The All-Important Male to Female Makeover
The male to female makeover sees the emergence of a new identity. It is, without a doubt, fascinating to watch and truly amazing to experience. Although there’s actually a lot more to the new persona than meets the eye, the visual change is extremely important to the cross dresser in affirming the change of identity.
It still ceases to amaze me how, with the use of makeup and little know-how, an individual’s appearance can be totally transformed, right before your eyes. It’s quite magical, really. No wonder cross dressers take so much pleasure from it!
Creating the perfect feminine appearance is something that cross dressers and the transgendered work very hard to achieve. The makeup, the hair, the clothes… Getting it right means so much and people will often go to great lengths to create the right look.
There are many widely available resources (magazines, books, TV, the internet to name a few) that can be used to increase one’s knowledge and awareness of beauty and makeup. It’s a multi billion dollar industry and everyone wants a piece of it. Luckily for us, this means that you don’t have to go too far to find good quality information on the best products and techniques that the market has to offer.
Being able to create your ideal feminine look is a skill in itself. It can take time to perfect, but exercising patience will surely pay off in the long run. There’s a lot to learn, so don’t be alarmed if you feel overwhelmed. I would advise that you tackle it in bite-size chunks. Once you’ve mastered each step, you can string them all together and create that killer look that you always dreamed about.
If you fancy a treat, then why not indulge in a professional male to female makeover. The number of transformation services that cater specifically for the transgender market has exploded in recent years. They offer an array of facilities: beauty treatments, makeup, hair styling, wardrobe consultations and even photo shoots. Many offer professional makeup lessons, which can be a great help if you’re unsure where to begin.
You can also buy makeup tutorial videos and DVDs, which some people find very useful as you can see the makeover taking place. This is often easier to digest than text.
The emergence of the internet has been revolutionary in delivering information across the globe. It no longer matters if you’re crossdressing in America, Australia or Japan. You’re part of a global community that can offer information, advice and support when it’s most needed. This is something I never had access to as a youngster, but I’m glad it exists now. My advice would be to take advantage of it. Learn as much as you can and express yourself as the person you truly are. Make friends, spread the love and be happy!
Cross Dressing Pics
Here is a selection of some great cross dressing pics that I’ve come across. I’m sure you’ll agree that these girls look amazing and hope they’ll inspire you to bring out the girl that lies within.
Male to Female Transformation Stories
I truly believe that personal success should be celebrated and love hearing other peoples’ male to female transformation stories. For a crossdresser, the journey of discovery and acceptance can be a lonely and difficult one, so any words of encouragement are usually very gratefully received. Stories about other peoples’ successes often provide the inspiration and hope that many are looking for.
I recently received a lovely email from J-Jay about a very special event in her life. She’s been kind enough to allow me to share it with you. I’ll let her tell you in her own words…
“Hi! My name is J-Jay and I’ve been cross-dressing for 57 years. It’s been the best kept secret in the world. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve had a few close encounters.
During the last few years with the aid of the internet, there is a lot more relaxed opinion and information on the subject. Anyway, I was looking on the internet and came across Trans-pose. It sounded lovely and everybody who had been, seemed to love it. I plucked up the courage to ring the number and booked myself in (shaking in my undies, considering that not one person knew that I even cross dressed – Now all the world knows!). So, what the heck! I asked the young lady if I could go the whole hog and have a 5*. No problem, was the reply.
For the next 3 weeks I was really looking forward to it, but shaking in my boots at the same time. The day arrived. I got there 30 mins early and sat in the church car park until my appointment time (shaking), then ventured through the door. I was welcomed by the adorable Teela, who asked me on a scale of 1-10 how nervous I was. It was about 20 at the time. We had a chat and a welcome cup of tea and I calmed down a little.
Then off we went – undies, nails and makeover. All the time chatting, as though we’d known each other for years (I wished we had). She made me feel very special. Then on with the outfits – dresses galore, skirts, blouses, shoes…over and over again… photos, more tea, more lippy, more photos, more dresses. Oh, how I wanted to stay there forever, but before I knew it time had overrun, oooooooh!
