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Hi there ladies.
It occurred to me recently that I am quite a tactile person, and I wondered if we - as crossdressers - all share that trait?
I like to hug. I like to be hugged.
I don't mind other people making contact with me (if I know them.)
I shake hands with people. I'll pat someone on the back to say hello, and I don't mind someone doing that to me. I don't mind someone putting their arm around me and giving me a squeeze and saying hello, or a reassuring gesture if things are not going so well.....
I like the touch. I am "tactile".
And this extends further into my CD life.... I like the feel of soft fabric. I like the feel of nylon - pantyhose/tights, especially on freshly shaved legs. I like the feel of a pair of silky panties. I like the feel of clean smooth cotton bed sheets, again on freshly shaved legs. I like the feel of my smooth chest when I've shaved the horrible wiry hairs off, and the same with my "under-carriage".... I love the feel of slipping on a full length soft cotton dress or a long silky skirt.... I love the feel of slipping on knee length boots and zipping up the side... there is contact there, between me and the clothing and I "feel" the connection.. and it lasts all the time I wear whatever it is I'm wearing.
So I wondered, if being "tactile" is somehow connected and related to the love of femme clothing and dressing as a female?
I know we are all different, and some people are not huggy, don't like the contact of others...so there will always be differences between us - but I wonder just how many of us CD's are also in the "tactile" bracket, and love the feel of what they are wearing, and that in itself is part of the love for dressing...
What do you love the feel of, and why?
Interested to get your thoughts ladies,
Hugz
Jen. x 🙂
@jennyphose interesting question, Jenny, thank you for asking. I know I love the feel of the fabrics that are in the female spectrum much better than I do make clothing. I hate the way almost all male clothing is loose fitting, and I love the way I’m not happy with loose fitting female clothing. I can really vouch for the feel of the silky clothes that we all get to try, and I know that is one of the reasons why I crossdress. So, I think I agree with your assumption that we may all be tactile. I know I am.
Thank you Jennifer - and yes, I'm with you all the way about the female fabrics compared to male clothing. I didn't mention that but you are so right. Male clothing is much more "practical" in general terms... and don't tend to have that nice "feel" to them. I guess there are some exceptions, like silk shirts (but I don't own one....) and I think you can get "male lingerie" even these days - so like silky boxers... but they don't have the same appeal to me...
I'm glad there is at least one other "tactile" CD lady out there! 😉
Jen x 🙂
@jennyphose I also like to hug. I also feel like I need to be touched, but I don't get enough of that. As for clothing tactile, wearing a bra, tight jeans and also shear stockings.
Thank you for your reply Karyn - totally agree - we all need a hug or a touch... we need more of that from others... after all, it costs nothing! And yes, I agree with the feeling of the clothes you mention - especially sheer hosiery on freshly shaven legs, sublime!!
Jen x
@jennyphose absolutely, even when clothes shopping I may see something I like but the next thing I always do is to touch it. If it doesn’t feel right I go from must have to maybe.
@jennyphose thanks for an interesting subject. Yes in short, yes I do love the tactile things about crossdressing. And maybe we are destined to crossdress? I always remember admiring the way women's clothing looked ever since being a toddler. I think women's clothing is more great to touch and the design of it can be so well put together. I adore tight things on my legs and body mostly so I love lycra cycling tights to cycle in and jodhpurs with tall riding boots that also are practical for no abrasive reasons. Sensations flick a switch to caress myself and touch my waist, thighs and bum just for starters. I am sensitive but hide it as a male in everyday life. But I know that I appreciate the subtle in everything. Crossdressing for me is not only about the hug of the clothing but the softer things. I much prefer the feel of a dress or skirt across my legs, nylon pantyhose encasing my legs to waist and a bra to me now feel natural and crave one on some days as much as tights. I love the way women's shoes can even make you pay attention more to the way they highlight ankles and when you walk in them they demand a respect and attention. I even like the feel of a wig that brings a bigger amount of hair that touches my neck and face. EVERYTHING is so damn good to feel. Heavenly. This is without mentioning how we can use makeup and see ourselves standing there in the mirror picking up a handbag. It is all so profound, completing and lovely.
