What clues do you give?

[Cristi]

There is another thread on this site about spotting other crossdressers and it made me think about how easy it would be for anybody to guess that *I* am a CD when I'm not dressed.

I started to think about the 'clues' I might be giving off:
Long hair (down my back)
Pierced ears and earrings 24/7
Shaved legs and arms
Plucked eyebrows (not much...but enough)

I wonder if this is enough to give me away to somebody 'in the know'.

OK, to be fair there are probably a few things that counteract the clues.
TERRIBLE fingernails and toenails (I just can't keep them nice)
Lots of bruises, cuts and scrapes from active sports.
Not the best wardrobe in male mode (most people would probably think "A crossdresser would probably dress better than THAT!")

What clues might YOU be giving off, even when you aren't dressed?

[Kristen Marie]

Perhaps my eyebrows also. They are nicely shaped for a change rather than bushy. Also, when I shop in guy mode, I try to look like I know what I amdoing rather than trying to look lost and bewildered.

[Jenna Lynne]

Long hair.

Oddly enough, I have no leg hair at all. I did when I was younger, but somehow it all went away. I've never had a hormone workup, so I have no idea why ... possibly my body produces female hormones or something. I don't think it's Native American ancestry, because I have none that I know of.

The point being, when I go to the gym I wear shorts. Nobody has ever commented on my completely hairless legs. I'm sure when I get my ears pierced (sometime this fall) the combination of long hair, clean legs, and pierced ears will produce an impression.

But who cares?

What I'm wishing is that if someone were to come up to me while I'm being a guy and say, "Gee, you look kind of like a woman, a little," I'd have the courage to smile and say, "Oh, thanks!"

***Jenna Lynne***

[sterling12]

My shaved legs, my shaved chest. My nearly hairless arms, my preoccupation with hanging out around The Lingerie Department at Penny's! It's like the words to the old song, "these foolish things remind me of you."

Seriously, 99.9% of the people in The World are so preoccupied and unobservant; I could have a neon sign over my head that proclaimed: "This is a crossdresser!" And, they still wouldn't figure it out.

Peace and Love, Joanie

[docrobbysherry]

Zero, nada, nyet, zip, nunca, unless u count catching me dressed!

[CD Susan]

I am always putting out clues that I am a cd. I do this in hopes that other cd,s will pick up on this and say something to me. The most obvious thing is my long and meticulously minicured fingernails. They are always about 1/4" past my finger tips and have clear nail polish on them. Another clue I try to send is my plucked eye brows. They are thin and have that feminine look to them. Most of the time I am wearing a bra under my guy t-shirt and like to show just a hint of bra straps if one looks closely. So far no one has said anything to me. I think some people have noticed but chose to ignore it. This is a good reason to go out dressed en femme, those who pick up on it just don't care and don't say a thing about it. I am cool with this but want to know where are all the other cd's out there?

[Sharon B.]

I have to say I also have a hairless body with nipples that stand out more than what a normal male would have.
I also use hair dye to keep that gray out of my hair.
I also like using scented soap and wear perfume out and about.

[Bev06 GG]

Hi Crisi,
For someone in the know the smallest of things could be a dead give away. Of course for someone who wasn't particularly looking for something and didn't suspect a thing you would have to present yourself almost dressed before the truth smacked them in the face.
I can tell a mile off but then I have been involved in the CD community for years.
Take care
Bev

[Stormgirl]

No clues here, in fact, I have surprised a few GGs in the past.

[angelfire]

I don't show any signs. I am probably the last man on earth you'd expect.

[Carroll]

Earings are not a clue unless you are wearing femme style earings. I have two piercings in each ear.
I f I am not paying attention, my walk can hint a bit.
One other thing that might hint that I CD is saying that Thinks like "Do you have that dress in my size?":D

[tanya3]

Let me see , how about a nearly hairless body , both ears pierced , a great tan , very slim body ( but shapley ) and of course trimmed eye brows .

[TommiTN]

Let's see. I'm very slender, but a bit tall to be a GG (6' in my stockings). Shaved legs (the hair on my lower legs pretty much wore away years ago and was never much in the first place), shaved underarms (hair is pretty sparse there, too), hair on forearms trimmed short and again, fine and sparse. Sparse chest hair that I keep shaved. Sparse eyebrows, but not shaped. Soft skin due to regular use of fem skin care products. Certain mannerisms such as holding a ciggy between my fingertips instead of beteen the first and second knuckles back. A propensity to be more emotional than a "normal" male usually is (I have been known to cry at sad movie scenes, for instance). If I sit here long enough I could think of a lot more "signs", but I have to go make breakfast now.

