How to not look so much like a guy or a tranny

[Valerie Nova]

I figured I'd offer some tips for girls here who want to actually look like girls. This is stuff I've learned through trial and error and I'm sure someone here might get something from it. Some of this might be common knowledge,
Posing
Now, being a guy without a corset (yet!) I have no curves whatsoever. If I just stand facing the camera you could draw a straight line down my side. But that doesn't mean I can't fake curves for the camera! Try practicing this in a mirror: have your side face the camera to give the illusion of a skinny waist, but then above your waist, turn torward the camera. Not completely, but enough so your shoulders are angled about 45 degrees from the mirror/camera. This makes your shoulders seem less broad and makes your boobs stick out. Then move your legs apart to give the illusion of hips. It looks nice to have one foot facing the camera and the other pointing to the side, so you can see the shoes better. Also, suck in your gut when the camera flashes!

Clothes
It's kind of important that your clothes match. It can be hard to figure out what matches sometimes, but the main point is that they should be similar styles. Pick a look, for example, hipster chick, college student, businesswoman, etc., then try and choose clothes that that type of girl would wear. Some clothing works with many types of looks, for example, the purple blouse I'm wearing works with two totally different looks. I've found that skirt/blouse combos work best for me because they define the waist best. Plus, I have the skirt come up to my belly button which makes my legs look super long. I used to have an underbust corset, and I found that sewing little hooks on it so I could attach my bra to the top edge worked really well, since the bra hid the top edge of the corset and kept it from showing through clothes. As far as matching colors, typically earth tones go together, pastels go together, neutral colors go together, different shades of the same color go together, black goes with anything and makes it look more sophisticated, denim goes with anything and makes it look less sophisticated, but wearing all one color looks kinda weird. Making your top half a different color from your bottom half also looks cool, as long as the bottom half is a neutral color. Also, I've found that wearing dark colored blouses tend to minimize my broad shoulders. White blouses always make my shoulders stand out. Oh, also you should have your shoes match something else in your outfit, like your skirt or blouse. Additionally, there should be "balance" to your outfit. Your attention should be drawn to the whole outfit, not just one particularly lound piece. If any of your body parts are distinctly non-feminine, try and wear something that won't draw attention to that body part.

Shoes
I've learned that the more of my feet that shoes hide, the more feminine they look. My heel is ugly-looking and very masculine, so I always avoid sling-back shoes. And of course strappy sandals are a no-no, as they don't leave any of my big man-feet to the imagination. I prefer pumps, boots, and wedges for shoes, as these cover most of the ugly parts of my feet. Interestingly, peep-toe shoes actually look quite good on me even though my toes are none too pretty. But anyway, try and avoid shoes that no non-stripper girls would ever wear. You can look sexy without going over the top. Actually, that goes for everything else you wear too. As the Buddha said, moderation in everything.

Jewelry
Some bracelets, a necklace, a ring or two, and earrings, all go a long way toward a real-girl look. Of course, don't overdo it. If your ears aren't pierced and you don't have a metal allergy, I've found that metal rings from various sources can be cut through in a spot, then the ends smoothed, so they form a c-shaped spring that will clamp on your earlobe. This works well with thin metal bracelets to give you big hoop earrings.

Body Shaping
Corsets are the best by far for body shaping; although they restrict your motion quite a bit, they give you a nice, thin waist. An underbust corset works well, and you can attach your bra to the top edge of it so that the corset isn't quite as visible through your clothes. Add some hip and butt pads and fake boobs, and you'll have the body of a real woman, at least by appearances. In a pinch, you can use water balloons as fake breasts. This is also helpful if people go through your stuff sometimes, and you don't want them to find disembodied boobs. I'm using water balloons in my pictures. Oh, and never forget the benefits of losing weight. In general, the less you weigh, the hotter you can look as a woman!

Common Crossdressing Mistakes
It can be easy to spot a crossdresser, because many of them go way overboard in trying to make themselves look more feminine. If you're actually out doing stuff, don't wear clothes inappropriate for the situation, ie, a skirt and pantyhose when you're doing garden work. Also, a lot of crossdressers have a terrible fashion sense. If this includes you, get some help, here or otherwise! Also, like I said earlier, it's good to wear clothes that cover or minimize your more masculine features. Keep these tips in mind and hopefully it won't be as obvious you're crossdressing!