••

Volume .2 - Fashion & s l

R evi~ed. & E xpanded
. ty e
Third Edition
Creative Design Services has been se1ving the information needs of the transgender community since 1985. We are the largest
commercial publisher of non-erotic, "how-to" information in the U.S . The CDS product line includes books, periodicals and videos.
Write for a free catalog brochure. CDS also produces the Paradise In The Poconos getaway weekend twice a year in May and September.
\•\ rite for dates and prices. CDS is committed toqualityin its services and its publications. Ifyou ar ever dissatisfied with a CDS product,
return it for a refund or replacement, no questions asked.

Cover art: ©LeVaughn, 1993

 '

Volume 2 - F•ashion & S

R evised. & E xpanded
. tyle
Tiu.rd Edition ,
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

"You are what you do when it counts,"

John Steakly
Arm.or

This book is dedicated to Jaini and Jo ...

They were there when it counted.

A ,-1 & 11/11.rion: A Guide ro Crossdressing, Third Edition. Vol. 2 - Fashion & Style
copyright© 2000 by Creative Des ign Services, PO Box 491 . Lionville, PA 19353-04 9 1

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored in a retrieval system,
transmitted, or reproduced, in any way, by any means, without the express written
permission of the publisher.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Preface to Third Edition, Vol. 2

This volume has evolved the most since I first published A&l and the Companion.

I've learn ed quit a lot about women's fashion over the ensuing years. In 1991, I was asked
to prepare a series of workshops for the Be All Weekend in Cleveland then. I prepared two
in particular that have worked out very well for me. The first was called-at that time-
Beauty Tips. It has since become A1t & Illusion Tricks & Tips , a workshop that I've given
at least a hundred times all over the country. The other was called Updating Your Ward-
robe. The latter is now called Fashion & Style and forms the basis for this volume.

Of major significance to us as crossdressers is the fact that women's clothing has been
resized , again. If you gather the appropriate materials together, you will find that women's
clothing sizes change about every five years or so. I am currently a size 14 (in 1994 mea-
surements). I have a book from 1948 with a size chart that shows I would have been a size
22 back then. What's happened is two things. One: women are getting bigger, especially
around the middle. Perhaps the demographic sampling techniques are just getting better,
but it is now said that 60% of American women are a size 14 or larger. Two: fashion
merchandisers realized they were missing a very large (no pun intended) market segment
by not canying larger size fashionable clothing. Many department stores won't even
consider carrying a designer's line if it doesn't include at least a size 14 and some retailers
insist on going up to an 18.

Many fashion designers are now women where twenty or thirty years ago they were almost
all men. What that means is the female designers are more conscious of the need for larger
clothes that fit well. Donna Karan, for example, is a size 12 herself so she's particularly
interested in how her clothes fit. Anna Nicole Smith, the Guess Girl, is also a size 12, and
she's consider "big."

Almost eve1y major department store now carries larger size clothes and even Victoria's
Secret carries size 14 in many of their styles. Only Fredericks of Hollywood is still stuck in
the 50's. Nothing they sell fits me and I've not been able to figure out why they sell 4400
bras and shoes up to size 12, but no dresses above a 10 or 12. Curiouser and curiouser.

In any event, we now have a lot more choices in clothing and styles. There's no excuse not
to dress well and look nice. I tell people during my classroom lectures, "I don't care if
people realize I'm a male that's crossdressed. But I want them to say, 'Doesn't he dress
well!'" If you look like a clown, people will treat you like one. Just about everything you
need to know about clothes is in here. I hope you enjoy it.

I I
Oh, yeal1 ... almost forgot. When you see this: TIP it means that something special is ffevl1111' {l/o6ertd·
mentioned. And, thanks again to LeVaughn for the marvelous artwork. .!Jime (!}!Fl
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Contents
Text The Box cont'd.
Preface to T hird Edition ............ ... ........... .... 3 Best Even ing Look .................. ........ ... .. 30
BodY"vorks .............. .. .................. .. ........ ........ 7 Best Skirt .. ................ .................... .. ....... 30
Bodyhair ............ .. ... .. ..... .. ... ... .... .... ... ....... 7 The Figure 8 .......... ....... ... ...... .. .... ... ..... ... ... 30
Bleaching ..... ....... .... ......................... ....... 7 Best Suit .. ..... .. ... ...... .. ..... ... .................... 30
Shaving ......... ... ... ...... .. ...... ....................... 7 Best Dress .................. ........................... 31
Tweezing .............. ................................... 7 Best Evening Look ...... .. ....................... 31
¥/ axing .............. .. ........ .. ...... ..................... 7 Best Skirt ............................................... 31
D epilatories .... ... ......... .... .... ... ...... ...... ..... 8 Weight &Texture ........ .... .............. ... ..... 31
Electrolysis ................... ........................... 8 Value Basics ............................ .. ....... .. ... 33
Hands & Nails ............... ..... .. .. ... ........ ........... 8 All Year, All Around Clothing ............... 33
Hand Care ............ ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... .. ..... 9 Typical Problems .......................... .. .... .. 33
Nails ........ ..... ... ..... ..... ...... .... ........... ...... ... 9 Shoes .... ..... ................................... .............. 34
Body Basics ....................... .......... .. .... ...... ... 11 Accessories ... .. ....... ....... ..... .. .... ... ... .... ... .. .... 35
Know Your Body ................................... 11 Accessorize to Scale ............. ......... ........ 35
Figure-8 .. ......... ........ ... .... .. ...... ........ .. .. .. 12 Belts ............................ ............. ............. 35
Box .................. .. ..... .............. .. ......... .. .... 12 Handbags ........................ ...................... 35
Barrel ............. ... ........ .... .. .. .. ..... ............ . 12 Gloves .. ....... ............. ............... .. ..... ....... 36
Clothing Sizes .................. ... .. .. ... ............... . 13 Jewelry .. ...... .......................................... 36
Lingerie Basics ........ ......... ...... ...... ... .... ....... 15 Earrings ................... ...................... ... ..... 36
Bust Culture ...... ................................... 15 Finger Rings ..................... .. .............. .. .. 36
Types of Bras ........................................ 16 Wrist, Ankle & Neck Chains ...... ........ .. 37
Breast Fonns .................. .. ... .. ......... ... ... 16 Bracelets ............................................... 37
Cleavage ...... .................. .. ...................... 18 Watches ............. ... .. .... .... .................... ... 37
Filling Out Your Hips ......... .. .................. ... 20 A Well-Kept Secret.. ........... ...... .. .. ...... .. 37
Nip & Tuck ........................... .. ......... .. ......... 21 Glasses .... ... ........... ..... ......................... ... 37
Corsets, etc ... ............ ... .... ..... ............... . 21 Passing ... ........ .... ..... ...................... .... ... ... ... . 38
Hiding The Genitals .. ... ...... ..... .. .... .... ... ..... 22 Wrapping Up .......... .............. .. .. .. .. ........... ... 40
Sizing .. .... ..... ... .. .... ..... ............... ..... .. ..... .... .. 23
Slips & Camisoles .. .... ..... ............ ...... ...... .. . 23 Illustrations
Hosiery ................... .... .. ... ... .... ... ........ .. .. ..... 24 Ideal Proportions ................ ......... .............. 11
Pantyhose ...................... .. .. .. .. ............ .... 24 Three major body shapes ............... ............ 12
Stockings ...... .... ..... ... .. .. ......................... 24 Current Sizing Charts .. ..... ... .. ......... ..... ...... 14
Lingerie Colors ...... ....... ......... .. ........ .. ........ 25 Types of Brassieres ............... ... .......... ......... 15
Your Outer Image ................... .... ...... ......... 25 Making Cheap Breastforms .................. .... . 17
Being Well-Dressed .......... .. ........ ......... 25 Creating Cleavage ....... ............. ... ....... ..... ... 19
Personal Style .... ............. ................... .. . 26 Corset ... ..... .......... .. ............................ .. ...... . 21
Cut & Line ... ........... .......... ........... ......... 27 ·w aist Cincher ................. .. .... .... .. .... ..... ....... 21
Scale ........... ............. ....... ... .. .. ...... .. .. ...... 27 Brasellette .. ..... ... .. ..... ..... .. ........... ..... ....... ... 21
Clothing Suggestions ......................... .. ...... 27 Instant Sex Change ............. ................ ....... 22
The Barrel .............. .... .... ... ..... .. .... ..... .. ....... 28 Slips ....... .... ................ ... .... ... .... ....... ............ 23
Best Suit ..................... .. ......................... 28 Panty & Brief Size Chart .... .. .. ........ ........... 23
Best Dress ......... ... ... ... ...... ... .................. 28 Clothing Lines .. ....................... ............ .... ... 27
Best Evening Look .... .... .... ................. .. 28 Fabric Weight .... ............................... ..... .... 32
Best Skirt ... .... ... .. .. ........ ......... ... .. ...... .. ... 29 Fabric Texture ............... .. ....... .. .... ....... ....... 32
The Box ... ........ .... ... ............ ................... ..... 29 Shoes ........................ .. ..... ...... ...... ... .... ... .. ... 34
Best Suit ....... ... ...... ....... .. ... .. ......... .... ..... 29 RING SIZER .... ......... ....... ...... ... ... ............. 36
Best Dress .............. .. ... ... ....................... 29 Glasses by Face Shape ............ .. .. ......... ...... 38
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Bodyworks
Just getting your face on is only part of the transformation process. The rest of your body
requires just as much attention. Hair removal is very important as is the care of your hands.
We'll spend a little time getting your body in "shape" before we get to clothing.

Bodyhair
The re are several ways to deal with body hair. It can be bleached, shaved, tweezed, waxed
or permanently removed. The technique you choose will depend on the type of hair and
your skin's sensitivity. The hair on different parts of your body are not all the same and
each type responds differently to the various processes.

Bleach Ing
This is a che mical process which lightens and softens the hair. New hair will grow in the
original color, so if you don't want a two-tone look you will need to periodically bleach,
approximately 2-3 weeks. Bleaching is useful for the arms and back of the hands. Bleaches
are available at most pharmacies. Pluses: it's cheap and it's fast. Minuses: bleach may
irritate your skin and it requires timing. A good bleach is Jolen Creme Bleach or Andrea
Extra Strength For The Face.

Shaving
This is the simplest technique. There are some pitfalls, however. Shaving is good for arms,
hands, legs and chest, but it starts to regrow immediately and stubble will be evident in 2-3
days. You may also experience ingrown hairs which can cause minor infections of hair
follicles. If your heritage is from the Mediterranean area, you are especially susceptible to
this. Pluses: fastest and cheapest. Minuses: nicks, cuts, ingrown hairs. Best razor: Gilette
Sensor. Best shaving cream: Edge Gel

Tweezing
This is the mechanical removal of the hair by pulling it free from the follicle. Regrowth will
appear at the surface anywhere from 1-3 weeks depending on your body chemistry.
Tweezing is good for small areas, such as the back of the hands and eyebrows. A new
device called Epilady, uses a moving coil spring to automatically pull out the hair. It is
recommended for use on the legs, though it should work elsewhere. There are several
similar devices on the market. Pluses: simple and cheap. Minuses: time consuming and
may be painful. Good tweezers: Maybelline Expert Touch Tweezers

Waxing
This is also the pulling free of hair from the follicle, but on a much larger scale. Wax
(pinewax or beeswax) is melted and spread over the area of the skin where the hair is to be
removed. After a short time the wax will harden and when it is pulled off the skin it brings
the hair with it. Regrowth time is the same as for twee:.dng. In addition to the same
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

problems as tweezing, there is the chance of getting burned if the wax is too hot. Waxing is
also more irritating. Powdering the area before applying the wax will help. Pluses: gets skin
really smooth. Minuses: Can hurt like hell, hair must be 'A to 12 inch long. Best bets: Zip
Wax Hair Remover or Sally Himsen Natural Cold Wax.

