MIADs...a question

[kayla_bayarea]

I admit to really hating the MIAD look but I will staunchly defend your right to dress that way to anyone. That being said, are you attracted to dresses and other typically female garments because of the actual way they look or because they are marketed towards women? If sartorial history was flipped and dresses were all along considered to be a male garment would you still want to wear one?

If I put myself on the spot, I would have to admit that it's probably the fact that certain items are supposed to be for women and not men is what makes them appealing. Things like "manties" are a complete turn off for me: http://www.manties.net/

When I found out that certain Bulgari fragrances were actually considered unisex and not just women's I did not like them as much (even though I still wear them on occasion). None of this is rational but I guess my brain is just wired that way. If three piece suits and ties were considered only women's wear I would probably be a lot more interested in them. As it is now, I kind of detest suits (the YSL Le Smoking being an exception) and I most definitely HATE ties.

I used to hate the color pink not because of gender connotations but because I thought it was kind of juvenile looking. The wide spread appearance and marketing of "millennial pink" has definitely worked on me and I now have several accessories and clothing in that pale pinkish color. I still find it fascinating that pink was originally for baby boys because it was considered a strong color and blue was for girls because it was seen as softer.

The whole idea of gender is really weird but I am definitely influenced by it.

[DaisyLawrence]

The whole idea of gender is really weird but I am definitely influenced by it.

You are probably in the right place then

I do not 'crossdress' as such but generally always present in clothing that represents who I feel I am gender wise (this is non-binary). Being genetically male I need to dress in womens clothes to present the chosen mixed appearance so I am automatically attracted to female specifc items and dislike male specific items such as your suggested suit and tie. I do not do MIAD day to day so dresses and skirts are for home and trips out on my occasional 'all-woman' days. Make sense?

[JanesCDcloset]

I like to wear "women's" clothes because they are comfortable and they feel good to wear. When I am dressed I do not sit like a women or walk like a women. I am just myself and act as I normal would. I am just more comfortable.

My choice of dresses or skirts are usually long and loose. I like feeling of the fabric brushing lightly on my legs. I also like pantyhose and leggings, as I like the tightness and softness of them. Mostly depends on which feeling I want for the day, loose or tight.

Don't even get me started why I wear panties.

In my perfect world, clothes would not have a gender.

[Natali]

Difficult one, and I don't know if I have really thought about it. I know I feel comfortable when dressed this way and wish I could express it openly. My guess is that if it was considered a male item I would still want to wear it.

[Allison Chaynes]

I like to wear "women's" clothes because they are comfortable and they feel good to wear. When I am dressed I do not sit like a women or walk like a women. I am just myself and act as I normal would. I am just more comfortable.

My choice of dresses or skirts are usually long and loose. I like feeling of the fabric brushing lightly on my legs. I also like pantyhose and leggings, as I like the tightness and softness of them. Mostly depends on which feeling I want for the day, loose or tight.

Don't even get me started why I wear panties.

In my perfect world, clothes would not have a gender.

This is me. I just don't have time or energy to go all out as complete femme. Most of the time I don't leave the house anyway dressed, except for underdressing.

[Brenda Freeman]

I dress to look like a woman. When I dress up it always includes make up, breast forms and a wig or my long hair styled. I have no idea if I pass, but I like how I look and how it makes me feel. I do take on feminine postures when dressed. I wanted to be a girl. Always loved how girls and women looked. Makes me so happy those special moments.

[Stacy Darling]

I admit to really hating the MIAD look but I will staunchly defend your right to dress that way to anyone. That being said, are you attracted to dresses and other typically female garments because of the actual way they look or because they are marketed towards women? If sartorial history was flipped and dresses were all along considered to be a male garment would you still want to wear one?

I'm a YSL Mon Paris, in Guy mode! But that wasn't the question though!

Just curious about the direction of the question? Due to the fact that my answer would be quite similar if presenting as CD, MIAD or QuestionableMale/Female whoever! "I like to choose what I wear"

Stacy!

[Crissy 107]

I think that items made for women are more appealing to me for that reason, even down to which deodorant to buy.
Crissy

[GretchenM]

For me I sometimes wear women's attire because I feel feminine - not the other way around. But what really attracts me is the freedom of movement, both body and air, in many women's clothes. Really don't care much for the tight garments that much. What I find most attractive is the variety of colors and patterns of colors available in women's clothes that are almost totally absent in men's clothes, except for things like Hawaiian shirts. To me it is almost like wearing art. I especially like flower and plant patterns, semi real or more abstract. But then I am a botanist so I guess that attraction is understandable.

If the tables were turned, that would still attract me to those clothes for my daily wear. If women wore three piece suits I really don't know how I would react. That said, it is almost universally true that women wear things that are more flowing because it complements their common trait of being more graceful than males. In that sense, perhaps the question in absurd because I doubt women wearing a great deal of what men wear probably is not going to happen and even if it did those garments would be modified in some way to complement the woman's body shape and form as well as their characteristic movement style that body shape and form more easily allows.

