Seeking advice for crossdressing

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Hallmark
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

Unread post by Hallmark »

Hey all,So I have been experimenting with cross-dressing for a little while now, nothing serious, just wearing a pair of panties every so often. I want to get a more "full" cross-dressing experience and was looking for advice on anything you might be willing to share. Sizing tips [both for shoes and clothes] , where to buy, good sites for cheap lingerie, etc. Im not brave enough to wear anything in public, but Id like to wear more than just a pair of panties or nylons. Any help you could lend from the top of your head to take a little bit of the legwork out of this would be much appreciated.

Mitsuki
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

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Hi there, If you dont want to have to go into a shop, then the best place is probably going to be ebay, But make sure that you know your sizes before you bid.   

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Petrajane
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

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And a littletip for eBay CD'ing bidders, only give the initial of your first name, that way you can be male or female when bidding and for the postal address!

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stephanie_cd
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

Unread post by stephanie_cd »

"From the top of my head?"  Ha!  I just took this opportunity to go use the "search" function and try to find every post I've done here over the years on crossdressing sizing help: /forum_posts.asp?TID=12466/forum_posts.asp?TID=12311/forum_posts.asp?TID=12102/forum_posts.asp?TID=11686/forum_posts.asp?TID=10877/forum_posts.asp?TID=10059/forum_posts.asp?TID=9732/forum_posts.asp?TID=9524/forum_posts.asp?TID=8337/forum_posts.asp?TID=5430/forum_posts.asp?TID=3243Note: some of those threads are pretty long, but to my knowledge those are the "Best of the Bound Forum" threads about crossdressing from everyone here.  Where to buy, sizing help, mail order shopping versus just walking into a store to buy something for the imaginary wife or girlfriend. The REALLY short summary: the size numbers on women's clothing are just for the manufacturer's amusement. There IS NO STANDARDIZATION! Company A's size 8 is smaller than THEIR size 10, but A's size 8 will be at least one size larger than Company B's size 8, and at least a size smaller than Company C's size 8. Ebay and "mail order catalog" shopping -- which is now all via the internet -- is a great way for the shy or beginning crossdresser to get stuff. There are MILLIONS of gently worn women's garments that can be bought for pennies on the dollar on Ebay every week, which the first owner either outgrew or dieted herself right out of.  Most online shopping sites have very liberal return policies for the simple reasons that they KNOW nobody can try their stuff on before they buy it. If you can get over the potential embarrassment of walking into your local store, take a tape measure if you don't want to actually try things on in the store. It's a great way to find out the waist/hip/bust sizes of something on a hanger, and once you learn your measurements you can compare things on the rack to stuff at home. Also, most of the employees at the big department stores REALLY DON'T CARE about your "cover story." Stories about girlfriends and wives, from stammering red-faced guys or calm, cool and collected guys who actually ARE buying a gift? They've heard it all before, and they're mostly concerned with making sure your credit card clears and helping the next person in line!   (Then again, there ARE some women who get a kick out of our little hobby and are more than willing to help us out!)And of course, guys are just shaped differently than gals! A lot of women who are in good shape have bigger hips than busts; most guys in good shape have bigger chests than hips.  There are three primary size ranges in women's clothes: misses', women's, and juniors'. Slender guys with narrow hips are shaped more like juniors, whose clothes also tends to have narrower hips than the misses' department.  The misses' department is where you'll find the middle-of-the-road stuff as far as sizes go, and where hip sizes start becoming even larger compared to bust sizes. Women's is often a friendly euphemism for "plus sized", and the sizes usually start at 16 or 18 or wherever they left off over in misses'. But because of the differences in basic shapes, a lot of CD's wind up buying a lot of "separates", or two-piece outfits, compared to dresses, simply because it's easier to find a skirt that fits, and a top or jacket that fits. Finding a dress that fits our different shape usually means either finding one that's got a lot of stretch to it, or else learning how to sew and alter it.    Anyhow -- that's probably more than enough to start, but hopefully it will be useful!stephanie_cdstephanie_cd2011-03-28 16:22:37

RAE1
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

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After guessing on your size from the information above; Go toKolas, Macy's, Pennies, etc.Walk in with a piece of paper with your sizes on it; and proceed topick out some clothes. With the notes in your hand, it looks like youare shopping for a love one, not yourself.You would be surprised the help you get, and the positive feed backwhen the Sails Assistance thinks that you are a supper man to do shoppingfor someone else. Mos places have a great return policy with the receipt in hand. SO what does notfit, just return for a different size or other idem.Rae   

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stephanie_cd
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

