How to NOT look like a drag queen?
I am mtf transgender and I am 18. I am just learning how to do make up and stuff but I'm really scared I will look like a drag queen if I try too hard so do you guys have any tips on how do it without looking like one
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Prior to starting hormones this could prove rather difficult. I have tried time and time again to go out and pass but my male features mean I just look like someone in drag. I've been on hormones 6 months now and I still look like someone in drag if I dress as me but my face is slowly becoming more feminine now so things are slowly moving forward for me. Maybe you could join a trans support group or sommat though and see if you can get help by people there. Just a suggestion. Depending on your facial features though it could be hard for you to pass prior to hormones though. Hope I helped.
P.S. A bit of advice, avoid putting too much make up on, as quite a few peeps have pointed out, it is about subtlety.
The key is subtlety. I've noticed that a lot of transwomen, especially the older ladies, want to go super-girly- which is understandable if you've waited your whole life to do that- but it can be a giveaway. Don't go too skimpy or too tight- drag is all about standing out but if you want to pass more effectively you'll need to aim for a more modest look. It may also be helpful to look frankly at yourself to see what you want to cover and what you want to show- just like anyone you should dress to accentuate your best features.
Makeup-wise a very close shave is essential, and buy some proper beard cover, it can be pricey but a five o'clock shadow screams out 'male' more than anything else. Again you don't want to go mad with the makeup, so spend a while experimenting with what looks good on you. There are any amount of videos on Youtube for that, as well as some more specifically for transwomen that show you how to alter the more masculine lines of your face with shading and highlighters.
I don't know if there are any LGBT groups near you, or if you are involved in them, but that can be a great source of advice and support. You may find that you like the style of one of the other ladies, and I'm sure you'll find someone who would be touched and honoured to help you in your transition.
You can't master it all at once and you'll probably leave the house looking a bit odd but we all do that. Do your best, hold your head and remember that you are a woman, and that will come across. My old doctor was over 6ft tall with massive hands and feet, there was no way you'd think she was anything but trans, but when I went to see her, I really did forget. Her manner, her way of speaking, the way she moved her hands- even her slightly dowdy woolen suit and slight whiff of old lady perfume- seemed so naturally female, in a way you couldn't achieve with inches of makeup and a pair of skinny jeans. It'll take you a while but you'll find the woman you are on the outside.
Seriously, get an appointment in a beauty salon that caters to crossdressers, and ask them to teach you, not just a transformation job. Some might be reluctant -essentially, after you learn how to do it right, you won't be returning as a customer. But -when I was in my 20s- I insisted, I finally found a middle aged lady who was willing to spend time teaching me -for money of course- and it was absolutely worth it. Self learning YouTube videos or sites might help to some extent, but nothing beats one on one live help.
Since you have a valid concern, note that learning to walk right, to sit right, to move your hands properly, and in general to act like a woman, are just as important as your makeup and choice of outfit. You might look like a perfect doll, but give yourself up the moment you take a step.
Talking like a woman is a whole different ballpark -I humbly admit that I never tried to take voice lessons and that's what really prevents me from truly passing as a woman. It's for the very dedicated only -maybe you will.
Look up cross-dresser sites. These are men who are trying to pass as women, not men trying to go onstage for a drag performance.
Your most serious issue (at least, from a first-person story I read of a cross-dressing guy) will be your beard. In the long run, you may need to have laser treatment.
It's easy to not look like a drag queen, just don't put 6 pounds of makeup on. Plenty of women also cake the stuff on like you wouldn't believe, so don't even worry about it. Watch a youtube tutorial about how to do the kind of makeup style you like and go with that. Or, hell, invent your own. Look how you want to, not how others want you to.
go to the make up counter at the mall - MAC is your best bet - expensive but they do not mind doing you and they will do your colors - they will be understanding - really they do this. shave first.