Disguise Yourself As a Boy or Girl

Have you ever wondered what boys or girls think about when the other gender isn't around? Maybe you want to try out for a part in a play or musical, but you aren't the "right" gender. You might even simply enjoy the challenge of impersonating the opposite gender, but in any case, believably disguising yourself as a boy or girl takes some research, practice, and preparation.

Steps

Preparing to Imitate the Opposite Gender (Male to Female)

1. Enlist a female friend to give you pointers. She will be able to identify areas where you need more practice or better technique. Inquire with your female friend about makeup, the kinds of clothing that might be flattering to your body type, posture, and feminine mannerisms, like how women walk.
2. Purchase necessary elements of your disguise. Likely, you will not have a wardrobe of female clothing available to you in your size. You'll need to purchase clothing that is flattering to your frame in a feminine way. A secondhand store is a good place to shop for affordable women's clothing. You should also consider purchasing:
   • A basic makeup kit
   • A panty girdle
   • A skirt (knee-length or longer)
   • A wig or hair extensions
   • Breast forms & bra
   • Heeled shoes
   • Perfume
   • Pantyhose/tights
3. Research typical topics of female conversation. You can do this by perusing websites and magazines marketed to the female age group you wish to impersonate. Add these tidbits to whatever comes naturally to you while in your female persona, and you're likely to have a winning combination! Remember, the subjects teenage girls are concerned with will be different from those of middle aged women.
   • Try to talk to a female friend who is around the age you will be impersonating and ask her where you should direct your research.
   • It's usually safe to talk about likes and dislikes. By focusing on your new female friends, you'll likely come across as genuinely interested, and this will also take pressure off you while you adjust to a more feminine communication style.
   • Compliments will also serve to ease you into your new social group, something like, "You have a stunning sense of style! Where did you get that bracelet?"
4. Practice feminine mannerisms. Though these may seem simple, a lifetime of spreading your legs as a man while sitting down might make this habit hard to break when you're wearing a dress disguised as a woman. You may have to limber up before going out in public and crossing your legs, but you should try to:
   • Allow your hips to sway
   • Shorten your stride
   • Rotate your shoulders while walking
   • Keep your knees close together
   • Keep your elbows in
   • Move with fluidity and grace
5. Cultivate a politer persona. Linguistic analysis has shown that women tend to use polite language and formal expressions more frequently than men. Soften direct expressions like, "I can't hear you," with polite expressions like, "I'm sorry," or "Pardon me." A lack of social grace can ruin even the best disguise when impersonating the female gender.
6. Determine whether you have a passable voice. Especially if you are younger, you may not need to change your voice at all, and some people have voices that could naturally be mistaken for either gender. Avoid pitching your voice too high; oftentimes a husky tone will mask the masculine aspects of your voice more credibly.
7. Gender-bend your name. Before you can go out, you'll need a name to complete your female identity. It can be helpful to choose a name based off your own name, as this will be more familiar to you.
   • You might change John to Joanne, Tim to Tammy, or Alex to Alexa. If you are wearing your disguise to school, you should also come up with a backstory for your female identity.
   • One plausible backstory you might use at school: "My family had to come here for my dad's work. We might have to stay a while, so my parents wanted me to come to school so I don't fall behind."

Putting Your Disguise to Use (Male to Female)

1. Slip on your panty girdle. Women and men have many different physical characteristics, and you'll be a more convincing female with a narrow, tapered waist. A panty girdle is intended to do just this. This is especially important if you have a masculine body type.
   • In the event that you have narrow hips already, you may only need to wear a laced corset so you can adjust your torso shape to look more feminine.
2. Don your breast forms and bra. This might not be necessary if you are young enough that your female peers have not yet developed breasts. However, most teens, young adults, and adults will have to pad their chest to give the appearance of having bosoms.
   • Lack of proper padding can lead to your bra riding up throughout the day, which will be a dead giveaway that you're not what you appear to be.
   • A bold colored bra, like black or pink, will show more easily through your clothing, which will help convincing others that your disguise is genuine.
   • If you do not have a breast form, padding will likely be necessary. You can pad your bra by cutting a leg from nude tights, putting birdseed into it, and tying a knot to represent your nipple.
   • Other padding options include: socks or tissue paper (though these can be lumpy), and sponges cut to the appropriate shape.
3. Accessorize yourself! If you don't have pierced ears, you might want to consider buying a pair of convincing clip-ons. Lip gloss or colored chapstick can give a feminine accent to your lips. When applying makeup, try to use natural tones and colors. Bold choices require a light touch and experienced hand, otherwise you might end up looking like a clown!
   • You should get an impartial second opinion of your makeup job before going out in public. Sometimes what looks acceptable under good light in a mirror can look less than flattering from across the room.
   • Don't forget:
     • Bracelets
     • Eyewear (sunglasses, imitation glasses)
     • Hats
     • Necklaces
     • Purses
     • Scarves
     • Stylish belts
4. Put on your female clothes and pad your curves. A long skirt or dress is an excellent choice of garment while you get used to your female disguise. These will cover some of your masculine features (like the muscles in your legs), while the loose parts of your dress will signify where you likely need padding. In addition to your breast padding, you may also need hip and butt padding to give yourself a convincing feminine figure.
   • Keep in mind that if you wear something that shows your legs or armpits and you have thick or visible body hair, you will probably have to shave to maintain your disguise.
5. Get into character. Talk to yourself using your female name, sashay your hips with attitude, pout your painted lips in the mirror, and run over the details of your backstory. Think back to the research you did on common topics for the female age-group you are impersonating, and remember - you are beautiful!

