Reason you crossdress

[Mia_799]

I am curious why people here dress up. Did it start with sexual gratification and remain that reason? Embracing femininity? Kinks and fetish reasons?

When I crossdress, it just feels good. I feel like a girl and want to feminize myself even more. I dislike my male attributes when I dress and want to hide them and get no sexual gratification from doing it.

Could this be a sign of being trans rather just enjoying being a girl for a day? I would be a girl in a heartbeat if there was that magical pill.

[Kimberly A.]

Mia, I see that you're new so first of all, welcome to the forum. :)

Also, I know you didn't know this but this topic has been brought up before and I have no problem replying to you and answering your questions..... As for me first of all, my dressing is not a sexual fetish or a kink. I don't dislike my male attributes, I very much enjoying being a man and dressing like a woman, but of course, I do tuck in order to hide my male anatomy when I go out dressed, it's just one of the many things I do to be at least somewhat passable. :D

But like you, it just feels really good to crossdress and I love to feminize myself as well. I still really don't know why I have such a strong feminine side or why I have a strong desire to crossdress, but it's all there and I do embrace my femininity to the fullest.

Now, as far as it being a sign of being transgender, I suppose it just depends on your personal preference, or what you want to be..... Are you trans, or just a crossdresser? Me, I'm just a crossdresser and have no desire to fully become a woman. I have, on more than one occasion said that I love to be able to dress, then quickly and easily take off all of my feminine things and be back in "male mode" again. I don't want any permanent changes to my body in order to make me more femme..... Except for getting my ears pierced, because I got tired of clip-ons and having real earrings, imho makes me a little more passable. But still, a lot of very straight, masculine men who do not CD at all have their ears pierced and wear earrings. LOL Anyway, I'm beginning to ramble, so I'll end my reply here and I hope I've answered your question from my perspective. :)

[kimdl93]

I?m not going to get lost in definitions. I will simply observe that I am transgender and cross dressing is one way to express my gender identity.

[MonicaPVD]

The entirety of the content of this forum is dedicated to explaining why we dress. Read. Learn. Enjoy.

[Bruce64]

First was a trill, then a sexual thing, then I don't know, I just hooked, I wear Women's underwear, no big deal, I am older now, its normal, just cant explain it, I am Male and want no part of being a Woman and I am not attracted to Men, just straight, I gives me a high, blood flowing good feeling, I remembered the first time I wear a Panty for a whole Day outdoor doing errands was joy, it still is, I wear Brassiere now with breastform, and still Male, it doesn't go away permanently.

[Mia_799]

Hi Kimberly, thanks for your reply and welcoming me to the forum.

As for the reason you crossdress, it?s good to know it?s not purely sexual as that?s what the case seems to be elsewhere I?ve been reading online. I think it?s good and healthy that we express our femininity as it is suppressed in our society way too much. It?s nice to be around like minded individuals!

Sometimes I do like I can take off all my clothes and just be male, but at times I dislike my manly hands and wide shoulders. This only happens when I dress and when I?m in male mode, I just want to feel feminine, have curves and have soft facial features if that makes sense. Perhaps like Kim commented, I could also be trans and find my outlet with cross dressing. Also, I?ve had my ears pierced since I was a teenager and recently opened them back up bc yes, it feels good having the real thing lol! Enjoy 😊

Btw Kim, I don?t intend to categorize or require definitions but I do think it?s good to understand ones desires and identity. I suppose I?m on that path. I assume that?s the best way to ease the dysphoria without transitioning?

- - - Updated - - -


First was a trill, then a sexual thing, then I don't know, I just hooked, I wear Women's underwear, no big deal, I am older now, its normal, just cant explain it, I am Male and want no part of being a Woman and I am not attracted to Men, just straight, I gives me a high, blood flowing good feeling, I remembered the first time I wear a Panty for a whole Day outdoor doing errands was joy, it still is, I wear Brassiere now with breastform, and still Male, it doesn't go away permanently.

I remember my first time too and it was like a high. Do go out in public fully dressed? And so you never have the desire to have any physical female attributes?

I?m starting to learn like gender, even crossdressing is on a spectrum. So fascinating.

