I now wear skirts & tights... In public... In guy-mode...

[ellbee]

Anyone else do this? :wave2:


It's pretty cool & even a bit weird, but not even exactly sure how I got to this point!



For the past 2 winters now I've increasingly stepped-up my "dressing game," so to speak, at least around my apartment complex. I don't know what it is, but suddenly outdoor cold-weather CD'ing became... Well, really *fun* for me!

I've been having a blast. Everyone tends to be more bundled-up. Can't tell who's who sometimes, anyway, right?


Like, a typical winter outfit for me (women's head to toe) on any given day after work might be something like a fuller flared skirt (never below the knee :p ), a nice pair of thicker tights, some sort of footwear (flats? low-heeled booties?), a fitted feminine winter coat, with my hoodie's hood up. Basic idea, anyway.

Seriously, depending on how your pieces may fit you & how you wear 'em? More people than you may think might initially mistaken you for a GG!



Anyway, apparently all my GG-neighbors have been on-board with all this for a while now, from what I've gathered... I mean, positive on some level or another. With some even more than others! Kinda blown away by it all, really.

And even a few male-neighbors? Ummm...


The weird part? Not even trying to pass/blend/present as a GG, per se. No make-up, no wig, no body-padding, etc. Just letting the clothes do much of the job. Can certainly be done, when done well. And yes, it's been confirmed multiple times, LOL!


So, yeah... Just a biological male, wearing all women's stuff -- yet not automatically looking/wanting/demanding to be viewed & treated as a GG or trans or whatever, you know?

Just a feminine person, is all. Make of me what you will? All I ask is that we at least temporarily reciprocate a bit of human courtesy & respect, before we continue our way.

Anything more than that is gravy... :D




So, anyone else wear skirts & tights in guy-mode -- in public? Like, interacting & conversing with other people face-to-face on a somewhat-regular basis? But again, otherwise as a (femmy) guy, mind you.

I've grown pretty comfortable & confident with it. People are generally cool with it, at least in my case. It is a definitely a trip!


And on a more serious note, neighbor-GG's over the past year or so basically welcoming me further into their club as an honorary member/guest is legit something special, though. Thank you!

[Krisi]

Not me. It's all male or all female, never half and half. I would find it hard to explain to friends and acquaintances why I was wearing women's clothes.

[Sandi Beech]

I have only gone out a limited number of times in what I would call hybrid mode with short skirts. I did have my forms on as well, but neck up I was all male. I was well received by people I did interact with, but it is not my favorite thing to do.

Of course I have gone out wearing very short and tight women?s shorts plus pantyhose a number of times. I like showing off my legs you know. Also, I do not have the issue of having to bundle up though in winter as my temp today will be about 70 : )

Sandi

[Heisthebride]

I don’t do it often but it is in my repertoire. A couple of times last summer it was really hot and humid and wearing jeans to work was uncomfortable, at least until I got in the air conditioned building. I decided to check the dress code and they had made a point of not assigning gender to any clothing type, I work for a company who is building their inclusivity credibility.. So I wore a nice just below the knee length skirt with my regular mens polo shirt in a complimentary color. I walked past the guard desk in the morning, worked my 8 hours, over lunch I walked to the pizza place about a 3/4 mile away through residential streets. It was lovely with bare legs from the knee down and occasionally a light breeze would blow up under the skirt. It was so much more comfortable that sticky denim jeans. It was nice not having to fully present but still enjoy a bit of crossdressing. As I am getting older I find I don’t care as much about what other people might think and it’s an opportunity to try to normalize crossdressing too.

I also just ordered a pair of fleece lined pantyhose from those directed ads on Facebook. They really are quite warm and now I can wear a skirt in the winter too if I want.

[kimdl93]

Its great that you have been accorded the guest membership.

I personally would never venture out my front door without completing a full-femme presentation. That is just my thing. Glad that you can make skirts&tights in semi-guy mode work so well for you!

[RI Chrissy]

I started wearing skirts and casual cotton shirt with b forms around the house , my GF hasn't said anything about me wearing skirts, I've venture ouside in the front yard a few times not caring if a neighbor sees me.

