What constitutes "dressing"?

[Bea_]

A question and follow up question were posted as to how often we dress. The responses got me to wondering "What constitutes dressing in our minds?". Since I'm pretty much MIAD, ANY clothing from the other side of the aisle is dressing for me. Since i wear panties probably 360 out of 365 days, I pretty much say every day.

In front of my wife, I wear women's nightshirts or pj's to bed pretty much every night. Depending on weather, I'll put on short shorts or leggings around the house and back yard. Occasionally, a skirt or dress. At home, I am pretty much ALWAYS in SOMETHING indulgent.

[Krisi]

That's a valid question. Some of us just wear women's panties or maybe women's jeans and consider that to be "dressing". Technically, I suppose if you're wearing any women's clothes you are "crossdressing". I think for most of us, "dressing" is much more than that. Wig, bra with forms, padded hips and butt, dress or skirt and blouse and women's shoes. And at least some makeup and lipstick. In short, trying to look like a woman. I am in that group.

Obviously, we are all entitled to do it the way we want to and call it what we want. It does mess up any sort of polls unless "dressing" is defined for the poll.

[DaisyLawrence]

Sorry but if no-one else can see it, I don't see how it is crossdressing in anything other than your own mind. Panties? Crossdressing? Seriously? Even womens jeans are just jeans at the end of the day. No-one has ever noticed that my super skinny jeans are from the womens department, they sell them for men as well these days. Now a skirt or dress, well that is crossdressing for real. If it is hidden then it goes without saying that it is NOT part of your gender expression. In fact while on the strangely popular subject of ladies underwear lets just get a few things straight, no they don't fit men, no they are not more comfortable than underwear designed for men, no they don't let you get in touch with your 'inner woman', and since no-one can see them they are not part of your gender expression, period. They are a fetish, a turn on, a kink, nothing more, nothing less. If you like them, great. Sorry Bea but wearing panties 360 days a year does not make you a full-time crossdresser however much you want it too.

[Gillian Gigs]

I would sum it up like this;
If someone is playing a sport, on the playing field, they would be a part of the game. In football, whether a player is a forward, midfielder, on defence, or the goal keeper, they are all footballers! Each plays their part in the over scheme of things, and another player can't say the other is not a footballer just because they are not doing the same thing that their position, or place requires.
Hence if a person wears clothes that are normally worn by the opposite sex, then they are crossdressing. The lines are getting blurred in todays society, especially with women and younger men are now trending that way also. Sexism, or sexist behaviour has no room in a society that says all are equal.
So who's the idiot that made up these rules anyhow...lol

[Tracy Irving]

I have yet to come across a definition stating that "one must wear a skirt or dress that others can see to be considered a crossdresser".

[DaisyLawrence]

I did not state that Tracy. I simply stated that if people can see some obvious cross-gender clothing such as a dress or skirt then clearly a man is crossdressing but if he is simply wearing invisible panties or similar hidden items he can only be crossdressing in his own mind (as his mind is the only one that knows of it). If he wants to call that crossdressing then so be it, but not all will agree.

[Charlotte7]

Daisy, a touch harsh perhaps (#3)?

This is a difficult question to answer but for what it's worth here's my thoughts on this. In this context, on this forum, self-declared 'Male to Female Crossdressing', dressing is whatever anyone wants it to be, if you do it, if you're a born male, if you have no intention to transition, (at that time, things may change), and if it involves intentionally wearing ladies clothes because they're ladies clothes, then, yes it is, cross dressing. To me, it doesn't matter if you do it in private, or in public. It doesn't matter if you do it overtly or if you underdress so no one can see what you have on. It doesn't matter if you only wear a single garment that can't be detected. I'm not going to berate anyone here who just wears panties occasionally as a turn on, because, for them, the implications of being discovered by a partner, colleague, neighbour, friend or anyone else, could be life changing. So if they feel that they are cross dressing, if their partner feels that they are cross dressing, who am I to say otherwise?

What will be different between us as a group are the motivations for dressing, the behaviour during dressing, the extent of the dressing and even the frequency of the dressing. There are, probably, as many motivations for dressing are there are those of us who dress. I really don't think that this is an issue that we need to get too hung up over. At the end of the day cross dressing is what cross dressing is. To use the well worn cliché: if it looks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, then, it's cross dressing.

[Michelle 51]

So with your line of thinking DaisyLawrence if a man fully dresses at home but no one is there to see him he isn't crossdressing.Not trying to be mean but I don't get your point

[DaisyLawrence]

Well yes Charlotte but you ilustrate my point for me, thank you. Yes hidden clothing wearers can claim to be crossdressing but that is the point, it is up to them and only them as no-one else knows they are wearing it. A man wearing obvious womens clothing such as the previously suggested dress or skirt is crossdressing whether he likes it or not. He can not tell an onlooker that he is not a crossdresser.

Michelle, I worded it badly like usual. Maybe the above helps.

[Charlotte7]

But Daisy, your premise is a moot point as it doesn't matter. Cross dressing isn't in the eye of the beholder, it's in the mind of the doer. For example, if I sit here and tap my top hat with my magic wand and then pull out a white rabbit, I'm a magician. That I'm here, all alone in the back kitchen, with only the cat for company, and that there isn't an audience to whoop and holler at my magical prowess doesn't somehow make me not a magician.