[Stephanie47]

I have not idea why I am drawn to wear women's clothing. As a child of the 1960's there is no valid reason for me to endure the self loathing and potential dislike or worse from family, friends and society. Not reason to endure discrimination in employment. To end up on some government pervert list or deviant list. Even the brief feeling of euphoria which was always was followed by self loathing does not justify the experience. I've read all the posts about little boys being dolled up by mothers, aunts, sisters or cousins. None of that happened to me. I was all boy. I had no use for girls. Girls were sticks in the mud. I never envied their pretty Easter dresses. Sometime into puberty there was a switch that brought cross dressing to the forefront. There was no nurturing. I have to assume, although I have no proof, there is a genetic component involved.

I do like wearing dresses or admire women who wear dresses. I love colorful prints. I love floral print dresses. I like watching Vanna White on Wheel of Fortune because she wears lovely clothes; prints, colors. I do remember way back in elementary school I liked to draw and did win a fifth grade drawing contest. I am drawn to raising colorful flowers. I have no aversion to doing chores normally assigned to females in our society. I have engaged in some manly activities few men engage in.

At my stage of life I suspect I can easily slide back and forth between presenting in male or female attire. I no longer think in "male" or "female" terms, if in fact I ever did. I look back at my ancestors. All, men and women, were strong willed people, adventurers. Nobody was a docile creature submitting to another.

[Taylor Dame]

I do it because it simply feels right. :battingeyelashes:

[Teresa]

Mia,
Many go through the sexual aspect of Cding , there's no shame in admitted it was a turn on even if it might have died down. They say it's not all about the clothes , to some it actually is , dressing is a hobby , which is a definition I personally find hard to accept . To me what we wear makes a statement it's also a window of how we feel inside , otherwise how are people to know , assuming you aren't deep in the closet .

As I'm now full time wearing male clothes feels more like Cding , it just doesn't feel right , my life is now in balance so my dysphoria isn't a problem .

If you want a definite answer to being trans or not , first ask yourself how bad is my gender dysphoria , if it isn't a problem then you are more likely to be happily into Cding . Wanting to be a girl for a few hours or the odd day is far different from waking up every morning and needing to totally shave and apply makeup before the day starts and then take on every job as a female without switching back to male mode .

I find I now longer need to go round in circles with labels , I've put them back in their littles boxes , the only label I need is Teresa .

[RADER]

I do not need a reason, I just do it because I like it, it feel's right, and I enjoy it.
am long past the Sex thing, Being that I am 73, so my reason is to enjoy my wanning
years the best way I can.
Rader
PS>>..Welcome to the Forum.

[Confucius]

Well, I crossdress because it makes me happy, and because I cannot stop crossdressing. These sensations seem to be automatic and completely involuntary. As a child I was surprised to find out that not all males get the same sensations. Of course this raises the question why does crossdressing produce wonderful sensations in some males, while most males feel nothing but uncomfortable embarrassment?

I tell people that I believe our brains are hardwired to release a host of feel-good neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, etc) when we feminize ourselves. The driver is actually the feel-good neurotransmitters.

So how did our brains get hardwired this way? Well there is a process called synaptogenesis where during formative years the brain produces neural connections at an incredible pace. By the time we are 3 years old our brains have 5-times the neural synapses as an adult! Then through the learning process some connections are reinforced while others are pruned. The process of synaptogenesis occurs at infancy and puberty.

So while we may appear typical in every sense of the word, our neural circuitry is pretty special.

[docrobbysherry]

For the same reason a chicken crosses the road!:heehee:

That and seeing a pretty woman in my mirror is VERY exciting! And, there's not much a 77 year old can do that's still exciting!:devil:

[Maid_Marion]

Dressing well in women's clothes is a form of three dimensional art. It isn't easy to look good but I'm up to the challenge. :)

Marion

[alwayshave]

It started when I was 4-5 years old, so no it was not sexual. At the point I don't question why I dress, I just do.

[Shirley Rose]

I have been thinking about this a lot lately as I am completely surrounded by the pink fog. I really don't know why. What I do know is all my life I have been attracted to feminine things. As a small child I knew there was someone else inside of me and it was a girl. I kept her suppressed for a long time but she wants out and I am letting her spread her wings.

I wish there was an exact answer as to why we enjoy dressing but I guess there isn't. We just do. I love the colors and shapes of womens clothing having painted nails shoes hair all of it makes me feel better more peaceful less angry at the world in general.

I dress because it just feels right best answer I can give. From what I read a lot of us girls feel the same way.

