I've wanted to wear dresses since I was 6 or 7 years old.
I met my wife in 1985 while traveling in New Zealand (she's an Aussie, I'm a Yank). The first few months when we met, she put makeup on me, and I tried on her clothes in front of her. I never used the words "I'm a crossdresser" but she had to know I had an interest.
Because of the long distance relationship, we didn't marry until 1992.
Around 2000 I told her I wanted to dress. She bought me makeup, a dress, some shoes as gifts (I asked for them). She often bought me panties and nighties as presents too.
In 2015 I spent a day out dressed in San Francisco and in 2016 I spent 4 days out locally while she was out of town. I told her I went out, she wasn't happy, and her exact words were "lie to me".
So I do. I don't hide my clothes. I tell her a few times when I am going out (like for a local group meeting), but often I go out and lie about what I'm doing. I will often go out dressed and come home cleaned up, saying I went bike riding (or something else). I am doing what she told me to do; I lie to her.
Over the past couple of years, she's spent more time in Australia while I'm in the US, so I can get out easier. She was supposed to return to the US May 1, but with Covid-19 and the flight restrictions, she's still there. Of course, the choices of going out are restricted.
I don't like lying to her, but I don't like dressing and staying home either. It's a compromise we have. She's tolerant, but I wish she'd be more accepting, but I've learned that's not likely to happen.