$$$$!!!!! Crossdressing is expensive! Any money saving tricks?

[ophelia]

As I go along improving my crossdressing presentation gets more and more expensive.
I do like to have my hair and makeup done professionally. It's part of the fun. I can do my own.
Any money savers you've discovered?

[Kate Simmons]

Other than going to thrift shops and swap meets, nope. It's not cheap being a girl by any means.:battingeyelashes::)

[Beverley Sims]

Only thrift shops and sales.

Black Friday last year was hazardous for me in Chicago.

[Angela Marie]

It is very expensive. When I first started dressing extensively I ordered some clothes online but they tended to be of very poor quality. Now I just shop where most GG's shop. Clearly more expensive but well worth the it.

[Adriana Moretti]

Yes....you have to be "Thrifty"......and if you shop online utilize the promo emails for 10-50% off when they pop up. Makeup is cheap to maintain after you make the first haul. And clothing wise, buy smart, build off what you have and mix and match, you will create more looks, and get more wears out of less xoxo

[Jaymees22]

I'm such a good customer at Macys and Lord & Taylor I've reached Premier Status. See the more you spend the more you save, probably not the answer you were looking for. Hugs Jaymee

[meganmartin]

It is a very expensive hobby, wife gives me grief all the time.

Just cut corners where you can is all I can suggest.

[queenie]

Incorporate pieces into your everyday wardrobe and it won't be so expensive since you'll actually be using it all the time instead of just once in a blue moon.

[cindyinsatin]

You are correct Ophelia. I will search for bargains and take sales where I can find them. But I do not compromise for quality.

My wife would have a fit if she knew how much I had invested in my wardrobe!

Cindy

[Sarah Doepner]

I do a lot of shopping at thrift stores, looking for coordinates that can be used to create new combinations. Don't compromise on things like foundation and hair or spend money on shoes or clothing that might fit better later.

[pamela7]

fabric shop + willing seamstress wife ?

[Michelle 78]

I totally agree that dressing is more expensive than any other hobby I've ever had, I've spent a fortune on everything to be Michelle. There is always something else to get it's never ending, I can understand why women love to shop as I do now too.

[Rhanda]

When I need makeup I start checking Big Lots. They usually have high quality makeup of many name brands, Cover Girl, L'Oriel, etc.
I have never spent more that $4.00 for anything to wear except for jeans. I buy most of my heels from Just Fab, about $39.00. Surprisingly these shoe fit well and wear as well as more expensive shoes.
You just have to do a little shopping.

Rhanda

[RADER]

My wife would get her hair done once a month minimal; more if there was a special event.
The only thing was her daughter was a hair dresser, So we went over there to get her hair done.
My wife would always give her $ 50.00 each time; well it was her daughter. I was OK with that.
Being a Girl is an expensive profession.
Rader

[Amy Fakley]

Yeah I dunno, crossdressing isn't really THAT expensive. I've spent far more on Music gear over the years. But like anything, you can just about spend as much as you want to on it.

Breastforms, pads and wigs are really the most expensive part. You could score all three on amazon for probably less than $150 if you tried. Up your budget to $250 and you can look at nicer wigs, which in my opinion are really the best bang for your crossdressing buck.

Spend about $50 in Sephora and you can get a decent look going. You can do it for far less at Walmart, actually ... but who doesn't love shopping at a real makeup store?

Clothes don't have to be expensive. As mentioned, there's thrift shops and goodwill etc, but honestly ... if you like shopping (I do) and you're patient (I am) you can get far better deals at the mall on the clearance racks ... and now is the time, sisters! The changing of the seasons is upon us :-) seriously, I scored my very favorite dress for $35 or so. In fact, I scored my third favorite for $4.35 at JC Penney, lol. My second favorite was a splurge though :-)

[Rachelakld]

I find it the cheapest hobby,

I use about $3 makeup each outing, my clothes are generally from budget shops or daughters collection and we need clothes anyway, and $2 for petrol, maybe $10 for a relaxing brunch (I tend to eat even when not dressed up), so my bill is less than $20 a week, and only about $10 more than my normal weekly spend.

Had I done Martial Arts, would have cost me $25 per week, RC aeroplane flying about $20 petrol, plus expensive outlay, motor racing nearly made me bankrupt, parachuting got to expensive.
All these expensive hobbies would have me away from my family, something that crossdressing doesn't do.

