Starting the dressing journey later in life.

[sophie p]

Hi all
Just wondering did many only realise they were dressers sat an older age and if so what what started them? I was 21 before I wore any garments and that was encouragment from a gf. So happy she did now

[Star01]

I was 12 the first time I wore women's clothing and the thoughts were always there but I never dressed fully until I was around 50. Raising kids, lack of privacy, shame and confusion, and limited access to clothes all contributed to holding me back. A few years ago it hit me one day that I had been holding it at arms length my whole adult life. Now I have accepted that I have some kind of gender issues going on and am on a quest to find out my place in the gender confusion spectrum and where it will take me. Not to be overly dramatic but I have always been a logical person who wants to weigh the pros and cons, evaluate and make informed decisions. This is the only thing in my life I haven't been able to control and evaluate the way I have with everything else.

[Bea_]

For the first fifty plus years of my life I never really even considered the idea of wearing or enjoying women's clothes. I always enjoyed taking my wife clothes shopping. She loved having a huge wardrobe and wore everything well so we both won in the deal. There were a lot of times that I'd think to myself that "If I were a woman..." I'd choose this or that, but never went farther than that...

I did try on an occasional item from her drawer or closet just out of curiosity. Her clothes were typically fitted for a very feminine figure and didn't show well in the mirror on me. But, I never considered wearing those things on an ongoing basis. There was never any identity attached to trying them on. It was just a momentary indulgence.

In my mid-fifties, while home alone one day, I picked out a pair of panties from my wife's drawer and put them on. At that point, I decided that i wanted some of my own. Since then, half of my closet has become storage for guy stuff and half for girl stuff. Same for my drawers. When at home now, I am much more likely to be in a dress or girl shorts than in guy stuff.

I'm a man-in-a-dress and have no sense of wanting to be, or pass as, a woman. I just enjoy the clothes.

[Micki_Finn]

I started dabbling in women’s clothes in college, but I didn’t start in earnest until I was close to 40.

[Pixie_94]

Eleven was the age when this turbulent story of curiosity and trouble began. However, I was 20 when I first bought any women's clothing for myself.

[sophie p]

No way Micki, you dont even liik close to 40 yet

[April Rose]

Not me. I was interested from the beginning.

[JennB]

If I am honest with myself, a little dabbling in high school, an occasional Halloween in college, then a gap until I finally figured out I might like dressing in my mid- to late-30's. Kind of dove in then while the (then) g/f wasn't all that into it. Fortunately after transitioning her out of my life, I met my now wife who is completely accepting and a willing participant. So, (as measured by another post on here), now currently a part-time (when my time allows and I feel like it) level 4 dresser and enjoy it when I can. So, I would say came to dressing mid-life and glad I didn't wait to figure it out any longer!

[GracieRose]

I knew that I wanted to wear women's clothes and hang out with the girls at 5 years old.
Feedback from adults convinced me that I was wrong, so I fought the desire, causing myself much angst.
It took me about a half of a century to acknowledge that it wasn't going away, and that although it may not be typical, but it's not wrong.

[BTWimRobin]

Hi Sophie,

I have had a desire to don women's clothing for as long as I could remember. I never really did anything about it. By the time I turned 56 the desire was so bad I couldn't think straight. I gave into it and never looked back. I'm much happier now and more at peace with myself.

On a side note ... Micki, there is no way you are over 40.

[Judy-Somthing]

I don't feel I have "gender issues" I just love dressing up!
I also stopped dressing for about 20 years while my children were growing up.

[franlee]

I don't feel I have "gender issues" I just love dressing up!
I also stopped dressing for about 20 years while my children were growing up.

I feel the exact same way. I have never stopped for more than a short 2 years after my divorce at 19. After that it has been just normal for me and my wife's(3). It is morre than just a game but I like it and that's what counts.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Sophie , I am 77 and I have been in this program for 73years now,

And I don't see that changing, >Orchid .oOOo.

[josie_S]

Like Pixie, I was 11 the first time the impulse overtook me--I simply grabbed my mom's bra and slipped it on! I had some dabbles with it in my teens but I was 26 before I really dressed up head to toe and went for a nerve-wracking drive out. Since then, lots of purges and self hate and crying sessions with my therapist and no matter how hard I try, I still love that woman in the mirror!

