Have You Ever Felt Uncomfortable In The Men's Department?

[melissacd]

Now here is a reversal if I ever did see one. I had not purchased any men's clothes for at least a year. Whenever I go shopping for clothes I these days I go to the women's department and in fact feel quite at ease doing so.

The other day I noticed that most of my t-shirts were threadbare and my male shoes were falling apart. I begrudgingly went off to replace them. While I was wandering in the men's department I felt very uncomfortable, as if I were in some foreign land and I felt like people were staring at me. The feelings were very real. I realized how silly I was being because I am sure that no one was staring at me there anymore than they would in the women's department. I just felt that way.

It is strange how we can get so immersed in this thing that we do that our mental processes start to change. Most perplexing.

[Angela Burke]

Mellisa,
Were you dressed as a woman on your trip to the mens dept.?

[melissacd]

No I was dressed as a man in the men's department. I was just commenting on that it had been so long since I shopped for men's clothes that I felt uncomfortable and like I was in the wrong place. It was all very odd.

[Angela Burke]

I cant say I've ever felt uncomfortable in the mens dept. In fact the last time I bought anything I had a laugh with a very attractive and cheeky female sales assistant.

[lynnmcarthur]

I really hadn't thought about it but I always feel uncomfo0rtable in the men's department

[TGMarla]

No. But I feel a little disappointed that I have to be shopping in the men's dept. At least for items for myself. :sad:

[Chari]

Melissa, I too feel a bit uncomfortable at times when I shop in a mens department and think of myself as a sister or girlfriend shopping for a guys gift even though the item is for my male side. IMO the mens fashions and fabrics have been the same for too many years forcing most guys to dress alike regardless of their age or status. Isn't it strange that it's OK if GGs wear guys clothes, but if guys wear anything femme, the public calls the police!

Enjoy life, Chari

[Lisa Rose]

I rarely even stop and look but the quickest way into the mall is thru Macy's Men's dept. A particular shirt caught my eye on the way out so I very nervously stopped and looked. They wanted $60 for this very thin cotton shirt.

What are they thinking? I can buy two wonderful Spring Dresses for that much money.

[EnglishRose]

If I could work up the courage, I'm sure I'd be browsing the women's sections for hours. However with men's clothing I'm the stereotype: grab and pay!

[jessielee]

have always felt like a fraud, an imposter. have to remnd myself, just act normal, you look normal, its natural to be shopping in the mens department. only showing conspicuity will make you stand out!
oh, the pressure,
jessie

[shannonsilk]

I have rarely shopped in the men's department. Very few things fit me. I'm over in the boys'. Talk about lack of selection-well...unless you want to look like a boy.Ha ha
I'm a bit old for thtat look.

[Kate Simmons]

Not really Melissa. They are only clothes after all. Nothing to do with who we are inside.:)

[joann07]

Women shop for men's clothes all the time so it's not uncommon.
Because of that, I wouldn't be embarrased because I'm assuming that they think I'm shopping for a BF, SO, guy friend, or whomever.

Hugs!

[ChanDelle]

No, not uncomfortable, just don't particularly like men's clothing. I especially hate men's suits. But I do like women's suits--go figure. I only go there when I have to as I, too, find the clothing boring, shoes drab and uninspiring. I'm not a particularly snazzy male mode dresser as I just don't feel inspired by male clothing. My wife tries to get me there when we are shopping but only rarely will I comply.

ChanDelle

[Barbara Joanne74]

I too am more comfortable shopping for my girl cloths than in the mens department. Give me a Victoria Secret store full of married men as I am shopping en drab anytime before I have to go into the mens department....thank goodness my wife does my mensware shopping for me...:battingeyelashes:

[Nicole Erin]

No, not uncomfortable, just don't particularly like men's clothing. I especially hate men's suits.

Hmm I thought only I hated men's suits.

I am not nervous in the men's dept, but I still hate being there. Men's clothes SO suck! Especially the socks and underwear, there is always a photo of some thin goofy guy grinning on the package.

In most stores I don't even know where the men's crap is.

BLEH!

