Overdressed at the mall

[Jenniferathome]

I decided to go out tonight as my wife is away (she knows I wenI was only going to the mall to do some window shopping but figured "what the hell?" But when I got to the mall, I was not only overdressed, I was ridiculously overdressed. So I actually turned around, and changed into some tights and a cute little corduroy skirt with a beaded purple top and matching sweater. Oh the lament of the cross dresser: women just done wear dresses any more. Here's my before an after:

[Princess29]

you look great in both pictures Jennifer. I'd imagine the first one would be considered overdressed at a mall. Still looks great though

[Longing2be-Trisha]

Jennifer you look FABULOUS! Great job girl friend!

Hugs

[Beverley Sims]

Karen Hutton wears a dress.
That aside I remember conducting a survey with my colleagues at work once.
They were smokers and I would go and conduct business with them.
We counted 682 women in pants as against 215 women in skirts and dresses, over a 2month period.
It was a university environment, mostly students.

[DanaR]

What I've noticed is that when a woman goes out dressed up a little, she will get noticed by everyone. So if you are a CD, out and are over dressed, you will get noticed as well.

[Jason+]

Both outfits are lovely. I personally don't think the red dress was too much more overdone than the other. I have wondered myself if there is a dividing line between a dress or a skirt/blouse combination when going out though.

[Daphne Renee]

They both look good. Just my opinion but I didnt think the first dress was really being over dressed that much.

[Melody1985]

Both looks are wonderful.. But I actually prefer the dress you had on, and I don't think the dress was too much for the mall, but I understand why someone would.

[charlen]

:love:I dont think you was overdress at . A very well dressed lady is what I see.

[Ellyn]

I was at a mall today waiting for my wife and watched the women going by for awhile. My opinon is that the red dress is much more pasable, and not overdressed for the mall.

[JoyceJ]

You look great! I absolutely love the outfits! But I can understand if you feel out of place -- because you look so well put together! If others are just wearing jeans and t-shirts while they're trampling over each other doing holiday shopping, you might stand out a little bit but in a good way!

[Vickie_CDTV]

Both are lovely, and I don't think the red dress would be overdressed. In fact, of the two I'd figure the red dress would draw less attention since the dress is longer and not as short as the black skirt.

[Contessa]

Jennifer

I think you look great for someone at the mall. I actually believe you thought you were overdressed is because of the time of day. Dress=evening wear. Was it? What time was it that you were at the mall. I haven't visited the mall dressed en femme, as I would love to and will as soon as take care of more pressing matter. The matter has nothing to do with my dressing or fear of being out while dressed. Was this a first time at the mall?

Tess

[Tara Twolane]

loved them both. I think you look good in the red.

[Dawna Ellen Bays]

I was at the mall yesterday and spotted a trio of women who were RIDICULOUSLY overdressed for shopping. I'm still wondering if they were part of some show or display, but they were carrying bags from Penneys. Women don't usually wear 6" heels and micro-minis to a suburban mall, do they?

I like both outfits but agree that the red dress stand out more...

[Rachel Lea]

Now days if a girl wears a skirt of dress they are "overdressed" for anything is seems. Look around, many girls and women were their pajamas out to go shopping and run errands.

[Sara Jessica]

Ya know, I have to agree with the overdressed part. But the reason is because it was Saturday, typically the most casual day of the week. I think if you were to take such a look out on any other day, you'd do just fine.

[Chari]

Both outfits are "in fashion" and look good on you! Depending on the time of day and location of the mall, some business GGs wear very fashionalble clothes/accessories, while in another mall a few miles down the road women tend to wear whatever! Your comfort and confidence could be a controlling factor in how you feel when out and about too. Consider checking out the female attire at the mall BEFORE you visit it again to give a clue as to the feminine fashion. THanx for sharing.

[RobynB]

I agree with Sara Jessica. You would be fine any day of the week except for Saturday. Many women wear dresses and skirts at the mall after they get off work.

[Cheryl T]

Neither was really overdressed. Now if you had on sheer hose and slingbacks with the dress I might say overdressed. Then it depends on the quality of the mall, the time of day and day of week.
Personally I never go shopping in a dress. I prefer to wear things that I can change out of and into quickly so I can try on whatever I find in the sale racks.

[Noceedee]

I definitely think the red dress looks best on you. But it is what ever makes you most comfortable.

[Michael 54]

You look great in both to me.

