Alright, since there are a few of us here that enjoy crossplaying (dressing as the opposite gender), I decided to post some useful for both guy and girl crossplayers.
First off, a tip for the ladies to hide their chest:
First off, a tip for the ladies to hide their chest:
Karisu-sama
Crossplay chest binding methods recap from previous threads, as I recall:
1) ACE bandages (I strongly recommend 6" wide actual ACE brand; store brands are not as solid - this is my original method.)
2) Tight sport bras
3) Compression shirt: http://www.underworks.com/997.html (works quite nicely, but will show under anything skimpier than a muscle shirt - I used acid dyes to make mine skin-colored)
4) Combination of the above
5) "Waist-trimmer" girdle thing pulled up over the chest - I wear mine backwards to eliminate the vertical center line
6) Lumbar support belt / back brace (for women with larger chests)
7) Tied / pinned cloth wrap or narrow obi
8 ) Tape (preferably something designed for skin!)
I trial-ran the Sports Tape method (for a binding-less chest front - you can show REAL SKIN all the way down!) at Anime Expo.
a) I used Johnson&Johnson brand sports tape. Unlike duct tape and other such, it's designed for use on skin - typically to add stability to weak wrists, forearms, ankles, shins, fingers & toes. Duct tape and others are also well known to remove lots of skin along with the tape itself, so I had NO desire to even attempt those.
b) I tried this method in order to achieve the "natural guy-chest look" in a low-cut tank-top shirt with only skin showing, not a bandage. Method of application: run one 5-6" strip vertically up the front of each of your "assets" - this will keep you "decent" if your shirt slips, holds you up higher, and provides an anchor strip for the rest. Then run long strips horizontally from one to the other around behind your back, making sure to tape down any bulges showing on the side.
c) I have my doubts about this method working for anyone above a B cup, but I got TOTALLY flat with it. Whoa. *blink*
d) Since sports tape is a nice absorbant cloth tape, liquid foundation worked real well to color the parts of the tape that showed through the loose tank-top arm holes.
e) I did this on two successive days. Each time I started with squeaky-clean showered skin, and the tape did NOT pop off at all the whole day long, even after lots of running around and posing and sweating through the masquerade and evening dances. In addition, it was pretty comfortable. I think it constricted my breathing less than an ACE bandage (and not enough to trouble me.)
f) Caveat: The first day I took it off rather too enthusiastically (I was in a hurry and tired), and since the skin on the chest is not nearly as tough as the skin on one's extremities (or one's back, apparently), I actually did lose about 1cm sq. of top-layer skin in one spot. >.< I was much more careful the second day (didn't retape that spot either, obviously), but I did lose a couple more very small pieces (2-3mm sq., times 2) in nearby places. (NOTE: See EDIT 2 below for my latest theory on skin loss via this method - it's actually due to blisters forming!! Not tape glue being too strong.)
g) Result: I was happy with the effect while wearing it. I might consider trying this again, but I may not get any more chances because my husband was super-freakin' pissed at "the damage". (He already hates it when I bind. Grrr. It's not like I do it except for crossplay a couple days a year! I also cosplay GIRLS, for heaven's sake!! In fact, I typically cosplay more girls than guys!) Oh well. I suppose I can continue to Photoshop ACE out of my photos...
Next off we have some tips for the guys who have to hide their "package" while wearing a dress.
Warning: The information below is a mildly graphic and descriptive.
Warning: The information below is a mildly graphic and descriptive.
Mizuno Tenshi
Well, here's one issue that comes up a lot. How a guy can hide things 'down there'. There have been links to a few different ways to do it, but I'm not partial to any of those methods myself. So, I'll try and explain things for those who want to know.
Warning: I'm going to be blunt and a bit graphic, so if you don't wanna read it, stop now. I can't really explain and be delicate about it, though. Fair warning has been given.
Well... first suggestion is to shave as much hair as possible from around the sac. It's a good idea to at least trim all the hair above it too. If the hair is too long, it can poke through panties, and that's not a good look. Less hair also makes it less painful if you decide to use tape.
The hardest part about everything, though, is the actual 'tuck'. Your testicles came down when you went through puberty. The goal is to try and put them back up there. Lay down on your back, and gently push them into your body and up. You'll need to spend a lot of time prodding and trying to find where they go, but once you do, they'll sort of 'pop in'. Don't force this. It shouldn't hurt too much. When you're laying back, they should stay in fairly well.