[KandisTX]

No. But I feel a little disappointed that I have to be shopping in the men's dept. At least for items for myself. :sad:

I am right there with you girlfriend. I so would rather be shopping for my suits in the womens section. (I HIGHLY doubt my work would understand CDing at all. They would accept it of course, but I doubt they would truly understand it).

Kandis:love::rose2:

[joann07]

Hmm I thought only I hated men's suits.

I am not nervous in the men's dept, but I still hate being there. Men's clothes SO suck! Especially the socks and underwear, there is always a photo of some thin goofy guy grinning on the package.

In most stores I don't even know where the men's crap is.

BLEH!

Yeah. Men's clothes suck and are boring. :rasp:
I'm rarely in the men's department for than 10 minutes because I can find what I need in a flash, but when I'm in the women's department it's like being a kid in a candy store. :GD:
There's so many different styles of clothes, you can spend hours upon hours browsing and trying all the lastest in fashion. :)
Now, I understand why women take sooooooooooo long to shop.

Hugs!

[Joanne f]

I would not say that i was uncomfortable in the men's department as i never seam to go there , well that is until today :eek: as like you i found that i was in real need of some jeans and tea shirts for the summer just in case i need them, i made up for it thou as i also got 2 pairs of fem trousers (pants) :D

joanne

[SherriePall]

There's a men's department?

[Shelly Preston]

My first thought is why am I in this department wasting my money :sad:


Sometimes we dont have a choice :cry:

[melissacd]

Wow this is so cool, I love all of your responses.

The point that I was trying to make and I did not state this correctly so I will try adding more and see what happens.

Up until a few years ago I always shopped in the men's department and I would never have shopped in the women's department because I would have been too nervous, too afraid that I would be discovered as a cross dresser (go figure), Eventually, as I came to accept my cross dressing side, I became very comfortable with shopping in the women's department to the point where that was the only place that I would go.

The part that I found very odd was when the other day I was shopping in the men's department I felt oddly uncomfortable in the same manner as I used to feel when I shopped in the women's department. I just felt that to be a very strange turn of events. Yes I agree that it sucks to shop in the men's department, I hate it. But there are times, because I still have to live in male mode at times, that I need to go there and get some things. It just felt very uncomfortable this time, as if I were doing something wrong and as if people were staring at me for being there.

[Kate Simmons]

It's funny Melissa, I was thinking this very thing when you were here and we were at Sears that day. Geez, maybe if the guy clothes were a little more colorful, we would really not be so hesitant. I mean when we were kids they had all kinds of neat colors for boys and when my boys were little, they had all of these neat underoos and things.

I was just looking at some pics of the Dauphins of France (heir apparants). I come from French nobility, so I was wondering just how much of this may be in my jeans (!).Some of those guys looked pretty hot in their dresses and wigs and stuff. You call this progress? Ah, for the good old days, sword in one hand, petticoat in the other.:heehee:

[KellyCD]

I feel uncomfortable for the sheer fact that I can NEVER find ANYTHING I like in the men's dept.

Their just isn't that much variety in mens clothes.

Shirts with logo's and stupid stuff on it.

Shirts, Plain

Jeans with stupid stuff all over them

Jeans, Plain

That about covers it.

But I only really have the PX to shop at on post, those of you who know...they only have the baggiest, saggiest clothes. But if you don't want to dress ghetto well then your screwed.

[Joy Carter]

To slightly change the subject. Ive always wanted to be in the girls/women's department buying clothes, when I had to be in the men's. :phbbt:

[Kayla_CD]

I always enjoy shopping for clothes. It isn't really a big thing for me if I 'm in the mens or the ladies, although I'm not yet totally confident in the ladies. The thing about men's clothes for me is that I'm very metro in my male dress. I can choose jeans that make my ass look good, dress shirts that are nicely fitted, t-shirts that are good and tight. The atmosphere for shopping for androgynous or "gay" clothes is so open now, I love it.

I guess what it boils down to is that I want to look sexy as a man or a woman.

[Daintre]

I am not uncomfortable, mostly disappointed in color, choice, and style........boring. When you are lager like I am then it is only the basics that are available, I much prefer the clothes in the ladies section.

