Does wearing a suit and tie impact on how you feel?

[Teresa]

Becky,
To me they were just a uniform, I had to wear a suit and tie for all my weddings over a thirty year period, the rest of the time I wore a shirt and tie with a sports jacket . It never bothered me I was being seen as the professional doing a paid job . Casual was never acceptable , you may start in the CEO's office for the brief and then I would slip on overalls , safety boots and hard hat to do the work. At the end of the day maybe go back to the CEO for a run down on the job. At weddings I always made sure I stood out as the professional, my equipment was Bronica with all the lenses in those days no amateur could compete, digital screwed the whole thing up, and the standard of photography suffered !

If you asked the question which I prefer , it's a no brainer, I'd much sooner be dressed and present as a woman .

[Sheila11]

I don't own a suit anymore, but the last few times I wore one I felt like I was wearing a costume.
Just playing dressup.

[Becky Blue]

Working in jeans and a casual shirt is the norm for me, the point is that the suit and tie created a thick Blue Fog that only cleared overnight.

[IleneD]

When I retired from the military they offered retirement classes in how to engage the business world to prepare for life outside. The distinct point was made that the Business Suit was “their uniform”, [so get it right and wear it well.]

I’ve been a Uniform Guy all my life it seems. I wore the colors of my sports teams; always played sports (not like I had a choice either). In high school and college I identified with my team and the uniform. When I taught high school, I wore a uniform as coach. I joined the Navy and for 30 years I wore a uniform.

Looking back and trying to analyze the HOW & WHY I came to this TG/CD point in my life, late in life. I believe my uniforms played a major role, not in creating my dysphoria but in helping me hide and bury my inner woman. I was always a team guy with my identity wrapped inside the team and the uniform. I actually believe now that The Uniform helped me hide out among the very male clubs into which I felt I didn’t belong. The uniform helped hide my femininity.

For almost 6 decades I found comfort in my uniform. It made me feel “normal. I never had to develop a real identity. My identity was The Team, or The Navy. I was Number 35, or Coach (real first name), or Commander (real last name). I was never Me.

When I retired all that was gone. I had to face the real me; even “develop” a real sense of identity that I never had That’s when the Real Me, Ilene and my femme side, began to grandly emerge. Free from the constraints of the uniform She sprang forth with a vengeance.

I’m not complaining, BTW.

[Dana44]

I have a few suits as I was a professional engineer. and to wear them for going to customers or buying another company. For wedding and funerals I would still wear them. I have always worn cowboys boots with them as I was a cowboy and a rancher. A good business suit always felt nice as we are dressed as good as we could be. But it felt like our old selves anyways. Nothing special, but when I am dressed nice as a girl. I do fell that better.

[Gillian Gigs]

I never had to wear a suit at work. My work uniform was steel toed boots, jeans, shirt, and vest, because I liked lots of pockets to carry things. Suits are for weddings and funerals, and ties are from the pit of hell! If I ever had to wear a tie, it was on a large collared shirt and it was as loose as possible. Now as far as suits go, how about a skirt to match the coat and a loose scarf instead of a tie, I could go for that!

[franlee]

I must admit I seldom had to put on a suit and tie but when I did I liked the feeling of Neat and Proper it gave me. I think Tracy Irving said it about the same as I'm trying to. In my work hardware and the leather sometimes made sitting or riding a bit uncomfortable and made me self conscious if any was bulging at the hip or under the arm and that even became a part of the experience.

[Cherylgyno]

On days that I have to wear a monkey suit I am wearing boyshorts and a bra. If I am in the field I also wear pantyhose under my male jeans. I hate the feeling of male denim chafing my legs.

[sometimes_miss]

Since most of my 'out of the house' time is in my 'man' work clothes 'uniform', invariably the comments I get from women are, 'Well, you certainly clean up well!'. A suit almost always means a meeting, or some type of more formal social event (last time I wore a tux was several years ago, that just makes me feel completely odd, because I always see women in the most beautiful dresses at those events, and spend a good amount of time watching them and wanting to dress like/BE them). Any type of male clothing still gives me that 'antelope in the middle of a population of lions' feeling of just being conspicuous and uncomfortable, even though to the rest of the world, I probably look just fine.

