How important are women's clothes.

[Kitty Sue]

The other night as I was ordering various slips and shoes from amazon I began to wonder why the clothes are so important?

Women are women not because of the clothes they wear, or the makeup they choose. Similarly, if I am not wearing guy clothes I am still a man. So why are the clothes so important? Sure, I like wearing skirts and makeup, but those items do not make me trans.

I wonder if subconsciously I am hoping that buying one more bra or a new maxi skirt will transform me into the woman I like to imagine could be.

I don't know. :daydreaming:

[Cynthia Anne]

Clothes make the woman! I think clothes can make you feel pretty! If you feel pretty than chances are you are pretty!

[pink femme]

Clothes maketh the dream.

Without the clothes I am a man

With the clothes I am a man but I can at least have some of the same feeling my wife has when she gets ready for work or going out - its a small feeling but it means the world:battingeyelashes:

[prene]

Well for me it is the figure I have and the feeling I get with that figure that makes me feel feminine.

I have been going out underdressed.
I wear attached forms, corset and control top panties.
When I tightlace i walk differently and when I have my forms attached they mov with me.

i feel like what it would like to have a female body... at least on the outside.

/????

[danielletorresani]

Clothes are important because they are our substitute for actually having a woman's body. It's the closest we can come to feeling like a woman short of actually getting a sex change. That's how I see it, anyway.

[Vickie_CDTV]

One reason they are important is that, in some cases at least, they look and feel really nice?

[Jeanna]

How important are women's clothes?
How many of us find Hillary Clinton's wardrobe attractive?

[erickka]

I am one to agree with Vickie. They feel soooo nice.

[noeleena]

Hi,

Oh dear,

im seen as ,i present as, im accepted as a woman , my manisisms are of a woman after that does it matter ,
yes more so for me as being intersex because of my facale looks as more male . so unfortuntly id have to wear womans clothes tho my friends dont care they just accept me as i am. so its more a delemer for me ,

& no, my womans clothes dont make me a woman because i am one , any way. its not the only way i express my self its just one of many . so yes the clothes are impotant ,

Kitty,

That 2nd last two lines i wonder would that work for me ... gota laugh dont i ....

...noeleena...

[christinac]

How important are women's clothes?

They are second only to food!:D

[KrystalA]

How important are the clothes? I guess it depends on your self-perception. When en femme I perceive myself as feminine, and that's what it's all about. That girly rush that comes from wearing women's clothes is what started it all in the first place.

[Joanne f]

They are the bridge that connects you to the other side and it is up to you how long you stay before you cross over again .

[TGMarla]

I think they're very important. It all started with the clothing, and morphed into something greater than that. But at the core of it all, there are still the clothes. Without them, none of this matters any longer.

When I dress, which is rather often, I wear forms and a wig, and some foundational items to give me a better shape. I dont' like dressing without all these accessories. However, I have no desire to dress at all if I can't pick out a nice dress, wear hosiery high heels, and the whole women's clothing thing. For instance, I could put on my forms and stuff, and wear guy stuff, and it just wouldn't be the same. So it's ladies' clothes, or I don't bother. So yes, the clothing is very important.

[zoetv]

They make me fell godd when i am dresses as Zoe

[Allana W]

Even after all these years, when I look into a mirror I am disappointed that my body doesn't match my inner gender image of who I am. My girl cloths are am embellishment that helps to bring my outer image in line with my inner, gender self. Like a blurry photo, it's like I'm always a little out of focus, but dressing brings me a little closer to being in focus.

[juno]

Even if you are just a feminine male, and do not feel like a woman in a man's body, your female side loves to look in the mirror and see herself. It is confirmation that there is a woman inside that is allowed to come out and express herself. Otherwise, your female persona is trapped in an internal prison, and becomes unhappy. For many men, that unhappiness encompassed the male persona, which often does not understand the sadness, and leads to expressions like "I don't know why, but I am happier when I cross dress".

I'm late to crossdressing, but I have had many feminine hobbies, and felt good about it. So, clothes are not the only way for your female side to have fun. However, dressing is a completely different level of female self-expression. You are letting her out to enjoy the world.

[PretzelGirl]

This is another of those things that can have quite a variety of answers. We do have some that feel male undressed and when dressed, it transforms them mentally and they go into their feminine state so to speak. Others may not feel that they change mentally, but are the same no matter how they dress. But people respond to tactile things and feeling the clothes can bring a sense of relaxation or peace. Others may respond to the visuals as they enjoy the way they look. There is no end to the possibilities.

[ReineD]

With the clothes I am a man but I can at least have some of the same feeling my wife has when she gets ready for work or going out - its a small feeling but it means the world:battingeyelashes:

Have you ever described the feelings you get when you dress to your wife, and asked her if she feels the same way when she gets ready to go out?

I'm just saying that we GGs don't "feel" anything special when we get dressed. We feel just the same way a guy does when he gets ready to go out for the day. Putting on makeup to us is a step to go through, just like a guy feels when he shaves. It's really nothing special.

