Hi ladies, had this question in my head a little earlier today. Are dresses (frocks, ball gowns, etc) the ultimate epitome of femininity? Be curious to know what others here think.
Hi ladies, had this question in my head a little earlier today. Are dresses (frocks, ball gowns, etc) the ultimate epitome of femininity? Be curious to know what others here think.
Shirley,
Only when worn in the right context . I wouldn't wear the dress in my avatar to walk the dog or push the supermarket trolley but I wore it for a birthday dinner party in a local hotel , then it felt right , yes it did feel feminine .
I’d say, short answer, NO.
Micki's right.
My slightly longer answer is, no. The "epitome" of femininity does not come from clothes, or hair, or makeup. I expect that there are any number of cis women who would, justifiably, take issue with the notion that those trappings are what define them. I know a few who wouldn't be caught dead in a dress or skirt, and of those, a few who might be willing throw down at such a suggestion.
Now, if we qualify the assertion with "...for a cross-dresser...", I'm sure we'd find broader agreement.
Calling bigotry an "opinion" is like calling arsenic a "flavor".
Short answer; No! I've encounter many women over the years that were dolled up with great makeup........and, then they opened their mouths and spoke.
I've mentioned several times on this issue about a young woman driving a cement mixer. She was short and on the petite side. Long blond hair. She was wearing jeans, steel toed work boots, flannel shirt, reflective vest and hard hat. She had one of the most radiant smiles I've ever seen. She was one of the most feminine creatures I've ever seen. I don't think any dress would have made any improvements. Likewise, I've seen many women attired in jeans, athletic shoes and graphic tee shirts radiating with poise and confidence who displayed outward femininity.
I don't want to be shot down by anyone on this site. The same analysis goes for men. Well groomed, etc, and, then they spoke.
I have thought about this before and the one article of clothing that is the epitome of femininity would have to be...
The Bra
A bra is the one single garment that GM's have never worn throughout history nor is there is a GM equivalent of it.
Last edited by Robertacd; 10-12-2019 at 12:37 PM.
Along with Aunt Kelly, there is no piece of clothing that defines “femininity” which is more a state of mind and behavior. The same answer applies to masculinity.
I agree with Roberta, The bra is the most feminine article of clothing. But the male equivalent is a jock strap.
Sara
I was thinking the same thing, and how absurd it sounds; the suggestion that the epitome of masculinity is an athletic supporter.
Calling bigotry an "opinion" is like calling arsenic a "flavor".
The non-protective ones might be the one article of clothing that is for GM's only.Originally Posted by sara66
They make pelvic protectors for women that are basically a woman's "cup" to prevent sporting injuries.
A pretty, sexy woman will look that way in anything! Take Charlize Theron for example.
Maybe u meant FEEL feminine, Shirley?:brolleyes:
U can't keep doing the same things over and over and expect to enjoy life to the max. When u try new things, even if they r out of your comfort zone, u may experience new excitement and growth that u never expected.
Challenge yourself and pursue your passions! When your life clock runs out, you'll have few or NO REGRETS!
But does womens clothing alone exhibit femininity alone? surely a women dressed in whatever she chooses is said to be looking feminine because that is what women on the whole wear. Femeninity must include a whole plethora of ingredients, poise, mannerisms and so forth.
How one is from whatever level of society is not a decisive factor in the degree of femininty. Every women nto a degree has a level of femininty around them no matter what they wear.
I started life a lost man now I am a found woman
I vote Floral Summer Dresses!
"This is ME" I am not CRAZY, I'm just a GUY who likes dresses!
Since allot of men dress up in woman's clothing that makes it a manly thing to do!
Much more fun than fishing.
I do construction like house building and I love CD-ing, what's the difference?
Absolutely, when you see a dress you think women not lumberjack..
This is why I prefer to wear a dress, and why when I was first going out I would refuse to wear pants when my BFF would beg me to. She even gave me a stack of them so I couldn't use that excuses.
I'm differently treated differently when in a dress opposed to pants or even shorts by the public. I can remember the first time I wore pants out. My friends were what's this casual Thursday? They are used to seeing me in a dress and heels. If it is cold I wear tights.
Yes women can be feminine in whatever they wear, but the same women in pants or dress? I say she is more feminine in the dress.
My MOM always wore a dress and didn't own a single pair of pants or shorts. I can't even remember her ever wearing a skirt. When I cleaned out my sister's apartment (earlier this year) I found that she didn't have a single dress or skirt. All women are not the same.