[sometimes_miss]

Everything you want to know about how I wound up this way, is in the link in my signature below. It's about a ten minute read. It may be one of the few explanations of how a normal boy was turned into a crossdresser due to external influences, as it seems few of us have any clue as to why they developed the desire to crossdress or become transgender or transsexual after having been 'normal' up to a certain age. To be fair, it took me about 30 years to figure it all out, as during that time, modern mental health still had not learned much about gender identity development, so I had very little help along the way.

[Star01]

What is the reason that I crossdress? Because the voices in my head tell me that I have to.

Just kidding, I'm not hearing voices. I am, however, compelled to crossdress for reasons that I do not understand so the "I have to" part is factual.

[CynthiaD]

I've said this before, but it bears repeating. I can't express the thought in words, but when I look in the mirror and see a woman looking back at me, I know why I do it.

[Kelli_cd]

In the beginning, I got a thrill from wearing panties. Over time, they just started to feel normal/natural. No big deal.

I started wearing bras about 3 years ago. I love the feeling of being hugged all day long.

[adelinapa]

For me, the reason is... it makes me a better person. It completes the circle.

[Brandi Christine]

It makes me feel really good about myself...

[phili]

I have been analyzing the impulse and here are what I think are all my reasons
1. I feel a deep primordial feminine sexuality that was what caused me to recognize as a very young child that my sister's panties were the right ones for me.
2. I want to be able to live in the role of woman a significant part of the time- I identify with the women I see more than the men.
3. I love the way feminine clothes express a whole other set of body feelings- like being perky, with a different center of gravity than I have when being manly.
4. I love the sensations of feminine clothes that I can't get in men's clothes
5. I love the artistic expression in prints and styles of cut
6. I want to challenge the limiting gender stereotypes that are so restrictive to males and females

[SaraLin]

I am curious why people here dress up. Did it start with sexual gratification and remain that reason? Embracing femininity? Kinks and fetish reasons?


In short, I dress because I feel I'm a girl inside, and I want look / feel like it on the outside. Because I have so few feminine physical attributes, I tend overcompensate with the clothes and go with the philosophy of "the girl-ier the better."

Kinks? fetishes? Not really. But for me at least, there is a certain amount of feeling more sexually "alive" when I'm en-femme. It's not the reason I dress, but imagining myself as being desirable is a nice side effect - even though the actual result is probably the opposite.

[Asew]

I started crossdressing during puberty so everything was sexual then so I always wondered if my dressing was sexually based. Then I swore off dressing for 15 years and when I came back to it realized it wasn't sexual though it can be sexual if I want it to be. For me it is mostly about the clothes (skirt and dresses). But I don't really feel male or female, so identify as non-binary and transgender (since I am not cisgender). There is so much variety across the crossdressing spectrum.

[Paulie Birmingham]

I do for the sexual thrill. 30 years later I rarely dress with it leading to sexual gratification. Even just panties are low level foreplay. It's a sexual hobby for me.

I don't want to be a woman, I don't have a famine side.

[Jenny Elwood]

See the dress... Like the dress... Wear the dress... Simple! :bonk:

[Visitor]

Last evening I used the new electric razor and cleaned hair off my chest, then applied lotion and massaged my breasts. This morning after waking, having slept without a top, I decided which brassiere to put on, then pulled a tight rayon tee shirt over my head. The fact I have breasts mesmerizes me. It is sexual but more than that. It feels primordial, comforting that I have breasts. I don't know whether I want to suckle a child or simply gaze at the image in the mirror. My mother stimulated my genitals in the crib when I was an infant using a piece of silk and I sought out a petticoat in her dresser drawer when I was two or three. I was sexually abused by neighbors and when I was 12 years old I began crossdressing while babysitting at the neighbor's home beginning with putting on her brassiere. Doubtless those early experiences affected my feelings about myself, and my sexuality. Understanding all that was important, but I'm still left with the desire to put on a brassiere and fantasize about something... I have no wish to transition. This seems simply a way of respecting, rather than shaming myself as I do what feels good to do. The key is to stop shaming myself for having these feelings. They simply are.

Good luck on your journey of exploration and expression. As you learn from reading other's comments, each of us is finding our own way through this alternative world of self expression. We may seem weird to the rest of the world, but my guess is there is much more weird in the world than ANYONE is prepared to admit.