One more thing: When I sit I keep my knees together. If I cross my legs it's always knee over knee the way a GG does it, never ankle over knee the way a typical man would.

[victoriamwilliams1]

I know I do not give off clues, I do not shave my face smooth until I dress, I keep my legs saved and arm hair shaved and I wear shorts. The clues you gave would not make me think your a CD. I know some would say metro-sexual.

[Samantha43]

I don't give any clues.

Unless you consider shopping in the makeup section a clue. :)

[Lilith Moon]

I started to think about the 'clues' I might be giving off:
Long hair (down my back)
Pierced ears and earrings 24/7
Shaved legs and arms
Plucked eyebrows (not much...but enough)

I wonder if this is enough to give me away to somebody 'in the know'.



All of those plus...

I recently gave a demo of Second Life to a few family members...my SL Avatar is female. Together with the above clues, I was expecting some sort of questioning and was almost prepared to out myself.

Their response ? "Hey cool avatar, love the dress !"

And that was all :heehee:

[joann07]

I shave my legs pretty much every day and whenever I wear shorts I really don't think about it and just go about my normal business or activity.
I've been around family, friends, and ordinary people and I don't try to make it obvious so I just let things be and if they notice fine.

Like what Joanie (Stering12) said, "99.9% of the people in The World are so preoccupied and unobservant" that they don't really notice unless you make a big deal out of it or act suspicious.


Hugs!

[Joanne f]

I suppose i might give the odd clue,

plucked eyebrows

some times mascara
eye shadow and liner
nail varnish
studs in the ears usually colored
the way i look at skirts and dress`s in the shops ,


joanne :fairy2:

[Shelly67]

If I still had my hair ( worst thing i did was cut it off ...think of Robert Plant - thats how mine was ) then I think I,d be a walking give away ..!
My arms , legs and eyebrows are shaven and trimmed ....my nails are long .
had the odd remark at work , but ...well ...what the heck ?

[Empress Lainie]

The clues I unwittingly give are what might out me as a tranny. My voice which I am fairly careful of, and which usually is no problem.

I was very wicked yesterday when I got gas. I had been in there for a few minutes talking to the counter lady and a guy, both of which assumed me to be a gg.

When I left, the counter girl said the pumps are ready now, sir. The sir was really not directed to me, but an automatic thing, I have had others tell me they do.

So I could not resist. I said: Ma'am please, I have been a woman now for 2 years (really 14months!). You should have seen the look on her face.:devil:

[Charlene Ogden]

Your basic personality can give you away.
I'm not gay but ever since I was young, SOME people have sensed something different about me.
Certain women at the hosiery counter or a makeup store can smell me a mile away even though I say that I'm shopping for my wife.
One time, I WAS shopping for my wife and the salesgirl was extremely persistant in claiming that the merchandise was for me.

[Veronica 1]

Well, my low rise hipphugger jeans, wearing 7 rings and 2 necklaces, runners with very slight pink accents, totally hairless body, shaped brows, clear polish, and definetely my walk. I practiced it so much that it became normal, but no one has said anything yet.

[jennifer41356]

Clue?....Col Mustard with the lead pipe in the Study:D:D:D

[PhillyGuy2Girl]

The only clues I might give when I'm in guy mode is my shaved legs and under my arms. When I'm wearing my guy shorts & tank tops,no one really notices. The two GG's lifeguards at the pool who are in their 20's are the only ones who I think noticed,but I don't think they would say anything.

Felicity :)

[tamarav]

I had to think about this one. Since I am rarely in guy mode and out with others, I don't feel that I give off any clues. I don't wear any earrings or have polsihed nails and I don't wear shorts.

So, no clues.

[AliciaWeb]

Not enough hair left to be a clue but I always have long finger nails, epilated legs, arms and pits. Probably lots of signals in the way I move, stand and sit, i.e. totaly undetectable by most people.

[Cristi]

One other thing that might hint that I CD is saying that Thinks like "Do you have that dress in my size?":D

yeah, I've made comments like 'Those shoes must be KILLING her feet' when out with the guys... not the best thing to say if you don't want to arouse any suspicions!!:eek:


SL Avatar is female.

I think that so many guys play female characters in gaming now that it is a non-issue like pierced ears.... it doesn't even raise an eyebrow.

