Does increased frequency of dressing end the erotic aspect?

[ophelia]

I dress very well, but less often than once a month. It has always been sexually arousing.
May it ever be so.
I'm sure it is different for many, but my question is that does increased frequency of dressing ruin the frequency and intensity of that sexual arousal?
And if so, can you return from the precipice back into the garden of horny bliss by tapering off on the dressing frequency?

[Rachelakld]

My thoughts, like drugs, once it becomes boring I would expect you need to find a "harder" (aka more erotic) way to dress.
I doubt GG's get aroused wearing skirts, pantyhose etc, and I don't either (okay I did with swim suits and lycra outfits when I was a teen).

[Alice_2014_B]

I cannot help but get somewhat turned on when I'm dressed up, especially since I got a LBD.
However, for me it is like an extended mental arousal. I mean, I do not get all turned on looking in the mirror or at my pictures. I still like what I see in the mirror and my pictures, but that’s it.

:)

[Rebecca Cross Bracer]

For me it's always been about the sexual arousal as well. I sometimes go through periods where I don't dress as much, or at all, but I have always found my way back. And when I do it is as exciting as ever.

[MissTee]

Back in the day, I think darn near anything animate or inanimate turned me on. As for dressing, for me the desire does not wane post sex. At that point it's a comforting thing to do rather than an erotic thing to do.

[Carole]

Hi Ophelia, at present I only get to dress fully once a month, but I do underdress, (tights - pantyhose to you Colonials :battingeyelashes: - and panties) daily. So in answer to your question for me yes it does, mind you it may also have something to do with age and medical conditions who can tell. Whilst I am dressed I feel, a different form of arousal, no longer needing to 'do the deed' and then scurry off and change back into bob mode with that guilty feeling, but sort of inner warmth and calming. Hope this has made some sense!

[Adriana Moretti]

I think for alot of girls it is sexually arousing, especially those who only dress only once in a while......when you dress regularly or often however it def tones the erotic aspect down...and dressing just seems normal.....once in a while a new article of clothing may make me feel good,...but its not sexual at all. And as far as that garden of horny bliss??? If other people are in that garden with me...i never left it......if you mean dressing then self pleasuring yourself....that ship sailed years ago......but i can see how people can use dressing for that type of thing...i was like that too for a few years.....

[Lynn Marie]

It seems to me that since I've been getting out, I don't get so aroused anymore! When out I've got people to flirt with and things to do. I'm not just sitting at home concentrating on how erotic my legs look and feel in stockings!

[colleen ps]

Although I am new to this forum, I have been dressing for many years and only vaguely recall any arousal from just dressing alone. I can admit to arousal while dressed with my SO in attendance but i put that down to her being there! when i dress at home now, it just feels like getting dressed to suit the day/occasion just as if i am dressing to go out in my male role. So, My conclusion is probably, yes, if you dress more often or for longer periods, then it becomes the norm and you have to work harder to get those feelings back. BUT. that's just my own opinion. Remember that everyone is different and others may dress for entirely different reasons to you and would therefore have a different view or outcome in this matter.

Colleen

[Lacey New]

I don't get to dress that often. But generally when I do get to dress, it is often for longer periods of time. Right now I have the ability to dress at night and underdress all day. Next week when I am back home with spouse, it will be not at all. So even though now, I have a lot of time to dress, I can wear clothing without becoming aroused but inevitably, I know that something will come out of the experience.

[Kate Simmons]

I guess that would really depend on the individual and their motivation to dress to begin with.:)

[sometimes_miss]

I've never gotten a sexual thrill from dressing in female clothing. But I would suppose that it would be like anything else that someone would do that was exciting; you do it enough, and the excitement is gone, and you have to look for new adventures to get the same adrenaline/sexual rush.

[sarahcsc]

Hi Ophelia,

Being sexually aroused was what started it off. But it wasn't that which maintained my cross-gender identity.

I haven't tried tapering my dressing down, but I suspect I'll be okay even if I did because I do not need to the dress to convince myself of my identity (not anymore).

Having said that, I wouldn't want to do so as well because I feel most comfortable being who I am which includes dressing up in a way that reflects who I am.

I'd suggest exploring this issue yourself and see where it leads you.

I'm definitely not aroused by it anymore, but felt it was rather boring or normal, which is exactly what I like. :)

Love,
Sarah

[JeanetteX]

It was all about sexual arousal at first. But now that I'm older and dress much more often it's hardly about that anymore. So I can answer yes to your question. Ok there is still 'something growing' under my skirt or dress every now and then, but dressing these days is mainly to satisfy my feminine side.

[docrobbysherry]

U ask a good question, Ophelia. I'm not sure, but there may be a correlation.