Preparing to Imitate the Opposite Gender (Female to Male)

1. Enlist the help of a male friend. His advice will be crucial to identifying areas and mannerisms that you need to make more masculine. Ask him to give you pointers with clothing, a general explanation of popular sports (if necessary), and have him look at and correct your posture.
2. Cut your hair or employ a bald cap and male wig. Shortening your hair will make your look significantly more masculine. The simplest and easiest way to do this is to go to a male only barber and ask for a "boy cut." If the barber refuses, saying that he only cuts men's hair, tell him that you need a boy-cut for a sport you're playing, like baseball, and that your long hair gets pulled out too frequently otherwise.
   • You can also hide your hair with a baseball hat.
   • If you can't bear to part with your lovely locks, a bald cap and a male wig might be the way to go.
   • If you live in a rural area and are concerned the local barber might spoil your disguise, you may want to find a gay or gay-friendly salon. Likely, these establishments will be more willing to help you with your masculine cut.
3. Conceal your cleavage. If your breasts seem too obvious, try wearing a sport's bra or swimming suit top that is small on you to give your chest a flatter, more masculine appearance. Don't use elastic wrap or tape, which can be harmful to your breasts. If the sport's bra/swimsuit approach doesn't seem to be cutting it, layering several of these may make your breasts look smaller.
   • Breast binding, which is the technical term for using constrictive materials to make your breasts flatter, can be unhealthy if done for a prolonged period of time. If you experience back pain, trouble breathing, chest pain, or a rash, you should stop binding your chest and consult a doctor.
   • It is recommended that you don't bind for more than 8-12 hours at a time.
4. Practice male communication styles. Men and women have very distinct communication styles, and by paying attention to these, you will come across most naturally as one of the boys. The main points to keep in mind are:
   • Don't talk about personal problems
   • Participate in good-natured one-upmanship
     • Man: "I was tearing it up on Call of Duty last night!"
       You: "Yeah? That's great. Sounds almost as good as my 71 kill streak last Saturday. What was your kill ratio again?"
   • Ask fewer questions
   • Be direct in your opinions and thoughts
     • Man: "What did you think of the assembly we had earlier today?"
       You: "It was pretty lame."
5. Purchase male clothing. A good place to shop for a new, masculine wardrobe is a secondhand store. You should aim to buy plain colors and simple patterns, clothing like jeans, plaid shirts, cargo shorts, and t-shirts. Over-sized sweaters are also a great option if you have prominent breasts.
   • Baggy men's clothing, like jeans and sweatpants, are suitable for hiding your curves.
   • Bite the bullet and buy some men's briefs, boxer briefs, or boxers. Even though it's unlikely anyone will get a good look at your undergarments, a thong peeking out of your sagging jeans could ruin a great disguise.
   • Avoid "feminine" colors, like pastels and shades of pink. A stereotypical disguise will be the hardest for others to see through.
   • Make it a point hide your feminine features beneath clothing, like shaved legs or armpits. Men rarely shave in these places, and failing to hide your bare legs might compromise your disguise.
6. Practice your man-erisms. Try not to sway your hips or keep your knees together. Men also stereotypically keep their hands occupied while walking. You can do this by holding something or putting your hands in your pockets. When you sit, sit for comfort and not for consideration. Spread your legs even if there is someone sitting beside you. While sitting, lean back slightly more than you normally do.
   • If you decide to cross your legs while sitting, do so with your ankle on your opposite leg.
7. Determine whether you have a passable voice. Especially if you are younger, you may not need to change your voice at all, and some people have voices that could naturally be mistaken for either gender. Avoid pitching your voice too high, as this might strain your voice. Oftentimes, a light, quiet tone will come across as the most believable voice for your disguise.
   • Try to inflect the ends of your sentences upwards, as this is a common characteristic of female speech.
8. Gender-bend your name. Using a name similar to your own might make it easier for you to recognize when you're in disguise, though some prefer something completely different to separate the biological identity from the disguise. For instance, you might change Christina to Christian, Alexa to Alex, or Tory to Troy.
   • If your name does not easily gender-bend, you might want to use common male name, like that of a close family member.

