Bras and Girdles

Wearing Rago Styles 2202 and 6201

It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind and when it comes to my unmentionables, I am doing my womanly best. I experiment a lot trying different combinations of foundation garments in order to achieve a shapely figure. As a result, my unmentionables du jour often varies.

These days, I wear three unmentionable. A long line bra, a long line girdle and a padded panty.

All my current unmentionables are Rago products.

Rago Style 2202 Long Line “Expandable Cup” Bra, one in white and one in black.

Rago Style 6201 Extra Firm Zippered High Waist Long Leg Shaper

Rago Style 915 High Waist Padded Panty

The long line bra is a size 40B. Its cups are a perfect fit for my breasts. And its long line flattens my tummy and help to shape my waistline.

The long line shaper (I call it a “girdle”) also shapes my waistline and flattens my tummy. It also does a good job of keeping my tucked friends tucked.

I have a flat derriere, so I wear the padded panty over my girdle to unflatten my derriere.

The three unmentionable combo is also very comfortable. In the past (30 pounds ago), I used to say, “My girdle is killing!” just like in the old Playtex ads, but that is no longer the case. My shapewear is doing its job painlessly.

Wearing Bebe

Yet another beautiful Femulator

Wear a Bra!

Jenn wrote, “My wife and many close female friends are known to comment about how they can’t wait to take off their bra. Of course, as a crossdresser I can’t wait to put one on! What do you think about your bra?”

Whereas fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg once proclaimed, “Feel like a woman. Wear a dress!” I say, “Feel like a woman, Wear a bra!”

Is there any garment that defines womanhood more than a bra? Fashion forward fellows may dress like women from head to toe, but they don’t wear bras. Only women and femulators wear bras.

On occasion, I have femulated without wearing a bra because I did not have the correct style bra to go with a particular dress or top I was wearing and since I am already well-endowed for a guy, going bra-less was not a deal breaker. However, I prefer to wear a bra when I femulate.

Early on, I wore some ill-fitting bras. The band was too small and/or the shoulder straps too short and like Jenn’s lady friends, I could not wait to take off my bra.

After too many misfits, I decided that the only way to get a bra that fits is to get a professional bra-fitting at an intimate apparel shop or in the lingerie department of a department store.

Your mileage may vary, but I have been fitted for bras in both girl mode and boy mode in both venues and have never been turned away. In fact, the women performing the fittings were very helpful and seemed pleased to have a male join their bra-wearing sorority.

If you are unsure about which bra-selling venue to seek out for a fitting, you can always call ahead and ask. My niece worked at Victoria's Secret and she said that the saleswomen were used to fitting both men and women, so don't be shy – go for it, girl!

And if your bra is the correct fit, you won't even know you are wearing one!

Wearing Venus

Greg Maraio femulating on stage in Casa Valentina

Monday Mash

I Squeemed

I Squeem, You Squeem, We All Squeem for Nice Squeem Dept.

Searching for something else in this blog, I came upon my post extolling the virtues of the Squeem “Perfect Waist” waist cincher. Looking at the accompanying photo, I was impressed by my curvy figure and especially my flat tummy... so impressed that I thought I should revisit wearing the Squeem.

I tried to recall why I had given up wearing the Squeem. Knowing me, I was probably distracted by a new shiny object and abandoned the Squeem for it.

Also, I wondered how the Squeem would fit now that I am 25 pounds lighter than when I had last worn it, so I got it out of storage and tried it on. It fit perfectly. The only difference was that I had to use the “skinny” row of hook-and-eye closures rather than the “chubby” row of closures. 

I added my old Squeem to my arsenal of shapewear. 

Live Wigs Dept.

Big wig buyer that I am, everyday I receive email ads from various wig sellers. The Wig Company recently went above and beyond simple advertisements by introducing its customers to Tia, a wig expert who guest blogged “How To Make Synthetic Wigs Look Realistic. It is an excellent piece and includes a handful of how-to videos and a link to Tia’s YouTube channel that has even more – everything you wanted to know about wigs, but didn’t know who to ask!

Your Bra is My Bra Dept.

After 38 years of marital bliss, I can’t believe that I never knew my spouse’s bra size until I did the laundry the other day and discovered that my wife wears the same size bra as I do (or vice versa). We are so compatible – a match made in heaven!

Wearing Venus

Four femulators are on stage in this scene from the 2017 British film Glamour Dolls.

What’s in your lingerie drawer?

Ladies like us wear some kind of foundation garment to help us achieve a more feminine figure. We have a lot of choices including various types of girdles, cinchers, corsets, bras, all-in-ones, shapers, as well as garments that have padding to give us the girlish hips and/or butts that we lack and desire.

During six decades of femulating, I have tried just about all of the shapewear options. Some were better than others and the best was an all-in-one I purchased in the fall of 1974. 

I was quite closeted back then and used the Halloween girl costume excuse for most of my in-person purchases. With Halloween approaching, I decided to purchase an all-in-one using that excuse. 

I visited an old school lingerie store to make my purchase. A middle-aged woman greeted me as I entered the store. I told her my Halloween story and added that I wanted an all-in-one.