@jennyphose YES! We are tactile. The skin is the largest organ of the body so there is no way we couldn't be. We feel everything and everything has an effect on us.
From the silkiness of lingerie, the hug of the bra band and waistband of our panty, the feel of stockings, movement of our hair and skirt, the jiggle of our breasts and wiggle of our butts. It's all tactile.
I think in drab we just ignore it all but dressed we notice it all.
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for your reply - I'd never considered that the skin is indeed an organ - and is of course very sensitive to our environment, including what we wear - sheer and light fabrics provide a great sensation, as do the tight constrictions of a bra or tight jeans, as you say we feel it all.
I agree, in drab we probably don't think about it as there is less sensation and more "discomfort" in what we wear, and that yes, we are more atuned to it when dressed en femme.... good to know there is in fact some science behind what I was thinking in the first place - no wonder we love it so much!!
Jen x
@jennyphose I believe tactile is definitely a female trait . We express it 3 ways. First we love the feel of female fabrics , the softness, the sheerness. Second as Jennifer says we enjoy tighter fitting clothes . We look forward to the confining feel of a bra, girdle, suspenders and stockings. Third we want to hug and be hugged as a reassurance to acceptance.
Our male side is more visual. We look in the mirror, see a bra strap, touch of lace, or petticoat peaking out. This is the male side seeing and admiring the mystery and beauty of the female side.
Hi Lorraine - thank you for your reply - and very insightful. I agree on all 3 points!
And yes, our male side is very visual (or at least I am) - how great is it that we can appreciate both sides!
Jen x
Tactile with people, not so much. I hug my wife, kids, and grandson but rarely anyone else. However, I do enjoy the tactical sensations of feminine clothing.
Hi Michelle - totally understand, and we are all different of course - some do like the contact with others, some don't like that at all. It's great to hear you are tactile where it comes to femme clothing, which are of course so different to our boring and uncomfortable male clothes - and one of the reasons we like them!
Wonderful thoughts and questions, Jenny!
Hugging and being touchy feely is also a part of many cultures. While other cultures are stoic.
Myself being of Italian decent ( both sides). The first part is the norm!
As far as the aabsolute wonderful feeling of being smooth and wearing a dress. Just can't be beat!
Fran 🥰
Hi Fran
Yes, that's true and a great point - there are many cultural variations on how we interact with others. And I totally agree about how it feels to wear a dress over smooth skin... I guess we are lucky to be able to experience this and notice the difference between our normal clothes and the femme alternatives - I think GG's take it for granted, and maybe notice it less, as they've been wearing their dresses and lighter fabrics since they were a few years old....maybe they are even desensitised to it as adults, so maybe they don't get why we like it so much?
An interesting topic eh?
Jen x
It is interesting. Especially since many GG'S really ever wear dresses. They crossdress into pants and scrubs! 😆 🤣 🥰
That's true Fran... I wish more GG's were more "girly" - I work in an office, and even there, these days there is a lack of the formal feminine office wear that I grew up knowing in days gone by....causal seems to be the order of the day now, with an maybe a short skirt on rare occasions (them, not me, if only, but that's another story..... 😉
I remember people dressing up just to go to town.
Now PJ'S, hair curlers, flip flops and one hand holding up saggy britches. Not to mention the mid butt undies showing!
I guess it's up to us girls to lead the fashion trend back to everyday Fabulous! 🥰
@jennyphose Great article. Yes, I too love the feeling of femme clothing, lipstick, make up and shoes/boots. I still remember the first time I slipped on my Mother’s nylons well over fifty years ago…it was the beginning of my life as a Crossdresser ☺️
Hi Wendy - thanks for replying. Same here - I tried on my mother's tights when I was young, about 10 ish I think, I don't even know why I wanted to, but I just did.... and they felt amazing... little did I realise what that would turn into later in life!
