Are clothes just clothes?

[Katie Russell]

Hi

I believe that clothes are symbolic of gender but also give the wearer certain feelings. There are clothes which have traditionally been masculine, although there seem to be the less of those nowadays. There are also unisex clothes ( T-shirt , jeans etc ) and then there are clothes which are feminine (skirts, dresses, heels etc). CDers tend to dress at the feminine end of the scale. Women can dress from feminine right through to almost masculine, men on the other hand only get just past unisex before it is frowned upon.

I guess the preconception is that if a man wants to dress in a feminine way then he is trying to attract a man. Hence the question 'Are yo gay?'. I think dressing is more about how you feel than anything sexual (attracting a mate). That is what people find difficult to comprehend. When women dress in a feminine way it is attraction but it also about themselves feel good (self-esteem). It's that feeling that dressing give me these days.

I saw a survey about women in heels and skirts being able to get men to far more than for them than ones in jeans and uggs (something along those lines anyway). What I think it illustrates is the power of clothes.

Are you in the camp of clothes are just clothes or do you believe that they have some special 'powers'?


Katie

[Nikkilovesdresses]

Having sex appeal has always been a way of getting men to do more things for a woman, and clothes have been a big part of that. Nothing's changed in that respect- men will fall over themselves to help a sexy girl, while one in drab is bound to attract less attention. Women call this difference sexism, despite creating it themselves. The downside for women has been that men tend to see them as the weaker sex, and have objectified them as sex objects. Divorce lawyers have proved to men that being female, whether sexy or not, is not necessarily a weakness.

So yes, clothes are power. Hence 'power dressing'.

[Erika Lyne]

Special Powers is the short answer.

I believe that "clothes make the man." I used to work in a very dirty environment. The clothes were always functional (& dirty). When I would make the lunch run for all the guys at the shop people would look down on me. The women would cross the street because I looked (& felt) horrible. When I would shower and change (clean up), I could walk the same street and have no one cross the street to avoid me. People would say, "Hi." Mothers would let me wave to their babies. They didn't know I was the same person, nor did they know that I am a CDer. If I walked the same street en fem, would the other pedestrians greet me or would they cross the street? Clothes have a strong powerful input to our perception into an individual.

[Tiffany Jane]

Clothes are an extension of your feelings and how you want to be received by others. We all have comfort clothing, whatever it is for us. Clothes to hang out in, clothes to go out in, clothes to wear when we want to be noticed, and clothes that match our feelings on the days we want to go out, but be left alone.

The difficult part is when clothes that are designed and seen as gender specific are worn and provide a sense of comfort to the person wearing it for whom it may not be made for. That is where the social stygma comes from.

[kimdl93]

I think western civilization errantly sexualizes anything to do with women. Of course there are times when women choose their clothing to gain the attention of males, but most of the time their choice of clothes are much more a matter of situation and self expression. Wanting to look good or feel feminine, for GGs or CDers is seldom about sexual attraction.

[Kelley]

Clothes a very special. I believe that everyone has a need to express themselves. Clothes are our way of tell other something about us. You may see someone with gold chanes, hat on sideways and pants sagging or someone wearing a plad shirt with the sleeves ripped out and camo shorts. I could go on describing people's expressions, we all do it. With me womens clothes allows me to express what I feel inside. I believe that most cross dressers fell the same to one extent or another.

Kelley

[meganmartin]

I would agree with Kelley clothes are what I use to express what I am on the inside.
In addition to doing the nails, jewelry and trying to use all these in order for others to see my expression of how I feel.

[Kate Simmons]

Pretty much to me. Its what we do with them as a person that brings life to them. I can femulate wearing my guy clothes and make them look pretty good.

[HollySmtms]

To me clothes are not just clothes. When I am dressed I go to a different place on the spectrum of what is me, the Holly part. I feel different. For example, I like to dance in a feminine way and I don't care if I am any good at it. I was and am a happy man, now I am a more complete person, but I don't feel the need to fully transition or live as Holly (not that there's anything wrong with that). I just really like going to that place sometimes. I have no idea what it feels like to be received as other than a man in society, I've never been out of the house. Limited experience, but for me it's not just putting on clothes.


Oh, and meganmartin, I just love your signature quote!