I'm considered myself a closet, fetish dresser because sex is involved in my dressing. I'm 70 and have been dressing for 17 years. It's a rare occasion when I'm dressing in private at home and don't get turned on.

However, when I dress to go out and meet friends? I find dressing stimulating but not arousing. I can dress for an entire week at a CD convention and not get turned on the entire time.

I don't think for me it's how often I dress that gets me going. It's how at ease I am at the time. I'm never relaxed when dressing to go out or when I am out. But, I always feel so erotic and sexy when dressing in private at home!:o

[Beverley Sims]

I think the sexual arousal is an early thing and as the years roll by, there is a different outlook on dressing, sexual arousal becomes less of an issue.

[Lea]

I have been dressing as long as I can remember. When I hit puberty it was sexually exciting but what wasn't?

Now it is just a feeling of completeness or being who I am supposed to be. I do get enjoyment from wearing a new outfit, or getting the make up just right etc.

I hit periods of not dressing for one or two months and then hit periods of dressing eight days a month.

I believe a lot of it is what the actual motivation of the dressing is.

[JenniferR771]

If I am a good example, more frequent dressing did not diminish the chance of arousal in my young-man years. However, privacy was always necessary, both for dressing and the other. Now in my mature years, I think there is an "extinction effect". You get used to the clothes--it becomes old hat. Now, I only get a warm glow and an erotic feeling when I am dressed and looking pretty.
I can dress and be passable any time--but that is because so many women in my town--out and about wear jeans, boots and heavy coats with no makeup. I don't see the point in dressing in a dull daily-life manner. I like to dress like an attractive pretty woman. I like to dress as a woman that would attract my attention. Dress, heels, pretty hair and classic makeup. Then I am in heaven.

[Brandy Mathews]

It used to be sexually arousing for me as well. Now, it is just the woman in me, and I guess after 20 years or more of dressing on and off, I miss Bree when I can't dress up and look pretty. I guess that she is in me all the time but really doesn't come out until I am dressed and finish up with my favorit lipstick and gloss. Then I feel like the real me.
Bree :)

[CONSUELO]

In my pre-teen and teen years it only took a pretty girl or even a glimpse of a pretty girl's slip to make my heart pound. The sexual connection was strong and instantaneous. Now I'm more relaxed but the connection with sexual feelings is still there.

[LilSissyStevie]

My libido drives my dressing rather than the other way around. If I were to dress up right now it wouldn't do a thing for me.

[Jorja]

Because we live in such an up tight society, the laws about public decency require me to dress. So, if I must dress I might as well look gorgeous while I am at it. ;)

[kimdl93]

This would of course be an appropriate question for a fetish dresser or someone that might be characterized as that autogiros...thingy. For me dressing isn't about sexual fulfillment and frequency does not diminish the satisfaction of being myself.

[CynthiaD]

For me there is no sexual aspect to dressing, so frequency doesn't matter in that regard.

[AletaHawk]

For me, I'm not so much aroused by the dressing itself, but the idea that I'm free to fully be myself. It took me a long time to figure that out though, so what you're initial connecting as arousal due to dressing may not be that at all.

[Teresa]

Ophelia,
I'm finding the opportunities to dress less increase the sexual arousal, I want more out of my dressing then that because it brings back the old feelings of guilt and shame ! To me its a balance if you can dress as you choose you'll achieve that !

[CD_Princess1234]

I enjoy the feeling I get looking pretty and being noticed. That is what gets me to do it as often as I can

[Raquel Maire]

No in fact for me its the opposite. The more I dress the more erotic it becomes. New outfits new looks being a different girl is an extreme turn on for me. No it only enhances the experiance

[Yoshisaur]

For me dressing has always been a bit of a turn on but not too much. I dress maybe once or twice a week so testing this theory might be interesting.

[Confucius]

The erotic aspects of crossdressing are directly related to your sex drive. And while testosterone plays a role it isn't the whole story.

Several things which affect your sex drive include (1) stress, (2) testosterone levels, and (3) neurotransmitter levels - specifically dopamine. Generally when a crossdresser feminizes himself his brain interprets it as actual contact with a female and releases dopamine. It feels like a drug rush, producing sensations of well-being, pleasure, gratification and bonding. However if you do the same thing over, and over, and over, it causes your brain to fatigue and release less dopamine. So the crossdresser buys a new outfit, or goes out in public, or enhances his feminine appearance. By changing and enhancing the experience the crossdresser can keep his dopamine levels higher.

However, dopamine isn't the only neurotransmitter involved with crossdressing. The "contact with a female" sensation also releases serotonin, oxytocin and other neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are associated with the sensations of love, bonding, identity, belonging, happiness and comfort. They also appear less subject to fluctuations than dopamine. So for many crossdressers they are less interested in the erotic stimulation and more interested in contentment.

