What does it cost to start dressing

[Sarah Beth]

I have read some post’s lately and in various one’s people have talked about how many pairs of shoes they have, or how many skirts, dresses, etc. they have in their closet. Some people have a lot more in their closets than others and some shop at high end stores while others at thrift shops. As I’m sure a lot of others do I try to shop sales and look for bargains.

It got me to thinking about how much it costs to be a CD and what it would look like starting out and trying to get a ward robe build up. Now I am not a fan of wal-mart, but I will go to target, sears, jc penny and I have also gotten some things from the thrift stores. For purpose of this exercise though I am going to shop strictly online, and sort of average the prices. I realize this is not going to be an all-inclusive list but just what I thought would be the basics to get started with if I purged and had to start over. This may be a bit skewed as I have big feet so it’s hard to find shoes, and I’m shopping for my sizes but here goes.
One pair of basic black 4” heels $ 134
One pair of flats $ 98
Five bras $ 120
Five pairs of panties $ 35
The basic LBD $ 89
Five pairs of stockings/pantyhose. $ 45
Wig (bought from ebay) $ 34
Basic starter makeup (this includes brushes and
Removers etc.) $ 97
Total $ 652

Now for me that’s a pile of cash to be laying out to be able to indulge my feminine side, part time, and in private. What do you think? Ever think about what all this is costing in money as well as emotional costs?

[Davita]

For shopping sales etc, I think some of your prices are pretty high. Now to answer your question, the cost? It's priceless -- simple.


And to replace it after purging? Hopefully the time was well spent learning to never do it again.

[Ralitsa]

well there are other ways of looking at it, too.
For one thing, I didn't start by going out and buying ~$600 worth of stuff. Like most everyone I think, I buy things a little at a time as I find something I like or need. So I guess I might spend on average $200/month on clothes and stuff. And that is a whole lot more over several years time than what you calculated. But I need clothes, a person can't run around town nekked. I just happen to buy women's fashions. So I don't think that what I spend is much different than what a woman in a similar socio-economic position would spend, probably it's less. But yeah, it's much more than what a guy would spend.

The other consideration, is that for me it is not "indulging my feminine side, part time, in private" but rather a part of who I am. This is what I choose to spend my money on, and the way I want to live. So everyone has to work out their own budget and decide what they will allocate to food, clothing, housing, entertainment, and so on. If my children were starving because of my choices, then that would be bad, but they are not. So I don't drive a fancy new car with $800/month payments, instead I have other interests.

And even if I did spend $600 in one shot on such things, comparatively it is not so much to spend on a hobby. I have no idea what it would cost to go to the superbowl, but to me that would be a real waste of money. If I spend several hundred dollars on shoes and dresses, well I can wear them many times over the next few years. What does a weekend of skiing in Vail cost, and after that weekend all you have is the memories and the injuries.

The dress I was wearing yesterday I bought on clearance for $25, and I got a lot more enjoyment out of that than $25 would have bought anywhere else. Today I'm wearing a denim skirt I bought at a thrift shop for $5, a top I got for $6, boots that were given to me. The most expensive thing I'm wearing is my bra and panties, and no I'm not saying what those are

So no, I totally reject that crazy notion that I'm spending too much money on myself

[Requal Jo]

I shop at Target, K Mart and Big W (Woolworths) in Australia. They have the best fashions at the best prices. I have just purchased 3 skirts at Target that were on sale all for $7.00 each marked down from $35.00 each.

Pantyhose and stay up stockings I buy from K Mart at $5.00 per pair.

I have just purchase the most comfortable panties at 3 pair for $9.00 from K Mart.

I purchased a beautiful spring dress from Big W for only $25.00, normal price $59.00.

Since once again becoming serious and enjoying my dressing from June 2013 I would say that I have spent about $700.00 on my wardrobe.

So Sarah Beth, shop around and look for the bargains.

[Anne Bonny]

I used to have to build myself up to brave a check out to purchase female items of clothing - I now do ALL of my shopping on the internet and have not looked back. If you know your sizes, and can read reviews, and learn to sense when cheap really is cheap then you will not be disappointed. I have realized that Anne deserves clothing that is every bit as good as my male side receives, hence I am willing to pay up for that. The shoes fit, they are good quality and the dresses and shorts have all turned out to be the same. I use Amazon, but have also used other sites. I have purchased jewelry, make up and have not had a problem. Shoes I have been willing to pay $30-$80 depending of what they are, flats, running shoes, deck shoes. Clothing I usually shoot for about the same price range, I do not try for clothing that is less than $20 because cheap is cheap - you get what you pay for.