Depllatorles
Depilation is a chemical process which dissolves the root of the hair. The chief advantage is
that the hair is removed from below the skin. Regrowth time is about the same as for
tweezing and waxing. Problems which can occur are rashes from the chemicals used. A
depilatory is a quick (15-20 minutes) way to remove large amounts of hair. It is usable
eve1ywhere but on the face. Depilatories have little or no effect on facial hair, so do not
waste your time. I prefer to put the cream on, wait, then use a terry washcloth in a shower
to lightly abrade the hair loose from the follicle. Afterwards, lightly powder the skin and do
not apply fragrances or deodorants containing solvents such as alcohol for at least 8-1.2
hours. Pluses: leaves skin smoother than shaving, but not as smooth as waxing. Minuses:
can irritate the skin. Best bets: Neet Hair Remover and Nair.

Electrolysis
Permanent hair removal cim only be achieved by electrolysis. The process uses an electric
current to destroy the hair follicle and prevent regrowth. It is the only other process,
beside shaving, that is recommended for facial hair removal. However, it is a long, tedious,
and expensive process. Removal of a male beard could require upwards of 200 hours of
treatment. It can also be painful if your skin is very sensitive. It depends on the skill of the
operator, as well. Forget the home treatments seen in magazines. I can tell you from
personal, expensive, experience that they do not work. In order to electrolyze a follicle, the
operator inserts a very fine needle into the follicle and applies u short burst of electricity
which kill the hair. Most problems which can occur are infection and scarring clue to
carelessness of the operator. Selecting the right Electrologist is the first step. Is the person
licensed and insured? Some states do not require licenses for operators , but to get insur-
ance they must be licensed. Has the operator worked on a male before? Male facial hair is
quite different from female facial hair. An unlicensed operator may not be skilled enough
to remove the hair permanently. Check the phone book and look for certification and
licensing mentioned in ads, tllen call and ask about experience wiili males. If you are going
to have electrolysis, do not tweeze, wax, or shave the hair for several weeks prior to
treatment. Pluses: no regrowtl1. Minuses: very costly and time consuming. Best bet: get a
referral from someone.

Hands & Nails

After your face, your hands draw the next most attention. Care and maintenance of the
skin and nails is tl1erefore important.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Hand Care
You can do all the things your male-self likes to do and still have nice hands. It just takes a
little more care and effort. I like to work on cars and invariably I would cut myself or break
a llnge rnail. So, now when I do these activities I wear work gloves. Whatever it is that you
do, consider the likelihood of damage to your hands and protect them. This will also
prevent dirt from getting under your nails. If your skin is rough or dry, use a hand cream
morning and night. Remember, it is okay for a man to care about his skin.

Nails
Your nails are the main focus of your hands. You have several options for fingernails. False
nails are available in a wide variety of forms and colors. Press-on nails are molded plastic
nails held on with double-sided adhesive. They really work and are good for an evening
out. And no polish stains on your cuticle. Replacement adhesive pads are available. One
disadvantage is size, however. You may need to buy two sets in order to get 10 nails that fit
and look proper. There is no reason to use glue-on nails anymore. The instant glue used to
hold glue-on nails can actually damage your real nails. I went through a whole year once of
breaking the same nail because it had been damaged by using glue-on nails.
Some girls report problems with the press-on nails not staying
in place. I recommend using double adhesive pads on
each nail. I've never had a nail fall off with this method.
One fri end of mine uses rubber contact cement. If you ~',~ .
have a proble m finding nails large enough for your hands, \ · ·~~
consider growing just your thumbnails and use the press-
ons for the other eight. You can pre-paint the press-ons and ./ / '<·\ \
\ ' .

. ).~j\
you just have to paint your thumbnails. One disadvantage of
false nails is that they just don't feel natural.

The easiest nails to work with are your own. The question is,
how long can you grow them before someone notices? The
\
answer depends on you alone and your attitude about dress-
ing. I wear my own nails long for a male and have had only 1
or 2 minor comments which I let pass. They are my hands and
I do as I like. The important thing is to keep them neat and
clean. I fil e mine straight across with slightly rounded sides.
Keep the cuticle pushed back. The shape and lengtl1 should
compliment your fingers. Long nails for long, slender fingers
and shorter nails for shorter fingers. Never file nails to a point,
use a square or oval shape.

I should emphasize some things about growing your

own nails. You really have to learn how to use your
hands all over again or else you'll just keep breaking
them off. If you decide to go with natural nails, try to slow
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

down your movements, especially grabbing things. I had a lot of problems with car door
handles until I re-learned how to open the door. You may have difficulty with the simplest
tasks at first, but you will get used to the length and learn to function again. I think it is
worth the trouble. Lifting heavy items can also put a strain on your nails. If you're going to
have long nails then you' re going to have to keep them scrupulously clean.

You can have too much of a good thing when it comes to your nails. Too much filing can
tear the nail causing breaks and splits. Neve r file you nails after a shower or bath, since
they're very soft and tear easily then. Too much buffing can th.in nails. File nails once a
\.veek and buff every nvo weeks.

Polish stains in your cuticles can be minimized if you follow my method here. Use good
fresh polish. The re are now one coat polishes which will do nicely. In any case, use only
one coat. It dries faster. Keep away from your cuticles. Most of the staining, however,
happens when you remove the polish. To remove the color, soak a cotton pad (not ball ) in
polish remover. Press the pad firmly clown on the nail and hold it ther for 30-45 seconds.
PuII the pad forward off the nail. Almost all the polish should come off the nail. Fold the
pad in half, re-wet and do another nail. Afte r all you r nails have been done this way go back
with a cotton swab and fresh remover and go ove r each nail once more. Your hands should
be reasonably clean. ever scrub the polish off. This will only make it run all over your
hands and cause the cuticle stains you're trying to avoid. Speaking of cuticles, it's the skin
that protects the nail's matrix or bed. Usually waves or bumps in your nail mean the bed,
and probably the cuticle, are damaged. ever cut the cuticle back too far.

If you are plagued by nails that split or crack before they get long, try a product called
Barielle. It is a cream that you rub on your nails and it really does make them strong and
long. Look for th is product in better department stores and pharmacies. If you can't find
Bari el le, go to a Tack Shop where they supplies for horses. Look for Hoofmaker by a
company called Straight Arrow. It's the same stuff and one helluva lot cheaper. Barielle is
the fancy human-use product derived fro m the hoof treatment.

Eating ancl/or drinking gelatin will not make your nails stronger. That's an old wives tail.
Gelatin is not a complete protein and is defici ent in the sulfur-containing amino acids that
give nails their strength. The best foods for nails are eggs, lean meat and fish . And, this isn't
my opinion, it's the opinion of the Moimt Sinai School of Medicine Complete Book of
Nutrition. So I don't want any mail on this. Also, mineral deficiencies are not responsible
for those white spots and cracks. White spots indicate pressure on the nail bed and cracks
are likely due to dry nails. However, Biotin, one of the B vitamins, may have some effect on
nail strength. Some studies showed that ingesting biotin helped, but the results were
inconclusive and the FDA has not approved biotin as a nail promoter.

One thing I know does affect your nails, adversely, is estrogen. A major complaint by many
Male-to-Fe male transsexuals on hormones is how easily their nails break.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Body Basics
Take a good, hard , realistic look at your
body and t1y to classify you r shape. This 711e ideally proportioned
will help later, knowing where your female body. A=B and A+B=C.
proble m ar as are and what needs corr c- IfD & G occupy about equal
tion. Put on your lingerie and , if possible, A ' D E space, and E & F occupy about
leotards and tights. Stand facing a full equal space, your body is ive/1-
length mirror, or, bette r yet, take photo- balanced.
graphs and work from the photos. On the B F G
mirror, or photo, draw a line across the
base of your neck, just touching your 'I
collarbones, another through your waist-
line, and a third just through your crotch
area at the tops of your legs (see the
c
illustration at right).

Examine the upper torso in relation to the

lower torso. Ideally, they should be equal.
If your upper torso is shorter than your
lower torso you ar short waisted . If the reverse is true, you are lo11g waisted. Now com-
pare the e ntire torso length to your leg length. Again, the ideal is equal lengths. If the torso
is shorter, you are leggy . If the reverse, you are short-legged. Now turn to a profile view
and imagine your body divided into quadrants. These are upper chest, upper back, waist-
to-fee t front and waist-to-feet back. If your bust and derriere take up about equal space in
their respective quadrants, you are fairly well balanced. If not, then you will either have to
camouflage the deficiency or add padding to achieve balance.

Just like natural females, you will find that crossdressers come in all sizes and shapes.
Knowing how to classify your whole-body shape will help you pick the right style clothing.
Always try to fit your clothes to your body. Never try to force your body into clothes that
don't fit.

Know Your Body

There are many different ways to classify body shapes. I particularly like the model called
Fashion HOAX, where the letters in "hoax" represent body shapes. I am not going to
discuss the "A" or Pear shape since very few males attain this shape; it is almost exclusively
female. So, I'll concentrate on the other three letters, H, 0, and :X, or as I call them, the
Box, Barrel and Figure-8, since it more likely that you will be one of these shapes. Once
you know your body shape, you can correlate your shape to the "line" of certain clothes. If
the "line" of the clothes and the shape of your body match, you will look well-dressed.
 Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

111e three major body shapes of

crossdressers; Figure-8 (leji),
Box (center), & Barrel (right).
111ese body lines are called
Curvy, Sharp, and Sofl.

Flgure-8 or Curvy (Thin or Full-figured)

This is the classic female form . Upper and lower torsos are equal in length and there is a
visible indentation at the waistline. If you already look like this, you don't 11eed much help!
Some males will have this shape, but few will have tl1e exaggerated diffe rence between
waist and hip measurements (typical for a fe male is a 10" difference) . Examples of real
Figure-B's: Elizabeth Taylor, Dolly Parton , and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Your body "line' is curved
and you will look for clotl1es with a curved lines.

Box or Sharp (Thin or Full-figured)

This is whe re a lot of you will be classified. The box figure is just about equal in all direc-
tions. Your goal will be to create a waistline. Examples of real Boxes: Cher, Jackie Onassis,
Cindy Crawford. Your body "line" is sharp and you will look for clothes with sharp lines.

