A Beach Adventure: A Dream Day for Crossdressers

Going to the beach is something I look forward to every summer. A few days of relaxing in the sun and sand are the ideal place to unwind and let the hours pass by. However, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to dress up for a beach trip and have a girly day out, not for shopping or a photo session, but a girly day at the beach.

As a crossdresser, the idea of going to the beach dressed up as a girl is exciting and also terrifying. I’m sure there are a lot of us who aren’t super proud of our beach bodies at the best of times, in our usual selves. So, the thought of dressing up and baring all on the sand can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be worried about not passing, attracting strange looks, or just feeling like a fish out of water.

However, going to the beach en femme isn’t as daunting as it seems. With a bit of physical, mental, and fashionable preparation, we can all enjoy a day on the sand and in the sun as our female selves. 

Choosing the Best Swimwear

Choosing a swimsuit is obviously the first and biggest challenge. Women often fret over their bathing suit choices. Different styles suit different body types, and some work better than others. The biggest challenge that crossdressers face when choosing a swimsuit is that they obviously aren’t made with a crossdresser in mind. We need to find a balance of comfort, coverage, and cut to get the best for you. Let’s look at some popular styles of swimwear that could be suitable for you.

One Piece Swimsuits

This could be a popular choice because of the coverage they offer. Because they generally cover most of the torso, they can be an excellent choice. Some one-piece swimsuits also offer tummy tucking or slimming panels, like a pair of shaping panties, to help tuck in any bits of belly. Some might also offer an internal bra top, which can be useful. Dark colors or patterns can be slimming and offer you a bit more peace of mind that things you might be shy about are hidden or masked.

I am quite careful when choosing a one-piece swimsuit. There are a number of areas to be mindful of when shopping for one. First of all, do you plan on wearing any shaping garments like breast forms to the beach? If so, you will have to look for swimsuits that offer the proper coverage and are also secure enough to make sure your breast forms stay in place. High necklines and more coverage on your back are advisable for this reason. I’m also conscious of how high the hip line is, because male hips are narrower than female hips, I would choose more of a boyshort or brief style. For example, A thong back with very high leg openings would highlight the lack of hips.

Finally, I’ve noticed that when I’m shopping for dresses or tops, I’m often a slightly larger size for tops than for bottoms. A one-piece swimsuit would be similar; because it is cut to fit a naturally female body, some one pieces can fit oddly. Be prepared to try a few before you find a cut and fit that you’re comfortable with.

Tankinis

A tankini is simple a bikini, but the top is more of a tank top, with more body coverage than a normal bikini. Like the one piece, the coverage can be an important feature for crossdressers. Depending on the top, you could wear your breastplate or breast forms with it; just remember about the security and coverage of them.

I think the best feature of Tankinis is that you can mix and match styles, colors, and sizes. The challenges regarding size and cut can be alleviated with a tankini-type swimsuit by buying sizes that fit your chest and waist as opposed to your whole body. This would allow you to buy an M bottom and a size L top, better fitting your body. You can also choose different styles for your bottoms; boyshorts for more coverage and tuck security, perhaps a Brazilian style cut if you’re feeling daring. 

I think the downside of a tankini is that I feel like it has gone out of style. I don’t see many women or girls wearing tankinis on the beach, and those who do are often very young children or very old grandparents.

High-Waisted or Boy-Short Bottoms

High-waisted bikinis are a good choice to help shape your hips and waistline. Like the one piece, the higher waistline can help restrain any belly fat, or it might even be sold with a figure shaping panel built in. Similar figure-shaping features for your bum can also be found in some bikini bottoms. Because these shaping features require more fabric, you’ll get more coverage too. I’ve noticed that these figure-shaping panels in bikinis are not as strong as figure-shaping underwear for women and won’t have as dramatic an effect.

Swimdresses

For those of us who might be quite nervous about baring too much skin, a swimdress is a good choice. A swimdress will often use a one-piece swimsuit as the foundation for some more decorative elements. I think swimdresses which have some flare in the hip area, similar to a peplum skirt, are a good way to mask slimmer hips and fake a more femme figure.

