Which Gender Do You Dress As While Transitioning?

[Guest Sandra]

While taking hormones I think I'd stay dressed as a male with baggy clothes for a year or two, so my figure and breasts aren't noticeable and after the change is significant enough, then I'd immediately change to dressing as a woman. I know some transsexuals dress female as soon as they begin the transition and wait for the body to catch up. Your thoughts.

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

I haven't started transitioning yet, so this is more or less my plan. Since I already pretty much dress like a guy...or at least pretty androgynous, I guess I'll continue to do so while I transition. Sometimes, like for professional stuff, I still have to present as female right now. For situations like that, I don't think I'd pass in standard men's dress clothes. Hopefully I'll be able to avoid those "formal" situations for a bit while I transition. Anyway, so I guess I will pretty much keep dressing the same as I do now until I have been on hormones for a bit. When my voice changes and I get some facial hair, then I'll start presenting as male 100% of the time. Top surgery will make that easier still. That's the dream...

[Guest]

If you are in gender therapy and doing this to fulfill the Real Life test "RLT" requirement for surgery it wouldn't really count until you are living the role. If you want to start you can always use concave breast forms that have room for new growth. There are some very realistic ones out there. However if you aren't sure or don't feel ready waiting may be a good idea. The choice is yours. Discuss it with your therapist.

Laura

[Guest sphere]

I feel I'm a far ways away from hormones (unfortunately) but I always dress and do my best to look like a guy already. So far I plan on just doing the same, except wear more men's clothes rather than all the unisex stuff I have, and I might even be able to go "stealth" then (I kind of look like a feminine prepubescent boy right now, if only everyone didn't refer to me as "she"...)

Though since I'm still a youngin I may or may not, depending on the circumstance, have to change my mind a bit somehow.

[Guest Sandra]

I haven't started transitioning yet, so this is more or less my plan. Since I already pretty much dress like a guy...or at least pretty androgynous, I guess I'll continue to do so while I transition. Sometimes, like for professional stuff, I still have to present as female right now. For situations like that, I don't think I'd pass in standard men's dress clothes. Hopefully I'll be able to avoid those "formal" situations for a bit while I transition. Anyway, so I guess I will pretty much keep dressing the same as I do now until I have been on hormones for a bit. When my voice changes and I get some facial hair, then I'll start presenting as male 100% of the time. Top surgery will make that easier still. That's the dream...

Well the good thing is that there are a lot of masculine looking clothing for women like suits, so its easier to pass as one and women who look like 'tom-boys' are more readily accepted than mtf.

All the best in your transition.

If you are in gender therapy and doing this to fulfill the Real Life test "RLT" requirement for surgery it wouldn't really count until you are living the role. If you want to start you can always use concave breast forms that have room for new growth. There are some very realistic ones out there. However if you aren't sure or don't feel ready waiting may be a good idea. The choice is yours. Discuss it with your therapist.

Laura

Good points Laura. I'd be a little reluctant to use breast forms-imagine the embarrassment if they fell out or if someone noticed. But its good to know there are other options when one transitions.

[Guest CharliTo]

Funny you ask this today. I'm one that's definitely straddling the fence with this topic...

I had the exact same idea when I was going to transition, but I'm already wearing girl jeans and a shirt with pink on it right now. (wee)...still androgynous, but meh.

The problem for me is that I don't have enough dressing experiences so...I don't have the confidence to be out though. I just figured that if I get my body to get there first, it might be a good confidence booster ^^... Still yet, it is all about if you're ready or not...I'm taking baby steps at a time, but just because you're not dressing FT when you start hormones, don't feel like you're alone or that you're cheating...everybody has their own path. ...so I'm in girl pants and such already to slowly build confidence to wear feminine. :] I mean, ultimately, I want to definitely go full time....

That's my two cents :].

[Guest Sandra]

I feel I'm a far ways away from hormones (unfortunately) but I always dress and do my best to look like a guy already. So far I plan on just doing the same, except wear more men's clothes rather than all the unisex stuff I have, and I might even be able to go "stealth" then (I kind of look like a feminine prepubescent boy right now, if only everyone didn't refer to me as "she"...)