Barrel or Soft (Full-figured)

The barrel shape is characterized by the upper torso be ing shorter but broader than the
lower torso. In other words, broad shouldered and short-waisted. You probably don't have
a waistline, but tl1at can be corrected. You will also most likely wear a larger-sized top and a
smaller-sized bottom. Examples of real Barrels: Tina Turner, Roseanne Arnold, Delta
Burke. Your body "line" is soft and you will look for clothes witl1 soft lines.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Clothing Sizes
Clothing manufacturers and retailers have finally realized that all women (including our
kind of woman) do not wear sizes 6 to 10. As a matter of fact, the average woman wears a
size 12. About 40% of American women wear a size 14 or larger. This is real bonus for us
"big-boned" girls. Many up-to-elate styles are now available for the full-figure. So, you don't
have to look dowdy or go on a starvation diet to look well-dressed. However, you must
know what size and styles are best for you. As you shop, you will discover a fact that women
have known forever: no two dresses, skirts, tops, etc., fit the same, even from the same
manufacturer. Because of my broad shoulders, I usually need a size 14, but there are 12's
and 13's in my closet that fit just fine. It takes a practiced eye to pick out the clothes that fit
and that's what this book is all about.

Don't <lespairl I will try to save you time and money. On the next page are the current
body measure ments related to dress sizes. In 1986 the garment industry adopted new
designations for women's and half sizes. The measurements were also increased for a given
size, and then increased again in 1991. Women's sizes are now noted with a "\'!.,!" and half
sizes with a "\,YP", for Women's Petite. Notice there is a lot of overlap in bust, waist and
hip measurements, especially between Misses and Women's. But look at the measurement
called Back Length to see where the real differences are found . Back Length is the
distance from the base of the neck to the center of the waist. Compare the measurements
for similar sizes in the charts. Note that while a 16\iVP has more generous measurements
than a Misses 16, it is fully 3/4-inch shorter in the torso and not likely to fit us well.

What you need to do is measure your natural waist and back length (you may need a friend
to help with this one) because these are the two body measurements that are difficult to
alter. Sure, you can cinch in your waist with a corset, but just wait until you attend your
first convention and try to wear it for eight hours, or try to eat dinner in it. Trust me, it's
better (and easier) to start with your natural waist and then "pad up" your hips and bust to
the proper measurements. Once you know what size you ought to be (or want to be), then
you can select the appropriate undergarments to help you achieve the figure you want.
We'll cover that after we're done here with si:1ing.

Different dress styles in the same size will fit differently. A pull-on dress with elasticized
waist will fit better than one with a back zipper and fitted waist. You may be able to wear a
size smaller than usual in a simple chemise, while a slinky dinner dress in "your size" won't
fit at all. Also, the cheaper the price the tighter the fit. This is due to something dress
designers call "ease." Ease is the extra material added to a pattern to allow for slight
variations in the size of the wearer. One \Vay to cut the cost of a garment is to cut more
pieces from a given piece of cloth by reducing the amount of ease and seam allowances. In
the long run, though, it's the consumer who loses because a too-tight seam is going to rip,
and usually at the worst possible time.
 Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

Misses Sizes (inches) Average Height, 5'3" to 5'7"

Medium Large X-Large XX-Large
SIZE 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Bust 34 1/2 36 1/2 38 391/2 41 42 1/2 44 1/2 461/2 481/2
Waist 27 28 29 1/2 31 32 1/2 34 1/2 36 1/2 39 41
Hips 371/2 38 1/2 40 411/2 43 45 47 49 51
Back Length 153/ 4 16 161/4 161/2 163/ 4 17 17 1/4 17 1/2 173/4
N.B.: Petite sizes are about 1 11 shorter in back length; Tall sizes are about 1" longer in back length.

Women's Sizes (inches) Average Height, 5'3" to 5'7"

SIZE 14W 16W 18W 20W 22W 24W 26W
Bust 1
39 /2 41 /21
43 /21 1
45 /2 471/2 49 /2
1
51 1/2
Waist 311/2 33 1/2 35 1/2 371/2 40 42 1/2 45
Hips 42 43 46 48 50 52 54
Back Length 16 1/ 4 16 1/2 163/4 17 171/4 171/2 173/ 4
N.B.: Women's Petite sizes are about 1" shorter in back length.

Juniors Sizes (inches) Average Height, 5'3" to 5'7"

Medium Large X-Large
SIZE 7 9 11 13 15
Bust 34 1/2 35 1/2 37 38 1/2 40
Waist 26 1/2 27 1/2 29 30 1/2 32
Hips 37 38 39 1/2 41 42 1/2
N.B.: Petite sizes are about 1" shorter in back length; Tall sizes are about 1" longer in back length.

Notes:
Most females are shorte r than males. A 5 16 11 male is considered "short." He is in the 40th percentile, i. e. 60% of all
males will be taller than he is. But that same 5 1611 is the 80th percentile for a fe male, i.e., only 20% of all females will
be taller than she is. If you are an "average" male, 5'10", you' re going to be a "tall" woman. On average, a woman is
about two inches shorter than a man.

A male is broad across his back because his shoulders are bigger than a female, but a fe male is broader across the
chest because of her breasts. A female's breast is about 10-11 inches from her shoulder to nipple, while a male's
nipple is about 12-13 inches from the shoulder. Hips are about 8 inches from the waist on a woman, but at least 10
inches on a man. You will have to adjust your padding to compensate for these differences.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Lingerie Basics
You're going to use lingerie to adjust your figure. You want to end up with measurements
close to one of the sizes in the table ay left. You start with your natural waist measurement
and adjust the bust and hips to match. First, a few guidelines: .
Waistline - Your waist is the most difficult part of your body to adjust. If you want a
smaller waist, go on a diet and exercise. To a certain extent, you can "train" your waist
by wearing a corset frequently, but you run a risk of hurting yourself if you overdo it.
Bust - Most crossdressers go overboard with their bustline. I'd guess 90% are wearing
boobs too big for their frame. Trust me, smaller is better.
Hips - Most men have hips the same size or smaller than their waist. The typical
woman has hips 10 to 12 inches larger than he r waist, so you need to pad out your hips.

Bust Culture
Bras come with two measurements, a chest size (number) and a cup size (letter) , such as
36C. In order to select the correct bra, women must take these two measurements, the
first at a level under the arms but above the bust, and the second across the fullest part of
the bust. The first is the numerical bra size and the difference between the two measure-
ments determine the cup size. You only need to make the first measurement since you can
decide what cup size you like and stuff the cup accordingly. Rather than measure up high
on your chest, measure just at or below the nipples and use this as tl1e numerical size.
Choose a cup size to go with your frame . If you are tall and slender, select at least a B cup.
If you are stockier, select a C or D cup. The idea is to balance your figure. Of course, if big
breasts tum you on, then wear iliem, but be prepared for stares and unwanted attention .

For the last few years, I've been buying my bras from Victoria's Secret. They're great, ITIP I
especially when they go on sale. I also happen to like styles that hook in ilie front and they
carry quite a selection of those. The front-hook bras are easier to wear. Look for a bra with
a soft, stretchy cup, underwires (so your breastforms don't fall out) and elastic adjustable
straps. These characteristics will give you the best fit and the elastic straps will allow the
forms to bounce a little enhancing the realism.

Types ofBrassieres:
Left-Soft Cup
Center-Longline
Right-Underwire
All styles shown are back-hook.
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

Types of Bras
Bras come in a myriad of styles, closures, cups, etc. (See illustrations on the previous page.)
Once you determine your size, the final selection is a matter of pe rsonal choice. There are
some guidelines that will be helpful, however.

Full-busted women usually wear an underv.iire bra. This type of bra has a metal or plastic
support built into the bottom of the cup to support the breast. I recommend this type of
bra because it provides support for your breastforms. There is a variation of this type called
an ove1wire. I have a strapless longline ovenvire which is perfect for strapless dresses or
spaghetti straps. The ovenvire guarantees that your breastform will not fall out.

Another characteristic to look for is elastic straps. This will add a natural bounce as you
walk. If you have problems with bra straps sliding off your shoulders, try a "Tee" back bra.
The straps are connected in a "T'' or "Y" shape in the back and can't slip off your shoulders.

Breast Forms
Now that you know what size bra to wear, how do you fill those cups? Breastforms are
available ranging from homemade to foam-rubber falsies to silicone fill ed mastectomy
forms. Prices range from a few cents to several hundred dollars. Mastectomy forms are
available in most large department store catalogs and from speciality shops catering to
crossdressers. (See the listings in the CDS Who's Who & Resotirce Guide.) Some enter-
prising crossdressers are making their own forms and selling them at the various events.
These usually feel really great but they don't look so hot. Nevertheless, you can't beat the
price at less than $100.

The Mirage breastform (sold by NS Products, PO Box 260342, Glendale, CA 91225) and
the Melody breastfonn (sold by Melody Products, PO Box 1088, Yorba Linda, CA 92686)
are the "Cadillacs" of mastectomy forms. Those who own either kind swear they're the
greatest. Both forms are made to look and feel as realistic as possible. I think the Melody
has a slight edge in the "feel" department, but the Mirage can be glued to the body and
worn without a bra. Talk about bounce. On the downside, both Mirage and Melody are
very expensive. Mirage starts at around $600 and a pair that are custom fitted and colored
can run you the price of a good used car. Melody forms are all one price regardless of size,
but still pricey at $700 plus.

ITiDl
I suggest you buy the mastectomy forms in the beginning. These will cost you about $250
~ for a decent set. If you feel that you can't afford even that amount, then try making your
own. The simplest breastform is an old stocking or a leg cut from pantyhose filled with
uncooked 1ice or birdseed. Fill the foot of the stocking with your filler until you get the
desired size. You can check the size by resting the filled foot on a flat surface and note how
much the foot stretches. Twist the nylon to secure the filler and fold the open end over the
"boob." Keep folding (four or five times) until you have about two inches of stocking left
and tie a tight knot up close the ball that has formed. Knot a few times and you have a
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Make your own breastforms.

1. Nest three baggies.

2. Inset an eraser in each inside
comer. Get a rubber band.
3. Make a "noose" 1vilh the
rubber band and loop it over
1 3 and around the erasers.
4. Turn the bags inside out
(rubber band is now inside)
andfill with water orfreezer gel.
5. Twist bags closed and Lie off
the "neck" with fishing line or
waxed dental floss.
6. Twist neck tightly andfold
over. Tic offagain, then wrap
4 5 6 with the line orfloss and lie
again. This makes the nipple.
nipple. Trim of the excess stocking. Repeat for a second form . Measure the filler the same
way for both sides so you end up with two forms the same size.

My favorite "el cheapo" forms are made from quart-size plastic sandwich bags. You will
also need some rubber bands, dental floss , and four pencil erasers. The forms can be filled
with tap water, or, better yet, Blue Ice, the gel you put into the freezer to keep your picnic
food cold. The Blue Ice can be found at almost any hardware store and it's cheap.

