If you're a late bloomer what started you?

Hi girls,
I've been going over earlier posts and I've found there are a number of ladies who didn't start dressing until later in life. I started dressing before I started school, I saw the dress in my mums closet and I had to try it on, it felt right and as they say in the classics, the rest is history.
I find it intriguing why someone would suddenly decide at a later age, be it in their 20's, 30's 40's and so on, to all of a sudden say to themselves I must try that skirt on, why didn't the urge hit them when they were younger? And how did you fight the urge to dress all these years?
What was the catalyst for you to try on a dress at the later age?
Adelaide

A bit fetishy beginning..early 20's won a teddy in a lingerie raffle. well, no girlfriend but curious so tried it on. On rare occasion it was just that till last year (now 48) when I was thinking more involved for a Crossplay/costume (japan cafe maid) and had got into underdressing (panty or hose/stocking) while researching it all on internet and then with that outfit feeling so "right"... so more clothes, then forms, then... heh. Downhill from then. May have had more fem leanings when young thinking back but other than 'handling' moms hose (liked the feel) but not wearing and liking lingerie in sears/other catalogs while young that's about it. (did wear mom's rollerskates for a bit while feet matched but that's the only thing of her's I really wore and I don't think that counts for CDing :)).
Kind of wonder if I'd had sisters (was only child) if things would have taken off earlier in life...
So kind of fetishy start but more serious recognition later. (and yes...still have that teddy..doesn't really fit but it's a neat memento if nothing else :))

Wow, a late bloomer starting in her 20s....honey, 20s is practically early childhood compared to some of us. I knew at a very early age, but life circumstances beginning with lots of negative feedback, compelled me to repress, deny and minimize my desires for decades. Even coming out took me a long long time.

What got me past all that? Therapy. The eventual recognition that denial and repression were hurting me and to some extent hurting those I loved. And finally the recognition that I could really be much more than I ever imagined.

I am beginning to wonder if I am the only one, or one of the few, who never even thought of wearing something of my mom.

I am a super late bloomer, somewhat like a saguaro cactus that doesn't grow its first arm until age 70.:D

Ineke

Ineke, that is pretty much me too starting from zero in about 2007. What caused it? Prostate cancer and its lovable (NOT!!) side effects from the treatment. One thing led to another, then another, and here I am today happy as a very young but very old TG crossdresser. Oh, and loving every minute of it.

Well she is a late bloomer if she starts dressing in her 20's if I started in my single digits, LOL!

Yes, I dabbled & experimented as a youngster into my mom's clothes, but the need died when I went to college & then married . Fast forward 40 years. Huge stressors overwhelmed me to the extent that something awoke in leading me to cd. This revelation all happened within the past year. While there may have always been the nature undercurrent theme, for me, the genie was released from her bottle due to massive stress . There have been others on this forum with the same time line. Peace, mel

I'm 33 and for the first time a month or 2 ago felt comfortable enough with myself to pursue in making this a real part of who I am. When I was under 18 I had "guilt" or the what would people think hanging over me. After that life moves pretty fast. I guess we all have to go at our own pace. Sure I missed out on 20 years of it and I wish I had spent that 20 years dressing, but better late then never.

There were hints along the way growing up. I guess I was too thick or just didn't have the exposure until my early 20's. No sisters to borrow from, and my mom and I weren't close in size at any point, so I didn't have any opportunities until I 'decided' to create my own. More like 'was drawn to create my own.' Once I started, just kept at it and added stuff along the way.

My serious crossdressing didn't start until age 66. Talk about a late bloomer! Oh, there were a couple of short-lived experiments with bra and panties, hose and heels, but for the most part I suppressed any urge to CD in my earlier years, and kept my trans gender nature in a subconscious straight jacket. The truth is that the potential was always there, much like the dome of hot lava rising under Yellowstone. One day I stumbled on some girl's discarded under things, sexy top, and shorts, and it just erupted. I regret it taking so long.

I'm 32.. Does that count?

I have always loved looking at women and their clothes, tried on my sisters catholic school uniform a couple times as a kid but didn't dabble in cross dressing until much later. In my early 30's I decided I wanted to dress as a girl for Halloween one year, THAT'S what got me hooked. It was the taboo of it that turned me on, after that I started under dressing when I could. The wife at the time, did not care for it much. Many years later here I am 99% out of the closet, I dress girly almost everyday, maybe not a dress but girly in some way. And my new wife loves it. I am 51 now and I wear what I want when I want to.

