Susan's Place Transgender Resources

In nine days I'll have lived every day for the last two years as a woman. I was injured pretty badly, breaking my back in 2001, and three times in 2010, so I'm on SSI, but I take my mom to her medical appointments, we go shopping or out to eat sometimes, and I have my own things I do basically every day in public. Still, I wear makeup every day, even on the rare days I don't go out. I also wear a dress or skirt virtually every day I go out in public, partly because I couldn't wear a dress after the age of 4 to age 57, other than my rare outings in public dressed as an old boyfriend's girl, which I was. The other reason is from another injury and surgery, and my left leg doesn't straighten out completely. I'm self conscious in pants, but it's not as evident in a dress, so I don't think about it much when wearing one. Really though, I just love the fact that I can wear makeup and dresses, got a late start, and I love being a girly girl. It's just me.

What I'd like to know is how often do you girls/ladies/women wear makeup, and how often do you wear dresses or skirts?

Hmm.. Makeup.. I think I've worn it maybe 6 or 7 times this year.. Skirts and dresses? Maybe 2 or 3 times a month - excluding special events like weddings.. If I'd turned up to the last wedding in pants, I'd have gotten in trouble - I was Mother of the Bride..

I don't wear make up very often now.I stopped using foundation/face powder many years ago when my electrolysis was finished.I wear eye shadow/mascara & eyeliner rarely now.I last wore it  at the punk festival and  my nephews wedding 3 weeks ago.I laid off eye make up when I got an eye infection last year.I wear clear lip gloss when I can find the make I like.I've gone from a daily make up wearer to just special occasions,we're having a decent summer in the UK so I wear sunglasses a lot.
I don't wear skirts or dresses as I have varicose veins and celulitis which has left me with a swollen right leg.I hide my legs under pants and jeans as they're not very nice to see.

I wear make up a lot. Just some tinted moisturizer, lip balm/gloss, and some eye shadow to highlight my eyes. I never get to wear dresses cause I never have an occasion to wear them. :(

I never use a lot of makeup when I have it on, and keep it pretty simple, but wearing it goes in cycles depending on the work I'm doing. Didn't leave the house without it for two weeks, but due to heavy outside work I won't wear makeup for maybe two more weeks (except for a couple dinner engagements).  I work alone, but still try to improve my appearance on days when the physical activity and dirty conditions are low. 

I put on a skirt or dress for a few family events where relatives don't mind if I'm still a little fat, and of course on hot days I have a skirt on around the house for comfort.  Also used the summer tunic and skirts for a cover-up during drives to the beach, but I will not wear them shopping or to restaurants because they look awful on my still overweight body.  That weight thing better change pretty soon.   ;)

Well I haven't started make up yet and I dare not venture into public except for transgender specific events. I do have a dress and a skirt and I do like wearing them though. I suspect that once my beard is finally gone I will start going part time hanging out with my friends and such. I will likely wear a flared skirt on those occasions. As for a dress I have a fairly casual striped one. And this thread begs a question is there a need for a soecial occasion to wear a dress if it's not like prom or wedding dress style? I realize cocktail dresses and the like are pretty much evening wear for appropriate company but casual dresses are pretty much anytime right?

I wear makeup every day that I have to work and if I have to go to town, I'm pretty ugly without it, although I don't wear it heavy.

And I haven't worn a dress or skirt in over 8 years unless you want to count a skirted two piece swimsuit as one, lol. I have awful legs and just feel too self conscious in them. Not to mention, no real occasions to even bother in the first place.

I wear (long) skirts maybe 2-3 times a month in warm weather. Too cold in winter! And makeup... hmm. I think I last used it for a party in June, and probably less than a dozen times a year now. I just don't have the patience.

I wear makeup when I go to work in the morning, but it's actually not a lot. I use mineral makeup, some mascara,a teeny tiny bit of blush and lip gloss and I am pretty much good for the day. On the weekends unless I am going to something very formal, it's pretty much shorts, jeans, anything casual or comfortable. Sometimes I don't even wear bras on the weekend just for the sheer comfort factor. At work I have a few nice outfits (skirts, dresses, etc) that I can throw together for work. I would say I am about 75% pants and 25% skirts and dresses at work. At night I found I like pajamas the best. My favorite and most comfortable PJs actually came from Walmart.

