Knowing too much about feminine items..

[Melody1985]

Most males who have never cross-dressed or even looked into womens attire, makeup, etc. And know absolutely nothing about the subject. Which is normal.

So since all of us here know alot more than an average man about the complexities of a woman's world, My question to all of you is this; have you ever been out in "male mode" and without thinking, said something that made your friends look at you funny? Or perhaps had to hold your tongue because you didn't want people to know how informed you are about the subject?

[Karren H]

We were playing "Logo" a board game with the family over the holiday and I got all the questions on fem products (hair color... panty hose, clothing lines....) That my daughter missed... My wife kept saying "you would now that". Lol.

[Tess]

I was on a cruise and got involved in a battle of the sexes game on stage in front of an audience. The guys had to name the top 5 cosmetics companies. I seemed to be the biggest contributor to our team getting it correct.

[Melody1985]

Great stories ladies.. I guess I forgot to tell my story... DOH!!

Anyway, it was actually today, 11-29-2011. I was at a restaurant with a couple of my freinds, and one of them mentioned that he feels funny when his girlfriend wears heels, because they are the same height when she's in flats and towers over him when she has heels. So we talk about that further, and my other friend asks him what size the heels were. His answer was that he didn't know, but he gazed around the room and saw what he thought was a similar size to the one his girlfriend wore. And without thinking, I said "oh, those are probably 5 inch heels, and they look really nice.. I think they're Jimmy Choo's."

So immediately I realize I was thinking out loud, and tried to save face by saying my girl has a pair like that which is why I know. They poked fun at me, and I just kinda went with the flow. I definitely was not ready to tell them the truth, but I felt bad that I kept denying it when they were dissing me about it. But, I didn't get too emotional about it. It was kinda funny actually.

[Cheryl T]

Now and then I get in that situation...but it's easy for me. I just say...hey, I've been married 36yrs...I better have learned something by now.

[cdsara]

I have given my SO bra info a few times.

[Darlene-VA]

Recently my ex came for a visit and she told me how nice my makeup looked and were you doing something different. I explained that I had started using Smashbox Photo primer and not only does my makeup look better but I am using less, so when she left the primer was in her makeup bag and she told me now you have a reason to dress and go down to Ulta to buy some more.

[KellyJameson]

At a table of twenty dinner conversation came to a halt over Thanksgiving when I interjected my opinion between two women debating who makes the best makeup primer saying that the best thing to use was Monistat Chafing Powder. You remember that scene from Shrek2 when he swallowed the spoon when questioned about having children? That was my father at Thanksgiving.

[UNDERDRESSER]

I've never said anything that got me looks, yet. But if I did, I can claim extra knowledge from having several sisters.

[stacycoral]

Melody, i don't think i have but i would just say after having three daughters and a wife, in rural area of the state, you better know what your doing when purchasing female items. and it also help to have awedding ring on.

[Miss Maxine]

People always ask me how I know so much about hard-to-find bra sizes and high heeled shoes. I give women shoe advice, all the time, whenever I hear them lamenting about uncomfortable or unstable heels. They will sometimes question my expertise. Since I am not closeted, I always tell them the truth. More than anything, it confuses me that they question it, as I am almost always wearing a skirt. Guess a man in a skirt doesn't stand out as much as I think.

[sandra-leigh]

Funny looks when out with my friends: well, my friends in our city are mostly crossdressers and transsexuals or people who have been involved with the CD community, so although from time to time something I say might strike them as odd but then they remember.

My SO expresses more puzzlement, not around the idea that I might know something about "women's world", but rather that I know as much as I do in some areas. As in why did I bother to learn so much on the topic? (Usually it is some topic that I never "studied": I'm an information sponge on matters that interest me.)

A more common situation is for me to overhear someone (a stranger) asking a question, either to a sales assistant or to someone they are with, and without thinking about what I am doing, I go ahead and answer. Especially if the people are making non-trivial mistakes in the discussion.

