Books on crossdressing?

[Morion]

I have always been a big reader. Anything that is of any interest to me, I want to read about it. Obviously, I decided to look-up some books on crossdressing recently.

The first I tried was Miss Vera's Cross-Dress for Success by Veronica Vera. I was very disappointed by this book. The writing-style was very over-the-top, almost veering into stereotypical drag queen territory. The format was in reference to what I was assuming to be a real school for crossdressing and reference to who you would meet and what they would do with you. If this were a brochure for prospective students it would be fine, but in a book marketed to helping crossdressers it was often less than useful. The actual content was quite poor too, in my opinion. The majority of the book was made of brief paragraphs on a topic containing a URL for a website on the topic. Because a good number of these links were for e-commerce, the book was far too American-centric to be any use to me (the postage would have been a killer!). Being largely a collection of URLs, the book sets itself up with an undefined expiration date too. Most of those addresses I decided to investigate further turned out to no longer exist, and I would imagine that is true for the rest of the book. I could not recommend this to anyone!

Following this, I decided to try Tricks of the Trade: A Beginners Guide to Cross Dressing by Carollyn Olson. I found this book to be a lot more practical. Again, I was not entirely thrilled by the format. The writing-style was perfectly fine, but often you would have successive sub-chapters telling you essentially the same thing, just in a slightly different way. This gave the book a 'padded' feel. On occasion I felt there were paragraphs that were repeated word-for-word, though I honestly did not go back to confirm this. Apart from that, however, the content was good and should be useful. The book provides a lot of practical advice and step-by-step instructions that, while possibly useless to those who already have their own routine, would be invaluable for those yet to establish one. The book was not particularly useful to me at this very moment in time, as the topics were largely aimed at someone who has gone 'deeper' into crossdressing than where I currently reside, but it one I can see myself going back to in the near future. Chapters providing advice on how to apply makeup and present better in photography will be quite useful to me once I start trying those things!

While I have briefly skimmed over a couple of other books, these are the only two I have read so far. Are there any good books on crossdressing that you have discovered?

[Peggy Gardiner]

I'm reading Charles Anders's The Lazy Crossdresser and enjoying it a lot, many other threads here on CD books have recommendations for it too. Really witty and the concept behind it all really appeals to me too - that you should be able to dress up with the minimum of fuss; and also that the harder you try to "pass" the more likely you are to fail, one of many little insights I've gotten from it, after only a few chapters, too. Some of the advice might be a bit out of date, it was published a while back.

Starting to research women's fashions I was really baffled by all the terminology - "A Line" sounds like a railroad trunk line or something. :D Mules, clogs, flats? Sounds like we're pioneering in 1880s North Dakota. :D Doing quite a bit of looking for a book that covered that aspect of things I surprisingly enough got next to nowhere - there's a book, Fashion 101, covering this, some of the reviews really savaged it for being too obvious, directed at 13 year olds, etc. Hey, that's us! More than one person on this site has remarked that most of us are really at that age developmentally, being excited by bras etc. that grown women are more than a bit blase about.

I bought Carollyn's book hoping that, given the title, it would cover ground like that but it really is for girls who have gotten past the first steps. It's still chock full of what looks to me like really useful advice, and Carollyn's a really classy gal herself. I'm a rank beginner myself so haven't gotten to where I can put any of it into practice.

In contrast to the lack of books on fashions there seem to be tons of books on makeup, many aimed at total beginners, and there are a good few threads on this site regarding reading material for CDs.

[Morion]

Thanks, Peggy. That Fashion 101 sounds like it would be ideal. I am wrestling with precisely those things at the moment! I tried looking the book up and, apparently, it is quite a popular title. Would you be able to share the author to help identifying the right book?

[susan54]

When I was a learner I found the Tranny Guide really helpful. It ran for a few years with a new issue each year but I haven't come across it for years. It had lots of introductory chapters then a directory of CD friendly businesses. I suppose the directory is no longer needed because almost every business is fine with us but the general text was sound.

[Linda E. Woodworth]

I've got a whole library of books.

The best one I've found is "My Husband Betty" by Helen Boyd. I think it discusses crossdressing better than the others. When she wrote this one her husband was just crossdressing. Since then he has transitioned and Helen wrote "She's Not the Man I Married". She also had a blog she posted on but I haven't looked at it in ages so I don't know if it's still out there.

"Coping with Crossdressing" by JoAnn Roberts is for couples. She also has a couple of other books published.

'My Husband Wears My Clothes" by Peggy J. Rudd is a good one from the perspective of the wife. She is married to a crossdresser.

"Miss Vera's Finishing School for Boys Who Want to be Girls" by Veronica Vera is fun and informative. It is better than her later book "Crossdress for Success"

"The Man in the Red Velvet Dress" is by J.J. Allen but I must admit I don't remember anything about it. I guess it'll have to go back on my reading list again.

These are some to get you started. Enjoy!

[Bunty]

The first I tried was Miss Vera's Cross-Dress for Success by Veronica Vera. I was very disappointed by this book.

I bought a copy of this perhaps ten years ago. I share your disappointment. I recall Miss Vera being positive in spirit, but found the book to be of negligible practical value.


When I was a learner I found the Tranny Guide really helpful. It ran for a few years with a new issue each year but I haven't come across it for years. It had lots of introductory chapters then a directory of CD friendly businesses. I suppose the directory is no longer needed because almost every business is fine with us but the general text was sound.

