Jewelry

[ReneeT]

I know there isa specific forum for clothing and accessories, but this observation/ question is TS specific.

I have noticed that as i have moved along the spectrum from CD to TS that i desire a more authentic presentation. This certainly manifests itself in my choice of clothes (more situationally appropriate) and makeup (less, thanks to electrolysis!), but even in jewelry, which is less visible, i am buying fewer pieces but of higher quality/ value. I started thinking about this this morning as i put on my watch, whichbis far nicer than any guy watch i ever had. Does this ring true for others?

[tanyalynn51]

Renee,
I dont know if mine if the same thing or just stranger. I havent been able to wear jewelry for yeare. I know its probably some kind of OCD thing- I have an allergy to some metals, but even when I find things that arent made of that metal, I just couldnt seem to be able to wear them for long, because I dont like tight things. But, over the last couple of months, Ive actually been thinking a lot about trying again, especially a necklace, because thats the least tight thing I can think of. Whether that's due to what all else is going on, I dont know.

[Jorja]

It rings true for me Renne. As I moved from from one stage to another it seemed to become much more important to me to blend in and look like any other girl in the world yet unique unto myself. I used to love the big hoop earrings and now while I do still love the big hoops I will go for something not so obvious yet tasteful. This may also have something to do with age and maturity. When we first start dressing we usually start in the "teenager" range and advance from there.

[Katesback]

Yeppers, makes sense. Also when you are always a girl it is a lot easier to justify the money spent on nice jewlery.

[Jessinthesprings]

Food for thought... While we may be considerably older in physical age, but when we first start we have to go through the phases of being a girl, a teenager, and finnally a grown woman. If anyone has even been around a 9 or 10 year old girl if left unchecked many will wear way too much makeup, tons of or gaudy (or both) jewlery. Its a phase most gg girls go through so why wouldn't the same be true for us?

[StaceyJane]

I have so much to work on.
I've started to look at jewelery to add to my rather meager collection.
A nice ladies watch would be perfect.......

[Stephanie Anne]

I like jewelery but as I have moved further into transition, I have become more accustomed to wearing jewelery. I go for eccentric pieces and items that I feel are unique to me as opposed to just wearing jewelry to emulate the female form.

I still don't think I would pay too much for an item but if it was really unique and eclectic, then maybe.

[Sejd]

Great question. Watch the movie : Normal. It is funny how he in the beginning picks up cheap jewelry and then later as he becomes his female self dresses more appropriately. The biggest turn off as I see it with a lot of TS is that they dress so inappropriately and not in their age. I think we all as a TS group need to look carefully at how women our age dress and behave.
Way too often, also on this forum I see M to F TS women dress like school girls when they are actually in their 40 or 50ties. It's a pretty sad picture I am sorry to say. This is a personal reflection of mine. I believe there is some serious responsibility for all of us, if we are serious about being TS women to dress appropriately, with dignity and strength and beauty.

[ReneeT]

These are all great replies. There is a theme, which i agree with, that many of us go thru an accelerated "puberty", learning who we are and what are personal styles are. I confess, i have dressed age-innapropriate at times. More and more, though, i am developing my own sense of syle which is not far from that of other 40ish women who pay attention to their presentation.

I like jewelry, but i am not obsessed with it (thats for shoes!). I find myself usually wearing the same simple pieces- a simple but stylish watch, a small diamond pendant, sterling silver thumb ring along with another simple ring, and silver hoop earrings. This combo seems to go with everything. I have lots more, but rarely wear it

[Hope]

Way too often, also on this forum I see M to F TS women dress like school girls when they are actually in their 40 or 50ties. It's a pretty sad picture I am sorry to say. This is a personal reflection of mine. I believe there is some serious responsibility for all of us, if we are serious about being TS women to dress appropriately, with dignity and strength and beauty.

I get where you (and others - I don't mean to pick on you) are coming from. But I'm not sure I agree. I think that being TS gives one the liberty to wear a school-girl outfit at 40. It is not something I would do personally, but I understand the impulse, and I know it disappears with time... So I am completely fine with encouraging and supporting other girls as we all go through that uber-girly phase.

