Hey all! It's just me Dana, a relatively new member eager to get my feet wet again in this giant pool of a resources called the Gender Society! I've come across yet another aspect of this period of my life that I thought some input would prove to be invaluable on many levels. In trying to complete my profile, I had a strong desire to post a picture, but I don't exactly have a picture that might be appropriate. (which brings up an interesting topic for me) I don't have a lot of women's clothes, but I had gotten a hold of some cute costumes and shoes a while back sort of as a gag. They are not inappropriately revealing in any way, but I took some shots for a friend who seriously got a kick out of them. Might one of these suffice for now?

As I said, I never really shopped for women's clothes although some of my pants might be considered women's pants in this era as they are vintage. They're definitely not something you'd find in any men's department store these days, which is probably why I was so drawn to them. That got me wondering how one might go about acquiring genuinely women's clothing that actually fit without causing too much of scene or incident. And where are they worn? I never really left my room when wearing such obviously feminine clothing, but I have begun to wear my shoes almost regularly outdoors. They just go so well with everything else that I wear, are so stylish, and have got to be the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn considering how soft they feel. I always thought that without the right body type, it seems rather futile to bother with women's clothing until I've taken hormones or had surgery. I never thought I'd take it that far, but it seems as though that might not necessarily be the case. Anyway, I just thought I'd ask!

Dana!!

I Totally agree with the other gals a simple head and shoulders will work fine, You cannot tell what I am wearingin mine, other than my top and an amateur makeup attempt but for the moment it is fine, not my best work ... and remember the internet is your friend...most online stores have a no questions asked return policy..it is an easy way to start...be honest with yourself when it comes to sizing and you will be far less dissapointed. Take into acount the physical size of your body in some area's, work out what you want to show off and what you want to down play...have some fun with it.  

Liz

Hey Liz! Excellent post. When I was about 19 searching online for some clubbin’ clothing, I had unknowingly bought some women’s pants on some auction sites a few times simply because they had appealed to me. They fit like a glove almost literally, but I was terrified simply having them. Although I was still in my JC Penny mindset at the time, I could tell by the seriously low waist that they were probably not designed for men! Still, they looked pretty hot on me! There was absolutely no privacy in my family at the time, and eventually, I made all of that stuff disappear. I wasn’t yet known for being outlandish with my wardrobe either. Emotionally, I was very shy, timid, sensitive, and generally safe. Even having all casual clothing made me something of outcast next to my two grungy siblings. Within the context of my family, I was a pushover, easily dictated to, and often disregarded. I was even discouraged from going to college because I wanted to go for writing or acting, and as a result, I never went and lived a mediocre life for years. Being at the bottom of the pecking order made me feel like something of a non-entity. I didn’t really have an identity that was representative of my hobbies or interests as people often do. I was very musical in terms of talent (I had my own digital piano I used to play routinely) and used to dance all the time, but I wasn’t aware of any way to express this. Eventually, one of the ways that I would learn to manifested as an explosive vintage wardrobe. I actually found this impressive 80s short black leather jacket that people used to tell me reminded them of music, too.

I think one thing that has been a deterrent from having a secret collection of women’s clothing has been my naivety in regards to how their sizing system works. I only learned about shoe sizing by buying shoes online so many times, and some retailers had size charts available to look at. I can fit into a 9 quite nicely! As for dress or pants sizes, I’m totally clueless, but I don’t think that has been the problem. Although I would fit into women’s sizes naturally well, I didn’t know exactly where to start or how to develop a fully feminine style contrary to my current expressive style. A lot of the clothing seems to be so revealing, and my body as well as my mind hadn’t seem to be ready for that kind of exposure yet. I felt like I didn’t want to deceive myself in regard to what I am or am not unless I was going to truly embrace and dedicate myself to the transitional process. Thankfully, although somewhat of a gambler, I decided against dubiously obtaining hormones without a prescription. As far as I could tell, the risks far outweighed any potential benefits, even if I am in relatively good health. I read extensively on the subject from various points of view, but the overwhelming majority seemed to be extremely cautious as to the wisdom of taking that type of medication without the supervision of a doctor who can measure appropriate hormone levels. Now that I’ve come to the point where I believe that staying the same may be more painful than embracing change, (or the truth) I’m open to new ways of thought.

Before I finish this post, I just want to say that I’ve found this website to be a great resource already, and I am glad I’ve been so warmly welcomed with open arms by those who have already reached out to me. For the longest time, I’ve felt separate and apart from a variety of cliques, people, places, groups, etc., without ever really understanding what it was that set me apart, especially in some cases where I felt like an outcast among outcasts. I feel like I’m part of a community now where I’m not the odd one out, and that is very comforting. I feel like you all provide a selfless, special kind of support that is extremely controversial and misunderstood right now in our culture. I don’t feel like I will be judged or ridiculed if I open my heart to you all here in search of answers and some help. Before I started getting teary-eyed, (too late) thank you..

Dana!