Though since I'm still a youngin I may or may not, depending on the circumstance, have to change my mind a bit somehow.

Interesting-you sound like you might be pretty passable already. Have you considered just coming out to the people at work and your family?

Funny you ask this today. I'm one that's definitely straddling the fence with this topic...

I had the exact same idea when I was going to transition, but I'm already wearing girl jeans and a shirt with pink on it right now. (wee)...still androgynous, but meh....

I think what you're doing is great, going androgynous. I like the idea of just pushing that boundary until I can go FT, there's certainly an excitement to it-but I won't go overly 'femme' too soon for obvious reasons.

I'm actually not on hormones yet, I hope I didn't give anyone the wrong idea...but I'm thinking ahead as to how I'll do my transition once I get on them.

[Guest VLee]

I live in a small close-minded community and am in no hurry at all to change how I am dressing in public locally. I am taking my time (got some pounds to lose, down almost 20 for the year!) and am going to start with just dressing around the house while I find what I would like wearing. For now it is just a collared shirt over a tshirt to help hide any extra growth. I have found a very friendly group about a 1 1/2 hour drive away that meets once a month that I would like dressing for when I have more to wear. Lol, there goes my budget.

[Guest dolly]

i havent started yet either but i'd probably transition in the female clothes slowly. i already wear alot of "girly" stuff with my street wear as it is but yeah, i'd probably not start wearing more dominant female gear until my body looks good to me in it.

[Guest Seth]

I dress like a dude, always have, always will.

[Guest GoldenKirbichu]

I've almost always dressed andro-masculine, and it doesn't seem to be likely to change anytime soon.

[Guest Sheila]

it will definitly be in woman's clothes. the day i start hrt is the day i get rid of all men's clothes. that's the plan at least. i'm already practicing with my voice although i'm a little discouraged at this time.

sheila

[Guest Just_Call_Me_Nick]

I dress like a dude, always have, always will.

Same here!!!

Nick~

[Guest Drew]

i've always dressed male (much to my mother's frustration) and i always will.

[Guest Storm Angel]

I have been wearing both female and male clothes combined for quite some time which has a rather unisex kind of look..

I'm actually living by my real name (Jacci) fulltime and even had my name corrected on the work roster!

I'm definately not ready to go out in full yet (I wish!!), though I do pass to some people without trying even in boyish attire... the main 'enemy' is when they see my adam's apple or hear my voice depth.

[Guest Sandra]

it will definitly be in woman's clothes. the day i start hrt is the day i get rid of all men's clothes. that's the plan at least. i'm already practicing with my voice although i'm a little discouraged at this time.

You go girl! Ya I started training my voice also. I'm able to mimic some of my favorite male singers reasonably well but I've found it much more challenging to go female, however I know my voice is adaptable and I can eventually reach my goal with time and practice.

CandiFLA gives excellent advice on how to change it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qbaj4tIX1kw

I have been wearing both female and male clothes combined for quite some time which has a rather unisex kind of look..

I'm actually living by my real name (Jacci) fulltime and even had my name corrected on the work roster!

I'm definately not ready to go out in full yet (I wish!!), though I do pass to some people without trying even in boyish attire... the main 'enemy' is when they see my adam's apple or hear my voice depth.

You look fabulous, you realize its girls like you that make the rest of us go green with envy.

Your voice can be fixed with training/practice over a number of months and the adam's apple with some surgery. I have one but I'm lucky its barely noticeable. I have feminine hands, arms, legs, eyes, lips but I have a masculine body so I'll be working hard to trim myself down to a girlish form over the year.

[Guest Krimo]

I dress in male clothes, have since before I even realized I was trans. I can't even wear girl's clothes anymore without feeling extremely self-conscious and uncomfortable.