[Dana921]

I was in a lunch break room and a younger girl was telling me she lost a bet with her dad (about Nascar, very tomboyish) and that was why she was wearing a skirt, boots and hose with a nice top! Kind of ironic at the time and given my wanting to crossdress at work, heehee! Anyway, I was talking with her and had to ask that she keep her legs together as they were showing a bit much and we started discussing deportment and then I noticed she had the start of a run in her hose. Well naturally I told her to get some clear nail polish to stop the run! At that point she looked at me and said DUDE! I am the girl here and I didn't even know that! Looking at me in a much more suspicious way! Well I said after you have been married for long enough, even guys can pick up on things! Really thinking I need to not offer so much!

Oh... what tangled webs we weave!

Dana

[BillieJoEllen]

Even though my wife knows I am a CDer she still likes it when I don't use my feminine knowledge-even when we're alone.

[Blue42]

When I was younger I worked as a cashier/salesperson at a small mom-and-pop store. The night shift was mostly other people my age, but there was only two other guys and about 5 or 6 different girls. Any given night there would be 3 of us so it was pretty common that I'd be the only guy.

Anyway, one night I was trying to put a large item a customer bought in a plastic bag when the one girl me told me to scrunch it up like pantyhose! I had to keep my tongue in my cheek and play dumb (plus I didn't mind having her show me :P). It was really funny though.

Along with that there's been plenty of times where I was in a conversation with a girl and I had to pretend I didn't know anything about girls clothes (again, I never mind having them tell me about it :P).

[suzy1]

I have a GG friend that is a wonderful fun loving girl. [Sexy too]

I have spent time with her and some of her girly friends and just joined in the conversation.

The one obvious thing I have noticed is how close our friendship has got. [Just platonic as she is happily marred to a great man who is also a friend]

If I am ever asked why I am so interested in make-up or clothes I will just say I am a red blooded male that loves women.


SUZY

[erickka]

Now and then I get in that situation...but it's easy for me. I just say...hey, I've been married 36yrs...I better have learned something by now.

That works for me too.....29 years here!

[Dawna Ellen Bays]

One night not too long ago, I pointed out to a friend that I couldn't believe how many girls were on line outside a club wearing 6" Louboutins. "Why do you even KNOW that?" he asked. "The red soles. I LOVE girls in heels (truth), so I sometimes notice these things..."

[Jorja]

Funny looks? I've had a million of them. Before transition and SRS, I was always getting in a jam because of my "female knowledge". The last time I can remember was in a noisy straight club. A few of the girls and I were talking about how to do the smokey eye look. Smokey eyes are not new by the way, they have been around a long time. Anyway, the club was quite loud and noisy and I had to talk loud to be heard. I was also in drab mode that day.

Suddenly, the club got deathly quiet. You could hear a pin drop. My loud voice boomed out across the room like I had a microphone in hand. Everyone was looking at me strangely. I stood up putting my hands on my hips (fingers back thumb forward) thrust my left hip to one side and said, "What? A girl just knows these things". A roar of laughter went up and the music started again. Ain't life great!

If people are not looking at you strangely, you are not living properly!

[linda allen]

I have to watch what I say around my wife when she talks about bras or other feminine subjects. I don't think it's ever come up outside the two of us.

[crystal99]

When i was with my ex i bought her a casual dress, her and all her girl friends were amazed that id picked it, it wasn't plain so not a safe pick, was quite bold in style, a real risk but i knew it would suit her shape and style. Best thing she ever wore xx

Also I slipped out a comment about makeup and eyebrow shapeing at work when stood with a couple of girls chatting about said subject, you should've seen the looks i got, and then a short silence, and then "actually he's right that would work for you" xx

[insearchofme]

Now and then I get in that situation...but it's easy for me. I just say...hey, I've been married 36yrs...I better have learned something by now.

I say the exact same thing, but I've been married over 40 years. Of course I am a slow learner!

[Tina B.]

Like Cheryl and insearchofme, I also just use the old, if you have been married as long as I have, you should know something about it. Not sure they bought it, since most of them had been married as long as I have.
Tina B.

[sue1965]

Yes I have. I have outed myself a few times to woman as we talked about her clothes or make up and they are very surprised how much I new. But to me it is not so bad as more and more friends are finding out about my cross dressing and have been very excepting of it.