Other styles could offer a good amount of chest support with an underwired bra built into the fabric. Some of these swimdresses will feature an empire waist, not unlike a cute nightgown, which can create the illusion of longer legs and wider hips. These dresses with added decorative fabric can also provide an extra bit of reassurance that any tucking you’ve done will remain concealed and sealed.

Different Bikini Tops

Bikini Tops are another area to consider. There are countless styles and cuts here, just like bras; the selection could be infinite. The biggest difference here is that nothing will be covering it, and your upper body will be on display. I think the biggest consideration are the boobs; will you wear forms or a breast plate or nothing at all? Depending on the answer, you could end up making different choices.

With Breast Forms

•  Halter Tops

Whenever I wear breast forms or a breast plate, I worry about keeping the edges concealed and keeping them securely in place. Halter tops offer a good amount of fabric and, because they tie behind the neck, can hold a pair of breast forms securely in place, with enough coverage on each side to feel confident they won’t be overly noticeable. Some halter tops will even have some pockets for shaping pads that can help hold your forms in place. If you’re wearing a breast plate, a halter top will offer good support and coverage of most of the edges. It’ll do this while not obstructing your cleavage.

•  Full Coverage, High Necklines

If you’re very worried about covering up your breast forms, you could also choose a bikini top with a high neckline. Something like this would cover your sternum and therefore any cleavage you might have, but it will surely cover the totality of your breast forms while still showing off the shape of your bust. 

• Athletic Bra Top Styles

These are great if you’re going to be a bit more active on the beach. They fit snugly and can hold your breast forms in place. I would advise looking for one with individual cups for each breast as opposed to a bralette-type top. You can rest assured that your forms won’t be noticed, and you’ll feel great playing a bit of volleyball or splashing in the waves with a bounce on your chest.

•  Don’ts

Needless to say, don’t wear super skimpy tops with breast forms. Beyond the obvious coverage challenges, there is a real risk of damaging your breast forms. In order to keep their shape, breast forms need to be fully supported, and a tiny string bikini top could create a crease or worse if relied upon for long-term support. Also, the direct sunlight risks drying out the materials, raising the risk of premature cracking or tearing.

Without Forms

•  Ruffled or Frilled tops

The extra decorative touches of frilly fringe to a bikini top add volume. Volume is out, friend, so tops that have ruffles, fringe, or layered fabrics are good choices here. Make sure they offer some balance with your waistline and shoulders. They shouldn’t sit too high on your chest, or it will look unnatural.

• Push Up Tops

Many women wear bikini tops with the little chicken filets built in to give them a bit of a boost on the beach. These tops can help crossdressers, too. The bit of padding can offer a hint of a bustline when worn by a crossdresser, and because the padding is part of the top, it isn’t something we need to worry about staying in place. I’d say this style of top offers the most variety of cup styles and cuts; enough choices to satisfy anyone.

• Contrasting Colors

Lastly, I’d like to encourage you to wear mismatching tops and bottoms without breast forms. Bolder, darker bottoms will concentrate attention away from a smaller chest area. 

• Don’ts

Also, avoid tube tops, super tight bralette-style tops, and tiny triangle string bikinis. All of these will just highlight the lack of curves and boobage underneath.

Body Tips: Tucking, Shaving & Sunbathing

Crosdressing at the beach presents another significant challenge. What to do about our boy bits and body hair?

Tucking

A bikini bottom or one-piece swimsuit is not something that offers us a lot of coverage. I know that the idea of only a single layer of tight swimwear between me and the world is not a calming thought. Some retailers have begun to market gaff bikini bottoms specifically for crossdressers. En Femme has a wide selection of tucking bikini bottoms to choose from. In the alternative, you’ll need to find some secure tape, possibly medical grade, to help keep your tuck in place, especially if you are going to be more active.