It is not a sad picture, in fact I think it is awesome. It is not what a "gg" would do, but it is a person being authentic with themselves for the first time in their life. That is beautiful and awesome. Sure, they are going overboard - but when you haven't eaten in a week, and someone hands you a bag of potato chips - the impulse is to overindulge. When you have been holding yourself back from some behavior because of social stigma - and you finally give yourself permission to do whatever it is - overindulgence is a normal reaction.

Sure, it isn't looking like a "real" woman. Sure, it isn't something a "GG" would do outside of halloween. But it is a part of being TS, and it does pass, and once it does, so do we. For the most part.

I really think this sort of attitude is like going to a gay-pride parade and saying "real men don't parade around in speedos and angel wings." Well, maybe not YOUR definition of a "real man..." This is part of what it is to be TS. It takes EVERY woman some time to find her place, and the most comfortable way to express herself. We are just getting a late start.

Personally when I see a sister in a cheerleader outfit (and seriously - how often is that?) I am proud of her. I am proud of anyone strong enough to swim naked through this world and shrug off the scorn that is heaped upon her, especially when that scorn comes from her own community.

[Byanca]

I get where you (and others - I don't mean to pick on you) are coming from. But I'm not sure I agree. I think that being TS gives one the liberty to wear a school-girl outfit at 40. It is not something I would do personally, but I understand the impulse, and I know it disappears with time... So I am completely fine with encouraging and supporting other girls as we all go through that uber-girly phase.

It is not a sad picture, in fact I think it is awesome. It is not what a "gg" would do, but it is a person being authentic with themselves for the first time in their life. That is beautiful and awesome. Sure, they are going overboard - but when you haven't eaten in a week, and someone hands you a bag of potato chips - the impulse is to overindulge. When you have been holding yourself back from some behavior because of social stigma - and you finally give yourself permission to do whatever it is - overindulgence is a normal reaction.

Sure, it isn't looking like a "real" woman. Sure, it isn't something a "GG" would do outside of halloween. But it is a part of being TS, and it does pass, and once it does, so do we. For the most part.

I really think this sort of attitude is like going to a gay-pride parade and saying "real men don't parade around in speedos and angel wings." Well, maybe not YOUR definition of a "real man..." This is part of what it is to be TS. It takes EVERY woman some time to find her place, and the most comfortable way to express herself. We are just getting a late start.

Personally when I see a sister in a cheerleader outfit (and seriously - how often is that?) I am proud of her. I am proud of anyone strong enough to swim naked through this world and shrug off the scorn that is heaped upon her, especially when that scorn comes from her own community.
I agree.

[Teri Jean]

Yes it does ring true, I find when you purchase quality jewelry; rings, necklaces, and earrings it becomes a statment and investment. Not only that the women who see your choices recognize the quality and thus realize your commitment through your fashion.

[Nicki S]

I had purchased a set of diamond earrings for my GF for Christmas. However we broke up before I gave them too her. So yesterday I went to the mall and had my ears double pierced. So in six weeks I will have a nice set of diamonds in my ears.
it is really nice looking in the mirror and seeing the new look.

[Traci Elizabeth]

I also agree that we are in constant change of our clothing, jewelry, and overall presentation. As Hope has stated, it is a natural thing for us despite our starting transition age to go thought these changes.

Today, like others, I invest in quality jewelry and quality clothes. I have also defined my own unique style that is mature and classy but not like every Tina, Deb, and Harriet.

[Rhonda Jean]

I guess I skipped the flashy costume jewelry phase the first time through and now I'm making up for lost time. Until I got my ears pierced I didn't wear any jewelry as a guy. After that I wore mostly what my wife (now ex) gave me as gifts. First was a pair of diamond studs that I never really liked because they're so often worn by young thuggish males, although theirs are probably CZ's. Hoops were much more my style, and over the years she gave me three pair. Other than one pair that are gold with tiny diamonds, I don't wear any of them now.