[DrFishnets]

I don?t go out in public in full femme mode but I do wear a short pleated black skirt and thick black tights hidden under a long coat in guy mode. It is quite exciting but I?m really wanting to pluck the courage and wear full make up, wig, dress, sheer black pantyhose and high heel knee length boots.

[Fiona_44]

90% of my time out & about is spent completely dressed en femme with the other 10% being dressed all male.

[ellbee]

As I am getting older I find I don?t care as much about what other people might think and it?s an opportunity to try to normalize crossdressing too.

Yep, pretty much where I'm coming from, too.


And as long as you're not being all weird about it, and you look pretty presentable, making it work for you? Then yeah, it can be a pretty cool thing.

It's crazy how some GG's initially react when they first see you. I mean, some of us have been living here for a number of years now, so obviously they're used to seeing me wearing like a hoodie & women's leggings all the time. But when you're wearing a carefully-chosen skirt & tights?? :confused2:


One quick example, GG-neighbor & I have known each for at least several years now. She's always been very on-board with it all from the start, with an uncanny knack of seeing me in some very femmy outfits, ha! Anyway, one evening I'm taking out the trash, with an obvious female profile/silhouette as a result of my outfit, and she's a bit behind me, not yet knowing that it's me. All she sees in front of her is, well, what appears to be an unknown adult woman who's a bit dressed up, yet still keeping it a little casual, too.

Anyway, trash in the dumpster, turn around, start heading back. We're now face-to-face, heading towards each other. Her reaction was priceless!

She had no idea it was a dude, LOL. Biggest grins on both our faces. She was like, "Yo... *GUUUUUURRRRRLLLLL!!*" She was pleasantly surprised & genuinely impressed. :p


And now she (and quite a few others) has now already seen me like this. I know she's totally down with it, as I figured she would. So, going forward? I mean, I do enjoy wearing skirts/tights during colder months (within reason!). Not a big deal to her. Good to know!



A GG-neighbor of a younger generation moved in last year. Our assigned parking is right next to each other. We've become great friends pretty quickly & easily. And she only knows me as trans, I guess you could say? Totally fine with it, doesn't phase her at all.

We even got all dolled-up for Halloween, partying a bit with her fiance (non-CD'ing male) in our costumes. It was crazy! Honestly, I thought those days were over, but it was really fun.


And none of that would have happened, if I just kept the CD'ing behind closed doors, ya know? Also got a lot of honest feedback from her... She has confirmed that yes, multiple times, she originally thought a male/female couple shared my car!

So, when you're open from the start? Kinda makes things a whole lot easier & simpler.



Anyway, there are things you can do, that I do, anyway, when dressing like this in guy-mode. For example, I keep a clean-shaven face pretty much at all times. I just don't think any kind of facial hair or even 5-o'clock shadow goes well with a short kicky skirt, ha! I also think some kind of head-wear is important, whether it's some kind of hat or whatever... My hood gives the general idea or impression of longer fuller hair -- or at least the best it could, considering I'm not wearing a wig.

So, I do try to help steer others' views on me, with minor cosmetic cues/markers, anyway, to make it a bit easier for them to digest. If that means I have to shift a bit more to the feminine side to make it work, without going uncomfortably overboard (for both parties!), then so be it. Enjoy it! I'm not here to shock, or make some kind of statement. Just want to live a normal life, and have a good & natural interaction with people.

I kinda put the ball in their court, too... Again, view & treat me how you genuinely want to. The freedom & choice is theirs, whatever they're comfortable with. Don't want to associate with me like this? Fair enough, we'll keep our courteous distance. Want to really embrace it, on the other hand? No qualms there, either.


Another thing I should mention, is that I don't really alter my voice. I just use my normal voice. Granted, I try to keep my throat clear. And I simply just try to let myself relax & feel free to adjust to what I'm wearing & how it's making me feel. Weird, but I end up being more friendly, talkative, smiling, polite, etc. And at the same time, my voice just naturally follows a more feminine version without thinking or forcing. Again, something else minor to help others bridge this different kind of gender gap.

I think it would be weird in my case if I tried using an intentional female voice (regardless how convincing it may or may not be, LOL!). If I did, I feel I would be now pushing others to accept me, perhaps creating a bit of stress or throwing them off a little, as female/GG/transwoman/etc., ya know? And I don't want that. How they relate to me is on them.