The illustrations at right will help explain the procedure. Peel sLx bags off the roll and tum
them inside out. Nest three inside each other. This will afford some protection against
leaks. Take two pencil erasers or any other small round, blunt objects and place one into
each corner of the inside bag. Loop a short rubber band around the outside of the bags,
trapping the eraser in the comer. The rubber bands should be short, about 2 to 3 inches
long. Repeat with the other comer. Then tum the bags right side out. The rubber bands
pull the comers inward and cause two thing to happen; the bag takes on a more natural
br~ast shape, and when filled with water it will "give" and seem more natural to the touch.
Fill the bag with 1 to 1\/2 cups of warm (less air dissolved in it) tap water or freezer gel.
Exactly how much you use will depend on how big a breastfonn you want. Use a measuring
cup, so that the second breast will be the same size. Carefully twist the bag closed, making
sure no air is trapped inside. Tie the bag closed with the dental floss at the base of the
twist. Wrap the floss around once or twice and tie again. Tightly twist the top, fold it over
and tie it again. This makes a small rounded bump that can simulate a nipple. Cut off the
excess bag. Repeat tl1e process with the other bags. The freezer gel is better than water
since it won't evaporate. The process takes about a half hour. I have a set of tl1ese made
with the gel that have traveled to Europe and back in my luggage with no leaks.
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

If your bra has elastic sh·aps they will bounce like real breasts, since most body tissue is
water. I made pockets from skin colored tights to hold the forms. The pockets serve two
purposes. I noticed in a photo taken with a flash that the plastic bags showed right through
my clothes. The pocke ts eliminate the reflection from th plastic and they eliminate the
odd noises caused by the plastic bags rubbing against the bra cups.

To set the record straight, I got the basic idea for these forms from Nikki Bee (Serenity,
I•la.) and improved on it a li ttle. A fri end of min was ve1y ne1vous about using plastic
sandwich bags, so she substituted a doubled pair of latex surgical gloves with the fingers
tied off m1d the glove turned inside out. (Now why didn't I think of that?) They work just
fine too, if you C<m find the gloves. I've also heard of using condoms , but I don't recom-
mend it; th y' re too fragi le. Balloons are also ve1y fragile and noisy as well. T1y some wate r
balloons and you'll see what I mean.

Cleavage
One year, when Hallowe'en G II in the middle of' th week, I went with two othe r cross-
dressers to a local straight club that was having a costume party. \V attracted quite a bit of
attention , especially from young worn n. The ques tion we were most often asked was ,
"How <lid you get that cl a age?" In eve1y cas the interrogator was a genetic~ male. I was
qu ite surprised at their interest in clca ag and how impo rtant it s e m cl to them. I know it
is important to us a · ' ·ell. ln fact, it is so impo1tant to so me crossdr ss rs that they begin to
tak fe male hormones in th hopes of cl veloping thei r own breasts

I don't r commend that cross<lressers take hormon s to develop breasts, and conseque ntly
cleavage. First, you wi ll b d isappointed with whateve r br ast tiss ue you do develop; it's
ne er enough. And second, it's ve1y, very dangerous. You are ten-times more likely to
develop a thrombo-embolism or phleb itis if you are taking female hormones. The decision
to take female hormones is a very private and personal on , but one that should made
under the care and guidance of a physician. Enough pr aching; back to the cleavage.

The technique I describe h r is suitable for just about anyone. I learned it from my ve1y
good friend Denise Mason. Many people have told m that the drawings in the original
A&I weren' t cl ar enough. I don't think I can write the instructions any bette r but I can
show you photos of the process. You will need Sport Tape and Dr. Scholl's Moleskin.
These are the basic steps:
• Apply a thin, sheer coat of foundation to the chest area to even out the color.
• Clean the nipple area with alcohol to remove any body oils or powder. Apply two-inch
long strips of one-inch wide Sport Tape just under each nipple. The Sport Tape helps to
spread out the pressure of the next tape, moleskin.
• Prepare a piece of moleskin by cutting it l 'h inches wide and about 8 - 18 inches long.
Denise warms the moleskin over a lightbulb. The heat makes the adhesive stickier.
• Fold the moleskin in half and at the fold cut a "V" then peel off the backing.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

• Pull the chest skin togethe r Creating Cleavage l : Pince

with one hand, creati ng a Sport Tape under each nipple.
cleft in the center, and
Pull chest together and hold i11
Contour hold it in place while you place with moleskin tape.
/ apply the moleskin over
the sport tape. Start in the
center and work out
tm ard each side. This
takes some pructic to do
one-h,mded. It's a lot
easi r if a fri nd or partner
can help. You may need to
apply more tape from the
side of th e br ast towa rd
the center of the chest in a Creating Cleavage 2: Add your
diagonal to keep ev ry- favorite bra and breastforms.
thing in place. Push-up pads may help too.
• Apply contour in the skin
cleft to increase the illusion
of depth. Put highlights on
the tops of the br asts in
an arc to create th illusion
of fulln ess. Blend both th e
highlight and contour.
Reapply if necessa1y, then
powder and seal with
alcohol.
• Cover it all with your Breast lifts can create awesome
favorite bra and cleavage. The "L" is madefrom
breastforms. Make sure 1
/&inch polystyrene plastic
none of the tape shows found in any hobby store. The
above the bra. You can glue is medical grade silicone
even add push-up pads to adhesive.
increase the effect.
I'm never one to be satisfied
with the status quo and while
the above technique has
worked for me many tim es, it
sometimes didn't work and at

least once it tore about two inches of skin off my chest. So, I kept looking for better ways to
create the same effect. I'd stand in front of the mirror and push my chest for some awe-
some cleavage and t1y to figure out how to make it all stay there. It finally dawned on me
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdresslng

that it ·..vas my fin gers on the sides of my breasts and not under them that was doing all the
work. So, I made a pair of "L's" out of some plastic she t I had and glued them to the sides
of my breasts with silicone medical adhesive, the kind used to attach colostomy bags. 1 put
two small holes in the ends under my br asts and thread cl a shoelace through the holes. I
could now adjust the amount of cleavage I •vanted. Th photo on the previous page shows
wher the "L's" are glued.

One last comment about breasts. As in real estate, the three most important things about
breasts are location , location, location. I have seen many crossdressers who do a very nice
job on their make up and then their breasts are either down at the waist or up unde r their
chin. The bust sl1ould fall about the middle of the upp r arm . Also, a man's nipples are
spaced wider than a woman's, so don't make the mistake of placing the forms directly over
your own nipples. Move them slightly closer together. Make sure that one breast isn't
higher than the other. The point is to look at yourself wh n dressing. I mean really look
critically. Does eve1ything look natural? If not, make the adjustment now before you
venture out. The bst thing you ne cl is to have some cretin gawk at your boobs hanging
down around your waist or stuffed up under your chi n.

Filling Out Your Hips

lost m n have hips too narrow in r lation to their wai st fo r a proper fit in female cloth ing.
I'm this case, you need to "fatten" your hips. Th latte r is accomplished with padding.
Similarly th e only fix for a flat or droopy cl rri re is also pudding. Special panty gird les are
made with pockets to hold special pads. Th b st known of th se ar available from
Fred ricks of Hollywood, but th panty i. che. p and th pads look lumpy.

Here's two ways to make your own hip pads. I pick cl th se tricks up from professional
ITIP I re male impersonators. \\ ith e ither method, you wear th pads unde r a pair of pantyhos
The first way in olves buying foam seat-pads, like the kind that you ti to a wooden chair.
Lay the pad up against your hip and with a marking pen chaw a sh ield on the pad with the
point at the bottom. Repeat for the other side. ow trim the pads with a scisso rs and tap r
the edges. Use a second laye r of foam if you n cl more padding. Glue the laye rs toge ther
wi th craft glue. The second method is easie r. Look for a pair of big oven mitts. Cut off the
thumbs and sew the openings closed. Fill with pillow stuffing from a craft store. Sew the
end closed and you have hip pads. Sew two pairs together to get a larger pad.

If neither of these tricks appeal to you, or you're just all thumbs when it comes to artsy-
crafty stuff, well there's still hope. At least two companies make "hip-slips." These are slips
with several layers of petticoat material attached underneath that fluff out the hip area. T1y
LD Fashions, PO Box 50873, Chicago, IL 60650. Tell 'em I sent ya.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Nip & Tuck A lace-up corsel should be 4-6

Corsets, Waist Cinchers &All-In-Ones inches smaller than your
I can s · the glai'.e com o e r yo ur eyes at the mention natural waisl. Erpecl lo pay
of a cors t. This particu lar ga nn nt probably has the over $150 for a good one.
highest sexual attraction for 111 n and women, both. It is
also th one ite m that is going to give yo u the most
proble ms if yo u want to wear one. Corse ts and cinche rs
are des igned fo r wome n; unless you have one custom
made it just ain't gonna fit right. The location of the
waist in re lati on to th e hips is in the wrong place. Give n
a woman the sam height as yo u, in general, he r legs are
A 1vaisl cinchcr is nol as
longer, h r to rso shorte r and he r waist is highe r. I'm not
strong as a corset and won 'l
saying yo u can't eve r wear one of these (I own tw o. ), just
pull your waisl in a fol. They
that is go ing to fit diffe rently. The same is true for waist
are also a fol less expensive,
ci nche rs unless it is custom made (which can b e done).
usually aboul $25 lo $35.

C inche rs ar gene rally not as rugged as a corset, nor as

long. Corset and cinche r should be sized about 4 to 6
inches small e r than you r natural waist. If yo u want to be
ab le to sit, eat and breathe, 2 to 4 inches smaller. Also,
all that ti ss u yo u're compressing has to go somewhe re.
Some of it goe in, some goes up , but a lot of it will go
down, be low the wa ist (talk abo ut a spare tire). A good
stee l-boned co rse t will cost over $150, (mo re if it's
custom made) so you bette r really wan t one. !I ll-in-ones: Body Briefer
(abo ve leji) is made ofpo111er·
Braselle tles and Body Briefe rs are based on bust size. fit net or spandex and provides
is just as diffic ult as a corset. These garments wi ll va1y in firm control.
le ngth and yo ur best be t is to get the longest possible.
Look for th e "waist-down" measure ment. This is the 111e Brascllclle (below leji) has
le ngth from yo ur natural waistline to the bottom of the both spandex and wire boning
garment. Gen e rall y, these are not as stiff and rigid as a lo mold thefigure.
co rse t or a waist cinche r, so they won't pull you in as
much . These garme nts are graded as to the degree of Neither will shapeyou like a
control (mode rate or firm ) depending on the amount of corset docs, bul lhey are much
spandex in the fabric less expensive, $35 lo $65.

A relatively new garme nt is the powe r-slip. This is eithe r

a full or half slip made with an extra-heavy Lycra or
spandex. Many of the full slips have uncle rwired bra cups
and a built in panty. Neve rtheless, unless yo u already
have a shape to start with , these won't really ca1v e you a
new figure .
 Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

ThejoAnn Roberts' "patented" Hiding The Genitals

Instant Sex Change. One of the more difficult aspects of crossdress ing is
trying to fi gure out what to do with your genitals. This
1. Testes pushed up into body. will depend a lot on the cl gree of comfort yo u desire,
the styl e of clothing and whether or not you will need to
2. Scrotum held around penis use a toilet.
ivith plastic medical tape.
The most common way to hide the genitals is to wear n
3. A second, longer piece of gaff. A gaff is a triangular piece of cloth or Lycra that is
tapeforms a tube around tied tightly around the hips with a cord and pulled back
penis. between the legs. The genitals are tucked between the
legs and the gaff holds everything in place. To do this it
4. Crease above penis closed off must be tight. While I have never used one I am told
that it can be quite uncomfortable. A tight panty girdle
with more tape.
se rves much the same purpose. Fashion Fantasy, 9013A
\ Second piece of
\ 2-inch tape Centreville Hd., Manassas, VA 22110, makes a great
5. Penis pushed up into tube,
under scrotum. gaff that won 't ride up your butt. It is very comfortable
and tube folded inivard.
to wear, has a wide wai st band that won't roll over, nnd
it's available in seve ral colors. Call 'em for the latest
6. Add panty girdle or briefto
hold everything inside. Even price.
Lycra pantyhose will do it.
Once again, I did my own research and it seems to me
that the main problems are the testicles and scrotum. If
7. Instant Sex Change!

