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Yes, not just like, but love. Which are your favorite brands? Clothing, shoes, makeup, lingerie, anything fem.
As a boy growing up, my family was careful about saving and spending, and that meant getting good value too. Much of my clothes and shoes were from Kmart, Sears, Payless, and hand me downs from relatives. Many toys and other household things came from thrift stores. I endured the usual being made fun of by kids who claimed they were better. I never really cared because I saw how hard my parents worked and was so happy they could do whatever they could for our family.
As an adult, I followed the same principles. Look for deals, be wary of expensive brands and stores, think value. Then I discovered Ross and slowly I bought a few famous brands, like Tommy Hilfiger jeans on sale. Then I learned about Macy's and their crazy sales and coupons around the holidays. So, I picked a few more famous brands, nothing too crazy.
When I started cross-dressing, I used the same principles of value and not wasting money, while slowly building up a collection. Then I realized that women's clothes always go on sale, my heels size is often on clearance, Ross has crazy deals on dresses, DDs has cute jeans. Eventually I discovered thrift stores get lots of barely worn women's items, sometimes with labels, and can't sell them easily, and so my size is often on sale. My feminine wardrobe started to pick up famous brands, and expensive brands that my mom admired, yet never treated herself to. I usually buy things in my size, at a good price. Occasionally, I've bought an impractical item or size just to be the proud owner of that brand.
Today, my male closet lacks any big brands. While my fem closet is full of exciting styles and brands.
Which brands do I love?
I love....
Shoes - Fioni, Fioni Night, Christian Siriano, Brash....all the Payless brands. I also love Cape Robben, Zigi Soho, Merona, A New Day, Torrid, Cloud Walkers, POP. I want to buy Nine West some day, Steve Madden, maybe Tory Burch, and of course Louboutin.
Dresses, tops - Old Navy, Material Girl, En Focus, Bebe, Express, Loft, Candlelight, Rue 21, Forever 21, BCBG, Xhiliration, David's Bridal, Macy's brands, Anne Klein, Divided. I love White House Black Market, but don't own anything yet
Lingerie, bras, panties - VS, SoMa, DKNY, Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Ambrielle, Nordstrom, CK.
Jeans, leggings - Old Navy, Vera Wang, CK, Maurice's, DKNY.
Athletic - Nike, Adidas, Xersion, Avia, Walmart brands.
Makeup - Sally Hansen, E.L.F.
Purses - Liz Clairborne. I want to get my own Coach and Kate Spade instead of borrowing my wife's without her permission.
I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.
What about you?
When I first started acquiring women's clothing, I waited for a particular pair of Stuart Weitzman heels to go on sale because they were hundreds of dollars, but I don't think that I have two pairs of shoes that are from the same brand.
While you have Ross, we have Winners here. Ross describes themselves as an "off-price" retailer. Basically, they are jobbers buying overstock and stuff that didn't completely sell quickly enough. Lots of bargains can be found in such stores.
So while big brands might set some fashion trends, we can afford more practical casual wear. For CDs, more can be better.
I've learned that I do favor some brands over others. Some brands just fit my body better than others do. Their sizing is consistent. Making it easier to shop and buy when I know in advance what size I'll wear. The other thing is styling. Certain brands portray the style I like to show. Depending of course if I'm in the city, or mountains or at a resort.
I'm actually quite low-maintenance when it comes to my choice of clothing, as I do most of my shopping in charity shops or on re-sale sites such as Ebay or Vinted, and I buy things that I think look nice and suit me. Sometimes I get lucky and have scored some quality designer stuff like Biba, Karen Millen or Ted Baker for a bargain price.
However, when it comes to hosiery, I do have expensive tastes, preferring quality brands like Wolford, Celia De Rafael and Falke.
Like @caroline2k (and quite a few others, I expect), I buy most of my clothes at charity shops, so brands are very much luck of the draw. For makeup I tend to go for Revlon.
I too am from a background of austerity. We wore hand me downs and mum made most of the clothes as she was a dressmaker, alas she didn't make girl clothes for me but I did get to wear them in secret or when I was her mannequin. What I did learn was what to look for in how clothes are made and the quality in material,how to wear things as I had sisters and a lot rubbed off on me.