Applying Your Disguise (Female to Male)

1. Suit up in your guy garments. Most men prefer to put comfort over style, so make sure your clothing fits loosely and is comfortable. This will also help with hiding your curves and breasts. Other items to consider:
   • Eyeglasses/sunglasses
   • Baseball cap
   • Satchel/messenger bag
   • Wallet
   • Wristwatch
2. Remove makeup and earrings. Though men have been becoming increasingly more trendy in the past decade, your disguise might be most believable if you dress to a stereotype. Stereotypical guys don't wear those kind of accessories, so you might want to leave these out of your male disguise.
3. Take a good look in the mirror. Is there anything you might have missed? Fingernails are a likely culprit, as men rarely have long nails. You may want to trim these and remove any other feminine traces you notice.
4. Apply male product. If you look the part, sound the part, but don't smell the part, your disguise might not go over too well. Using a men's deodorant and cologne can lend a scent of success to your disguise. Also, consider using men's hair gel to give your haircut a masculine touch.
5. Get into character. Call yourself by your gender-bent name in your head, go over your backstory, including reasons why you might not know things guys typically would. For example, if you don't know sports very well, you might claim to be a fan of a sport that is out of season.
6. Relax and remember that less is more. Especially since men tend to be more reserved in their communication style, the principle of "less is more" will serve you well while around other men. Trying to be over-the-top manly can betray your disguise just as easily as forgotten lipstick.

Tips

• Always keep in mind anatomical differences. Men disguised as women should be aware that breasts are a sensitive part of the body, just as women disguised as men need to be aware of blows to the groin.
• If you intend to use the bathroom of the gender you are disguised as, be respectful. Take advantage the privacy offered by stalls.
• If you want help on your 'disguise', consider asking for aid in transgender or transvestite (cross dresser) forums. These communities are generally very friendly and have deeply studied the minute details of passing as the opposite sex.
• If you're male and have a pronounced Adam's apple, take steps to conceal it. It can be a dead giveaway. Turtleneck t-shirts, scarves, or sweaters are a good choice.
• Be careful with makeup, a poor makeup job will only make you stand out.
• If you're male, try to avoid low cut shirts unless you have a naturally effeminate figure.
• If you are a male disguised as a female and are using clip-on earrings, you can dispel suspicion with a simple excuse, like, "Yeah, I'm super embarrassed about it, but my parents were way overprotective when I was a kid and wouldn't let me get my ears pierced."

Warnings

• Always give yourself a thorough inspection after taking off your disguise. You can compromise your secret identity, cause your parents or friends to worry unnecessarily, or cause an uncomfortable social situation for yourself if you still have makeup on your face, or have forgotten to remove an article of clothing.
• Impersonating the opposite gender can have consequences you have not considered. People may find it difficult to trust you if you are found out, or you might feel guilty yourself for not telling the whole truth.
• If you're a boy disguised as a girl, shaving your legs might be suspicious when you aren't in disguise. You can avoid this by wearing tights.
• Keep an eye on buttons. Traditionally, male clothing has buttons on the right and female clothing on the left.

Things You'll Need

For Boys

• Girl wig
• Makeup
• Skirt/dress
• Tights
• Bra
• Top/blouse
• Purse
• Clip on earrings/earrings
• Lipstick/lip gloss

For Girls

• T-shirt
• Jeans
• Bald cap and male wig/Male Haircut
• Bindings (sport bra/swimsuit top)

Related Articles

• Accessorize a Bathroom
• Dress for a School Dance or Party (girls)
• Act Like a Tomboy
• Dress Like a Tomboy
• Be a Spy
• Disguise Yourself
• Be a Boy's Friend
• Dress up a Boy Like a Girl
• Disguise the Male Face to Look Female

Sources and Citations

See also

• Look Androgynous
• Be a Tomboy
• Dress Like a Tomboy
• Have Girl Swag
• Act Like a Tomboy
• Be Girly Without Losing the Tomboy in You
• Act Like One of the Guys
• Act Like a Guy for Girls
• Know if You Are a Tomboy
• Be a Tough Girl

Read more ...

What links here

• Disguise Yourself
• Make a Boy Look Like a Girl
• Make a Detective Kit
• Hide Secret Notes