Nerdy challenge

[Helen_Highwater]

If you've been here a while you notice that a good few of us either worked in tech/science or have hobbies that have a degree of manual dexterity associated with them.

This got me wondering if at least in some small part, the attraction of dressing is in the problem solving. How do you make yourself look more femme. How many have made their own forms or hip/bum padding. Even relying of bought one's there's a simple satisfaction in looking in the mirror and seeing a different you looking back. Having a sense of achievement that you've created a new you.

Now obviously it's not the main driving force but I can't help feeling that making jewellery that fits our bigger hands, achieving a more curvy figure, stretching shoes to make them a comfy fit, things like this appeal to the nerd in a good many of us and we're driven to overcome those little barriers..

[docrobbysherry]

I used to laff when folks referred to what I do as art, Helen. But, considering the time, effort, and $$ I put into not only Sherry's looks but the props and sets I create for her characters? I tend to agree with them now!
See avatar!

I'm NOT claiming I'm a good artist by the way!

I constantly need to creative and problem solve my character's oufits, figures, and her props and sets. Rite now I'm trying to create a copy of the Long Neck Karen tribe women's look!

I've made and bought countless forms and hip and butt pads. And, still making more for special use and visual effects. Just cut out a new set of soft foam forms to sleep in. Since they didn't need to be smooth finished I knocked them both out in 15 minutes!

Aren't u glad u asked?

[VivianNewkirk]

While I don't think that my geekier side led me here, it sure has been a help! I am forever modifying or repairing jewelry, and already having fine scale tools and techniques from other hobbies was a godsend. One of these days I will finally master that sewing machine in my closet!

[Suzie Petersen]

Helen,

I am one of them .. Nerds! Engineer by training and by core, I cant help it! Like in the Dilbert cartoon where the doctor and Dilberts mother are talking and the doctor says, "It is bad, I'm afraid! He has the NACK!" and Mom says "Oh no, can he live a normal life" and doc says "No .. he will be an engineer!" LOL, love it.

I have enjoyed your posts about your handiwork, both padding and jewelry, Helen. Great stuff and very creative.

I have done a lot of similar things over the years, going back to a time when I simply did not have a choice, to later years where it has been more of a drive to make better things than I was able to acquire, or just for the fun of it.

Early years, think teenage age, trying to get past the socks in the bra stuffing, I started making foam inserts of different materials. To shape the foam, I tried things like freezing the foam while wet to be able to better shave off the imperfections left by the scissors, to later on experimenting with different thickeners to add to water for the balloon attempts, just to make my breasts feel more real. One thing I had some success with was the blue gel from the freeze packs, it actually felt pretty real.

I have also made hip and bum pads, not quite as elaborate as yours, but I have actually found that I like the light weight shaped foam better than heavier silicone pads. I bought a set of silicone bum pads some time ago, but since I dont have the associated shapewear panties, I quickly ended up having them drop out the bottom of my skirt and end up on the kitchen floor. What a wardrobe malfunction that could have been!
The foam stays in place and still offers a good illusion.

Other things I have done, and talked about lately, is that I now glue on my wig. I use lace front (and back) wigs made for this, and specialty glues. Not to go on about that experience here now, but it was a game changer for me. But, here comes the nerd again ... it was not enough! Now I am working on sewing in additional hair in the lace at the nape, to perfect the hairline in the neck. If you look at a woman's neck when she has her hair up in a pony for instance, there is fine hair on both sides of the spine down a little bit. A normal wig looks really bad with a sharp and often bulky seam across, and even the lace wigs are detectable when lifted in the back, although much better than an ordinary wig. What I am doing, is closer to a theatrical, or actually more movie set setup where the hair ends up looking very very close to real hair, no matter what you do with it. I never fear loosing the wig. I can put on a hat or ballcap and pull it off again, and then just take a brush to it and do whatever I want without fear.

What else ... Long nails! Years ago before add on nails etc really became available, and certainly were not available to me, I experimented with making molds of my fingers, sculpting nails on them, making other reverse molds and then casting nails in resin. Took forever, but the results were great, and they of course fit my fingers perfectly.

I made high heeled shoes for myself, years ago. Teenage age. Couldn't buy real shoes, so I made them. I have sewn dresses and skirts, knitted sweaters and so on. Made bracelets, rings, earrings, you name it. Sometimes because I could not find anything that fit my larger hands or wrists, sometimes just because it was fun to do.

So there, in many ways I can proudly claim that I am in some ways a "Self Made Woman" Ha!

I am looking forward to hearing other Nerds input on this, I am sure there are some spectacular ones.
Good topic!

