Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

Achieving a Feminine Body Shape


Sally Stone

Recommended Posts

When I began presenting a woman one of the the things I wanted emulate was a feminine body shape.  Unfortunately, I was, and still am, built like a shapeless board.  Consequently, women's fashions just didn't look as good on me as I wanted them to.  Of course, I solved the chest issue with breast forms and the midriff issue with a waist cincher but solving the hips and butt issues alluded me for years.  I tried padded panties but still couldn't achieve the hourglass figure I was looking for.  Finally, out of frustration, I decided to make my own padding.  I bought some dense upholstery foam rubber, carved it with an electric knife (a major hack when cutting foam rubber) to make hip and butt pads that I could insert into a girdle.  I started with forms that I thought were going to be oversized but my plan was trim them little by little, to proper shape.  When I put the foam pads inside a firm support girdle, what I thought was oversize turned out to be nearly perfect.  All of a sudden my hip and butt measurements matched my bust and I had a very nice hourglass shape.  

 

I have been wearing homemade padding ever since.  I firmly believe the feminine shape they provide adds significantly to feeling feminine.  Obviously, there are certain fashions where this kind of padding won't work, specifically a bathing suit or tight fitting leggings but since I rarely have a desire to wear those things, it isn't a problem for me.  I always keep two different sets of hip pads.  One is for skirts and looser fitting dresses and a smaller, more contoured set is for jeans and tight fitting dresses.  I'm just wondering if having an hourglass figure is as important to others as it is to me and if so, what is your solution?

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

I'm well aware I will never have an hourglass figure but that's ok. I used to dress with forms in hiding for the longest time but now that I'm out of hiding and on HRT I am seeing some changes and I'll make do with what I get even at 68. I don't want to hide anymore but I also have never been mistaken for the gender I wish to become. I wear conservative lady pants and blouses and don't wear any men clothes but sadly I'm still misgendered. But I have hope and if not gendered right - so be it. It's not what they think, it's what I think and I feel more ladylike every day.

Link to comment

Are you on hormone therapy? When I started that and grew some breasts, the shirts really fit a lot nicer. Otherwise you have a couple of options. You can gain weight as fat and/or gain weight as muscle. The fat is really a gamble, you just gain it and hope it goes where you want. With the muscle, if you really work your butt and hips with weight training you can get some size there. It has to be solid weight training though, bodyweight exercises alone won't do it. 

Personally, this is one area where I lucked out, I have a 34 inch bust, 31 inch waist, and something like 36 inch hips. I still don't have the figure of some women. Notice I say some women - not a lot of cis women I know or have seen even have an hourglass figure. I even knew a cis woman that had stick legs, no butt, no hips, and a large belly. Many cis women are apple or pear shaped. Again, I caution us trans women into falling into this trap of what makes the ideal woman, as we often hold ourselves to standards that a lot of cis women can't even meet. I don't think I would go thru the trouble of padding or anything in my areas. I have tiny boobs and I'm happy with them, for example. You do what you think you need to do, but at the end of the day it won't make a lick of difference if your wear padding on your thighs or not.

Link to comment

Even before I began my journey, I was always fascinated by hourglass figure. I was, of course, making up some silly reasons why I would need a waist-trainer ("it helps with weight loss") or corset. With the beginning of transition, it only made sense and became just a natural hope to achieve it. Currently, I can get a fairly good resemblance with steel-boned corset laced up all the way. And I absolutely love the feeling. One additional benefit, it helps with the posture so it is another reason to use it at least around house if you spend plenty of time sitting.

 

Cannot comment much on the padding, as I was starting with very non-masculine figure waist-down, and new fat redistribution only enhanced those areas to a point where shaping clothes are new reality in my future ?

Link to comment
13 hours ago, AwesomeClaire said:

Notice I say some women - not a lot of cis women I know or have seen even have an hourglass figure. I even knew a cis woman that had stick legs, no butt, no hips, and a large belly. Many cis women are apple or pear shaped. Again, I caution us trans women into falling into this trap of what makes the ideal woman, as we often hold ourselves to standards that a lot of cis women can't even meet.

I'll never have that hourglass figure.  But it doesn't really seem to be a big issue for women in my (older) age range.  Perhaps age has its perks after all.

Link to comment

Claire, I'm not doing HRT, so I don't get those benefits.  As for an hourglass figure, it's just what appeals to me and it keeps my overall shape from looking typically male.  I think you are probably right that wearing padding won't make a lick of difference to anyone else, but at the end of the day, I wear padding on my hips because it makes me happy.

Link to comment
1 hour ago, Sally Stone said:

I wear padding on my hips because it makes me happy.

One of those funny things…

When I was young and trying to be a guy, I thought my butt & hips were too big.   Now I think they're too small.  Perhaps that's dysmorphic, but I'm a mess anyway.

Link to comment

      I think it comes down to what makes you comfortable and happy.  Its important to remember that all people including women come in many shapes and sizes and not get to caught up in the perfect shape because there isn't one. For me I just do the best with what I have a dress to my shape while still wearing what I want.  The most important thing to me is being who I am and not hiding.

