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Do hip pads, butt pads, and even menstrual pads enhance our femininity or are they unnecessary? I have feelings both ways on all three.
I only have experience of hip pads Maureen.
When I developed the urge to go out en femme, I got to the stage where I looked in the mirror and (at least from the neck down) I looked sort of passable, but always as if there was something missing.
When I tried some hip pads, I looked in the mirror and saw a shapely female looking back. So they were a game changer for me, and out I went.
It’s just a shame about the face 🤣
@lucyb112 LOL Lucy---I like your sense of humor----does wearing hip pads without butt pads throw things out of balance? --- I have tried using pads several times and usually use both hip and butt pads --- it is easier now than in the past now that you can buy pre-padded panties or girdles. Being an older girl,I remember back in the day when you had to order them special---cut them to order, and then insert them (a hassle) ---technology has certainly improved in the cross dressing world
They don’t seem to give that problem, at least, not as far as I can tell.
I got them from Amazon. They basically look like cycling shorts with some pockets for removable pads.
I haven’t worn them for a few months, so I’ll get them out and try them again soon.
@lucyb112 That's pretty close to my experience. Though I had ventured out without hip pads, adding them made a huge difference in my confidence, and in how I enjoyed my look.
@lucyb112 Lucy, your face is just fine. Question though. Do hip pads require a larger dress size?
I need a figure so badly!
Well that wasn’t my experience Christine, and I’ve worn them with skirts and some quite tight jeans.
I suppose the clothes are designed for female hips, which I don’t have, so the pads seem to just fill that gap
Do hip pads require a larger dress size?
I need a figure so badly!
I know what you mean. Part of emulating a female is acquiring a female shape.
Dresses or skirts with pads shouldn't be much of a problem, unless you are going for the bodycon look. Looseness is your friend. With something tight, you would need to check yourself in a mirror carefully.
As for shorts or pants, pads can definitely be a problem if the shorts are already tight and not stretchy.
Find a snug fitting pair of jeans shorts (stiff denim, not stretchy) when wearing your pads and measure across the beam, the widest part of the hips, and don't buy anything that is tighter, otherwise you will either struggle to put them on or, more likely, you will blow the seams apart.
@maureen76 wear a girdle to hide my pot belly, however it's not needed as l usually wear loose clothing , so l guess it depends on what clothing you are wearing
Yesterday I had a makeover and photoshoot ... which, purely to bore everyone on here, I plan to write about at some considerable length elsewhere 🙂
Among the MANY game changers that occurred yesterday was my first proper introduction to shapewear.
Previously I'd just been content to let bits of me sag however they want, and believe me those bits really DO have a will of their own. They like to plough their own furrow. I have quite a few furrows.
Yesterday I was kitted out with a girdle, and shapewear with breastforms and hip pads.
The combination rounded up all those rebellious parts of me and put them back where they should be. I looked in the mirror and the shape of my body was completely unrecognisable. It made me feel super-feminine.
Long story short - I'm a convert 🙂
Hugs
Ellie x
@ellyd22 Hi Ellie--- It is amazing how shape wear and padding can transform our figures and make them much more feminine---isn't it? --- Great for taking pictures and enhancing our image, but difficult for everyday wear
I'm trans so I dress full time at home 🙂
I certainly wouldn't want to be wearing all of that padding around the house! However I've got a couple of big public outings coming up in September and October, in the company of several other CDH girls. That's when the shapewear is going to come into its own.
Ellie x
Nothing like great shapewear to tame unruly flesh and enhance what you have (or added).
I have LOTS of shapewear and I'm NOT getting rid of it. I like it too much to part with. Shapewear is fun and sexy and becomes an extension of who I am. Especially the stuff from Rago. OMG!
/LK
@lizk Yes Liz---most of my wide assortment of shape wear is from Rago---they seem to produce the best and longest lasting products and I do enjoy the slimming effect the give me. Also enjoy the feeling of being "held in" and controlled---to be there is something so very feminine about it
I await your makeover post with great interest. And this is the first time I've seen your new profile pic.
Fab!
The profile picture was well overdue an update.
The previous one was good, but it was an old picture of me.
It was becoming increasingly misleading as the years have made my face saggier and more in need of several coats of polyfilla 🙁
And look! I've turned blonde!
I thought you'd appreciate the change, Marg 🙂
Lots more full body shots to follow ... I haven't yet had all of them, as the makeover only happened yesterday!