\ /'
Tape around
penis & scrotum .
I
these can be effectively hidden, then the penis can be
pushed back bel:\:veen the legs and held by a brief or
panty. Here is the method I developed. It takes longer
to describe than to do it and I call it the Instant Sex
Change. With this method you can wear tight spandex
leggings or even a bathing suit.

•I use plastic vented surgical tape 1-inch wide. This will

not tear the skin when removed. Remove most of your
pubic hair from the testicles and above the penis. Peel
off l:\:vo 2-inch and one 6-inch strip of surgical tape and
place them near at hand. Push your penis back
bel:\:veen your legs so that the scrotum is expanded
with the testes.
• Carefully push the testes up into the groin and pull
the loose scrotum skin forward. (Note: Some of you
will not be able to do this. It has to do with a set of
muscles that must be stretched to allow the testes
past. All I can tell you is try.) You should have l:\:vo
loose folds of skin. Release the penis and fold these
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

skin flaps, one over the other, on top of the penis. Place a 2-inch piece of tape over the
flaps. Place the other 2-inch piece lengthwise along the base on the penis.
• Your tes tes shou ld stay up inside your body now. Go around the entire fold and penis
with the long r pi c of tap . The result is a sheath of skin around the penis. If you stop
he re, you can push the penis buck betw en your legs to wear a gaff or a tight panty to
keep everything in place.
• If you want the ultimate smooth line for a swimsuit or a high cut costume, you need to
add so me additional tape. You will notice a small crease is form cl just above the penis.
The tes tes can pop out from this crease, so we have to close it off. You do that by placing
seve ral layers of th medical tap ov r the crease. I also add t\;vo more pieces starting
from under the base of the penis, coming up over the sides.
• Final step. You should now have a tube formed by the skin of the scrotum covered with
tape. Gently push the penis up into the tube. You will learn by practice just how tight to
wrap the penis with the tap for the penis to stay up inside the tube. Once you've done
th at, fold the tube inward and put on a gaff or a panty girdle. You will have a smooth
lin e through th crotch.
Sizing
Panties and brief are sized differently from dresses (it figures ). They come in a number
siz bas cl on hip meusurem nt, as shown below in the chart. \Vomen's panties are much
too narrow through the crotch for us to wear unless you use the aforementioned tuck and
tap m thod. I recomm nd a strong panty gi rd! rather than skimpy nylon panti es.

Panty and Bri e f Size s (inches) Average Height, 5'3 " to 5'7"
SIZE 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hips 36-37 38-39 40-41 42-43 44-45 46-47

Slips & Camisoles

Full slips and camisoles are sized by bust measurement,
while half-slips go by waist size (or panty size) and Slips: Afull-slip (right) is sized
length. This is a no-bruiner for choice. Consider slips either by dress-size or by bust.
with slits if your clothing has slits or kick pleats. Please A half slip (left) is sized by
try to coordinate your slip
color with your outer clothing )~ ,f waist and length. Generally,
the shortest slips are 19"from
· [{~\~
JI ·~
and make sure it doesn't show. the waist and 23" is average. A
I ~
Nothing looks more sloppy (on . ·I chemise is afull-slip with a
I '
I '
a woman or a crossdresser) I : very short skirt. A Camisole is
than to have your white slip
showing from under your
\
I
I just the lop halfofafull-slip.

black skirt.
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

Hosiery
Pantyhose
Just about everyone wi ll be wearing pantyhose even though stockings are definitely sexier.
Pantyhose usually have a size chart on the package that uses height and weight, but
remember that this chart is for women who cany more weight in their hips and legs tlmn
men do. Some experimentation is required to find the "right" size. If I were to go by the
weight on the chart, I'd be wearing Extra-Large, but Medium fits me fine which is what I'd
get from the chart if I use height. Fit will also vary with manufacturer. I have a friend who
swears that only Donna Karan pantyhose fit her correctly. I get all my pantyhose from
Victoria's Secret and the L'Eggs Outlet catalog.

Of course, I'm eccentric when it comes to pantyhose. I wear two pairs. All the time. The
first pair are in a neutral color, like Nude, and are sheer to the waist with lots of spandex
for support. I like L'Eggs Sheer Energy pantyhose for this pair. These serve as my "founda-
tion" garment for my legs. They firm and smooth the calf muscles and also hide any hair
that's grown since I last shaved my legs. The first pair also get a hole cut into the cotton
crotch panel so I use the bathroom without removing eve1y thing. The second pair of hose
are colored to coordinate with whatever I'm wearing and usually have a french-cut panty
built in. For this pair, I buy the Victoria's Secret hose since they have a great color selec-
tion and the hose are very sheer. If you can't shave your legs, you can use a variation of the
two-pair scheme. Make the first pair flesh-colored tights instead of pantyhose. This will
hide the hair on your legs. Then the second pair coordinate to match you r outfit.

Getting into a pair of pantyhose the first time can be an experience and result in rips and
ITIP I
runs . Make sure your finger nails and toe nails do not have any jagged edges to cause snags
and runs. If your nails are a wreck, wear white cotton gloves to put on the pantyhose. Sit on
a chair or the edge of the bed. Gather both legs of the pantyhose down to the ankles and
slip over both feet. Gradually work the legs up to your knees a little at a time, working each
leg alternately. Once you get to your knees, stand and pull up from the waistband until it is
at your waist. Sometimes it will help if you dampen your hands and drag your palms up
your legs. The extra friction will smooth out the hose. If you do the two-pair trick described
above, putting on the second pair is a snap.

There's a new kind of yarn being used in pantyhose called microfiber. It's Lycra filaments
wound with nylon and it is silky smooth. These hose tend to run on the opaque side and
they are very run-resistant. But, when they do run, look out. No little holes here.

Stockings
Stockings and garter-belts go in and out of style, although we faux-girls have probably
never given them up. Some department stores still carry a selection of stockings and garter-
belts, but it gets harder and harder to find them. Proper stocking fit will involve specifying
a size and lengtl1, where possible. A little experimentation in size selection will be involved
since the kind of yam and the knit style will affect fit. Start witl1 your female shoe size and
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

work up by half-size steps. I wear a size 10 shoe and take an 11-Long stocking. (If you don't
know your shoe size we'll deal with that later.) Also, start with a Tall or Long since your
legs are almost certainly heavier than a female's. Some stockings come in a nylon-spandex
ble nd which stretches quite a bit and thus these are sized in Small, Medium, and Large.
Start with Medium if you're under 5 18 11 , othenvise buy Large. I buy Hanes Silk Reflection
stockings by the bag through the L'Eggs Outlet. They're great. Many TV boutiques, like
Ve rnon's and Lee's Mardi Gras, carry an extensive selection of stockings, including hard-
to-find seamed stockings. They also carry garter-belts which you buy by waist-size. Forget
the garter-belts that are one-size-fits-all, or sized Small, Medium, Large, because they
won't hold up your stockings. They're more for play.

Lingerie Colors
As a minimum you should have two complete sets of lingerie, one set in black and one set
in beige or nude (not white). You will need the beige under Light clothing. White will show
through almost everything, including white clothes. Other color choices can be purchased
after you have the basics. I find it very sexy to wear all one color underneath eve1ything.

Lingerie Notes
Those are the basics for the selection and fit of lingerie. It will pay off in the long run to
buy smart and buy right. It is not pleasant to be out for the evening and have your under-
wear pinching and binding.

Skip the Fredericks Of Hollywood catalog. Most of their items are going to be too small for
you and the quality is such that it just won't hold up. Much of their linge rie is for show, not
everyday wear and tear. Buy from a reputable TV boutique or check out any one of a
number of mail order catalogs from a department store. And if you are big, don't despair.
The fashion world has discove red that large women like to feel sexy too, and size is gener-
ally not a problem today. So get out those catalogs and start steaming up your glasses.

Your Outer Image

Being Well-Dressed
This is a major step in the process of crossing gender lines. Everything you've achieved up
to now could be ruined by ill-fitting or poorly chosen clothes. Just as "Clothes Make the
Man," they make the woman as well. I do not care if people who see JoAnn realize that I
am a male in women's clothing, but I do care that they think I am well-dressed. The better
I look the more likely I will be treated respectfully, even if they do realize I am a cross-
dresser. If I look like a tramp, I'll be treated like one. Sometimes that's the effect you'll
want. But in most social situations, you want to look smart, not tart. Knowing how to dress
well is an acquired skill. It means understanding your body and how different clothes will
look when hung on that body. It also means spending your money wisely.
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

Just what is meant by well-dressed? \i\ ell, it used to mean you spent a lot of money on your
clothes, i.e., high-priced, designer fashions. That is not true toe.lay. With a little bit of
planning and some judicious shopping, you can all be well-dressed. v\ ell-dressed today
means attention to your total image, including makeup, hair, clothing cut, color, designs,
fabric and accessories. All of these must balance each other and your personality. If your
clothes don't fit your personality, you will look and feel uncomfortable. Therefo re, you will
not be well-dressed. You must find your personal style.

Personal Style
Most fashion experts agree there are four personal styles, although some have different
names for these styles: Dramatic, Classic, Romantic, and Casual.

Dramatic • High fash ion. We tend to think dramatic clothes can only be worn by tall thin
people. Not so. Dramatic is a feeling. Are you ambitious? Do you like fast cars? Would you
like to be the powerful woman executive who travels the world? That's Dramatic style.

Classic • Tailored and structured, timeless. Conservative, but never go out of style, like a
blue blazer and grey slacks. If you like the career look of an executive, administrator, or
manager, that's Classic style.

Romantic • Ruffles, lace, and frills, ultra-feminine. This is a very difficult look to achieve
well, even for genetic women. Romantic is only acceptable for special occasions. Romantic
is never appropriate for a work environment.

Casual• No nonsense dressing. Jeans and tee tops. Slacks and loose fitting blouses.

You can switch between personal styles, just don't mix them in the same outfit. You don't
have to be trapped in dressing one way all the time. I often say I'm part drag queen
because I like to dress very flamboyant on occasion, but generally I am a Dramatic person,
as if you couldn't guess.

When buying clothes look at the quality of workmanship in the garment. Are the edges
trimmed and basted? Is the garment lined? Are hems and seams straight and tight? These
are all signs of quality. You should look the best that you can. It doesn't pay to buy cheap,
even for clothes you won't wear that often. Cheap clothes are cut tighter and are more
likely to rip. Here are some standards:
• Blouse: sleeve comes to wrist, buttons close with 1 inch of fabric on each side of bust, 2
inches of fabric on each side for blousing.
• Skirt/slacks: I-inch of extra fabric at hips, you should be able to put two fingers in the
waistband while wearing it, hang straight from buttocks, pleats and pockets stay closed.
• Jacket: Shoulder 1 inch wider than your shoulder bone, Y4 to 'A-inch of blouse shows
from sleeve, no pulling or gaping across the back.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Cut &Line
In order to appear well-dressed, you need to match the clothes to your body. You first
figure out your body line from back on page 12 and then you shop for clothes that follow
that line. Try to imagine Dolly Parton (a Figure 8) in a very sharp-lined and fitted business
suit. Doesn't work, does it?