[Tina_gm]

I'm going to break from the norm a bit with my reply. Wearing a suit is actually my favorite way to dress in men's clothing. The MORE well dressed in men's clothing, the better I feel in terms of dressing as male. For me too though, it's not about being in any discomfort wearing men's clothing in general, it's the comfort I feel wearing women's clothing that draws me to wear them. So, changing back isn't as stressful or depressing for me as it is for some, other than missing what I was wearing, not so much feeling bad about what I am wearing now. But definitely, I don't feel I am wearing a uniform or a costume or that I am playing a role. If anything, I would be feeling that way more so in casual work attire, or working around the house in crappy male jeans, work boots etc etc.

[LydiaL]

Suit and tie worn only rarely and typically for serious occasions. But, I thought that it would be fun on my Birthday 6 years ago to do a photo shoot in my birthday suit & tie. Put a picture (sans the pink tie) as my profile pic and will leave it for a few days. (No dirty thoughts now, there is no nudity!)

[Lucy23]

Once again I find myself in the minority here. However, I used to abhore suits and the likes. That was probably because all I ever had up to that point were suits bought as a whole, none of which were actually good fitting.

Then I had a tailor make me one and that completely turned the tables for me. I really like nicely fitting blazers, good looking trousers, etc. In fact, I really hate the word "drab" because I don't think it reflects the recent trends in men's fashion. Sure there is not as much variance as in women's, but it's far from dull in my opinion.

I'm with gendermutt on this: the more well dressed I am in men's clothing, the better I feel about it. There is so much potential for those willing to discover it.

And as for ties, well, the same can be said about bras: If you think your tie makes you choke, you're wearing a wrong one.

I once tried to wear my favourite business dress, nice pantyhose, underwear, and of course heels for some eight hours straight. I was working from home that day so I thought, "Hey let's see how long I can be dressed like this." To be honest, after several hours I was glad that I could put them away after I was done. I feel the same with my favourite men's clothes: It's all fun and games for the first few hours, but after that I'm more than happy to put even those away.

[Mark B]

I'm going to break from the norm a bit with my reply. Wearing a suit is actually my favorite way to dress in men's clothing. The MORE well dressed in men's clothing, the better I feel in terms of dressing as male. For me too though, it's not about being in any discomfort wearing men's clothing in general, it's the comfort I feel wearing women's clothing that draws me to wear them. So, changing back isn't as stressful or depressing for me as it is for some, other than missing what I was wearing, not so much feeling bad about what I am wearing now. But definitely, I don't feel I am wearing a uniform or a costume or that I am playing a role. If anything, I would be feeling that way more so in casual work attire, or working around the house in crappy male jeans, work boots etc etc.

I too love wearing suits. I wear them 4 days a week. And getting your shirt with the correct neck size is very important. I don't even notice that I have a tie on unless I spill something on it. As far as feeling manly? I feel manly even when wearing a skirt and heels with my jacket and tie. It all about have you feel about yourself. My only feminine time is when I get dressed as Martha and that's only when I go out with the wife.

[Erica Skifishski]

Underdressing FTW. I love a good fitting suit.

I gotta wear suits pretty often and they gotta be nice (or, at least look nice and fitted properly with care). If I have a meeting or I have to go to court, I have to wear a suit or a sport coat/blazer and slacks. Always a tie. I got some great ties that have pinks, purples, light greens, all sorts of great colors. Lots of the currently popular Jerry Garcia. Get compliments on them all the time.

There are lots of fun things you can wear under lined slacks.

One thing I noticed since I started underdressing under my suit, is that it bothers me if the alteration is just a little off. It's gotta FIT! I used to care less, but now, I want it nice and snug against the hips. I also hate it when my dress shirts don't fit just right. Which, of course, presently plagues all of them, lol.