A few years back I was in a local 'Primark' a retailer with the 'pile it high sell it cheap' ethos and not a place to expect quality I saw a lovely skirt on the rail. lovely pattern, heavy cotton , lined and well put together so bought it for about £10. I wore it out on a trip with a cousin who did have expensive tastes. She commented on the skirt saying how lovely it was and that a friend had one the same. Well knowing her I inquired a bit more and her friends was a designer brand and would have cost five times what I paid. When I told her where mine came from and how much it cost she was amazed.
I have never been a designer brand person as a consequence looking for value. Sales are the perfect place to pick up a bargain and I have a few good purchases. In the main the main retailers I use stock almost all of my needs and even charity shops will produce a gem every now and again. I will however push the boat out if I am attending a special event, well what girl wouldn't.
Unless you are paying hundreds of dollars or more for a dress is it really 'designer' as most are now produced in the factories abroad along side the other brands, hence the similarity in style and patterns.
As long as I look good and get compliments on my clothes then the world is a good place for me.
Thanks for this interesting question Lea. While I have tons of clothes (I work half a year as a women's costumer and make or modify most of my clothes), there are a few brands that are especially dear to me and I tend to favor. Shoes-Ferragamo, Lingerie-Maidenform, Purses-Coach9525, Jewelry-Swarovski and Vintage, Jeans-Forever 21 and Levi's skinny. I also really love thrifting, which always forms the core of my wardrobe. Marg
Somewhat difficult for me to summarize.
I am a thrifty shopper and spend my money wisely and am definitely not an impulse shopper. With that being said, I don't deny myself something, particularly if it is an item I have had in mind to buy for some time.
Stores, brands, retailers? I shop the thrifts like Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. The big box discounters, Walmart, Ross-For-Less, etc. Torrid, Lane Bryant, Macy's, etc.
I live in Atlanta, Georgia, so there is no shortage of shopping possibilities. Actually, it is a shopper's paradise. You can find anything you are looking for here. For example, last week I walked into a no name beauty supply store and found cosmetic items which I have never seen before, not even on line.
I'm dressing for more everyday looks now and my favorite brand is Lululemon. I can't get enough of their Align leggings. I love Tory Burch bags and shoes, I have a number of favorite dress brands although right now I love Madeline and Soma is my favorite lingerie brand. This is just scratching the surface....I could go on for quite a while about the things I love!!
Love Calvin and Ann Klein dresses.
Love Wacoal lingerie
Love Steve Madden high heels
Love Wolford thigh highs
I have been a huge buyer from E-Bay and have found a lot of my clothes lingerie, dress's my forms. I do check Walmart clearance racks and have found so many cute things. Name brand things I have become a big fan of as of the last few years is Torrid, I love the way they fit and look, LuLaRoe clothing is more and more a favorite. Lingerie Playtex, Vanity Fair Maidenform.
Most of my wardrobe and shoe collection has come from eBay or charity shops. I deliberately don't go for designer brands, so all that I have is a pair of Steve Madden white trainers. Those were offered to me for such a low price on eBay that I'd have had them without the name! Oh, and some of my make-up comes from Dior and Fenty, I bought the products after being made-over with them for free, so that the MUA got a good commission for her transformative work.
Nice & an interesting topic you wrote so well Lea.
In my year and a half of vastly expanding my wardrobe, i have shopped in person, online, and resale shops. At last count, 38 dresses. I love to find quality items at bargain or sale prices, such as Talbot and others.
I am a sucker of Kate Spade purses & wallets. Have purchased some from Treadup & found a fabulous leopard one at Uptown Cheapskate. Also splurge on hosiery from What Katie Did and Secrets in Lace.
Emily
A quick run down from me. Anyone who has seen photos of me will know that I dress quirkily (actually in both modes).
Dresses - Dolly & Dotty, Run and Fly, Retroesque, Next
Hosiery - Snag Tights, Sambuca, Anne Summers, French Connection
Lingerie - Marks & Spencer, Bares, Adrenne Vittadini, What Katie Did, Danskin, Shein
Shoes - Long Tall Sally, Giselle
Make-up - too many to mention!
I do the majority of my shopping at Macy's, Nordstrom, Kohls, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, The GAP and Ulta. I swear I have single-handily kept Macy's from declaring bankruptcy!
Brands I like include Anne Klein, Connected, DKNY, Alex Evenings, SLNY, Vera Wang, Nanette Lepore, Lauren Conrad, Inc, and Nine West in dresses. I have mostly Bali bras and panties and use a lot of Clinique makeup.