Clothes have "lines" loo. AL lefl

is a suil with sharp lines for
the Box shape. Al cenler is a
suit wilh curved lines for the
Figure 8. At right is a suit with
soft lines for L!Je barrel shape.

Just as there are body "lines," clothes are cut with a predominant line in mind. See the
illustrations above for examples. There are actually several different variations of these
lines, both for bodies and clothes, but I have simplified them here. Once you catch on to
the concept, you can ex11eriment with different lines.

Scale
Scale is the proportion of one object to another. In this case, the first object is you, the
other is your clothes. Therefore, keep clothes to scale. If your clothes are not scaled to your
body you will look badly dressed. The better the quality of clothing you buy, the better the
fft (generally) and the better the scale. Almost all women's clothes are designed as a size 8
and then scaled up or down as needed. An eighth-inch error in a seam at a size 8 can mean
over an inch error at size 14. Most of us need average or overscale clothes to look well-
dressed. Sometimes overscale clothing can work to yow- advantage. Think you'll never fit in
a size 10? Maybe you will, if it's designed overscale. Going the other direction, a very tall
size 14 might be able to wear a Petite 14 as a minidress, after letting out the sleeves.

Clothing Suggestions
On the next several pages, I'm going to suggest different styles of clothing based on body
type. We'll look at suits, skirts, dresses, and evening wear.

Of course, it would take an encyclopedia to list and show every style of dress and its
variations. That's well beyond the scope of this book. You should start buying some of the
fashion magazines. Two I would suggest are Allure and Glanwtir.
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

The Barrel (soft lines)

The best suit for a barrel shape -
Simplicity, structure, vertical lines are for you. Shop for • a
cardigan-style jacket • strong shoulder line • easy fit at bust,
armholes • hip length • a slim-lined skirt darker than or
matched to jacket • eased fit in the waist, tummy, hips •
mid-knee length • flat-finish fab rics that hold shape well:
gabardines; silk broadcloth ; lightweight wool; soft poplin;
lined jersey with spandex • solid colors or subtle patterns.
Don't buy • llimsy fabrics : lightweight knit; slinky jersey;
bulky fabrics: tweed, ribbed knit • a tight fit : • flap or patch
pockets • peplum or bolero jacket • a jacket that hits you
mid-hip • gigantic patterns: be splashy in a scarf or blouse,
not the suit.

The best dress for a barrel shape -

A dress with built-in structure, as opposed to a formless tent,
is most flattering. Shop for • a tailored dress • strong
shoulders • soft fabrics that tailor well: gabardines; light-
weight wool fl annel; lined jersey; crisp linen; poplin; silk
broadcloth • length to mid-knee or just below: show great
legs! • a wrap front • solid colors or tiny patterns: hound-
stooth, pindots, chalk stripes • dark; rich color • matching or
darker belt. Other good choices • two-piece dress in a soft
fabric, if it has structured shoulders • nice bonus: angled
slash pockets. Don't buy• baggy, shapeless dress • clingy
knits, hefty tweeQs, corduroy • patch or fl ap pockets •
double-breasted styling • starkest white; pastels • two-color
dress unless the bottom half is black or navy.

The best evening look for a barrel shape -

You'll look great in simple shapes done in luxurious fabrics ,
like a satin jacket and crepe sheath. Shop for • a jacket in
silk, polyester or rayon satin or crepe • dark-tone crepe
sheath or slim skirt • length to mid-knee or just above• hose
toned to skirt and shoes. Other good choices • gently full ,
softly structured blouse in soft fabric that holds shape: stiff-
finish chiffon, organza, georgette, taffeta • fluid skirt in soft
fabric : silk, crepes, lined chiffon (if your top isn't chiffon),
georgette, mousseline. Don't buy • a baggy or too-tight fit •
a skirt in a heavy or clingy fabric: velvet, brocade, jersey •
strapless, halter, spaghetti-strap • poufs, tiers, flounces in a
skirt or dress • wide, billowing pants.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

The best skirt for a barrel shape -

Shop for • skirt with ease and soft lines, that floats around
you, not against you • tiny gathers at the waist: they create
ease, prevent clutch at the waist, tummy, rear • narrow-
falling line • length just reaching bottom curve of calf •
flowing fabric: silk or high-quality polyester crepe de chine;
challis; mane rayon; wool crepe • dark solids or subtle
patterns • dark, sheer hosiery, toned to skirt. Other good
choices • a slim, shorter skirt if worn with a below-the-hip
top • knee-length trouser-cut slim skirt • gored skirt if not
too flared • bias-cut skirt if it doesn't cling. Don't buy • a
tight fit • poufs, tiers, flounces, ruffles • pegged skirt or
sarong • light colors, splashy patterns • shiny, bulky, or stiff
fabrics.

The Box (sharp lines)

The best suit for a box shape -
Shop for • a jacket with curved shape at the waist, hips • a
strong shoulder line • mid-hip length • a ski1t with soft
fu llness at the waist <U1d hips • top-of-the-knee length •
unmatched skirt/jacket: contrasting colors, mixed and/or
bold patterns; any colors • gutsy fabrics: tweeds, checks,
bulky knits, high-nap wovens like corduroy, velvet. Othe r
goocl choices • peplum jacket • wrap jacket that fl ares from
the waist when belted • draped, side-closure jacket • wide
double-breasted jacket • flaring skirt • moderately exagger-
ated details lapels, big pocket flaps, bold topstitching • box-
pleat skirt. Don't buy • below-hip or boxy jacket • tight
straight skirt • drop shoulde rs • narrow skirt • flimsy fab1ic.

The best drsss for a box shape -

Fabric is key: Look for dense textures and/or sturdy weaves
to "pad" your curves. Shop for • strong shoulders • fullness
below the waist, whether via belting or built-in pleats,
gathers, tiers, "stand-away" fabric • sturdy weaves, high
density textures: corduroy knits, gabardine, wool flannel,
poplin • soft fit above the waist • mid-knee length • light or
bright colors; contrasting top/bottom; bold pattern. Other
good choices • trapeze dress • broad necklines: boatneck,
\vide shawl collar, lapels. Don't buy • sleekest, body-
conscious dresses • a tight fit • contrasting belt • flimsy,
clingy fabrics • longest hemlines • cutaway sleeves • halter
neckline.
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

The best evening look for a box shape -

Shop for • allover shirring • structure in the torso, bustlin ,
hips • optional: a little hip padding • mid-knee maximum
length • strapless, one-shoulder, off-the-shoulder styles •
pliable fabric sh irred, gather d or ruched over a stiffer one
like chiffon or crepe ove r satin; stretch knits that crush into
shirring; puckered knits • any color; best if not black. Other
good choices • any "best" in this guide, in luxurious
evening fabrics: satin, chiffon, sequins • frills and flounces •
dramatic shoulder emphasis: tiered collars; decorative
ornamentation. Don't buy • a slim tunic that mimics your
shape • clingy fabrics or knits • skimpy camisole or thin-
strap top or dress.

The best skirt for a box shape -

Styles that emphasize waist and hips are for you. Shop for •
a side-tucked sarong, gather-and-wrap adds "padding"
around waist and hips • top-of-the-knee length • supple
fabric • boldest colors, patterns • option: tying sarong
instead of tucking. Other good choices • all-around waist
gathers, if at least knee length • high-release box pleats •
l:\vo- or three-pleat trouser ski rt • yoked or gored skirt •
bulky-knit pull-on • fringe, tiers, ruffies, shirring. Don't buy
• flimsy, clingy fabrics • long hemlines in narrow cuts • slim
wraps, lean knits • stitched-down knife pleats • high waist
unless it's soft fabric that crushes into folds.

The Figure 8 (curved lines)

The best suit for a Figure 8 shape -
Shop for • a jacket with shape that follows yours, tapering
at the waist • a slightly padded shoulder line • hip length or
just below • a slim skirt, matched or unmatched • top-of-
the-knee length • soft fabrics: wool, gabardine, challis, silk,
wool crepe, cotton jersey, fine-gauge knits. Don't buy•
narrow, mid-calf skirt • oversize jacket • frilly styles • full
skirts • flounces • gatl1ers.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

The best drsss for a Figure 8 shape -

Fabric is key: Look for dense textures and/or sturdy weaves
to "pad" your curves. Shop for • strong shoulders • fullness
below the waist, whether via belting or built-in pleats,
gathe rs, tiers, "stand-mvay" fabric • sturdy weaves, high
density textures: corduroy knits, gabardine, wool flann el,
poplin • soft fit above the waist • mid-knee length • bght or
bright colors; contrasting top/bottom; bold pattern . Other
good choices • trapeze dress • broad necklines: boatneck,
wide shawl collar, lapels. Don't buy • sleekest, body-
conscious dresses • a tight fit • contrasting belt • flimsy,
clingy fabrics • longest hemlines • cutaway sleeves, halter
neckline.

The best svsnlng look for a Figure 8 shape -

Shop for • halter • strapless • off-the-shoulder • body
skimming • decorative detailing around the neck or above
the waist • length just above knee to ankle • soft fabrics: thin
knits, silk crepe de chine, charmeuse, lined chiffon , sequins ,
silk crepe, lace. Othe1· good choices • any "best" in this
guide, in luxurious fabri cs: velvet, microfiber, satin •
sequined jacket • narrow chiffon pants • wool or silk crepe
chemise. Don't buy • overwhelming fabric • brocade • stiff
ruffles • floral s • flounces, tiers, or poufs.

The best skirt for a Figure 8 shape -

Shop for • fluid , narrow • minimal gathers • bias cut •
length to top of knee • solid color • flowing fabric: je rsey,
silk, rayon, crepe de chine, challis. Other good choices •
wrap skirt knife pleats • b·ouser-cut • flattest knit pull-ons •
sbm above knee. Don't buy • skirts that look wider than
they are long • circle skirt • tiered • bordered skirts • high-
waisted • stiff or bulky fabrics • tweed • cabled knit.

Weight &Texture
In addition to the cut or line of the clothes, they have weight
and texture contributed by the fabric. Box)' and Figure-8
bodies should minimize the weight and texture of fabrics.
The Barrel body can handle more of both. It's difficult to
create sharp straight lines with heavy, nubby fabrics , so
Boxes should stick with wool gabardine, linen, silk, or
charmeuse. Figure-8 bodies should look for soft fabrics that
drape well like silk, wool crepe, jersey, challis, and rayon.
 Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

Curved barrel bodies can wear more texture because these fabrics fa ll naturally into soft
lines. A curved body can wear almost any texture as long as the weight of the fabric
compensates for the texture.

!~
Fabric weight mailers. The
jacket at the far right looks
smaller because the fabric is a I \

lighter weight.
I
l!

Texture mailers, too. The

jacket at near right looks
bulkier because thefabric has
more texture to it.
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

Value Basics
The following is a list of a basic fashionable wardrobe. These are items that have a timeless-
ness to them. They will never go out of style. They can be easily updated with a change of
accessories.

