Trigger Points

[Tina Samoan]

I frequently think about what makes me want to dress.
I often go months even a year or so without it even being an issue or a desire than all of a sudden it becomes a necessitate. A requirement that I must address before I can even set forth in my standard drab life. I finally succumb to my deep setted emotions and dress to portray the beautiful sexy women I always admired and loved. Afterwards I feel like I have achieved my goal, I can then finally go about my life.
For me I find that stress in my normal day to day to be my #1 trigger and the second is reminders of bad moments of my childhood 1 &2 are likely related.
I have many others but lets hear yours.

[Tracy Irving]

My trigger is waking up. I don't always succumb but, so far, I always wake up.

[mbmeen12]

This site and many other things....That's the "G" rated version...

[RachelWCat]

I'm the same, Mary. Unless I know I've got a clear opportunity to dress up, I don't think about it too much. Only when the opportunity presents itself then the excitement and adrenaline kicks in.

[Palaina Nocturnus]

I crossdress because I feel like myself and I feel attractive for once. There are rare moments when I'm feeling gross and stay in man mode lol minus a dress or skirt, I look like a female 247

[Tina Samoan]

Thank you everyone who responded to this thread I find it so very helpful to hear the many different experiences and perspectives. Especially from so many people in different places along their journey.

[GretchenM]

The psychologists have studied this pretty extensively and have found that stress and memories are major triggers. But most anything can be a trigger. It all depends on your experiences, you total gender identity, and how you associate clothing with the expression of your identity. Stress is a big factor for me as well and when that goes high I go all the way with the expression. It relieves it. Not exactly an escape mechanism, but it has a touch of that flavor. Otherwise, I do a blended presentation with somewhat unisex clothes that tend to be weighted a bit toward the feminine. That is my non-stressed presentation on many days. Not glaringly obvious but apparent if one looks a bit closer than the casual glance will create. I do it for me and don't give a whole of attention to what others might think about it. I occasionally get the funny look, but most either don't notice or don't care. Which is great, because I don't care either. Not sloppy, not fashionable, but my favorite descriptive word - presentable.

[Mackem Sue]

I agree that opportunity is generally my trigger. Should the desire be there and I know I've time completely to myself, then away I go. Odd times, I feel an intense desire and I find I have to make time to dress, but it's always a preasent sensation to do so.

I find stress and tiredness actually suppress the deisre.

[Rachel05]

Stress is something that makes me want to dress more, but these days I find I just want to dress because I like it, I enjoy it and I feel like me, dressing helps with the stress rather than the stress helping with my dressing, I never go a day without wanting to dress and in fact wear panties every day now and for a long time

[Angela Marie]

When I began dressing the feelings of guilt, and the resultant stress, were definitely a trigger point. However over the past year I have become more comfortable and accepting of my feminine side and all that entails. So I would say the triggers are much reduced, if not gone, and my dressing is an expression of who I am rather than a response to a particular situation.

[NancySue]

In the earlier years, I sometimes dressed for stress relief. Once reconciled however, I now dress because I flatly enjoy the soft feelings and comfort of women?s clothes...from top to bottom. I started with hose of all kinds and they?re still #1. I find I often run my hand up and down my legs and love the sounds when walking. I never tire of the comfort feelings of slipping on hose. I wear panties daily. Much to my wife?s disbelief, I find comfort, in addition to hose, makeup, wearing shapers, underwire bras, slips, heels, girdles, etc. I also enjoy planning what to wear, laying everything out, etc. It continues to be so satisfyingly comfortable.

[rhonda]

Once you get into cd'ing you're in , you don't need a trigger , everything else is just an excuse

[Tania]

Rhonda, well stated.

[Bobbi46]

Stress only makes the blood pressure go up, I don't get stressed with dressing on those very rare days of having to be in drab I feel very uncomfortable only settled when i am dressed again

[Alice Torn]

Tina, You said it pretty much for me. I am 65, never had a wife, and i dress up occasionally as the tall leggy lady, of my dreams, or like tall leggy women I wanted, but was rejected by, or married ones i have known. I had a business, where i woked in peoples' homes, and so many married women customers, were tall and gorgeous, and it hurt to be the lonesome blue collar service guy. I never touched them of course, but when dressed, resembled some of them. I then return to guy mode for quite a long time. I know i am a guy, and need to stay a guy, in spite of the pull. Life is about compromises, and we can't have everything we want, and conflict is part of the fickle human condition. Sometimes Miss, i agree with what you wrote too. A deep part of the brain needs to be satisfied with occasionally letting Alice out of the box!