[Guest silverpetals]

I dress like a dude, always have, always will.

i'd probably have to go with seth, but i'm not sure where that would put me :S i tend to dress pretty tomboyish anyway (hoodie and jeans ftw ^.^) and i don't feel that will change much (unless i like, grow up ). i'd probably be a problem to some therapists, because a lot of them have very rigid and classically typical expectations of what it means to live as your correct gender--is it wearing the clothes, changing the name, or something more?

[Guest (Lightsider)]

While taking hormones I think I'd stay dressed as a male with baggy clothes for a year or two, so my figure and breasts aren't noticeable and after the change is significant enough, then I'd immediately change to dressing as a woman. I know some transsexuals dress female as soon as they begin the transition and wait for the body to catch up. Your thoughts.

It really is an individual thing...for me I did not even attempt to pass as female until around 75 percent of my facial hair was gone. I dressed as male for the first 4 months of transition. Then one day...I got ma'med...I thought it was a fluke. Then it happened again. I was in Arkansas at the time on a trip and then I used the Mens room at one point and guy in the bathroom nearly freaked. I was wearing no makeup...dressed like a guy...and he took me as female. That was the last time I ever ventured into a mens room. Today I know if I tried to go in the mens room I would get arrested. Sometimes nature tells you when it is time to make the switch.

[Guest jennifer_mcg]

It really is an individual thing...for me I did not even attempt to pass as female until around 75 percent of my facial hair was gone. I dressed as male for the first 4 months of transition. Then one day...I got ma'med...I thought it was a fluke. Then it happened again. I was in Arkansas at the time on a trip and then I used the Mens room at one point and guy in the bathroom nearly freaked. I was wearing no makeup...dressed like a guy...and he took me as female. That was the last time I ever ventured into a mens room. Today I know if I tried to go in the mens room I would get arrested. Sometimes nature tells you when it is time to make the switch.

Oh I do agree! The time will come naturally

JJ

[Guest Chrissy31947]

Hi!

I was living in two genders until I went on vacation and went full time as the lady I am. When I returned home I tried putting on the boy clothes and went into full crisis.

Putting the guy stuff back on was strapping all that conflict back on. I knew I was conflicted, but had lived with this conflict all my life, so I didn't know any better. It wasn't till I lived without this conflict that I understood how debilitating it really was.

My therapist wrote me off work for a month to adjust to my gender and get comfortable. I let my boss know I was transitioning during this month and returned to work as myself. I have never been happier!

Hugs, Chrissy

[Guest Alice4016]

My name will be changed on July 10th, as will my drivers license etc. so I'm starting to go full time now, so that when there is no other choice I will be adjusted. Just do it when you feel ready I guess, if you don't care what others think (ie. not worried about voice, looks, etc.) then get on out there and start being you. If your worried about how others see you, then simply wait until you are comfortable with yourself and how you present. I started dressing around the home, then around friends, family, etc. Then when I would go out to others houses, then to eat, to the moives, etc etc. until I was fine doing it all the time. Baby steps are the key!

Alice

[Guest Mr. Fox]

i'd probably have to go with seth, but i'm not sure where that would put me :S i tend to dress pretty tomboyish anyway (hoodie and jeans ftw ^.^) and i don't feel that will change much (unless i like, grow up ). i'd probably be a problem to some therapists, because a lot of them have very rigid and classically typical expectations of what it means to live as your correct gender--is it wearing the clothes, changing the name, or something more?

A therapist like that is a therapist I would not want. I, myself, plan to wear a combination of men's and women's clothes my entire life. I actually plan to crossdress more after transition because I will be taken as male without having to be all manly.

Adrian

[Guest raydub]

Sometimes nature tells you when it is time to make the switch.

Thank you for saying that. I needed to hear it.

Ray

[Guest 2892Bandie]

I always dressed somewhere in between when i was younger... Now i dress almost always male unless my parentals absolutely need me to present female and even then it's funny cause i look like a drag queen. I keep telling them, i look weird and unhappy don't make me do it. But, it's all about how you feel inside while transitioning right?