Unphased

[Helen_Highwater]

A few days ago I'd been into the city (drab) to meet up with friends for a few beers and a catch up.
On the train, sat waiting in the station, I was watching other passengers walking along the platform. A guy in a white tee-shirt caught my eye as he seemed to have a little boobage. Nothing beyond a cm or two, just more than expected on a male. It then took me a few moments to realise he was wearing a shin length denim skirt.
So, my encountering a MAID for the first time and somewhat confused that it had taken me as long as it did to spot the skirt.
It did make me wonder if this was a great example of blending? Someone going about their day, in plain sight and merging into the crowd.
I must admit to having a certain admiration for the guy. When I'm dressed and out and about I'm doing all I can to look as feminine as I can but here was a guy being himself for all to see. Adds to my sense of confidence.

[Vikky]

Hi Helen
We have a guy locally that I see quite often who wears a male kilt. I spoke to him and he reckons wearing it is much freer than the usual trousers. Apparently some years ago he had a medical problem in the ?male department? and was recommended that a kilt may be more comfortable while recovered from surgery. He stuck to ever after.
Vikky

[Raychel]

That is great, He was just being himself and nothing happened. The more this happens
the more we will be accepted in the world.
I only wish I had the courage to walk the same walk he is.

100 to him.

[audreyinalbany]

while I certainly appreciate his choices, for me I don't have any desire to be a MIAD. I'm with Helen is the 'all or none' department.

[docrobbysherry]

U just met the reason why we old binary dressers r on our way out, Helen. Young trans do not seem to feel the need to present fully as females.

The again, neither do many females!

Androgenous is be coming today's look for everyone!

[Debs]

Helen, we have met every year for ages now, I wonder how many peeps have noticed us ?, we have been shopping in the Trafford Centre (big Mall), and Manchester Mall, we never binked an eye, neither did anyone else, I just reversed rhe equation Helen

[char GG]

Androgenous is be coming today's look for everyone!

I notice this every time I work at a concert or play. Males wear what they want, even slinky dresses with heels, but don't bother with wigs, forms, or makeup. Sometimes, it's just makeup or a beautiful manicure, but male clothes. These are usually the 20's age group of people. They obviously want to present as a male who wears whatever they want.

It's very refreshing,

[Dutchess]

That's the only way I can tolerate this. I've been crazy about androgynous guys since the '60s when I was very little.

Once the wigs and pads come out I'm out, that's just too much cosplaying for me. That's what it looks like.

I know a lot of people here are very inflexible against this too, but my partner who died was like this guy , and he was gorgeous. He had natural long thick hair down to his waist, 6'7" and lanky so he stood out but he was just a beautiful individual. No wigs no pads he was very super cool and natural . He did wear light make up and always had his nails polished and my guys usually at least have pierced ears etc .
He would just shower and let his hair dry naturally, some light makeup on and put on a cotton tank top and a cotton gypsy skirt and some flip-flops and that was it, in the winter he would basically do the same but a sweater on top. He did not wear that '80s office wear look , I see on so many cders.

I didn't even notice he was wearing women's clothing most of the time because of that and made it a lot easier on me to be able to handle- that and he wasn't all about himself .

[alwayshave]

Helen, I live in the city and see MAIDs semi regularly. I just don't see the attraction to not fully dressing (i.e., makeup and wigs), but plenty of people don't see my attraction to fully dressing.

[JulieC]

I live in a fairly liberal town. From time to time, I see MAIDs. I'm fascinated, but (so far as I'm aware) I don't show it. This happened just two days ago; I was walking out of a local convenience store, and two people were walking in. I didn't look closely, but on glance one was a GG, while the other was clearly a MAID. I held the door for both of them without really visually engaging them, which they thanked, and off I went on my day. I hope I helped make their day by being nice to them.

[CarlaWestin]

Very comfortable in my male existence, the dress up thing is an exciting adventure that I wouldn't want to become commonplace or a chore. Fun and fantasy themed outfits at home with an occasional adventure out in the wild.
I love garden centers and it was so hot a couple of weeks ago, I decided to venture out wearing only a short jean skirt, tank top with bra and forms. It just felt wonderful and very comfortable. No one seemed to care and I certainly didn't.

Hmm? 80's office wear, eh?

[Melanie Therese]

I would be the MAID although I only wear skirts out and definitely not passable (hard with a beard) and like my wife not a big fan of makeup . I have been to shopping centres etc without issue. I had a few looks when I was in some pretty rural areas on a trip but nothing said. My wife was waiting for me somewhere and she noticed a few people turning their heads, but I didn?t notice.