Big hugs
Ellie x
@ellyd22 And big hugs back Ellie! I felt a surge of party-ness coursing though that image. You look sooo happy and it is great to enjoy it. I remember clearly my first time in a professional makeup chair and how it changed my whole life outlook and I accepted my intersex condition. Your hair rocks and your smile slays. Party on, Marg
I remember clearly my first time in a professional makeup chair and how it changed my whole life outlook
Exactly that Marg.
It's going to take me a few days to process all of my feelings.
Ellie xxx
@ellyd22 Enjoy the ride and if the road ever gets a little rough, don't forget that you've got your leathers. Hugs, Marg
I always adored your previous profile pic, but the new one is sensational. And you look great blonde!
IKR?
When we went through our wig fitting Tracey Galligan went straight in with blonde.
I was stupid enough to argue with her. I was really fixated on being brunette, since that suited me 10-15 years ago. So we TRIED some brunette wigs, but every single one of them aged me. In contrast, every single blonde wig looked wonderful.
Once it was clear the blonde WAS the way to go, we narrowed down the length and then the style.
You can see the result in the profile photo.
This woman is a sorceress.
I will NEVER argue with her again.
Ellie x
@ellyd22 Like I wrote on your wall my wonderful sister, you look stunning and so absolutely happy!
Tracey is a sorceress isn't she! I had exactly the same experience, except in the other direction. I'd gone to her as a blonde in my head, and in my dressing up to that time. She went straight for a mid-brunette, which absolutely worked, then this lovely strawberry brunette which was even better, with loads of colours in it from blonde to quite a mid-brown. We tried darker and it wasn't for me, and a slightly more blonde one that wasn't too bad. I bought the new version of the strawberry one she chose. You just don't argue with that sort of magic 😊
Tracey has ordered a wig for me as well 🙂
YES it's expensive, but I plan to sit on the pavement in Norwich for a few days with a begging bowl and a cardboard sign that says 'Wig and two cats to support'.
I have lots of padding. Hip pads large and small. Breast forms nice and nicer. A very nice breastplate too. None of them get used anymore. Can't beat real curves thanks to HRT. Anyone wanna buy some pads?
Actually they're not for sale. I'm donating everything to the local LGBTQ center.
As for enhancing my femininity, I don't know. Maybe way back when they did. Living as my authentic self made me realize that I was feminine regardless of what I wore. Being feminine is a state of mind. That realization changed my life.
And NOT wearing padding is SO freeing!
/LK
@lizk ---yes Liz--the major problem with pads is that they are confining --- ---it must be nice to see your own curves develop due to HRT and I can only imagine the feminine feelings that come from that as well---it must be the ultimate in femininity to sense the female hormones gradually changing you
I get a lot of questions from girls wanting to know about the physical effects of HRT. Obviously, many of us want girly curves, softer skin, less body hair, etc. The physical effects are amazing. But they're only half the story.
The mental and emotional effects of HRT are profound.
Without question, what happens in your head is the best thing about HRT. I've described it as your brain getting rewired. For me at least, I think that's pretty accurate. HRT has changed the way I see myself. The way I think. The way I interact. The energy I give others. The empathy and love I feel for others. The....well, you get the picture. It's truly life changing.
I didn't intend to tangent from body padding to the effects of HRT, but there you are.
/LK
There's a lot to know about HRT and it's in your best interest to learn as much as you can to make an informed decision.
Fortunately it's easy to find that information on the Internet. Just do a search for 'transgender HRT'.
If you decide to proceed, you're first step should be finding a doc that knows what they're doing. Lots of them don't. That's a bigger risk than HRT itself.
/LK
@maureen76 Hey Maureen, hope this reply finds you well. I’ve never tried hip or bum pads. I go for shapewear that has the bum lifts and waist cinchers. For me, having that waist is a big deal, being able to wear a dress with a belt and see that look staring back at me in the mirror means a lot.
I am looking at buying a proper corselette or open corselette with suspenders they look super fem and should do the job from the neck downward.
All three? Why not….
Hugs,
Samantha x x
@misssamantha Yes Samantha, bum lift shape wear with waist control is another was to arrive at the same girlish figure and seemingly less restrictive than pads---having a defined waist is the most important thing---hugs Maureen
@maureen76 Hi Maureen, my search for a fem waist might be the title for my autobiography 😜
Of those three options I've only tried hip pads. Well, sort of. They were actually a pair of breast forms which I pushed into my shaper pants as an experiment. They looked all right with a full-length dress, but in a shorter skirt I resembled a ladle.
