Crossdressing Fashion Secrets
Fashion. Sound intimidating? Nah - it's fun.
Do you know the real difference between men and women - when it comes to this word?
Of course you do! Every tranny understands this - even better than most women. The correct solution shows up each time they shop. Men - go in and buy. They rarely shop. Why not? Because - for men - clothes are simply a mechanism for looking good.
For women (and us tranny's) - clothes are part of a process - where a dream - is created. For many t-girls - slipping into a particular ensemble is like stepping into a fictional world. She becomes a wicked dominatrix - or subservient school girl - all with a slight change in fashion. Those - of course - are extreme examples.
However, make no mistake. This is what fashion designers do for a living. When a top designer pens a new dress or jacket - their first project is to decide who they will make the woman. Then - they start adding the styles that do - just that.
They reach back into history. They try to re-create Marlene Dietrich - or Marilynn Monroe. The role of the designer is to tap into - and release - the secret aspirations that women store - deep within themselves. It is in this manner that beautiful clothes are "transporting".
What is that?
Think of it this way - when you shop for clothes - you envision yourself - looking like the dream in the catalog - creating the same sort of lustful awareness - you might experience viewing the ensemble offered for purchase.
Most t-girls start their fashion experience with lingerie. It turns them on. However - in reality - it takes their soul to a female place. By donning a simple pair of panties or hose - their mind feels like a woman. This experience - is the role of fashion.
See. I told you that you already knew fashion, didn't I? *Smile*
So what is fashion? Simple. It's the creation of a dream - through clothing & accessories.
section overview
Here I'm going to show you how to:
- Take inventory of your strengths & weaknesses
- Understand how to use fashion to accentuate your assets
- Use alterations to improve an outfit
- Consider various feminine illusions - that can help
take inventory
What's the first thing we need to do? Take inventory.
We all start with certain God-given features that will help in transformation. If you're like many beginning t-girls - you're looking in the mirror and saying - Renee, all I see are female liabilities. Trust me, baby - that's not the case. ((hugs))
It could be your cheeks, your behind, your lips, your hands - something - but you've got some great assets to build off of. We want to flaunt those - when we get to the final phases of this transformation. We'll bury the rest so deep - even a grave robber couldn't dig 'em up. *Smile*
Sadly, a number of my feminine features are less than ideal. My skull is large - compared to the rest of my body, I'm very long waisted - which means I look exceedingly male - in anything but the highest of heels. If you can - get another gals opinion during this process. Why? Because we tend to be harder on ourselves - than we should be.
Also, we often fail to recognize certain feminine strengths we possess. A good example? When I first started going out - I did everything I could to hide my muscular calves. As luck would have it - I lovely lady pointed this out as one of my better features - and how to accentuate it. Try - to get some additional "advice".
renee's inventory
As much as I hate doing it - I'm going to discuss a few of my female challenges - to get your mind thinking more clearly - in this regard. Likewise - I'll discuss a couple of my femme strengths - as rare as they are. *Laugh* Finally, I'll review items that I consider good & bad - depending upon - how I present them.
The Bad
Skull & Chin - Relative to the rest of my body - I've got a large cranium. We're not talking water head proportions - but it's a distant cousin. *Laugh* The size of my skull is aggravated by a prototypical male chin. This pair of attributes is always a challenge for me.
Facial Skin Quality - Like most men - I failed to properly care for my skin earlier in life. A pair of shattered football facemasks - didn't help this situation. Facial hair & loads of testosterone seal my fate...my skin "sucks"! *Laugh*
The Good
Eyes - My eyes are deep blue. I was born with a femme arch at my eye brows which one plastic surgeon described as a $25,000 gift from God. *Laugh*.
Height & Weight - At 5'9 & 145 lbs. - I've got a frame that's relatively female-sized.
The Good & Bad
The most common traits we tend to have - are those which I'd define as good & bad. Specifically, these traits look good - when properly presented - and not so good otherwise.
No Hips - No Ass. A perfect female body is shaped like a hour glass - where the hips are roughly the same width as the shoulders. Sadly, I'm like most -girls...my shoulders are significantly wider than my hips. Ideally, Shoulder width = hip width. In skimpier outfits...this can be a friend.
My large calves - I have the sort of muscles in my calves many body builders would die to possess. When I'm standing flat footed - this looks pretty male. In heels - it can look fairly femme - and hot.