[kayegirl]

Helen, not sure where in the midlands you are but if the rail station was Leeds, the guy could well have been me. I go into Leeds at least once each week, by train, and for the past few months have usually worn a skirt. I've not had any problems, or received any negativity, although I'm certain there has been one or two smirks but so what?
I normally wear a knee length denim or plain coloured cotton skirt and looking for a longer midi length skirt for the colder months.
I would say that a brightly coloured, or patterned skirt, might attract more comment

[JohnH]

I can be wearing male business casual or a t-shirt and jeans and still get read as a woman. So, when I wear a dress (which I do all the time), I don't come across as a man in a dress, rather in appearance I resemble a genetic woman. That is, until I speak, and a deep masculine bass voice comes out. Nobody seems to give any reactions to my voice.

John

[Georgina]

I think being a MIAD is one of the truest forms of crossdressing. I am a MIAD every evening and can visit friends that way. It is great not having the labour of make up. My friends like me presenting as a MIAD. I do wear full make up now and again.

[Rochal Tukque]

Talking about androgynous, I was in a conversation with the home state CD group. One of girls posted a picture from the Gap, talking about skinny leg girls jeans disappearing. The fashion now with some is what they call ? barrel leg? jeans. What? Not baggy they tapered back in at the cuff. Totally different and totally androgynous for a girl figure. For me I get so used to wearing short tennis skirts over my leggings when I?m out peddling in cool weather I forget I?m wearing them. I do have breasts so I wear shelf bra camisoles, but usually a shirt over and mid back length hair. It does seem to blend in haven?t had people notice. Not that I don?t like full girl mode. Got to be a special occasion because wearing makeup I pay for it in spades. Allergies.
Hugs Rochal

[Liz Jones]

This is me shopping in our local supermarket

Lidl skirt.jpg

[CynthiaD]

During a recent hospital stay, I insisted on wearing a skirt. It made certain functions much easier and no one paid the slightest attention. Skirts are so much more comfortable than pants or shorts that I’m surprised that more men don’t wear them.

[Liz Jones]

I have been put on " water tablets " and after a few " interesting moments " with trousers & zips i now wear a skirt ( till the tablet effect wears off at least ) sometimes wear it all day. As Cynthia said skirts in some situations are so much better than trousers. Indeed i know of another friend who wears a skirt but is not one of us. Thing is come winter.........

[SIZE=1]- - - Updated - - -[/SIZE]

Not many girls carry a knife in there sock.....

Me Me !.jpg

[jjjjohanne]

I go out in public "dressed pretty" once or twice per month. I just wear women's clothing instead of men's clothing when I dress pretty. Otherwise, I am still me. I go to normal places when dressed pretty. I normally do my going out during my lunch break at work.

No one cares.
In the early days, people reacted more. These days, most people either act like they are uncomfortable and avoid eye-contact, or they pretend like they did not notice and behave normally. Lots of people do not notice.
Teenagers used to try to take pictures. These days, they are not interested in it.
It's just not a big deal. (Except in my head and even more-so in my wife's head.)
I live in a rather MAGA stronghold, and still it just isn't a big deal.

[HollyGreene]

Not many girls carry a knife in there sock.....

Or carry a "skiandhu" in their "kilt hose", to give them their proper names. :-)

I wore a full kilt outfit for my first wedding (it was in Scotland and it's traditional wedding attire).
It was really comfortable. Some Scottish men wear the kilt all the time. If I still lived in Scotland I'd definitely wear one more often.

[Liz Jones]

Strange as it may seem the worst " agro" i have received while wearing a kilt was in --- Scotland !
The knife these days is symbolic to conform to U.K. laws it is unable to cause harm......

[DianeT]

Once the wigs and pads come out I'm out, that's just too much cosplaying for me. That's what it looks like.

When I go full nines, cosplay is a very good definition of it as far as I am concerned. In my very early days I wanted to feel what it'd be to be my favourite superheroines. I often describe my CDing to my wife as a theatrical thing, a disguise. The feeling is of your own image receding and a new character emerging. But at the same time this is still you, you know it and it's dizzying. A very similar feeling to when I put on disguises as a child, but the feminine presentation adds an outlandish twist to it for the boy I am. It's really not just dressing, very far from what you describe in your next sentence, i.e. a man simply picking clothes from whatever aisle he fancies. When you think of it, it seems so absurd to think anyone would be forbidden to do the latter. But at the same time, dressing has been so much used as a gendered cue that it makes sense that heterosexual males who've been socially educated to covet the female body right after puberty adds a few kilograms of fat in the right places (the time where girls operate a switch between 'my body is me' and 'my body is now and forever under scrutiny and doesn't belong just to me anymore') and, like I said, to use clothes as gender cues, can be destabilized and uncomfortable looking at males dressed "as women". This said, even with the forms and wigs, extending my wardrobe made my dressing evolve more to a point where I feel more at ease with the clothes, where I feel more like they are mine now. And in MIAD sessions (no pads nor wig nor makeup, just clothes), they're now totally my clothes, even if it still feels odd in the winter to wear hose next to my wife when she wears it as well.