[junetv]

I used to buy stuff without a discerning eye towards price, but then I started seeing the same stuff on the clearance racks for much less. Now, I never buy unless there is a sale of some sort going on. i always head for the clearance rack first. If they have a customer loyalty program, I enroll. At White House Black Market, I get an automatic 5% discount, plus if I fill out a shopping survey, I get $25 off a $100 purchase. Shoes and nylons are probably the only things I don't wait for a sale.

[Katey888]

I'm not sure about saving... with the exception of the good advice about thrift shops and eBay (on which I've bought some gems and some howlers both...)

I think sometimes you just get what you pay for... :thinking:

Katey x

[Sarah-RT]

I buy most of my stuff from Amazon so it's fairly cheapish, but obviously equal in quality. I don't really have any expensive hobbies apart from drinking and smoking so I can afford to throw down 20 quid on a pair of jeans and a top.

I bought breast forms for 40.00 off amazon which are so normal feeling than just a bra or those push up gel inserts but I've wanted to get an expensive pair, assuming they make more of a difference.
I kind of treat my wigs as disposable since I've to hide them so I'll wear them for a few weeks and bin them when they get knotted or whatever and buy another one for 15-20 quid. But again is like to have an expensive good quality one, it's just not practical right now though

[Isabella Ross]

Thrift shops. Ross Dress for Less. And ebay...if you're a good bidder with a sharp eye, and an appetite for risk, there are some good buys there as well.

[iGenny]

I started with thrift shops, just to learn. Now I look for clearance sales at brick-and mortar stores - what can I buy now on-the-cheap that will look good next year.

I'll hit Kohl's and Target clearance racks. Loyalty cards, like shopyourway at Sears and Kmart, have special discounts for members. I'm buying stuff cheaper on clearance than it would cost at thrift stores.

You can get quality at a lower cost if you're very patient.

[Tracii G]

Sales of course and thrift shops.

[Rhonda Jean]

I used to have a hangup about buying used clothes. Not any more. Probably 75% of all my clothes, M & F, other than underwear, comes from thrift stores. The rest comes from TJ Maxx, Stein Mart, and department store sale racks. Also, I just buy less stuff. When I used to have to cram all my dressing into one weekend a month I bought a ton more stuff, much of it never seeing the light of day. Now I don't buy anything I don't intend to wear out. A big key has also been to find things/styles that work and stick with them. A lot less experimentation. I have a foundation that I've used for years. I experiment with lipsticks and eyeshadows, but the basics stay the same. Bras were a weakness for me for years. I still have fun buying something new and different at TJ Maxx, where a $60 Wacoal can be found for about $10, but when I find a particular brand and style that really works I can usually find more at Herroom online. Bras are discontinued quickly. When I had long hair and was doing a ton of hair stuff I went to a beauty school for those services. I still splurge on nails. I have my brows waxed, but that's not expensive unless I get them tinted. My one splurge clothing-wise is purses. Once I started carrying really nice purses I'm just not interested in any of the others. A great purse can dress up a lot of otherwise ordinary clothes. Worth it, to me.

[carhill2mn]

Some things that can quickly become expensive are cosmetics. In any cases "drug store" brands are just aw good and much cheaper. Also, look for sale specials.

[Seana Summer]

I am surprised no one has mentioned it yet.......Don't Purge!!!!!!

I quite purging a couple of decades ago. Still it is an expensive hobby for me. All shoes are special order, many of my cloths have been, or need to be altered. It goes on and on. But you can get by on the cheep if you pay attention to sales and if you happen to be roughly the size of a typical GG

[Kimonogirl]

Still CDing is so much less expensive than Warhammer 40000 tabletop game I think?

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Ophelia, Cruse the clearance racks.:daydreaming:

[Ms.Kenadie]

The don't purge thing most of all. The money spent on underclothing alone I spend small fortunes on if I purge... lol I joined NoNonsense for bulk deals on Hosiery and leggings. Amazon for other things. The main thing is find out your sizes, what works for you, then keep an eye out for sales or look for discounts like buy one get one free, etc. Ross Dress for Less, Payless Shoes. Hips and Curves has good deals as well, very nice for an online outlet.