When I first went full time I was afraid of getting read if I didn't have makeup on, but after I started walking out the door sans makeup is when I realized that it didn't matter. I was still correctly read as a female so I was happy. These days, outside of work, there is probably a 99% chance if someone bumped into me, that I would have no makeup on and about the same probability that I would just be wearing shorts, jeans or something simple.

I wear makeup (light application) any day I am going out of the house.  I wear a skirt or dress any day I am going to the lawyers office (I do paralegal work for him) normal attire there is a suit for men, a skirt or dress for women (employees).

I'm a professional woman a Uni professor. I try to look professional, I wear a skirt/blouse or dress daily for work. Choose between a skirt/blouse or dress? Just how I feel.

I dress for me, no one else.

I look how I want to look. That is my prerogative as a woman.

I claim it.

And yes I do like guys looking at my legs, me everything.

But I dress for me.

I wear make up everyday, but its usually simple, just some foundation to hide any remaining hairs, and eyeshadow/liner/       And I wear my gypsy skirts alot, id say almost every other day im out and about in a long skirt or a short skater skirt.

When I first started transition I wore dresses and skirts exclusively and felt like burning my man clothes.  Now I allow myself more latitude with some snug pants but find little interest in make up.  It already takes me much longer to get ready to go out.  Make up seems like another chore and I can too easily imagine myself accidentally rubbing it with my fingers or smudging it up somehow.

Make up and dresses only when I go out at night, which is a very rare occurrence given I have a 3-year old.  Jeans and tank top the rest of the time.

It's pretty fun to read how everyone just does whatever feels comfortable for them as far as wearing makeup and dresses/skirts. Although I think I'd pass without it, I don't see myself ever not wearing makeup, and maybe that's because of my mom, who wears it every single day unless she's sick and so do I. It's what I saw as a little boy (girl) all the way up to today. For me, wearing makeup is fun and I love to change the way I look to coincide with what I wear. It's just part of being a woman in the Western World, and in Southern California. Miranda

Mascara, eyebrows, never not, thin eyeliner sometimes.  More makeup than that makes me look worse imo.   I don't wear skirts or dresses that often, but I'll wear them if I feel like it.

Makeup - every day, or people would clock me from my beard shadow.

Dresses - not yet

Skirts - I love short skirts. I wear them whenever I'm in an environment where they would be appropriate dress, and the weather permits.

Quote from: Miranda Elizabeth on August 28, 2013, 11:47:15 AM
.... It's just part of being a woman in the Western World, and in Southern California. Miranda

I live in SoCal also, and it's my experience that women here wear much less make up here than they do in other places (I've lived in NYC, Boston and the UK).  That's actually one of the things Iove about being here, tank top, skirt and flip flops and you're all set.   :D

I wear makeup every day, i just dont look at all feminine without it! and even though at the moment i wear it mainly around the house with only a couple of people ever seeing me, i just feel alot more comfortable with it on!!

As for skirts and dresses, i hardly ever wear them, i much prefer a pair of jeans or leggings, with a pretty top!!!

Make-up... Never, I used to wear foundation to cover vestigial facial hair, but I don't bother anymore, I don't wear any other make up. I've been tempted to buy some to be abit showey on nice occasions.

Skirts, Often... Like 2 or 3 times a week, I wear them with leggings I just find them incredibly practical and stylish too. Same thing with shorts and leggings, it's often wet and raining in craphole England so skirts and shorts are ideal because they dry quickly as opposed to some of my other clothes (Cargo pants & Baggy jeans) which have a horrible tendency to drag in puddles or get snagged/rip on my bike cogs. ¬.¬
I don't like skinny jeans...

Make-up every day, mostly just eyes and lips with maybe a very light touch of blush. Very much a "less is more" approach. Dresses as often as I can which for now is just weekends but for me they work better than skirts as with dresses ( empire and garçonne cuts) it is easy to hide the fact that my waist, while slim, is not as slim as a typical cis-woman who is otherwise as slim as me. Also, I also just love the way a dress moves with my body, pure pleasure. However I do wear skirts in the winter, typically with loose fitting pullovers that narrow around my hips.
On this score, I can't wait to transition at work, not too far off if all goes well, to be finally able to indulge completely in my love for very feminine dress, winter being almost better than summer allowing lots of variety in leg wear: coulored stockings, knee boots, ankle boots etc.. Just love it!
Donna

I am girlie girl,

Dresses/skirts: wear one must days.

