Things Every Cross Dresser Needs To Emulate A Woman

By Carollyn Olson

I recently read an article about men who want to emulate women. It didn’t take long for me to realize that cross dressers needed their own list too.

With over 35 years of cross dressing experience, I decided I was qualified to put together such a list of "the necessities" that no man's wardrobe can be without if he wishes to emulate a woman successfully.

Waist Chincher/Corset -- The right waist cincher or corset can mold your body into a feminine figure by pulling in your waist and displacing what it pulled in to your hips and breasts. (It helps if you are a little overweight like me. My corset displaces enough of me into my breast area that I can nearly fill the B cups of my bra and often forgo breast forms.) I prefer an under bust corset-like design with metal boning and a lace-up back.

Panty Girdle w/Hip Pads -- A panty girdle serves two purposes: (1) it shapes your lower torso into a more feminine shape and (2) it allows you to hide your male parts. I tried a gaff to achieve the latter, but discovered that it was very uncomfortable and that my male parts would escape frequently and required re-gaffing. The panty girdle did a much better keeping those parts in place and was much more comfortable. By the way, if you favor short skirts (like me), wear a brief panty girdle rather than a long leg panty girdle, so that your girdle is less likely to show.

Panties – Six pairs of panties should be perfect -- Two bikini, two cotton and two sheer briefs.

Bra & Cup Size – Chose a bra that is proportionate to your chest size. Not too big and not too small. The perfect bra can be determined by a personal fitting at a retail ladies’ department store. If that is not feasible, determine your band size by using a cloth measuring tape just below your breasts and above the rib cage. You should come up with 34, 36, 38, etc. If your measurement is an odd number, round up to the next even number. For your cup size, again, use a cloth measuring tape and measure around the fullest part of the bust, then round up one inch. Subtract the largest number from the smallest number (You may be a 34 below your breast, but across your breast you could be a 38. If that is so, you have a 4-inch difference). Every inch will equal one cup size. In our example, the cup size is a D.

Breast Forms -- If you are not naturally endowed or if your foundation garments do not displace sufficient flesh to fill the cups of your bra, then use breast forms (unless you are going for the flat-chested waif look). I have two pair of forms; one is a small pair to fill out a bra when my flesh just fails to do so and a larger pair for when I fake cleavage and need bigger breasts to match. I first used birdseed in a baggie as it is an inexpensive way to make your own forms. Also, if you have enough flesh to create cleavage with a little help, fill your bra with Styrofoam cutouts, and then pull your flesh over the top of the bra for that extra affect.

Wig -- Style is your choice, but purchase the most expensive synthetic wig you can afford. Inexpensive wigs look like wigs, whereas expensive wigs look like real hair. One of the nicest compliments I ever received was when a woman thought my expensive wig was my real hair.

Little Black Dress -- Purchase a classic little black dress and it will never go out of style.

Wardrobe – Choose conservatively when selecting dresses, skirts, blouses, tops and sweaters. You don’t want to look like a tramp. Try to mix-and-match colors and combinations to get the most out of different styles and trends.

Boots — Buy a pair of boots for practical reasons (to protect your feet in cold weather) and for style (to look sexy).

Heels – Multiple styles, colors and heel heights are necessary to compliment your wardrobe. I have more women’s shoes in my closet than men’s. There’s a simple rule to buying women’s heels. Go up 1½ or two sizes. If you wear a size 10 men’s shoe, you will wear an 11½ or 12 in women’s.

Pantyhose, Nylons & Tights – Many girls go bare-legged, but pantyhose, nylons and tights can make your legs look for attractive. An assortment of pantyhose and/or nylons to match your outfits is a must. Tights are very handy when there is no time to shave your legs and are also very fashionable.

Outerwear -- If you live in cooler climes, you will need a woman's coat, woman's gloves and perhaps, a woman's hat if you plan on going out en femme during the winter. A man's coat, gloves, and hat will not cut it if you really want to look like a woman.

Camisole -- Buy one camisole or better, buy two: one in black and another in white or beige. I own a half dozen because they can solve so many personal wardrobe dilemmas.

Makeup Mirror -- A makeup mirror can be your best friend. Get one WITH lights that you can switch to produce various lighting effects and a magnifying option. It is so handy when you are doing your eyes.

