Hello, Mia! I've read everyone else's replies and there are bits and pieces from all that apply, in my case, as to why I dress up. I started *really* early: my mother has pictures of me wearing a pair or two of her pantyhose in my crib! All the time after that I had a real yen for pantyhose and for the life of me I can't tell you what the attraction was and still is!

I started raiding my mom's wardrobe as a young teen, wanting to explore the whole gamut of women's clothes, especially while I was still small enough to fit into the majority of her stuff. And she always dressed to the nines for her job, so I was on cloud nine. Much later on we discussed it, and I apologized for having used her stuff without permission, explaining that I had neither the money, knowledge, transportation, nor above all the *guts* to procure my own things (no sisters, either). She said she wasn't pleased at the time, but rationalized it by knowing that I wasn't hurting anyone. Except for putting runs in her nylons and stretching out her bras--GAHHH!

As I started living on my own, I branched out to make-up, wigs, and breast forms, and began to enjoy it more thoroughly now that I had complete privacy. It was always sexual, I think, even as a youngster, but I just didn't get that at the time. Then I, uh... figured things out, shall we say! I also grew to understand that it was and is a spectacular stress reliever. It's almost impossible for me to be depressed or anxious while in "Justine mode", and a former girlfriend noted that I was flirtier and more relaxed when we'd go to fetish events. Certainly when I catch a glimpse of myself all dolled up in a mirror, I see myself with a big smile!

Do I want to transition? Oh, *hell* no. I'm strictly into the look and feel, not to mention the smell of makeup and perfume, and the faint taste of lipstick when I inhale. It would be interesting, though, to have real breasts, a small waist, a round behind, hips, and even the other important female features to really fill out the clothes (if I could have Christina Hendricks' body, I'd have a riot!). But breast forms and silicon butt/hip pads are a nice substitute.