[PaulaMea]

Unless I'm kidding myself, I give not a clue. When I'm in guy mode, I am very much a guy. I look so different as Paula, I suspect I could walk right past about anyone who knows me without them knowing.

[Kim_Bitzflick]

I barly had any clues BUT when my sister & I spent the day together, about three hours into it, she asked me if my nails were painted (I had clear on them). Then I went to her house a few weeks later & she commented on my nails and her husband commented on my shaved legs.

Other than that, no one has said anything. So I think that people notice, but most don't say anything.

[gerry]

I'm shaved from neck to toe, I wear my hair very femininely, plucked eyebrows, I carry a purse, long nails with clear polish, I walk rather feminine, oh and I love flirting with the guys. :battingeyelashes:

[Karren H]

My super thin eye brows are a dead give away if anyone would think about it.. Funny one episode of Law and Order CI ddetective Goren surmised that the suspect was a transvestite because he plucked his eyebrows!!! Guilt as charged!! Hahahaha

[jennifer easton]

Evidently enough, my GF sister pic up on them and ask me two weeks ago at the bar we hang at, after some comments on girly undies that I made, if I was more comfortable wearing womens clothing, actually she told me that she knew that I liked wearing them, I shave my arms, legs, wear short-shorts and girly tennies some times, must do more, anyway she knew!

[Di]

Hi Crisi,
For someone in the know the smallest of things could be a dead give away. Of course for someone who wasn't particularly looking for something and didn't suspect a thing you would have to present yourself almost dressed before the truth smacked them in the face.
I can tell a mile off but then I have been involved in the CD community for years.
Take care
Bev

I have to agree with Bev being around the community I pick up on things all the time too........but really anyone else would never put two and two together.

[Lois1234]

Pretty much the same as others here, the long hair, long nails with clear on them, shaped brows, hairless legs, arms, chest and other areas that most don't see as well as litlle facial hair (laser) and of course, mannerisims. I mostly hang out with the girls in my neighbourhood, going to all the candle parties and such however when ever there is a deck or fence to be built, the guys come knocking and don't mind my quirks.

Lois

[Tracii G]

I guess my walk and the fact I wear womens jeans all the time. Rings and bracelets are a dead give away.I'm cool with that.

[Deborah Jane]

Nothing at all....
In fact in guy mode i,m the complete opposite of how i appear here!! [The advantage of multiple personalties i guess :heehee:]

[Shelly Preston]

Nothing at all....
In fact in guy mode i,m the complete opposite of how i appear here!! [The advantage of multiple personalties i guess :heehee:]



Who said that :heehee:


I dont know if I give clues out but I try not too

[Deborah Jane]

Who said that :heehee:



He did
No i didn,t
Yes you did
I never..I never come in here
You,re always sneaking in here when you think i,m not about
I,m going down the pub
Good....Shut the door on your way out....Pig!!!

[gerry]

To further comment, I rarely dress in a guy mode. But further, even when I'm dressed less feminine, I'm always a woman on the inside. :heehee:

[chrissy hamilton]

The way I stare too long at the dress racks, the way I steal glances at women's magazines when I think no one is looking, the way I will cross my legs and bounce my foot without knowing it, the way I shake the hair out of my face. Sometimes it seems like I giving off so many signals and I have to concentrate to stop it.

[Melora]

In guy mode which is most of the time..
I have natural long hair, But I am a Gothic/Heavy metal type, Soo NO Problem.
My arms are shaved, which look GREAT when shaven but not soo good when the stubble comes out= Maybe a giveaway??
My eyebrows are trimmed, wich I think every normal self respecting Man should do, as they do tend to become kinda unrouly over time.. Or at the very least I can call myself "kind of" Metrosexuall.. (yeah I hate the word too), except the long hair.
Melora/Katie

[Suzy Harrison]

Well apart from the hairless arms, legs, body - the tweezed and arched eyebrows, the smooth complextion ....

In fact two GGs at work who know, mentioned that they noticed my completion and the eyebrows.

[Deborah_UK]

Hi Crisi,
For someone in the know the smallest of things could be a dead give away. Of course for someone who wasn't particularly looking for something and didn't suspect a thing you would have to present yourself almost dressed before the truth smacked them in the face.
I can tell a mile off but then I have been involved in the CD community for years.
Take care
Bev


Yep - when someone "knows" (or finds out) then all the "clues" suddenly make sense, but until then people are invariably too wrapped up in themselves to put the jigsaw together.

Either that - or they are all talking behind my back and no-one has the wherewithawal to actually ask me!!