[Jenniferathome]

I actually believe you thought you were overdressed is because of the time of day. Dress=evening wear. Was it? What time was it that you were at the mall.

Tess

Hi Tess, I think time of day was a factor. It was about noon and I can say that 0% of the women were wearing dresses and only a handful even had on a skirt. 99% were in jeans and oversized sweatshirts. Now to be fair, it is getting very cold here and the walk from the parking lot to the mall entrance was quite chilly even in my tights so jeans make sense. But baggy sweatshirts!? By the way, not, it was not my first mall trip but every time the look is very,very casual. In spring and summers, a skirt is quite normal.

[sissystephanie]

Jennifer, if it was about noon than maybe the dress was being overdressed, but you look very good in either outfit! And certainly the weather would be a factor!!

[rachaelsloane]

Hi Jennifer,
You look great in both outfits and I do not think you were overdressed. You could have been dressed for work, people would never know but I do understand how you felt.
Happy Holidays,
Rachael

[Stiefelchris]

Why overdressed?? You look great and not overdressed!!

[BillieJoEllen]

Whats the problem? I see women wearing dresses at the mall(s) all the time. I see them mainly after about three o'clock. You really look great and I believe you would pass easily at least from a distance.

[linda allen]

Jennifer, you look great in both outfits and the hair, makeup, and facial expresion complete the package. You not only look like a woman, you look like an attractive woman.

[Jenniferathome]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. Maybe it's just my small town. But the typical attire for women on that day and time was jeans and a big baggy sweatshirt. Basically, something you might wear while at home watching Tv. My wife said shed never go that casual but she would not wear a dress to shop in this town in the winter. I FELT over dressed in my skirt and tights! I'm headed to LA this week and will have a go in a place with a little more style, I think.

[JenniferR771]

Jennifer, you looked just fine. Well-dressed. Take a look at the dress of the sales associates in the major stores--they look nice. I suspect some of the major stores and expensive shops have dress codes. "Dress" get it? Who is to say you worked at Macy's and were on a lunch break? Banker executive on a lunch break?

Could be a detective? Kinda like Kyra Sedgewick on "The Closer." Right?

[TGMarla]

People wear different clothes for different reasons at different times. If a woman is wearing a nice dress in a situation where most other women are dressed casually, most will simply assume she's stopping in on her way to or from some other function. So what if you were overdressed? And since most of us get clocked the moment we walk into the store, you might as well wear what you want to anyway.

[kimdl93]

I don't think you're the least bit over dressed. I've seen lots of women in dresses at the mall. It depends on the situation - in the first two pics, you could easily be taken for a professional on a break from work.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

wear what you like...it's not like you get to go out every day!!

you look great but you may want to figure a way to better hide the broadness of your chest and shoulders, especially with the little sweater outfit (which is really cute..)

one idea is a long sweater top rather than the teensie sweater top...emphasize your length to deemphasize the shoulders..

[Julia_in_Pa]

At our trans support group you can always tell the difference between the cross dresser's and the TS/IS people.

The cross dresser's are dressed like their going to the coronation of the queen of England and the TS/IS people are wearing jeans. LOL!!


Julia

[Jenniferathome]

The cross dresser's are dressed like their going to the coronation of the queen of England and the TS/IS people are wearing jeans. LOL!! Julia

Julia, I absolutely understand this comment. My wife andi discuss it all the time. As a crossdresser I want to show outwardly the feminine "ideal" when my wife strives for comfort. I always ask, "what's fun about jeans and a sweater?" "Nothing, it's comfortable," she replies. Such is the lament of all crossdressers I think.

[Julia_in_Pa]

Jennifer,

I certainly understand why a cross dresser wishes to dress as best as she can because they are usually unable to do so much of the time.

As for me, I've been full time for five years and the "need" to dress well at all times has long since past.
Heck I might wear makeup 20 % of the time now.

Don't get me wrong, I always take great care in how I look and how I present myself but on my days off the last thing I want to do is wear a dress.

It wasn't always this way but living a long time as who and what you are has a way of changing the way you view things.

Nice post Jennifer. :O)


Julia




Julia, I absolutely understand this comment. My wife andi discuss it all the time. As a crossdresser I want to show outwardly the feminine "ideal" when my wife strives for comfort. I always ask, "what's fun about jeans and a sweater?" "Nothing, it's comfortable," she replies. Such is the lament of all crossdressers I think.