[Victoria_Winters]

I think stress is one of my biggest triggers. I love to dress up and be someone else for a bit. I have kind of created this other persona that is Victoria and I enjoy being someone other then me. I have a huge dysforia about my life. So dressing is almost therapeutic for me. In fact with all the stress and massive changes in my life it has pushed me to be more out going. I am even looking to go out dressed to the local DRAG show and start performing. I?m a bass player

[BTWimRobin]

Hi Tina,

Welcome to our little community.

Funny, my wife and I were just talking about this. I don't know why I want to dress. I know it makes me feel complete. It relaxes me and I feel good about myself. I can't say for sure exactly what triggered this desire. Maybe it came from years of living in denial. Once I came to terms with this and started dressing it felt so right.

[Cheryl T]

I'm with Tracy.
I don't need anything but waking up, and now I always do that in my nightgown with my bra and forms, so I've got a hair trigger.

[Allyssa66]

stress will trigger me to dress more, but i was dressed as a girl by my aunt when i was a kid, so the seeds were there.....

[Nadia Wren]

This year I took a job at a University that has a more 'liberal' environment than my previous job. Autumn through Spring have traditionally been my peak dressing times, but this autumn, my desire to dress has been elevated, so much so that I took the plunge and have gone to brick and mortar stores to shop for myself. My work related stress levels are no where near where they were prior to this new job, so methinks its the new environment fueling this motivation. But Rhonda is right...

[Victoria_Winters]

I usually only want to dress about half the time. Some days I want to dress from the moment I wake up and other days I?m like ?eh?.... mostly
Because if I dress I want to do make and there are days I?m just REALLY lazy and don?t feel like doing makeup.

[Lux]

Rhonda’s comment definitely made me chuckle and I have to agree that pretty much anything is an excuse to dress.

Having said that though, I would personally say that I have 2 main reasons that I take/make time to dress. As many have said, stress (specifically workplace) is a huge motivator for me. I absolutely love my job but it can get a bit hectic at times. When the weekend comes I get so happy to glam it up and let my inner girl out! After a hot shower, shave and some body oil, the slow transformation begins. I love taking my time here. Add some fun music, a cold drink and I love to experiment with new make up or new wig colors and hairstyles.

My second trigger is visual. I’ll see something in a fashion magazine, on tv or someone at the mall. Usually it’s a form fitting outfit or gorgeous legs and a pair of sexy heels. I’ll then start to imagine how I can recreate that look myself and there’s my excuse.

[Denice]

Mine? Like many here it's rolling out of bed. Plus, all I have to wear now are clothes from the feminine side of the shopping aisle. I'm never stressed so that's not a "why". One excuse I use is that I love women, and admire them. By wearing the same clothing I'm walking a mile in their shoes, (figuratively and literally). It's my way of showing respect and solidarity.

@ GretchenM

Otherwise, I do a blended presentation with somewhat unisex clothes that tend to be weighted a bit toward the feminine. That is my non-stressed presentation on many days. Not glaringly obvious but apparent if one looks a bit closer than the casual glance will create. I do it for me and don't give a whole of attention to what others might think about it. I occasionally get the funny look, but most either don't notice or don't care. Which is great, because I don't care either. Not sloppy, not fashionable, but my favorite descriptive word - presentable.

That's me, as well. Sort of a "Tomboy" look?

[susan54]

It is so long since I felt a need to dress up and could not do so that I can't remember. I live alone and spend most of my time in skirts and dresses - mainly dresses. I too wake up, remove my nightdress and put on a bra and pants, tights and a dress, always with earrings, bangles and necklace or pendant, and heels. I have not had a stitch of male clothes on since Sunday and that was just for an hour. I don't wear make up or a wig at home. I recently had ten days staying with friends and did not bring any womenswear with me (I even wore male briefs) and I did not miss it. I didn't have a spare minute and enjoyed being with my friends so much that wanting to do something else simply did not cross my mind. The only exception to this is if I have had a difficult day at work and I just want to get home, have a shower and change into a dress. I don't think seeing beautifully dressed women in the office changes this. So I don't seem to have triggers any more other than fatigue - I just do it. Because I can. If I am at home and on my own this is simply what I wear now. I do not identify as female even if totally dressed - it is just that I prefer to be dressed like this.

[CynthiaD]

I’m the same as you, Tina. But for me, the stress sets in after four or five hours in drab.