• Black Jacket • High quality black suede pumps

• Above the knee skirt • Black leather boots - knee high
• Classic Trousers • Traditional 5 pocket jeans that fit
• Tailored shirt • Black moc-croc belt, 2 inches wide
• Notch collar white silk blouse • Simple gold button earrings
• Simple rayon tee shirt • Trench Coat

one of these may be inexpensive, but don't let that put you off. Consider the dollars per
wearing value. For example, I purchased a wide leather belt for $50. It bothered me to
spend that much for a belt .. . aft first. Since I bought it, I've worn it with just about
everything I own from a leather suit to a rayon dress. The cost per wearing of the belt, right
now, is down to about $0.25/wearing. The more I wear it, the less it costs me to own it
b cause I am getting value fro m it. On the other hand, I spent big bucks on a sequined
gown that I'll get to wear maybe twice a year. Bad investment? Maybe, but I already have
the basics and wanted to splurge a little on myself.

All Year, All Around Clothing

There are certain colors and fab rics that are always wearable, any time of the year. These
basic colors are black, white, beige, oavy and red. The best all-year-round fabrics are
jersey, lightweight wool crepe, crepe de ch ine, gabardine, and fine cottons. A basic sta1ting
wardrobe consists of at'least the following:

• 1. suit • 2 basic skirts

• 2 basic dresses • 2 pairs of shoes
• 1 cardigan • 3 to 6 blouses

Keep these in one or two of the solid colors noted above. You can expand your wardrobe
with addition styles, colors and items as you expand your outside activities.

Typlcal Problems
The following is a collection of hints for body parts which I consider typical problems for
crossdressers:
• Lines in neck or large Adam's apple - Wear scarves or high collars.
• Long or thick neck - Peter Pan, jewel necklines, hair low on neck, high neckline.
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

• Broad wide shoulders - U nconstructed shirts & jackets, dropped or raglan shoulders,
narrow lapels, halter necklines, low necklines.
• Heavy arms - Raglan, kimono, Dolman sleeves, very long sleeves without cufTs.
• Large bust (i.e., broad chest) - Dark colors on top, v-necks, raglan or Dolman sleeves.
• Thick waist - Chemise, drop waist dresses, Chanel style jackets, blouson style dresses,
narrow belts same color as outfit (if at all).
• Tummy protrudes: Tunics and chemises, A-line skirts, hard finish fabrics.

Shoes
Finding the right size shoe can be an expensive proposition if you have to buy without
trying. First of all your foot is longer and wider than a woman's, so right off you have to
compensate for length and width. My rule of thumb is to add at least one full size to your
man's shoe size, and more likely 1 Y2 sizes. You will also need a wide or double wide (\VV•l).
So a man's 8Y2 becomes a 9112wide or 10 Wide. Heel height affects fit as well. The lower
the heel, the bigger the size you need. Heel heights are generally classed as follows; flats -
no heel to about Y4 inch; low - 1/2 to 1 inch, mid-112 to 2 inches, high- 2Y2 and up, Stiletto
- long slender heel 4 inches and up.

Heel height is measured from the bottom of the heel to the point where the heel first
intersects the sole, i.e., the front of the heel (see illustration). So a heel listed as 2 inches
might actually lift you 2112 or 3
inches, depending on the final
size. If you are tall (over 5'9")
then you have to trade-off heel
height for the amount of attention
you want to attract. No matter
what, tall girls attract attention
and you could well encl up over 6
feet tall in spikes.

There are several other things to

consider when buying shoes. Since your feet are larger than the average female you want to
choose a vamp style (the top of the shoe that covers your toes) that will visually slenderize
your foot. Look for styles that have a pointed or arched vamp. A rounded vamp will make
your foot look dumpy.

Designs to stay away from : shoes with a strap across the instep, it shortens the leg and
breaks the vertical line; the same for ankle straps. Some classic shapes to look for are:
Chanel sling-back pump and strap sandal. In general, the less shoe there is, the better your
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

legs look. For open toed shoes, only the first and second toes should show in the opening.
Heavy heels make legs look heavy. The skinnier, the better (for looks, not for safety). The
final consideration is material. Man made materials are very common in inexpensive shoes,
but the synthetic material doesn't breath like leather, it doesn't stretch like leather and it
won't last like leather. Spend a few extra dollars and do your feet a favor.

Black is the most versatile color, but it can be too heavy for some outfits. Consider other
colors like burgundy, tan and red. Pick beige rnther than white and never, never buy white
patent. It always looks cheap, no matter what you pay!

I am often asked where to buy shoes, especially in larger sizes. Most shoe stores in the
malls carry up to size 10. Some catalogs, like Sears or Penney carry up to 11. A shop
specializing in Tall Women's shoes may go up to 12 or 13. To get the right fit the first time
means you need to try the shoes on and for that the best place is a TV boutique. They will
have shoes up to 13 or more. Check the CDS Who's Who & Resource Guide for several
reputable sources of shoes in larger sizes. Prices will range from $50 to $100 dollars
depending on style and material for nice shoes with 2 to 3 inch heels.

Accessories
Accessorize to Scale
The important thing to remember about accessories is scale. Keep everything within the
same relative proportions as your physical size. Don't wear teeny pearl earrings if you are
5'10" and size 18. Large women wear large eanings, large bracelets and rings and carry
large purses. The scale of your accessories won't help you pass, but it won't draw any
extraordinary attention to yourself. The right accessories complete an outfit and the wrong
accessories will kill it. Some guidelines are: Box)' body - wear geometric shapes that are
angular and constructed, like square and diamond shapes; Barrel body - wear geometric
shapes that are soft and unconstructed, like oval and elliptical shapes; Figure-8 body -
wear curved but constructed shapes like circles and ovals.

Belts
Most often a dress will come with a belt and if it is your correct dress size it should fit you
unless you're cheating. At the very least, have one black patent belt. Black patent goes with
everything. For large sizes check out a Lane Bryant or similar big woman's store. Good ITIP I
choices are a one inch wide leather belt in a basic color and a two inch wide leather belt
embossed to look like alligator or crocodile.

Handbags
It is no longer required to coordinate your purse or handbag with your shoes and gloves. A
clutch bag in black leather or black patent is a good choice for evening. A shoulder bag is
good if you feel awkward about what to do with your hands. You will fmd that one hand
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

just naturally rests on the bag. Stay with basic colors again at first, then add variety as your
wardrobe expands. Very good but inexpensive handbags can be found at most discount
clothing stores. A reasonable bag should cost you between $25 and $50.

Gloves
Glove sizes are measured by the circumference of the widest part of the hand, in inches.
For women, the widest part is usually around the second knuckle. For you, it will probably
be around the palm. Only the largest of women's gloves will fit the smallest of a man's
hand. Try one of the stretch styles like Isotoner®. It may even be advisable to wear gloves
if your hands are very large or just not ve1y feminine. Hemember to keep the style and
color appropriate to your outfit and the season.

Jewelry
Earrings
It is acceptable in many social circles for a man to have one pierced ear, but having both
ears pierced still raises some eyebrows. Both of my ears are pierced, but then I'm self-
employed in an artistic field where such affectations are tolerated. Your situation is
probably diffe rent. My good friend Alison Laing had both ears pierced for a long time and
I neve r noticed until she told me. Her secret was a pair of clear nylon plugs. The plugs kept
the holes in her earlobes open and camouflaged them at the same time. The plugs are
made from clear fishing line or the clear plastic used to attach price tags to clothes. Cut a
short length, about% inch long, and hold it with a tweezer. Use a match, lighter or other
heat source to soften one end and press this against a flat surface. Heat the other end so it
ITIP I
forms a ball. It should look like this: ..-i . The ball end goes in back, the flat in front. Add
a dab of clear lip balm or a touch of tinted acne cream and they're hidden. If you can get
away with pierced ears using this technique, great. Otherwise, stick with clip earrings.
There are many nice varieties of clip earrings as they're back in vogue. If you see a pair of
pierced earrings that you just must have, most craft stores sell clips to convert pierced
earrings. These run about a dollar a set.

At a minimum, you should own three pairs of earrings: one very plain gold-toned pair; one
jet black pair; and one rhinestone pair. Rhinestone earrings are always reserved for
evening wear and a good pair will cost from $20 to $40 or more. Try bazaars and flea
markets for bargain buys in rhinestones.

Finger Rings
Ring sizes are the same for both men and women. However, most women's rings are no
larger than a size 9, which is probably too small for the average crossdresser. You can still
wear these rings by cutting through the bottom of the shank and spreading the ring. Many
department stores sell costume jewelry rings for around $20. You can even get a zircon
"diamond" engagement ring for this
5 6 7 B 9 101112
price. I have one and it looks great.
Remember to buy rings to scale.
RING SIZER

'rn
.t''··t.J. \.. V.L LUV .uauu, lU 111C11V:S.

ckle. For you, it will probably

lt the smallest of a man's Wrist, Ankle & Neck Chains
The same problem of size prevails with pre-made chains. Neck, wrist and ankle chains
1 be advisable to wear gloves

ber to keep the style and manufactured for women will just be too small for you unless you are very petite. A
woman's wrist chain is about 7 inches long, an ankle chain 8 inches long and a small neck
chain about 14 inches. By contrast, a man's wrist bracelet is about 8 to 8Y2 inches long. The
solution is to have your chains made. Several times I have seen vendors selling chains by
the inch. Measure your wrist or ankle and add between Yi to% of an inch to this measure-
ment. Have the chain made to this length before the clasp is added. The smallest neck
erced ear, but having both
chain should be about 18 to 20 inches long. Of course, these are usually cheap gold plate
:erced, but then I'm self-
which will eventually wear off, so these are not for daily wear. Of course, you can have fine
1ted. Your situation is
14kt gold chains made to length too, but be prepared to spend some serious money.
s pierced for a long time and
lr nylon plugs. The plugs kept
Bracelets
ame time. The plugs are
The problem of finding bracelets in the right size for us seems almost insoluble. I have
price tags to clothes. Cut a
never found a suitable bracelet in a large enough size.
se a match, lighter or other
lee. Heat the other end so it
Watches
n back, the flat in front. Add
As with the wrist chains, a lady's watch band will be too small. Some replacement bands
iy're hidden. If you can get
come in extra long lengths which will fit a small to average male wrist. A recent style dress-
. stick with clip earrings.
band is a two part mesh with an adjustable clasp which just might fit even a large male
n vogue. If you see a pair of
wrist. Expect to pay $30-$60 for a really good watch.
clips to convert pierced

AWell-Kept Secret
There is a source of women's jewelry that provides large size rings (up to size 11), and sells
ry plain gold-toned pair; one
extenders for bracelets and chains. The company is Lady Remington. Yep, the same
e always reserved for
Remington that makes the shavers. Lady Remington is a complete line of jewelry with
·e. Try bazaars and flea
rings, watches, bracelets, earrings (clip and pierced), and necklaces. Oh, yeah, they make
men's jewelry too. You can see the Lady Remington jewelry and other accessories on the
CDS video Accessori;::;ing Your Wardrobe. Check your local phone book for a Lady
Remington representative in your area. If you can't find one, call my friend Laurie who is a
nost women's rings are no
rep at 1-800-726-3324, Ext. 2035 and ask her to send you information about the line.
e crossdresser. You can still
nd spreading the ring. Many
fou can even get a zircon
Glasses
As we get older our eyesight changes and many of us will need eyeglasses. I've had to wear
5 6 7 8 9 101112 glasses since I was a kid, so I'm used to it. I also wear contact lenses when I'm dressed, but
sometimes I wear feminine glasses. As with all else in this book, picking the right eyewear
can go a long way in enchancing your appearance. Selection should be based on knowing
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

what shapes are best suited for your face . The following guide will assist you in selecting
the right frames fo r your face.