Once you get the hang of that, there are a few ways to keep everything in. My preffered method is to pull all of the loose skin from the sac towards my rear, and try and stretch it so there's no slack. That way there's no space for the testicles to pop into.
A firm control panty or girdle can do the job, if you just do that and push your p***s back. For skimpier stuff, though, and when you can't wear something that bulky, tape works and can be worn with really skimpy bikini panties, etc.
You can then pull tape from your front, across the sac, and tight to your cheeks. Use clear medical tape with some stretch. You want the stretch. Trust me. And it needs to hold well, since this tape will get pulled at a lot. You can even use the bathroom with this setup, you'll just have to sit down. Your p***s will be pulled downwards a bit if you get aroused, though, so no fun in the hotel room with the tape still on. Not something I'd do anyways. Then just tuck your p***s back between your legs, and pull on a tight-fitting pair of panties. I used to try really stretchy panties thinking they'd hold stuff in better. Silly me. It's better to get something non-stretchy, and everything should stay in place fine. You can use tape if you like too, just kind of wrap it around the shaft and pull it back towards the cheeks too. Try and keep tape off the head, and only put the tape on when you're soft, or it won't hold. You can sit down and use the bathroom like this too, but you'll have to wipe off.
Well, whatever you need to do, getting the balls out of the way is the most difficult part at first. After that, you can use this method, or a few other ones to tape with. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to do, and comfortable for long periods of time.
I also figured out another way that works pretty well. Just use a pantiliner (the really thin ones with wings) in whatever panties you wear, and it helps smooth things out and keep things in better. They're not that expensive, and... well... for those of you who get a bit... aroused and "leaking" (I shouldn't need to explain that one, but it can be either from what you're wearing or whatever sort of attention you're getting), it keeps things a bit drier and makes for easier cleanup.
Warning: I'm going to be blunt and a bit graphic, so if you don't wanna read it, stop now. I can't really explain and be delicate about it, though. Fair warning has been given.
Well... first suggestion is to shave as much hair as possible from around the sac. It's a good idea to at least trim all the hair above it too. If the hair is too long, it can poke through panties, and that's not a good look. Less hair also makes it less painful if you decide to use tape.
The hardest part about everything, though, is the actual 'tuck'. Your testicles came down when you went through puberty. The goal is to try and put them back up there. Lay down on your back, and gently push them into your body and up. You'll need to spend a lot of time prodding and trying to find where they go, but once you do, they'll sort of 'pop in'. Don't force this. It shouldn't hurt too much. When you're laying back, they should stay in fairly well.
Once you get the hang of that, there are a few ways to keep everything in. My preffered method is to pull all of the loose skin from the sac towards my rear, and try and stretch it so there's no slack. That way there's no space for the testicles to pop into.
A firm control panty or girdle can do the job, if you just do that and push your p***s back. For skimpier stuff, though, and when you can't wear something that bulky, tape works and can be worn with really skimpy bikini panties, etc.
You can then pull tape from your front, across the sac, and tight to your cheeks. Use clear medical tape with some stretch. You want the stretch. Trust me. And it needs to hold well, since this tape will get pulled at a lot. You can even use the bathroom with this setup, you'll just have to sit down. Your p***s will be pulled downwards a bit if you get aroused, though, so no fun in the hotel room with the tape still on. Not something I'd do anyways. Then just tuck your p***s back between your legs, and pull on a tight-fitting pair of panties. I used to try really stretchy panties thinking they'd hold stuff in better. Silly me. It's better to get something non-stretchy, and everything should stay in place fine. You can use tape if you like too, just kind of wrap it around the shaft and pull it back towards the cheeks too. Try and keep tape off the head, and only put the tape on when you're soft, or it won't hold. You can sit down and use the bathroom like this too, but you'll have to wipe off.
Well, whatever you need to do, getting the balls out of the way is the most difficult part at first. After that, you can use this method, or a few other ones to tape with. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to do, and comfortable for long periods of time.
I also figured out another way that works pretty well. Just use a pantiliner (the really thin ones with wings) in whatever panties you wear, and it helps smooth things out and keep things in better. They're not that expensive, and... well... for those of you who get a bit... aroused and "leaking" (I shouldn't need to explain that one, but it can be either from what you're wearing or whatever sort of attention you're getting), it keeps things a bit drier and makes for easier cleanup.