As mentioned earlier, I would love to wear a jacket, scarf and skirt. Also diggin that style in Martha B's avitar, that's great!

Wanted to get some women's oxfords, brogues or loafers but then thought, what's the point, just a men's shoe made to fit a lady's foot in those cases. Still on the hunt for something that won't be distracting. I don't want people to be distracted. Maybe I can find some loafers that have a slightly higher heel than the men's version.

[Sheren Kelly]

Being a product of parochial school, I wore a jacket and tie nearly every day since age 14 (with the exception of my working military garb), I was only too happy to leave that all behind when I retired.
But I could not resist playing a little in one of my best suits...

MPA-s14_small.jpg

[IleneD]

Sheren,
You look like Mrs Clark Kent preparing to rip off a suit and fly away as SuperMan (girl). The dark wig changes so much of your look.
BTW, saw you on another well-known website; the TAVA page. I sent you a PM about it. Girl, you are my hero. So much respect I have for your courage.
Wish I was in a position to do what you've done and just "don't give a rats ass" about the World's opinion,..... but, there's always consequences.

You look great. You look beautiful. You look confident and happy.

[Maria Blackwood]

Suits and ties are the devil's work. I see a guy in an expensive suit and tie, and my hand goes over my wallet. They make me think of a documentary I saw about creatures in nature that visually signal you to keep away, like brightly colored poison frogs.

[KimberlyJean]

I have a difficult time dressing in male suits, I just don't like them. They fit right and I look good, but I have never liked them. It is like when your mother made you wear something handed down from your cousins that you didn't want to wear.

[Kaz]

I spent a large part of my working life in suits, and in the early days any 'dressing' was short but sweet and when I had the house to myself. As I got more comfortable of who/what I was... I underdressed. When I went into academia full-time... the dress code was informal, and I underdressed all the time. The big fun moment for me was then I put my make up on and got into Kaz mode... then dressed in the suit and tie... but with heels, make-up etc... a revelation! I was a guy pretending to be a girl pretending to a guy! Changed the way I thought about things! These days I think I am Kaz, but I dress up as a guy sometimes!

[Sarah Doepner]

My parents bought me a suit as a high school graduation gift. I've been retired for 8 years now and that was the only man's suit I've ever owned. I do have a few suits made for a woman however.

I worked in a government office and was surrounded by people in uniform. I never wore a uniform, hated the idea of them. I wore slacks, a dress shirt and a tie nearly every day and had a few sport coats to top off the outfit if I had to "impress" someone. I only bought stuff that was comfortable and so I didn't find it all that bad since I had options and generally wore the ugliest ties I could find. When I got off work it was shorts, sandals and a Hawaiian shirt in the summer and hiking boots, jeans and a Hawaiian shirt in cooler months.

Women's clothing gives me a lot more options and I don't have to wear an ugly tie to get color in my wardrobe.

[Evie82]

Yes!! I really don't like wearing suits, and ties are horrible things! Who thought it was a good idea to knot a length of scrap fabric around your neck in the first place?? Oh god, whenever I'm forced into a suit I feel like Herman Munster's stunt double. People say I look good in one but, hell, do I feel uncomfortable!
Thankfully my office has no requirement for suits or ties so that's a blessing. The downside of it is that I still have to wear reasonably smart trousers which to me means cheap, shapeless and soulless tubes for my legs and some unknown, ill-fitting shape to cover my groin and butt! Aargh!
At least it's a rare occasion that I'm obliged to wear one, and as soon as I can the jacket is gone and the tie is off.
And cufflinks! Bloody cufflinks! What's wrong with just having buttons?? Jewellery is one thing, but having to pin your sleeves shut with a couple of usually obnoxious pieces of metal that invariably rattle against the desk or table setting my teeth on edge... grrrr!

All that said, I bet I could carry a good skirt suit!