Pauline’s Lingerie Guide

What We Wear Underneath

I think I am safe in saying that lingerie is sexy to most trans folks of the crossdresser variety; it certainly is to me. Does that make me a fetishist? I guess so, although, looking at the way lingerie is promoted to women I can’t take all the blame.

Lingerie is a huge seller. It makes women look attractive, sexy and feel good. I think this is also true of MTF transgender people. But anything I say is no doubt influenced by my tastes.

Pantyhose

Let’s start at the bottom with hosiery. Pantyhose appear to have gone out of style, but it’s maybe still popular enough to talk about. The weight of the nylon weave is known as the denier, the higher the number the heavier the weight. I am not sure if this measurement applies to thicker materials.  Fishnets don’t fall into this category either. The size of the mesh varies and whatever size is desired is a matter of choice. Pantyhose made with the thicker materials are usually called tights. Sizing, on the rear of the packet, is usually in a small chart showing recommended hose size against body weight and height. For comfort and handiness, I think one should wear panties when wearing pantyhose if panties are worn at all, wear them on top of the pantyhose. Colors are extensive, varying shades of black and taupe or tan and a huge selection of single colors and shades such as red, green or blue. I think the reason pantyhose has become less popular is because under certain circumstances it is a nuisance and it can be warm and uncomfortable in the summer. For reasons the readers will have to work out for themselves, pre-op trans girls may be better off buying crotchless pantyhose. it makes things much more convenient. Also, when buying a pair of pantyhose, give the waistband serious consideration; pantyhose can roll down at the waist which can be quite uncomfortable. A wider waistband helps prevent this from happening. The panty portion of the hose is sometimes decorated like a lace panty which makes the item more attractive.

Stockings, in many respects, are similar to pantyhose; the density or weight, and coloring compare readily. The panty portion is missing, which gives the manufacturer scope to provide a range of attractive tops to a pair of stockings. The tops provided usually come in two types, lace, and plain. Lace tops come as stay-ups and regular; lace tops can be very pretty. Usually the more expensive the stocking the prettier the top. Not all stay-ups do stay up, because when they have been worn a few times, the tops become less adhesive. Using a product called ‘It Stays’ prevents them from sliding down. ‘It Stays’ is available at The Breast Form Store.

Thigh Highs

Stocking sizing is different from pantyhose. Stocking sizes are shown as letters, A is the smallest and D is the largest. Sometimes there is a small chart on the packet showing a combination of height and weight and the applicable size letter. Now, if one likes to support their stockings with garters one has to be careful if wearing lace stay-ups. With the adhesive bands on the inside of the top of the stocking, it is not always possible to get the garter clip to grip. Select a pair of stockings with a suitable band at the top: if there is a rear seam, make sure it is straight.

Panties and bras are key items. When wearing lingerie most of us wear a gaff under our panties. (I assume I don’t have to talk about this item at all.) Panties range in style from thongs to bloomers or pantaloons. I can best describe regular panties skimpy or full cut. A large variety of materials are available. We have expensive silk, followed by cotton, satin, and artificial materials. Sizing is a little complex as there doesn’t seem to be a general rule like one gets with dresses. It depends a great deal on the manufacturer. Check the packet or the label, if all else fails, ask one of the store staff.

Tap pants, french knickers and, bloomers are nice to own and are a fun item to wear. They are not available in all lingerie stores. If they are appealing, buy them online.

Longline bra.

Bras like panties come in a huge range of styles and sizes, all of which depend on body size and shape. There are two characteristics required when buying any bra: band size, the measurement around the chest below the nipples, and the cup size. There are tables available on the internet that do the work for you. I should mention long line bras. I love them. Their main purpose is to help hide any loose flesh one might have; they are very comfortable and help with one’s appearance.

Corset.

Next, we come to problems we might have with our waistlines Dieting is probably out of the question so we have to squeeze the waistline in. Lace-up corsets are probably the best bet, as you have some control over how much is squeezed in. Regular style corsets come in two types, overbust, and underbust. The waist size is recommended to be two to four inches less than your actual waist size. If in doubt, consult a corset specialist or the internet. Google knows everything. Colors and garters are optional.

A waist cincher (sometimes called a waist trainer) is a narrow corset whose purpose is to reduce the size of one’s waist and maybe look decorative. They too come with or without lacing, removable garter straps, or rear zippers. A variety of colors are usually available. Sizing is similar to corsets. There are a lot of different fun-type corsets for sale available at reasonable prices. They are more for play or party wear and come in a large variety of styles and colors. For serious waist reduction you need a corset with boning and thick fabric. 

Lingerie. Items such as teddies, basques, bustiers, and chemises I call fun-to-wear items. They too come in a wide range of materials and colors. They are great for relaxing in the evening or having fun with your partner. Sizing is similar to dresses. Buying items to fit based upon women’s sizes is always a problem for us girls. Our waist, hip and bust sizes never seem to match the size chart so it is always a compromise, unless one is wearing a liberal amount of padding in strategic places. Good luck with that.

Girdles and  compression garments. I am going to break a small rule of mine, I don’t think it is fair to mention specific suppliers. In this case, I am going to refer the reader to American Shape Wear. They are a supplier of all the shapewear one is likely to need. Girdles, open bottom or closed, with or without garters. All-in-ones, which combine a girdle and longline bra, open bottom or not. Compression garments usually include panties with long legs down to the knee if required, a form of legging which comes down to the ankle, and waist cinchers which one may have to pull on. Some cinchers have hooks and eyes in the front. Any or all of these items help one with one’s shape, most of us carry too much padding in obvious places and the items described here help extremely well with the big squeeze.

Night Wear. Last but by-no-means the least is nightwear. Nightwear is usually quite romantic. Long night dresses, shorties, baby dolls and camisole, and tap pant sets, are examples of the incredible range of items available in nightwear design. Again materials are satins, silks and man-made alternates. Most nightwear can be fun to wear, even when relaxing before going to bed, or if you are spooning and get a nice lap full of warm bum.

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Tags: corsets, crossdressing, featured, hose, panty, pantyhose, stockings, tap pants, teddies, Transgender

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