"What a Strange Power there is in Clothing"

[Natasha V]

Tell me what is the first thing in your mind as you slip on that Dress or Bra and panty set or That feeling of slipping on those high heels. I can be in LA LA land all day long but when I start to put my outfit together everything feels so right like that special dress empowers me to a new level of sanity and life. How do you react to that special moment of finally having time to be yourself?

[franlee]

The first thing is, this sensual feeling never gets old. And then, let the sensations take over until the full effects are realized and I start to do what ever it is I had dressed for.

[RADER]

Yes, Getting dressed has a special feeling for me; Like a new person inside
that has been let out. It is hard to explain, but, everything seems to be a
lot less stressful when I am wearing a dress or a skirt.
Not the same when I am wearing my jeans, even though they are womans jeans,
their still pants in the long run.
And when I can wear a bra, well another great feeling.

Rader

[Princess Ludwyna]

It just makes me feel like if I was a superheroine, a witch, a princess all simultaneously. It is really a kind of magic. + it relaxes me.

[Kate Simmons]

My overall attitude empowers me. The clothing is just the vehicle that helps to get there. If the feelings aren't really in there, no amount of external trappings will magically transform us. :)

[JulietaBelen]

I really feel great as i was wearing clothes, but i turns better when i see me in the mirror. It's magic.

[docrobbysherry]

First off, I don't dress to, "be me". I want to see someone else in my mirror when I finish.

And, altho I enjoy the feel of the clothes and shape wear? I'm concentrating on getting everything in my ensemble correct. So, the thrill, satisfaction, and adrenaline rush comes when I've finished dressing and see the results of my efforts!

[Cheryl Ann Owens]

Being retired and home all day, I'm dressed all day unless I really have to go out on errands or whatever. To get dressed is for me a feeling of being who I feel I am inside. To put on male clothes is somehow stressful because I feel I have to fit that role. Getting dressed enfemme relieves that stress and makes me feel good about myself. Once I do I go on to do typical things here at home with simple things like doing the dishes or working on a hobby. It just feels right.

Cheryl

[vickie1952]

For me it begins when i look in my wardrobes deciding what i'm going to wear. Then it's the wonderful feeling of the closeness when i put my bra on. But the greatest feeling is my skirt or dress as it brushes against my freshly shaved legs. The overall feeling i get is contentment, happiness, fulfilment and sheer joy.

[Beverley Sims]

A feeling of completeness does come over me.

[Ally 2112]

It always seems new like i have never done this before overwhelming :)

[Rachael Leigh]

I'm not sure I can put it into words but I know when I begin to put on my makeup I just feel free, I feel as if I'm ok and soon I will be that part of me that is special and loved.
The clothes become the topper and it's then all together.

[BarbDriscoll]

For me it's the wig. Even if it's just the wig and nothing else, it's Barbara there in the mirror.

[Lily Catherine]

There's a dizzying high once I am dolled up. Inexplicable, but not exactly indescribable. Especially the feel of such fabrics as satin and lace, and especially tulle!!! Guess a lot of it is also in the mirror on my part, but I refuse to deny the tactile sensation of almost-exclusively feminine fabric. It's outright sensual. While the wig is of utmost importance to me, it doesn't do much outside of the visual domain. Perhaps there is a subconscious barrier, but when I wear women's jeans in drab, there is no such effect. It just isn't the same without the bra and panties...

[Marcelle]

Hi Natasha,

Kind of an interesting question and one my therapist touched on yesterday. I had gone to my session "en femme" but was wearing jeans, a comfortable long sleeved top, boots and a warm coat. We got talking about when I first started going to therapy and how I always wore a dress or skirt. My therapist asked me why I think I chose dresses and skirts early in my dressing. I replied that perhaps I did because that was denied to me "en boy" whereas jeans/pants were not. She then asked me what prompted my wardrobe choice today to which I replied I was not sure as I wanted comfort, flexibility (I would be running errands afterwards) and of course warmth from the cold. So she replied so it was pragmatic choice vice a fashion statement . . . kind of like when you dress "en boy".

Her point for me (remember this is my personal experience) is that as I integrate Isha into my life, it becomes more about being and clothes are just the presentation for me. Hence the reason why dresses, skirts, hose, heels are things I would wear only if the situation dictated it (e.g., dinner out, work environment). Origially there was a euphoric feeling when dressing now all my clothing does is make me feel . . . dressed.

Hugs

Isha

[Claire Cook]

It's simply me ... just feels natural and right. And I just saw Isha's post and she has said it for me. (She does that a lot .... :battingeyelashes:)

[flatlander_48]

If I'm getting dressed to be at home, it is a pleasant experience. I'll look in the mirror when I'm done, smile a bit and go do what's next: cook, talk with my wife, answer E-mails, wash clothes, etc. Usually this would be dressed from the neck, down. It also emcompasses a bit of experimentation as often it is a trial run for a combination of undergarments and clothes that I might wear for an outing.

However, getting completely dressed to go out is very different. Certain actions almost take on a slow motion quality as I begin to absorb the effects. Actions such as doing my nails, filling out my bra with forms, doing setting powder over my foundation, applying lipstick, putting on what I've chosen to wear and finally my wig. While there are many steps in between, these are the ones that seem bring about the leaps of awareness that something extraordinary and pleasurable is taking place. In musical theory, the analog would be a crescendo...

DeeAnn

[Kandi Robbins]

The feeling has evolved considerably for me. For most of my life, being in some sort of self-denial, there were certainly sexual components to it along with tremendous guilt and shame. Then again, I only dressed from the neck down. Now that I have self-accepted and really embraced who I am and dressing more completely now, I feel an unbelievable pleasure (not sexual, that component is long gone) wash over me. The first time I saw myself made up, I broke out in a smile I have never seen before. I was just in awe. When I buy something or see something and try it on and it fits right and looks good, there is a type of joy that I don't experience doing anything else. I've said this in other posts, but dressing for me is a great deal of fun, doing this or that just right really enhances the experience. Now I have only been in public once "presenting" as female, so maybe the more that occurs, the more these feeling will change. I hope not, I like and am very comfortable being me and I love the fun and joy of being Kandi.

[Taylor Ray]

Yes, as Princess Ludwyna stated:

A magic witch.