Presenting "as a woman"

Discussion of fashion elements and looks that are traditionally considered somewhat "femme" but are presented in a masculine context. This is NOT about transvestism or crossdressing.
skirted84
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Presenting "as a woman"

Post by skirted84 »

Perhaps a more contentious issue in free fashion for men is attempting to appear as a woman to wear associated attire, whether exaggerated or just blend into other women in the vicinity known as "passing". Typically including wigs/makeup/padding or falsies and a girls name. Yes its one I've tried in the past but to me it seems a futile job. Unless you've had surgery or at least years of hormones its near impossible to fool anyone, you look like a man in a wig not a woman, and it takes us away from promoting wearing skirts as a man and into crossdressing. And what if you need to use toilets or changing rooms? Give the game away or chance your arm in the ladies.

I do have trans friends who I fully respect, its a huge journey and only a tiny number will benefit from going this route, and not just to dress as they want. Then again there are old schools of thought it is safer to disguise as a woman if you can than openly skirt as a man, one we hope is eroding given recent (lack of) reaction.
new2skirts
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by new2skirts »

It's not the path the majority of us wish to go down... some may have transitioned, but the aim of things here is fashion freedom for men, not becoming one of the opposite sex to justify the clothing choice . I am sure moderators would echo the same sentiments :wink:
Formerly Kilty / Joe Public etc...
STEVIE
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by STEVIE »

new2skirts wrote: Sun Aug 29, 2021 10:42 pm some may have transitioned, but the aim of things here is fashion freedom for men, not becoming one of the opposite sex to justify the clothing choice . I am sure moderators would echo the same sentiments
Hi New2Skirts
In principle, I agree and the "passing as female details" can be left to other forums.
However, for some the choice element may not be as clear as one might assume.
In my own early skirted days there was no internet, social media and support networks very scarce indeed.
The concept that I could be male and wear a skirt too was too radical to be believable.
Therefore, pretending to be other than myself was the only viable, if unsatisfactory, alternative.
Fortunately, the world has moved on a bit in the past forty years or so and we have some fashion freedoms hitherto only dreamt of.
Our little day out in Glasgow on Saturday certainly proved that. It was back in Aberdeen at around 9:30 that my dress was noticed. Some girls on a night out just had to obtain a sneaky snap of the dude in a frock.
I did say "moved on", not necessarily improved, but that's just life.
I also think that our Moderator Team will be vigilant enough to bring us back into line if required and no flame wars on the subject either.
Steve.
rivegauche
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by rivegauche »

I often wear a skirt and sometimes a dress in public in the same way as others here - presenting as a man. But I also present as a woman, with bust, make up and wig, and I try to act and talk like a woman. At no point do I identify as a woman and there is no intention of fooling anyone. The objective is not to pass as a woman but to experience acting as one in a lovely outfit. I simply want to do this as well as I possibly can and have had professional colour analysis and styling as a woman. I do it for fun. On rare occasions I have had to use a toilet but I use ones in hotels and I always ask at reception first. I would prefer not to do the acting but it is easier if you do. I do not regard myself as trans and if you want a label I use gender tourist. I am not trying to persuade others to do this and my only problem is that society does not have a box for what I do and people do like their boxes.
Big and Bashful
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by Big and Bashful »

Gender tourist, brilliant term!
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rivegauche
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by rivegauche »

Imagine someone who likes going on holiday to France. Loves the French, eats French food, dresses like the French, talks like the French, uses French body language, even smells like the French, and delighted if anyone assumes you are actually French. But at no time do you imagine you ARE French, or want to live in France or become a French citizen. You are content to be a tourist. As I am content to be a gender tourist.
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Kirbstone
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by Kirbstone »

From what I read, not only gender tourism but identity tourism as well. A friend who lives on Quebec State explained the difference between Francophile and Francophone. To be the latter you have to have gotten your tongue around that language as a small child.

For my work in my 40s I got stuck into German total immersion, as I lived & worked there for 8 years. Having only picked up that language in my teens and adulthood, the minute I opened my mouth there they assumed I was Dutch, Danish or British as I could never hope to sound like a German.