     HRT helped me greatly. Even though it did very little for me hips. I went from 150 pounds to 175 lbs. I was very fortunate with breast development and overall body fat distribution with exception of belly fat.  I personally feel most insecure about my body when I go out for a run mainly because it very hard to hide anything.  I have found with time, that the more I go out for a run the easier it is and I just don't worry about much anymore after all most people are so caught up in what they are doing that they very seldom actually pay any attention to anyone else.  Ultimately I think you should do what makes you happy and the most comfortable.

 

Jamie

Link to comment

I am fortunate because my wider-than-normal hips and narrow shoulders that caused me great dysphoria for many years trying to conform to my AMAB gender-role now have become a source of contentment when I can wear form fitting dresses, etc.  My only issue is I am short wasted - I'm basically all legs. So, I need some type of waist-cincher to try to create that hourglass figure. 
Not on HRT yet, but I long for the day to find out what it might do to complete my figure as I have always envisioned myself since childhood.
Great topic @Sally Stone❣️

Link to comment

I'm lucky to have a muscular butt, but I have no hips and a muscular thick waist. I've said for a long time that I'm built like a wrestler. I'm also lazy and nervous about wardrobe malfunction, so padding and cinching are out. My solution has been live with it, and mom jeans. But atm I'm doing strength training trying to balance top and bottom with a little more bulk on bottom.

 

I've found that moving your apparent waist up balances top and bottom a bit. So, high-waisted jeans with shirt tucked in, or a fitted top that is over the jeans but tight on the lower belly, and fitted at the waist. It may not be a woman's favorite place to be fat, but I'm blessed with lower belly fat. It's feminine enough.

 

Link to comment
12 hours ago, anyanka said:

I'm lucky to have a muscular butt, but I have no hips and a muscular thick waist. I've said for a long time that I'm built like a wrestler. I'm also lazy and nervous about wardrobe malfunction, so padding and cinching are out. My solution has been live with it, and mom jeans. But atm I'm doing strength training trying to balance top and bottom with a little more bulk on bottom.

 

I've found that moving your apparent waist up balances top and bottom a bit. So, high-waisted jeans with shirt tucked in, or a fitted top that is over the jeans but tight on the lower belly, and fitted at the waist. It may not be a woman's favorite place to be fat, but I'm blessed with lower belly fat. It's feminine enough.

 

I'm doing the same thing with strength training, just trying to balance out my whole body with some extra in the butt area. I've gotten stronger and my arms look great, the bottom half will take some time but is already pretty decent.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   3 Members, 0 Anonymous, 120 Guests (See full list)

    • EasyE
    • Lorelei
    • KathyLauren
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.5k
    • Total Posts
      767.2k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      11,945
    • Most Online
      8,356

    Melissa_J
    Newest Member
    Melissa_J
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. Amyjay
      Amyjay
      (58 years old)
    2. bettyjean
      bettyjean
    3. Breanna
      Breanna
      (52 years old)
    4. Emily Ayla
      Emily Ayla
    5. JET182
      JET182
  • Posts

