There really are infinite ways to be or present as a woman.  There is no one right way to be!  That being said it has been more expensive for me to change my wardrobe completely and I find that women's clothes are often sheer, delicate, and require layers.  They are less durable and other women do comment on what we wear.  I was amazed when one friend noted I had worn that same outfit to last months meeting.  Sheesh I didn't remember what i wore last week!  There are endless adornments, cosmetics and such to entice us and the beauty industry is happy to have us be insecure about femininity.

Beyond the joys of clothing and shopping are those real costs for transgender women: A few thousand for laser and other enhancements that while not required are certainly part of my self confidence.

to paraphrase other bright minds; Expensive yes and feeling this good, priceless!

Quote from: Tessa James on January 18, 2014, 05:13:39 PM
  I was amazed when one friend noted I had worn that same outfit to last months meeting.  Sheesh I didn't remember what i wore last week! 

I never understood this. girls in gym class would be upset because I wore the same bra last week Tuesday! really! There is nothing else to occupy a mind than what someone wore and when? One huge thing that I do not miss.

---

It depends on the item. I have noticed that for clothes, women's clothing can actually be cheaper, but you tend to "need" more of them. Panties are ALOT cheaper than equivalent (basic cotton panties vs. tighty whities) mens' underwear, but Bras add significantly to the cost [especially if your band size (> 38) and cup size (< B Cup, > D Cup) don't fit into the small range offered by cheap bras]. Men's jeans seem to be slightly cheaper, but I have run across women's jeans that are as cheap or cheaper than men's. Dresses vary wildly. The nice ones are going to be expensive, but so would a nice suit. But, a cheap dress will definitely run less than a cheap pair of pants and a shirt and probably look alot nicer.

Makeup is definitely a major expense. I do most of my makeup shopping at Sephora which can get expensive quick. There are cheap cosmetics, but you got what you paid for. For hair, I'm probably saving as I'm trying to grow my hair long. I used to only go to get it shortened. Some expenses that definitely add up - Mani-Pedis, Waxing / Hair Removal, etc...

One thing that I did notice positive for a woman is when visiting a tourist area. If you need clothes, you will pay ALOT less and have way more options than a man. One place I visited while I was living as a man...I ran out of clean shirts. The only shirts sold in the shops screamed TOURIST and were about $20-30/each. But, they had some very cute sundresses for alot cheaper and without the stupid logos that scream "I'm a Tourist". In town, you could find sundresses for far less than the cost a single pair of basic jeans. Just make sure you don't have to buy a Bikini in the tourist area.

[Edit] One thing that might also contribute to the higher cost is upfront costs. As a man you had a full wardrobe already and only needed to buy new clothes as you grew out of the old ones or they started falling apart. Now that you are transitioning you have to buy more clothes. The cost of clothes should wane over time as you build a complete wardrobe as should costs for stuff like hair removal.

Quote from: noleen111 on January 17, 2014, 09:10:42 AM
and shoes.. they are also expensive.. and I love my shoes.. have a huge collection..

Funny thing I noticed at Payless the other day was that I paid not much more for 3 pairs of Women's shoes (Wedges, Heels, and Flats) - $33 than for a single pair of Mens' dress shoes [for work - I'm not out at work yet] - $29. The reason was that they had so many Women's shoes on sale I had no problem finding 3 pairs (I probably could have found even more if I had smaller feet as there are more options in the single digits) that I liked, yet only found a handful of Men's dress shoes - all full price. Of course, overall shoes end up costing me more because I end up buying so many more pairs of women's shoes. As a man, I only needed 1 pair of work shoes, 1 pair of sneakers and some Flip Flops - Heck, I would've worn the Flip Flops to work if they would've let me. As a woman, I "need" multiple colors [to match my outfit] in multiple styles (Wedges, Low Heels, High Heels, Ballet Flats, Boots, Sandals, Sneakers, etc...) There is just so much more to choose from as a woman. I LOVE IT!

One way to get clothes are the internet 'brand exclusive sites' they sell end lots from the major labels at remarkably reduced prices. OK they tend to be in unpopular sizes but I got two dresses each advertised for $89 for $7 each last week, they were both David Lawrence label so nice quality. They have a really good return policy if they don't fit or you just dislike them when they arrive.

I'm on a rather limited budget and cannot often afford treats, so yes, nearly everything I've bought has been online and at drastically reduced close out prices    It's kinda like getting nice brand new stuff at a thrift store price

Basically, merchandise takes up valuable space and retailers want to get it off their shelves and out of their warehouses to make way for the next round of new stuff so they wholesale it out to various discount sites

Plus I figured the only way I was getting anything I wanted for Christmas was to buy it with what little resources I am lucky enough have

You do have to be patient and selective but the deals are out there

If I exclude transition costs, like hair-removal, surgery, hormones, etc, I think I may have actually spent more money as a man than I do currently. I was small man in a country populated by very big men and had a horrible time buying clothing. I had to get suits custom made by a tailor! As a woman, however, I have no difficulties shopping and can be creative at a fraction of the costs I used to endure.
 

All I have to really add to this topic is. My previous monthly checks would last allot longer in boy mode than now. Being a girl is just to fun to say no sometimes or allot of times while shopping. lol