@maureen76 I highly recommend pads - buttlifting knickers are great with a tight dress or skirt. Those and shapewear to change waist shape.
@annaredhead Hi Anna---- I haven't worn padded panties for awhile and I was just looking for them today --- I have lots of shape wear to reduce my waist --- I definitely did enjoy the pictures I took showing off my more shapely body in a tight form fitting dress --
When I started dressing I didn't think I needed hip pads (and I really don't need butt pads) but after I bought my first pair of hip padded shape wear and saw how much better I looked, I don't know how I ever went without. It really was remarkable the first time I put on a familiar dress, that I'd worn without pads before, over the new hip pads. It was an incredible "ah-ha-finally-that's-what-was-missing" sort of moment.
To be fair, I have seen plenty of women that don't have curvy hips, or otherwise have pretty masculine bodies, but for me to look the way I want to, hip padding is a must. If we're talking about looking like a real woman, than I've seen plenty of real women without much in the way of curves. But if a certain figure is what you seek, and what you get dressed up for, then hip pads are a necessity (unless your body is already far from the average male shape).
I had similar feelings about waste-cinchers. I initially bought one with only certain outfits in mind, but now never dress up to go out without one (I guess unless I'm in swimwear).
@raven188 Hi Sarah---There is something magical when you are able to give yourself the curves that nature didn't---I know real women come in all shapes and sizes and that many of them don't have a curvaceous body---however it is still nice to be able to re-create the illusion of an idealized woman when you are a cross dresser---
Hello Maureen,
In my experience it all depends in your body type and the style of garment you are wearing, personally I prefer no pads at all, some dresses I have worn have enough flare, so I can do it. If I am wearing pants, leggings or a tighter skirt, definitely need to have some curves.
Thanks for your post.
@carlafirst11 Your welcome Carla----I'm glad some of the girls here were interested in the subject
@maureen76 For my figure both hip and butt pads are needed to give me the look I want. I am straight up and down so; I need all the shape I can get. If I could get my mid-section down and my hips and butt larger than my tummy, I will be much happier with my shape.
@maureen76 I suppose it depends on your shape. For me, hip pads are essential. Menstrual pads? No!
@maureen76 Today, I dressed to go out and I must have gotten distracted because I forgot to put on my butt and hip pads.
At one point, my wife and I were standing together waiting and she quipped, "Your flat ass looks weird without your pads", so I guess that there is something to say about always wearing pads. 😁
@harriette LOL---Your wife "complaining " about you flat ass---that's rich and proof that you pad often---love it
@maureen76 Absolutely! - When really dressed up with a dress or skirt I always wear my homemade Hip and Fanny combination foam rubber pads, I've made several types and sizes over the years. Also having a urology incontinent problem, I wear women Panty liners in the crotch of my panties and to complete the under skirt feminine experience I insert a long tampon in the rear. Now I am anatomically a WOMAN down under.
(Funny tampon story here): Several weeks ago, while in a lady's room in a high-rise downtown office building, I decided to insert my dime into one of the Tampon dispensers, I went into the stall and unwrapped it and as i was ready to insert the door of the stall opened next to me and a secretary sat down on the toilet.
In my hurry I Dropped the uninserted tampon on the floor between us and I know if she had to look sown she saw it, I smiled to myself and quickly washed it off , inserted it and did my thing, We both exited the stalls a few minutes apart and exchanged Girly office girl pleasantries at the vanities while we touch up our lipsticks and hair, and said have a nice day.
Best Ladies room experience that Meghan ever had.
@meghan47 Well Meghan---of all the girls who have spoken here---I have to say that you pad the most completely of any ---I pad and once in a while use a maxi-pad just to feel feminine but don't really need it---still enjoy the constant reminder you are wearing it and how it makes you walk a little differently
Good Story , I have always told new gurls using the lady's bathroom in public if your as bit nerves, or concerted other women may notice you or looking at you odd, 1) One little trick tip to do is , 😲 { insert my dime into one of the Tampon dispensers or the pad dispensers } that will change there mind , about if you really belong there !!!
Just a Tip, & Be Safe !!
