FORMAL CROSSDRESSING

For many of us formal crossdressing is a dream and some a distant fantasy while others actually achieve it. I remember when my BFF Ashley first broached the subject it really did not resonate with me. Being a life long leg man and hosiery lover which, a gown would cover up did not appeal to me. She asked if I have ever tried it and when I said no she encouraged me to give it a shot. She assured me I would like it and offered to loan me one of her gowns. I thanked her and we moved on to other subjects as there were no pending opportunities to wear formals on the horizon. A few months down the line our gang of about 12 CHIC members were planning our annual pilgrimage to Atlanta for the Southern Comfort Conference. It was decided we would all join with the other ladies and wear formals to the farewell dinner. I did not take Ashley up on her offer but found an exquisite floor length sheath black satin gown with a cropped jacket. The hem of the skirt touched right at the top of my arch on my foot like it was custom made for me and I have never felt so elegant in my life. I was hooked from that point on and wish I still had that gown even though I would have to shed a few pounds to get in it.

These days I have been going in for the sparkly sequins and learned a few formal crossdressing tips that should come in handy when shopping for one especially online. I bought several gowns from Mac Duggal direct and some from resellers and there is a problem with their sizing.

Mac Duggal gives you bust, waist, and hip measurements for a size 14= Large 44″ Bust 38″ Waist 47″ Hip. Based on those measurements it should fit me perfectly.

I wear a Calvin Klein women’s regular dress size 16=Large 44 Bust 36.5 Waist 46.5 Hip. So if the Calvin Klein fits the Mac Duggal 14 should right? Nope! I got it zipped up to where the band goes around under the bust that has a piping border then it stuck. I had to take it off my shoulders and rotate the zipper around in front of me to zip it passed the piping. Then while dislocating my shoulders putting them in my sleeves then sliding my boobs in place prior to my final zip up. Even though it was tight I was able to wear it for the night then go through the reverse process getting out of it. So here is the sizing problem I discovered putting a male body in a gown designed for a female. The lat muscles on my back which were formed in my more athletic youth are not compatible with the gown design. The bust, waist, and hips measurements are accurate but the taper of my back is where the problem is. The designer pulls the gown in between the waist and under the bust to accentuate the bust which for most women is not a problem. Their back does not taper like a mans unless they are a weight lifter in which case they need to read below.

I solved the problem by going up two dress sizes which you would think would be way too large but there is something unique with sequin dresses. They are heavier than most other dresses so they drape to the body as you can see on the picture below on the right which is an 18. That is a 48″ Bust 42″ Waist and 51″ Hips which would be a tent with a normal dress but works with a sequin gown.

The first dress above is a Betsy and Adam size 18W in Emerald and has a lace overlay pattern on it. The center dress is a size 18 in Midnight and the one on the right is also a size 18 and also in Emerald although no pattern just vertical rows of sequins. I have to note that even though Mac Duggal calls it an 18 it is really an 18W. None of the gowns were altered and were worn right out of the box.

So if you are headed for the Keystone Conference and were procrastinating about buying a gown for Saturday night you can use this as your guide for a perfect fit.