No big deal, as I've got a raft of lifetime German friends ever since. When I was there I privately crossdressed for my own amusement and actually went for walks through the town 'dressed', but always at night under lights. I didn't attempt to engage with anyone though, as 'passing' was quite beyond me.

Tom
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denimini
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by denimini »

I have never tried but an elderly woman at a checkout said "Thankyou Ma'am" when I was wearing a mini skirt, with a beard and hairy legs. I think that she was trying to be nice, however misguided.
Anthony, a denim miniskirt wearer in Outback Australia
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JeffB1959
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by JeffB1959 »

I don't bother trying to pass for a woman, even though I sport earrings and necklaces (don't feel fully dressed without jewelry), carry a handbag (never leave the house without one) and wore lipstick every now and then, at least I did before the lockdown and masks became standard equipment for being outside. Beyond all that, I'm perfectly content to wear women's clothes and shoes (including heels)....as a man, and that's more than good enough for me.
I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman.
rivegauche
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by rivegauche »

The passing thing is overrated and hardly ever happens. In more than two decades it has only happened to me twice to my knowledge. If it happens it is a bonus but is not an objective. Another thread raised the issue of femininity. I am not aiming for this either and I would not know what feeling feminine was like anyway. My presentation as a woman is an act carried out for my enjoyment and to generate feedback from those I interact with. I hope for feedback on my outfits and presentation and I often get it. When I wear a skirt when presenting as a male I do not wear jewellery or make-up and carry a messenger bag instead of a handbag. Occasionally I will wear women's shoes but they are usually flat or low block heels. I am going to two dress shops on Thursday in a small town in NE Scotland near Elgin (Lossiemouth) as a man in a dress and will have my messenger bag, bare legs and low block-heeled sandals and a gender neutral watch. No make up, wig or boobs. The owners have seen me before dressed like this and completely dressed as a woman. Most women running shops claim to have no preference to how I am dressed (male, man I skirt or man dressed as woman) but one who has expressed an opinion says she much prefers me to dress as a woman. So in all I would say that gender presentation is no more an issue than male skirt wearing in modern society - except that people tend to jump to the conclusion that you want to BE a woman, but in reality that opinion doesn't matter either.
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mishawakaskirt
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by mishawakaskirt »

While I did experiment In my younger days on a few occasions, trying to find myself. And attempted to present as female. Mostly on Halloweens and a few other times.

In 2015 I gave that all up. I determined I had no need to try to be someone else. Today I'm exclusively MIS. And no longer desire to present as female again. Even on Halloween.

Sadly, a fair amount of the public, still see a male in a skirt, as him desiring to be female, even if everything else about him is totally and completely male.
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Hope
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by Hope »

rivegauche wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 10:47 pm Imagine someone who likes going on holiday to France. Loves the French, eats French food, dresses like the French, talks like the French, uses French body language, even smells like the French, and delighted if anyone assumes you are actually French. But at no time do you imagine you ARE French, or want to live in France or become a French citizen. You are content to be a tourist. As I am content to be a gender tourist.
I'm really happy to be a French gender tourist myself! 😅 I'm afraid I will never pass as an English or American tourist, neither as a woman!
In the lift of Nantes Airport today, flying to Geneva
https://nsm09.casimages.com/img/2021/08 ... 549288.jpg

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Ray
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by Ray »

That’s okay. I’ll never pass as a Californian or French tourist either! ;-)

You might pass as an adventurous Scottish tourist with the skirt pattern…
Keildersoul
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by Keildersoul »

I simply dress the body I have in the clothes I want to wear and I present as me. I have been doing this daily for a decade or three so anyone regularly in my life knows. First time meeting me? Accept or reject as you will. There doesn't have to be a second time.
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Sinned
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Re: Presenting "as a woman"

Post by Sinned »

I also have no desire to act out being a woman or present being a woman. I simply want to be able to wear the same clothes available to women and to wear them as a man. In other words to incorporate such women's clothes that I consider suitable into my wardrobe alongside my men's clothes. Of course some of those don't exactly align with what my wife thinks which limits what I can wear outside the house but that is another matter.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
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