Makeup- I wear some everyday,  Not too much, lip stick, eye shadow and mascara. When I get a night out with the girls, then I wear darker and more makeup

I wear dresses at least 3 or 4 times a week - normally smart work dresses during the week and more casual ones at the weekend. I feel much more comfortable in them, far more comfortable than jeans or other 'casual' clothing. In fact, it's not really my style to wear jeans very often. I always like wearing something that isn't plain, that has a special feature, like ruffles, pattern or a certain shape, so that I never tire of it.

Funny thing is, my sister's a bit of a tomboy and hardly ever wears skirts/dresses, nor makeup or uses special hair products - so it's actually often ME teaching her about such 'girly stuff' despite me never having been exposed to it growing up :p

Well after 40 years, lets see ......

Makeup:
A little mascara anytime I am going to town 'cause my lush eyelashes are almost transparent without it.
Add eyeliner and maybe shadow if I am going out for the evening or on a date.
Haven't used anything else in decades - prefer the "fresh & natural" look

Skirts:
Sometimes when going to town in the summer or going out visiting

Dresses:
First choice for a date (in the summer) or more formal gathering

Skirts and dresses pretty much disappear up here in the winter. Only the teenagers freeze their knees at -20!

Makeup-a few days a month

skirts, about once a week, usually in the evening

dresses.....very rarely

Makeup every day - Although I have had pretty extensive electrolysis and laser I still have  a fair amount oh hair to go, so I wear a foundation put on using a wet sponge and when I am going out I always wear a lipstick with some lip gloss (Bobbie Brown). I always do my eyes and spend a bit of time on them, but generally only use Eyeliner in evenings. I also feel quite naked without some mascara.
I also don't go out unless my fingers and toenails are well manicured and I have one of my autumn type nail colours on.
In terms of clothes, I wear skirts and blouses  with cardigans or jumpers in winter and mostly leggings. For summer I usually wear a very sheer stockings (7 denier) or open toe pantie house. I rarely wear trousers or pants except around the house as I feel really liberated as a woman wearing a skirt or dress.  During the Australian summer I like to wear short sleeve dresses (making sure my legs and arms (and underarms are waxed). Like a couple of others, I really like the feeling of how my body moves in a dress and I revel in my  femininity. I especially like it when people comment what a nice dress I have on. Since I had my colour analysis done and I discovered I was an Autumn person, I find that with well manicured hands, the right combination of makeup and lipstick, I very rarely get read any more. Mind you 9 months on HRT have helped and the fact that I have No Adams Apple is a tremendous benefit. One thing I have found recently is that whilst before HRT, when I had my legs and bikini line waxed, the hair returned after 4 weeks or so, since I have ben on HRT for over 8 months, what hair that does return after waxing is barely noticeable, very fine and even after 9 weeks barely evident.
Hugs

My primary concerns and objectives are to look female, no matter what I wear. I am far more concerned with physicalities than clothing. I know plenty of cis females who never wear dresses or skirts and very little make up but they look radiant and female.

I am trying to improve my physical body (which isn't easy) and try and achieve some kind of fat re-distribution. I've been taking HRT and anti-androgens for many years and I still keep working on it. I'm not really bothered about wearing skirts as my legs are boney and look slightly bowed and look awful in skirts. I don't have the right fat distribution in my legs and so I have to wear more appropriate clothing to mask the fact that my legs look bad.

I've seen so many t women who look awful in ultra feminine clothes which seems to only highlight their maleness instead of highlighting their femininity. Those who can pull it off and do have the right fat distribution I salute you but unfortunitly I'm still not there yet.

When I lived in NH, I wore makeup every day! I work in brooklyn now, and I dont think it'll go over too well... I can still style my hair, shave my legs and wear pants and flats though, so that works for work.

If I had more than 1 skirt, I would wear it every day! I only let myself get 2 days out of clothes before I throw them in the wash though...