Razor -- Purchase an electric razor with a sideburn trimmer and use the trimmer to remove long hair, and then use the head of the razor to remove stubble. For closely shaving your face, get a multi-blade safety razor and always use a new blade before going out en femme in order to get the closest shave.

Beard Cover -- I feel so badly when I see a beautiful femulator with the tell-tale signs of a beard because there is an easy fix: a good beard cover. Buy a "good," and I mean a cover that is sheer and orange (to counteract the blue color of a beard).

Moisturizer -- Moisturize every day, even during periods when you are not going out en femme. After many, many years of shunning skin care, using a moisturizer will make a
big difference. Your skin will be smoother, suppler, healthier-looking, and your makeup will go on easier and look better.

Wrinkle Remover -- If you have wrinkles, use a wrinkle remover. I never paid much attention to those miracle skin care products that are supposed to remove wrinkles. However, one day I received a free sample of a product that was supposed to deal with wrinkles around the eyes. Looking in the mirror at the wrinkles developing around my 60-something-year-old eyes, I decided to try the free sample. After a week or so, I noticed that the wrinkles were less noticeable. As a result, I was sold on the product and continued using it everyday. Today, the wrinkles around my eyes are still there, but they are not as deep as they once were and as a result, they are less visible especially from afar, which is the goal for using this stuff.

Makeup -- These are the makeup items that I consider necessities: concealer, beard cover, foundation, powder, blush, lipstick, lip-liner, lip-gloss, mascara, eye shadow, eyeliner, and eyebrow color.

Makeup Brushes -- Buy a GOOD set of makeup brushes and throw away those foam applicators that came with your makeup. The pros only use brushes. To achieve a professional look, you should use brushes, too.

Hand Cream -- A man has man's hands especially if he does manual labor. So, shave your hands if they have hair and use a hand cream daily to help feminize your skin.

Deodorant -- Unless your manly deodorant is unscented, use a woman's deodorant to avoid the manly scent.

Makeup Boxes – I need more makeup than my spouse to look en femme, so get a big box for your makeup. Don't be shy about buying the biggest box you can find or afford. If the box is not full now, trust me, you will fill it eventually. A big fishing tackle box will do the job.

Clip-On Earrings -- Clip-ons are a rare commodity and I buy them whenever I come across a nice-looking pair for sale. If you don't have pierced ears, you should collect clip-ons, too.

Jewelry -- To compliment most of your outfits, buy one gold-colored set of jewelry (earrings, necklace and bracelet), one silver-colored and a set of pearls.

Jewelry Box -- Instead of using traditional jewelry boxes to store your jewelry, use clear plastic stackable compartmentalized storage boxes. They are inexpensive and allow you to see what is stored in the box at a glance.

Cuticle Remover -- Whether you paint your nails or use fake nails, you should use a cuticle remover to clean your natural nails before you go glam.

Nails -- Long painted nails are so feminine, but how is a guy supposed to hide them when he is in male mode. The solution is to use fake nails. I prefer the pre-painted, pre-glued,
press-on nails; they go on in less than five minutes and usually do not come off until you purposely remove them especially if you clean your nails thoroughly first.

Perfume -- Buy one bottle of an expensive perfume and use it when you dress like a woman so that you will have the scent of a woman, too.

Eyeglasses -- If you wear glasses, next time buy a pair with unisex frames or if you can afford it, buy a second pair with a feminine frame. (With an eyeglass prescription in hand, you can order eyeglasses online and avoid the embarrassment of buying female frames in person). If you need eyeglasses for reading, you can buy inexpensive reading glasses with very feminine frames just about anywhere (the local pharmacy, Wal-Mart, etc). Also, you can buy woman's sunglasses just about anywhere, too.

Credit Cards -- Most credit card companies will issue additional cards under the same account for other family members. So get an additional card issued to yourself, but just use the initial of your first name with your last name. For example, John Smith would get an additional credit card issued for "J Smith." Use this card when shopping en femme; it is just another small touch that will help you pass as a woman.

Wallet -- Buy a woman's wallet.

Watch -- Buy a woman's watch.

Attitude -- I wish you could buy attitude, but you can't. Attitude is something you acquire and is critical in your success of emulating a woman. When you go out en femme, act as if it is the most natural thing in the world. Don't be ashamed. Rather, strut your stuff. It’s your life and if you want to live it as a woman even momentarily, it’s your right to do so. If someone has a problem, it’s their problem, not yours. Go for it, Girl!