Hugs
Suzie

[bridget thronton]

Not so much problem solving as role playing (I am a software engineering professor who teaches game design as well)

[kimdl93]

Nope. Neither an engineer nor a scientist. I went down the management track and made a career out of it.

[Marcia Blue]

I have made breast forms and hip pads. Both have been made from a wide variety of materials. I also have built large high power rockets, furniture, was a film based photographer and printer, and brewed beer. My vocation has been in the automotive repair industry for almost 50 years.

[FeliCD]

In the past , I have experimented and made makeshift hip pads and breasts from craft foam and water balloons, etc. Fem prosthetics (silicone) have come a long way and gotten more affordable over the past decade or so though. I just research and purchase these items now. I do have a ?tech? mind and I consider myself fairly handy with a touch of OCD. So my efforts to create the perfect female presentation have evolved a bit over the years.

[azncd]

Not working in such a field, but am a huge nerd. I do agree that a lot of what I like to do is problem solving, and tinkering, and working out new ways to do things. I've probably gone through 100 different methods to make better cleavage for example. It feels like every time I do makeup, it's different (although sometimes this is unintentional, haha).

It does scratch an creative itch for sure.

[NancySue]

I?ve made hip pads from styrofoam. The first ones didn?t turn out so well, but I learned. The second ones were great and most comfortable. Thanks to my wife I have several rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces. Always a nice finishing touch.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Helen , I have fashioned Hip & But pads in my workshop,

out of Foam rubber with my with my Belt sander with a ruff belt & shop Vacuum,, >Orchid**OO**

[Aroara Xanthemae]

You have to be a jeweler to be able to fix this cheap ass jewelry after you wear it if you order it on line

[Marketa]

Wow! You are so many levels above me.

I am not crafty person. Actually I am quite bad in anything manual other than cooking.

[Claire M]

Count me in as a proud member of the nerd club! I made a career of engineering; my favorite projects were always the ones that required thinking outside the box and innovating the standard to fit my unique applications. Outside of work, I built my own brewery, remodeled several houses and have a shop with more tools than my wife can fathom anyone needing!!

So it should come as no surprise that I approach CDing with the same flare and passion. (My frugal side also plays a part in this!!).

Before breaking down and buying forms, I had so many prototypes ... bird seed, silicone caulk, water balloons...etc. The best were he extra large balloons, partially filled with dish soap. They had the right shape, weight, bounce. The only draw back was the lemony fresh scent of the soap!!!

I modified all sorts of earings to wear without getting my ears pierced. stud earrings. Did a whole study on what shape and strength of magnet provided the most comfortable, but secure fit for students earings.

I have hip padding carved from cushion foam.

My favorite is the fish hook on a ribbon for operating the zippers on dresses!!

So yes ..... I'm a nerd!!!!

[abby054]

Solving engineering challenges with an artistic flair! That is the story of my life for 52 years with no end in sight. Nerdy guy and proud of it! Out and about looking like a woman!

It is great fun and an engineering and artistic challenge to use fabrics and materials, makeup, hair, and jewelry and gadgets to change the appearance of a nerdy guy into that of a good looking woman. This is a nice mix of technical merit with artistic expression. It seems natural that the greatest engineer of the Renaissance was one of its greatest artists.

Dilbert and The Knack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8vHhgh6oM0

[Cheryl T]

No, not a nerdy side driving me and not any tech/science.
Mostly for me it's my OCD (just a little) as I always want things to be just right.

[Vale]

Helen you seem to have me pegged. I seem to be an Engineer dyed in the wool. I've been 50 years in the business, even got a few patents. I enjoy the work. Back in the rough old days, like many I have cut foam into forms, adapted jewelry, and cut and sewed jeans into skirts. I even learned to run the sewing machine and how to adjust simple dress patterns to fit my shape. Great fun. Nice thread.... vale

[WandaRae2009]

Jewelry is where I get most creative. I have bought bulk chain and rings and clasps. I go beyond just the premade extensions, I will add additional chain to necklaces so they fit better. A "normal size necklace" is usually more like a choker for me. The next would be earrings. There is no way my wife would let me get mine pierced. The selection of clip-ons is so limited and hard to find. I have found a number of different conversions to make the clip-ons. Bracelets are also often too small. I have found just adding a couple of rings in between the clasps can get a bracelet to fit comfortably.

[Julie Almoni]

Oh yes. Just trying to get the makeup right and discovering contouring and how it all works, getting all the little things right, trying to walk the right way, figuring out the voice so it sounds more feminine but not ridiculously cartoonish. Every aspect of it has a learning curve and the geek in me rejoyces. Also it's a typical journey that is the point, not the goal: striving to be as close to passable as possible without it being a truly achievable goal...