[Alice K]

While undoubtably XY chromosomally when I look in the mirror dressed I see the inner me. Started at six years old so it wasn?t sexually. Picked up again at late in life and she is still there. Hormones in the womb, nurturing, or other genes? Don?t know but she is in there and she is a wonderful part of me

[Robbiegirl]

Why would any guy in his right mind prefer to spend all their time in boring Men's clothing when they can spend some of it waltzing about in comfy, silky,fun, Women's Clothing ???
315746
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[NancySue]

Like others, I don?t have a clue why I love to and thoroughly enjoy wearing women?s clothes. I just know, from my first experience at 5-6 to this day, I marvel how comfortable women?s clothes are. My wife disagrees with me about underwire bras, heels and hose being comfortable. I just smile. As Taylor said...it just feels right.

[jacques]

hello Mia,
I have just stopped looking for a reason because I never found one and now I just embrace it,
luv J

[Ozark]

These were popular in the 1980s. We were working up in Iowa, working fairs and celebrations with our food and game stands.
My sister came up to help and lived with us in our big travel trailer. I was wearing these as a compromise with my wife. I remember they were folding laundry and sister folded a pair of these and put them on wife's pile, she said, those are his. Sister said 'these are women's' and a light bulb went off in her head.
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[GracieRose]

I dress because it just feels right.
When I see myself dressed in the mirror, I recognize ME. This must be how the rest of the world feels when they look at themselves in the mirror. When dressed in drab, it's almost like looking at someone else in the mirror.

[Natalie5004]

I am curious why people here dress up. Did it start with sexual gratification and remain that reason? Embracing femininity? Kinks and fetish reasons?

When I crossdress, it just feels good. I feel like a girl and want to feminize myself even more. I dislike my male attributes when I dress and want to hide them and get no sexual gratification from doing it.

Could this be a sign of being trans rather just enjoying being a girl for a day? I would be a girl in a heartbeat if there was that magical pill.

I would want to be a hot girl. Not just any girl.

[Kay J]

Crossdressing just make me feel so good and comfy something male clothes don't do!!!

[MarinaTwelve200]

Started as a sexual fetish thing at age 12----Still is to an extent, but it helps me relax and totally "UNWIND"---essentially "Taking a vacation from both myself and the obligations of masculinity"---And it's FUN to be "Pretty" too.

[Rayleen]

Dressing makes me feel happy, and that's a good reason to dress at home most of the time.

Do what's make you happy is my advice.

[Genifer Teal]

For me, it's always been about going out. Early on I got positive attention. I enjoyed the attention and built upon it. Some where along the journey I decided, like my tag line says, life is more fun in heels. I couldn't see life with out them.

[Andi.Devine]

I do for the sexual thrill. 30 years later I rarely dress with it leading to sexual gratification. Even just panties are low level foreplay. It's a sexual hobby for me.

I don't want to be a woman, I don't have a famine side.

I for one Thank you Paulie for this brave post. I started very young, before I had any body hair, at that time I loved how I looked in the mirror wearing lingerie. As puberty started approaching, I may have had my first orgasm while wearing lingerie. I didn't know what I was doing or why, but it felt good.

Fast forward to now and I have maybe a little better understanding of why. And it still has to do with looking pretty in the mirror to some extent. I guess I get a thrill, or just feel incredibly good, when I look feminine and appealing to someone else.

But it is so, so, so much work to do so.. Therefore; I enjoy being able to be my Guy self the majority of the time.. It's so much easier. But once in a while, I love how presenting feminine feels.

[SophyV]

I dress partly because I am jealous of the variety women get to dress in so many colors, patterns, cuts, and styles. Another part is I like the way I feel in a skirt especially when doing house work. I have done full drag a couple of times and while I loved it while doing it, I agree it is a lot of work. Also, afterward there is a feeling of being disingenuous about who I am. So for now I am comfortable being a MIAD.

[Ally 2112]

After 40 years of this i have figured that there is just a girl inside .So every so often i let her out to do what ever she wants .Of course i have to buy the clothes and put my self out there . It is what it is even thou i still can struggle with it at times

[Natalie5004]

In all seriousness. I agree with Sophie. I love the clothes options. Color, material, style, then add shoes. All types there. Make up and hair styles and colors. It is just endless really.

I love it all. Do I want to be a girl? I don't think so. I am 64. I would have done it by now.

[_Abby_]

This is a question I ask myself all the time and as others have said, the best and most satisfying answer is, because it makes me happy.

I think this is perhaps less a puzzle to solved than a game to enjoy playing.

[Devi SM]

To dress for me was just the tip.
of the iceberg.

Today I'm a transwoman and to dress is a daily routine so now my challenges are not passing, I don't need to please the world but just me and my family, so my challenges are.to build my own business interesting with people, mostly men and have success doing it.