Now this is the very sad bit – it all had to come off and I returned to drab. Anyway, on my journey home I had to stop at the first services and get a cuppa. Grinning like a cheshire cat, I sat there for ages reflecting on my day of wonderment (I don’t know what people passing by must have thought). That night, I couldn’t sleep properly thinking about my very special day, and I am still on cloud nine. I thank Trans-pose and Teela for ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE. I can’t wait till the next time.
Love J-Jay”
I’d like to thank J-Jay for sharing her remarkable story and beautiful pictures, and am sure you will agree that she looks absolutely AMAZING!!!
Male to Female Makeup
Male to female makeup is no different to the makeup found in any department store, except that the foundation needs to be suitable as beard cover. Concealing the 5 o’clock shadow is a crucial step in the makeup routine of a cross dresser, and it’s imperative that the product you use gives adequate coverage.
Of course, before any makeup is applied I would recommend a really close pre-femme shave. This provides a much smoother base for your makeup and is likely to give a much more feminine result.
Your growth will determine which foundation is best for you. If you have a heavy beard that requires a lot of camouflage, specialist products such as Dermablend and Colortration work really well. As well as the beard shadow, they cover any skin discoloration or imperfection and are very popular with cross dressers.
You can buy a trial kit to play around with in the privacy of your own home. It also gives you the opportunity to try it out in different lighting conditions and on different parts of the body. It is very common for the skin on your hands and legs to be different to that of your face.
If you have a light growth, you’ll probably be able to get away with foundation that gives much lighter coverage (lucky you!). This means you can buy foundation from pretty much any beauty counter.
You should always get face powder in two different shades – one the same shade as you skin and one a shade darker. The darker shade is then used to contour and highlight certain features (such as cheekbones) and achieve the perfect, feminine look.
Other than foundation and powder, all other makeup is the same for cross dressers as it is for anyone else.
I would suggest that you learn how to apply makeup properly and practise until you have perfected your technique. Be warned, eyeliner application can be tricky to master and your patience will be tested!
The best advice I can offer is not to overdo it. Stepping out caked in makeup only screams drag queen and attracts unwanted attention. During the day, it’s best to go for a natural look. You should only really be applying heavy makeup if you’re getting ready for a night out.
Your makeup should complement the color of your hair, skin tone and outfit. This may all seem a little complicated at first, but you’ll pick it up in no time. Don’t be afraid to take some inspiration from fashion magazines or TV shows.
Above all, enjoy experimenting with makeup because it’s great fun!
Cross Dressing Tips
Here are some great cross dressing tips to help you well on your way to creating the perfect feminine appearance.
Tip #1 – Eyebrows
Depending on your work and family situation, you may not be able to get away with perfect feminine eyebrows all the time. You can, however, keep them well groomed. Make sure you trim and pluck on a regular basis to maintain your eyebrow shape. Any changes should be made slowly over time, so as not to draw any unnecessary attention.
Men tend to have shorter eyebrows, but it’s fairly easy to add length using an eyebrow pencil when the need arises.
Tip #2 – Hairy Legs
If you have hairy legs and can’t shave, try wearing two pairs of pantyhose (or tights/stockings for my British friends!). If you can still see the hair through them, try a darker color of hose.
For extremely beasty legs, a beard trimmer can be used to thin the hair out. This allows you to wear pantyhose when you dress, but you still have normal looking male legs the rest of the time.
Tip #3 – Nose and Ear Hair
If you have nose and ear hair, do yourself a favor and trim it. It looks awful and certainly doesn’t do anything for your feminine appearance.
Come to think of it, it doesn’t look too great on men either. So you’d be doing your masculine appearance some good at the same time. Can’t be a bad thing, can it?
Tip #3 – Nails
Make sure you keep your nails clean and well manicured. Hands can be one of the biggest giveaways to your gender, so don’t slip up on this point. You don’t need to grow your nails long for them to look feminine. Just make sure that they’re well groomed. Take special care to moisturise your hands regularly, especially if the weather’s cold or if you do a lot of manual work.
By the way, bright red nail polish is a definite no-no! So don’t even think about it. It’ll definitely get you read straightaway.