Some of the comments here are making me smile , we come to Crossdressers .Com because in the desciption of that title we wear clothes of the opposite sex .
Take a look at at many of the threads to read why so many of us do it and the reasons behind it , to many the clothes portray them as women , they can be sexy , or feminine or whatever else floats your boat . Women can use clothes to portray mood and feelings far more than men can , they know as well as we do what it feels like to wear a sexy skirt and high heels , they know how to dress down or dress up , they know how to express their femininity , they certainly can't express those feelings naked ! So if a guy has a female trait or a need to express themsleves in thay way what is the difference ? On more than one occasion I've been told it's not about the clothes , I agree not entirely but they are a large part of the equation .
I consider myself pretty good now at choosing the right outfit for the right occasion , because I do now see it very much the way a woman sees it , if I go to my painting group I know what will be right , I will possibly never wear a dress because it isn't a case of showing femininity , I feel I'm one of the ladies now enjoying my painting and being socialable . I wore a skirt to take my daughter shopping because I wanted to feel more feminine , my daughter said I looked nice .
To me it's no longer CDing it's part of my everyday life , Again I'm going to repeat Pat's words , " Don't overthink it !" That comment was made when I was first considering going full time , when I was debating what was too much and what was too little . If some days I do want to feel more feminine I know what I'll be wearing to enjoy that feeling , just like any woman would .
As far as women's clothing goes dresses are near the top of what's most feminine. What's number one is subjective.
"You're the only one to see the changes you take yourself through", Stevie Wonder
In my response (#5) I offered my opinion on dresses = femininity. If there is voting going on for most feminine dresses, then I have to agree with Judy. I love summer floral dresses. It may be a combination of the bright colors in patterns of flowers and the fact I love to grow flowers that prompts my vote. And, I'll throw in floral pattern panties of which I am starting to have a nice collection of vintage Vanity Fair floral panties.
The "epitome of feminity" is not a dress and neither can be makeup. Infact there is no epitome of feminity. Feminity is infinite, cant have a peak or limit. However feminity or being feminine can have a seed or a starting point and thats the will/desire/yearning to be feminine. When that seed sprouts, it branches, it foliages, it flowers, it falls down, it emerges again. There is no epitome, there are no tombs, there are no milestones; its a journey, an endless journey, journey being the nectar driving the journey ahead.....
I third your vote, but with one exception.
Why can't I wear floral dresses all year long? I love the bright colors and appreciate a dress that has multiple colors in various shades.
No.
As a MIAD I wear dresses and skirts but I do not feel feminine.
GeorgeA
formerly Salerba
"a miad" Man-in-a-Dress
Perhaps, but I think the epitome would actually be lingerie.
A woman in a beautiful dress is sexy, but a woman in beautiful lingerie is sensuous.
I don't wear women's clothes, I wear MY clothes !
The epitome of femininity is going through pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding a newborn. Basically, IMO, the most 'female' of things/actions/behaviors in existence. None of which, I suppose, will likely be experienced by men. I know it's possible for men to lactate, given the right hormones, but you probably wouldn't want the child consuming any of that in breast milk.
Some causes of crossdressing you've probably never even considered: My TG biography at:http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/...=1#post1490560
There's an addendum at post # 82 on that thread, too. It's about a ten minute read.
Why don't we understand our desire to dress, behave and feel like a girl? Because from childhood, boys are told that the worst possible thing we can be, is a sissy. This feeling is so ingrained into our psyche, that we will suppress any thoughts that connect us to being or wanting to be feminine, even to the point of creating separate personalities to assign those female feelings into.
I won't claim to have an answer to what is the epidome of femininity but i dont think it has anything to do woth clothes. Most of the clithes now considered femeale have been worn by men in through out history. The styles were different but the. So was everything else. In fact dresses in history were more elogant then they are today. So no i dont belive a dress is the epitome of femininity.
Jean you have not seen me in a dress. Well, maybe linebacker in a dress.
Please call me Jamie, I always_have crossdressed, I always will, "alwayshave".
Sure, when the rest of the look lines up. Face, figure, accessories, shoes, makeup, hair...
Otherwise, it's just a tube of fabric. A comfortable, indulgent tube of fabric, but still just a tube of fabric.
To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. ~ Timothy Keller