Btw, the miracle pill exists, is a combination of them and is called HRT, more than feminize your body, which will achieve on time, it will feminize.yoir mind and after all is what we need, be in peace internally to reflect it externally.

Devi

[Shely]

Maid_Marion, i think you hit it right on the hear for me. "Dressing Well" is what I do best. I try hard to match up styles, colors, etc, etc and to look as pretty as i can. It's not about blending in, at least at home, its about looking Sharp, coordinated and Sexy and Well Dressed. The thing about women's clothes that fascinates me is the unending variety of styles, colors, patterns,, and i could go on and on. Did I mention shoes. My goal is to wear every one of them.

[susan2010]

Who really knows? At age 4 or 5 I put on my sister's petticoat, I think just to see what it felt like. Well, it felt wonderful! I've been hooked ever since.

[GretchenM]

Mia, first of all welcome to this forum. I suggest you cruise around this forum and you will find innumerable threads that ponder this very subject. And most will show you that the "Whys" of this in the view of most, from our own perspectives, is infinitely variable. A lot of self reflection of our personal life history helps, but that is sort of like trying to tell how big a cloud is when you are wandering around inside the cloud. There is no easy way to determine the size of the cloud.

The reasons why you engage in this "odd" behavior are not completely understood, but competent theories by experts do exist. The bottom line is that it appears each person has their own motivations and they vary all over the map. That said, there is a commonality at the root that appears to be a combination of a person's genetic configuration and how life experiences are personally interpreted to create some kind of identity that influences how we think about who we are. In short, it is complicated and probably no explanation that fits all. For some, dressing makes them feel feminine or womanly which satisfies some deep seated need they have. For others, the female-like self identification is a powerful force in their life that overwhelms their sexual identity resulting in a personality that ideally aligns closely with how women sense their identity. And by the way, it is just as common for it to work the other way around with women "feeling" like they are actually a man. But in women it does not seem to create as much of a problem possibly because women can more freely express who they are in clothing while a man in a dress is viewed as a spectacle by many people. (Never mind that more men in the world have daily clothes that are more dress-like than clothes that are typical of males in the Western societies. This is especially true in hot climates. Putting a sack over you is a lot cooler than wearing confining clothes with poor ventilation.)

In the Western cultures we tend to have a tradition of men and women looking very different and that probably comes from our adherence to a binary concept of gender. We emphasize the differences and tend to downplay the vast array of characteristics that make males and females incredibly similar in most respects. In cultures where that bias is not present the concept of crossdressing really doesn't exist or if it does it is of no importance. There, gender is viewed in a more broad fashion and differences are not very important. Here in non-binary thinking mixing gender expression is sometimes viewed as a solution to the rigid way of thinking in a binary concept of gender. You don't do one or the other, but mix things up which is the way people with a really broad gender comfort zone deal with expression. Most people tend to have narrower comfort zones on the gender spectrum and so they often stick to more binary expressions of their personal identity. In short, your mileage may not only vary, but everybody gets different mileage.

[abby054]

When one of my Army buddies asked the best general that we ever served with why we were doing something seemingly just for show that did not make sense at the time, he replied with a straight face, because I like it that way. So you ask me why I cross dress? Because I like it that way.

BTW, that general is now age 94. Though he lost his hair long before I first met him, he still has his horse sense and his sense of humor.

[Paula_56]

Cross-dressing is a coping mechanism to help me deal with being transgender

[Bobbi46]

I dress 24/7 now because I discovered from asking many people that I was born to be this way and knowing that gave me a purpose in life and a very big feeling of peace. I cannot remember the last time I was in drab. I now go for blood tests & Dr"s appointments as Bobbi.
Those days of feeling nervous of worrying about what people think or will I get stared at or whatever, but now? not any more. I am content with how I dress now and life is just normal as it was before except I am out an,d about as "Bobbi" and not my old drab self.
Dressing for me is not a desire or a need to dress or a thrill (it was never a thrill) it just became a natural way of life for me. Its been a long journey but a pleasant one.

[TheHiddenMe]

We all have different reasons although some have similar stories.

At 6 or 7 I wanted to try on a dress. 55 years later, I still do.

At around 14 I tried on my sister's pantyhose, and all of the sudden I was erupting, if you know what I mean.