That probably tipped my hand immediately; how many guys know what’s an “all-in-one.”

The woman used a tape measure to take my measurements. Then she went in the back room and returned a few minutes later with two all-in-ones.

“Take these to the dressing room, try them on and call me so I can see if they fit properly.”

I did not expect such a hands-on sale, but was glad to have it. I quickly stripped down to my briefs, zipped myself into my all-in-one and called for the saleswoman and by doing so, I tipped my hand again.

“Wow - that was quick,” she remarked. (I assumed that her other male customers were not as fast as I when trying on their “first” all-in-one.)

She checked me out and gushed over my girlish figure. I tipped my hand again when my face turned beet red in embarrassment. I could not pay for my purchase fast enough and get out Dodge.

I loved that all-in-one. It was constructed with spring-like metal stays and it gave me a figure like no other. It was my go-to foundation garment for years; I repaired it as needed and I wore it until it fell apart. I wish I could find one like it today! But as far as I know, no one produces anything like it. 

I approximate that all-in-one with a Rago style 2202* longline bra combined with a Rago style 6207* high-waist long-leg panty girdle. I add butt padding to pad my butt.

So what’s in your lingerie drawer? What is your favorite shapewear and why? Let me know by commenting below or via email. 

* An Amazon Associate link

Wearing Boston Proper

Esme Percy femulating in the 1930 Hitchcock film Murder!

Bras and Balloons

His, Hers & Ours Dept.

I mentioned Monday how I was fooled by an email advertisement for His & Her bras. Mikki sent me an antidote for my foolishness: a company that specializes in bras for women with small breasts that is reaching out to the trans community. Click here to read all about it. 

Not To Do List Dept.

I am a womanless beauty pageant snob. Here is a list of things that cause me to discount a contestant in a womanless beauty pageant.

👠 Facial hair

👠 Leg hair

👠 Arm hair especially underarm hair (yuck!)

👠 Male haircut (rather than wearing a wig or styling male hair in a feminine manner)

👠 Cheap Halloween wig

👠 Male footwear

👠 Bare feet

👠 Flip-flops

👠 Fondling his fake breasts or worse, fondling another contestant’s fake breasts

👠 Balloons as fake breasts that are clearly visible as balloons

👠 Acting like a buffoon

Wearing Boston Proper

Rachel out and about ordering a drink

A B C D

My Father's Day self-gift

I have “boobs.” 

It is likely that gynecomastia is the cause, but I never sought medical advice because as a femulator, I am happy with my breasts. Why mess with success?

Over 20 years ago, I had a bra-fitting and it turned out that I had B cup breasts. But during the past six months, I noticed that my breasts seemed to be getting bigger. So I used a tape measure and an online bra size calculator to determine the current size. The results were surprising: I now have D cups!

The change is not due to weight gain. I weigh almost 30 pounds less than what I weighed when I had B cups measured. 

My D cups are probably due to the decrease in testosterone that most 70-year-old girls like me experience. I wonder what other feminine characteristics await me!

Wearing Unique Vintage

Michelle takes home a “find” from the California Historical Radio Society open house.

Someone Needs a Bra

Tony sat on the edge of his bed cupping his breasts in his hands thinking back to the Shirts vs. Skins touch football game at the family’s Memorial Day picnic. Tony remembered being very embarrassed when he ended up on the Skins team and everyone saw his breasts bouncing up and down the field.

During the game, Uncle Terry remarked, “Someone needs a bra.”

Tony’s Dad was Uncle Terry’s kid brother and he always listened to his older brother. So returning home after the picnic, Tony’s Dad asked Tony’s Mom to take Tony to Macy’s to buy a bra.

The next day, Tony’s Mom picked him up after school and drove to Macy’s. As they entered Macy’s lingerie department, a sales associate named Jamie greeted Tony and his Mom .

“What can I do for you today?” Jamie asked.

“My son needs to get fitted for a bra,” Tony’s Mom replied

“I’ll need to take your son’s measurements, so please follow me to the dressing room,” said Jamie.

Tony followed Jamie to an empty stall in the dressing room, then Jamie told Tony to take off his top. 

Tony did as he was told, Jamie took his measurements and then told Tony to wait while he found some bras for Tony to try on.

Jamie returned with an armful of bras and by process of elimination, Tony was fitted with a bra.

At the Independence Day family picnic, Tony ended up on the Skins team again, but was not embarrassed because he wore his bra throughout the game – just like his uncles, cousins and Dad, who were also on the Skins team.

Wearing Ann Taylor

Femulating prisoners-of-war in the 1937 film Grand Illusion.

Keep on Figurin'

Recently, I received compliments about my girlish figure and questions about how I achieve it. 

My natural body shape and your natural body shape are probably different, so what works for me may not work exactly the same for you. My natural body features B cup-sized breasts (44B in the bra department) and womanly hips (when I reduce my waist size). My natural body lacks a shapely derriere – it is as flat as a pancake. I am 6 feet 2 inches tall and weigh 190 pounds. With all that to work with, here is how I work with it.