[victoriamwilliams1]

Hey it get worst, I know all of my female clothes sizes and I have no clue to my male sizes! I Find it easier myself to shop in the womens department and I buy minor items such as hose and a few outfits as my male self and now I am beginning to shop more en fem and that I find interesting, I have not done the fitting rooms yet.

[Helen MC]

I have no problem with male outer clothing but male underpants, especially Y-Fronts and Boxer Shorts make me go PUKE!

[Stargirl]

If I saw a guy in the corner wearing a trenchcoat...flashing me.....and he was reallllllllly hairy.

[KateSpade83]

I have no problem shopping in the mens section, it just that I prefer women's clothes more. I don't see why a man's suit should be worth more than $400, sometimes expensive men's suits look similar to thrift store stuff! Plus men's suits are so boring! And it very hard to find small sizes, like less than a 36 R and 28 pants! I prefer skirt suits a lot and they are so varied and look tons better! I now recently bought a $100 man's suit, and that's all I ever need for interviews! I'd actually prefer to interview in a skirt suit if that were possible!

[gennee]

I hardly pay attention to men's clothes now. It's the total opposite of what I used to do. I find so much more variety in the women's department. I still buy some men's clothes but I could shop all day in the women's department.

Gennee

:)

[melissacd]

I was thinking more about this discomfort that I had and I finally figured out why I felt that way. I realized that 90% of the male clothes that I have my ex purchased for me. I always hated shopping for male clothes and so - the aha moment - I was paralyzed because I do not know what my sizes are in male world. I understand women's clothing to a T but I do not understand male clothing styles and sizes and so on...of course since my ex and I had the falling out she no longer buys my clothes (makes sense since we are no longer together) and my male stuff is wearing out and needs to be replaced and I am lost in buying those things. Shame on me for allowing her to buy most of my stuff for 25 years. So the fear and anxiety I was feeling was because I did not know what to do.

Mystery solved! Thanks for all your wonderful replies.


:eek:

[JackieS]

I used to feel the same way when I shopped for women's clothes. I was sure everyone was watching me. Now, I don't really care if they are. The sales people certainly don't care, they just want to make the sale. With my trepidation asuaged, I found I was able to enjoy the experience much more. Instead of looking over my shoulder all the time, I was able to truly experience the wonder of women's clothing.

So, when I go to the men's department, I feel empty. There is nothing there for me that in the least way interests me. Yes, there are times when I have to buy male clothes, but they are so boring, that I make the experience as quick and painless as possible. I can't say I have felt uncomfortable doing it, just not interested in prolonging the pain anymore than necessary. Then its back to the world I enjoy:-)

[Alana65]

No, not uncomfortable, just don't particularly like men's clothing. I especially hate men's suits. But I do like women's suits--go figure. I only go there when I have to as I, too, find the clothing boring, shoes drab and uninspiring. I'm not a particularly snazzy male mode dresser as I just don't feel inspired by male clothing. My wife tries to get me there when we are shopping but only rarely will I comply.

ChanDelle

ChanDelle,

You echo my thoughs exactly.

[Fanny]

I think this shows that your identity is starting to hinge on your female rather than your male persona. I have felt the same. Frankly,I liked the feeling.

[Rachel Morley]

Men's department? ... I know this might sound fake, but I honestly never go there. I have a few male t-shirts and long sleeved tops that my Mother sent me in the mail for my birthday and Christmas over the years, and I sometimes wear these to work, but I never wear men's clothes at any other time. I never have a reason to go in the mens department.

Actually I take that back. About a year ago I was in the male department when I was shopping with my wife Marla because she had to get some jeans for her 17 year old son. Like you, it was not a good feeling at all. I totally felt like a "fish out of water" ... I definitely felt like this place was not for me!

[EnglishRose]

Women shop for men's clothes all the time so it's not uncommon.


They certainly do. I always see them wandering the racks, usually more numerous than men, and think to myself, "Damnit! Why can't I get the courage to reverse the situation and wander to the ladies' racks?" :)

[Mitch23]

I agree with you Melissa - my wife took me guy shopping a few weeks ago and it felt really strange - I was on the opposite side of the store to where I normally shop and I felt self-conscious

Mitch