These days I dress and go out and still like seeing myself in dresses and other feminine attire. I have a couple of GG friends I met while going out and I like doing things with them. I still like the feel of nylons on my legs and wearing heels. I do get "stimulation" from the idea of going out (as opposed to while I'm actually dressed).

At this point, dressing is just part of whom I am.

[Christina89]

I used to dress for the thrill. But now I dress cause its who I am. Christina has become a part of me. She's me when I need to get away and push away my stress. She's stress free.

[Danielle_cder]

Probably because I get to wear big boobs lol

[LindaSheer]

Life long sexual gratification habit. It's not an everyday occurrence. At my advanced elderly age, it has really slowed down to once or twice a week to dress up . :battingeyelashes:

[Angela Marie]

I dress to bring out my feminine side; which has become stronger over the years. Actually I think it was always there but repressed. Dressing allows me to experience the full range of the female experience.

[Bea_]

I'd say that I dress to extend my masculinity in the direction I see as its natural inclination. I don't feel like a woman. I am not trying to "attract" anyone, although I do wish my wife found me to be attractive in the clothes I like.

[wendy]

When I first CD, it was out of curiousity. I saw my mom's pantys, I felt them, and it felt very smooth, almost silky. I was 5 at the time, and I compared the feeling of the pantys to my own tighty whiteys. My tighty whiteys were coarse, harsh feeling while the pantys were smooth and soft. So I tried them on and it felt amazing against the skin.

As some have mentioned, in my early years and teens, it was more about gratification than anything else. Fast forward years later, and being Wendy is a part of me. I simply enjoy being in woman mode and truth be told, I could do it days on end (unfortunately I can't). Unlike my days as a teen, I now have home, work, and financial obligations and all that takes a stressful toll on me. When I begin my transformation to Wendy, it is a form of stress relief. I focus 110% on makeup, way I dress, accessories like jewellery, wig, all in an effort to look as close as a girl as possible. I feel more at peace and I can feel my stress level actually decrease when I am fully dressed as Wendy. I am actually enjoying life and putting those drab stressors on hold.

[Mia_799]

Wow! So much feedback and so many different motives for dressing but this does give me a good idea where I align. Some of you really just love clothes, don?t mind your male features and some of you are more feminine in the sense of wanting female attributes and enjoy seeing it in the mirror to those who are trans and deal with the dysphoria that way. It?s quite the spectrum and is very revealing to crossdressing in general as well as for myself.

I don?t think of categories as the same as ones identity. I believe it?s important to know yourself and your desires as well as the meaning behind them. For me, it?s not a kink and not sexual. At times I feel like a girl and want a curvy body but for now will enjoy the nice clothes, wigs and makeup I recently bought.

Many thanks for sharing!

[caitlyn louisa]

Dressing up is still a big thrill for me. I also really enjoy when female sales assistants suspect that I'm buying clothes and make up for myself while shopping in drab. That's fun and always makes my heart bear faster. Another thrill is being dressed up at Halloween and girls suggest that I'm either enjoying it too much or suggest that I dress up when its not Halloween. Such fun!

[Sc0rp10N]

For me, it's simple-

1- fun and
2- gratification without guilt

I've always loved costumes, Halloween, acting, etc. If I'm playing a role, I can "be" that character and do what the character would and not feel like I'm crossing a line.

[StephanieM]

It started with sexual gratification and evolved to something much deeper as I got older.

- - - Updated - - -

Because it feels good, because I feel like I am m true self and I like it.

[JustineFallow]

Hello, Mia! I've read everyone else's replies and there are bits and pieces from all that apply, in my case, as to why I dress up. I started *really* early: my mother has pictures of me wearing a pair or two of her pantyhose in my crib! All the time after that I had a real yen for pantyhose and for the life of me I can't tell you what the attraction was and still is!

I started raiding my mom's wardrobe as a young teen, wanting to explore the whole gamut of women's clothes, especially while I was still small enough to fit into the majority of her stuff. And she always dressed to the nines for her job, so I was on cloud nine. Much later on we discussed it, and I apologized for having used her stuff without permission, explaining that I had neither the money, knowledge, transportation, nor above all the *guts* to procure my own things (no sisters, either). She said she wasn't pleased at the time, but rationalized it by knowing that I wasn't hurting anyone. Except for putting runs in her nylons and stretching out her bras--GAHHH!

