Dressing Time in the Closet

[Traci H]

I am wondering how many of you in the closet or DADT girls, decide how much to dress when you have a certain window of time.

I say this because I have a window of three hours coming up, and I am wondering if I should go all out with wig and makeup. Of course this would only be in house.

The logistics of getting everything out from the hiding spots and then putting it all back makes me question the decision to say put makeup on. That in itself raises a risk should something happen and the window gets truncated for any reason. Getting clothes off is one thing, makeup totally off can be another. Bad things can happen if mascara residue still graces your face.

What?s your minimum for a full dressing? What compromises do you make for limited windows?

Sometimes I have been happy enough, just to add a bra with forms to a slinky top and wear some nice leggings. Then I get to lounge around in them and enjoy. Ah, decisions, decisions.

[JesseVF]

Hi Traci - I have that debate with myself quite often and act on it differently depending on my mood. Usually just something casual with forms but no other padding. Definitely not full makeup - maybe just a touch of coverup foundation and lipstick which I do in drab sometimes anyway.

[Lacey New]

Any more, the most time I will get might be a few hours when SO goes shopping. Most of the time I will simply slip on a pair of panties and a bra. If I feel inspired, I might add a full slip or a half slip with a camisole and some pantyhose.

[alwayshave]

Traci, If I had three hours I'd skip the makeup and wig and just put on my undergarments and dress. Makeup takes me at least an hour.

[DanielleDubois]

On many Danielle opportunities start to finish with a close face shave, makeup, dressing, gluing on nails and everything else is about 90 minutes. Another 90 minutes to try on a few outfits and take lots of photos. Finally about 30 minutes to remove makeup carefully and put stuff away. On most Danielle days the 3.5 to 4 hours is enough femme time enough to satisfy me until my next Danielle day which is in about 2 weeks unless there is a special opportunity for a few Danielle days in a row.

So, in my experience if you go with minimum makeup 3 hours should be fine. As for being interrupted that depends on your personal situation. I know on Danielle days my wife will be gone for at least 6 hours and since she is accepting and supportive even if she came home early it wouldn't matter.

[il.dso]

Interesting and relevant question.
I guess the minimum time i need to crossdress and fully enjoy the experience is about an hour.
Longer time fully dressed is of course the goal.
When I was younger and the experience was almost exclusively about the sexual experience, I would dress for just 10-20 minutes.
Underdressing now more a part of my routine so that extends the time, although not the same experience, obviously.

[CarlaWestin]

As I'm in the situation the OP expressed, my dressing opportunity is always contingent on the undoing process.
Unless I have true staycation time, things like eye makeup, nail polish and gluing things on just doesn't add that much more to the experience.
I'm usually just tooling around the shop/playhouse until she wakes up so a little makeup to cover the shadow, lipstick and a dot at each cheekbone for a bit of color is all I need
to see a nice reflexion in the mirror and fool the camera enough. Besides, no amount of makeup will shrink broad shoulders or correct the ape walk.
And the chemicals it takes to dissolve eye makeup can't be good for you.

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[Stephanie47]

For me, it's all or nothing when it comes to donning a dress: wig to heels and everything in between. When my wife was still working I had six hours to entirely dress (sans makeup as too time consuming to apply and remove) and attend to all the domestic chores in dress, hosiery and heels, all the proper undergarments. It was baking, meal preparation, laundry and ironing, changing bed linens, vacuuming, etc. There was no prancing before the mirror and doing a fashion show.

My wife and I sleep apart for medical reasons. That allows me do sleep en femme. She sleeps late, so as I am pecking away I am still attired in a pink bra and panty set under a Shadowline ankle length pink nightgown from its Petals Collection. If I did not have this nighttime routine, I'd go totally nuts with our deep DADT.

[Helen_Highwater]

Traci,

My DADT relationship means I get time to dress most days, usually for a couple of hours while my SO goes to exercise class. And like Stephanie my SO has medical issues that mean we sleep apart so I get to sleep enfemme.

The shorter periods I get I keep it simple. Bra/knickers/forms + pull on skirt and top + heels. No-one sees me so I don't care that I'm not looking my best. It's sufficient for me to be enfemme. I do get longer periods, 4-6 hrs home alone and then I still forgo makeup, too much trouble but will add a wig and jewellery, hip and bum padding and usually wear something a bit more dressy. Pencil skirt and blouse or a "going out" dress.

I found that if I do look in the mirror I've learned to concentrate on that from the neck down. Does the outfit work and do I present a feminine shape become the important things. Forget the face. That only really matters if going out.