[jacky83]

I've noticed at DLV the CDs wear skirts or dresses. & the GGs wear pants or capris. Even dressing casually though the latitude for fun feminine outfits are still abundant.:)

[ReineD]

If you were in NYC, Chicago, Montreal, or any other major city, you wouldn't be overdressed (in some malls). Your red dress is very much a day dress and doesn't look too dressy, if you're a woman who works in an office and goes straight to the mall on a lunch break or afterwards.

But, if you still feel awkward wearing this at your local mall, you should go to the places where women do dress up: a symphony orchestra concert, the opera, or perhaps a nicer restaurant?

[Annie D]

I think that you look terrific! Yes, I agree that perhaps you were a bit overdressed but not because you stood out (well you do because you look so good, I would give you a second look) but because women just don't wear dresses to the mall and although I have such a great desire to wear skirts instead of pants, it is the younger girls who wear skirts to the mall, not women in their 30's and older. The second outfit is much more appropriate and colors are so much more subdued so that you can remain somewhat inconspicuous.

Depending on the time you visit the mall, the first outfit would be okay if after 5 pm, it was what you wore to work; the second during the day. Sunday afternoon shopping calls for church type clothing, you get the idea.

One suggestion is to be careful of 3/4 length sleeves as they make your arms look longer and that accentuates you male girth. You look to be about 6' tall and hands and arms are one of our giveaways!

You look very nice and even if suspected, you make a wonderful representative for us all.

[kimdl93]

I'll grant you that most women don't shop in dresses, but sit for a while and watch. You'll see a few. I have some lovely, fairly formal dreses, but I save them for going out at night - like last Saturday night. I went to the theater in a black wrap dress. It blended in nicely with what the other women were wearing.

[ReineD]

The cross dresser's are dressed like their going to the coronation of the queen of England and the TS/IS people are wearing jeans. LOL!!

This reminds me of a story. When my boys were young, they went to a private school that had a dress code: no jeans, no sneakers, and they had to wear collared shirts. I suppose in the 50s this would have meant dress shirts, dress slacks and dress shoes, but in the 90s it was knit polo shirts, cargo pants or Dockers, and dark colored, soft shoes.

Anyway, prior to attending this school my boys HATED departing from the jeans/Tshirt/sneaker look, because they didn't want to look "different". They felt anything else was contrived and overly dressy. After a few months wearing the new clothes (that really didn't feel any different than their jeans & Tshirts, and were just as easily washable), they got used to it. To them, the polo shirts ($15 on sale at department stores) and cargo pants just became bang-around-in clothes. In other words, they stopped engaging in reverse snobbery, lol and they stopped viewing the polo shirts and cargo pants & dockers as a status symbol that needed to be avoided. My boys felt equally comfortable no matter what they wore, and they stopped judging others based on what THEY wore. :)

[paulaprimo]

NOTE TO SELF!! need to dress down and buy more "friendly shopping outfits"...haven't been out in public as of yet, but with the clothes i do have now, i would say its a little over the top. don't need to draw unwanted attention... and i think you look great in all of the pics!!

[skirtsuit]

If you were in NYC, Chicago, Montreal, or any other major city, you wouldn't be overdressed (in some malls). Your red dress is very much a day dress and doesn't look too dressy, if you're a woman who works in an office and goes straight to the mall on a lunch break or afterwards.

True & one of the reasons I live in Philly.

Also, there is a big difference between possibly feeling overdressed because everyone else around you is underdressed and truely overdressing, like wearing a cocktail dress and strappy heels to the mall. As an occasional fetish CD, I personally like standing out because I put a huge effort into what I wear. IMHO, the first outfit was fine. A very nice day look - there's nothing wrong with showing em how it done!

Best,
SS

EDIT - blending is boring. There is just too much wonderful, colorful and fantantic women's clothing out there not to go all-out.

[Rikidee]

Jennifer you look great!!! I typically dress rather casual for the same reason so I can fit in. Hugs Riki

[Vickie_CDTV]

When i go out shopping en femme (which is not often) I usually wear a skirt suit, or something "formal office" appropriate (top, skirt, blazer, hosiery and pumps or at least some kind of heeled dress shoes.) I could just wear jeans like all the other women, but it isn't my thing personally and if I have to dress in a way I don't enjoy I might as well just go en drab (and then I will pass 100%!) I will almost always be overdressed compared to the other women, and I don't pass to begin with, but it is a classy, professional (and "non-threatening") image; I get some dirty looks and stares but I am largely left alone.