As I started living on my own, I branched out to make-up, wigs, and breast forms, and began to enjoy it more thoroughly now that I had complete privacy. It was always sexual, I think, even as a youngster, but I just didn't get that at the time. Then I, uh... figured things out, shall we say! I also grew to understand that it was and is a spectacular stress reliever. It's almost impossible for me to be depressed or anxious while in "Justine mode", and a former girlfriend noted that I was flirtier and more relaxed when we'd go to fetish events. Certainly when I catch a glimpse of myself all dolled up in a mirror, I see myself with a big smile!

Do I want to transition? Oh, *hell* no. I'm strictly into the look and feel, not to mention the smell of makeup and perfume, and the faint taste of lipstick when I inhale. It would be interesting, though, to have real breasts, a small waist, a round behind, hips, and even the other important female features to really fill out the clothes (if I could have Christina Hendricks' body, I'd have a riot!). But breast forms and silicon butt/hip pads are a nice substitute.

[DianeT]

Mia, there are two ways to answer your question, because there are two "whys": a crossdresser will generally be able to tell what he likes and how he feels when he does it. That's his reason for dressing. But he won't be able to explain why he likes what he likes or feels what he feels. That last answer is the CD's philosophical stone. Or should I say the SO's, because I never really looked into it until I had to explain it to my wife, in an attempt to reconnect the man she knew with the new one that crossdresses.

[Brandie.n]

For me I have a very active imagination and I like to play dress up so crossdressing was a natural fit for me. Plus its a new hobby

[Lacey New]

I wish I knew why I crossdress and I have been looking for the exact answers for years. I have my own theory that pertains to me only. I first put on a pair of panties when I was a young teenager, perhaps 13 or 14. It was sexually exciting. Because it enhanced masturbstion. Because putting on panties was rewarded with a pleasant experience, I did it over and over and looked forward to time when I could do it. Eventually, I thought I would try.more lingerie and that was exciting too. So, even later in life, wearing women?s clothing became my substitute for actual sex with a woman. Eventually it just became a comfortable experience.

[Lea]

For me it is sevral things.

My mother wanted a girl. She dressed me as a girl until I had to attend school. That started my dressing. I have a deep desire to try and expierence what women experience and that involves dressing.

When I am dressed I fell complete as I know it is part of who I am.

[josie_S]

Probably because I get to wear big boobs lol

hahaha it's for a variety of reasons that have already been stated here but Danielle is right on the money for me as well ;)

[mikayla1964]

Well it's just who I am. And actually probably one of my best parts. To be or not to be. That is the biggest question of them all. Everyone had their own reasons. Some are similar to others snd some might just be out in the left field. But the ultimate reason is to be happy and love ourselves for who we are.

[Breeheels]

I dress because I feel its due to my autism.

[Jeanettew]

I do it because I believe a guy should be able to wear a skirt if he wants to without retribution

[Jenn A116]

I have no more reason that I enjoy doing it.

[Barbara Jo]

FWIW....

Many female enjoy wearing feminine female clothes also and their enjoyment borders on a sort of sexual excitement.

Let me explain it this way....
In the early '60s is was very common for most females to wear stockings and then... panty hose ..
At this time I had a GF living with me.
However, pantyhose was prone to damage and "runs"

Then there was a special pantyhose wash that strengthened the panty hose and prevented "runs". It actually worked as advertised.
However, my GF hated the special wash as the pantyhose did not feel the same. She further explained that without the special wash, pantyhose feel sexy but not after the wash.
Most females evidently felt the same because sales we so low that it was soon taken off the market .

Fact is, many female love to wear feminine clothes that make them feel feminine and sexy .
Now it's a given that male sexuality and female sexually are different. Female do no have an erect penis to deal with for one thing when they feel sexually aroused .

Consider that Dolly Parton has often said the if she was not born a female, she would love to be a drag queen because she loves feminine clothes and female accessories so much.

So what is wrong with a male who is gender dysphoric feeling sexy and being aroused when wearing feminine clothes?

[katewithcurves]

I found an adult movie in my parents? closet when I was about 13. Watching it I found I was envious of what the woman riding cowgirl on the screen was feeling. I started dressing to imagine I was her. If I could wave a magic wand and have it be real I would do so in a heartbeat.

[Rachel05]

back in the early days, I used the sexual gratification story in my own head to try and make me feel better about what I was doing, over the years I realised it was actually nothing to do with sexual gratification at all and that I loved to dress because I love to dress and it is very much part of me, now I do it because I love to do it, I love how I feel and never have a day when I feel bad about myself for being for dressing, plenty of days when I feel bad, because for one reason or another I can't dress

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Mia :hugs: :hugs:, It is just who I am, and it is just who I am.