I have always had an obsession with petticoats and French maids since my teens. I finally decided to buy an outfit one Halloween about twenty years ago. That and the internet, got me started. I did have a couple girlfriends wear them for me at times, but I have the most fun, wearing them myself!!

My interest and desire were with me since childhood. I always knew I was different, and my thinking and thoughts were definitely female orientated. In the 60"s till the invention of the internet, I hid my "real self" and did what was expected of me as a male. Once the internet came around I discovered that I wasn't alone or a freak. So, at 57 I am finally living my life as it was intended to be. I start HRT shortly...and am sooo looking forward to it.

My wife. She suggested that I buy a pair of heels while shoe shopping with her. She asked if I liked a pair of stiletto heels that she was trying on, I said yes, she asked why, I said I just did, a few more questions and she told me to buy a pair for myself to see how I would feel wearing them. I nervously bought a pair, tried them on, she saw how much I liked them, then gave she me a pair of stockings, boy shorts, bra, lipstick, makeup. I discovered I was Heather.

Yep! A late Bloomer.

First time at age 59.

Was going to a costume party and wanted to do something different.

So I dressed as a woman. The character was Charley's Aunt from the play and film of the same name.

I wore a beautiful late 1800's dress with a full hoopskirt, wig with curls, earrings, bonnet, black lace fan, black string purse and some light makeup.

It was a lot of fun and have been developing female costumes ever since like a midieviel Duchess, a Southern belle, a Grande Aunte, a stately late 1800's elderly lady and Martha Stewart.

Since I am now 71 I have become an expert impersonator of older ladies.

However when dressed as a regular lady I look 15 to 20 years younger.

As you can see, I became a "lady" late in life!

Well, that's my story.

How about starting in your 60's and still have no idea why.

The same for me.

The dressing as a woman for a costume party must have turned something on within me.

I bloomed in my 30s nearly 40 years ago and have been mostly in denial since then... but underdress now, and dream of being out in the world as Laura. I'd say loneliness and stress were my catalysts, and although loneliness is no longer a problem, stress remains a trigger. In a perfect world I'd like to be Laura without loneliness OR stress. Let's see what happens. Blessings to all of you and to my wonderful wife who isn't thrilled about Laura but is tolerant all the same.

Thanks Ladies,
I appreciate the replies, they answer a lot of my queries!

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Originally Posted by kimdl93

Wow, a late bloomer starting in her 20s....honey, 20s is practically early childhood compared to some of us.

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Sorry if it wasn't clear.. (Just realized the comment here in the thread). I acquired that teddy in my 20's.. I tried it on once or twice soon after getting it but then forgot about it. The real rare fetish side back then. (Besides...it really didn't fit so well :)) Over the 2 decades after I'd probably only had it on maybe 6-7 times total max. I had a few pseudo flings in the middle with underdressing, if you want to call it that...was enjoying longer sports/bicycle runners and tights from Rennaisance fest outfits similarly to underdressing with hose. But that didn't last either. My logical side got in there.. (Turns summer, and I wanted to wear shorts so stopped the occasional tights).
But add lifes events as a kid and growing up and such, I'm pretty sure that's why I think that something was there (would have liked to CD maybe) but I really didn't start anything until last year..@48 (hose,outfits,clothes,forms, the works). That was when I considered myself to truly be CDing.
I know it's not as late as 50's and 60's but it's definitely later than those that experimented real young.

I was attracted to Women's clothes as early as 3 or 4, but had a REALLY oppressive family life. A lot of things were black and white, right or wrong, and boys were supposed to be boys and girls were girls. I tried dressing a bit when I was in my mid 40s, but there was a ton of shame involved, mostly from family crap. I'm in a really small town now and trying to balance feeling good about being pretty and not letting the neighbors find out because they make my family look tolerant. I know I'm never going to be young and beautiful, but I feel really good about how I look and comfortable in my skin.

