Leolines

By Paula Gaikowski

A friend recommended an online clothing retailer that specialized in clothes tailored for transgender men and women. I was immediately skeptical; I had visions of overpriced fetish wear and poorly designed clothes. However, I was pleasantly surprised and put them on my list of potential places to shop.

Leolines was started by Chris McKelvey a seamstress who sewed custom made dance and gymnastic costumes. One day, the parent of a transgender girl asked if she could make an outfit that would meet the needs of her transgender daughter. She was elated with the results and asked her if she could make underwear and swimsuits. The word soon spread in the transgender community and thus her business was born.

Leolines panties are designed to hide the more masculine parts of a femulator’s anatomy. The reviews I’ve read all stress how they changed the life of so many transgender women who could now have the confidence to wear leggings, jeans and bodycon dresses. They are also very comfortable and eliminate the need for gaffs, tight panties or Spanx. Along with all that, they are pretty.

As I wrote here, I have this whole tucking thing down to a science so why would I need something special and besides, for me there is a certain joie de vivre knowing that I am wearing clothes made for a female.

Here’s where it got interesting. My wife and I have DADT agreement going when it comes to my femulating. She runs hot and cold and there have been times over the years when she’s bought me clothes and also given me some of hers. 

A few years ago, I inherited two of her sport bras, which I took to wearing under sweaters in the wintertime. The other day she saw them in the wash. They were very worn and she remarked that I need some new ones. 

“Well, my birthday is coming up,” I joked. 

I never expected anything to come of it.

How she found Leolines on Esty I’ll never know, but I was surprised, elated and touched in the heart when I opened my gifts and found a Leolines Racer Back Bra and High Waist Panty, both in the Tinkerbell print. Tinkerbell is a playful name my wife has used over the years when referring to me and femulating. 

There was a lot in that gift: true love, acceptance and grace. I love wearing them under sweatshirts on cold days here in Maine. It’s my way of knowing deep down who I am. As you all can relate, it just feels right. 

About half of Leolines business is transgender children. The other is transgender adults and most of them are younger. The generation of transgender persons behind us are out and upcoming. They are consumers and the business world is rising to meet their demands. Moving out of their niches and into the mainstream are retailers like Bindle and Keep, who custom make suits for transgender men. I predict we are soon to see a transgender line of clothing by a mainstream vendor such as Victoria Secret, Maidenform, Spanx or Torrid.

Wearing Oscar De La Renta

Rob Harmon femulating in the 2008 film Between Love and Goodbye.