Why do we

[juno]

I find it surprising how many crossdressers don't know why they do it. It seems simple to me. Your brain is part female, and that part of you wants affirmation that you really are female. It is a "yes, you are really a girl" security blanket for your inner girl. For most of use, the male part of your brain also wants affirmation of being male. Trying to satisfy both sides can be a bit confusing.

You could also ask why anyone likes anything. As intelligent beings, our brains need more than just basic survival needs. Intellect is a complex thing, so the interests can be complex as well. Nobody worries too much about why they like or dislike certain foods. People are just different. When it comes to harmless activities like crossdressing, don't worry about it. People with the urge to be violent or pedophilic have a serious problem and need to figure out why. Crossdressers should be happy that they are interested in something fun and harmless, and just enjoy it.

[Veronica Lacey]

Hi Joanne...

I have fielded similar questions from my wife (she is ok with my dressing so long as she does not see it.) Simialr questions like "why do you wear lace", "why do you wear heels", "why wear a bra when you don't have breasts?" I can answer them any time but I do not really believe that the replies sink in as she still battles with my desires in this realm.

As a few here have indicated it is simply that I want to wear such things. I suppose that as a teen I was drawn towards images of women in nice lingerie - silk, satin, lace and the like. Not overly revealing; modest and sensual. I loved the looks, the variety of colours. As I matured I certainly appreciated the feel and sounds of the fabrics as well via a couple of girlfriends and my own dabbling.

As for bras and heels...the imagery I viewed showed women with breasts and heels and that is the imagery I love. I wear forms and a bra to enjoy that from a personal point. Also, the semi-constricted feel of bras and heels gives me a sense of control over my body, that the clothing is an extension of who I am. As much as I like a small, reasonably powerful car that fits like an extension of my body I also savour nice fitting panties and bras that hold true and heels that will not slip off my feet. They don't have to be tight; just need to fit approproately and not feel like a poor-fitting addition. Just needs to feel like it's me if that makes any sense.

Good question!

Ultimately, I wear these things because I want to and knowing that I am wearing them under my dresses, skirts and blouses makes me feel good, feel relaxed.

[Sarasometimes]

I like Sally's answer. I crossdress so I can experience what women wear when they go out. I like to experience some of the services women get at salons. i like to experience shopping for women's clothes for myself like a woman would do hence I want to try things on.
Specifically answering your wife's question. Very few people see the undergarments a women wears but there are more version, shades, textures, sizes, types, cuts... of them then many can imagine. And most of them are pleasing to the eye maybe even at the expense of comfort but women wear them anyway (even when maybe no one except them will ever see them). I love ads for bras that say "Lace trimmed cups for that feminine look". I haven't seen a masculine looking bra yet?
I do it for the experience.

[kimdl93]

Its partly of the ritual of getting dressed and partly the feeling of the forms, the bra encircling and holding me in, the feeling of hose on freshly shaved legs, getting made up, etc... all that which perhaps GGs tire of or take for granted.

[t-girlxsophie]

I dress to emulate women,to try and look and (feel) feminine even if for a little time,and to me that means underneath too,there's no comparison between pretty lingerie and boxers/briefs (yuk)

Sophie

[Marcie R.]

I wear panties and a bra whenever I can. Something has happened without any medication or manipulation. My breasts have naturally enlarged to a 38B. I am pleased with this and sincerely don't know why this happened. All the rest of my body is in proportion. It is great to be able to wear a bra without having to wear breast forms. It makes me feel very feminine and comfortable.

[ninapuella]

For me its not enough just to dress. I have to live it out in some way.

[Melinda Lou]

I've been asked the same question, basically "why wear something that's not designed for you", and tried to explain that not everything is done for the sake of appearing female, that some things (like wearing panties) are done for the sake of feeling feminine. We may want to pass as female or feel girly or both, but they're not always going to happen together.

I guess if we're always supposed to wear what's practical, we should all be wearing those futuristic unisex jumpsuits from the 24th Century.

[Emma England]

I started crossdressing because I didn't like mens underwear.

Wearing pretty bras and panties make me feel more self confident.

Like a famous chocolate ad, why wear cotton when you can wear silk.

[Chickhe]

Purely functional. They are called foundation garments for a reason. I try to look like a female by emulating the sizes and shape of the average woman so the clothes hang properly and you need something to hold everything in place.

[Tina B.]

Wear mens cotton underwear, under a skirt and slip, that's bizarre, I'd feel like a pervert! As for the bra and forms, they make the clothes fit better, and complete the look.
I may wear panties under my male clothes, but wearing mens underwear with my female clothes would seem to defeat the whole propose of dressing.
Tina B.

[suchacutie]

The list of reasons is quite long, some emotional and some practical.

The overriding emotional reason is that our feminine selves are just that: feminine. However, we grew up socialized as masculine beings. In order to transform to our feminine selves we need to resocialize ourselves and that requires minimizing the "male signals" that we project to ourselves and others, and to maximize the "feminine signals". Let's face it, it is a rather large emotional "wrench" in our physically male "works" to make a successful transformation to our feminine selves. The foundation garments we wear do not have a male feeling. Their existence is a constant reminder of our transformed selves, both to ourselves and to those looking at us for clues as to which gender we are. Even undergarments leave clues as to their existence! Imagine wearing boxer shorts under a tight skirt?

So, I've already gotten to the mechanical: feminine undergarments are made for feminine overgaments! Going braless with breastforms is possible (and maybe necessary with some clothing) but most of us probably are not secure in that situation if we are spending less than 50% of our time presenting as a woman. The other obvious mechanical issue is keeping our tuck, and that's not going to happen with any male underwear!

Lastly there is the emotional issue of "feeling pretty". Is there a woman in the world who doesn't want to feel pretty? I certainly hope not . Feeling pretty is a part of the transformational process, and probably where we all started in our very first tentative transformation, so lingerie continually links us to our feminine history.

tina

[diannecourtney]

Why be a lady if you don't have the head to heel feelings of being in there lovely bras and panties.

[Kayla]

For me -just what I like to do for some reason -also a way of balancing a feminine side with my masculine side....

[SusanQ]

Very simple answer...because it feels good.