CD: escape from male attire?

[PattyT]

Lots of reasons have been posted as to why we cross dress, such as a strong attraction to female attire, how comfortable this feels and how much it makes us calmer and more at ease and so on. I subscribe wholeheartedly to these views but these are positive aspects. I suspect there is a negative aspect which does not seem to get mentioned as much as it should. Maybe it is just self-evident. This is the idea of cross dressing as a way to escape from having to wear very ugly, uncomfortable male attire.
As the weekend or any other CD day approaches my thoughts start turning to what outfit I’ll be wearing and to the anticipation the wonderful sensation of being en femme again. However, equally strong is the feeling of finally being liberated, if only for a short time, from being forced to wear the ugly, even revolting male attire I have detested ever since I could remember.
If escaping from male attire is indeed a major aspect of cross dressing, the implication of this could really pretty far reaching. Several postings have noted that a person could stop being a CD through willpower alone. However, some people have more willpower than others and willpower is a not an unlimited aspect. Everyone has a limit. Motivation would be a factor in determining how much will power would be required, however. A low level CD who wears some items of female clothing around the house at times but is not so turned off by wearing male attire should be able to give up being a CD just though willpower. Someone who is very hard core, wearing female attire as much as his situation allows would not only need a huge amount of willpower to stop donning female attire but also to overcome his distaste for donning male attire as an alternative. I don’t think that all that many hard core CDs would have the willpower to do both of these things.
The same reasoning could apply to those taking recourse to analysts for help in stopping the desire of a hard core CD to give up cross dressing. The analyst would not only have to get the CD to give up his desire to wear female attire but also have to get him to accept to wear what he feels is rather distasteful male attire as an alternative. Overcoming what is a matter of personal taste in clothing style would be really hard.
A person may want to give up being a CD for a variety of reasons such as social pressure, or how it complicates his life and so on. Giving up would seriously affect one’s personality and should not be considered unless the reasons were horrendously serious.
In the end result, however, the final crunch in preventing a CD to give up this up might well be not being able to accept male attire as an alternative. Being forced into male attire 24/7 might just be too much to take.
This line of thinking has without doubt been my experience. Indeed I have been strongly attracted to female attire ever since I can remember but I am at the same time I have always been equally abhorred by the look and discomfort of male attire. Due to these two aspects, I really would never want to change and cannot see any viable alternative to my being a CD.

[Judy-Somthing]

I looked at quite a few mens suites last week and I could hardly see any difference in styles of the cuts. The color choices are very limited gray, dark gray, brown, and don't forget dark brown, and black, oh and dark blue you also have the choice of pin strips. You do get to have a wild color tie if that maks you happy.

[Nadine Spirit]

I think your thoughts would only apply to a MtF crossdresser. In other words, there is nothing inherently "ugly, even revolting" within male attire. There are plenty of males out there that have no problems with wearing male attire. And there are as well many women who actually prefer to wear male clothes. And no folks I am not talking about females who wear female cut blue jeans and somehow attempting to imply that blue jeans are somehow the exclusive domain of males and thus then by wearing them women are then wearing "male" clothes. No, I am referring specifically to women who choose to buy and wear men's clothes that are specifically male clothes, for the exact same "reasons" that we men enjoy buying and wearing clothes that are specifically female clothes.

BTW, personally I don't believe in the vast majority of theories out there as to why we cross dress, about it feeling better, or making us calm, or someone forced you to wear female clothes when you were 5. Being as there is such a vastness within all of our experiences, and there are so many differences in how we were all raised, the only thing that really makes any sense to me is that while many things in life may trigger or awaken this desire within us (genetic males or genetic females) it is something that we are somehow born with.

Just my 2 cents.

If you think that male clothes are super ugly, then go with it.

[Jenniferathome]

... I suspect there is a negative aspect which does not seem to get mentioned as much as it should. Maybe it is just self-evident. This is the idea of cross dressing as a way to escape from having to wear very ugly, uncomfortable male attire...