[Annaliese]

Thigh jeans low rise or slack low rise, that is all I own.
Make up at work
Girl watch all the time 24/7
Shaved arm and legs 365 days a year
Bra staps or cami showing
Mowing the lawn in short short and a T-back top.
Going to Wal-mart in short short with shaved legs.

[Carin]

My super thin eye brows are a dead give away if anyone would think about it.. Funny one episode of Law and Order CI ddetective Goren surmised that the suspect was a transvestite because he plucked his eyebrows!!! Guilt as charged!! Hahahaha
Unfortunately in that episode, he further concluded that the guy must have been traumatized as a child and had become a social deviant (in a bad way). And of course the writers played it out that way. That episode really pissed me off for the generalizations and assumptions implied in being a crossdresser.

But what clues do I give? Sometimes I wonder how people miss it. The shoulder purse, nail polish with a tint (french nails this weekend), eyebrows, pastel sweaters with pink undershirt shoulder straps showing, size 4 jeans really short fly zipper and that button the 'wrong' way, the long hair not tied back, eyeshadow, pretty necklace, ladies coach watch, bracelets, earrings. This is my normal everyday wear. Yet people look at my face and see guy. Informed observers would know in an instant. The uninformed are oblivious - or just don't care.

[Niya W]

Truley amazing, that people see what they want to see. Carin I just think that people out here are so caught up in their own little world, that they don't notice , or just don't care.

[darla_g]

you know in my case it is probably shaping a brow a little too thin and trying to keep my own nails a little long. i still want to present as a male every day. (i like my job and want to keep it)

[suspender]

Most have mentioned it. Its not the shaved legs, arms, pits and legs or occasional single painted nail. The brows are the giveaway, and its amazing how friendly GGs become when they see a good plucked brow. Even my SO told me when she saw for the first time I did a reasonable job. There here to stay.

[Ze xx]

This is an interesting thread.

Possibly as I live in London, seeing a bloke with groomed eyebrows and no body hair wouldn't necessarily make me think 'I'll bet he's called susan at the weekends' :battingeyelashes: I might think, that's a bit effeminate, or what a tart (as I do with Gavin Henson - Welsh Rugby player for those who don't know) :D But, not 'he must be a cd'

My SO didn't give off any clues that I picked up on at the time, but in retrospect he does like shopping more than I do, especially for shoes. Now I know that this is because we both have the same shoe size. He would always try my shoes on when I got them home, but I just thought it was a novelty thing.

[RachelDenise]

Really the only clue would be my shaped eyebrows and they are thinnish but not too thin. It's a start and I would guess someone would really have to be looking to ntoice because only the SO has ever commented.

[Keely]

Hmm, let's see. Plucked and trimmed brows, clear polish on my longish nails, short hair on arms, epilated or very short leg hair, toes polished, toe ring and then there are the unmentionables. Hardly any clues :heehee:

[Karen__Starr]

Most likely never needing to shave had electrolysis done on my face and chest other than that nothing as my hair is short, brows are light.

[Christie ann]

that one day, just 10 minutes in the back yard with a strappy top on. You know the kind that go over the shoulder and then connect together in the mid back making an angled line. Very cute and a bit obvious.

[suchacutie]

It's subtle, isn't it. The body has to be a little different if we are going to move from one gender to the other easily, but it can all be so subtle. If I didn't shape my eyebrows they'd be an inch wide and right across my forehead (they've grown as I've aged). Nice nails with a manicured look that's really matte-finish polish, but sometimes just buffed and then they are shinier! Then there is the moisturizing...our skin is just better than the normal male, especially for those of us who are older. Then there is the "no nose hair"..."no ear hair"...all that stuff that older men just ignor for the most part. Ok, so we might just get taken for men who look after ourselves well :).

tina

[Jamie14]

Not many clues...

Very little body hair
Neatly groomed eyebrows
Stockings (if really looking at ankles closely)
Maybe some leftover polish...and a little sway in my hips when I walk :)

You probably wouldn't suspect a thing though....

[Angie G]

All the same except the shaved arms. And I do have fairly nice fingernails :hugs:
Angie

[Margaret]

The only clue is the "monobutt" from the girdle I frequently wear under my drab gear. then again you would have to be a CD to notice, wouldn't you?

[glitrtoes]

I'm rarely in full guy mode, always something cause I love the mascara, shadow, and liner. Without that, I know some notice the eyebrows.