[Angela Marie]

I began by wearing my mothers tights when I was about 11 or 12. I wore them only in the house. I'm a runner, so when running tights came on the scene I was thrilled. I always had the desire to dress fully. When I started living alone I began experimenting with makeup. The first time I went out dressed and in makeup was a quick trip for gas. Luckily it was at night and I looked ghastly lol. I finally got a makeover and was absolutely stunned at my appearance. I was around 52 or 53 at the time and have dressed since then. If I had been born at a different time I would have started dressing much earlier and may have transitioned.

[Davina Katherine]

Nothing until age 64. When I started dressing, it was full femme; wig, makeup, clothes. All or nothing.
With my wife's full knowledge and support (thank god).
Still not sure how it happened. But looking back there were "signs".

[crobeson96]

The mention of gender issues caught my attention. Just the type of discussion that makes me happy this website exists! For most of my life homosexuality was society's worst taboo and crossdressing just a step on the way to perdition. Thankfully today you can easily find more enlightened consideration of a range of behaviors and their likely bases.

First I believe science has established that masculinity-femininity is an analog rather than binary variable. Second, much of our behavior is learned rather than innate.

Those two factors alone make living with 'unusual' behaviors possible.

I'd assume a desire to wear women's clothing was simply that. The professional's rule is that unless a behavior is affecting your life in a way you find negative, you can work your way past any unpleasant feelings and simply enjoy it. I'm not one (a professional) so anyone wanting to correct or enlighten, I welcome your thoughts. As for me I'm just thinking out loud -

As for the topic of the post, CD began at an early age much as everyone else describes.

[Raychel]

For me it was basically under garments, until I was about 45 years old

But with the change of events at that age, (I told my then wife)

from that point on I progressed to full dressing. And enjoying being dressed as I feel most comfortable.
Pretty much full dress from the neck down.
It is confusing to many people I am sure. But in my mind it works.
Crazy place in my mind,

No gender issues, I am still a man, absolutely no desire for anything else.

So yes, definitely started really accepting me later in life.

[Lana Mae]

I wore panties around preteen to teen years and into my 40s! Did not fully dress until I was 64! Yes a naive late bloomer! LOL Hugs Lana Mae

[Confucius]

I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't have urges to wear feminine clothing. I remember cross-dressing when I was 3 years old. Then again, as a small child I did go through gender dysphoria.

[Kay J]

Sorry i was always interested in soft silky and nylon closings by the time i can remember in my moms nylons by the age of 6!

[docrobbysherry]

Hi all
Just wondering did many only realise they were dressers sat an older age and if so what what started them? I was 21 before I wore any garments and that was encouragment from a gf. So happy she did now

I'm sorry Sophie. No offense intended but u have NO CLUE what "later in life" means! You're in your 30's? U began dressing at 21?
I was just beginning having real sex at 21!

I began dressing OUT OF THE BLUE in my 50's. There aren't many like that here, but there r a few. Middle age is roughly 40's to 60. And, I believe "late in life" is generally in your 70's, (like me), or older!

[Tomi]

I started it at 27. I lived really stressful and emotionally overwhelming times and I started doing feminine things as fetish to cope with the stress and balance my feminine side which resulted in dressing.

[Hollibelle]

When I was young I would put on my moms knee highs and some old heels while watching ?Bosom Buddies? and she knew. Early teens my chores became laundry. I discovered how amazing nice pantyhose felt. My mom worked at a higher end department store. Teen years it was morefor self gratification, hose heels bra, a teddy she did not wear.

When my wife and I started dating I list the ?need? to do it. Over the next 20 years not much of anything. I found some cheap drug store pantyhose in a suitcase I loaned my mom. Every now and then I would put them on.

Since 2011 i lost my mom, my dad?s mother and most recently my dad 3.5 years ago, in other words my entire family in laws not included.) At 42, I ordered my first dress, bra, hose and heels from Amazon. That was three years ago this month.

[kimdl93]

I remember moments at age 3 or 4 when i secretively wore my older sister?s slips. I have vague recollections of not being boyish enough to suit my older siblings, which lead to many years of hiding, denial and self-loathing. I really didn?t allow myself to completely transform until I was in my 50s!