[SharonDenise]

Beverley Sims, your post made me laugh! I think I spent too much on feminine presents for myself, also. After all, a gurl needs a female winter coat, boots, dress heels, and of course a new frock.

[flatlander_48]

First, I don't purge. I am too cheap to do that.

Anyway, as folks have said thrift shops and sales. To me, a sale has to be around 30% or more to get me interested. There are many online vintage and used clothing sites. Some of the vintage sites have a good idea of what they have and sometimes prices are medium to approaching the upper end. But others, often the used clothing sites with older but less rare pieces, offer items at quite reasonable prices.

So, between thrift shops and vintage/used online sites:


vintage/used terry cloth summer dress, mid-calf = $7
used leather maxi skirt = $10
used suede maxi skirt = $8
used blazer = $6
used satin blouse, long sleeve = $4
vintage Butte Knit dress, long sleeve, knee length = $40
used sweater dress = $8
silk scarf, 8"x60" = $1


Online, brick & mortar retailers:

BORN heels (3 pair) = 35% discount
Simply Vera chiffon dress = $20
Coldwater Creek cocktail dress = $15 (going out of business sale)
TravelSmith faux suede jacket & pants (avatar at the left) = $15


Ebay/Amazon:

NineWest wedge slides (3 pair) = 60% discount


Anyway, there are deals to be had but it takes time and patience. I have to fight that a lot because often there's something that I "must have", but I have to keep telling myself to either find it at a significant discount or forget about it...

DeeAnn

[Marcelle]

Hi Ophelia,

There are certain trappings we need as CDers to make the illusion complete such as clothing, make-up, wig, as well as padding/breast forms (if that is your thing) so there is going to be an expense. For me, I take a pragmatic approach to dressing in the same manner I do with boy me in that I have what I realistically need. For example, I own a few dresses which were all bought on sale and before I buy, I always ask myself do I need 15 sequined gowns which I may or may not wear, or do I need 20 pairs of heels or 30 pairs of undies. I am a part-timer in that I do present "en femme" in the world about 40 percent of the time so my wardrobe is functional to that point. If I were full time then my wardrobe might up things a bit but would still be functional and practical.

Now before anyone jumps down my throat, I am not saying a large wardrobe is a bad thing if that is what you are into. For me, I would prefer not to spend money on things I might wear once or twice and save it for other things in my life.

Hugs

Isha

[jsunic_1978]

SHOP GOOD WILL :) and aquire lots of female friends :) i find LOTS of GOOD designer stuff in GOOT TO GREAT CONDITION at good will :)

[7sisters]

Have your basics: long black pencil skirt, beige skirt, white top, black top, beige top. Black and beige heels. That's all you will need. Really. And then you can go crazy on inexpensive accessories. heaps and heaps of them from shawls and scarves to handbags. Do check out Kryolan's sales. I swear by that makeup brand. It is not makeup. It is beauty technology! I love thrift stores. But there again, I stick to buying the basics only. This works if your style is classic - like Kim Kardashian.

[EllenJo]

Absolutely do not purge. First and foremost purging does nothing but cost money that will have to be spent again when the pink fog hits and it always does.

Seriously, shop like a woman on a budget and you will be fine. Salvation Army and Goodwill are great. You have to go regularly as inventory turns over but you can find great buys. I also love resale shops. I have a wonderful Eddie Bauer denim skirt. $52 retail at Macy's. $38 on sale at Kohls. $20 on Ebay. $11 at my favorite resale store where I bought it. Found a second one at Goodwill with more wear for $5 would have bought it too but it was the wrong size but it gives you an idea of how the same item can be purchased for less money. You do have to be patient but who doesn't like to shop. I only have a couple of dresses, but I do have about 10 skirts that I mix and match with about the same number of tops. As they wear out I replace. Since I underdress panties are my everyday underwear, cami's slips, shapewear, and panty hose get their fair share of wear and are very practical in the winter. I do not wear men's long underwear in the winter, just some lovely tights serve the purpose so as long as I enjoy the item and put it to good use, i am comfortable spending the money.

I guess I agree with Isha, I like my wardrobe to be functional and since I come home from work and dress in the evenings and on weekends I get a lot of wear from my female clothes. If having a lot of things is important to you great, have at it. If you want to save money, just approach it from a practical point of view.