[Lisa Roberts]

If it’s girly, I want it. I’m unmistakably a guy. Never could “pass”, so I am definitely a MIAD. I just yearn to be feminine. Wired that way.
Lace and Smiles!
Lisa

[Gillian Gigs]

I'm basically attracted to all things nylon. It is difficult, to near impossible to find nylon in anything in mens clothing. It started off more as a fetish thing with me and has morphed into what it is today. To wear pantyhose/tights can be rather hot at times, so wearing a skirt while in pantyhose makes sense to me. Besides, showing your legs is nice too. There is still something about it being clothing made for a woman that does have an appeal. It's difficult to describe other than to use an example, having a touch of lace on a cami which is just hidden by the last button being done up.

[phili]

Being a MIAD I have had plenty of time to consider your question!

The reason you are getting diverse answers is that gender is a multi-strand experience- it is not one thing, it is 5 or 6 at least- probably more as we refine our thinking.
Part of Gender-
is how we present ourselves to others and send messages about what to expect
is the stance we take in reacting to others and directing them
is wired in our anatomy and biology and hormones
is taught us
is performance- expected roles and responsibilities
is culturally assigned powers and privileges
is flexible according to circumstances and relative importance to what is going on
is aspirational- 'becoming a man'
is not in our control at all- how others see us
is voluntary
is involuntary
is emotional
is logical or intellectual
is...

And all these things are interacting with various intensities- yikes! We try to understand it through questions like yours- and it is a good question!

I can say with assurance that when I am unhappy with being restricted to male assigned things, then any tiny thing assigned to females is a desirable thing to have. When I am out and about in a short dress and heels, doing the ordinary business of life, I am much more particular about what I like and don't. I love the sensuality of it but have to concentrate on other things like driving or getting the right card out of my wallet, so it is more subdued than when I admire myself in the mirror and am only surrounded by a flood of pleasure hormones!

When I am feeling like I simply am a male woman- I am aglow inside whatever I am wearing and feeling only annoyed, not imprisoned, if I can't wear what I want.

[Tracy Irving]

are you attracted to dresses and other typically female garments because of the actual way they look or because they are marketed towards women?

is there a reason why someone can't be attracted to the way a dress looks and have a desire to wear it because it is marketed toward women?

[Brenn]

First, let me comment that i am really glad to see a number of MIAD posts lately. Years ago I tried the "passing" thing, and while it was fun and exciting, it really wasn't ME. I have since started buying things that I just happen to like wearing. There is still a little bit if a thrill wearing something marked as "women's" versus "men's," but for me it is still ultimately what i feel comfortable in. I'm not out to "shock" the world, but I just find things like ballet flats, leggings and skirts more comfortable and practical in most cases. Most of the time my wardrobe is a mixture of both men's and women's clothing. I'm not sure if that answers your question, but it is how I approach the issue.

[Stephanie47]

So, if we go back to Adam and Eve before the debacle with the snake, and, therefore not even a fig leaf would you be confused as to your gender? Do fig leaves come in male and female or are they just plain fig leaves? I sort of figure it would be really easy to identify males and females before we all decided to don those fig leaves. I digressed.

There is something in my inner makeup which attracted me to women's clothing around the start of puberty. I don't know what it is, although there may be some speculation. My wife pondered when we had "The Talk," "Why would a man wear a bra if he has nothing to pack into it?" Valid question I thought. I've come to the conclusion there is some dna component of the female sex in my genetic pool. It makes the most sense. Why would I otherwise risk all the negativity society heaps upon those who are not like the general masses; transgender, gay, lesbian, etc?

If I were just comfortable wearing a dress, why do I choose to also wear a bra, if I have "nothing to pack into it?" If I feel it is necessary to break the conventional rules of society it would make sense to try to fly under the radar by trying to look as womanly as possible. Personally, I do not feel complete if I am not wearing a bra. Modesty? After all women were burning their bras back in the 1960's. Jiggling all over the place! I do forego makeup and nail polish because, like any woman, is it necessary for what I intend to accomplish on any given day? If I am doing domestic chores there is no necessity to glam up. My wife does not glam up when doing the laundry.

I do not wear anything but dresses when it comes to outerwear. I suspect that is part of my visual upbringing of the 1950's and 1960's. In my neighborhood women did not wear pants.

So, when Stephanie arises for whatever reason, she wants to appear feminine by wearing a dress and all the proper undergarments. I suspect if the role of clothing were to switch and genetic men wore dresses and genetic women wore pants, then I as a man would want to shed my dress because my inner self would want to emulate a woman wearing pants. If for some reason I want to identify as the opposite sex, then I would need to wear the corresponding clothing.

As to my desire to wear a certain type of dress, that's nothing more than a personal preference akin to me desiring to wear a certain color or style of male clothing. Give me a floral print dress anytime.

[lynnstar]

I like to dress the way JaneCD does. Loose and long and comfortable. I thoughly enjoy feeling the silky underthings under a nice skirt or dress. I don't get to dress often (wife hates it) so when I do, it really makes my day.