Huggs
Stephanie👠
Hi Jane --- yes I wear a girdle as well --- but still don't have womanly hips or rear end---so therefore, I have sometimes worn padded girdles--- but then there is the problem of looking "Too big" down there----almost pear shaped--- so usually I just wear my regular firm control girdle and forget about the pads ---do yo ever wear menstrual pads--or have an opinion on girls like us wearing them?
Being on the slender side, I find an elastic panty girdle to be the answer to reinforcing my desired shape and my femininity. If I am wearing a tight fitting dress I may want to add only moderate hip and butt pads for the proper curvature. I do prefer inserting a a menstrual pad in my full cut panty. It allows me to feel that much more complete and feminine.
@angelalovescds Angela---Yes I sometimes use a Menstrual pad as well--- and for the same reasons----you can't forget you are wearing it and it smooths you out down there without the need to tuck---if I want to feel particularly feminine I wear a maxi pad---glad to hear other girls here feel the same way---hugs Maureen
@maureen76 Hi Maureen.I agreed.I have worn maxi pads also.Does make me feel feminine.Donna..
@donnagurl6768 Hi Donna---Nice to hear from other member of the Maxi pad sisterhood
Firstly Ellie, Is that new picture after your make over? Wow!
I think shape enhancing is an integral part of the feminising process. When I started out it took a while to get the bra size and forms right for my frame. There were limited opportunities to buy and online was in its infancy so eventually I made some fillers out of foam and covered with soft cloth which enabled me to lift what moob I have creating a cleavage.
The issue was hips and butt, Dresses and skirts hung straight and didn't sit right. I believe I saw an advert in a crossdresser magazine for a padded panty that enhanced the hips and butt. It did cost quite a lot but was made by a classic corset company who obviously saw an opportunity. I bought one and it changed everything for me. It was well made and fitted perfectly. Overnight my life changed as dresses and skirts sat correctly and my shape was perfectly balanced. It had a zip front and elasticated up to the navel and around the tops of the legs. It was a bit of a chore to go to the toilet but the pros outweighed the cons. I bought another to have one in black and one in white, which was just as well because the company folded, sadly. I had them for years but as I was going out more I needed a replacement as they were beginning to wear.
I bought some of the ones online with two pads each side but they were not anywhere as good and the shape wasn't the same. I then had an idea to look at the one I had and see if I could make one.
The design of the pad was of two shaped pieces of foam covering around the rear and sides so I used that as a template and a friend made covers for them. I found that support knickers, which were stretchy would accommodate and hold the pads securely. They feel comfortable all day, work rest and play, and are easier when using the ladies room.
I have also found some silicone enhancers for the bra so am in good shape.....
@ab123 Angela---I remember the first pads I bought decades ago were from a crossdresser site----they were large pieces of foam that you could cut to size---with one for each hip and one for the rear with a wrap around crotch piece---- I tried my best to cut then to size and then had one heck of a time place them inside my girdle---the foam did not compress that much and I ended up with "huge" hips and butt----a major pear shape----also using the bathroom entailed another difficult period of getting everything back in place-----It was a huge improvement when you could easily buy stretch panties that had smaller pads you could insert----Hugs Maureen
@maureen76 I followed the pattern of the pads I had. Each pad was the mirror of the other which had to be tapered at the edges and made more comfortable by the covers. There wasn't anything hindering rest room duties. The pads were kept firmly in place by the panties,are light and comfortable.
@ab123 Hi Angela---I guess you are referring to the foam pads I was talking about-- I guess the fact that you dealt with them easily just re-enforces what I fear might be by ham handedness --- my wife teases me about it---so it seems those early foam pads were not as bad for others as they were for me---LOL
@maureen76 And I'll just add a side note here Maureen for the do it yourself crowd,. I'm a costumer and when I have to work with large pieces of foam I use an electric knife (the kind with 2 serrated blades that you might use to cut up a turkey). It cuts real fast and I can easily control it. If anyone tries to make their own pads, they should just be very careful to cut only the foam and not to cut their hand. Safe Journey, Marg
Are pads necessary, no? Feminity can reside within you even withoit all the extras, buy most of us like to enhance that by wearing various femme things. We all have different wants and d3sites when it comes to are dressing, and it can vary from day to day or session to session. Some days I go all out with forms, wig make up, etc, whule other days it might just be panties and lipstick.
If gettin the most feminine lool possible is important, then by all means get all the pads and forms, but some days I just like to.wesr a dress and don' t mean anything else.