[DaisyLawrence]

Point taken. As you say, as far as you are concerned you are a magician. And, when I see you do a magic trick, I too will think of you as a magician.

[Robertacd]

The more I see MIAD the more I hate that term.

MIAD sounds derogatory name transgender people call crossdressers.

[Asew]

I know for me, dressing is anything from the women's section that is visible to others. But my wife would consider panties and such dressing too.

Reminds me of a Friends episode where Ross wears a pink/salmon shirt. He claims it is salmon from the men's section but others think it is a pink ladies shirt. So in the eyes of some it kind of is dressing even though technically a men's shirt. But they are also trying to play it up for laughs so you can take it however you want

[DaisyLawrence]

A classic episode indeed Asew

[Crissy 107]

IMO any of us guys that even just wears white cotton panties is on the cross dressing spectrum.
Crissy

[Stephanie47]

Within the past year our high school granddaughter and her friends were prowling the men's section of Goodwill and other thrift stores for men's flannel shirts, and, for her she was also looking for jeans made for boys. She is petite and larger boys size do fit petite women. Ah, to be blessed with a slender frame. At granddaughter's age my daughter had bought men's jeans because women's wear manufacturers did not make jeans with pockets for women. She wanted a pocket for her slim wallet. Jeans with no pockets usually means women have to carry around what amounts to sometimes a large "trash" bag to keep all the crap women deem necessary to venture out the front door. Ask my granddaughter or daughter whether they are cross dressing and they'll say "no." Why? Because neither has any desire or intent to "emulate" a man.

Why would a man want to wear a bra when he has nothing to pack into it? my wife asked. I suppose there are some men who would benefit by wearing a bra. I certainly have seen totally obese men on the sandy beaches. To me, and others, not a pretty sight. However, a man with no physical reason to wear a bra does wear a bra? Why? Maybe the question should also ask why the man who claims to be a cross dressers does not go "all in," but, rather wears only one or two articles of clothing designed for women.

Cross dressing is more than wearing the clothes of the opposite sex. There is a strong component involved and that is the person is trying to "emulate" a woman. A guy donning an outfit of a woman on Halloween may be wearing the clothes of a woman, and, therefore he is "cross dressing." However, is he a cross dresser? Verb v. noun. Does he want to really emulate a woman on some spiritual plateau. I think not. Does a fetish wear of panties want to emulate a woman on a spiritual plateau? I think not.

What is the real reason why a cross dresser under dresses? When Stephanie comes a calling it's the whole deal. Wig to heels and everything in between. I enjoy being a man, but, sometimes for some unknown reason I feel the need to "emulate" a woman as best I can. So, I do wear a bra although I have no flesh to pack into it. My experience would not be complete if I did not wear a bra. Why do women enhance their bust lines with surgery or padding? Is Stephanie a "flat chested woman" needing enhancements?

Maybe some can shed some light why do you under dress? Before reading about under dressing adventures I had never done it. I tried it. Does absolutely nothing for me. Nada. Nil. Zero. My mind has to be wanting to emulate a woman. When it isn't, it is comfortable men's wear.

[Micki_Finn]

The way I see it, “Dressing” is wearing any article of women’s outer wear (As opposed to just panties or under garments which would be “underdressing”. Getting done all the way up with hair and makeup etc. is “presenting”. Those are my personal definitions anyway.

[Michelle 51]

Thank you Daisy and yes it does.I get where your coming from.As for myself I dress everyday to different degrees.I don't own any guy underwear and often wear a bra and form enhancers even in male mode but when I'm home my wife lets me dress as Michelle so I understand someone underdressing also.

[Bea_]

Sorry Bea but wearing panties 360 days a year does not make you a full-time crossdresser however much you want it too.

Wow. I asked a simple question. I gave a tiny bit of information about myself and you filled in the rest. You're wrong in just about every sentence. You don't have a clue about me. I could tick off the inaccuracies point by point, but that wasn't the reason for my question.

[DaisyLawrence]

Apologies Bea, but your OP did state "Since i wear panties probably 360 out of 365 days, I pretty much say every day". Only fair to assume from that that you consider yourself an everyday full-time crossdresser because of the panties. If that is an incorrect assumption maybe you shouldn't have said it so clearly. I also went on to make it quite clear that if you consider that 'dressing' then that is your perogative and fine by me. You asked what we consider dressing and I told you.

[Tracii G]

Bea if you had been here longer you would understand where many here are coming from so lets not get off on the wrong foot.
Daisy makes valid points and while you may disagree don't get all defensive OK?
Its OK to disagree so no need to get butt hurt.
Being up front and honest as Daisy is is not a bad thing because sometimes honesty is what you need to hear.
It may not be what you want to hear.

[LilSissyStevie]

So, I'm not a crossdresser if no one sees me dressed. Thank God! I never wanted to be a whoopsie, anyhoo!

[Tracy Irving]

if he is simply wearing invisible panties or similar hidden items he can only be crossdressing in his own mind (as his mind is the only one that knows of it).

And, to him, the only one that matters.

[DaisyLawrence]

Tracy - Understood

SissyStevie - I'll say it again if it helps, if you say you are a crossdresser then you are. Clearly not for the purposes of gender expression/presentation but a crossdresser never the less.

[Tracii G]

I agree with your last post Daisy.