Real v. Fake?

[DebsUK]

I went without a wig a couple of times but didn't find it was feminine enough so preferred a wig. I have nothing resembling boobs so need to pad and I always wore something to nip in my waist a little (Lycra, not boned). Thing is, these are as much about helping clothes fit better as "faking it". Besides, how many genetic women dye their hair, wear wigs, corsets, panty girdles, Spanx, "chicken fillet" boob enhancers? It also depends on where you're going I guess too.
For what it's worth I was trying for an androgynous look in drab for a while a few years back ( i eventually bottled it) though it was fun trying while it lasted

[Richelle]

I guess im saying...anyone else found a 'look that works'?

The look I found that works is just being my natural self. I am lucky that I have my own hair, small natural breasts. And now at my age very light facial hair color, so a close shave and no make up works for me. When I wear long dangling earrings, nail polish, leggings, tunics with lots of bling and color I am always treated as any other women out and about.

Richelle

[Jenny22]

I try to realistically fake it to be as feminine as I can be: Wig, beautiful, bouncy silicone breast forms, all lingerie in use, hold up stockings, shoes, lots of appropriate jewelry and makeup, all of which I love putting on. Even in male mode, when I'm driving, I will some times wear earrings, a necklace, yummy red lipstick, bra and small forms It makes me still feel girily. It may all be fake, but its what makes me feel so feminine. Love it all !!

[Dana44]

My SO does not want me to get any forms or wigs. But I have size B boobs and use a push up bra and it works fine. My hair is long enough to style and I go all naturally. I always have earrings on. Makeup is getting better and I am pretty accepted out there and I get called mam in drab mode sometimes. I have long nails and getting them painted for the Las Vegas trip. She tells me to go natural and that I do look like a woman when i am made up. Yet I am tall, she says that I'm a tall good looking chick.

[Ressie]

Wig? always
Makeup? you betcha!
hip pads? Haven't tried them, but I like the look
breast forms? love 'em and wear them

nails are kept short and painted when dressing up.
I've only experimented with false lashes and fake nails. They're both a PITA at this point.

I had beautiful long blonde hair when I was 18-28, but my natural hair isn't gonna work at age 62.

[sometimes_miss]

To me, the ones who complain the most about people who use 'fake', or artificially enhanced anything, are those who wish to eliminate the competition. Women with real D cups routinely talk down those who get implants. Women with real blond hair dis the bottle blonds. all in an effort trying to make people think the other person is worth less then they, themselves are.

I'm an equal opportunity guy. I don't care how people make themselves look good, as long as they do. Some are born beautiful, some have to work at it. Why look less appealing than you want to be? Just to make some other curmudgeon happy? No thanks.

[Lily Catherine]

On one hand I feel 'fake' is far too harsh and extreme a term (see Krisi on amputees). Yet on the other how I look as Lily is definitely not real nor unaltered: my hair is a wig, my bra is padded with towels, and I apply makeup quite often. (I dislike hip padding on myself.) These are definitely unnatural; without them my silhouette is decidedly male - I was born that way.

One term for an MtF CD in Chinese is 'false girl', however. Which has a fair bit of implicit perception behind it.

[phili]

I like to joke that I look like a Civil War vet- kind of craggy drawn face, lots of real estate sprouting hair, and grey wispy eyebrows. I'm tall, have broad shoulders and kind of a wiry masculine tension- so there is no way I will ever look or feel to others like a biological woman. However, as gendermutt says, gender and biological sex are not the same thing, and my mix of the two is going to have to be ok with others.

I think it has made it easier for others as well. Most people have some kind of fantasy or experience with cross-dressing, and if I am being frank about it, and not asking them to do anything special for me - like treat me as a woman or tell or show me they think I am attractive, then the tension kind of goes away.

I used to think I had to be a woman or look like a woman to have the right to enjoy the pleasure of women's clothes or to let myself feel feminine. Now I can clearly see that once we separate biological and physical characteristics from psychological gender, the way is clear for all of us to have a much better time!