[Noeleena]

Hi,

I get given clothes , i go to second hand shops Sally Army or Red Cross or other , the better way is i make my clothes and that entails for two of our groups garb and what ever i need i design make and sew, and others i will take down and redo to fit myself .

For our Edwardian group i have 13 complete outfits our Renaissance group i have about 15 and i,v just made 3 outfits complete, and 3 new skirts,

my day wear/ night some 30 odd complete and mix and match not many shoes /boots 12 pairs and head wear . some 20 scarves ,

Now you may think oh heck well im a female and this has taken me a few years to bring together, allso im in the public a lot so that allso needs to be taken into account and i go over sea,s dressed in Garb = Renaissance clothes,

so much of what i have is redo second hand and what i make, cost oh dear . value $ 7,000 aprox. coats as well , $ 600. okay close enough

so you can see why i dont buy much new , cant afford that and to replace it im not going there,......

as for wigs i have 3 and dont wear them only one for our group and makeup cost was about $ 300 though i dont now wear makeup only lippy and eyebrow liner, oh and perfume,

And on top of that replacement maybe now =year about $ 50 , tights socks and sneakers about $ 70, that covers most of what i have and need,

Just think im a Scottish Lass and i dont just go buy clothes on a whim im very carefull and budget for what i need , you know cost of living and all .

...noeleena...

[Eileen (SO)]

Oh my, my, my, Sara Beth!

Your prices are way out of line! My husband is still so scared to shop in person, so mainly orders on line. There are a few stores were he is comfortable to shop for shoes, jewelry, and make up.

Basic 4" heels from Payless, less than $45. On sale now for about $30 Yes, your size may not be available, but they carry up to 16 in some stores.
Flats, same place, on sale for $19
Five bras, ( do you really need five bras to start out?) On sale through Just My Size for $13 a piece. Buy one.
Five panties. Again on sale at JMS. Depending on what style you want, 4-5 packs range from $12.50 to $15. A ten pack from Women Within is at most $40.
You don't need a LBD to start out, you need clothes that fit right and blend in.
Five pairs of pantyhose, JMS has a 12 pack for $30
A good wig could cost more. Paula Young has a $30 sale for lots of good styles.
Make up is hard to figure as each item can be bought separately and some ladies need more coverage, so, we'll go with the $97

Even using the high end, my total is near $250. That leaves plenty of extra to purchase several skirts and tops from $13 to $30 a piece.

We both order from Women Within, Just My Size, and others that caters to larger women, Grrrr.
Take your time, look for sales.

Eileen

[Virginia]

We girls are high maintenance! Winter coats, scarves, hats, jewelry. Lest we forget a little red, convertible sports car to look good in and shades to match. Oh and some form of personal protection, both kinds!

Yep! high maintenance! But we ARE worth it!

V

[Ms. Erin]

I have spent some money recently but I like to shop on sales or in the average lower priced fashion stores. When buying local you can exchange the item if it doesn't fit for store credit so there is no problem in "over" buying. How ever for me it's harder to buy good fitting shoes, which I get on eBay because my precious high heels needing feet are size 14.

So before knowing my size I bought a lovely pair of red 6 inch heels, locally, in size 12 with "open" tows, so I can fit these but luckily because my tows have all the room they need. I am size 14 (12+2) and I bought two sets of shoes, one was the lowest price I could find (approx. 25 dollar) and one knee high 5 inch heels I got, only used once, with no marks for a whopping $19.50. Not until I find my best fit, which I think might be a 13 and a half I will not go get the pricy shoes. The size 14 regular shoe is a little to big.

Other then that I think makeup might be the most expensive item in our closet, since this has to be replaced more frequently I guess. We don't need a fully loaded walk in closet with clothes.... I did not say that did I?... Shame on me we Girls Need To Shop.

Almost forgot the wigs. Starting at 25 and up locally here, so $50 should give you a nice quality one.

Any way I think with 100 dollar we can get a complete brand new outfit in the more common fashion stores, including new undies and accessories.
And 50 dollar should buy a nice set of shoes on eBay. You lucky girls with smaller sizes can go to payless.
Makeup and body lotion/cleaning stuff? I just spent 85 dollar at Walgreen for just about a small bag with little jars and thingies.