Jen x
@jennyphose - I think the hugging thing and the feel of clothes are two different things. A good part of the pleasure of crossdressing for me is the feel of the fabrics, how they touch me, and how they don't. Crossdressing and gloves don't really mix for me as they deprive me of that sensory experience.
Hi Ali - thanks for the reply. Yes, I agree, they are two different things, but I was trying to work out if there was a connection. Those that like to hug and be hugged and to touch others, or objects, tend to be more tactile people and gain reassurance and pleasure from this action. So for me the connection is how the feel of more femme clothes relates to being a tactile person and how those clothes feel... and I agree on the gloves (not that I have any) - I like to be able to feel the fabrics what I am wearing, with both my skin and my hands. It is indeed a sensory experience, no wonder we love it!
Jen x
Jenny, I’m not a real touchy feely person. I don’t mind hugging my mother, sister, and sisters in law. With males it is never more than a handshake. But like you I love the feeling of sheer nylons on freshly shaven legs. The hug of a bra and all the other girly things that go with it. Why should genetic girls have all the fun?
Hi Kerry - thanks for the reply. I realise that we are all different and I wasn't generalising, I realise and respect that we all have different boundaries and respect for personal space etc, and it does depend on how well you know someone of course. I wouldn't hug someone I've just met for instance - I need to know them (or love them, i.e. as in family or close friend.)
Glad you love the feeling of nylons too - and yes, we should be allowed as much fun as the GG's shouldn't we!! 😉
Jen x
Ah, the feel of tights on freshly smooth legs, and sliding into knee high boots! 💕 To that, I would add the swish of a full-length skirt around the ankles, especially with bare legs.
Joanna 💕
I guess I would have to say yes and no. There are certain feelings and sensation I particularly enjoy like stockings on smooth legs, or the drape of a dress, but I am not a hugger and do not particualtly like to shake hands and touch other people. I cerrainly enjoy close contact with my wife, who loves to be touched and petted. I enjoy a massage, but dislike a light petting like touch. The only person I like to hug is my wife. I do not mind hugging my adult daughters, but I don't mind not hugging as well. We never were a huggy family.
If you use the response method, "I see, I feel, I hear...what you are saying", I best fit in the viisual category, not the tactil or auditory ones.
Thanks JJ - understood - and we are all different, so there isn't always a correlation, but I was just trying to work out, in general, if there was a connection between being tactile and liking more femme clothing - it does seem as though there is (in general) but it won't be the case across the board, and of course there is no right answer anyway.
It has been interesting reading peoples thoughts though, so thank you for your perspective - happy dressing!!
Jen x
Hi, Jen 💕
I think I might fall somewhere a little different on the tactile spectrum! I’m not especially touchy with people—I’m actually a little shy when it comes to physical contact with others. Hugs are lovely with family, close friends and my girlfriend, but I’m definitely more reserved in that way.
But… when it comes to clothes? Ohhh yes. That’s where I feel it. I totally relate to what you said about the textures: the silky fabrics, the soft cotton, the smoothness against freshly shaved skin. There’s something intimate and grounding about those sensations. They make me feel present and… well, me.
So I guess I’d say I’m deeply tactile in my connection to clothing and the experience of dressing!
Mia x
Hi Mia - thank you for the reply - and as I have said in other replies above, we are all different in the tactile stakes and there isn't always a correlation, and no right answer anyway!
But great that you love the feeling of femme clothing and the sensory experiences that brings - keep enjoying that Mia!
Jen x
Hi Jenny,
In boy mode, I'm very conscious of my personal space and don't like others, in general, to touch me and vice versa. Family and close friends aside, of course, but it's the introvert in me in protection mode. As for clothes, truth be told, my wife says my style would best be described as 'homeless' 
. I can't wear things that are even slightly tight because they feel too restricting, almost a sensory integration issue.
