Presenting as a man

[Kate Simmons]

According to many here, they are loath to present in male mode and hate it when they have to do it for work or family matters. In fact, they stress just how much they hate dressing as a man and some say they have even gone to the point of getting rid of all of their male clothes, including underwear. Just what is so horrible presenting as a man, especially since it's usually brought out that their SO's love and are attracted to them as a man? Personally, I enjoy wearing guy clothes as much as girl clothes and love looking sharp in that respect.Just what is so awful about wearing men's clothes anyway?

[Erica Marie]

Ive come to find out womens cloths, depending on the article, fit and feel alot more comfy. Even jeans and tshirts. Maybe its just the way my body is shaped. So its not that I hate to wear mens cloths, I just prefer ladies cloths. Hmmm maybe I should have been a lady, dang what a cruel joke.

[Candice Mae]

I don't mind my male clothes, it's just they don't fit my body. I have to wear bag clothes to hide my feminine figure and a sports bra that's a size to small to try and hide my boobs. It's just easier and more comfortable to wear the clothes that are designed for my shape.

[Crissy Kay]

I am usually more comfortable in my male clothes, though not as happy and care free as I am in my fem stuff!!

[Karren H]

My happiness is independent of the clothes I wear......

[linda allen]

There's nothing wrong with wearing male clothes. It's certainly easier to go out in public (to work, the home center, etc.) in male clothes. It's also easier to get things like working in the shop, working on the car, mowing the lawn or trimming trees in men's clothing. Women who do that sort of work usually wear what we often consider men's clothing (pants and shirt, work shoes).

While it's fun to dress up as a female, when It's time to get to work, I put on the male clothes and get to it. Same for when it's time to go out with my wife. She married a man.

[cdmorganashley]

interesting thought... i don't hate wearing men's clothes, but its not enjoyable either... it feels "fun" to wear female things for me, so that is far preferable... for those that really dislike their men's clothes i had thought it was more about the fact that wearing men's clothes makes others mostly view them as men and this is very frustrating and inconsistent with their internal image of themselves... maybe i am wrong about that, but that's the impression i get from the posts i have read regarding this issue... i think most would agree that female things tend to be softer, be more form fitting, etc. as well, but i don't think this is the reason for feeling so strongly against men's clothes... i'm interested to hear others' responses...

[Farrah]

I don't think they hate their clothes. I would compare wearing female clothes to being on vacation. When we're on vacation, its simply different from the norm. Of course no one goes on vacation all the time. Although I'm sure they wished they could. So wearing your male clothes is sort of like coming back to the norm, or coming back from your vacation. Just my 2 cents.

[Jaylyn]

Since retirement I've found that I don't have to wear any clothes if I don't want to that day. There have been many summer days I just ran around inside the house in my flip flops or bare footed and not have a care in the world. To me that is the most carefree and relaxed I can get. When I'm in this mode of non clothing I am the most peaceful and think I could be a nudist totally if I choose as I am out in the country where only an airplane might get a peek. I'm at the point in my life where only on Sunday mornings for worship service and funerals do I even dress up in suits and ties. I don't enjoy those type of clothes but the normal folks would have a cow fit if I went to Church nude. When the urge hits me or the pink fog has taken over my brain I simply get out my gal clothes and dress to the extent till it satisfies my feelings for dressing. I have found that sometimes just a slip and slinky dress can satisfy that urge. Sometimes it is only 100% dress up time to satisfy the urge. When I feel that way I also find a place on the peaceful scale that is similar to the nudeness scale. I feel relaxed, less stress, and a feeling that this who I really am. Sometimes it is just the dressing sometimes it's the dressing to the max. I get nervous when I can't dress, it's like the only relief will be to dress. After the fog has passed in an hour, or a min, or even half a day, only then am I ready to throw on my jeans my comfy boots or flip flops again. I go back to male mode satisfied till bam the mood hits me to do the whole routine again. Luckily, I'm at the point In my life I can take care of the need to dress or go nude when it hits because when I can't I've found that is when I am the most nervous, unsatisfied, grouchy and am a much meaner person. I am a male but just love my female side when the urge hits.

[kimdl93]

obviously, Kate, those who express strong aversion to wearing male clothes aren't speaking about the garments themselves, but rather what the garments represent in their lives...which for some means a uniform of a gender that doesn't fit their identity of self. Like so much of transgender experience there is a wide range between those who dress occasionally and casually, and those on the other end who were born with the certain knowledge that they are inhabiting a body with the wrong external sexual organs. Many of us fall somewhere in between these poles.

[Amy Lynn3]

I love both male and female cloths and for different reasons. I wear guy cloths most of the time and at every opportunity I wear a tie and coat, suit or tux. I just really enjoy wearing dress cloths for men !

[Laura912]

Like the way Kim expressed the thought. Is the aversion to the clothes or to the gender represented by the clothes?

[Beverley Sims]

I do not have an aversion as such but if I have a medical appointment then that is the only time I wear male underwear.
I appear as a male at other times by necessity, such as for work.
My preference is for female clothing quite often in an androgynous look.

[suchacutie]

Since I enjoy both of my genders, looking good in male clothes is something I enjoy. In fact, as my wife has educated Tina in all the things she didn't learn since she didn't grow up as a girl, we both feel that my male presentation has improved! The only caveat is that jeans designed for men just don't fit my body anymore, even less so as I lose more and more of the weight around my midsection. So, I do wear size 8 jeans and they fit perfectly.