I can't buy into this idea at all. I don't hate my male clothes in the least. Men's clothing is comfortable and easy. We cross dress because we are cross dressers.

[Diane Smith]

If this were a major motivation for dressing, then I think the designers who offer "alternative" male fashions -- flowy, colorful tops, men's skirts and so forth -- would be doing a lot better. As it is, I see these clothes on the runway from time to time, but almost never on the street. They continue to offer men's clothes that are a long way from the traditional gray suit, but it doesn't seem anybody much is interested in buying them, even the crossdressers.

- Diane

[Dana44]

On those threads you read about willpower. We do not know why we do it. Also if you stop it will come back. I think those who said that wasn't being very truthful. They still crossdress and have never given up through willpower. so that was not a good saying by him. So, I never knew anyone on this site who gave it up. So, don't take everything you read in a thread, he was called out on that. So, don't worry about willpower. Yes men clothes are pretty drab and well we have to get in em and do things. I would never give up my fem clothes again. Since I am older, I will enjoy being a CD and never look back.

[Judy-Somthing]

I don't think guys clothes are ugly, just very limited in variety as compare to women's ,go into big store and it's obvious that the women's section is at least 5 times bigger than the guys.
I'm sure that there are at least ten times more styles of women's shoes mens.

[Mandy Faye]

Today .. I went into a store to look for shoes.. Guy shoes.. I looked all around .. Hated everything .. walked over to the women's isle and found 3 pair I loved .. I think it's what's in ur heart .. What U really like .. It really comes down to what U feel comfortable wearing ! I never have been one to care what other people's thoughts are .. I like what I like ! AND I wear it ! I never will be "passable" But 100 0/0 don't care !!

[~Katelyn~]

I'm sitting here wearing shotrs and a tee shirt, I love men's clothes. I cut back on wearing my girl clothes but still dress en femme when going out.

[PattyT]

"..liberated from being forced to wear the ugly, even revolting male attire I have detested ever since I could remember."
I think I may have worded this a bit too strongly. This is a personal observation regarding the clothes I have to wear. Although I do find male clothing extremely drab, I don't think it's ugly on other men, just a bit boring perhaps. Esentaily I ignore that the males around me are wearing as being uninteresting. When it comes to my own personal taste in clothing, meaning what I have to wear, only then I do find it ugly or boring or what other negative adjective one might choose.

[sometimes_miss]

Male attire isn't ugly or uncomfortable physically unless you pick lousy clothing to start with. That's why so may women lounge around in casual men's clothes such as nice soft jeans, flannel shirts, big comfy socks, and sneakers. OTOH if it's the psychological aspect of wearing men's clothing, that's a different problem. But way too much fuss is made about how physically uncomfortable mens' clothing is, because if it is, you just need to pay more attention to what you're picking out. NONE of my men's clothing is physically uncomfortable.

[Cristy2]

You can fem up guy clothes all day long if you put your mind to it. Guy shirts and short skirts. Seriously, I know a lot of GGs who dress up in guy clothes and still look very fem in them, just depends on how you accessorize what you are wearing.

[Rhonda Jean]

I think your thoughts would only apply to a MtF crossdresser. In other words, there is nothing inherently "ugly, even revolting" within male attire. There are plenty of males out there that have no problems with wearing male attire. And there are as well many women who actually prefer to wear male clothes. And no folks I am not talking about females who wear female cut blue jeans and somehow attempting to imply that blue jeans are somehow the exclusive domain of males and thus then by wearing them women are then wearing "male" clothes. No, I am referring specifically to women who choose to buy and wear men's clothes that are specifically male clothes, for the exact same "reasons" that we men enjoy buying and wearing clothes that are specifically female clothes.

BTW, personally I don't believe in the vast majority of theories out there as to why we cross dress, about it feeling better, or making us calm, or someone forced you to wear female clothes when you were 5. Being as there is such a vastness within all of our experiences, and there are so many differences in how we were all raised, the only thing that really makes any sense to me is that while many things in life may trigger or awaken this desire within us (genetic males or genetic females) it is something that we are somehow born with.

