Wardrobe Malfunctions

I bought a dress last month and I knew it was too short. But! there are some dresses (and heels, if I am being honest) that I will or won’t wear depending on how much sitting, standing, or walking I will be doing.

This particular dress was perfect in so many ways. It fit, which is obviously important. It was vegan leather(!), and it was white (I don’t have a lot of white dresses), and it was short. I like showing off my legs and there’s nothing wrong with that.

I KNEW it was short, possibly TOO short when I tried it on. But as I mentioned, some dresses are for STANDING, not sitting. BUT! I was reminded the other day that some dresses aren’t for moving in, either.

It’s not the dress’ fault. It’s not the store’s fault. It’s not the designer’s fault. Not every piece of clothing is designed to fit everyone. And just because you can glide the zipper up, it still doesn’t mean it’s the right dress for you.

I had a feeling that this was a dress that I wouldn’t wear while running errands (or indeed, doing much moving in at all) but it would be fun to wear for a photo shoot.

So I did.

My last photo shoot was primarily for reviewing some clothes for En Femme. We had the studio for a few hours and I knew there would be some extra time for a few non-En Femme outfits. This dress made the cut.

And goodness did I underestimate how short this dress was. It’s not uncommon for a dress to have a different impression on you in a dressing room versus wearing it in the real world.

Take a peek!

Sometimes I show a flash of my stocking tops when I walk and sometimes it’s sexy. Other times it’s just… way too much. There’s not much left to the imagination here. I like showing off my legs but this is PROBABLY not a dress I will wear again.

Again, not every dress is designed for every body. And most dresses (and indeed, skirts, tops, panties, heels) are designed for a cis gender woman. I have broad shoulders and a long torso compared to almost every cis gender woman on the planet so of course this dress will be shorter on me.

This dress, and others like it, made me appreciate designers who make clothes for girls like us. I appreciate businesses like The Breast Form Store, Xdress, Zhe, Homme Mystere, Glamour Boutique, Moot, and En Femme.

And yes, I know I write and model for En Femme but there’s a reason I write and model for them. They’re lovely people and they design lovely clothes. I’ve also done reviews and writing and modeling for each of the businesses I listed so I try to show my love and support for a lot of different companies that design clothes for our community.

I know some crossdressers only want to wear “girl clothes” and I absolutely get that. Most of the lingerie and dresses in my closet are “for girls”. But if I am being honest, there are panties that are sooooo super cute that I can’t wear for very long or if I’ll be doing a lot of walking or needing to tuck (such as the panties I am wearing at the moment). I appreciate that there are panties that I can shop for that are designed for someone with my anatomy. Same with dresses and bodysuits and really, everything else I like to wear.

Most of what I wore for my last shoot, as I mentioned, was for En Femme. Two of their dresses stood out to me for different reasons. One had sleeves that were long enough for my arms. The other had a high neckline that was high enough to go over my Adam’s apple. I appreciated these considerations.

One of the hills I will die on is that clothes are clothes and colors are for everyone and anyone should and can whatever they wish. Of course, that thinking must also come with the acceptance that not every piece of clothing is going to fit every body type. And yes, some of us only want to wear “girl clothes” and some of us think that designers like the ones I listed earlier make “boy clothes” because they were designed for a boy body. I mean, I guess?? But the way I like to see it is that these designers make clothes for someone like myself who NEED longer sleeves, wider shoulders, and a different panty cut.

“Girl clothes” aren’t that much different in this sense, either. Some dresses are designed for girls with smaller frames, larger busts, and a zillion other considerations. Not every girl can wear the same blouse. Not every t-girl can either.

Love, Hannah