I would say that I'm enjoying the big differences between dressing in both genders, and enjoy the differences!

[Lynn Marie]

Both my male and female wardrobes are quite extensive. The evening before last I had dinner with my best CD girlfriend at her place enfemme. Tonight I'll be escorting her out to dinner for her birthday in a suit and tie! Viva la difference.

[Crissy Kay]

I don't think they hate their clothes. I would compare wearing female clothes to being on vacation. When we're on vacation, its simply different from the norm. Of course no one goes on vacation all the time. Although I'm sure they wished they could. So wearing your male clothes is sort of like coming back to the norm, or coming back from your vacation. Just my 2 cents.

I agree with Farrah on this, and like the way she says it too. I think this also explains why some of us are a little depressed at having to come back from vacation!!

[Bria]

I enjoy dressing up and looking good in my white tie and tails as well as in a nice girl outfit with hose and heels. It just feels good to be dressed to the nines. Most of the time I have to wear work clothes for the work I do, so getting dressed up and looking good is a welcome change. Bria

[Kate Simmons]

I too enjoy dressing up to the "nines" (if it's called that as a guy) in suit and tie for formal events or going to church, etc.. I've always prided myself on the diversity of my shirt and tie colors, mixing and matching. I haven't seen any of those gals who retired all of their guy togs because they felt they were "crossdressing" in guy clothes post on this yet. Perhaps it's not as prevalent as I've been led to believe by reading different threads on here.I love being a guy and I love being a girl. I just plain love being who I am as myself. In any case no one has to ever explain to me why they do this or that, I just asked the question out of curiosity.

[Princess Chantal]

I don't really enjoy dressing up to the nines in men clothes, but I do love to dress to the nines in women clothing. Where as it's opposite for wearing casual everyday clothing, love dressing in men casual clothing and not so with women casual clothing. I am in the midst of putting together a men's vintage outfit for one of my adventures, I wonder if I'd enjoy it as much as I have with the dresses. Would be awesome, if I actually do!

[Chickhe]

Never heard of it other than people who are living full time. After you worked so hard to live that way why would you feel comfortable going backwards? A lot of TS woman are not in to CDing...they just want to be the gender they feel like is the correct one.

For CDing, my only difficulty is one of practicality, once you get all the nails done and makeup, its a lot of work to switch genders for a few hours and go back again...I feel like it would simplify my life if I could just stay the way I want for any length of time, but my life is not organised that way.

[Cheryl T]

I don't 'hate' my male clothes. They are just not my preference. I particularly dislike being in a suit and tie. I feel constrained and unnatural.
My work clothes are uniforms and therefore beyond my preference so they are worn without feeling either like or dislike.

[Frédérique]

Personally, I enjoy wearing guy clothes as much as girl clothes and love looking sharp in that respect.Just what is so awful about wearing men's clothes anyway?

I had a lot of lovely male clothes years ago, and I loved the tactile sensations they provided as I wore them. This definitely “greased the skids” for my eventual crossdressing, which I insist is based on this love of tactile sensation I harbor and celebrate. Of course, the latter comes at a price, for I’m forced to listen to other people’s opinions of what I am, or what I must be…

There’s nothing bad about GOOD men’s clothing, as long as it’s a cut above the ordinary…

[AllieSF]

obviously, Kate, those who express strong aversion to wearing male clothes aren't speaking about the garments themselves, but rather what the garments represent in their lives...which for some means a uniform of a gender that doesn't fit their identity of self. Like so much of transgender experience there is a wide range between those who dress occasionally and casually, and those on the other end who were born with the certain knowledge that they are inhabiting a body with the wrong external sexual organs. Many of us fall somewhere in between these poles.

Kim states my views too. For our everyday crossdresser it probably does not matter, but for someone who is beyond that illusive CD to TS line or spectrum, it may be totally different.

[UNDERDRESSER]

When I wear "female" clothes, I'm not trying to look female. I am trying, sometimes, to express parts of me are what others might call feminine.

My build is not the classical male triangular shape, though it is more male than female. This means my hips tend to suit the cut of female pants, and skirts sit quite well on me.

I like dressing up in sharp looking mens stuff, but part of my problem with it, is that the look it presents, to my mind, is one of "I'm successful in a financial way" and less about "look at my gorgeous sexy body" which is the general slant of most female high fashion. This is talking a very generalized way, and I accept there are some looks that cross those boundaries.

I do not have problems presenting as a man, but I do have problems with presenting in a typical male way. I want to look like the man I am, which includes some "feminine" clues, at least as society generally understands such things. It's an ongoing experiment, and so far going well. I'll call it a total success, when I can walk into work in a skirt, and no-one expresses surprise, but maybe makes a positive comment, like the one my GF made the other night when I came into the room in a new skirt and asked for an opinion. "That looks good, if you ever decide you don't want it, I can take it in a bit and it will go beautifully with my wine coloured top"

[robindee36]

I can understand the uni-dimensional thinking if you are FT or in transition. However, those of us that live dual existences need to maintain a balance between our personae and wardrobe.

When en-femme I am totally girl. My wardrobe, carriage and demeanor reflect this.

As a man, I look the part and am very comfortable in the appropriate attire. However, there is always a bit of fem lurking about in my polished nails (clear-buff) and bosom. Ok, sometimes a bit of underdressing too

Always be careful inf seeing things as clear cut, black and white. Mostly the world we live in is more shades of grey, moderation vs extremism.

Hugs, Robin