My girlfriend, on the other hand, is into big, flashy, costume jewelry, and I have followed her lead. Big flashy watches with colored plastic bands, big plate earrings, big heavy hoops, big necklaces, big flashy rings, etc.. All of it costume jewelry. I have so much fun with jewelry now! Instead of a tiny box with four pair of earrings in it, I have a jewelry armoire full! All of it together didn't cost as much as the diamond studs, and it is so much more fun!

I was resistant to costume jewelry at first. I was afraid that because it was cheap it made me look cheap. I was afraid the earrings would cause infection or some kind of reaction in my ears. I thought it would turn my skin green or tarnish quickly. I suppose I was a bit of a snob about it. I love it, now. It is so much fun to just be able to pick up jewelry on a whim. It doesn't have to be pondered like an investment, it's just fun! I especially love huge earrings. The bigger and more garish the better. I don't think any of them cost over $20. Most are more like $10. Some of my favorites are colored plastic hoops that I think were $4. I have the same style in black, white, blue, and red. if I look like I'm "reaching" a bit from an age standpoint, what the hell. I'm "reaching" from a gender standpoint, too. Age is kinda minor in comparison. That said, I doubt I'll be donning a cheerleader outfit any time soon.

[Traci Elizabeth]

I guess I skipped the flashy costume jewelry phase the first time through and now I'm making up for lost time. Until I got my ears pierced I didn't wear any jewelry as a guy. After that I wore mostly what my wife (now ex) gave me as gifts. First was a pair of diamond studs that I never really liked because they're so often worn by young thuggish males, although theirs are probably CZ's. Hoops were much more my style, and over the years she gave me three pair. Other than one pair that are gold with tiny diamonds, I don't wear any of them now.


Well heck girl, just send those investments to me and I promise you they will get good use!!!!!! :)

[Danni Bear]

jewelry, along with clothing and hairstyles vary widely amomg everyone. No one be they GG,GM,TS, or anywhere else on the gender spectrum have the same tastes in what is right for them. to critize anyone for their choices is wrong, what seems correct to you can be and usually is only your own preconcieved ideas. fashions can come and go in a short period of time, I read the term age appropiate all the time here. What is age appropiate anyways? A more sensible answer would seem to be to dress appropiately for the activity and arena that you are in. this could be that you dress or act outragesouly or that you conform to societal standards. Every situation carries it's own possibilities. a life that caves in to what others consider normal is not one that I could enjoy. in infinate possibilities is where I want to be, to be all that I am and to be no less.

Danni

[Rhonda Jean]

Well heck girl, just send those investments to me and I promise you they will get good use!!!!!! :)

I think that my post might have come across as if I had REALLY expensive earrings. That's not the case at all!! It's just that they weren't in the "impulse buy" category like the costume stuff. Better hang on to them though. They fall into the category of "feminine things my wife gave me before she told me I was a WOMAN and she couldn't stand being married to a woman anymore". Sentimental value, ya' know.

I hope hope hope I didn't sound like I was bragging. Believe me, I'm not in a position to be "high falutin"

[Traci Elizabeth]

I think that my post might have come across as if I had REALLY expensive earrings. That's not the case at all!! It's just that they weren't in the "impulse buy" category like the costume stuff. Better hang on to them though. They fall into the category of "feminine things my wife gave me before she told me I was a WOMAN and she couldn't stand being married to a woman anymore". Sentimental value, ya' know.

I hope hope hope I didn't sound like I was bragging. Believe me, I'm not in a position to be "high falutin"


It was a joke Sweetie.

[Kathryn Martin]

I had never crossdressed with a very few minor exceptions before I started to transition. Both in clothes and jewelery I felt a need to purchase items that were authentic, like you say. Once I made the decision I wanted to look like I felt, a stylish, maybe even slightly edgy (in a fashion sense) woman. What you say rings very true. I believe that if you dress to be who you are as opposed to occasion an inner reaction, authenticity becomes the most important issue.