I don't want to take away from your feelings, and I'm glad that dressing and putting on makeup makes you feel good. But, it is a mistake to think that GGs feel the same way when we do the same, since to us it's just an ordinary, every day event. Does this make sense?

[kimdl93]

I can't profess to know how my SO feels when she gets dressed, but suspect its just clothes for her. For me, the clothes and make up are a way to outwardly express what I feel inside. I know its an illusion, but its a pleasant one.

[carhill2mn]

If it were not for the clothes I could not be a crossdresser. Better yet, I prefer women's clothes, shoes, etc.

[NicoleScott]

How important are the clothes? This is a site for crossDRESSERS, right? There ya go.
I continue to be surprised that there are folks who have been here for years that still think that crossdessing is driven only by a femme identity. For those who are, I guess it's not fundamentally about the clothes, but they are important in expressing that femme identity. I'm just thinking that from reading thousands of posts on the forum. I'm not one of them, I'm one of the others.
For those of us, and there are quite a lot, who dress for pleasure, it IS fundamentally about the clothes, or some other item usually associated only with feminine expression (makeup,shoes, wigs, etc).
So c'mon KittySue, you've been here for over five years. Do you still think we all want to be women? Some of us just want to DRESS like one occasionally.
Pleasure dressers, let's refuse to sit in the back of the crossdressing bus.

[Dana921]

For me, clothes have been a a vehicle or even maybe like a permission slip to allow me to express myself in a way I otherwise felt I could not. Being raised in a time and place that had me believe it would be inappropriate or even plain wrong to show interest or feelings that were considered to be to feminine by society for a man to have or display. That a man would do such a thing would be considered gay or certainly lose the respect of other people around him! Less strong or manly! Obviously this was the wrong attitude but it is what my interpertation on my social up bringing is or was. It was not meant to be bad, just at a time when men did men things and women did women things. Very black and white kind of view point.

As I have progressed and questioned my assumptions on the roles and contributions of both men and women in the world, I have sinced changed my ideas to believe we all have a mixture of what is thought to be either masculine or feminine traits as described by our present society and its previous learning, observation or understanding. Accepting that has allowed me to dress and express myself for the purpose of making myself happy and raise my own self esteem as to who I am and what contributions I can make in this world. Simply making myself as pretty and thus feeling good about me makes me a better person and more able to help others because of the new found confidence I have.

So from this perspective clothes have been and continue to be very important to me as they have been the vehicle to a better understanding, more empathetic, balanced and enlightened person than I was before.

It is ok and even great to feel good about oneself! It allows us to share ourselves with others more readily, even eagerly!

Hugs,
Dana

[ReineD]

I continue to be surprised that there are folks who have been here for years that still think that crossdessing is driven only by a femme identity.

It's a sliding scale with an infinite number of points on it, each point representing a slightly higher or lesser degree of feminine identity than the one next to it. It's like a gradient scale from white to black. You can't tell at any point where the colors actually change, and the bulk of the scale lies in the variance between each end: wanting to dress like a woman sometimes, and permanently feeling like a woman internally. :)

[Amy Lynn3]

Reine, you make perfect sense. I agree with Nicole too. I dress for the pure pleasure of it, so yes, I'm a pleasure dresser too.

[Kate Simmons]

The clothing is relative to the person wearing it.:)

[NicoleScott]

Thanks, Amy Lynn. Reine, I absolutely agree with everything you said. But I think there is something fundamentally different about what drives identity dressers and what drives pleasure dressers. Many pleasure dressers are very masculine men (and happy about it) and have no thoughts or behaviors that express any degree of femininity, but get excited about dressing and often like to dress in ultra-feminine expressions only during the dressup session. Likewise, many identity dressers have no desire for the glam look, and are happy to be in a cute top, capri pants, and flats. Sliding scale? Yes, in many ways, but still a fundamental difference in the drive.

[ReineD]

Nicole, there are also identity dressers who sometimes are glam, sometimes not, and sometimes even fetish :), who do not wish to forsake their male identities, and who solidly feel male at times. My SO identifies as dualgender. It's hard to explain and it's hard for me and for most people who are not so fluid to understand, but I gather it is a great deal more elastic than being either/or male/female. Think of it as a third gender with an infinite amount of femme-vs.-guy identity points that fluctuate.

[sissystephanie]

While all the points that have been made are important, the most important one has not been mentioned! Women's clothes are very important, as are men's clothes, because they cover up parts of the body which we may not want to see!! Or maybe we shouldn't see it! I am a man and proud of it, but I do like to wear feminine clothes! The only reason I do so is because I like the fit, feel, and look of them!! And so did my late wife seeing them on me1

[Lori B]

The clothes are the key,,at least for me.The feeling,the look....all part of my "package" :cute:

I agree Reine,I like my macho,man side,,and the things that go with it,but when I`m Lori,that part of me doesn`t exist

[Kitty Sue]

I suppose I am primarily a 'pleasure dresser' rather than an 'identity dresser.' I don't know that I have come across those terms before.

[k lynn]

I to sometimes ask myself why clothes or important for I am very muscular like workingout riding my motorcycle but have been a crossdresser since childhood although I am a male and muscular I have femine tratics that not only I know I have others have committed on them including total stangers

[Charise52]

Clothes definitely make Women... and they seem to make Us as well... so here's to way cool clothes... may we wear them always...