Anyway, everyone just has to follow their own path. Skirt & tights in guy-mode not your thang? Not an issue. Not for everyone, understood. Heck, it obviously wasn't for me, either -- at least for the longest time. These days, sometimes I legit feel uncomfortable *not* wearing that!

And BTW, having a supportive someone in your life, like my new neighbor-bestie? Invaluable. I've done pretty well on my own throughout the years, but really takes a weight off when you need it. I make it known to her from time to time that I do appreciate her in my life. Always great having a welcomed buddy in your corner!

[kimdl93]

Totally agree on the value of having supportive people in ones life.

[Rhonda Jean]

I do a lot in male mode but not skirts or dresses. Never say never, I guess.

I always look at the fashion runway shows, not that I'd ever wear any of it. For all the years I've been paying any attention there have always been a few guys in skirts and dresses. Seems like every year there are a few more. Some of them make some ridiculous attempt at masculinizing them, which I hate. Some could come straight from womenswear. They never catch on, and I have no idea why they keep throwing them out there except I guess it's supposed to be shocking, or grab a headline. I guess some things, if they do it long enough, begins to get a toe hold. Seems like ever menswear show has every guy carrying a purse, which seems to be getting a little traction. Some have the guys wearing nail polish, also getting traction. Makeup, at least obvious "feminine" makeup seems to be less frequent. The Blonds are a fashion designing couple. I don't know if Phillipe Blond is trans, cd, or what, but "he" opens and closes every show in something from their womenswear with nails, hair, and makeup and he is HOT!

I don't know who wears this stuff. I don't even know where they sell this stuff, but certainly there's a movement toward genderless fashion. I'm not sure I like it. How am I supposed to dress like a woman if there's no such thing as dressing as... anything! There are certain things that I really like in male mode. I'm once again getting on with purses, and I'm back to wearing polish after my mani pedi for a few days (toes always polished). Dresses and skirts, not yet at least. I have enough trouble finding a dress that looks good in girl mode. I can't imagine that it'd be any easier in male mode.

[ellbee]

And now she (and quite a few others) has now already seen me like this. I know she's totally down with it, as I figured she would. So, going forward? I mean, I do enjoy wearing skirts/tights during colder months (within reason!). Not a big deal to her. Good to know!

I'll be replying to some of you at a later point, but before I forget...


Regarding the above, keep in mind that this is *not* a full license to now really go wild, dig?


In fact, I kinda intentionally pull back a bit, once a GG-neighbor has seen me in a skirt & tights for the first time. Meaning, I might start to wear skirts less for a while, on the notion that I'd rather her see me after that wearing like regular black leggings one day, kinda casual athleisure or something, ya know?

Not that I would, but to then start dressing up in like a really short tight skirt & high heels all the time? Yeah, no.

I'd think even neighbor-GG's might start to question things, and not in a good way -- never mind a CD'er's SO or something!


Yeah, pull back at that point. Tone it down for a while afterwards. No need to ramp up & moon-shot it.


GG's will dress up sometimes to varying degrees around here, as I'm sure they do everywhere. But not every day. Follow their lead.

[OrdinaryAverageGuy]

I would love to see men in skirts etc become normal and socially acceptable. Guys like you are helping this happen. I don't have quite the courage you do, but today, once again, I travelled in leggings and went into the truck stops like it was normal, and maybe it's becoming normal. I can hope.

[Maid_Marion]

I should do that when we move away from the coldest days of winter. I wear skirts outside in the yard and at work.
But, this year I didn't gain the usual five pounds during the winter, so I've been wearing insulated Eddie Bauer pants to stay warm.

I just got a Cotton Citizen crop top and Vineyard Vines scalloped skirt today!

Marion

[ellbee]

I would love to see men in skirts etc become normal and socially acceptable. Guys like you are helping this happen. I don't have quite the courage you do, but today, once again, I travelled in leggings and went into the truck stops like it was normal, and maybe it's becoming normal. I can hope.

Thanks! :wave2:


I don't normally think of it that way, but when someone such as yourself reminds me, then yeah, each little outing, each little positive interaction, "helps the cause" that much more.