[kimmy p]

Hmmm let me think.... Shaved legs, arm pits, earrings 24/7, more than 1 pair of lady's shoes, pink shirts. Not much there. :o

[Selene EV]

I only wear womens jeans but like some of the other girls have said, nobody notices (I think). The one thing I do that might give me away is the body lotion I use. I always use Clinique Happy Body Lotion. I don't overdo it but there are plenty of times when I can smell it so I'm sure anyone who gets close to me can too.

[Lisa Golightly]

I really should not reply to this as I normally give the following statement in a Harry Enfield voice... "Sorry, I'm a Transsexual don't you know... "

It was such a great op to do the HE smoking a pipe in a dress thing....

[Anna the Dub]

Having been on hormones for quite a long while but still living in boy mode (for now) I do give off quite a few signals.
I have very noticeable boobs
I have no body hair
My skin has softened quite a lot
My eyebrows are plucked and shaped to how I want them
My body shape is most definitely female
My facial hair is slowly but surely being eradicated by electrolysis
And finally (this is the clincher) within the next few weeks I am completely dumping all my male clothes, and will begin wearing female tomboyish clothes for everyday wear.
So unless the general public are pretty much blind, they are going to notice that I am not really all that keen on looking like a bloke.

[marny]

last time I looked, a tiger can't change it's stripes. Wear it on your sleeves girls!

[Hali]

WOW! i dont know whether i give up clues or not............all i know is that i have well made nail and toe nails (well filed), nice shapely eye brow, i now lost weight havin slimmer body, my mannerisms sometimes a bit not like a "typical guy" , my sensitivity, my admiration for polished nails which i complement often, i think thats about it!

[eldonvon]

Plucked eyebrows, toe rings, shaved underarms, shaved legs, clear nail polish one toes, female jeans, sneakers, flops, etc. Hardly noticable ya'think?

[Marjory]

One of my favorites, after wearing shoes with an instep strap all day, laying in bed at night with my wife watching TV and looking down and seeing the impressions of the straps on my feet. I'm still in the closet. Another one, some years ago, having to give my face a very quick make up removal and then talking to a neighbor. I went in the bathroom after they left and still had "glitter" all around my eyes.
Marjory

[Christie ann]

Glitter has to be a tough one to explanation!

[Marjory]

He never asked, I never said anything. Don't know if he told his wife but their attitude toward me never changed. Early eighties... maybe they were very liberal.

[RebeccaLynne]

There are two outward manifestations of my penchant for crossdressing:

First, and most telling, would be the length and shape of my fingernails. Equal length, rounded, and scrupulously clean, (lovely when polished!), but decidedly NOT representative of your average male. Somewhat self-conscious of their appearance en homme, I'm forever agonizing over whether to leave 'em long, or shorten them in order to conform to the accepted standard.

Second would be my hair. Well past my shoulders, kept in a pony tail (with two hair ties) when in male mode, side-parted and loose en femme. Neither colored nor styled; although I'd love to enhance my feminine look, it just wouldn't do to possibly raise suspicions!

Cristi, thanks for asking this question. And in doing so, you've inspired me to start a new thread on a related topic. One I don't recall seeing expanded upon, so now's as good a time as any!

And I still laugh whenever I re-read your "A Non-CD'ers Guide To Crossdressing On Halloween" thread; it's in my "Favorites" group!

[Samantha Kelsey]

I didn't think I gave any clues until a couple of years ago when I broke it to a close elderly friend who then told me that she'd known for a couple of years. Funny but a couple of years before that I was in a pub (as a male) with a group of women among who was my friends sister. They were discussing who's body they would like to have (No!! to look like,) My friends sister told them all she wished she could have a body like mine. So I suppose that I must have given clues but don't know what.

[Misfire]

I don't really know to be honest. I'm sure some of my co-workers can tell that I'm very feminine. I tweeze my eyebrows, shave daily, full manicure, and occasionally wear light make-up, but if they have noticed anything, it doesn't seem to bother anyone as for the most part, (granted they're mostly girls) they're all very social and nice to me. I try to be as subtle as possible.

[Cristi]

Another clue you may be giving away that you have to be aware of...

When I get home from an outing, My wife can always tell I've been out, even if she gets home hours after I get home. No matter how much I try, there is a SMELL associated with being fully dressed. Something about the hairspray, nail polish remover, makeup, etc. just lingers even after a shower.

I guess the only way to kill that smell would be to go work on the car for a while, or start the chainsaw up and cut up some wood... replace it with something a bit more 'manly'. :)

[joann426]

does any body know how much does electrolysis on my face cost so i can get rid of facial hair