Many women frequently (or always, in some cases) wear clothes designed for men (including underwear) and no one makes a big deal out of it. So why the f*** is it an issue when men wear women’s clothing? I honestly do not understand why there is a double standard here.
Just to clarify this was not cotton undies he was wearing this was really girly girl stuff. I mean the lace slip he was wearing was really cute.
Sorry about the term normal. The only experience I have to measure this against is when my mom,cousin and I dressed up my 7 year old little brother. He kept fliping up our dresses so my mom put in a pretty dress and panties. He hated it and we loved it. When ever she threatened to do it again to him he just cowered.
Again I thought the whole thing was very funny and would love to see my boyfriend in my panties or a nighty. I just didn’t think guys would go for it.
It sounds to me like you scared your brother for life.
Again the thing is that this was a costume party. Some people believe that if you are going to do something, do it right. It wouldn’t be right to dress as June Cleaver and wear your boxers under the dress.
I’d do it. I’m not sure how close to normal I am, though.
Hey, if it worked for Pinocchio…
I can assure you that my brother is just fine. He hates when we show the pictures though especially to girlfriends. He really did look cute in my Easter dress and bonnet!
Hey I will do the same thing if I have a son who doesn’t mind his manners. His day in a dress and playing with dolls may have been the best thing to ever happen to him.
I’ve donated several items of lingerie to various male friends for dressing up. Most of those occaisions were either Halloween or a party at Washington University in St. Louis called Bahaus where all the men are kind of expected to cross dress or at least come in costume. I also went to a local sex shop to help a male friend buy a corset for Bahaus. To my knowledge, all of these guys were “normal.”
Finally a chance to tell one of my funnier stories.
A few years ago me and my boyfriend went on holiday to Egypt. Anyway both of us ended up with a little bit of diarrhea (sp?). Mine cleared up pretty quickly but he was still feeling a little bit off colour when we got home. The day after coming home my parents invited my SO for dinner and shortly after arriving he pulled me aside with a worried look on his face and whispered ‘Can you get me a plastic bag and a maybe lend me pair of your pants please?’ (We call undies ‘pants’ here). Of course I knew what had happened him and felt really sorry for him so got him what he required discreetly.
Anyway my brother and his wife were there too and we were regaling the guests with tales of our Egyptian adventures (me getting a secret laugh out of the fact that my poor boyfriend had to sit through dinner politely with my family whilst wearing my knickers 
). I didn’t tell anyone at the time but couldn’t resist telling them since.
To make matters worse, somehow the topic of our ‘upset stomachs’ came up. Plenty of sympathy was issued to my SO who I said was still suffering a bit as he was squirming with embarrassment at all the attention suddenly being focused on the subject of his bowel movements. My sister-in-law who’s a doctor just said ‘Oh you’ll be OK don’t worry. Just try not to eat too much spicy food or dairy products for the next couple of days.’
Then it was my mother’s turn to squirm because she was just about to serve us Chilli con carne followed by ice-cream. Hahahahaha.
Anyway, besides that time (which I always get sadistic pleasure out of telling people about while my SO cringes) I don’t think he’s ever worn my underwear. He says they weren’t that comfortable but maybe he just has bad memories associated with wearing them . I have worn his though.
Bricker: See my post on “the norm” versus “normal.”
Robin73: Punishing a boy by making him dress up in girl clothes is sick.
But it was a costume party! As has been said, anything goes at a costume party. The whole purpose is to be noticed. If you’re too bland, you never win the best costume prize.
I’d have no problem dressing up as a women, head to toe, complete with all the woman finery my wife would let me borrow. It’d even be better with a short skirt, garter belt and stockings (though I think I’d draw the line at shaving my hairy legs). No problem at all, and I have no trans tendencies whatsoever. That’s irrelevent.
I think most guys would have no problem with doing this.
I was at a Halloween party once and a buddy of mine showed up in a diaper and a bottle. That’s it. It was hilarious.
Heck, if you can’t be outrageously silly around your friends, then they’re not very good friends.
When my great Uncle Paul was little, he kept climbing over the fence in the front yard and running out into the street. My great-gramma finally put him in a dress so he was too ashamed to go outside. It worked-he stopped running out of the yard.
