When I was younger and always suppressing my feelings about wanting to dress up in female clothes and wasn't as serious as I am now I always wondered why woman could spend hours shopping for clothes and then recently when I would go out to different stores to shop for female clothes I started to realize why. Female clothes are just so amazing and I am very frugal and like to find the best deals so that means going through the discount racks and finding the best outfits and I just enjoy that so much.

I find myself being very in depth when buying female clothes and even when I am buying panties I just find that I am just searching and searching for the right style or fabric or etc. In the past when shopping for boring old male underwear I would just find it and go and there was never much thought. I mean lately I have been seeing more male underwear that are trying to cater to men that want something more feminine but that still has no interest in me and I still want to shop in the women's department and just enjoy it.

Why do companies that make men's clothes make them so boring and why do they have to be so bland and boring? I mean whoever makes clothes for females knows exactly what they are doing. I love all the clothes that are made for females. I love wearing bras and panties and skirts and dresses and swimsuits and blouses and corsets and all those fun things. It makes me feel so close to my womanhood than boring male clothes, the silk feeling of panties is so amazing. I just love dressing up and being and feeling like a woman.

You raise several interesting points.

I have male friends who love to shop and enjoy looking very good in nice well made tailored clothing. They look fabulous and yummy.

I know women who hate shopping for clothes and really can't be bothered more than needs be.

I did go through a stage of wanting all the 'sexy' stuff but to be honest there comes a time when clothes are just clothes. I wear a bra and knickers because I have too. My boobs need support and hygiene dictates my underwear. But it is just that, clothes.

I do enjoy getting dressed up to the nines for a night out, I love going to a cocktail party and feeling gorgeous, but I couldn't do it every week!

I think I'm pretty normal in saying I come home from work, shed the skirt/blouse/dress toss the bra into the draw and put on some sloppy joes or track wear and relax.

Before transitioning I would strip off the male clothes and get all dolled up!

Now? Clothes are just that.

The drabness of male attire is influenced by the inherent homophobia and transphobia of male society.  At the same time, it helps to perpetuate those phobias.  Your average male, when he spots a bit of colour or an interesting design, will immediately think, "Is that too gay for me?"

That enforced conformity had always rubbed me the wrong way.  It really hits home now that I am looking for and wearing more interesting clothes.  My wife and I were recently shopping for clothes in a large department store.  To exit the store, we had to go through the men's wear department.  What really struck me was that men could get suits in any colour they wanted as long as it was gray.  They had 18 different shades of gray, but no other colours at all. 

You might reciprocally ask why are "women's" clothes more expensive and completely impractical?

It was the Victorian era that turned the tables on men being as well or more adorned than women. Capes on men are cool.

(I'm sorry is this thread is a little old I just don't think a reply warrants a new thread, and also, I think most people could add their 2 cents to this topic if it pops up again)

It  really depends where you shop. I find men's clothing to be utterly thrilling, and just being in the womens section a drain of energy. I definitely agree with SadieBlake that women's clothing is stupidly expensive, inpractical, and made of inferior materials (i.e. I went shopping for a velvet jacket, in the womens section I found ones that were made of thin nothingness, but in the mens I found ones that were just as velvety, but thicker and more appropriate as a jacket, and with inside pockets for my money and such - why do womens jackets not have inside pockets ffs?!) But also, as I said, it depends where you buy mens clothes - stores for younger guys can be very fashionable. For example I shop in, Topman, Zara Man, Urban Outfitters, Asos and some great little creative independant shops (both real life and online), and although menswear tends to stick to more traditional cuts, you tell me wearing a velvet jacket (Topman) and a bright african print shirt (Camden indpendent shop) and suede chelsea boots (Asos) that I look drab. I dare ya.

Sounds dressed as a boy to me. Dare accepted ;-)

I think a lot of this goes back to old school gender stereotypes. Females are expected to show a lot more emotion then males, therefore their clothing tend to be more colorful and decorative. On the flip side, since men are expected to be more "even tempered," so men's clothing don't necessarily express much about the wearer. That is why if a guy wears a pink or purple shirt, people automatically classify them as gay, because "men don't wear that color."

The idea goes far beyond just clothing of course, how many times have you watched a television program or movie where a guy lived in a very bland house or apartment and he's told that he needs a "woman's touch."  It's absolutely the same idea as the clothing...

My male "persona", James, dresses in drab, bland, gender-neutral clothing - faded-out greys, greens, blues, with the same old black pants every day.  In my mind my female persona, Juliana, dresses in cute, girly, feminine pastels and dresses with sparkles and lace and glitter.  You're right mens clothes are depressing as heck.  For the past 31 years, I've had to wear this crap.  I can never find anything I like in the men's section.  It's very very easy for me to find something I like in the women's section.

I really think you guys just aren't looking hard enough into men's clothing. I think it's pretty awesome.

Men's clothing goes through its phases from drab to flamboyant and back. Currently there is a big feminization push in some areas of men's clothing and unisex clothes in general are more popular than ever. More Androgynous and masculine clothing also has its strong base among women too.

Men were the first to wear high heels and not that long ago men wore tights, fluffy shirts and wigs. The reformation and calvinist/puritan movements in Europe helped tone down male clothing and make it more somber and utilitarian, even for the dressy stuff.

I love fashion and fashion history and one thing is for certain, it always changes.

