Sensory Issues and dressing

[Darla]

Hi there -
So in doing some reading about my childs possible sensory issues I've started to really wonder a few things about myself and I'm starting to really connect the dots.

For those who don't know much about these issues (and I count myself being one of them) there's part to having a sensory disorder that are about regulating input through constant contact (swaddling, or constant pressure on one's body) - even using a therapeutic pressure mat to calm kids down.

Now I myself in the the days before this diagnosis even existed had my parents tell me how squirmy a kids I was, never able to sit still, and sometimes not concentrate.

Fast forward to age 7 or so when I tried on Mom's pantyhose, and it was like I'd slipped into angels wings. I quickly gravitated to all sorts of tight girly clothes, leotards and tights, sometimes layering pantyhose under footless tights, or wearing leotards over unitards - feeling in a word, caressed all over.

After a while I progressed to other women's clothes, which are so much more sensual and "present" on a persons body. The tug of garter straps, the underwire on a bra, A tight corselette cinching your waist. All the while I felt the same thrill so many feel while dressed, feeling present in my body by feeling the presence of these clothes.

So my question is this - anyone else feel that they had a physiological need to dress after figuring out that women's clothes frequently hug and hold their bodies? And anyone ever been diagnosed as on the sensory spectrum that finds release through dressing?

It just goes to figure that men's clothes aren't made to cling to the body- another reason why choosing to dress is a form of freedom for some.

Thanks
Darla

[Oilpainter35]

WOw never thought of that , wonderful and insightful comments about issues that make sense to me.

[monalisa]

And here I just thought it felt wonderful all over being in tights and leotards. I don't think the term sensory disorder existed when I first started dressing.

[suit]

well you know those kids that are adreline junkies ? they need constant input ? thrill seeking whole body acceleraration stimulation! like beeing incased in ,getting into her image? would that be thrilling ,fun good ?
sound familare? how about the desire to know everythign ? like what it feel to be (and it apperes the clothes are all ways snug/tight) wearing her clothes ? visual + imagination+ tabo excitment= fetish .If you try on good fitting clothes and pay attention to what they feel like...there is really nothing "thrilling " about it . because the imagination has had light/truth blasting it. the assocative should be true. and then the clothes become nothing but cotton and nylon plumage. and really its plumage to attract males. so then the question is do you really want to attract men ? takes the fun right out of it .

[Darla]

No - it was never for me attracting men as a goal, or even a sideline thing - I was just unhappy being me some days. This was characterized by depression, lethargy etc. But dressing up was an escape that allowed me to fantasize and feel like I inhabited my skin - even if that skin was made from Lycra! To this day I enjoy the notion I know I'm wearing something, and with the added benefit of feeling feminine, and even (sometimes) looking feminine. IMHO - I have a great pair of legs. Used to get teased by other boys for my "chicken legs" - but slip em into some stockings and heels and I'm a knockout.

[Persephone]

Wow! What an interesting thought, Darla! Makes one wonder why way more boys than girls are diagnosed with "attention deficit disorder" and why the number of girls diagnosed with ADD has been on the increase since girl's clothes have come to resemble boy's clothes.

There has got to be a research paper (and a government grant) in there somewhere!

Hugs,
Persephone.

[Darla]

Thanks Persephone

I tend to overthink the dressing, esP now that I'm seeing a therapist, but it really does throw all sorts of questions about gender roles, and dressing. Women's clothes are inherently tight fitting, much to some women's pleasure, others chagrin, and the loose baggy stuff comes across as "less feminine". Men's clothes are alway pretty baggy, tight anything male is sexually suspect, or less appealing to most women (unless you're on the Jersey Shore). But these are pretty wide generalizations. All I know is I like tight feminine clothes, they make me feel present and sexy. Just trying to get to the root of my desires!

[JessHaust]

Humans in general have a need to find cause and effect. We look for it in everything and have gotten very good in finding it, real or not. But I really don't think that you can ever really find out why we do what we do, it's just built into our genes. While some here will be able to relate to your hypothesis and truly believe it, most others will have never experienced those particular causes. We are all here because we dress, so the effect is with us all, the apparent causes are many. I have given up long ago on wondering why, and just try to enjoy the gift as much as possible.

[dsmth]

At least these days "skinny" style jeans/pants are in style which are somewhat interesting to wear (although far from sufficient). These are a welcome change in the sensory feeling of wearing men's pants. I have been thinking recently about how most men's clothes FEEL exactly the same. But every fem thing that I have offers a different sensory experience: tights, pantyhose, leggings, tight tops, short skirts made of cotton, longer skirts of "pencil" style that hold your legs together more, dresses that hold your midsection tight while leaving the legs feel free, shirts with tight arms, shirts with very wide neck openings, the feeling of wearing earrings, bracelets, I could go on... There is so much variety! I think that that is one reason why women like to shop more ... because it is a sensory exploration, not just a style thing... what they end up buying feels different and new and is therefore a new experience. It saddens me that men have to suffer in an almost total lack of variety clothing-wise: pants of unvarying length (they can't be too short or else they'd be "capri" style which is a no-no because it is a women's style of pants and we all know that it is not a socially approved thing for men to immitate women's styles although vice-versa is commonplace), button down shirts or t-shirts (where the t-shirt style cannot vary much beyhond a simple "crew neck" style... if it is too wide then.. OMG it might look fem)... only in the summer can we switch out of pants into "shorts" to expose our legs and feel the wind/air.

[Gillian Gigs]

When I was a child, I could never sit still for more than a moment or two. The biggest reason for my wearing alot of lingerie is to get the feel and tightness of the under garments against my body. That hugging feeling is what it is all about for me. Hurrah for lycra and spandex, a great way to get hugged all day long.

[busker]

Wow! What an interesting thought, Darla! Makes one wonder why way more boys than girls are diagnosed with "attention deficit disorder" and why the number of girls diagnosed with ADD has been on the increase since girl's clothes have come to resemble boy's clothes.

There has got to be a research paper (and a government grant) in there somewhere!

Hugs,
Persephone.
Persephone, I think the operative words is HUGS. All tight things provide them constantly, As children we don't vocalize that need, but it is certainly there, swaddling clothes in the days of old took care of some of that, but in modern times, parents are often too busy to hug their children, and husbands and wives are often too distracted to hug their spouses.
There was an experiment many years ago with baby monkeys who were taken away from their mothers and the ones that got little "cloth mothers" (blankets) did better than those who didn't get them.
So the solution to some of the problem is to hug someone you love today and often.

[Darla]

Wow Dsmth - you summed up a bit about women's clothes that I guess I just take for granted, and that seems such a truism that we don't think twice about it. Women's clothes have a sensuality that we just don't think about because well, women are supposed to be sensual. Men's clothes can be finely tailored, but it's more a status thing, and guys who stoop to satin smoking jackets are suspect.

But the incredible range in fabrics, fit and feel, not to mention the look are all what women enjoy. I feel cheated! And I know why as I walk down the street I feel green when I see well dressed women enjoying clothes that are so much more awesome than any guys.

[Nikki A.]

Very good post. Never really thought about it, but I do find a pair of support control top pantyhose more satisfing than non support control top. Also wearing some type of shapewear or a comfortable bra under my drab clothes also feels good.

[harmony]

the senses are what we use to experience the world around us.its what connects our souls to the world.we see and hear and smell etc.another is the sense of touch-we can feel and identify things with our hands or what touches our skin.i think a lot of crossdressers have a highly developed sense of touch and get pleasure from different fabrics getting in contact with their skin.at least for me it is one of the great pleasures!!