Question: “Cross-dressing” yet passing
Dante asks…
Summer is here and while I’m ftm I would really like to wear a dress. Assigning gender to clothing is silly and dresses are comfortable when it’s hot out. At the same time though, I don’t want to be read as a girl. Has anyone tried to “pass” while also technically sort of cross-dressing?
Please post your response in the comments below.
» Ask Genderfork «
Posted by Alice on October 3rd, 2011 at 04:00 pm
Category: questions 8 comments »
October 3rd, 2011 at 6:24 pm |
Sometimes I try to pass as a really feminine male. For instance, I’ll wear a girly shirt and jeans while I have my binder on. Once I even went out with fake facial hair and high heels.
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October 3rd, 2011 at 9:04 pm |
I’m really interested in doing this myself, and I’ve been trying to figure out how. I think there are a couple important points to try to be read as male-in-a-dress. I haven’t achieved it but these are the ideas i’ve come up with so far:
1. find a way to bind (no ace bandages!), either via a strapless binder or having a dress that covers binder straps.
2. find a dress with an androgynous shape. It seems that empire waist dresses kind of make hips ambiguous. Any other types of dresses that do similar things?
3. it helps to have a haircut that’s not often read as femme. Some haircuts that can be read as male in some contexts can be read as “pixie” cuts in others, so that’s a consideration for wanting to be read as male-in-a-dress.
4. … any more that anyone else can think of?
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October 3rd, 2011 at 9:23 pm |
Just thinking off the top of my head things that male-bodied people struggle with when trying to pass as female:
* body hair and facial hair. If you can emulate the look of stubble and make your arm and leg hair obvious, that can do a lot.
* Male brows are thicker and longer. If you have significant eyebrows, try gelling them so they stick up and out, which makes them look more unkempt.
* masculine jaws and brow bones are more angular, and many who work to be read as female use dark-toned matte makeup to create artificial shadows to soften the jawline. Try the reverse – use light-toned makeup on the jaw line and brow bone to emphasize strong features. Don’t use anything too shimmery or fake, but a subtle effect could be very nice.
As others mentioned, investing in a good binder will do wonders as well. And don’t forget body language, always the most important part of passing in any direction!
Good luck!
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October 4th, 2011 at 6:35 am |
One word; kilts!
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October 4th, 2011 at 7:22 am |
Kilts? Oh, I like that one!!!!
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October 4th, 2011 at 10:42 am |
hulky posture helps to pass as a guy in drag
high boots also help
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October 4th, 2011 at 6:48 pm |
Word to the kilts.
And good luck if you choose to wear a girl’s skirt – I mean that honestly, because it’s likely that if you don’t get read as a girl you’ll get some violent reactions.
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October 5th, 2011 at 12:04 am |
A thought from the MtF perspective – observe and emulate a male walk and body language. I’ve done the reverse, and it fools people who aren’t paying attention too closely. If you can do a male voice, even better, but I’m assuming that’s as hard to do as managing a female voice is for someone who spends 95% of his time as a bloke :)
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