Tip #4 – Wigs
If you want to wear a wig, I would suggest investing in a good quality one that suits your face shape and coloring. There are plenty of good retailers out there who can give you expert advice on what suits you. Although a good quality wig will cost you more initially, you’ll get much more use out of it, especially if it’s well maintained. A cheap wig is likely to get you ‘read’ much quicker.
Tip #5 – Makeup Removal
One of my favorite beauty finds is baby oil. It works as an excellent makeup remover and even removes all traces of waterproof mascara! Not only is it inexpensive to buy, but it’s also gentle on your skin. It’s certainly proved to be a lifesaver for me on several occasions. Keep some to hand because you never know when you might need it.
Finding the Perfect Cross Dressing Shoes
If you’re looking for information and advice on cross dressing shoes, then you’ve come to the right place.
Shoes are, without a doubt, the ultimate feminine accessory. So, it’s no wonder that cross dressers get a little excited at the sight of stilettos or a pair of strappy sandals.
Despite the fact that there are so many shops and online stores full of gorgeous shoes, buying the perfect pair can prove to be a challenging task for a cross dresser.
The biggest problem that presents itself again and again is size. Men naturally have larger and wider feet than women and most shoe retailers only carry up to size 11 or 12 in women’s sizes (US). If you have small feet, lucky you! If not (and most men don’t!), then you’ll have to try a little harder to find the perfect pair.
So, where do go? Thankfully, there are specialist stores that cater specifically for the Cross Dressing and Transgender market. They stock a good range of shoes from ballerina style to killer heels, and usually carry up to size 15 (US). The downside is that most of these are online stores, so you don’t get a chance to try before you buy. If the shoes you’ve ordered don’t fit properly, you’ll just have to change them for a different size until you get it right. This can be a bit of a pain, but once you’ve figured out your correct size, it does become a little easier.
There are also plenty of other online Shoe Outlets that specialise in larger sizes, so you could give those a try. You’re likely to find a larger range of styles in these stores as they cater for the female market. However, you will probably have to opt for styles with a wide fitting.
If you’re brave enough, you could always try a department store or shoe shop in your local shopping centre. You may be lucky enough to live close to a store that stocks large sizes, but in my experience the choice is usually somewhat limited. This is because they tend to cater for the mass market and stock the most popular sizes. On top of that, you’ve got to be comfortable with going into the ladies department – whether en femme or in drab.
Being a tall lady shouldn’t stop you from enjoying wearing high heels. There are plenty of tall girls that look absolutely fabulous in heels. As long as you’re comfortable walking in them, you’ll look and feel great.
Although cross dressers tend to be drawn towards high heels, you can find lots of other styles that are equally as beautiful. A flat style can work really well to complete a casual look, and strappy sandals are great in the summer.
Black is a very versatile colour and goes with most outfits. However, don’t be scared to experiment to bolder colours and styles. Accessories such as shoes and handbags can really transform your look.
To help you find the right Women’s Shoe Size, add at least one or one and a half sizes to your Man’s Shoes Size. You will also need a wide fitting. Of course, this can vary from person to person and from shop to shop, so it’s not an exact science. Just use it as a guideline, and you should be alright.
Boys Cross Dressing: Common Misconceptions
The idea of boys cross dressing commonly conjures up images of confused young men indulging in homosexual antics or working as drag artists. This misconception couldn’t be further from the truth. So, what is a ‘cross dresser’?
The cross dresser doesn’t dislike his male body, nor does he wish to have it surgically altered to that of a female. He is actually content with his masculinity, but also recognises that he has a feminine component to his life. Due to his admiration for the traits of the woman, he wishes to adopt the most positive characteristics and incorporate them into his own life.
What actually causes someone to be a cross dresser remains unclear. Some researchers believe that social environment may be a cause, but most theories look to genetics as being the determining factors.
Whilst it is common for cross dressers to try to suppress their feelings or even deny that they exist, the reality is that cross dressing cannot be ‘cured’. It is not an illness or psychological problem that can be diagnosed by health professionals and treated. Over the years many have tried, but failed.
Most crossdressers agree that dressing up as a woman relaxes them. They take on a feminine name and dress in feminine clothes. In essence, they become a totally different person, leaving the problems and worries of their male counterpart behind.
