Makeup at work

[chrissyjessicadewet]

This is a interesting topic. How many of you wear makeup at work?
What kind of responses do you get. I work as a Manager and I get mixed reviews.
Granted atm i am only doing eyeliner and lipice, but want to know your own experiences.

As well as hair, how do i style short hair like a girls?

Hugs.

[Rianna Humble]

I wore some makeup at work before I began my transition, but like you was very subtle about it. Now I wouldn't be seen dead without at least some foundation.

When you say "short hair", do you mean as in a guy's "short" or as in a woman's "short"? I tend to let my hairdresser style mine, then follow her lead.

[Angela Campbell]

Yes I do wear makeup at work, but then again I am a woman so it is kind of expected. I don't leave the house without at least eyeshadow, liner and mascara. I also let the hairdresser style my hair.

[sandie]

Your making me envious

[noeleena]

Hi,

as no one has said where they work at makes a little harder, im a builder, so just normal shorts tee top sun hat boots still wear my normal day earing's neckless lippy perfume and eye brow liner, if im there and not working its a skirt in place of shorts, other wise a bit like my photo, work or other still no makeup oh i'v no hair to worry about or my wig,

so im pretty easy on dress and how i look ,

...noeleena...

[Shapeshiffter]

Hi. I will not leave the house without Foundation, mascara and lip gloss. I cut my own hair to save money. I work in a factory.

[chrissyjessicadewet]

My hair is longer than a boys cut, but shorter than a bob style. Its at that stage where i have no idea what to do with it. The hairdresser idea is great.

[Chari]

Never leave home without at least eyeliner, lipstick, and a spray of perfume! No one seems to notice or care, but many compliments on how good I smell! As for "short hairstyles", consider looking in a hair styles magazine to get ideas to give to your hair stylist. Many short styles can go either way. Enjoy.

[LeaP]

If you want a feminine style, go to a hairdresser and tell the stylist what you're looking for. I did, and I wound up with a cut that is evolving toward a pixie/bob, but in my case will require extensions on top to complete. Over time, I have gone from a buzz cut to a very short men's cut to what I have now. My hair is now over the ears slightly, cut round in the back, layered, and feathered in differently.

… All of which reminds me that I need to call the hairdresser.

By the way, she charges me the rate for a men's cut! Much cheaper!

[Jorja]

I do wear makeup at work. As a professional in contact with some of the biggest movers and shakers in the world, I try to always look my best and makeup is part of that. Learning to apply makeup properly is a must. Not too much, not too little. Find a good makeup artist and learn how to apply it properly.

When I am on my own time the makeup comes off or never goes on.

[StaceyJane]

Not at my regular job unless I've done a poor job of getting rid of eye liner.
Now I work [art time as an extra on TV shows and there I have to line up for makeup al the time but hat doesn't count.

[Annaliese]

I wearing full make up at work, padded bra girl jeans, some look, one student commented on my long panted finger nails, but other than that not much different than before. When your hair line is reseeding there not much you can do with it to make it more fem style.

[gonegirl]

The responses being given are obviously going to differ greatly and will be largely dependent upon if someone is presenting as a male at their work place or as themselves (assuming they are female). I'm not sure which situation the OP is in, but a general goal for either is to apply makeup to improve your visage without looking like you are wearing much, or any. Less is more, IMHO, and it takes a lot of practice to learn how to do that well (and fast, if you need to do it every day).

[Alexis.j]

I wear makup virtually daily to work. (Note: I work 3 days a week for a boss, the other days for myself).
Its mostly eyeliner and mascara, occasionally a very nude lipstick thats hardly noticable or more likely a tinted chapstick/gloss. I also do a bit of shaddow when I feel like it.
Never got any negative comment about it yet. Very few people in general comment at all. Most think it's nice and some ask why I do it.

[Frances]

In my life as a woman, sometimes I wear makeup, sometimes I don't. I don't get reviews and do not expect them.

Question for the OP: At what stage of your transition are you?

I ask because makeup was an issue when I first transitioned. I would get criticisms from other women in the office. It felt like cis-sexism at the time. Now that I am post-transition and people do not know I am trans, they don't bring up the subject, as my femininity does not concern them. Cis people feel empowered to intrude in every aspect of trans people's lives. That ends after transition.