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[quote="RAE1"]After guessing on your size from the information above....[/quote]Okay -- I just have to ask -- whose size, from WHAT information? I can't see where Hallmark gave any sorts of clues! The trick with the paper with notes certainly does help, since I did that myself with measurements from clothes in the closet, and then smiled and lied through my teeth while I measured clothes in the store with a cloth/sewing tape measure!"I learned this one when I'd try to buy my ex-wife stuff for Christmas, since I learned that  sizes don't seem to mean anything. So now that my girlfriend's birthday is coming up, well, all it took was a quick run through her closet the other day while she was in the shower! Although -- well. Some of these measurements are sort of in ranges, since things are cut differently.""Bust: 37-40; waist: 31-32; hips 36; sleeve outseam: 24; knee-length skirt: 22; miniskirts that she actually wears: 16-18; minis I'D like to see her wear more but that she finds scandalous: 14 or less.  Jeans inseam: 33-35...."  And so far, nobody's commented on how my "girlfriend" is almost the same general size as me! I've had sales assistants smile and dive in to help me find a certain something in the right size, and I've gotten compliments on my cleverness from sales assistants and other shoppers, both female and male. "That's a fantastic idea! I'll have to do that when I try to shop for MY wife!" a couple of guys have told me.  ...but are they really going to be shopping for their wives, or for themselves?    There's about a 10-20% chance it'll be for themselves, after all!

Hallmark
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

Unread post by Hallmark »

Thanks so much for the support, you guys have been awesome. I saw some very nice panties around on ebay for pretty cheap, [2ish bucks with FREE SHIPPING!]So I might check that out. Also two other things, one slightly more personal; Do you know if there is any style or brand that has a wider front to keep my package contained/from falling out. I really love the skimpy underwear, but guys just cant wear them because we have stuff to hold in hahaAnd do you know of any cheap shoestores online? I took a look at a few, Zappos.com being one of them, and even though they had free shipping, the prices were a bit steep for me, not being sure whether this is something I want to stick with, or just a passing phase. I dont want to spend 60$ on heels unless Im damn sure Im going to get my money out of 'em :)

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stephanie_cd
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

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[quote="Hallmark"]Do you know if there is any style or brand that has a wider front to keep my package contained/from falling out. I really love the skimpy underwear, but guys just cant wear them because we have stuff to hold in haha[/quote]I'm a huge fan of cotton thongs myself, since the triangular panel in the front stretches enough to accomodate things.    I'd bought some shiny nylon ones that didn't stretch, and those didn't work out at all.  For a different sort of stretch (though not nearly as comfortable) I wear women's swim thongs on the infrequent occasions that I go out as "Stephanie," which you aren't currently interested in doing. They do a great job of smoothing and compressing that "stuff" just like a crossdresser's gaff, which is a somewhat pricier niche item designed to eliminate that bulge under tight skirts. [quote="Hallmark"]And do you know of any cheap shoestores online? I took a look at a few, Zappos.com being one of them, and even though they had free shipping, the prices were a bit steep for me, not being sure whether this is something I want to stick with, or just a passing phase. I dont want to spend 60$ on heels unless Im damn sure Im going to get my money out of 'em :) [/quote]Zappo's is a HUGE online store, but that money for "free shipping, free returns" has to come from somewhere, right? So they have to raise the prices a little bit on every pair they sell. Personally, I've been getting 99% of my femme shoes and boots from Ebay for the past 10 years or so. A little legwork in shopping can net some great deals: my last pair of basic black pumps were $24.95 and around $8 in shipping. Relatively recently I found a store that was clearing out their inventory of thigh high boots, and got a pair of my favorite LEATHER thigh highs for $42 and I think $12 in shipping. Of course, the downside is that many Ebay sellers DON'T take returns, but since it seems like every big city has a store or two that caters to exotic dancers, I can go in there in October with a straight face and try different brands and styles on "because, um, I'm going to a Halloween party in, uh, yeah."  Of course, I think a couple of the salesgirls there are on to me, based upon the first time I tried on and walked around in a pair of 1" platforms with 6" heels and didn't fall over, but oh well!

RAE1
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

Unread post by RAE1 »

A rule of thumb for dress sizes; add 20 to the dress size.Example a size 12 = a 32" waist.Now this varies with different dress company's. A Bra size, put a tape around your chest, just below the bust area, that number would be a starting point on a bra. Cup size varies withdifferent company's again, but the larger the letter, the bigger the bust.Take a few measurements, and do a little experiments. Even GG's have trouble getting their size just rite, so do not be disappointed.An old saying; Try, don't Cry.Rae

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seidenki
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RE: Seeking advice for crossdressing

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Some other tips that I've found.Savvy ebay sellers list the size and then list some measurements. I've bought size 10, 12, 14 skirts based on the measurements. That means take a tape measure with you if you go shopping in person! I've relied on the size "number" a few too many times in the Op Shop.Also, have a look at 85b.org for decent a bra-size calculator. Just be warned it gives up at only slightly ridiculous numbers.Sei.
Embrace your inner wierdo! No-one else will! (No, they'd be more likely to lock it up and throw away the key...)

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