Just my 2 cents.

If you think that male clothes are super ugly, then go with it.

I agree!! Nobody knows why, but many of us continually beat our heads against the wall trying to figure it out. I think we're born with this predisposition, then we encounter the trigger. Even among those who are born with the predisposition may not ever encounter the trigger.

[Annamarie B]

I'm soooo glad that I encountered the trigger at age 10! Life would have been so much more dull and less pleasurable otherwise!:battingeyelashes:

[Alice Torn]

Actually, I find mens' clothing , although a bit boring, and much of it drab, some of it looks nice, and pretty comfortable, BUT, womens clothing is EXCITING, and NOT too comfortable, as HIGH HEELS are exciting, but very uncomfortable for me, and womens' clothing, like bras, girdles, and tight skirts and dresses, are sensuous, but not always comfortable. I am more comfortable, maybe, bored, in men clothes, but excited, feeling attractive, sensual in womens' clothes. They certainly have FAR greater variety to choose from. But, i do try to match colors with my guy clothes, and do like to look decent, even tuck in my shirt!

[NicoleScott]

I like being a guy but I don't like to dress up - suits, ties - I'm a t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers type. Comfort over style. When I transform, it's head-to-toe over-the-top feminine as my eyes and brain see and define it. To answer the question, 0% escape from male attire, 100% attraction to female attire. Not just clothing, but everything else: makeup, shoes, wigs, accessories, etc.

[Tina_gm]

I like wearing suits. I have a few different ones. I like dressing up in male clothing. Overall, I can find shopping for men's clothes to be fun. I do not feel like I am escaping. I feel when I dress it is more of being comfortable in clothes which I also identify with. I often feel that being a CDer and not being public it is like having one arm tied behind my back. Ultimately it has been my choice, so I am doing it to myself, but it is not escape from male , but freedom of femininity that I feel when dressed.

[Teresa]

Patty,
I don't agree with the reason of wearing ugly male clothes, I know we term them drab but I have always avoided wearing effeminate styled male clothes in case I gave my CDing away. My reasons why I CD have nothing to do with the effect of male clothes but the deep effect female clothes had when I was 8-9 years old. I do admit I prefer wearing female clothes for so many reasons and there's only one reason why I wear drab clothes !

[Nikkilovesdresses]

There's nothing intrinsically uncomfortable about typical male clothing. At least 50% of American women wear long pants, tee-shirts and running shoes much of the year, and thick sweaters and puffa jackets when they're cold.

On the other hand it's hard to think of clothing much more uncomfortable than high heels, pantyhose and a bra, particularly in hot weather or for prolonged periods.

The fact that many crossdressers like wearing these uncomfortable items is about a mental decision based not on comfort, but on desire.

These days, most women just want to be comfortable.

Please note that my disagreement is with the word uncomfortable, not the word ugly. Plenty of women wear ugly clothes- it's not a male possession.

[chrisg]

I don't care much for men's clothing. I like t-shirts and Jeans. But that's it nothing else. I find Women's clothing to be more comfortable and there is more variety.

[Julia1984]

A properly made and tailored suit is very comfortable. It doesn't have to be bespoke and cost north of £1,000 unless you are very oddly put together. The same goes for shirts shoes and all the rest. There are comfortable, well made "drab" clothes - I know, I wear them every day - but something slinky and hugging, now that's a whole different ball game. I wonder if its because of the dichotomy of sexual loading and constraint?
Julia

[AmyVanessa]

Aw, I don't at all think male attire is ugly or uncomfortable. I just find women's clothing, undergarments and shoes more iinteresting.
I strive to look good in whatever type of attire I'm wearing, but I've been more attracted to ladies apparel since I was a kid.

[Ally 2112]

I really no interest in men" s fashion i dress in a t shirt and jeans and that is comfortable for me .When i dress as a girl that"s when i get very interested and try different styles