Quote from: KathyLauren on December 21, 2016, 07:51:31 AM
  They had 18 different shades of gray, but no other colours at all.

   Well that's hardly fair, men getting only 18 shades and women get 50?

Hugs
   Jeanette

well just did a long post and stupid computer/inter net dumped it. Thank god they are nice

Quote from: RobynD on February 21, 2017, 02:24:28 PM
Men's clothing goes through its phases from drab to flamboyant and back. Currently there is a big feminization push in some areas of men's clothing and unisex clothes in general are more popular than ever. More Androgynous and masculine clothing also has its strong base among women too.

Men were the first to wear high heels and not that long ago men wore tights, fluffy shirts and wigs. The reformation and calvinist/puritan movements in Europe helped tone down male clothing and make it more somber and utilitarian, even for the dressy stuff.

I love fashion and fashion history and one thing is for certain, it always changes.

Exactly men's fashion is pretty golden right now.

The title to this thread is a little misleading as the there are really 2 questions for comparison, better/worse or boring/expressive.
For me female styles provokes an emotive response in my brain where I am over Male styled clothing.
I have had to wear 'men's' clothing for 50 years and now that I can express myself to my wife, I have this massive desire to quell all those years of hiding my desires.
There is good functional clothing in either department so there is no difference there. What I find is that if I wear mens clothing that is flamboyant or flowery then I am now classified as has been said previously and having to defend myself. I would love to wear boots, pantyhose/stockings, a nice skirt or dress and a top to suit but alas due to where I am in life and stereotyping means I can't express myself.
I have lots of men's clothing I wear out that I look very nice in but I still find I don't feel satisfied.

I'm posting here too much now, but until someone explains to me why nothing fits in women's jeans pockets, or how it's ever beneficial to have a jacket without inside pockets (I.e, aaaall women's jackets), I will never agree that women's clothing is practical.

Fashion in general is an exhausting topic for me, mens' or womens'. I'd be perfectly happy in fatigues or some other uniform so I don't have to think about it, but I do have to think about it more than I care to and I guess I'm actually happy mens' is less "exciting" for the most part, and that people pay less attention to it.

I suppose the origin of womens' clothes being more decorative - and they are across the world - is twofold. Traditionally working men wore more functional clothes, work clothes... and women's attractiveness was always allowed to incorporate their clothes (and I guess they weren't so often expected to work down mines etc. and get so filthy wearing nice clothes would be pointless). Women were judged by their appearance more, men were judged by their station in life more.

Quote from: TomTuttle on February 21, 2017, 07:35:08 PM
I'm posting here too much now, but until someone explains to me why nothing fits in women's jeans pockets, or how it's ever beneficial to have a jacket without inside pockets (I.e, aaaall women's jackets), I will never agree that women's clothing is practical.

Right on! Lack of pants pockets is a big limiter for me. That said, I really prefer my stretch misses jeans for comfort and think they look better on me.

But to the original point, I was interested to note that after I admitted I liked cross dressing, I bought a new Buff neck warmer in the brightest colors I could get. Otherwise it's identical to one I bought a few years back as a male, and that one is gray/black. So right there in my own life, I see this dichotomy. As a male, I sought out fairly plain stuff. As a female, I go more decorative. Sure it's the social milieu that facilitates this, but apparently I buy in myself.

Quote from: CrystalMatthews0426 on February 21, 2017, 08:53:53 AM
That is why if a guy wears a pink or purple shirt, people automatically classify them as gay, because "men don't wear that color."

Didn't the Roman Emperors wear purple or something as a sign of their authority?

went for a look around clothes shops the other day, maybe not the right one for my age as don't like cut across shoulder tops , tried to find a swirly skirt but they all are tight . bust be current style? anyway found a size 18 cross over dress black with gold/orange flowers print and didn't buy it. So went back tonight and got it ,sale price £17 from 30 and wearing it now as I type this and loving it. As to stretch jeans ladies cut high wast fit me well as I have a very high pelvis (only 2 ins from rib to pelvis) and loving them with nice tops and 2ins heel ankle boots.

I find myself as a minimalist when it comes to male clothing but if you look at my other side of the closet (literally lol) I have an absurd extravagant amount of cute/sexy/formal/party/casual etc women's attire. My female wardrobe is probably 5 times as much as male. Some dresses I have bought because I was like "hey that's cute and on sale!" and its literally been in my closet for a year without getting worn. same goes for shoes/heels/boots etc. I have about 30 pairs of women's footwear and 4 pairs of male. I have almost 30 different cute bras and only worn half of them as I choose to wear sports bras 90% of the time because they give my breastforms more realism and bounce and are way more comfortable because I wear them 8+ hours a day. I think female attire has an insane amount of variety and that's why Im attracted to it more. Literally never the same outfit twice and its like unlimited options to suit my mood for the day.

Now about female jeans and lack of pockets, I think it has something to do with the societal stigma to highlight the curves of a woman and/or the fact that most people expect a woman to have a purse or even handbag/wallet to hold thier things. At the same time a woman holding things in her pockets creates unsightly lumps and discomfort when wearing said form-fitting attire.

I only wear tights/leggings/skinny jeans and can attest to the fact it is uncomfortable to have things in my pockets, plus I usually carry a purse because I carry more things than I would even have pockets for. ESPECIALLY KEYS! But even as a male I hate having keys in my pocket because well, they are sharp metal pointy things stabbing you...

Good topic. Much love! <3