Then again, we wouldn't have gotten to where we are today, without those who came before us.


Bottom line is, I just really like the skirt-&-tights look & feel, ya know? What can I say?



Although on warmer days I may wear what would be considered *pantyhose* that's more sheer and/or maybe more sheen to them? I prefer heavier denier tights during the cooler/colder months.

Keeps my legs & feet warm, plus a great look with all kinds of colors, finishes, even textures & prints.

I tend to stay with solid black, grays & browns, however. Though I have been known to dabble in reds & purples, too -- so far.



I also wear fuller, flared skirts. Gives shape & volume to my hips & butt. Do I necessarily *want* that? No, because it felt like I was getting too girly with that... Fine for en-femme. But as a *guy*??

However, here's the thing... My neighbor-bestie has been tasked with being my mirror & my fashion critic. And she's been doing a bang-up job! She's kinda artsy/creative & can get pretty girly herself, to boot. I trust her judgement... And she does it in a tactful way.

I've learned a lot, and when she said I needed a fuller hip & butt somehow, even in guy-mode? She was right. With the right types of skirts, I am pretty much looking like a legit GG (at least from below the neck! ).


My neighbors have reacted positively, knock on wood. The GG's love it -- and apparently so do a few of the guys, albeit in a different way. :confused2:


Seriously, you have to make sure it works -- for your body, your personality, your environment. Yes, I look like a chick when I do it... But that's the only way it's really gonna work, from a fashion & aesthetic sense. Whatever. No getting around it, oh well!

But you also have to have confidence & momentum. You have to own it. Otherwise, you may trip & fall on yer face.


It's funny, but I recently realized I've developed a natural strut, depending on how I'm dressed & type of footwear. For example, almost dancing in flats... With a subtle but definitive feminine strut when wearing my military booties. Or how about the way you move in a flouncy skirt versus fluttery wide-leg pants?



Yes, I wear full-on obvious women's outfits, as a guy. Never been happier.


Again, I simply stopped caring (for the most part) what others may think of me & this.

Ironically, in doing so? My neighbors & I now care about one another & our neighborhood, more than ever! Crazy, yet true...

[Andie]

I go out as a male in a skirt, all the time. Mostly as I go hiking. I’ve also been out just running errands in skirt and nice tee shirt.
All my neighbors have seen me in a skirt.

[ellbee]

Ha, so get this...!


Moments ago I was out in my car, perhaps or perhaps not having what one may consider a sort of night-cap, or something?


Regardless, I was just sitting there, about ready to head back inside as it's getting late, when I hear & see one of my neighbors pull up somewhat near me. Hey, I know who that is! :wave2:


Out the car I go, to head back inside to the warmth & good tunes!


Now, mind you, prior to heading out earlier, I had changed into a short flared charcoal skirt & sheer dark hose. Mild & dry, so black flats tonight.

Here's the other key component to pulling off the "guy-in-a-skirt" look: A stylish, proper-fitting feminine women's winter coat!


The one I'm wearing now, in black, is the longest I own. It comes down so long on me, especially since I lost more weight since I bought it, *and* it's cut with such a femmy silhouette, from the shoulders to waist to hips, that it literally looks like I'm wearing a fit-&-flare dress, LOL!


So, I mean, if I'm already going that far, is a skirt & hose too much more to ask, honestly?



Anyway, back to my neighbor...

It's an older gentleman, who I believe might be getting home late from work... I think he has some shift that starts later in the day?

He's sweet enough with all this. Seems like he gets a good-natured kick out of it, that sort of level. That said, he's not *completely* on-board, either, from what I can tell.


But it's still fun to mess around with guys like him, yeah...? A girl's gotta do what she can get away with.


So, I float along past his car, in my whispery ballet flats, knowing full well that I'm in his line of vision, with the outdoor lights as a spotlight on me -- as are his eyes. Oh, yeah... I'm feeling it, baby!

As my neighbor-bestie has confirmed, odds are (but not guaranteed) he thought he was looking at a GG just now!

Really doesn't take much... Feminine shoulders, high-cut narrow waist, flared hips & butt? And how about those gams, hubba hubba! Minimize the masculine, accentuate the feminine, and you, too, can become a femmy-male who's mistaken for a real girl!