[DorothyElizabeth]

I have two observatins regarding this question:

1. Margaret Meade was asking similar questions many many years ago. Read Coming of Age In Samoa, or any other of her books. She discusses societal constraints and expectations regarding sexuality and clothing, makeup, body decoration, etc.

2. There's a reason they call them "CFM heels".

When you combine those two constructs, you get the assumption that when we dress in pretty or sexy things, we are trying to attract men sexually. It is also, I believe, in large measure why most people do not understand our interest in cross-gender clothing.

[carahawkwind]

Sometimes clothes are just clothes, sometimes they aren't, depends on the context. The boy clothes I'm wearing to work today are just clothes, my dress up outfit from Saturday night was a gateway to a different persona.

[carhill2mn]

Clothes are not "just clothes". They help create an image of a person. They tell other people a little something about us. They influence how others perceive us. Tests have been done that show how people that are dressed a certain way are treated differently by others. For instance, men in a suit and tie are often treated with more respect. Nicely dressed women certainly attract attention and are usually treated nicely.

Additionally, certain clothes are considered to be "proper" for certain events (although the "lines" here have become blurred lately). Clothes serve both a functional purpose and aid in helping society have an idea as to who or what a person is.

[Jaymees22]

Are clothes just clothes? Well not here anyway. Uniforms create a persona just as wearing certain types of women's clothes does. A lot of feminine clothes do create a sexual attraction and we might do that accidentally overcompensating to look our most feminine. Hugs Jaymee

[MarinaSweden]

Hi

There are also unisex clothes ( T-shirt , jeans etc )


Katie

Excuse me if I am wrong but was T-shirts and jeans really unisex at the time when they were created? Or is it just another part of rather typical male clothes that women have come to embrace and made "unisex" ?

[Alaina R]

I don't know in general but for CDs clothes are not just clothes. It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out

[Jason+]

They are and at the same time are not, at least some of them. I told my wife once that if there wasn't a difference to me between skirts and pants it wouldn't matter to me which I wore. Since it does matter there is obviously a difference to me it would be unfair of me to expect there to be no difference for her.

[Closeted Kat]

I think that clothes are more than clothes. It does help to present an image. In history the rich wore fancy clothes to show how wealthy they were. Men wore heels to increase their height as taller people were considered stronger and more virile i think. So if you were poor and could afford anything similar to that of the rich you could give off that type of aire and be treated differently. That's just looking at it historically if you will. Also men used to wear dresses/gowns like french aristocrats. Just some things to put in perspective that just because certain genders are currently associated with types of clothing doesn't mean it was always so. I guess i'm just rambling a bit now lol.

[Marcelle]

Hi Katie,

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and sometimes clothes are just clothes. For me the clothing is just part of the trappings depending on which gender I am presenting. If I am girl me then jeans and a top are good or sometimes a skirt . . . it really depends on the weather and what I am doing. I dress for the occasion, not the thrill.

Hugs

Isha

[Adriana Moretti]

its part of the CD equation but not the whole pie ...( for me anyway) I dont get all gushy about my clothes....they are just that...clothes....nothing more.....sure I have my favorites that might make me tingle that I will wear occasionally....but for the most part just putting on clothes brings no thrill to me like it once did... now its a fashion & function statement......no special powers coming from my panties......

[Katey888]

Good question Katie... I ponder aspects of this and how we try to look (and how some of us do look) often... it's coupled with the big 'why?' for me..

I think more and more that this is one of those aspects that tends to separate the 'women from the girls' to paraphrase, in that MOTIVATION is what lies at its core... Respondees have already given a few examples that demonstrate different aspects of this:

its part of the CD equation but not the whole pie ...( for me anyway) I dont get all gushy about my clothes....they are just that...clothes....nothing more..... now its a fashion & function statement......

For me the clothing is just part of the trappings depending on which gender I am presenting. If I am girl me then jeans and a top are good or sometimes a skirt . . . it really depends on the weather and what I am doing. I dress for the occasion, not the thrill.

Two examples of utility incorporating expression but I think it's fair to say two quite different personalities and motivations behind those statements (and both quite lovely lasses, btw.. )

But I still think some of us deliberately obfuscate or ignore the element of gender-based sexuality in all this...