[Erika Lyne]

Ophelia,

Like you said, everyone is different. Sexual arousal isn't there for me wearing a dress or other outfit, it never was. I only get sexually aroused when I wear something that is supposed to be worn in an arousing scenario, ie: intimate night in lingerie with my spouse. Unfortunately, she doesn't feel the same arousal with my attire. For me it has always been a matter of matching what to wear with how I feel.

As far as what you experience, IMO it is probably what others have said, like a drug. After the first "high" you're going to develop a "tolerance" to it and will need a "larger dose" to get the same level of arousal. Unfortunately, I don't think abstaining from dressing will decrease your tolerance. Another way to put it, the more often you dress the more normal it'll feel. Unless you are aroused 24/7, your arousal will probably diminish but don't let that be a deterrent. You can always dress for arousal as long as it'll last and after the arousal fades you can dress for that new "normal" and move on to another method of arousal.

-E

[Isabella Ross]

Of course, when I was little more than a child, I found dressing in lingerie an autoerotic experience. A few decades later, that's no longer the case...unless it's during one of those incredibly blissful encounters with my wife. I'm not sure if it's dressing more or simply age that has changed that. But it's important to note that, while it's no longer an erotic experience, dressing and feeling pretty is always a sensual experience. And in this regard, that's even more satisfying.

[pantynlace]

For me, I still love the feeling of having bra and panties on all the time. I love the feeling of being outside and feel the wind blow up my dress and across my panties, or when my nipples get hard and rub against the seam of my bra until they are tender. I think it is a different kind of sexual excitement as you get older, at least for me it is. I also love going out at night with my wife dressed and riding around, not quite in public but so close. I dress around the house every day, bar-b-queue on the deck, and I wear a bikini in our pool. I have been dressing for over forty years and it took me a long time to do what I do, but the excitement is just different from what it was in the beginning, but still is exciting.

[Samantha74]

Ty for posting this q, I was definately wondering the same thing. I'm a newbie and it is a lot about the sexual arousal aspect of dressing that has me coming out of my shell. But at the same time it's not the only reason I need to dress. Being very aware and jealous of all the things gg's get to wear drives me crazy..lol

[Sindyca]

Increased frequency of dressing doesnt end erotic aspect but it stops to be erotic euphoria it is just like with normal sex if you do it much you will lost some of enjoyments that sex can give you,if you are allways dressed it can give you peace and some kind bliss state of mind,if you wish to have perfect sexual stimulation from dressing do it from time to time it is just like psyche active substances sex,drogs and crossdressing:)best combination!

[missVS]

Interesting question and one that is always prevalent to TG/CD type. For me who is out socially once a week or so and fortunate to have a social life as Victoria it has to be different than the person that does it mostly in the confines of their abode. I dress to go out and its exciting and fun and stimulating but it doesn't go further. I relax and put on some sexy outfit or lingerie and stay in and this can bring still sexual pleasure and feeling. I think a balance of the two keep it going for me snd hope it never goes away or at least until age catches up to me.

[wilt575]

I think the sexual arousal is an early thing and as the years roll by, there is a different outlook on dressing, sexual arousal becomes less of an issue.
Spot on, for me as time passes, the longer I dress the more relaxing and natural I feel as a female. Just a normal way of life for me now.

[Kristy 56]

Yes,there definitely is a feeling of sexual arousement and excitement. Not for the entire time dressed though. Peaks and valleys with fantasy thoughts of being a woman in all aspects and every way at the peak,and just enjoying the feelings of trying to look and feel like a GG in the valley with disgust for having the fantasy. I guess I'm just a hot mess at times. :)

[bicd76]

Arousal is defiantly instigated when silk or satin panties plus satin underskirt is felt against my skin.I've been dressing for years and that thrill has never left me.

[LucyNewport]

I found that after I started leaving the house, the type of outfits I wear around town do not turn me on at all. They are just clothes to me. However, I still have a stash of stuff that does. Exotic, weird things that I would never be caught dead in, are still a major thrill to try on. I'm not really sure why.

[PaulaQ]

You want to know what really kills the erotic aspect of this? At least what I experienced, and what others have reported to me? Coming out to myself as being a woman. Yeah, the erotic part of all this pretty much ended overnight for me, once I was finally able to admit this to myself - that my life had been a lie. My gender therapist commented that she's heard this a lot in her years of working with trans women.

Other fun facts about coming out to myself: (Apologies for TMI)
1. I had an enormous collection of pornography in digital form, mostly images, that I'd gathered over about 20 years. Nobody knew about this. About two weeks after coming out to myself, I deleted all of it. I no longer have any interest in pornography. I don't own any.