Felicia, however, is much more flexible! Still prefers a flowy dress vs tight, but likes nylons, corsets, and even a choker/collar! The desire to be more feminine is probably pushing through my normal tendency. Not sure about physical touch since Felicia is our little secret! 
Well Jenny, I’m a hugger, like to give hugs, like to receive hugs. In my family, we greet with hugs. With friends and new people , depends on the situation , might be a hug or a firm handshake. I love the feel of feminine fabrics against my skin, silk, satin or lace or anything soft. The feel of freshly shaved skin with lotion applied. And there is nothing like my wife touching my leg or butt while I’m wearing panties and yoga pants or tight jeans. I love to touch, to give foot rubs and back massages, and I love it when it comes back as well. You will find my wife and I always holding hands!!
So I guess I’m very tactile!! Hugs… jo
Personally I do not like cotton, but I would agree with you on most of your other points.
I am touchy deprived so I don't get to hug people much. However, I am very aware of the feel of clothing. The first thing that I do is rub clothes on a rack. If it feels like plastic, I don't buy it. And I enjoy the smugness of female clothing.
Definitely more tactile as a woman. Hugging amongst the girls, both GG and trans, is now very common behavior. Love the silky feeling of lingerie, the slight pressure of forms on my breasts and the sensation of wearing a long chiffon evening gown. Women are definitely more into sense and touch than men.
I'll hug a female friend and shake hands with a mate. I'll spend "cuddle time" with my SO and love every second of it
When Caty time comes along, oh yes oh yes.Tactile everything. Bra!!, forms silk lingerie, stockings suspender belt. "Dangly ciip on earrings "dangling"..Bracelets and necklaces, likewise
When I get into my "period fashion thing" aka "Scarlett O Caty" or "Lady Catherine" Civil war /17th century replicas". the swish of the underskirts on my "bod" etc etc.Photos availble here on CDH.
Same again with evening gowns with trains and "swishy satin long dresses"
When I first bought the above I loved being "tightly corseted" too. But that's just "faded away" in my latter years
Caty.
I "clean" forgot, (bad pun). I love the" tactile feeling" of a smooth shaved body on a pure silk full length nightie.
Caty
Yes there is nothing like the feel of sensual fabric against a recently shaved or waxed body to feel the enjoyment of it all. I still adore the feeling of dangling earrings moving as I turn my head or the tight heels even when seated. All these little things are never felt as a guy
When I think about it I realise that I used to love how my girlfriends felt! Holding hands and feeling the back of my hand being brushed by her skirt was perhaps the most innocent of such feelings. But I also remember, in the cinema, holding hands and feeling her suspenders as our hands rested in her lap. On the dance floor, holding a girl's waist often meant feeling her underthings - suspender belt or girdle and, on her back, the tight band of her bra. Then there were the girls' legs - if I knew them well enough - when I could put my hand just above the knee and feel the taut, smooth nylon.
On reflection, I'm sure much of my enjoyment of dressing has come from those same feelings - only with me inside the clothing. In a sense, not only can I feel those same things from the outside but I can also feel something of what my youthful girlfriends must have felt from inside the clothes.
Tactile without a doubt.
I'm generally one who doesn't like my personal space invaded. Sure, I'm OK with doctors, hair dressers, getting waxed, the occasional manicure/pedicure. I'll accept a hug from a close friend or family member (and I even like it), but rarely initialize it.
But with women's clothing I am very tactile. I'm sure that is what got me into it when I was 2 or 3. I love the feel of silky fabrics. I love feeling a skirt brush my legs when I'm walking or moving, or having to touch it when sitting down. I enjoy the hug of a corset.
So with people, I'm not particularly tactile. With clothing, I'm very tactile.