(Of course, this was during the Depression, so maybe that was when little boys still wore dresses until they were potty-trained)
I wear my sweetie’s silky undies now and then… :o
Now that takes practice.
As Eddie Izzard said if a woman stumbles whilst wearing high heels that is embarissing, if a man does it’s a disaster. It is strange that people say ‘normal’ as if it is a good thing 
I’d have no problem dressing up as a women, head to toe, complete with all the woman finery my wife would let me borrow. It’d even be better with a short skirt, garter belt and stockings (though I think I’d draw the line at shaving my hairy legs).
Algernon - I don’t think you know what you are talking about. Even as a women I feel a huge change when I go from my cotton undies into some of my satin lingerie. The feeling of feeling very soft pretty and feminine is something I think most guys can’t handle. Ted(roommates boyfiend) even admited in his slip and nylons that he felt kind of soft and weak.
If your wife has a nylon baby doll just try that on for a minute and you will understand. I just hope she catches you while you are doing it!
I think he does know what he’s talking about. As far as actual underclothing goes, the cotton stuff doesn’t feel any different from the satin stuff on your bits. (I guess it might if you had some really rough-ass cotton stuff, but I’ve never seen any rough underpants for either sex.) Skirts, nighties, and such–that’s a little different, as the fabric actually moves against your skin. It’s not that much different, though. Running your hands across it is very different, though, as is being touched through it.
The change you’re talking about is purely psychological, and a lot of people don’t feel it. Silky, satiny stuff doesn’t make me feel pretty and feminine and soft–I just feel like me, no matter what I’m wearing. It doesn’t matter whether I’m wearing cotton undies and sweats or silk and satin and all the other girly things or buck naked and evaluating my cellulite distribution, I feel pretty much the same about myself.
Well Robin, I have to disagree. I can’t speak for all guys of course, but I’m like CrazyCatLady describes – it wouldn’t make a bit of difference to how I feel about myself if I would dress up in women’s clothing for a costume party. It wouldn’t have any psychological impact at all.
I’m secure with my sexuality.
As an inadequate example, for Halloween at work I come in dressed as a bumblebee with black tights. And at Christmas I dress up as an elf with green tights. (Women say I have nice legs.) Sure it’s not bra and panties, but it’s along the same lines.
I’m pretty sure most of my friends would also not have a problem. Maybe it’s an age related thing, I’m old enough not to care what people think.
And as far as “feeling very soft pretty and feminine” – I think it was Groucho who said “you’re as young as the women you feel.” I like feeling things that are soft and feminine (especially if they’re naked)
I guess you had to be there to understand. Ted went from a clean cut guy to a girlie girl .Ted kept running his hands on his slip, and legs saying how great it felt. He was literally prancing about in women’s undies. Incredably funny and wierd at the same time!
That would be funny.
I should hasten to add that I’m sure there are guys who’d feel weird about it. I didn’t intend to over-generalize.
And I was remiss in welcoming you to the Straight Dope. Hope you stick around.
To be honest I don’t think there is a man who hasn’t cross-dressed at some point in his life- whether it was for convenience, comfort, curiosity, costume parties or kinkiness!
While I was doing the laundry the other day, it occurred to me how lucky I am to be able to wear whatever colours and cut of clothing I like, and to be able to have cashmere, silk and satin against my skin without a second thought.
Men get the short end of that stick, it’s only natural to see how the other side live for a change.
And very cute your bottom looks in them, too. Although it did startle the hell out of me…
Robin73, I think I understand what you mean. My younger brother, a very masculine person (and by that I don’t mean macho, just that he doesn’t exhibit many feminine tendencies) did the same thing for Halloween last year. In a flapper dress. With full makeup and hair-do. I have pics and have threatened distribution. But he had quite the little walk in high heels and stockings. Even posed. Everyone loved it, and he seemed quite natural in the outfit, but my SIL swears it was the first time he’d been in drag.
Irishgirl you might be right there. Humans are curious creatures, so it is hard to believe guys have never wondered what it would be like to wear our stuff.
I just believe most have done it in private and will deny it till the day they die. I did though have one boyfriend who admited to being caught by his sister while dancing around in her tutu.
That being said I don’t picture my dad prancing around in my moms granny panties!