@jjandme Agreed JJ----I think if you want to take pictures of your best feminine shape than pads are great----but for everyday they are merely a hassle
Hey Maureen, While I have all the above mentioned pads, I rarely wear anything padded except my off the shelf Maidenform strapless bra that has some padding. I'm usually seen as a small, skinny older woman and I'm OK with that. I just like to represent myself as I am (an intersex person-DES feminized male) and I let the world deal with it. I'm mostly hairless, have a waist, small hips and really don't need much tucking. Years ago I did have a conversation with a close female friend where I said that at times I felt that I needed more bust to look good in certain outfits and I felt like I was cheating if I wore a padded pushup bra. She said that all women wear what they need to make an outfit look good on them and in fact she was currently wearing a padded bra herself (and I thought that she was just a natural super beauty). She went on to say that the bigger fault was to look dumpy or ugly and no real woman who cared about herself would go out without thinking that she had done her best to look good in the time allotted. So I took her advice to heart and now just wear padding when I think that I really need it (usually just in my boobs) and never feel unsettled or unwomanly when doing so. I also think that when I look in the mirror after getting dressed and see that I'm might be getting dumpy that I should have a stern talk with myself about getting back into shape and work until I'm happy with myself again. Most days I just wear jeans and a flannel shirt and look nondescript but when I go out I prefer very fitted outfits. So, I hope that this makes some sense but it is just what works for me. Hugs, Marg
@margprodue Hi Marg--- You are right---the question of to pad or not to pad is different for everyone and there are so many variables to consider. It is important that we always feel as comfortable as we can with our natural bodies and not feel that we "have to" pad. I think padding can be an option when and if we want to present a more curvaceous image---perhaps for a "glamor shot" ---but doing so everyday would be problematic in many ways and perhaps damage our self image---hugs Maureen
I always use breast forms when dressed but only wear hip pads when the skirt area calls for it. I have a couple of skirt/top combinations where the hip pads are unnecessary as the shape wouldn't be seen anyway. I often wear a cardi or loose top as our weather this summer has not been conducive to skimpier outfits, so the hip pads are redundant. Never needed bum pads because I already have a good bum, even at my age.
So IMHO, pads are not always necessary but breast forms are; but this is for me, other people will have a different view.
@rebeccabaxter Hi Rebecca----I totally agree with your conclusion ----padding is a personal decision depending on our self image, body type, and comfort level---Hugs Maureen
I am with Angela. To me, getting my shape right is integral to my dressing. It makes my clothes hang better and it gets the feminine idea across better.
As a "mouldy oldie" CD I'm way past any form of shapewear, tho I used to love being "tightly corseted".
When "going public" drop waist cardi's and loose skirts do it for me and when dressing alone, I just... dont.. care...
Caty.
I am a plus-size girl to start with, so there are many outfits I wear that hip pads give me some super-size nice curves. Combine that with just the right size breasts, cleavage, and skirt/dress length and I am close to or may just have the perfect outfit for the day.
Bottom Line: It is a very delicate balancing act, taking everything into consideration.
@catgurl Peggy---I have to agree with the balancing act part of you comment---well said
Pads are like anything else ww wear to enhance our appearence, en femme or en homme. They are no different then make up, eye lashes, hait extentions or wigs, etc, etc, etc. We do all kinds of things to enhance our appearence by addition or subtaction, shaving comes to mind.
@jjandme Yes JJ---pads are just another tool in a cross dresser's arsenal in order to be as pretty as we can be
@maureen76 ...and that applies to GGs well as CDs. We all do many things to improve our appearence. Some are just sigificant than others.
I use hip and/or butt pads depending on what I am wearing. Because I prefer extremely short skirts, I created my own modified hip pads as most extend too far down the upper thigh. In a very tight skirt, they definitely help with the illusion of a feminine figure, especially the hip pads. When I wear a pleated or ruffled skirt, I do not use either of the pads. When wearing a looser fitting blouse that is not tucked in, I do not use the hip pads, but may still use the butt pads.
@missjackie Hi Jackie---You seem to have mastered the art of padding and have it down to a science. Thanks, I appreciate your advice---hugs Maureen
Never bothered with any shapewear or even breastforms. I have a naturally slender and feminine body so I wear A-cup bras and just put a little something in there to give the appearance of small breasts. Large breast forms would look silly on my frame.