Due to their strong desire to take on the positive traits of a woman, you will find that cross dressers are actually very gentle and caring people. They are very sensitive and have a strong need to share their feelings and respond to the needs of others. Ironically, their portrayal as thugs and criminals by the media, couldn’t be further from the truth.
The biggest myth about cross dressers is that they are gay. Most crossdressers are in fact heterosexual people. Around seventy per cent are actually married and many have children.
It is common for cross dressers to refrain from telling their wives or partners about their cross dressing habits, fearing the effect it could have on the relationship and family unit. As you would expect, this often leads to marital disharmony and many broken homes.
In cases where a wife accepts her husband’s urges to cross dress and helps him explore his feminine side, the marriage tends to be strengthened. Cross dressing husbands generally tend to be more loving and compassionate, resulting in a much stronger relationship.
Cross dressers come from all walks of like and only a small percentage choose to live as women full-time. A few women are crossdressers, but they are much fewer in number than their male counterparts. Perhaps this is due to the fact that society offers women more freedom in matters of dress and self-expression.
Today, it is recognised that the best way to deal with cross dressing is to accept it and to help cross dressers incorporate it into their lives. This can be extremely difficult in practice, as society still considers cross dressing to be socially unacceptable. Apart from the personal challenges faced by most cross dressers and their families, work and social factors prevent many cross dressers from living the life they yearn.
My Husband Wears My Clothes
While the cross dresser battles to come to terms with his transgender nature, it is easy to overlook the impact this has on his wife.
Peggy Rudd, the wife of a cross dresser, has written an excellent book entitled ‘My Husband Wears My Clothes’. In this, she shares her experiences and views on cross dressing from a wife’s perspective. It certainly makes an interesting and worthwhile read.
Take a look at their story here:
It is not uncommon for the wife of a cross dresser to struggle with accepting her husband’s femme persona.
Just think about it … the man she agreed to spend the rest of her life with has introduced a third person into their marriage. To make matters worse, he’s been cross dressing for years and she didn’t even know about it! Surely, it comes as no surprise that feelings of confusion, fear and even embarrassment are to be expected.
But how is she expected to react? Surely she has the right to be a little angry? Or should she remain the pillar of strength that keeps the family together through thick and thin?
Once the wife of a cross dresser has got over the initial shock of her husband’s revelation, she is likely to have some questions. Here are some of the most common ones:
Are you Gay?
This is generally one of the first questions that springs to mind. In actual fact, most cross dressers are heterosexual.
Why Didn’t You Tell Me About It Sooner?
Most cross dressers spend years trying to suppress their feelings in the hope that their crossdressing urges will go away. In reality, they never do and by the time cross dressers realise this, they’re often in relationships and have children. In fear of hurting the people they love, they tend to put it off as long as they can.
Why Do You Cross Dress?
This is a tough question to answer that no-one really knows the answer to. In short, it’s an urge that doesn’t seem to go away.
Why Don’t You Stop Cross Dressing?
This is easier said than done. Most cross dressers will have tried to stop cross dressing at some point in their lives, but it seems that the urge never goes away, so most end up coming back to it.
What’s the Best Way to Deal With It?
Firstly, it’s important to learn as much as you can about cross dressing. Only then can you begin to understand what your husband is going through and try to work with it. You’ll soon find that cross dressers exist in all parts of the world and are faced with the same challenges that you and your husband are. Help and support is available by means of various resources, including websites, forums, literature and support groups. There are also specific communities set up to support the wives, partners, friends and family of cross dressers.
Secondly, communication is key. Talk about how you both feel and what you want. Try to be as open and honest as you can. If you need some time and space to get used to things, make sure you make this clear. Unfortunately, men don’t always pick up the right signals and are known for putting their foot in it. If you’re not entirely comfortable with something, don’t just say that you are for the sake of it. It’s perfectly normal for you to need some thinking time to get your head round the situation.
Thirdly, try not to say anything you may later regret. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to vent your anger by saying things you don’t really mean. Remember, this is also a really difficult time for your husband and he needs your support.
And finally, don’t forget your love for each other. It is this that will help you get through this.
This is, without a doubt, a very testing time and it will certainly throw up some tough challenges. But couples who have worked together through it say that their marriage is much stronger as a result.