I should mention that my wife commented to me one day that at least my crossdressing was way cheaper than my fishing hobby. SUV, boat, trailer, fishing gear, trips to Canada, Very expensive.

Hugs
Ellen Jo

[Jackie7]

Some of my best clothing has come to me free from my wife and her sister (who is very close to my size) and our girlfriends. Scored two cute skirts yesterday, from our retired fashion model girlfriend, thinning her closet in my direction. The flow of freebies is two-way too, when we thin our bulging wardrobes. Learn your sizes and measurements, mix and match what you already have, and as the others say, don't purge. Starting over is the most expensive.

[Lily Catherine]

As an extreme case, almost all 'my' clothing was handed down from relatives (Mom included, without her knowledge) who no longer wanted them (and are, as far as I know, unaware of my hobby). As such, most of my wardrobe is slightly outdated by various decades.

I recently found myself a place – Bugis St, Singapore – where I could find all I wanted for an extremely low price (US$8 for a blouse, US$5 for a pair of short shorts , or in one exceptional case, US$12 for a gown with built-in bra and side cuts, anyone?!). So far only brought one petticoat (US$24) home when nobody was around. Otherwise, hand-me-downs galore on my part.

Much of your typical CD's cost will be on wigs, paddings and breast forms (preferably long-lasting ones), as well as make-up which is an expendable. (I did see one long wig for US$32, though. Never got to actually buy it.)

If I do manage to acquire a wardrobe of my own entirely from Bugis Street alone (including special-occasion dresses and daily wear), I reckon I'd still spend less than the total amount I invested into my guitars.

[CarlaWestin]

Thrift store madness.

-or-

-Use mashed potatoes instead of expensive silicone for breast forms.
-Have fishnets, garter belt, panties, bra and makeup tattooed on.
-Claim everything at the laundrymat lost and found pile.
-Use colored plastic tape as inexpensive eye shadow and lipstick.
-Join an online dating site and find a woman that is your exact size.

[BillieAnneJean]

I use primer and foundation from ULTA. The primer is never very cheap but I do get the foundation on sale for $5.00.
Nail polish is Wet and Wild for about a buck.
Powder is Wet and Wild for under $4.
Lipstick is same company for about $3.
Powder, liner, shadow, everything else same manufacturer and no problems after two and a half years.
Buy a couple of decent wigs, do not waste money on the $20 wigs. Buy one for $80 at a decent wig shop and you will be much happier.
Shoes on sale at Shoe Carnival BOGO $15 for the first pair, $7.50 for the second.
Overall I am happier with the clothes I have found at Goodwill than the new stuff from Macys, Pennys, Younkers, Kohls, etc. Much more variety. I have been altering them, taking in a waist, hemming them up, taking in a dress. It really is easy because I am not interviewing for a job or trying to attract anyone.
So you can do this for less, you just have to put some effort in to it. It is a trade off.
My avatar picture is a Goodwill blazer $6 and skirt $3, and sale shoes $15
Oh and by the way, eat out at an inexpensive places.

This is SUCH FUN!
BillieAnneJean

[detty]

Measure twice, purchase wise.

Which I always promise myself and then by the time I realize, the item is bought. But really, if you know your sizes and shop online where proper sizing charts are available, you will reduce the false purchases.

Check your stuff regularly for unworn or not fitting items

...and resell them on ebay or the local similar markets. Even if 30-50% returns at least you have funds for a next buy.

[Amy Fakley]

-Use mashed potatoes instead of expensive silicone for breast forms

:rofl:

You got me. Almost blew coffee out my nose!
Well done! :-)

[ophelia]

Others have mentioned breast forms. A long time ago I made my own breast forms by putting barley between layers of fabric in good skin-tone bra. It worked so well that when I visited a breast form fitter last year the rep said that what I had made for myself looked better on me. She suggested that it might be cooler as well. I can add or subtract grain if I want to be change the size of the ladies.
So: Bra: $5.99 at Value Village.
Barley: 2 cups: 50 cents at Bulk Barn.

[Lily Catherine]

Speaking of breast forms I'm still stuck with face towels (though not to save costs but to avoid exposure to others' radars).