[chrisfp99]

Traci, this is an interesting question, and is the reason I don't dress. Look, a few hours is never enough. I'd need the whole day, and preferably night. I'm an all or nothing girl. I need the clothes, hair, heels, makeup, nails, jewellery, basically the works. I'm completely closetted and my wife doesn't go anywhere for more than a couple of hours.

There are rare occasions that she'll be away for a couple of nights. But I have no stuff at home. Trust me she'd find it. So I have reluctantly concluded that I can't dress at home at all . Incredibly frustrating. I'm in awe of you ladies who manage to find a way.

My femme experiences are limited to an annual (or whenever a rare opportunity presents itself) professional makeover, which is just such an exquisite joy. I'd love to post a pic or two but I don't think I have any powers here. What can I do after I've made 10 posts? It would be nice to be more involved here.

Hugs, Chrissie xx.

[Traci H]

Christie, that?s a heavy burden you carry. How frustrating. I don?t know how you do it?

I do encourage to you to be involved with this community. The chatter here helps me cope with the isolation this situation brings. It looks like you only have perhaps two posts to go before a window opens to you. We could use more conversation here, hence some of my goofy posts.

Hope things get better for you.

Traci

[docrobbysherry]

U dressers like me that go all the way or nada mite consider what I do. Wear a mask! On or off in 5 seconds!

I didn't start wearing them until my ex and I separated. But, it's still great to try on an outfit and see what it'll really look like without the hassle of makeup!

Consider it!?

[Lorna]

No make-up or wig for me - nor any attempt to look completely feminine (impossible anyway!). An hour is enough for a quick underwear experience, two hours to enjoy getting fully dressed with a bit of time to experience the differences, three hours or more - even better, maybe even time to try a couple of different outfits. If it becomes apparent that something fundamental isn't working - swap ordinary bra for a long-line or change from stockings to tights - a bit longer is needed, plus time to fully appreciate the different experience.

[Cheryl T]

When I was in that situation I would dress fully, but probably not with makeup if I only had 3 hours.
I always wanted to enjoy my emotions to the fullest and adding/removing makeup took away too much time from that. Usually I only did makeup if I had an entire day to myself.

[Mercedes]

It is hard finding the time in a home with three adults and two of them with unpredictable schedules. So I need firm commitments of when people are going to be out. Having said that, Today is a Good Day as I will have several hours of dressing!

Everyone is out so I am currently MIAD as I am still working from home. No make up in case there is an unexpected call that I will need to attend, after a quick change.

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So much for that. 10 minutes after posting the above, one of my kids arrived unexpectedly after saying they wouldn't be home till late. Quick change and back out in drab. ARGH!!!!

[Traceyjo]

I always found that a minimum time to have available is two hours which includes taking photos in all my favourite poses. If I want to really enjoy the session, taking time to really indulge in my femininity I need at least 3 hours but of course the more the better. Nowadays I can be dressed all day if I want to on 2-3 days per week and oh what a luxury that is

[abby054]

Full femme with makeup and everything requires three hours from arriving drab and opening the doors to departing drab with the doors locked up. If I go to the effort of makeup, I usually do several outfits. My minimum session realistically is closer to five hours. I have quite a large selection and I tend to choose my clothes to mix and match. For example, three tops and two skirts can be six outfits if planned and purchased carefully. Changing shoes and accessories adds another dimension. That will easily fill a five hour afternoon.

With pads but without makeup, that’s two hours minimum. Again, I find it impossible to limit myself to just one outfit.

Without pads, just to check out something for size or looks, 30 minutes minimum door to door. This option, I find inadequate because true assessment of how well things fit really needs pads and proper undergarments. Lately, I have used this option more often, checking out scarves, individual tops and layering, shoes, etc. I took a new job with a big increase in time commitment so my dressing gets small scraps of time.

[Maria 60]

I would only wear makeup when leaving the house which lately is next to never. I love the taste of lipstick but now with the children and grandchildren calling on video calls it became a pain putting it on and taking it off and the last lipstick my wife bought was very hard to remove. So my full out dressing without going out is full dress with wig and jewelry but no makeup, just not worth the hassle for me

[abby054]

Sadly, I am on the same page with you, Maria. When I put on my makeup, I want to go out and about. It is a lot of work that I want something to show for. Literally.

Almost never is becoming an accurate description. Most of my makeup is beyond its expiration date in nearly full packages. My recent purchases are seldom worn.

[OrdinaryAverageGuy]

I'm so glad I'm not into makeup (just as well, there's not enough makeup in the world to make me look like a woman). And there's no need for a wig with my long hair. If I suddenly need to change for whatever reason, I can usually be back in male-looking clothes in under a minute, which takes a little stress out of the situation.

[Jane G]

Been a while since I had to worry about such restrictions. Three hours is probably pushing it for full makeup. I'd probably head for the climbing wall instead.