So...I do not believe this group, or any other “outside” factor can influence behavior on it’s own, by degree of exposure to it. The motivation originates within the person, and the degree of influence is the result of level of exposure they choose to pursue.

On a related note…

Can you find groups on the Internet, which will support virtually anything you, want to justify doing? Yes.
Does finding an Internet group that supports something mean it is constructive behavior? No.

Are all of the stories posted on the Internet forums true? No.
Do fictitious “true” stories prove a “fantasy” is actually possible in the real world? No.
Do some forum topics take on a “life of their own” and ignore reality? Yes.
Do some people fool themselves into believing these unrealistic ideas are possible? Yes.

For "example"...
If you have sex with a person of the same gender, does it mean you are gay?
No, it just means your partner was…lol

Hey, on the Internet… (If you ignore common sense)… anything is possible!

Just my thoughts…:battingeyelashes:

E

[Jenniferx1]

for me the need to crossdress led to this site,idont think it leads to morecding, that desire is always there sometimes as a slight echo, thenat times atidal wave but it comes from within

I would agree with you totally on that..........nice to use this site to leave what your thoughts are............but is does nothing to increase or decrease the desire to dress.

[MargaretJ]

No, I was into girly clothes long before the internet was around. What it has done for me at least, has been a good source of advice about make and other helpful stuff, and I love reading some of the stories, especially the first time outside threads.

[joandher]

I found that being on this site actively really did tend to amp up my dressing. I was excited to share with others and felt that I was in a much larger supportive community than I had previously been.

To me it is like having friends that I can talk with and share ideas and experiences with, not just some impersonal board. I also find that I tend to keep my web site more up to date simply because I expect it to show current looks rather than the old me.

I was C/Ding long before computers were invented,but i agree with Tamara it does help to amp up your dressing, and it great to know you are not alone, and that you make so many kind friends on here.

:hugs: to all

J-JAY

[sissystephanie]

My crossdressimg started back in the late 1930's or early 1940's! Way before the Internet. I found this forum completely by accident and liked it very much. For those of you who don't already know, I lost my loving and supportive wife to cancer a little over 5 years ago after almost 50 years of marriage. It was, and still is, real tough for me to be alone after all that time.

This Forum is a great help to me in keeping in touch with other CD's, and learning what is going on in our world. But I don't think my dressing, or not dressing, has any link to the Forum. As I said, the Forum is a way to stay in touch!

[~Michelle~]

No, I can't say it has.

[Cheryl T]

Not at all for me.
My dressing is what brought me here. This is not what keeps me dressing.

[Taylor186]

I have found that the more I read this site and reflect on what is said, the less I have a desire to dress.

Yes, exactly the same for me.

[abigail43]

I don't think that has influenced me I have always enjoyed feeling pretty , when I started dressing there was no Internet .I will say one thing for this sight it has me thinking a lot more about where i want to go now with my dressing.

[docrobbysherry]

I have found that the more I read this site and reflect on what is said, the less I have a desire to dress.
YES!

When I first came out of my closet online about 2 1/2 years ago, I was SHOCKED to find out CD/TGs weren't a bunch of sick pervs!:eek:
I guess that allowed me to feel better about MY dressing. And it excellerated like crazy for about 6 months!:brolleyes:

Since then, I find reading posts here, and on other CD sites, REDUCES my desire to dress! And, actually helps me keep it under control! More or less!:devil:

[Alex!]

No. I dress regardless of online activity.

[Mistybtm]

:battingeyelashes::battingeyelashes:I would have to say no I was dressing long before I joined, but i have tried many new things that i have seen and or read about on here. This site I would say has enhanced crossdressing for me a great deal by giving me a better understanding of who i am.
Thank's to all of the members here.:hugs:

[pamwow]

YES for some reason :2c:

[Nicole Brown]

No, my desire to dress is not linked to this forum. My ability to make new friends who I share a lifestyle with, and to learn new ideas is however definitely linked to this forum.

My dressing was firmly in place prior to my finding this forum and becoming a member. I was venturing out as Nicole, shopping en fem and at times living 24/7 before joining here.

I must however give credit to some of the friends who I have made here who provided encouragement to try new things. If not for the posts by some of ladies here I most probably would never have tried flying en fem nor attending large exhibits as Nicole. For these experiences I want to thank all of you.

[PretzelGirl]

I don't think there is a direct link like "I just saw something on-line and it got me thinking about dressing, so I did" or "I want to dress while I am on-line". But there is the subtle, long term affect of being here. Here I have learned things about myself: styles, appearance, acceptance, etc. So it isn't a long shot to say that my desire to dress is stronger overall because I feel better about myself and my image. So I would say it isn't linked to my activity as in each time I login, but it is linked to my overall activity over time.

[Angie G]

Probably not for me anyhow. I've been dressing more And have spent less time here.:hugs:
Angie

[NikkiBeth]

Not for me, actually I tend to visit the site more often the longer I go without dressing.

[BRANDYJ]

No, not at all. I am here simply to share and be a part of those that share something that is not something we can share with most of our coworkers, friends, and in some cases even family. We can all learn from each other. Share our successes and failures and maybe make things a little bit better for someone struggling with T issues. Along the way, we may make some really good friends that share other interests outside of just crossdressing. It makes me feel like I am not alone with my feelings and thoughts on the may issues and struggles we face by being "different."

So it's more of my desire to be here is linked to my crossdressing, then the other way around.

[Deborah Jane]

no!