"The Tranny Guide" (later renamed "Transgender A to Z") was an annual publication, first issued over twenty years ago, and the work of the estimable Vicky Lee. I have a number of editions and they were most welcome in their era (and now have a significant nostalgic charm).

This days, Vicky Lee's online version of this resource may be found here (http://www.wayout-publishing.com/freetrannyguide.html).

There seems to be widespread enthusiasm for Helen Boyd's books, and for "Alice in Genderland" by Richard Novic.

[Taylor186]

The best one I've found is "My Husband Betty" by Helen Boyd. I think it discusses crossdressing better than the others.

I second this recommendation.

[Diane Taylor]

I've read a number of books in my time, some good, some not so good. Of the ones I liked were :
"Aspects of Gender" by Lesley Gordon who was a psychologist that cross dressed. Others were "My Husband Wears my Clothes" and "Crossdressing With Dignity" by Peggy Rudd who had a husband who cross dressed. I also read a book by Kate Bornstein called "Gender Outlaw". These book may still be available on sites like Amazon. Transgender Tapestry magazine which was published by the IFGE on a monthly basis used to be a pretty good thing to read but it's no longer being printed. I hope this helps.....

[Peggy Gardiner]

Amazon.com: Fashion 101: A Crash Course in Clothing. (https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-101-Crash-Course-Clothing/dp/0979017343) Fun little book, the illustrations could be a lot larger, Google Images will help out here.

I enjoyed Alice in Genderland too, although once Novik got to LA it seemed like a floodgate of possibilities opened up that allowed the author to explore just about anything imaginable, which made it perhaps a bit hard for me to relate; there was a lot more dramatic tension when Richard was in agony about precisely what was driving these irresistible urges, which applies to most of us, I imagine. Perhaps this is where the world is headed? Just an observation, not really a criticism.

Deidre McCloskey's Crossing: A Memoir is a very moving book, she went through a lot to get where she is now. There are books like TransPortraits: Voices From Transgender Communities that tell all sorts of stories about the world of TGs.

[Morion]

Thank you again, Peggy. I have marked that and will pick it up soon!

[Allison Chaynes]

I 100% agree with "My Husband Betty" and Peggy Rudd's books. The Miss Vera's book was horrible, in my opinion.

One thing I liked about My Husband Betty is that it doesn't stick to political and socioeconomic stereotypes. Helen kept an open mind and just wrote about what she learned. I want to read the follow up.

I REALLY want a "For Dummies" version of Crossdressing that covers makeup, wigs and fashion.

[Nadia Wren]

I found out on this site that Ed Wood wrote a book about it. But if his writing follows his film making reputation, it is probably over-the-top.

[raxdress]

A good beginner's book on makeup is exactly what I need! Speaking of fashion, anyone try making their own clothes?

[Linda E. Woodworth]

"The Makeup Book" by Joy Terri is one that I like and we even bought a copy for our oldest daughter. Just go to Barnes & Noble or any other bookstore and look and see what they have. If you find one you like buy it.

Oh, to answer your other quesiton I have also started sewing my own clothes also.

[raxdress]

Thanks Linda!

[Fiona123]

Great thread. I also would recommend Kate Borenstein's books. Another book I recommend is "Whipping Girl" by Julia Serrano. Its not a how to guide but does put gender in a larger political and feminist perspective. I found it very enlightening. The author is TG/TS who has transitioned.

[Genny B]

I just finished Jennifer Finney Boylan's 'She Not There; A Life In Two Genders.' Great read if you are thining of transitioning!

Genny B

[Jenny22]

Try this link. Lotsa books!

http://ourqueerstories.com/top-31-books-on-gender/

[Stacy Darling]

I'm glad that I did scroll through all of the responses, as I would have just said ask the girls around you!
I picked up most things off the women around me, but saying that! I was surrounded!
Keep reading ey!

[barbara gordon]

There is another author named Mariette Pathy Allen. She wrote three books that ar mostly photo essays witha very sympathetic approach to documenting the day to day lifestyles of crossdressers and other trans people
"Transformations ,crossdressers and those who love them " is a good one to start with.

I recently had the opportunity to meet Mariette Pathy Allen at a large dinner party last week . I was with my girlfriend . I was completely dressed up in a party gown.
Mariette was there with Veronica Vera ,and several other well known cross gender advocates.
I did not know much about her or her books until talking with her.
We were both guests of Veronica Vera who sat us next to eachother at her table at a formal event.
I was surprised and relieved to know that there are really so many people who are supportive to all of this . Mariette has a unique and sympathetic insight into relationships between couples who have one or more partner who is gender non binary .

[Tracii G]

My friend Alana Nicole Sholar has a book called "Hung In The Middle".
More of a gender discovery type book.
Alana's wife Bobby Thompson has a book called "My Husband Looks Better In Lingerie That I do Dammit".
Both are lovely people and the books are on Amazon.

[Jemma-crossing]

Is there an easy way to bookmark threads you might want to come back and refer to later such as this one?

[Ineke Vashon]

I have a Mac. All I need to do is click on "bookmarks", scroll to "add bookmark" and select where I want to save it. I save stuff like this under "CD".

Ineke

[Geena Gee]

Jemma, As soon as you can access your profile, it will be listed in "your posts."

-G

[Becky Blue]

There are many many books on all sorts of trans related topics on Amazon, I found Alice in Genderland very very good as was Tea & Transition. Many books are about transition of course but you can find quite a few like Alice that are not.

[darla_g]

I tend to stick to makeup and beauty books, but i have found CD porn stories to be fun too!