(Just remember about other "silly" things like posture & movement & gait & what-not, ha!)



Yeah, sometimes with male-neighbors who I already know would be cool with a little eye-candy flirty type thingies going on? I may or may not indulge in a little fun with them! Harmless & innocent, of course. (And I'm a single lady, so...)

I also do it a bit with a couple of the property maintenance guys, along with another older male-neighbor (apparently single) who has really been coming along with all this... Though I should probably cool it, as I think he might actually kinda be into me now!



Seriously, girls... Wearing a shorter flared-type skirt, particularly in guy-mode, can be quite a surreal experience. Wield that power & responsibility wisely!

[Jamie390]

I have been in hotel pools while wearing a womans swim suit many times, hairy chest, beard, and all.I wait until later in the evening so there is less of a chance of being seen. I have however been "busted" a few times.⁸

[Nic J]

Ellbee, i love that skirt, tights & boots winter look as well.
In the last month i have been out shopping several times in skirt & tights, ankle boots and girly hoodie. I identify as non-binary, but the wider world still see a person who is clearly a genetic male wearing these things.
Peoples' reactions have been fine, varying from indifferent to actually complimentary. My wife has shown a couple of piccys of me in these outfits to some of our colleagues and they were very complimentary and supportive.

It's always enjoyable to read your posts as they offer a great example of confidence and positivity to others. Thank-you for sharing your experiences with us.

[April Rose]

The guy who cashed me out in the hardware store yesterday, had mid-back length hair and a perfect french tip manicure. Otherwise complete guy mode. I wear gold hoop earrings, 24/7. Neither of us commented on the others appearance. Little by little, the world is changing.

[ellbee]

Oh, Krea... You are one of those rare breeds who are so far & few between.


I remember years ago, kinda when I first became a member here. There was a natal male in the US, don't remember their user-name, who simply decided "screw it" one day, threw on a flared skirt with some black tights, flats maybe? Then just unisex jacket & out the door for an eat-in lunch somewhere by himself. Said it was crazy, but just didn't care anymore. They absolutely loved it. Started doing it a whole lot more after that. I remember them posting a few pics, too... I personally thought he looked perfectly fine, the way he did it! Like, if I saw that "out in the wild"? I may be a bit biased, but I think it would kinda initially catch my eye, only to see nothing really out of the ordinary (because he's making it work for him, that's it's natural/"normal"), think to myself "cool, good for him, takes guts" and simply continue on doing whatever I was doing.


Hey, seriously... If you can do that? Out in the *public* public? Major props. I know there may be a few of you still here. Being "confined" to my large, multi-building apartment complex where I've lived for years, is plenty good for me, thanks!

Doing what you do takes major ones, my friend. I used to do that a lot with leggings as stand-alone pants, but skirts & tights are a whole new can of worms. My neighbor-bestie said she could see a guy wearing pink floral leggings, but it wouldn't be CD'ing to her... But a guy in a skirt or dress? That just crossed into a whole other realm for her. She has no problem with it whatsoever, for real... But I guess in her mind there's a bit of a shift when that happens. Maybe true for many GG's, who knows.


And that's what I wanted to discuss. :wave2:

Its great that you have been accorded the guest membership.

Totally agree on the value of having supportive people in ones life.

What, did you actually think I *wouldn't* eventually reply to this?? It's the absolute best part of all this!


I want to share a little story. Happened this past Halloween, when my new neighbor-bestie & I got together. We got all dolled-up & wore our DIY costumes... Yes, basically I dressed as a GG who dressed up in a Halloween costume. We looked fantastic! It was the first time I went totally en femme, even wearing a skirt & hose, in front of her... Well, while her understanding I *wasn't* actually my non-existent GF/wife!

We had an absolute blast. Very surreal. If I had more time to get ready I would have done more make-up, but she was still legit impressed by the end-result. I hadn't done that in a while, get all dolled-up & hang out with peeps I know. Her non-CD'ing fiance was very cool with it, too.