Officially I started @ 60, but after a lot of thought and contemplation of earlier memories, I believe that I had an attraction to it at a pretty early age. I was a curious kid with few inhibitions. In the era I grew up in, if this became general knowledge, you may as well have gone into the town square and committed suicide at high noon, you would lose your job or any opportunities for advancement, scholastically or otherwise and likely your mind, so there were strong reasons to suppress any feelings and activities in this direction, particularly when you're looked on as a weird kid to begin with and were dealing with enough social difficulties already.
If anyone here has read my posts on various subjects, you know I am nothing if not a realist. The only "counselor" I've ever gone to (a psychiatrist, no less!) betrayed me and his Hippocratic oath and I wound up in a mental hospital in an era when electroshock and lobotomies were pretty common procedures.(ever seen "1 Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest"?); the worst of it was that it was at the instigation of my own family. I will neither seek "counseling" nor co-operate with it if forced. I learned long ago that if it can happen once, it can happen again and your best bet is to keep away from those who can harm you and if you can't, then acquire the means to protect yourself. This may sound a bit paranoid, but it is realistic. In any case, this makes "suggested memories" about as likely as hell freezing over.

I'd like to thank everyone who responded to this post.I'm 44 years oldI've been bisexual since the age of 14, and Have dressed on and off for the past 30 years.but not seriously just for fun and just for me. recently found myself divorced and alone. looking in the mirror I was trying to decide whether I was too old pto indulge in this desire again. But after reading this threadI know I canand I want to.thank you all for your comments and stories.

Erica

Hi Adelaide,

Perhaps... its not about "what started us". But rather, "what took me so long?" :)

I am a late bloomer but not really? I can remember being around the age of 6 trying on my grandmothers stockings and ruby red lipstick in the bathroom. It somehow made me feel good. It wasn't until later in my teens that I was able to be "made-up" with make up and a wig and WOW what a that was a eye opening experience! Now in my middle years lol, I have financial stability, a supportive wife and a desire to really do this right(crossdressing) to the best of my ability and its better now that ever! I definately agree that it is never too late to get all dolled up for your first time!!!!

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Originally Posted by ClaraKay

My serious crossdressing didn't start until age 66. Talk about a late bloomer! Oh, there were a couple of short-lived experiments with bra and panties, hose and heels, but for the most part I suppressed any urge to CD in my earlier years, and kept my trans gender nature in a subconscious straight jacket. The truth is that the potential was always there, much like the dome of hot lava rising under Yellowstone. One day I stumbled on some girl's discarded under things, sexy top, and shorts, and it just erupted. I regret it taking so long.

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Pretty much me too, with slightly different details. I had begun the most basic dabbling, but it was when I found some clothes left behind by a rent house tenant that things took off. And the internet was gasoline on the fire, of course. But unlike most, I knew I had to go out asap and that's just what I did, before my online exploration and long before I knew how to put together a decent look. I just immediately had to be around other people as a gurl.

I used to cross dress when I was a young man, though I did not think of it as cross dressing to wear make up and women's clothes back then. I had to get into my thirties and move to America to realize that real men had balls so large that they could not cross their legs, let alone their clothes.. I did not manage to rid myself of this strange delusion until I was in my sixties, and deeply unhappy with being a guy's guy. Fortunately, tho I'll bet it doesn't sound like good fortune, I experienced a catastrophic illness, diagnosed as terminal in 2010 when I was 60. I am enormously lucky. I recovered. I didn't die and probably will not for many years yet. But the experience had some profound neurological effects. I realized I was incredibly happy to be alive and that what made me unhappy was identifying as male when I was neither male nor female, but something in between, more female than male, and queerer than anyone I knew. So I am now very, very happy to identify as transgender and non binary. I dress mostly femme. I wear make up most of the time. I am very, very happy to be me and to have found out being comfortable with being me is so much more important than the approval of anyone else.

I dressed in lingerie only up until about 10 years ago, that is when I
came out to my wife and was really able to explore the clothing I really preferred,
Now I have more women's clothes then men's. Works for me :thinking:


So I was in my mid 40's when I really became who I am.
not sure what started me dressing more or why. maybe it was in part this forum.
but what ever the case, life is good now. :thumbsup:

I have always been fascinated by high heels and I m very attracted to women in heels and skirts. I love how there legs look etc. So when my my girlfriend asked me to put her pants on I loved how the heels looked with the skinny jeans she had. It was another turn on. Any thing that has to do with the waist down (butt, legs, thighs,feet, shoes, etc) on a gg I really like. Sorry, I don't mean to sexually objectify gg's but these are some of the physical characteristics I like. Anyway, so this time I wanted to to show off legs so to perfect it I wore a skirt and needed to shave my legs (another thing I fond arousing). The rest is history.