Erin

BTW the outfit in my avatar was: (to my best memory)

Dress $25 brand new regular prize (Rainbow Fashion)
Cardigan $15 brand new regular prize (Rainbow Fashion)
Shoulder bag $15 brand new regular prize (Rainbow Fashion)
Stockings $8 brand new regular prize (Target)
6 inch heels $40 brand new at 50% clearance (Priscilla)
Not shown on the outside (underwear) probably 20 dollar (Walmart)

[Kelly]

An interesting thought experiment. I applied it to other aspects of my life.

Replacing all of my fishing gear would cost more.
Replacing my computing equipment would cost more.
Replacing my TV set would cost more.
Throwing a party for 10-20 people would cost more

In the middle of re-modeling a bathroom. A whole lot more.

Then there are the day to day costs we don't think about.

About two and a half trips a week to Starbucks in a year if you don't leave a tip, would be about the same.
Don't want to think about keeping the liquor cabinet stocked.

Even though any bill with three (or more) figures gives you pause (it does me) seems to me you've identified a pretty economical life style!

Kelly.

[Eileen (SO)]

Kelly,

You put things in proper perspective. What's important in life to function normally? We all have collections or hobbies that would cost a boatload if it had to be replaced in one fell swoop.

So many of you gals started dressing long ago. A bra or panties now and then. Some clothing that may or not fit. Purging should be a sin! Over time, a minimal collection is made. What's the cost? Probably no more or less than the average girl finding her style in High School age now days.

Eileen

[Anthony Simon]

I think the first lot of stuff I bought was mail-order - i.e. before the internet but from a firm that still exists and does business on the internet now. It was because I was utterly terrified of going into shops and saying I wanted women's clothes and, plainly, for me.

So then I went back to that same firm maybe 6 years ago, when I started up again - and for the same reason. I'm saying this because that's what the internet means to me, the need to keep all this stuff quiet and away from people.

In terms of price, the underwear and the wig seem reasonable (but then the wig was on sale) and the shoes pretty much a snip (£40 for a pair of plain 1" heels that actually fitted and I wore till they wore out). But the outer clothes were an absolute rip-off and I hated the style, which I construed as "slutty" - and wigs generally there suffered from something like a 300% mark-up. By reasonable, I mean the prices were maybe a 30% mark-up on what you get from ordinary shops.

In the end I got so fed up of the outer-wear I went into a Marks and Spencer shop here in London and just bought about £150 worth of standard women's stuff off the racks. I think £60 of that was a ridiculously expensive angora polo which I wanted to hide my adam's apple (you can of course buy much cheaper polo-necks but I hadn't realised it then). The rest of it was pretty generic prices for a decent high-street retailer and included a slip that I craved.

I don't know, if I'd just stuck with the underwear, wig and shoes from the online retailer and the stuff I bought from M+S, it would probably come in at around £300.

[Ralitsa]

yeah, I have to admit that I've bought a few things too that I later decided I hated it happens to all of us.

Now I go mostly to the regular department stores and buy the regular stuff that all the other women are buying. So at least I can say that I'm wearing what everyone else is. But it is hard at first knowing what is expensive because it's good quality, what is just a rip-off, and what is a fabulous deal. I like to have nicer quality clothes, so I suppose I might spend more than some other people might, but I like it and I can afford it so why not?
I like Kelly's post, it does put things in perspective.

[Andrea F.]

Sure it costs a lot to be dressed like a woman. For me the emotional part is also very important too. After working all day as a man in drab, I get all excited about coming home and getting feminine. Emotionally I am so happy to be tapping into my inner girl and enjoy it so very much. When I wake up in the morning in one of my very pretty long nylon nightgowns, I remind myself that I am a girl inside and want more and more female time. To explore this part of me has been wonderful and being here has certainly helped me greatly with my life. What is the best feeling to have are the chats with all you wonderful ladies here who have gone through the same things I have. As I explore more of myself, I have been growing into my Andrea role more.

[April Rose]

I think the emotional cost is highest, but I am willing to pay that as well. Who can put a price on freedom? I am a feminine man. Being able to acknowledge this is worth more that all the Neiman Marcus personal shoppers in the world.