Anyway, at one point during the evening, she & I were leaving my apartment, to go upstairs to hers. She stepped out to the hallway first, then suddenly politely started blocking me a little. Didn't know what was going on, then heard a rattling of keys or something from an unknown 3rd person. Ahhh, got it... She was trying to shield me so I wouldn't freak out or get embarrassed by another person! I'm like, "Oh, I don't care... Thanks, though!" and gently pushed her aside, LOL.

Looking out for me like that, really sweet of her. We actually discussed it like a week later. I guess she didn't believe me that I've been around the block a few times, in more ways than one? :p


So, when this other person saw the two of us? Two feminine-looking people, all tarted-up a bit in cute, eye-appealing Halloween costumes? Yeah, that's gonna put a big smile on pretty much anyone's face, no matter what kind of day they might be having! Seriously, I've studied this out in the wild. Everyone loves feminine Halloween costumes & accessories out in public -- even if it's in the middle of the day at the grocery store or something! :yippee:

Crazy, but true. Some kind of universal sociological thing. And yes, there were 3 big smiles in that hallway, as we said our hello's & Happy Halloween's & what-not. I even held the door open for this woman at one point.


I didn't really know who she was. Older than me, have seen her around before, but always going upstairs somewhere. Turns out, according my neighbor-bestie? She's the daughter of an elderly resident (her mom) who apparently has been having some health issues. Serious enough, that she had to move in so she could take care of her mother a lot better. I remember her, makes sense that I haven't seen her in a while. So sad...


Again, a GG stepping up & looking out for another GG.


If anyone deserved to smile so much, even if only for a moment? It was her, no doubt.


So glad the two of us could bring her such an unexpected & priceless gift...

[happybra]

After years of wanting to wear a skirt a just went for it with some gender neutral looking skirts. My wife said I look really good in them and went with it and wearing in public, no one even seemed to notice. I say go for it, live your life!

[ellbee]

Having a GG as a fashion sounding board is essential, IMO. Absolutely! If she's willing, of course.


Seriously... Wife/GF, sister, sister-in-law, friend, co-worker, neighbor, cousin, whoever!


I've employed many of my new neighbor-friend's recommendations of do's & dont's. I gotta say, she's been pretty spot-on!


At least in my case, she made a lot of sense -- but that still didn't mean I was initially thrilled with it all. I mean, she was nudging me to present girlier & girlier in various ways -- while still in guy-mode!

I hated doing it. Yet I still did it anyway. Weird part, she was absolutely right. I really improved my presentation, in a way that I wouldn't have done completely on my own. And my confidence & enjoyment just grew from there. Others have approved, as well.

The other weird part? I now love doing it!



P.S. Almost forgot: My GG-neighbor-friend? Prior to Halloween, I had asked her if she'd be okay with us sitting here talking like we are right now, but with me wearing a skirt & hose/tights (instead of the usual leggings or shorts). Just didn't want to accidentally drop some kinda drama-bomb out of the blue on her, resulting in a little freak-out or whatever, ya know?

Maybe just her, but she said (and has followed-through multiple times!) it's totally no big deal to her, which is cool & good to know. I suppose it helped that she already knew me pretty well by then, so she knew I didn't have some kind of weird/creepy motive or something, either. :confused2:

And when she saw me on Halloween? Just out of courtesy, I asked her, having now seen me like this, would her *fiance* have any issue hanging out with me like this? Nope! It was so bizarre, but later in the evening, I think she was messing with him a little... Because she somehow had me modeling for him as some sort of "inadvertent" tease!

Of course, I knew what was going on, and knew that he'd like it. So I happily obliged, which I believe pleased her, as well. But now we're starting to dig a little too deep into this interesting relationship of ours...

[Patience]

There used to be a regular on the forum; I think his name is MarkB or something like that and he pretty much crossdressed everywhere, but only from the neck down. No makeup and no wig, just a bald head.

Mark would wear these lovely professional looking fem outfits during his commute by train and presumably at work as well. He was literally a MIAD. I even saw a link to an article about him on Facebook once. I think he's from Germany.

Nice to see you're making progress (and friends) closer to home.

[Jillian Faith]

Not me. It's all male or all female, never half and half. I would find it hard to explain to friends and acquaintances why I was wearing women's clothes.

Like Kris I either present 100% male or 100% female. As for my friends they just wouldn't understand why any male would dress enfemme.