    • EasyE
      So, I jumped on the "E" train last week and am about 10 days into my HRT journey. I have the tiniest patch available. I laughed when I opened it. "This little thing is supposed to give me more feminine characteristics?"   I haven't really felt much of anything so far, not that I expected to at this point. I am really, really tired but that may be other factors (like staying up too late to watch NCAA basketball every night). The one noticeable difference is that my libido seems to be a lot more subdued. Not that I am proud of this, but the big M was a practically a daily part of life for me. My daily comfort and way to get an endorphin hit or just deal with loneliness. The past week, though, has been, "meh." Is that the HRT tamping things down? Or just a normal down cycle for me? Not sure yet. Time will tell.   I have been very quiet about things overall. Only a few people know. No one in my immediate family. I fear the backlash I will get when they find out. Worst- case scenario, my daughters stop talking to me. That would kill me. I hope I can show them over time, "See, I am still me."   Met with my endo on Wednesday. He is good for me to up the dose when I feel comfortable. For now, I think I am going to stand pat and take things nice and slow. Of course, I could see myself tomorrow asking him to send in the script for the higher dose...   I keep asking myself, what is the end game with all of this. Unlike many on here, I don't have a concrete answer yet. I am not convinced I will "go all the way" and change my name and ID, etc. Part of me would love to soldier on just as I am but with a lot more feminine physical characteristics and a more distinctly feminine wardrobe. What does that make me? Non-binary? Not sure.  Again, I am just me, as unorthodox as that is...   All I know is that this is something I want to do. I am comfortable walking this path for now. Again, we'll see. As always, would appreciate any feedback the more experienced folks may have. Blessings to all!    EasyE
    • Ivy
      I grew up with it, my mother's side were Germans.  I still like cabbage.  I make a sweet/sour dish with vinegar and brown sugar, add some bacon if you have it.  And in warmer weather, slaw.  I like that better if it's a few days old, and has worked off a little.
    • Ivy
      Pity that we can't just respect each other and get along.
    • Willow
      Good Friday Morning    I will be spending a good portion of my day at church today.  I don’t know how any of my family would have been with me.  They all passed before I figured myself out.  I often think my mother and sister may have figured it out before I did but maybe it was just my depression that they saw.  I don’t know and never will.  My grandfather Young unconditionally loved me but he passed when I was 9.   Same with my wife’s parents, both gone before.  We’ve never had the greatest relationship with my wife’s brother but we do see them occasionally.  They words and actions aren’t always in sink when it comes to me.   Sour kraut or boil cabbage were never big even with my parents so that was something we were never expected to eat.  Nor was anything with mustard.  My mother hated mustard and it turns my stomach. My wife tried to sneak it into things early in our marriage but I could always tell.  She stopped after a while.   well I wave to go get ready to go to church.  I have a committee meeting at 10 and then we have a Good Friday Service at noon.   Willow
    • Mmindy
      Good morning everyone,   @KymmieLI hope you're misreading your bosses communications. As you say keep plugging a long. Don't give them signs that you're slow quitting, just to collect unemployment.   I have a few things to do business wise, and will be driving to the St. Louis, MO area for two family gatherings.   Have a great day,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋
    • KymmieL
      Good morning everyone, TGIFF   It seems like I am the one keeping or shop from being the best. According to the boss. I don't know if my days are numbered or not. But anymore I am waiting for the axe to fall. Time will tell.   I keep plugging a long.   Kymmie
    • KymmieL
      In the warmer weather, Mine is hitting the road on the bike. Just me, the bike, and the road. Other is it music or working on one of my many projects.   Kymmie
    • LC
      That is wonderful. Congratulations!
    • Heather Shay
      What is relaxation to you? Nature? Movie? Reading? Cuddling with a pet? Music?
    • Heather Shay
    • Heather Shay
      Having just a normal emotional day.
    • Heather Shay
      AMUSEMENT The feeling when you encounter something silly, ironic, witty, or absurd, which makes you laugh. You have the urge to be playful and share the joke with others. Similar words: Mirth Amusement is the emotional reaction to humor. This can be something that is intended to be humorous, like when someone tells a good joke or when a friend dresses up in a ridiculous costume. But it can also be something that you find funny that was not intended to be humorous, like when you read a sign with a spelling error that turns it into an ironic pun. For millennia, philosophers and scholars have been attempting to explain what exactly it is that makes something funny. This has led to several different theories. Nowadays, the most widely accepted one is the Incongruity Theory, which states that something is amusing if it violates our standards of how things are supposed to be. For example, Charlie Chaplin-style slapstick is funny because it violates our norms of competence and proper conduct, while Monty Python-style absurdity is funny because it violates reason and logic. However, not every standard or norm violation is necessarily funny. Violations can also evoke confusion, indignation, or shock. An important condition for amusement is that there is a certain psychological distance to the violation. One of the ways to achieve this is captured by the statement ‘comedy is tragedy plus time’. A dreadful mistake today may become a funny story a year from now. But it can also be distant in other ways, for instance, because it happened to someone you do not know, or because it happens in fiction instead of in real life. Amusement also needs a safe and relaxed environment: people who are relaxed and among friends are much more likely to feel amused by something. A violation and sufficient psychological distance are the basic ingredients for amusement, but what any one person find funny will depend on their taste and sense of humor. There are dozens of ‘humor genres’, such as observational comedy, deadpan, toilet humor, and black comedy. Amusement is contagious: in groups, people are more prone to be amused and express their amusement more overtly. People are more likely to share amusement when they are with friends or like-minded people. For these reasons, amusement is often considered a social emotion. It encourages people to engage in social interactions and it promotes social bonding. Many people consider amusement to be good for the body and the soul. By the end of the 20th century, humor and laughter were considered important for mental and physical health, even by psychoneuroimmunology researchers who suggested that emotions influenced immunity. This precipitated the ‘humor and health movement’ among health care providers who believed that humor and laughter help speed recovery, including in patients suffering from cancer1). However, the evidence for health benefits of humor and laughter is less conclusive than commonly believed2. Amusement is a frequent target of regulation: we down-regulate it by shifting our attention to avoid inappropriate laughter, or up-regulate it by focusing on a humorous aspect of a negative situation. Interestingly, amusement that is purposefully up-regulated has been found to have the same beneficial physical and psychological effects as the naturally experienced emotion. Amusement has a few clear expressions that emerge depending on the intensity of the emotion. When people are mildly amused, they tend to smile or chuckle. When amusement intensifies, people laugh out loud and tilt or bob their head. The most extreme bouts of amusement may be accompanied by uncontrollable laughter, tears, and rolling on the floor. Most cultures welcome and endorse amusement. Many people even consider a ‘good sense of humor’ as one of the most desirable characteristics in a partner. At the same time, most cultures have (implicit) rules about what is the right time and place for amusement. For example, displays of amusement may be deemed inappropriate in situations that demand seriousness or solemness, such as at work or during religious rituals.
    • Heather Shay
    • Heather Shay
    • Heather Shay
  • Upcoming Events

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...