Thanks again ladies,
what I can gather is that 97% had feelings from a young age about dressing but the opportunity didnt present it's self or your respect to your family or to your own will power, you were able to repress the desire to dress. But the 1-2% who just said one day, " I'll try that dress on" I still don't understand why, how you could go through life and then something clicks , I'm looking at you AliceB (lol)

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Originally Posted by sarahcsc

Hi Adelaide,

Perhaps... its not about "what started us". But rather, "what took me so long?" :)

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And maybe " what have I been missing out on"!

I just registered today, but I checked the forum out a couple weeks ago. I consider myself to be a very late bloomer. I'm 39 and really never put one single article of female clothing on until about a year ago. It was only to do with sex but had a lot of environmental causes. I've always been highly sexually driven and also a very visually oriented person. I'm an artist, photographer, art film maker, etc. But I'm also very masculine, well built, but not huge, fit, although lazy lately. Mine and my wife's sex life had been voracious for the first 4 years, but then had a sharp decline due to family living situations, money, her changing hormones, and my consistently rising frustrations. She gained weight and refused to wear her hot little club dresses that I loved her in. But prior to that, I credit her with getting me started on this path, although she refuses responsibility for it- she wanted to do me with her vibrator. At the time, things were all over the place, we were always drunk and having sex, we were also swinging, mostly threesomes, but eventually playing with couples too. Never any bi or bicurious play at the time because I'm not, but after she pegged me, I liked it and wanted more, but felt weird, gay, etc. That's when our sex started to decline but not due to that part of our sex. She continued wanting that occasionally for a few more months, but after a while, I realized I was asking for it and that gay feeling came back. One time, we were talking about her dresses and how much I wish she would wear them and I thought maybe I would wear one when she did me. It made me feel like I was playing the female part, not the part of a gay guy, so it made it more acceptable for me. But as I mentioned in another post, I saw the pictures we took and decided I needed to do more to make in feel/look more real, being a visually oriented person. I ordered breast forms, waist cincher corset, wig, heels, etc. Then she being the awesome woman she is, took me to the dollar store to buy some cheap makeup. I was nervous just being there in the makeup aisle but she helped us get thru it. So, it has definitely progressed under my own momentum, but I still say she started it. I had never even thought about my moms or sisters clothing growing up, I never thought about wearing any women's clothing prior to the past year. And only ****ty little club dresses and only for this type of sex. But like everything I do, I can't do it halfway. I go all in. I had shaved my junk and torso previously, but started shaving more while dressed, til now, there is not one single hair on my body that isn't shaved, plucked, trimmed or cut. I prefer to dress how I would want her to dress for me, no hose, no bras, no lingerie, no panties, but I do have a couple male g-strings I wear with her dresses. I prefer the bare, smooth skin and as little covered as possible. To me, its like a hobby where the payoff is so big, you want to go all out to make sure you're successful. I built an awesome rockcrawler once (told you I was masculine), I had to use what I had, which was not a jeep, due to low funds, but I built every junk yard part I acquired well enough to really conquer the terrain right along side (and most times, leading the group) with all the multi tens of thousands of dollars worth of jeeps I rode with. That truck died, I sold it but I'm building another very soon. I can't do anything halfway. So, again, sorry for the novel, but I'm a late bloomer, this is why, and I kinda feel like this story is not over, nor has it reached its limit. I may want more than to cross dress at home, in our room, where no one can see, etc. Because, being slightly narcissistic, being a visually oriented person, I want to go out and show off a little all dolled up. I guess we'll see...

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Originally Posted by Ineke Vashon

I am beginning to wonder if I am the only one, or one of the few, who never even thought of wearing something of my mom.

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No me too, never ever wore mom's stuff, I think wearing your moms stuff is freaky & perverted no doubt ill get body slammed for that comment but it's just my way of looking at it, your mom is your mom she gave birth to you so just keep it with in those lines, her stuff is privet and her's and no one else's

Hi Adelaide,

I officially came out in my early 30s, following years of intense depressions. It was a period of soul-searching, trying to figure out why I had been so unhappy for years, seemingly without proper reason. I had a good job, a good family, good health, and a wife I loved. What's not to like? So why was I chronically depressed?

I had always been a softer, more androgynous guy, and this caused me great internal conflict and insecurity. I had spent the last 15 years trying to (poorly) convince people that I was, in fact, a manly man. It was a role I played, since I never felt I fit in with cis guys, just emulated them. Whenever I pictured myself, in my mind I was always the more feminine me. I always literally thought of other men as 'them' not 'us'.

Finally owning it, and saying "this is what I am" was such a great feeling. Cross dressing was like a "depression-b-gone" miracle treatment for me.