I'm very long-waisted - Do you know what long-waisted is? It's when your mid section is disproportionately longer than your legs. The way around this is either donning high-waisted pants or skirts (to reduce the length of my waist) - or wearing an outfit which shows a bit of leg (increasing the appearance of my leg length).
what traits can change?
Certain traits can change over time. We can lose weight, improve our daily skin regimen to develop a more smooth face. You can even get various types of cosmetic surgery to improve or hide certain flaws.
You should be careful in quantifying your happiness by these changes. Sadly, I did that once too often - early on. An error I made was emotionally penalizing myself when I failed to achieve a certain goal in a specified time frame. I'd berate myself. I'd become angered - and pass on attending a femme function because I felt overweight. This - is always wrong. It's healthy to reward yourself for the accomplishment of key benchmarks. However, penalties are not optimal.
Life - is not about - looking lovely as a female. It's about being happy. Happiness comes from participating in activities you enjoy and spending time with like-minded friends...exactly what conditionalized prerequisites on your appearance take away from you - if you're not careful.
Invest the time and energy in improving those traits that you might enjoy seeing more femme. Reward yourself for a job well done. But never - stop having fun in the process of getting there. The trip along the way - is chocked full of the best experiences life can offer. **kiss**
finding a physical mentor
Ever seen another t-girl and said to yourself...I want to look like that?
Me too! *Smile*
Trouble is - we often select role models with features very different from our own. Do me this favor. Start looking at other t-girls less as eye candy - and more - as physical role models. Start seeking out images of sisters that have features - a lot like your own.
This - helped me a great deal. I quit trying to duplicate some bitch in the Victoria's Secret catalog - and focused on patterning myself after gals that had many of my same strengths - and flaws. You'd be amazed what you can learn. I even noted what I felt did not - look good on them.
Copying - is the most common success element in fashion.
fashion & fitting
I've already mentioned our bodies are different from women's. Perhaps you've noticed it too! *Smile* This has pro's and con's when it comes to buying and wearing women's clothing.
In general you'll find our rib cages to be larger than a female of our same height & weight - and our hips more narrow. The result? We are built sort of like an upside down female - and their clothes often fit us a little backwards. Because of these variations in fitting I will reiterate how important a return policy - is to your success in acquiring items you look great wearing.
using lines to your advantage
Most of us t-girls are shaped like an inverted female. Inverted? You got it - our shoulders are usually wider than our hips. Thus, a goal with our fashion becomes reversing the appearance Mother Nature gave us - through our clothing.
The outfit you see in photo 1 is a lot more planned regarding besting these challenges than you'd first think. Notice the jacket - I left it unbuttoned. Why? Because I want your eyes to focus on the vertical illusion - not the width of my shoulders.
Take a look at the skirt. It has a tailored flare to accentuate wider hips - I wasn't born with. Finally, the boots cover my large calves - and enhance the vertical lines of the look.
Now take a look at the photo labeled number 2. I've turned sideways only seconds after photo 1 was taken. My shoulders got bigger - didn't they? *Smile* I lost the advantage of the vertical illusion from my open jacket. Imagine if I wore that jacket buttoned up - I'd look like a linebacker.
As a general rule, you'll want to select upper garments that enhance vertical lines (open jackets, deep cut halter tops - even long necklaces).
Your middle garments should focus on presenting a more horizontal appearance. (horizontal stripes, flared skirts, etc.)
Try playing with the lines of your body to enhance your feminine form.
You'll be amazed how fashion and clothing styles can assist you in presenting a more feminine look without the addition of body padding.
altering the situation
Regardless of initial fit, even the perfect dress or skirt will usually require slight adjustments to look perfect. Women often get clothes altered to look their best. Outside of hemming pants, men are not typically accustomed to doctoring clothes to get the right fit.
Do you think Cindy Crawford really fits like a glove in that hot Versace dress on the cover of Cosmo? Not hardly. The photo on the left is an an example of what you don't see in the glamour ads. Getting clothes to look their best on your body almost always involves some form of alteration. On your finest outfits - it's worth the investment.
Nervous about taking your dress to be altered? Don't be. For simple alterations - such as reducing the length of a skirt or adding a much higher slit - you can simply mark it yourself. When you drop it off for your spouse or girlfriend - you can go over in much greater detail all the things she told you to get done. Know what else? That little lie - is almost the truth. Your girl friend - did send you. *Smile*
If your alteration requires extensive on-site measurements - and you are shy about it - find a vendor catering to the gay community. Gays are often not up on the latest leanings of the transgender community - but they do know DRAG. If you'll call them in advance and tell them you do an occasional DRAG performance - they'll be more than happy to have you come in and get altered to your heart's content.