About a year ago, I wrote about how I achieved my figure. Since then, being quarantined gave me a lot of time to experiment with new things, so almost all the shapewear I used a year ago has changed.

From top to bottom, I wear a bra, corset and padded panty and over it all that, I wear Spanx. These are the exact items I wear with links to my favorite lingerie store, Amazon:

👗 Playtex Love My Curves Feel Gorgeous underwire full coverage bra 

👗 frawirshau satin lace-up boned underbust corset

👗 Rago Style 915 high waist padded panty with soft control

👗 SPANX Oncore open-bust panty bodysuit

Getting dressed, I put the corset on first. It reduces my waistline by a few inches and reveals my womanly hips that were hidden by male disguise. 

Next, I put on the padded panty. Its “soft control” flattens my belly and its rear padding adds shape to the flatlands of my butt. It also provides coverage for the corset’s hardware. 

I tuck my boy parts as I slip on the padded panty. Sometimes, the padded panty keeps the boys at bay, but sometimes it doesn’t, so I usually wear an undersized pair of high waist panties for added security.  

Previously, I wore a longline bra to help flatten my midsection, but that is overkill while wearing a corset. So now I wear pretty bras like the Playtex Love My Curves or Victoria’s Secret Bombshells that I currently own. 

Over everything, I wear the SPANX. It has a front cut out to expose whatever bra I am wearing. Meanwhile, it smooths out any uneveness that may occur between the bra, corset and padded panty. And like the padded panty, it helps to hide the corset’s hardware.

Voila! That is how I achieve my girlish 44-36-44 figure.

With that achievement under my belt, I often wear tight, body-con dresses (“if you got it, flaunt it”) and I never worry about my shapewear giving away my secrets to success because it is invisible.  

Wearing Bebe

Tallulah Bankhead with three chorus “girls” in the play The Garden of Eden, circa 1927
(Thank-you, Mikki)

Thrown for a Loop

Back in May, I purchased a corset online for $12.99. At that price, I did not know what to expect, but I was so happy with my purchase that I bought a second one in a different color.

I am not a corset expert, so I have a question that I hope that you corset experts can answer. Along the top hem of the corset, about 8 inches on either side of the vertical row of metal closures (the busk) are two loops. What is the purpose of the two loops? 

If I was wearing the corset upside down, I might think that the loops were intended for the attachment of garters. If that was their purpose, there should be matching loops on the back of the corset, too, but there are none.

I thought that they might have something to do with a bra, but I can’t fathom what that something might be.

I'm stumped. If you know the answer, please unstump me.

UPDATE: The consensus is that the loops are intended for attachment to a clothes hanger.

Wearing Guilty of Glam

U.S. servicemen femulating in a German prisoner-of-war camp, circa 1943.

Décolletage

I received the following request: While looking at your photos, I noticed cleavage. Could you do a post on how to achieve it? I've tried but it never works for me. Thank you so much.

Up front (pun intended), I want to be clear that your mileage may vary because breast-wise I am naturally well-endowed for a male. I won't go into the reasons why I have feminine breasts because I don’t know for sure myself, but I assure you that my girls fill a B-cup (and as a trans-girl, I could not be happier about those circumstances).

In the past, I used surgical tape to tape my breasts together to create cleavage. It was very effective, but removing the tape was very painful and always resulted in skin abrasions and occasionally minor bleeding that took days or weeks to heal.

I now use a painless method to create cleavage, which is just as effective. 

The key to my painless method is to use a padded push-up bra, like Victoria's Secret Bombshell push-up bra. Victoria claims it adds two cup sizes, but the bra alone does not provide me with cleavage. I add breast forms to the mix, as follows:

I insert a breast form into a bra cup with one hand, lift my breast with the other hand, place the form under my uplifted breast and repeat the procedure with the other breast. The uplifted breasts create the cleavage and the padding of the bra holds everything in place just like the surgical tape had done so in the past.

I have gone whole evenings without my breasts moving out of place, but if there ever is any slippage, I can quickly lift my breast(s) back in place when I have a private moment (like in a stall of the ladies’ room).

By the way, I made my own breast forms using a female impersonator’s recipe: birdseed in a sock. (I actually used dried green peas instead of birdseed.)

1.  Use birdseed/dried green peas to fill a thin sock (not a thick heavy sock) to the cup size you desire.

2.  Tie off the sock as close as possible to the ball of birdseed/dried green peas.

3.  Trim off any access sock and fold the remainder over the knot. Under a bra, the knot does a good job of emulating a nipple.

By the way, I made my breast forms about 40 years ago and they are still good to go today. 

If you have any questions, I will gladly try to answer them. In the meantime, practice, practice practice and your fine work will proceed you.

Need advice concerning femulating or other crossdressing-related matters, then e-mail me and I will happily give you my opinion on the matter. My e-mail address is stana-stana at sbcglobal.net.

Wearing Bella Dahl

Lynn of Yet Another T-Girl Blog fame. Lynn's blog predates Femulate by almost two years. Reading her en femme adventures inspired me to start writing my own blog.