I am only full time at home. Right now I'm trying to establish myself as a guy with a very strong "I think he is a she" vibe, so when I do transition to full time, it wont be a surprise to anyone. But either way, my job requires pants.

I live in Arizona so I wear skirts, dresses, or short shorts everyday. Make up I wear everyday.

I put on makeup everyday. Eyeliner and mascara, foundation, blush (though it's light pink and barely there and is just to add color), and light pink lipstick (again for color.) I'm all about the eyes.

The last time I wore a dress was Sunday when i was shopping with the BF but I just tried it on for fun in the dressing room. I was going to buy it and should have. I mainly wear skinny jeans, tight tops, and ballet flats. But I actually think it is much more femme then wearing a dress because it shows off my every curve and boobs nicely. I just started wearing a bra because I my chest bounces too much if I don't and my nipples stick out. It looks trashy so I started wearing one.

I've never done either of those, but eyeliner is on my "to go absolutely nuts with" list  ;)

Makeup, not at all, will when I conquer the hair situation. I am not pretending I will not look silly with just some make up on.

Reality is a bitch and she has no sympathy for those unwilling to accept her.

Skirts and or dresses. I currently own a single female top article of attire. I plan to wait to start dressing in female fashions when my wardrobe has enough outfits I can go a week and not be wearing the same friggin thing all week :) Hey people will talk :)

Now, the moment I can do a whole week, the guy clothing likely will be given notice it won't be getting replaced.

My goal is to be able to walk out the door with the right hair, the right face and the right clothing all the time. Because, I am not planning to be a guy at all ever again. I am still looking like I do under protest.

I am not cross dressing after all, that is something cross dressers do. Ok if that is your thing.

If my appearance requires I put out some effort to look adequate, and if that effort demands I use makeup daily, then it just means my Avon lady will enjoy visiting me :)
My wife never wears make up, but most cis females can look dreadful and no one cares, they are clearly female and not in need of expending any effort to erase any misconceptions. Until I can get a surgeon to eliminate any doubts, I won't have that prerogative to dress like a dreadful female.

I wear makeup just about everyday until I can afford to get my facial hair removed I have too. I try to wear as little makeup as possible to look as close to other women my age as I can. But I know I can get away with just concealer, foundation, and massacre. I actually do love makeup and I'm constantly trying to improve my skills with it.
As far as dresses or skirts are concerned I really don't wear dresses or skirts. It's not I don't like them I just don't feel like I have the body for them. I mainly stick with jeans and nice top for my look and I guess that's what I'm comfortable with. :)

Hrrmmm...good question. I'm not completely out to people yet, but I do think that I prefer skirts to jeans. They make me feel more womanly, and they're very comfortable too. I do like jeans too, but I think on the whole I'll be wearing skirts a lot more often (70:30). And as for dresses...hah, I love them most of all. To me they don't feel quite so exposing as skirts. I'd honestly wear a dress every day if I could.

Makeup? Hrm...if I'm going out somewhere, sure. If I'm going out for a night on the town with the girls on goes the full slap lol, but usually I just make do with some simple mascara, lipstick and foundation to cover my beard shadow. Unless I'm lolling around the house, in which case nothing haha.

I LOVE wearing makeup.  It's so fun especially with all the 'lost time' that I couldn't get to do it in my past.  I'm sure that maybe one day I'll get tired of it, but that time is a long ways away.  And I'm not really a dress person, but I love pencil skirts!!

Quote from: KatelynRain on September 01, 2013, 03:09:19 PM
I LOVE wearing makeup.  It's so fun especially with all the 'lost time' that I couldn't get to do it in my past.  I'm sure that maybe one day I'll get tired of it, but that time is a long ways away.  And I'm not really a dress person, but I love pencil skirts!!

I like what you said about the "lost time."  Many of us consider this transition an opportunity to recover a lost girlhood or to redo a puberty that makes sense.  For me the deprivation I forced on myself with a too willing cultural push means now I am free to wear what I want and live as myself.  For me that means skirts and dresses and lovely soft clingy things that just make me squeal out loud.  Early on I bought a pair of furry boots with tassels that some insisted "just do not go with anything."  Ha ha ha i still wear em whenever the mood strikes and likely look a bit eccentric but have you seen those websites about the people of Walmart?  I'm no better or worse than any of them but deserve every bit of freedom I can allow to be myself.