2. I don't masturbate anymore. I'm too dysphoric about my genitals to do that. If I'm not with a partner, I don't do any type of sexual activity. I've tried - it's not enjoyable. (This is not typical, from what I can tell.) This has proven to be frustrating at times.

[Lilian Sport Lover]

Even for women , female clothes are all built in with factors for sexual arousal. The unlimited variety of colors and design to arouse and manipulate the senses ( many animals are very aroused by using-displaying such colorful assets ), the tightness and the rubbing against sexual organs of the body (including the biggest sexual organ the skin itself), the fixing and jiggling affect of the bra against the breast. The arousing odor and taste of the rouge on the lips, the small slow dancing movement forced on the body by high heels. Hence causing the hips to sway in unusual dancing way. Also, causing a bounce movement of one s bottom. The musical sound of one s heels hitting the ground. I can go on and on for hours. This what average man does not understand. it is just not clothes for CD. It is being and feeling as a woman. Feeling pretty, sensual, and attractive. Therefore, arousal will always be there.

[Barbara Jo]

FWIw......

Many GG females love to dress in all female finery but, they do not want to dress like that all the time.
So, why should we?

[PaulaQ]

Even for women , female clothes are all built in with factors for sexual arousal. The unlimited variety of colors and design to arouse and manipulate the senses ( many animals are very aroused by using-displaying such colorful assets ), the tightness and the rubbing against sexual organs of the body (including the biggest sexual organ the skin itself), the fixing and jiggling affect of the bra against the breast.

I get nothing sexual from my clothes. I think you'll hear that from most of the women here, both cis and trans. I like to look nice. I'm really femme. I do those things because they fit my personality. Really, I get nothing sexual out of clothes.

The one exception might be lingerie - particularly a little leather dress I have for certain types of activities. But it isn't so much the clothes in that case as the thoughts of what I'll be doing while wearing them... But other than fetish stuff worn for playtime activities, nah, I get nothing sexual from clothes.

[Tracii G]

Maybe when I tried on panties for the first time but no clothes/dressing don't arouse me sexually.

[mbmeen12]

As to the aspect to getting dressed, no. It is the company with added chemistry.

[SonjaThompson]

When I was a teenager I tried on the oddpair of tights/nylons a couple of times and I found this arousing, but as an adult, although I find dressing exciting, I do not find it arousing. For me it is not a sexual experience.

[Kirsten1]

For me it goes up and down. Often when I dress at home and I do not do much more than panties and bra, it is pleasurable. I like the feeling. Nothing erotic. However it hit me kind of strangely the other day when I got my ears pierced. Not at the time, but as I was just getting used to the feeling of pierced ears, it was kind of erotic. And now it is just pleasurable ;-)

[Confucius]

Your erotic impulses are directly related to your testosterone levels. Testosterone levels are at their highest during adolescence and early adulthood. But as men get older, their testosterone levels decline about 1 percent per year after age 30.

Assuming your brain is hardwired to interpret crossdressing as identity/contact with a female, then when you crossdress your brain releases a host of neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, etc.) which produce sensations of well-being, pleasure, gratification and bonding. Now the way the brain works: doing the same thing over and over causes the brain to fatigue and release less dopamine, so there is a tendency to escalate with crossdressers.

In conclusion: Frequency of crossdressing may affect your dopamine levels, but not your testosterone (sexual urges), and getting older will affect your erotic impulses, but not your neurotransmitters.

[suzzi]

Yes me too ! I get so excited when I know I can dress and be suzzi ! Shopping for new things or just looking at them online gets me excited and aroused. The feeling hasn't changed since I put on my first pair of panties!

[Katey888]

For me it goes up and down.

<snort!> :lol:

I'm sorry Kirsten - that just had to have a rerun... :)

On a barely serious note, I wouldn't say that an increased frequency ends the erotic aspect - but it depends a lot on what that aspect is... :thinking:

I still find images of an attractive (to me - but not talking about me...), fashionably dressed woman to be stimulating and sometimes mildly erotic - but I'd say it has more to do with my own mood and feelings than frequency. I think there's enough evidence here in what most people write to convince me that while it may not be overtly sexual for many, sexuality and eroticism has a part to play in how we choose to look and present... (controversial, perhaps...?)

Katey x

[TrishaLake]

Not for me I love to dress and it is a special part of the sexual process for me.

[ReineD]

To answer the question in your OP, it did for my SO.

... on the other hand, age might have had a role to play in this as well.

[Rhandi Spencer]

When I am wearing panties it is not very arousing. However when I am wearing panties and have an appointment that allows the ability to be found out (Dr., massage, etc.) I find it exciting not arousing though.