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I'm just beginning to dress. I've dabbled with makeup mostly lipstick and eye shadow. I wear bracelets and earrings, I just love them! I don't have a wardrobe, not even an outfit yet. I also have very short hair and no wigs.
I wear running tights and v-neck shirt or turtleneck top.
I want to add a profile picture but feel inadequate.
How did everybody find a look, build a wardrobe, etc. What would you buy first. Where do I start?
Hugs and Kisses in advance.
Miranda
Hello Miranda.
I guess that you will get many different answers for your question. Some people say that with only some exceptions, people's favorite type of music is the music that was popular (at least popular in their social groups) when they were 14-16 years of age. If you ask me, yeah, that is true for me and for a lot of the people I know.
Now, with dressing it may be a little bit different, depending a lot of when in your life you got started. If you got started as a child, chances are that the role models you had were your mom, sisters, girls at school. So, for many, they would be emulating the styles they were wearing back then, with special emphasis on whatever it was the first item of clothing they got to think as "special". So you have most of the over 60 years of age crowd who can't even thing about being fully dressed if they are not wearing an LLPG (Ah, not my case, but I know after years of talking to CD friends, that is a "Long Line Panty Girdle". Or those who have an special attachment for hosiery, or shoes... (Now we are talking! I don't think I have a shoe fetish by the strict definition of a fetish, but shoes were my "gateway" item to dressing up)
Sorry, need to split this message in two... the software doesn't seem to like long winded posts! 🙂
Miranda - do not ever let yourself feel inadequate - You are created as you are by God and as the old 70's saying goes "He don't make no Junk" - oh girl am I showing my age here. I am sure you are beautiful inside and out... and everyone of us here on CDH are so very accepting of each other.
As far as how I found my style... #1 I tend to dress my age and what I think looks good on women. #2 I went to a local makeup artist and had him do a makeover - letting him pull out features from his professional view point and then learned from that.
What is stylish for one of us from the 50's -70's may be "blah" to younger girls. And vice-versa. I know that if somebody told me "You can dress as a woman all you want, but you have to wear only combat boots and grunge like outfits" I would say "No, thank you!".
But I digress. When people starts dressing, in general, they will try to emulate what they see as the object of their own desire. No wonder why so many start off wanting to look a bit, uh, slutty? (Been there, did that). You may start changing your style according to your own taste. Because depending on that personal taste is what you'll call stylish or boring.
Also, at some point, in particular for those who start meddling with the idea of going out enfemme, there is a shift on how they want to look. True, they may still enjoy 6" platform boots and micro skirts, but yeah well, it is not really how most women dress up like out on the street. At the end, style is a very personal thing. In my opinion, you need to try what looks good on you ACCORDING to you. Not to anybody else. Unless you are about going out and being accepted in society (Some people has that as a goal, some don't) then you need to conform and dress in the type of clothes and the type of look other women are wearing.
Gabriela and Ashley,
Thank you for your posts. I wasn't so much looking for a specific way to look, more so a starting point to begin and grow from. I think i will first look at my hair and find a style that's me.
It also sounds that a makeover is very good way to learn about what makeup fits me. That will be a big step.
Thank You!
Buy what you like when you wish to buy it. There isn't a set process you have to follow and we are all unique individuals.
A few points I would suggest and that I hope you might find helpful are:-
1. Establish your clothing and shoe sizes. This may take some experimentation initially particularly if you are purchasing online.
2. Buy breastforms. They are fantastic and are inexpensive particularly via a large online retailer rather than a niche outlet.
3. Buy a wig. Again can be initially from a large online retailer such as Amazon. It will immediately make you feel much more feminine.
4. Do not concern yourself with the full look and with passing etc to start with. Just enjoy it. Find your own fulfilment in each moment of your journey of self discovery.
5. Be honest. If you have a partner then tell them about it. Do not hide it for the years to come and then have a gigantic argument. Be honest with yourself, is this a part of you that has bubbling away in the background since childhood.
6. Treat yourself. If you can afford to do so then indulge in nice dresses and pretty shoes and beautiful accessories, even if you worry that you may never use them outside.
7. Remember that Rome was not built in a day. Creating looks and styles, getting used to makeup, etc takes a lot of time and practice. Console yourself that females growing up go through the exact same stages.
8. Get professional make up lessons/makeovers. Contact a top notch wedding make up artist, ask them if you can book an appointment, be honest that you may have to remove all the makeup before you leave, or that you may drive home done up having changed into femme mode before leaving if you feel brave enough to. They will be able to advise you on products and colours that will suit your desired look and your current skin condition and they will be able to teach how how to achieve your desired look with practice and the correct products.
9. Stay emotionally and physically well. See a counsellor if you need to, it can help to open up to and confide in a professional.