I have been in this program for almost 74 years now, >Orchid .oO:daydreaming:Oo.

[Chloe_S]

I?m happy when I can dress and not happy when I cant.

[Denice]

It was an urge for most of my life. About three years ago I gave in, and have been happier for that. My signature is the reason I tell myself why I cross dress.

[Sporco]

I am TG so its about the only time I feel comfortable in my own skin. Even when in guy mode I have something on underneath.

[kendracd]

For me it did indeed start as a sexual thing but since has developed into a lifestyle that I feel is totally me,

[nancy58]

For me it began as a means of sexual gratification, but I was deeply ashamed of it and didn't come out to myself until I was 46 years old and a married parent. In the explorations that followed, I found that it isn't always about sexual gratification for me, although that may still be at the root of it. Although I identify as male and basically crossdress for pleasure, I also sometimes feel the way you do and wish there were a magic way I could live the rest of my life as a woman without blowing up what I have. I have actually lived for the last five years with my things mostly sitting in the closet unused, and only in the last few months have I returned to thinking about the issue a lot. I've been working with a therapist to sort things out.

Finding the right path for yourself will take a lot of work and introspection, and if you can manage to find a therapist to help you, it should be less confusing and troublesome. You will need to do this anyway even if you ultimately determine that you want to live as a female full-time. Good luck, and stay in touch!

[Naomi18]

Hi Mia!
My mom used to paint our fingernails and toenails to keep us quiet. We were raised by her and our grandmother. The male role models were all terrible examples of abuse to me. As a teen, I would wear my mothers pantyhose. It was arousing, indeed.
I crossdress now because I enjoy it. I enjoy female clothing because it is softer and feels better to me. There are more color choices and much more variety in female clothing.
I agree that CD feels good and makes me feel like a girl. I enjoy being feminine even if I am in a male body. It is part of me, and I relate more to the female in me than to the male.

[Misty_cder]

It started as a sexual thing for me when I was younger putting on my mothers leotards and tights. It then grew into enjoying how women's clothing felt, from the materials to the many different styles that were not found in men's clothing. Presently, I find dressing gives me a calming feeling. While I cannot openly dress at home at the moment due to COVID lockdowns, I do find pleasure in matching my undergarments with what I'm going to wear for the day.

[mbmeen12]

I am curious why people here dress up.

When I see see "NEW" members post questions which have been discussed and asked previously on this of forum of Q/A...I sometimes wonder if there is a College student doing gender studies paper or someone new doing a hit and run though the pink fog lol?

Mia your last post was 9/26, did you get your answers?

[Erin Lafleur]

Hello all,
It's been a very long time since I've been on the site and I hope this note finds you all well. My previous living arrangements were such that dressing was more or less out of the question so unfortunately, I didn't have much to share. I'm happy to report that things have changed for me and I can now dress head to toe for days if I choose and without any fear of "getting caught" (which is a really oppressive term for just doing what comes naturally and hurts no one). It is such a liberating experience for me and really, you folks are the only ones on God's green earth that I can share this wonderful news with and who will understand just how exciting this is to be on the cusp of such freedom. It is difficult to overstate the significance of something that I have waited my entire life to do. I really can't wait for my bras (already received those, very pretty), panties, boobs, wig, slips, stockings and skirts to arrive... I may just mug the Amazon driver!
Anyway, the question at hand. The "why" I dress question has truthfully never been a big question in my life. I know that there are many theories and likely many of them have merit in one way or another but I really don't give it much thought. I just know that I truly enjoy it for what it is and simply leave it at that. Like many of you, I started at a very young age sneaking into my mother's drawer and trying on her panties, slips and bras. I was much too young to be sexualized (had no idea what sex even was) but I do recall becoming aroused and feeling a bit "funny." Whatever it was, it felt good and that initial feeling has never left me even decades on.
As I grew older, I wondered why it felt so good and thought that maybe in was the fabric itself against my skin that felt so good. So I bought a few pairs of silk boxers. Nothing.
If it doesn't have pretty lace, ribbons or bows on it, I'm not interested. The more feminine the clothes are, the more I like them. I'm not quite at the sissy stage of the spectrum (and kudos to those who are and btw, I abhor that term) but I certainly understand the attraction as I love the frills and lace and that certainly works for this gal!
Anyway, it's lovely to converse with you all again. I expect that I will be doing more of it now that I have something to share at long last!