Monday, October 23, 2023

Stuff 15

By J.J. Atwell

More Stuff

Can you believe this is installment #15 of my Stuff? I find it hard to believe it myself and I’m grateful for the opportunity Stana provides for me to express myself.

Outfits

How many of us struggle with putting together an outfit? What goes with what? Does this color top go with the color or pattern in these slacks? Is this skirt too short for the venue? And what bag or shoes go with the whole thing? So many questions! Questions that crossdressers don’t learn about in the process of growing up. Fortunately, there are answers.  

I’m grateful to a couple of GGs in my life who help guide my choices. One of them, GiGi, whom we met in Stuff 13, offered this suggestion about proportions and some good guidelines to follow:

  1. Short over long: blouse tucked into pants; cardigan and pants; crop-top over pants.
  2. Long over short: long tunic over shorts; untucked blouse over skirt or shorts; long blouse over ankle-length pants.
  3. Fitted over non-fitted: fitted top over a flowing skirt; button blouse over not so tight pants.
  4. Non-fitted over fitted: loose blouse tucked into cigarette pants.
  5. Short over short: short blouse tucked into short skirt, generally for the young set.
  6. Long over long: very aging and often unflattering. People can dress that way if they're self-conscious about their body or shy. But it has the opposite effect.
  7. Fitted over fitted: slutty territory and not great for blending in.
  8. Loose over loose: very aging.  

Hopefully this provides you with a start when pulling together your next outfit. But remember that these are simply suggestions and you still have to find what works for your body and sense of style. You’re free to follow or disregard as you see fit. Just be sure to look critically in a mirror to see the whole effect. It’s sometimes difficult to put aside our “pink fog” and see what is really there. 

It’s nice to have a friend to consult with too. I’m grateful for the advice of a second GG, whom I’ll call Alicia, for her suggestions when I’m pulling an outfit together. Alicia is familiar with my closet and can offer good suggestions about what top/bottom to wear together. Sometimes I’ll send her a picture of what I’m considering and she lets me know if it works or doesn’t. She suggests even the small details about wearing the top tucked in or left out for the best look. 

I’ll be back

After I figure out what I want to wear tonight, I’ll be back with more Stuff. In a later blog post I’ll cover occasions to dress for. Comments are welcome either here on the blog or by email to Jenn6nov at-sign gmail dot com. JJ is always looking for more stuff!



Source: Venus
Wearing Venus


Ayushmann Khurrana
Ayushmann Khurrana femulating in the Indian film Dream Girl 2.
(Suggested by Jennijon.)

8 comments:

  1. Kind of nonsensical generalizations. Not all crossdressers are as novice as to need dressing 101. If you are over fifty, have been dressing for 25+ years outside the closet, you should know what works for your body. Otherwise you never will.
    Now your "rules" J.J., don't universally apply based on many variables the individual may have.
    So, the take-away, present the lecture for the novice (or novitiate if you are Catholic), instead of for the typical old "Femulate" reader. It's also funny in a way, that all the possible mistakes crossdressers can make, are also made by some real (GG) women.
    I did not intend this comment to be sounding this harsh J.J., as the content you do produce is quote entertaining.
    Angel Amore

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    1. JJ here. Thank you for your comments Angel. Yes, I do write from my own perspective. What you may or may not read into it is entirely up to you and your view is perfectly valid. Perhaps you aren't the target audience for today's post.

      I certainly see GG's making huge fashion mistakes. Good for them. I'm suggesting that CDs probably want to blend in and not be noticed for their fashion mistakes.

      Thanks again.

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  2. Great article JJ several great take always our journey as women is always moving forward Paula G

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  3. In contrast to today's article, I believe in K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Stupid). The great majority of times I wear dresses. That includes going out in public, including church.
    And as far as shoes are concerned, all my shoes are black. That color goes with anything. Remember Henry Ford's saying about the color of Model T Fords except for the early ones: "You can any color as long as it's black."

    John

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    1. JJ here. No contrast at all. It's perfectly OK to dress like that.

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  4. I think there is a universal problem in dressing oneself whether a cross dresser or a natural woman. The mind's eye sees what the mind wants to see. That household or store mirror gives positive feedback when the opposite should be given. That advertisement depicting an outfit on a slender woman may not work the same for an overweight woman of totally different proportions. Moi? I am a wearer of dresses; no pants. I do not have a Barbie doll figures. At 42-38-40 I do have a waistline I find empire waists, sheaths and wraps work better on my six foot frame than a dress with a defined waistline. I see many women wearing similar dresses to obscure the lack of a Barbie doll waist.

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  5. As a closet CD with a limited wardrobe who doesn't venture enfemme into the real world, I found your guidelines helpful for all the times (which is all the time!) that I daydream about what femme outfit I would wear in all the occassions of my life:)

    Thank you, and looking forward to even more stuff!

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    Replies
    1. JJ here. Thanks so much for following along. I've got more Stuff to tell you in future weeks!

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