Light makeup (eyeliner, shadow and mascara) when I leave the house. Skirts or dresses I wear rarely but I do on occasions. Not sure why exactly, it's just how I am. I turned out to be much more of a tomboy than I had initially pictured, I usually wear bell-bottom or flared jeans (raggedy or not), converse, tank tops and hair in a bun or ponytail, it suits my personality perfectly and I still get a lot of attention from the guys :)

I think I have not used makeup for over a year. Possibly I did for the family dinner at Christmas. There are usually two kinds of occasions that I do wear a skirt or dress. One is said family dinner, the other are special events like my sisters wedding, in which cases I dressed in some home made clothing that includes a skirt. The other occasion is medieval fairs which I really like to participate in and which of course demands a clothing that matches the time of the reenactment and as all of this is before 1900AD (more like 1250 or even earlier than that) and womens attire at this time in Europe always included dresses, thats what I have then. I cheat a bit though by using short gym pants (those used for cycling) underneath as underwear. Mainly because otherwise my lack of that "thigh gap" everyone talks about these months gives me skin rashes on the skin of my legs. That - and impracticability in many situations - is also what often keeps me from wearing any dresses or skirts - I hate skin rashes and I dont like to have to watch for too much cloth getting in the way during daily activities like gardening, fixing stuff in the house, cleaning, walking the dogs, care for our beehives,... I somehow thing that skirts or dresses are cumbersome in these activities. No wonder women largely stopped wearing those during daily activities when it was ok to do so ;)

Bare faced and drab when presenting male at work and other non-out situations (relations, old family friends, government/legal).  Even when in presenting male, I always wear earrings in my pierced ears and I pull and tie my long (but thinning) hair back into a ponytail and my toes are manicured (covered with socks).

The rest of the time, when I can be myself...

When at home, my makeup ranges from just lipstick to light makeup (light dusting of mineral powder foundation, lipstick mascara).

Once in a while I feel confident enough to leave the house with just my light makeup on.

When going out, typically full makeup including a nice manicure, lighter for casual, full nine yards for social events and going out.

I'm most comfortable in a dress and wear them the vast majority of the time. I really like skirts and I believe my comfort level will improve as I reduce my waist size. I own one dressy jumpsuit and a just couple of skorts, shorts, jeans, Capri's and a romper.  I will wear some old (male type) overalls when doing dirty/messy/scratchy outdoor activities (weed eating, fighting blackberry bushes, etc).

Quote from: Glitterfly on September 01, 2013, 11:50:47 PM
hey, speak for yourself! I rather do any of those things in a skirt or a dress! that's why you have skirts and dresses of different lengths... ;) I find everything from jeans to gym pants cumbersome and mostly very uncomfortable! skirts are comfortable... :) and gym pants underneath, really? why didn't you wear tights :o (pantyhose) that's what they're for... :) hey, no judgment xD just find it interesting that someone would find gympants more comfy than skirts!

Hehe, of course I AM speaking for myself - answering the question in the OP ;)
I actually did wear skirts occasionally some 12 years ago around the time I had surgery. I was young then, in my 20ies ;) - it was fun in summer in the holidays or when going to a dance club or when I had my "gothic" fashion phase where I put together some more weird clothing ;). Sadly I gained weight since then so for me now it is not really fun usually because of the skin rub and because most skirts just dont look good on me. Plus I often find it too cold for skirts. I liked dresses more, but it is extremely uncommon for women to wear dresses at work here, so I did not really want to stick out. What I really dont like is pantyhose - maybe in part it is because of my weight issue, but I do not feel comfortable with them - too scratchy or too sensitive. I dont like clothes that get holes or other damage easily. Its annoying if I have to buy new pantyhose every week because they get holes from touching a piece of rough wood or a nail for example. Gym pants are better as the legs are mostly free and they do not break as easily. Besides I really look ->-bleeped-<-ty in short skirts. The few skirts that I have are all long (not always easy to find as fashion seems to prefer shorter ones).
But yep that is me - I like to be able to move as I want and not have to think about where that skirt would go now and if it would get damage or it would be inappropriate in public. Plus I do have some hobbies that just do not mix well as I said - like working in the garden (with chainsaw on a ladder cutting branches) or working with wood or keeping bees or hiking,... but I guess most of it is that I am just not very comfortable in skirts most of the time. May be because most of the women I know in daily life also dont really give much about wearing skirts a lot.
Uh - didnt want to sound much like I want to "defend" my position, yet I did. Overall, I guess it is whatever you are comfy with - I prefer pants over skirts in most situations. Not gym pants though - that was only for occasions I really want to wear a skirt and not have skin rub while avoiding pantyhose.