Shaving

To achieve a properly feminine look at the beach, a full body shave is going to be essential. To achieve a balanced and complete shave, I would suggest doing it in front of a full-length mirror, leaving nothing to the imagination. Do an initial shave a few days beforehand, and then repeat it the morning of your beach trip. This will cut down on any razor burn or rashes from a full-body shave on the day.

Skin Care

Sunscreen and some after-sun skin care are going to be quite important here. First of all, to ensure that you don’t get badly sunburned and also to maintain some soft girly skin on your special day. Find some moisturizing sunscreen and use it regularly, which sounds obvious. However, I’ve got an added tip. Using different levels of SPF protection in different places on your body will result in different levels of suntan. If you are looking to get a sexy bikini tan line on your bum, use a high SPF under your bikini line and a lower one on your exposed skin. This will quickly result in a bold and recognizable tan line on your bottom.

Simple Beach Make Up

Wearing makeup to the beach is always a personal option. Make-up can easily be ruined by sweat, sea water, or excessive sunlight, but can also be the final finishing touch to allow you to pass. There are a few tips to keep your makeup suitable for a sunny beach day.

Start your makeup routine with a primer or foundation with a degree of sun protection. This way, you won’t need to slather sunscreen on your makeup face in the middle of the day. Other makeup items, like tinted creams, can also be found with SPF protection. Waterproof mascara is also a must; just a bit will let you splash in the waves without your eyelashes falling into your eye. Lip balm or lipstick in more natural colors is more suited to the beach. Keep your makeup looking good throughout the day by using a setting spray before going out.

Low-Key Presentation Advice

Passing in public is always a concern for crossdressers, and the beach presents a uniquely challenging environment for us girls. Being out in public in potentially so little clothing is a bit scary.

• Getting your walk correct is essential. We can do so by practicing a bit at home before going out. We’ll need to take smaller steps and, most importantly, keep our shoulders back and chest forward. I like to stand with my back straight against a wall and then slowly take a few steps forward to get into the mindset and routine of a more femme gait.
• Being conscious of how we use our hands and arms to gesture is also a priority. Large and sudden movements can be instant signs of a more masculine nature; keep your arm and hand movements small, deliberate, and graceful.

• Posture and poise are key as well. When we are walking, we don’t want to be hunched over, so keep your shoulders back. We should also be aware of how we sit and lie down on a beach lounger. You’ll hardly ever see a woman lying spread-eagled or with totally straight legs; nearly always, women will cross their legs or keep a subtle bend at the knee, even when lying down.

Preparing Yourself Mentally

Now, the most difficult part of a girly day at the beach for a crossdresser is jumping over the mental hurdles. Crossdressing in public is a giant step; doing so in a beach environment is huge.

Visualize Your Day Beforehand

Before setting off for the day, close your eyes and try to see what you’re going to do with your day. Do a little mental walk down the streets and along the sand, imagining the passersby and the background noise. Much in the way that doing a role play of a situation can better prepare us for that situation, this can prepare us for this. Picture yourself doing it confidently, with a laid-back attitude that a beach holiday is meant to create. 

Bring a Friend

Doing something like this alone would take an immense amount of strength and courage. Bringing along a supportive friend, be it a girl or another crossdresser or whoever, can be a hugely supportive thing. Someone to help reassure, keep safe, and encourage each other in the moments of doubt or weakness.

Start Small and Pick a Good Time and Place

If you’re nervous about crowds or prying eyes, there are a lot of things you can do. Less crowded beaches in more rural areas can offer privacy and solitude; often, there will be campgrounds or accommodations nearby. Beaches in lgbtq friendly areas are also welcoming and non-judgmental. And also, remember that it’s ok to go back home when you’ve felt you’ve had enough.

Conclusion

Going out on a beach trip or beach day as a crossdresser is a hugely challenging and exciting task. The nervousness and exhilaration of being out, in the sun, in a swimsuit, one of the heights of femininity, will be super memorable. Don’t forget that it’s doable and that everyone out there on the beach has a bit of a worry about themselves, too. Let go of your worries and enjoy!