[Kathryn Martin]

I agree with Frances. I wear make up when I go to the office because I need to look my best. I wear my makeup quite discreet, less is more like most women.

It aso depends if I am going for night out or to the grocery store. A touch of blush and some mascara is what I wear casually.

[mechamoose]

The responses being given are obviously going to differ greatly and will be largely dependent upon if someone is presenting as a male at their work place or as themselves (assuming they are female). I'm not sure which situation the OP is in, but a general goal for either is to apply makeup to improve your visage without looking like you are wearing much, or any. Less is more, IMHO, and it takes a lot of practice to learn how to do that well (and fast, if you need to do it every day).

I present as male, and I try and fit in some makeup and sparklies without going too overboard. I work in corporateland, with folks from three different global divisions in the building. We also do manufacturing, so we have machinists, mechanics and engineers. I'm also in IT, so I have pretty high visibility.

For today, nothing crazy.. right now wearing nail polish (accent finger a serious silver chrome) mascara, a touch of lip gloss, necklaces, hoop earrings in one ear and a fancy stud in the other.

I think that one of the biggest hurdles is yourself. I know it was for me. Wearing that one painted accent nail was the hardest thing to do at first. Weekend? No worries. I'll paint all 20!

It was like a dare to myself. After all, I wasn't breaking any dress code rules.

Most people have not said anything. I did have one person ask if my wife did that for me.. and I said no. I do *her* nails. *smile*

- MM

[JohnH]

I almost always wear lipstick, eyeshadow, and mascara, along with perfume when I go out on business or to church. I feel freer to go bolder with the makeup when I go to church since I am among friends. I have a midi-length femme hair style. And I wear a C cup underwire bra. The only person who has given me flack is my wife.

HOWEVER, I still wear men's clothes and talk with a deep masculine voice. In the church praise band I play bass guitar and sing bass.

Johanna (John)

[Rachel Smith]

Prior to transition I wore light pink polish, perfume not after shave, eyeliner, ladies sneakers, womens jeans and tops to both my jobs, USPS and as a service technician at Lowe's. No one ever said a word.

Since transition to the above I have added whatever polish I like, foundation, a padded bra, rouge, lipstick and since I am bald a wig.

[Angela Campbell]

Before transition I tried pretty hard to look like a man. I did wear womens pants but you really could not tell. I usually wore a necklace too. never makeup or a bra. (I used compression top to hide my breasts) I didn't think it would go over well being "in between" at work and wanted everything to go smooth when I did transition. I presented as a man until I changed my name and came out fully as a woman. Now I only appear as a woman in all areas of my life. No one at work had even the slightest suspicion and were very surprised when I transitioned.

I am a field engineer who goes to customer sites to solve problems in an IT environment.

[I Am Paula]

I wear makeup all the time. I put on makeup to get the mail...and it drops thru a slot in my door!
Before I went full time, and before retiring, I was a musician, and presented in everything from full drag, to full drab, but I always used at least mascara, and lip gloss.

[StephanieC]

For me, it's BB cream, concealer, mascara and body spray. My hairstyle is a woman's cut but it looks different practically every day.

[EnglishRose]

I'm lucky in that I work from home so anything goes in my workplace :) Same thing really for shopping etc.; then, my occupation is "harassed mom".

[PaulaQ]

I work from home, so to be honest, I only wear full makeup when I'm going out someplace nice. For quick errands I wear lipstick and that's it.

When I do wear makeup, I spend a fair amount of time on it. I'm not a big fan of really subtle makeup, though I do it sometimes. I think it's really boring looking. Daytime though, I'll do really neutral tones and be annoyed that I spent so much time to look like a GW who did a fairly poor job on her makeup. (Don't get me started on my mom's makeup!) Oh well.

[Nicole Erin]

Only once have my co-workers seen me without makeup and I am still horrified by the fact that they saw me without my war paint.


Your making me envious

Well, fun as it sounds going to work made up, it becomes a pain in the ass real quick. But then you pretty much have to do it if you are TS. A lot of TS do not pass as well as they think so anything we can do to be taken more serious and look better.
It really does come to a point where it is no more fun than putting on socks and shoes.

[thechic]

I don't go out of the house with out makeup