Greetz

Quote from: Glitterfly on September 02, 2013, 11:05:12 PM
anjaq: chainsaw, woah :o haha,  I guess there are some things skirts are not best suited for... I never need to touch a chainsaw so it is no concern for me xD I'm really sorry if I made you feel like you had something to defend, I should have worded what I said differently! Apologies ^^

Haha, no worries. Its funny - I did not have such a conversation about skirts and pantyhose and such since I dropped out of all things trans 12 years ago. Its kind of nostalgic to me now. Sorry, LOL. Though the fact that I was going into defense is telling me that I am not untouched by such manners even though I normally say I am not. There are some things that just dont go away and I am myself amazed at these numbers of years but feel kind of awkward that such topics still get me writing. I am reading Melanie Ann Phillips long term post op diary now because I read in the intro that she was also not able to completely let go of trans stuff after 10 years or so. Now the skirt thingy was a original weirdo issue though. The story is like this (if I may): I transitioned in my early 20ies and in the support group back then there were mostly people older than me, in their 40ies and such. Only few were my age. All the older women insisted on wearing skirts and tried to push us youngsters into doing the same, so we did what all young folks do when older folks tell them what to do - do the opposite and go for jeans and T-Shirts. That got the old ones a bit envious though I think because they kept telling us - and themselves - that it was just because of our age that we could "pull it off" and not be "read" while they had to do more stuff like skirts and makeup. I thought that was nonsense. Yet we got a bit of a kick out of it - or rather a generally more confident and good feeling - if we could "prove to ourselves" that we can "pass" in jeans, Shirts and without more Makeup than needed to conceil the facial hair. But I guess I just stuck with wearing no skirts unless I really like to and most of the times I do not. I think I might actually like it more if I would be able to loose 30 pounds or so ;). Makeup is something I also do not like a lot. If any, then some eyeliner and thats it. Similar reasons as with skirts I guess.

QuoteI'm sorry you don't find pantyhose comfortable :( However you should know there are thicker models, made out of wool for example, for winter and for decorative use, that don't get holes

No need to be sorry - if I dont find them comfy, I dont use them - so sweat ;) - Its not that I would want to use them but then feel uncomfy. Yes I know the thicker ones as well. Had some together with some long woolen skirts for fall. But eventually I didnt like them either. Skirts always stuck to them and did not fall freely, I got too warm indoors and not warm enough outdoors in winter. And frankly they always seemed to move downwards towards my feet (I guess my bottom just got too big ;) ).

So I guess I can only say that I am ok with that at the moment, things may change if I finally manage to loose weight massively enough to try such stuff again - in a setting that fits. That is without a chainsaw or table saw or beehive nearby ;) - also probably not at work. People there would stare at me for sure. Not for trans reasons, but because it would be a premiere in over 4 years I am working there LOL

Greetz

Skirts, yes....with a bodysuit underneath...

Grey suits, skirt suits, especially....

Dark grey, pinstripe, suits, with white hose underneath...occaisionally...

High heels, skits, skirt-suits, dresses, all things demonstrably feminine....yes!

The only makeup I can get away with is lipstick. I don't have the facial features to justify anything else; would look strange. I only wear lipstick when I'm alone. Same goes with skirts or dresses. Right now privacy is important to me. Maybe once a week for a few hours for now for both items.

I'm still learning about it. I'm blessed with five sisters, so I called one up on the phone to ask her about what I should be buying (our faces and skin tone are fairly similar).
I had the awkward realization the the store near my house has no foundation for anyone near my skin tone XD

When not at work I wear women's Nike yoga pants and shirt. The pants are stretchy, as is the shirt, and is quite feminine.

I love wearing makeup lipstick lipgloss mascara but I never over do it.  Hugs Shannon