My best wishes to you. Have fun! Xx.
This is a hard place for me to give advice because I always have been into current fashion trends and styles. Not only that but My wardrobe had always been predominantly feminine and I have always felt more like a girl than a guy. My best friends in high school were a group of girls. They initially thought girl talk made me uncomfortable as the only “guy” in the group. When I let my guard down and was myself, it became normal to go to the mall after school while they shopped and I window shopped lol. Id buy myself a cute pair of jeans from time to time while we were out but never anything more. I still keep up on current trends and just buy things I think are cute or my fiancé says I’d look good in.
When I first started letting my feminine side out more, I bought a god awful long brunette wig on amazon lol. It was disgusting it made me look like a guy in a wig and definitely didn’t look or feel real. That one has since found its way to the garbage and I purchased a stylable mid length blonde wig. It looks so much more realistic and the fact that it’s heat resistant helps a lot because I can change my style based on the occasion. This will do fine until I work up the social status at work to grow my hair out without anyone judging me
My fiancé has helped me develop myself even more. Usually 2 or 3 times a month we run through a few malls and pick out a few new outfits. She walked me through some makeup basics a few years ago, I’m now to the point where she is asking me for pointers on makeup. Look up makeup toutorials on YouTube. Some of the girls on there are really great instructors and break it down really well for someone just starting off.
It all comes with time hun. It just depends how committed you are to it. Like Vivienne said, Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s taken me 20+ years (I’m 28)to accept fully who I am and 10+ to develop who I am. Be patient. Ask questions and if you’re really lost and don’t know where to start, study what other girls in your age range wear. You’ll have a much better understanding of the current style and fashion.
Hi,
I see you live in Illinois and wanted to suggest an incredible makeup artist who has done so many fabulous make overs on my friends.
http://www.florinamakeupartist.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi
She has a Face Book page as well. Since she works with so many girls that cross dress or are trans, she may be able to assist as well and suggest some TG friendly spots to shop discreetly.
Good luck!
Hugs,
Heather
Shoes: you need two pairs of heels. One black patent leather, one black leather.
(They look great with skinny jeans!)
Boots: Over the knee boots are in fashion for now. (They look fabulous with leggings!)
Flats: One pair black. All these boots & shoes can be found at Payless for cheap $$$!
That’s really all you have?! I must have a shoe addiction lol. I couldn’t live without color or brown boots
You and me both Bobbi... 🙂
I don't have a shoe fetish, but I wouldn't mind if I did. 🙂
Gaby
Lmao phew. You scared me. I thought you were going Plain Jane lol
Great question. My answer is that I am still figuring it out. I am a child of the 70's and 80's and do feel an influence from that time. But I really love certain fashions that have become iconic, think Audrey Hepburn's LBD. I think figuring out your sizes and body shape is a great way to start and then build on that. - hugs, Michelle
When I dove into the Pink Fog a couple years ago, I went for quantity, not so much quality. Almost all of my clothes have come from a thrift store that I stop in on my way home from church and has 50% off for customers who are over 50. I walked out of there with 8 or 10 items for under $25. I also visited Dillards Outlet.
When shopping at the thrift store in drab, the clerks have occassionally complimented the styles and quality that I've chosen, so there are quality clothes if you sort through them, which is a matter of experience, I think. One of my coaching clients bemoaned the lack of selection in the plus sizes, and that the selection is much better in the under 14 sizes. Guess I'm lucky that way.
I think the primary purpose in that buying spree was to express all the different phases of clothing that I might have gone through in those earlier decades as a girl at different ages and styles. In the process, I learned that some styles were fun but not so practical, and some were more in line with what other women are wearing.
Unfortunately, it seems like skirts and dresses are not so common, and I feel like I stand out when I wear them. Luckily, I go out with a support group of cd gurls at scheduled social events, and they love to wear skirts and dresses, too!
I think the sweater dresses and tunics with leggings are a great compromise, at least in the fall/winter/spring. In summer I want so bad to show off my legs, and I go for the skirts and dresses. I've always been slender (and I can't understand why ANYone would want to pad themselves up if they have a cute tush!), and I tan my legs in summer. Flaunt em if you got em.
I'm still working on a wig. I bought three of them through Wish.com (total of $37 for all three), to experiment. I've gotten the most compliments on a longer curly brunette wig. I'm going to a professional wig shop sometime soon to get something that hangs better, and get some professional advice.
Have fun with it! There's no test, no score, no deadline.
Hugs, Lorie
Very simple. I found a girl I would most like to look like. I would dress like her and try to look like her as much as possible. My role model was Catherine Bach as Daisy Duke.
Hi Girls,
Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions. I just wanted show my debut