[KarenS]

Yes, yes. I have found mysel;f in that situation a few times.

I have also found myself in a situation where my wife and a friend were discussing our daughters and their understanding of control of the kegal muscle (had to do with - oh never mind). Well, I understood everything they said and they realized it. That's when the conversation shifted to our daughters breast size which expanded to their own bra size. And, then they both sized me up and asked me about my bra size. My wife's friend says "I think you are about a 42B. Is that about right?" "My wife says, yeah, I think he is about a 42B also."

I wasn't certain how to respond so I simply laughed and left the room.

[KylieA]

I'm a big fan of project runway. I now discuss good/bad designers and designs from project runway with a bartender downtown. She is probably the most elegantly dressed of the bartenders at the bar. I'm not out at the bar but I do wear shoes with more heal then men normally wear to that bar. From Dansko clogs to 3" Aerosoles ankle boots.

[Suzy Parker]

OMG
I am not out with wife yet and she was trying on three dresses she bought for a special occasion and asked my opinion. Of course I had my knuckles dragging and just said I like the second one best when what I really wanted to say was that the v-neck dress with the drop waist and slimming straight cut was more flattering than the other dresses with empire waists and fuller bottoms. And that the straight cut dress being lined really wears well and looks fantastic with those new strappy heels.

[CallieH]

Soon after my gf found out about the CDing, she commented "No wonder you have such good taste in picking out clothes and jewelry for me!"

I took that as quite the compliment, LOL

[*Vanessa*]

Absolutely!
Also my mom took me with her when she went shopping for a lot of cloths (to the city, we lived in a small town). She always said I had good taste and knew fashion. I said it was because I was an artist... lol That went on until I was in my late teens, but even then she always asked. Hardly asked my sister - Ha!

Love questions like these they stir up so many neat memories. - thanks

[kimdl93]

One of my business associates gave me an alternate name (Marta) because, to use her words, I was just like one of the girls. It all came about after I had lunch with her and several of her friends. A similar thing happened at a small christmas gathering with a few of my wife's colleagues. I was the only male invited and several times, the girls commented that I fit right it. God, am I that obvious!?!

[Sarasometimes]

It happens to me but since I used to do hair for a living I just chalk it up to things I 've learned at work. If you want TMI about female subjects sit in the break room at a salon during lunch!!! Nothing is off limits, even if the hetero guys are there. The fashion type conversations on the salon floor are helpful if you crossdress. Next time you are getting a haircut listen in there are hints to be had.

[StevieTV]

I've added to my female friends vocabulary several times. I've introduced her to words such as "mules", "bustier", "demi-cup"...the list can go on. Before I came out, she'd remark "how do you know that?!"

[Heisthebride]

Many years ago I was in a group conversation and one of the women was incorrectly, in my opinion, defining how bra sizes worked. Without thinking I corrected her that the band size is measured around the chest but under the breast. Then the cup size is based on the difference between the bust measurement and the band measurement.

I got a few odd looks.

I passed it off saying I thought everyone knew that and I didn't know where I had heard it.

[drushin703]

I was out shopping last month when a friend asked me to pick up some feminine hygine pads for her, which I did, but returned with Tena ultimates
probably the most comfortable pads for crossdressers on the market. I got grilled to explain what knowledge I had and why I knew anything about
this subject.....dana.

[Dana7]

I was always interested in feminine things while growing up and worked in large women's shoe stores while in college as well as in retail so I know quite a bit about things feminine. I do find myself stifling my own comments about things when in the presence of others because I sense that I know too much. And I also have to do a lot of explaining when I buy feminine things at yard sales, how they are always for "someone else", which happens to be my alter ego most of the time, but also can be members of my family, my SO, and other women I care about.

It's sad to admit but I know VASTLY more about women's things than my SO. She was raised a tomboy and her dad used to refer to her as "his son", she brags. So when it comes to fashion, undergarments, makeup, hair, etc., I have had to do some considerable educating with her to get her to catch up. I've given her info on bras, camisoles, (she didn't even know what one was) dresses, shoes, makeup, etc. Although she was pretty up to speed on makeup, there were many gaps in her wardrobe, which in the time we have been together I have since filled rather well.