When you combine those two constructs, you get the assumption that when we dress in pretty or sexy things, we are trying to attract men sexually. It is also, I believe, in large measure why most people do not understand our interest in cross-gender clothing.

I think this is true. I've thought about this long and often, and even as a straight male, when I crossdress I want to look good and feel sexy - and appearance is a big part of this. Clothes - and specific elements of female clothing - are designed to emphasise and augment aspects of appearance that are resolutely sexual in nature. Breasts, cleavage and the cut of a top; leg length, posture of hips, pelvis and posterior (all modified by heels) are all pushing female sexuality. Step outside clothing and throw in hair and makeup as well, and that all contributes too. Which is why I politely have to partially disagree with Kim's first point:

I think western civilization errantly sexualizes anything to do with women. Of course there are times when women choose their clothing to gain the attention of males, but most of the time their choice of clothes are much more a matter of situation and self expression.

Sometimes I miss Wildaboutheels contribution - it would be something like: "Take a look in the gallery - you don't see many folk in granny flats and granny dresses..." and this is true... (for most - but not everyone, I accept..) I don't believe this is errant but overt sexualisation. The question it raises for me is the one that muggles probably do struggle to comprehend: IF we accept that the image we try so hard to project does feature aspects of what society nominally accepts as overtly female sexuality, then what makes us so prepared and enthusiastic to broadcast that in public, when underneath we don't really mean it? Which is why I also agree with Kim's latter statement:

Wanting to look good or feel feminine, for GGs or CDers is seldom about sexual attraction.

But you see the contradiction that goes on here? I feel that contradiction as a straight CDer - I think in other threads here the bi- and bi-curious CDers have demonstrated that this is not always a contradiction - sometimes it actively IS about being sexually attractive. The contradiction for me is wanting to look good; actively pursuing a look that is more glam than really justified; but not really understanding the motivation for wanting and needing to do this. So I think Alaina has got the summation right...

I don't know in general but for CDs clothes are not just clothes. It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out

I think there's more to this but I need another coffee after all that...

Kontradictory Katey x

[Jennifer_Ph]

I think the only gender specific clothing are the bra and the jock strap...

[Krisi]

"Are clothes just clothes? "

In some ways yes and in some ways no. I've been wearing panties nearly every day for three or four years so for the most part they are just underwear (just clothes). A bra is pretty much just an appliance to hold my breast forms in place. Flats are "shoes".

You can make a case, if you wish, that our choice of clothes makes a statement about us or serves a purpose other than covering our private parts and keeping us warm. We wear a suit and tie to show respect (at a funeral, church or wedding) or to show others that we are more important than them (business leaders). We might dress to attract the opposite sex (or the same sex for some).

In much of the western world, our choice of clothing is pushed by manufacturers and stylists who convince us that the perfectly good clothes we bought from them last year are now out of style and need to be replaced by more clothes purchased from them.

[NicoleScott]

It's not whether or not clothes have special powers, but whether or not individuals assign special powers to them. To some, high heels are shoes, articles of "clothing" (or should we just say "feminine wear") that go on the feet. To others high heels have special powers. Or pick other things: pantyhose, bras, panties, dresses, etc. some may have special powers and some don't TO ME, not because of some inherent property of the articles themselves. Is "special powers" a nice of saying "fetish"?

"If nobody asks, then I know, but if asked to explain it, then I know not" --- St. Augustine, discussing "time". And me, discussing "special powers".

[Seana Summer]

Hmmm....thoughts and questions

Cloths are cloths yet cloths have all the power we have vested in them.

When a women wears heels and a skirt is she more attractive solely because of how she looks? or does her self confidence rise and she flirts with men more?

When GG's or CD's wear underwear that is considered attractive is it in the hope that someone will see this underwear and it will produce a particular result? or is it that we are allowing ourselves a bit of an indulgence that only we know about?

When a child carries a blanket (think Linus from the cartoon strip Peanuts) or insists on wearing a certain article of clothing over an over again. Dose the child care how they look to others?

[Maria Blackwood]

I think the only gender specific clothing are the bra and the jock strap...

I've always felt that's the reason I really really really like bras. It's the one of the truly feminine articles of clothing.

Maybe garters + thigh highs? I know they all feel great together.