[wanagione]

For me dressing up is nice, I enjoy looking nice and I would sepect from talking the ggs i know that when they get dressed to go out dancing or to and event they enjoy the clothing also. I wear womans pants and jeans and tops without forms and makeup and wigs most of the time. It's just what i do. I'm trans and they make me feel normal.

[RachelX]

How important? Extremely important! I wear the clothes because they are women's clothes. When I do I experience a strong sense of ataraxia. A freedom from againstness. An absence of friction between my inner self and the me that I present to the world. And to myself; because it masks the sight of my maleness. I love the look and feel of the clothes, but if "women's clothes" were gunny sacks, thoroughly lacking in beauty and sensual delight I would still want to wear them. Pants and attire that are a presentation consistent with being male always caused disturbance inside myself. As I have finally begun to genuinely transition, the freedom from wearing mens clothes is as liberating, and powerful as the ever increasing joy I experience from presenting as a woman. As I increase the time that I present myself in a way consistent with how I feel inside I find life something worth living as it never has before. My abandonment of my male role and acceptance by others as a woman is the fundamental and intrinsic source of my new desire to live. But clothes are part and parcel to this.
That being said. I really do just love the pretty clothes, the make-up, and how it all feels. I am very pleased that female attire is just great fun to wear!

[adrienner99]

I love Reine's "sliding points on the scale" comment. I think there is a big difference between a man who "feels" he is a woman (TS) and a man who is thrilled to wear women's clothes and "act" feminine, whatever that means (CD).

For me, it is THRILLING to wear women's clothes. I adore the. And sometimes I wonder if am truly female, altough I will never pursue surgery. I would love to know the big WHY I love women's clothes but almost certianly never will. When I get confused about this I often think back to my boyhood, when I would pretend to be sick and stay home to raid my mother's closet. Dressed in her high heels, yellow silk evening gown, diamond earrings, and Revlon Cherries in the Snow lipstick, I would look in the mirror and feel: This is right. This is who I am. Feelings of overwhelming peace and excitement existed at the same time. They still do, 40 years later.

[Georgia Rose]

I agree with Nicole's comments. Although I've never heard the term before "pleasure dresser" is a very good description of me. I like to underdress to some extent occassionally but the big thing is the full dressing and as glamorous as I can make it. Although I sometimes dress down a bit, it is never the same feeling. Like a lot of others I'm very happy with my male side and would not change that but I also enjoy a lot of stuff that would in the past been seen as a woman's domain. Keep us the glamour!

[Jilmac]

I think the clothing is the essence of femininity. I have had female co workers who would wear jeans and flannel shirts at work every day and they were treated as "just one of the guys". When I would see those same co workers at events outside of work, (dinners, partys, etc.), their clothing, makeup and accessories brought their femininity to the forefront.

[Rianna Humble]

How important are women's clothes.

The other night as I was ordering various slips and shoes from amazon I began to wonder why the clothes are so important?

To me, my clothes are very important - without them I would be arrested for indecent exposure :eek:. Also being pre-op they give certain clues about my gender that would be less apparent were I unclothed.


I suppose I am primarily a 'pleasure dresser' rather than an 'identity dresser.' I don't know that I have come across those terms before.

If we are compring wht kind of a dresser we are, would my background make me a French Dresser?

[Kathryn Philips]

Even if you are just a feminine male, and do not feel like a woman in a man's body, your female side loves to look in the mirror and see herself. It is confirmation that there is a woman inside that is allowed to come out and express herself. Otherwise, your female persona is trapped in an internal prison, and becomes unhappy. For many men, that unhappiness encompassed the male persona, which often does not understand the sadness, and leads to expressions like "I don't know why, but I am happier when I cross dress".

As far as I am concerned, Juno has got it right.

[pink femme]

It makes perfect sense - and I guess the feeling I am looking for is "Normality"

P.S. Wife not noweth anything- alas!!

[Brenn]

Clothes are an important part of our social construct. It is a way we present a significant amout of information to other people. It is of course obvious with things like police uniforms, doctor's lab coats, etc., but it also applies to everyday wear. You would probably not hire a lawyer wearing t-shirt and flip-flops, but rather one wearing a nice suit. At the same time it is presenting a face of the person wearing the clothing, it also helps them create a sense of self (e.g. the police officer "feels" empowered because of his uniform, badge and accessories.) The doctor might "feel" more like a doctor when he is wearing his lab coat than when he is wearing say a swimsuit, even though he might use his skills to save someone frm a heart attack at the beach. I feel "empowered" by wearing articles of women's clothing. It is hard to explain, but it is just a sense of just feeling more centered - or maybe it is just rebellion against the social norms.

[Cheryl T]

When I was in the closet the clothes allowed me to express how I felt inside for at least myself.
Now that I venture out often they allow me to show the world the woman inside and express my femininity completely.

[Jorja]

Well, seeing as how I am a woman, cloths are pretty darn important unless I walk around nude.