[docrobbysherry]

Kayla, whether they'll admit it or not? There's a fetish element involved in our dressing. Otherwise, how can u explain the countless "pantie" threads here? An item no one can see!?

Personally, I'm not fond of the MIAD look. However, when I go out, I'm stuck with it!

I don't rate the items I wear on a "femininity scale". I wear what women I'm attracted to wear. And, I admit to being attracted to pretty women in almost anything! Or, nothing!

And, those r the looks I try to imitate!

[Micki_Finn]

This question is a giant “what if” that you can speculate on for hours but it’s never going to give you any useful information.

[Teresa]

Kayla,
It's quite an involved question with no single answer .

I see the clothes as a window to the World of how I feel inside , I have to admit sometimes the clothes aren't that practical maybe that could be considered an attraction, the fabrics, the way they fit and how they move is someything a guy very rarely experiences . Then there is the shopping element , I love shopping for female items , I have to force myself to buy drab items but just love being accepted enough to openly take clothes into a changing area and talk them over with SAs . It feels so right , I'm in total comfort zone . I even enjoy discussing items for my home , whether it be soft furnishings or domestic items , I'm now living alone more or less as a woman would , is it a slow transition ? Maybe but it does feel good !

To answer the MIAD question it just wouldn't work for me , drab does very little for me so why do I need to retain it , annoyingly I can't totally escape it !

[kayla_bayarea]

Glad to see so many responses. People have been predicting the end of gendered fashion in the future and I actually do not want that to happen at all. They idea of clothing/fashion being morphed into some non-gendered blob is kind of horrifying to me. I am totally against only XX individuals can wear one type of clothes and XY individuals can only wear the other. But, I don't want to concept of femininity to be abandoned. I admit being pretty brainwashed into what the ideal feminine look is but I am happy to be brainwashed in that regards. I used to think it's the actual clothes that attract me but I don't think that's really true. I prioritize what image the clothes would project ON ME but I can still admire clothing on a hanger or shoes sitting on a shelf that just look pretty.

I remember mocking my female friends in college for wearing leggings as pants over 20 years ago. "Leggings are not pants!" Now, I wear leggings almost everyday and barely wear even jeans. If stereotypical male associated clothing suddenly became uber popular with girls I would probably start incorporating them in my daily wardrobe. On the other hand, if something like fit and flare dresses suddenly became popular with a large segment of the male population for a long time I would probably stop wearing them. They would no longer project femininity to the general population and would lose the image I want. Gender is indeed a social construct but I buy into it pretty willingly.

I hope that clothing continues to be divided into different parts of the store in the future but it doesn't mean it has to be done among male/female (which is sex, not gender). I do think something (objects, ideas, etc.) can be inherently feminine or masculine as long as we have society. A knife is a feminine weapon and a baseball bat is a masculine one. An oval looks to be a more feminine shape than a rectangle. If there are any anthropologists on here I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Since the most glaring difference between a GG and a GM is the ability to give birth I wonder if what we consider feminine and masculine is tied to this. I know that what the human population in general finds attractive on a primal basis is youth for women because youth signals the ability to give birth.

Anyway, hoping to keep the idea of gender but have it accessible to all.

[Krea]

In reply to your original question, i am from the miad section of members and i like the look & feel of fem clothes. I also like the way i feel when i wear them. (It's a comfortable & relaxed thing, not a turned-on thing.)
I don't want to be fully en-femme and try to pass. I just feel that a genderblurred presentation at home seems the most appropriate look for me.

[t-girlxsophie]

A touch off topic apologies,but what on earth is a Running Kilt I've seen them mentioned on here a few times and unless your running towards the enemy claymore in hand then I'm bemused at to what they are.And also a traditional kilt is a skirt technically but it's still a man's garment so your not crossdressing or indeed a MIAD wearing one,now of course there is a burgeoning fashion trend of mini kilts etc which is a different thing altogether

Sophie

[Charlotte7]

A touch off topic apologies,but what on earth is a Running Kilt

Sophie, yes I was as bemused as you, so a quick search turned up the following: http://www.runningkilts.com/

I also agree with you on the gender nature of kilts in general too and so wouldn't wear one, but, a woollen, tartan, pleated skirt, that's an altogether different thing. I used to have a full length hostess kilt, which I got from a shop near Inverness, now that definitely wasn't a man's garment

[GeorgeA]

I mostly agree with you, Krea. For me it is my everyday attire and I am all man, no femininity involved.

[Asew]

As an endurance runner, running kilts have piqued my interest. I do own two running skirts and they are a little on the short side. One has built in compression shorts which is great for modesty (a small enclosed pocket for big enough for a car key (I really like these ones and might buy a another in another color). The other one is just a skirt and will only wear on solo runs since don't want someone seeing something when going up a hill during a group run. The running kilts typically are longer and are just the skirt (so no fabric in between the legs that could cause chafing). And usually a little better on pockets (which for a long run can stash more stuff like a phone or food). But I also identify more as a non-binary so a kilt and a skirt are fairly equal to me, I just love clothes that don't go between my legs