Facial Structure & Frame Shape

Oval Face: If face is full , lengthen it. If face is thin ,

refer to Rectangle. Any style frame looks good on an
oval face except extreme geometric shapes.

Rotmd Face: With a full face, you need to add length

to make it look more slim. Square is the best fram e for
a round face to provide balance. Make the frame
slightly wider than your face and your face will appear
slimmer.

Rectangular Face: The idea here is to shorten the

face and add width, also soften the edges if more
square. Keep fram e within the borders of your face to
add width. Triangular, round or square frames will all
shorten and soften the rectangular face.

Passing
Let's talk a bit about "passing." I'm going to assume you are among those crossdressers
who want to appear in public socially, i.e. you want to "pass" as a woman. Allow me to first
disabuse you of the idea that you will pass as a female. No matter what you do, even if you
have reassignment surge1y, you are a male if you were born with XY chromosomes and you
will never be a female. You can, however, pass yourself off as a woman with practice. I
make the above statements after much thought and public experience. You see, ''Woman"
is an artificial construction of current society. The defmition of "woman" is impossible to
pin down, and it changes with time. So, if you work at it, you can make other people
believe that you are a woman by tbe current definition.

Much of "passing" is related to your physical image. Women come in as wide a variety as
men, so if you have applied your makeup well and wear appropriate clothes, you will most
likely pass for female . However, there is an emotional!psychological side as well. Once you
 Volume 2: Fashion & Style

have achieved an acceptable (to the rest of

the world) outer image, you must build an
inner image of yourself as a woman. You
must believe that you will pass. If you do
not believe, then you will send subtle
signals to those who get a little too close
that something is not quite right. Confi-
dence comes gradually, and by placing
yourself in controlled situations you will
achieve your goal of passing.

I remember when I decided I had to walk

through the local shopping mall, in the
daytime. In retrospect, it was a foolish
stunt, but at the time I was determined to
go through with it. My timing was all
wrong. It was Christmas break for the local
schools and the mall was full of teenagers. I
made the rounds of the stores window
shopping, and I was very, very nervous. Just as I was leaving, I walked by a jewelry booth
where 3 or 4 teenage girls were talking. I thought one of them "read" me and whispered
something to the others. I continued walking and as I rounded the comer, there was a
security guard coming toward me. I thought, 'Tm in real trouble now." I kept going at a
steady pace and the guard walked right by me without a second glance. However, he was
headed tO\.vard those teenage girls, so I wasn't out of the woods yet. I expected to hear
"Hey You!" at any moment. It never came and I quickly left the mall. By the time I
reached my car, I was sweating so profusely that my makeup was in danger of running off
my face. For a public appearance, it was not a controlled situation.

By controlled situations I mean one where you have little chance of getting hassled by the
general public. Start by finding if there is a group that meets in your area. Most large cities
have several national and local organizations. Some advertise in the local gay news, others
in transgender publications such as The Transvestian or LadyLike. There are weekend
events all around the country. At last count, there were 22 such recurring events. These are
excellent opportunities for the novice to practice and get feedback in a controlled situation.
An alternative is a gay bar or club. There are two very nice gay clubs near me that have
excellent restaurants attached, and I have gone to them for dinner several times. Call first
to be sure you will be welcomed. Don't be intimidated being crossdressed in a gay men's
bar. If anyone comes on to you and you are not interested, politely say so and thank them
for the attention. That will usually be the end of it. This will be good practice for you
when you decide you are ready to venture into the world of straight people.

An acquaintance of mine once remarked, "Dressing to pass is work!" This is very true. You
Art & Illusion: A Guide to Crossdressing

must be much more aware of your appearance and actions, especially during daytime. Your
choice of clothing should be appropriate for the time of day and season. A low-back
evening gown at 4th & Main at noon is going to get a lot of attention. Makeup for daytime
must be softer and more subtle. What works for evening could look like a circus clown in
broad (no pun intended) daylight.

Once you think you've got the look right and have gotten some feedback from other
people, it is time to ease into real-world excursions, slowly. Try going for a ride in tl1e car.
Maybe, go to a park when it is not too crowded. Eventually, you might work up enough
courage to go to a restaurant. Just be sure to pick one that has soft lighting. It will help a
great deal if you are not alone. If you have a friend of eitl1er s x tlmt you can trust, see if
iliey will go along with you. One idea is to find anotl1er crossdresser and take turns escort-
ing each other as a male/female couple.

Remember, try to always be in control of tl1e situation. Carry your real ID with you at all
times, and, if out alone, take the phone number of someone you can trust just in case. This
is supposed to be fun, right!? Don't take any foolish or unnecessary chances, like I did,
until you are ready for tlie harsh light of day.

Wrapping Up
One thing that you cannot get by reading a book is a sense of style, and that is partly
because styles change and a book, once written, is static. Style is more a philosophy than
anytl1ing else. It will reflect in the way you dress and it says a lot about you as a person.
Discreet observation of women you find attractive and scanning the fashion magazines will
help to develop your personal style. Remember those things that catch your eye and try to
incorporate them into your own personal style.

There was some stuff left over after recompiling the two older books into the two new
volumes, and instead of trying to cram it in here, I'm going to do a Volume 3, Behaving As
A Woman, iliat will include information on developing feminine mannerisms, as well as
grace and poise. Watch for a future announcement of availability. Much of the material in
here on fashion and style will be on video by the Fall of 1994.

If you have any corrections to or suggestions about eitl1er Volume 1 or Volume 2, please
write. I love to get mail.

Now, go have some fun.

Big. Tall. Short. Small.
We've got something for everyone.

In addition to Art & Illusion ... • Speaking As AWoman• The Cross & The Crossdresser
•Transsexual's Survival Guide, Volumes I & II• Coping With Crossdressing •Who's
Who & Resource Guide• Couple's Video• Straight Dope on Hormones video• Cosmetic
Surgery Options video• Basic Makeup video• and much more from ...

Creative Design Services

PO Box 491, Lionville, PA 19353-0491
Call 610-321-0858 for Credit Card orders
 Abe>Lllt AL11the>r
JoAnn Robe rts is a c:rossdressc r, wri te r and publish e r. She
has hee n acti\'e in the c:omm uni t:· since.: 188.3, whe n she first
spokC' to a class of' graduate stude nts at the 11 iw· rsit\· of
Pc•1111s\·ka11ia . Thi s e\·e nt led to rnorc class IC'ct11res and sh e
reg11larl.\· sp<'aks aho11t crossdrcssing at a doze n c:oll<'g<'s and
11n iH·rs itiC's C'acl1 \'C 'a r.
I11 IH.S.'5. Jo,\ 1111 sta rted C rC'ati n· Des ign Se 1Yic:es and \\'rote
il<' r l"irst hook. 1\ r/ & lll11 sio11 : A C11irll' lo Crossdrcssi11g. She
li >ll o\\'ecl thi s \\'ilh th C' ,\ & l Co 1111H111io11 . both of \\'hic:h art'
lws l-sl'll l' rS. Soon a lh· r A& l was p11hli sll('cL JoAnn appc•arecl
011 tl w Donahm· Show.
E111 holclC'11 ecl ll\' th e Sll C:C:l'SS or A&I and th C' rC'c:ognition
tl1 at c unl' \\'ith IH ·ing rn1 tC' k·\·ision . Jw\1111 and lci11r rri C' ncls -
:\liso n Laing. :\ngl' la C ardne r, Trncl:· I Ie•n1Y& \ IC'lani e Br:«1n
- f'o 1111dccl th e Hl' nai ssan c:e Ed11c:at ion Associati on. Inc: .. th l'
la rgl'St ope n-n1 c· nil ie rship based s11pport group on th e East
Coast. I l11 111 lil:· lieginning with 1:3 p<'opl<' . He naissan c:e now
has O\·e r 500 nw rnhe rs in f'ot1r chapte rs and st1pports three·
affiliated grot1ps.
\\ ·anting to do sonwth ing a 1it tie rnorc· St' rirn 1s. JoA 1111 wrote Co/Ji 11g \ Fil h C ros.wlrcssi11g. a hancllmok !'or c:o11plcs in committed
re lation ships strnttt!;ling with c: rossclressing. Sh e was also asked to c:ontrihutP to a c:oll Pge tex tbook, /31'CC1111i11g A Sexual P!'rso 11 .
Sern11d Edi!io11 . edited h:· Dr. Holie r! Franc:oue r, and p11hli shed h:· ~ l ac: 111illia11 in 1981. Co11tirn1ing in the se rio11s w in . she
puhli shl'd a l'Oll C'dion or hl' r c·clitori als and l'Ssa:·s written fiir \'ariOII S p11hlic:ations in a hook tit! C'cl Sac1n l Co 1cs .\ Jal·<!' tlll' Bes/
I lo11ilm rgcr. Ir :·011 \\'<lilt to kn o\\' \\'h at Jo1\ n11 hl' li e\'('S in , rC'ad that hook.

J0 1111 has S(' IY('d a lll e lll he r o r the hoards of' lknai ssanc:e. the Int t' rnati onal Frn111dation l(ir Ge nder Edi 1cat ion ( t\\'iC:C' l. and
l he• A111e·ri ca11 Ecl11 c:atio11al Ce mk·r J nl'orrn ation Se 1Yic:e (/\EC IS). Sh l' is also a lll l' lllhC' r of' th e Soc:iC'l:· lc>r th <' Sc:ie ntifk Stud:· o f'
Sex (Q11ad-S) and the So Inlim nation & Ed11 c:atio11 Co1111cil of' tlw .S (SI EC:U S). Sh <' has twic:C' hl'e n nominat l'd for Easte rn
Hegion SC'c reta1Y f(ir Q11ad -S.
JoA 1111 's phi losophy and writing ha\'l' in fl 11 e nced man:· peop le , i11 ch 1cl ing so n ll' 01 1tsi de th l' tran sge nde r c:rn n 1111111 il.' " JoA 1111 ·s Bill
of C <'11rll'I' H.ights is the lci1111datio11 for the doc:11111l'11t now known as th e fllt ernalio11al Bill 11j'Cl'l 1rl1•r Higl1ts as p11bli sh ·d Ii:· th e
Inte rnational Conf» re nc:e on Transgende r La\\' & Emplci)·rn e nt Polic::" An exte nsiw· quote from JoAnn appears in Pro!'. t-. larjori e
Garbe r's book Vester/ Int erests and she contrib11tecl to Ve rn and Bonnie Bu ll ough 's Cross Dressin g, Sex and C<'11rler.
"My goal," says JoA nn , "is to e mpowe r peopl e to take con trol of th eir lh·es and stop being victim s of an ignorant, unfeeli ng
socie ty. In fo rmati on is powe r and whe n you ha e the information you need , you have the powe r to make in form ed choices.
Freedom to choose , is the most precious right we have . If we don 't exe rcise that right, we'll lose it."

Published by Creative Design Services, PO Box 491, Lionville, PA 19353-0491