Needless to say, this results in this kind of situation:
Corset and bustle skirt, matching thong - US$28
Wig - pre-owned hand me down
Stockings - US$7
Heels - US$20 on sale
Sight of face towels spilling out of corset - negative infinity



So: Bra: $5.99 at Value Village.
Barley: 2 cups: 50 cents at Bulk Barn.

This pretty much made my day.

[Julie Denier]

Shop eBay, and never pay full retail. When you wear a size 15, shoes are the biggest challenge :P

[ophelia]

This just in: After seeing responses to my post "Bras for Bums". Stephanies'secret sent me to a website for butt shaping panties. Aha! So I did some exploratory cheek surgery on a high-waisted panty girdle and....wow!
Smooth tuck in the front, full sail in the back...I'm off for some field testing.

[detty]

Dear Julie, I know what you mean with challenge with 15...


Shop eBay, and never pay full retail. When you wear a size 15, shoes are the biggest challenge :P

[daphne g]

hi there
I've made quite a few bargains on amazon in the shoe dept
but apart from that i don't try to save ,its for me and I'm worth it
I've got a lot of catching up to do

[joank]

My wife uses and sells Mary K cosmetics (so do I). Since she is an agent, we do joint orders and get her discount and it is significant.

[katem]

These days I've become addicted to shopping on amazon. You can find so much stuff on there for cheap, and the best part is the shipping is fast, discrete, and free thanks to my prime account! I've never been one for thrift stores since I can't stand the smell of mothballs, although there can be some good finds there. target.com is also great too!

[Nadya]

Quality makeup is worth the extra money from experience. The only thing I can offer that isn't just saying going to thrift stores is be patient with collecting what you need. That might take the sting out of buying what you need.

[Alice_2014_B]

I have found the nicest skirts, boots, and ballet flats at thrift stores. Granted that selection in sizes is very hit and miss, but the hits are HITS. In the "half off area" I got a pair of chunky heeled thigh-high boots for fifty cents with one very minor scuff on the back side of one of the heels. Also found skirts there for a dollar or less.

:)

[Vickie_CDTV]

It also depends on your sizes. If you have big feet, you will pay much more (and have far less selection) than someone who falls within the range of most GGs.

Once you know your sizes, try eBay or Amazon. You can get what you need on those sites for less than in stores if you look around. You can also find things not available in stores, like larger size rings and bracelets, and large size shoes.

[Alambi]

I went on a shopping spree on lightinthebox recently and got a lot of cute clothes there for super cheap, like under $20 that makes CDing somewhat affordable :)

[CarlaWestin]

:rofl:

You got me. Almost blew coffee out my nose!
Well done! :-)

Ah, yes! Mission accomplished! Let's have coffee sometime. I'll wear nice sexey lingerie under my clear raincoat.

[SANDRA MICHELLE]

Just quit buying any guy clothes and that will save some money, no sense having guy clothes when you can wear pretty girl clothes.

[Jessie James]

A couple ways I've been saving money is letting my hair grow longer so as to forego buying a wig, at least at this point in time. The other way isn't intentional but I've always had larger than average breasts for a male, which was something that used to embarrass me but not anymore. That, combined with being a bit on the plus size and using a push-up bra give me a decent size bust so I save from having to buy forms.

One other thing I keep in mind is to avoid impulse buying while shopping online. If I see something I really like, I usually will wait a couple of days and see if I still really want it once the fog has lifted. Most of the time the items aren't something that I couldn't live without or aren't as good as I originally thought they were.

Jessie~☆

[grace7777]

Just quit buying any guy clothes and that will save some money, no sense having guy clothes when you can wear pretty girl clothes.

That is a great point, In the last 2 years I have only bought girl clothes. The only thing male I wear anymore is shirts. The slack I wear to work on average cost less than what I would pay for guy slacks.

I shop at places like Burlington Coat Factory and have found a lot of great deals. Also, I dress en femme a lot, so I wear the girl clothes I buy.

Now I like MAC makeup, which can be expensive, but I feel it is worth it. In over the last year and a half I have become more efficient in the use of makeup, so I am not buying it as often.

Also in the last 14 months I have managed to save more money than I have ever saved previously in the time span of 14 months.

[detty]

yes, the bigger the feet, the bigger the problem



It also depends on your sizes. If you have big feet, you will pay much more (and have far less selection) than someone who falls within the range of most GGs.