One of my standard alterations is cutting the shoulder pads out from any jacket or blouse. Manufacturers include this padding to help women achieve a look we typically already possess - broad shoulders / narrower hips. Keeping them often gives you that linebacker look - which is less than ideal unless you make your living playing football on Sundays. Remember, we want to look like the cheerleaders on the sidelines - not the bruisers on the astroturf! ::))
Take the time to study women's fashions that are applicable to your size and shape. Remember, women's clothing and accessories are designed to hide flaws - or accentuate strengths. Do you have great legs? Then make them the focal point by wearing a short skirt. Do you have narrow hips? Then show them off in a slim fitting dress. Or better yet, wear a zebra patterned skirt with horizontal stripes - to provide the illusion your hips are wider and more feminine. Study yourself, study fashion, study how lines & flow are used to sculpt your appearance.
Most of all, study women you see and admire. You'll learn a lot!!
clothes that work
Certain types of clothes just seem to work better for us than others. To select the right clothing you first have to take a quick inventory of what you can - and cannot - show. For example: if you have a hairy chest and cannot shave it - low cut items are off your list. If you have hairy arms and can't bleach or trim them - you will likely want to stay away from sleeveless items.
Following is a breakdown of the basic type of t-girls I see most often - and the associated styles of clothing they seem too look best wearing. Remember: this is a general guideline - not a rule book.
The two most limiting parameters are your height / weight proportion - and your ability to shave hair from certain (or all) portions of your body. I'm ignoring height as a factor since it limits mostly passability and clothing selection - not clothing style.
Type A - The Prototypical t-girl - a bit (or more) too much belly, not enough everywhere else she would like it, can't shave hair. Type A gals tend to look most feminine in a slim fitting high neck dress with a waist cinching corset underneath - and perhaps some hip padding added to the sides. The key for these sisters too look their best is in the presentation of "curves".
Most gals in this category feel they could never look feminine and are sooooooooo wrong. Haven't you ever heard of voluptuous girl friend? With a little help from a corset or waist cincher - you'll look like 90% of the women in the world - and with make up expertise - you can look better than 90% of that group. *Smile*
Type B - Slender gals who can't shave any body hair. These girls look very feminine in slim fitting business suits with high neck silk blouses and opaque pantyhose. Of course, you can remove the jacket as you see fit. I've seen gals of this type don such attire - and never get clocked.
Type C - Heavy to slightly heavy gals than can remove body hair. Same rules as Type A - but you should select a low cut dress - ideally sleeveless. Most of you get far too hyper about your extra weight. Trust Renee: you'll look more feminine showing a bit of skin girlfriend.
Type D - Slim & smooth. If you are a D - you are very lucky. You can wear just about anything! However, since you can show so much more flesh with ease than your other sisters, you'll usually look most erotic in halter styled blouses and short skirts.
more skin = more femme
One final tidbit I feel compelled to include...
Want to know how experienced tranny's always spot a new girl in a crowded bar? Simple. Look for the gal with no skin on display. Their arms are always covered - as is her torso.
Some guys have fairly bulky or muscular arms. In my opinion - this is one area we get far too sensitive about hiding. There is a fundamental rule I've found true over time after looking at thousands of tranny's.
The more skin you show - the more feminine you look. It's understandable to need hide very hairy arms. However, no feature is more tell-tale of a t-girl - than that covered look - from head to toe. At the very least - buy low cut dresses and cover your arms with a matching jacket. It's a great look.
I know a lot of your are sensitive about wearing sleeveless items. However, I want you to trust me on this. If you can go sleeveless hair-wise - do it! It looks much more feminine than covered. Also, you'll find if you adjust how you position your arms at the side of your body - your biceps will look smaller.
Additional Chapters in This Section Include:
Crossdressing Shopping and Fashion Tips
How to Get Past the Nervousness of Buying Women's Clothing
Crossdresser Size Conversion Charts
Tips for Trying on Women's Clothes in Stores
Important Shopping Rules for Crossdressers
Shopping On-Line for Women's Clothing
Crossdressing Fashion Secrets: Wardrobe Essentials for Crossdressers
Crossdressing Fashion Secrets
Crossdressing Fashion Supplies and Accessories