For the longest time it was a battle getting her to accessorize--using belts, matching outfits, coordinating color, and everything else a well-cultured woman finds natural. We've surfed the web together, gone shopping together, and done makeup together in my quest to make my tomboy into a well-rounded woman. I remember that it was like pulling teeth to get her out shopping for shoes. What an effort!

Then one day something remarkable happened. I wrote about it here:
http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?162705-I-ve-Created-A-Monster&highlight=

It took a while, but my fem side has finally worn off on her. We've spent a lot of time and not a few dollars on her wardrobe and she is now quite enthusiastic about fashion and looking like a well-dressed, put-together woman.

She has now surprised me with her excellent fashion sense! She tells me that she uses the mannequins at the department stores as her guide and she has gotten quite good at assembling outfits from her wardrobe--so much that it has at times inspired me to take pictures of her, she is so lovely! Today she got dressed in a new outfit that she assembled all on her own, and it looked fantastic. She took a really cute patterned cowl neck Worthington fitted blouse with her favorite colors--turquoise, tan, and purple--and combined it with a nice tan corduroy long skirt. She accessorized with a really nice matching turquoise belt and tan shoes for a really cute, coordinated outfit. I am so proud of her!

She's quite the fashion diva now and she even has been shopping for nice coordinating earrings and jewelry. I'm really happy with the way she's grown in her femininity. And I'm glad that I've been able to help her with it, given my own education in it.

:)

[Dana7]

OMG
I am not out with wife yet and she was trying on three dresses she bought for a special occasion and asked my opinion. Of course I had my knuckles dragging and just said I like the second one best when what I really wanted to say was that the v-neck dress with the drop waist and slimming straight cut was more flattering than the other dresses with empire waists and fuller bottoms. And that the straight cut dress being lined really wears well and looks fantastic with those new strappy heels.

Suzy, I TOTALLY relate!! :heehee:

[suchacutie]

I'm with Cheryl on this too. Married 38 years and if some guys start asking why I know so much I ask they why they know so little about someone they have been living with! That usually changes the conversation :)

tina

[Suzy Parker]

I learned all about women's fashions from Sears, JCPenney, and Wards catalogs as a young boy. I did not only look at the pictures but read the full descriptions and leaned all of the terms relating to cuts, styles, and fabric. How many men can tell you what a weskit cut blouse is or the difference in drop or empire waist?

Suzy

[Deedee_tv]

I have special bonds with several female co-workers. They have to know, I am way too in touch with my feminine side. My wife is friends with them also so it doesn't really matter. One woman forgot to bring shoes to a meeting so she asked me to go shoe shopping with her at Macy's or Nordstrom. I was all over it, asked what she was wearing, what jewelry she was accessorizing with and scoured the shoe department with her. We even went through the clearance rack (what guy would ever do that). I kept saying "oh these are cute" or "look, this is a platform which will give you more height and still comfortable" or "you could wear these for work or with skinny jeans for girls night".

Yeah, I can't even convey this story without realizing how obvious I am. Guess what, don't care. I gotta be me!

[Beverley Sims]

As a photographer who did store catalogs, it was mostly women in underwear.
You have to be discreet with new ones but most knew when you expressed ugliness, and poor fit, you used a coarser language.
I learn't from an early age that some girls looked butt ugly in lingerie but great when covered up.
The skinny ones looked good in bras and bikinis. The fatter ones Size 8 to 10 wore the dresses, tops and pants.
I knew the effects of the bras and corsets of the day and was familiar with fashion trends.
So when I took a girl out I would lecture her and all her friends on fashion.
They LOVED it and so did I because I had 5 or 6 girls with their tongues hanging out listening to my every word.
Now days with a changing society I could get up for sexual harrassment making some of the comments I would have made a few years ago.
Having said tat there is a growing acceptance to male female interaction now.
So my knowledge of womens fashion etc. was good then,,, but now????