Once you know your sizes, try eBay or Amazon. You can get what you need on those sites for less than in stores if you look around. You can also find things not available in stores, like larger size rings and bracelets, and large size shoes.

[ophelia]

The thrift or charity shops seem a big hit here. I find that consignment stores are good if you watch for sales which can bring things close to second hand prices. Value Village has a club you can join for sales updates.

[flatlander_48]

While we may not always say it, I suspect that everyone has at least somewhat of a thought process that they apply to assembling a wardrobe. But, I also suspect that it may not be constant as sometimes folks find things in their wardrobes that are not really useful. Anyway, I think my perspective on things may be a bit different from most.

My wardrobe, both male and female, has never been very trendy. You may find a piece every now and then, but usually trendy is something that I avoid. Back in the days when I actually dressed up for work, it was worsted wool suits, oxford cloth button down shirts and ties were anything goes. The prevailing thought was timeless and classic: suits were Glen Plaid patterns, solid olive or tan colors, shirts were blue, yellow, pink, lilac and ties were a cacophony of paisleys or stripes of whatever else. The statement was in the strength of the colors and not in the basic design.

My female wardrobe is similar: timeless and classic. The clothes themselves are simple in style with occasional patterns, various textures and bright colors. The anything goes part is done with scarves and jewelry. One of the byproducts of simple design and bright solid colors is that it is much easier to coordinate. Multi-color patterns can be difficult to coordinate (which doesn't bother me) and time-consuming to find just the right match (that does bother me!).

The size of a wardrobe has a bearing on durability. These days, I dress fairly casually for work; often in jeans but in black, dark brown, etc. Out of 8 pair between Carhart and Lands' End, only one is a traditional medium blue. I tend to wash the jeans after 2 wearings. It it weren't for sheer numbers, that would be pretty hard on the material. Even though I wash them on a Gentle cycle and they are inside-out, it's possible to lose color and show signs of being threadbare surprisingly quickly. Some of the jeans are 6-8 years old and probably look to go another 5 before being retired to more mundane duties.

The same size principle applies to my female wardrobe. Even though I'm only going out dressed once a month currently, I dress at home 2-3 times per week and often in the same outfits that I might wear outside. Items that require dry cleaning are usually excluded from this rotation. What is helpful about wearing the same items at home is that you get to feel what it's like to wear an outfit for an extended period of time, how it moves, how you move in it, how it looks, etc. It's a chance to get comfortable with it before you wear it outside. I think this is important for those of us who don't have decades of history with dressing.

Lastly, right now my guess is that about 80% of my wardrobe is at least 5 years old and 35+ years at the other end. Unless you are very knowledgeable about clothing, you would be hard pressed to make an accurate guess. Buying used and/or vintage can be a very good tool for keeping costs down.

DeeAnn

[JessicaMann]

well, truth be told, I have cheaper "hobbies" but all and all it's not too bad. I shop at the Salvation Army stores quite a lot. I also hit the Walmart's and Kmart's. Kmart usually has AWESOME sales!!!! Kohl's, but I never seem to catch the sales right there.
And let's not forget DSW for the best shoes under $20!!!!! my wife doesn't approve, so when I have an extra $40 or $50 i'll stop and get a couple things here and there. the real problem, is keeping it out of my wife's sight.

[BLACK STOCKINGS]

Its simple don't go out to stores that sell women's clothing....which is near impossible!

[Hannah Adams]

I wait for sales , old navy always has great prices. Learners and Charlotte Ruse I wait for end of season sales.

[Mandybr]

Thrift shops as everyone said but for "commodities" like stockings/breastforms/etc always online, you can save TONS.
Stockings and body stockings from chinese sites are sooooo cheap!

[ophelia]

All of those mentioning Thrift/Charity Shops take a giant curtsey! Who can guess how much good public has come from our charity shopping purchases?

[flatlander_48]

The thing is that there are so many different organizations that have shops: churches, schools, disability groups, etc. You can literally choose what you would liike to support...

DeeAnn

[BaliGirl]

You can save real money by shopping online in the clearance section of the website. It helps to be patient and check back often. You can find dresses for $20 or less and bras for $15 or less. I even saw some bras for $5 today on the OneHanesPlace site. Check out the clearance section of Kohl's or JCPenneys.