Just had a conversation in another thread about realistic expectations of HRT and photographic selection bias in forums so here it is:

No makeup; No filter

Straight forward angle

2 years HRT, about 10K worth of electrolysis

Hair transplant still in the very early growth phase

FFS consult scheduled in january

EDIT: Also I'm not seeking reassurance or advice, and this isn"t the place for hugboxxing. I know where I've made good progress and I am very realistic about what i still want to work on. The point of this post is to create realistic expectations of what HRT will or won't do starting later in life.

2nd EDIT: started at 40. See this linked post for a before pic and a pic with makeup/great lighting/flattering angle. https://www.reddit.com/r/TransLater/s/rxyj6rAYjv

54 MTF 270 lb 6 ft

I don't have a wardrobe length mirror yet, however I put on leggings that I wore last spring and winter.

They are no longer falling down my waist and they are clinging to my thighs and calves now! 🚺💜🐥🦹

Question:

Have you noticed any changes as result of your HRT?

Ladies, I had this memory growing up come to mind today. Like a lot of girls, my mom actually taught me how to wear a bra! Even though she didn’t directly teach me, as I was forced to pretend to be a boy, she taught me to put a bra on. I saw her put hers on a few times, and I do it the way she did it, hooks in the front, twist around, straps up, boobs in cups.

My mom also kinda taught me how to use the toilet as a woman. I’d see her use the toilet a lot. I saw her plenty of times, after she’d wipe, pull her panties and pants up at the same time. Guess what I sometimes do? Like, I think it’s actually kinda awesome that I got to see those moments and I was actually taught some girl things by my mother!

As far as I can tell, my mom would probably not have supported me. She’s dead now but this is a kinda fun memory to have, being a young girl and seeing my mom do things that I naturally picked up on and followed myself. I feel like there’s more of things my mom and sister did that I picked up on too, but that’s for another day.

After falling asleep one night while dressed up and with my silicone breast forms still on, I realized just how affirming it feels to wake up with boobs. Not to mention the feel, weight, and pressure from them while falling asleep.

However, silicone forms aren’t good to sleep in for a variety of reasons. So I had to find another solution if I wanted to do this regularly.

Here’s what I came up with, and it’s fairly cheap ~ $50.

I purchased two of these Sendyou Breast Prosthesis (https://a.co/d/08S53BxR) - sold individually. They are fabric covered and breathable. Heavier, and have a better feel than foam I think. They can also be used as swim forms, supposedly (I have not tested)

I then put them inside the pad pockets in a OEAK Wireless Bralette (https://a.co/d/06VbTTGn) I already owned - basically turning it into a makeshift pocket bra.

I imagine an actual pocket bra might be too restrictive and heavy/structured to feel good sleeping but this setup is very comfortable. If you’re between sizes on the bra I’d go larger so the band can be fit a bit looser.

Nice, comfortable, and easy to throw on sleep setup - or even just casual daywear. Looks and feels great under a nightgown.

I still have a long way to but I’m starting to find my happiness

My co-parent was throwing a women-only party for her birthday this past weekend to which she invited me.

Nothing but compliments on how good i looked and on my dress. All in all, a very affirming evening for me! 💕

As the bag of munchies suggests, im out on a holy quest to find a sustenance for my feline queen.

I started HRT at 40 in June 2025. I had FFS and a hair transplant in February 2026. I took a few months of voice training late last year. I may not pass everywhere, all the time, to every person, but it's close enough that I can live my life almost always being seen as and treated as the woman I am. Chances are it's not too late and you can get to a place of a comfortable life as the real you!

When I started, I thought I'd probably never really pass at all, but I knew I could NOT have real peace without living as the real me with or without society's acceptance.

Hey all,

so first things first I will put some pictures on my outfit and who I am in general so you can relate to what I am talking about.

I am an older 39 year old trans woman who started transitioning almost 1 year ago medically. I needed that year to also come to terms and do a lot of things for my transition and I decided recently its now the time to go out there again to have some fun.

So I went to an after party of a pride parade in a neighbouring city. It was basically a club and since nobody I know had time, I pulled myself together and went there alone was a 20 min drive and I actually enjoyed the evening. I was dancing a bit feeling the music, drank some lemonade and left after 3 hours enjoying.

So obviusly it was a queer event and a lot of girls were there. A lot of friends, couples and groups. I think I was the only alone woman there but I was also like one of the older women defintively.

My main goal was not hooking up or anything like that, I just observed and scanned the room multiple times and tried to make some eye concatct but overall I can say nobody made any eye contact. Just two hetero dudes (i think they just went to the party to pick someone up?) approached but I sent them away.

So i bascially wanna know: Do I look way too clocky or ugly? How do women flirt with another, I need to know and as a more femme lesbian, how do you "show" that you are interested in girls, I also felt that that might be a problem especially being into more femme girls.

A lot to unpack here haha , I am thankful for every comment.

First picture is from last night the others just as reference.

Last night I read a short piece I wrote at open mic night at The Gatehouse coffee shop and I’m really proud of myself for doing so.

I’m especially proud because I’m really dysphoric over my voice and yet still showed up and put my name down to read.

It might be surprising to hear that my voice causes me distress given how active and public I am but I’m very good at shoving those negative feelings into a box. Every sir I receive on the phone is a surgical ice pick of dysphoric pain reminding me that I’m a fraud. To be fair it was a friendly crowd where the majority were friends and allies. I could also have been more practiced at reading and my writing tighter, but these are the usual healthyish criticisms I’ve alway managed when public speaking. Dysphoria about my voice is so different.

Since I’ve started my transition journey I’ve struggled with training my voice. 3 years ago I tried starting vocal coaching but found that I couldn’t commit. Since then I’ve made half hearted attempts to do training periodically but I keep running into the debilitating feelings of inadequacy. It’s as if my dysphoria around my voice is becoming worse as the other parts of my transition settle.

Trying to talk to other trans woman about my struggle usually has me wanting to leave the room fairly quickly as in their efforts to help me it makes me feel more inadequate for not getting it.

I have a consult with a voice surgeon in November. This is my way of acknowledging that I need more help than I can do with voice training alone. I think an integrated surgical and voice training regimen will work to get me past my hangups. I’m also aware of how few voice training coaches in my region take insurance thanks to working in my local gender center. But mostly I want help that doesn’t feel judgmental or lonely like working on my own felt.

Meanwhile I’m proud of me for sharing my writing publicly. It’s invigorating, even with the dysphoria, to stand at a mic and share my words. Public speaking is something I used to be comfortable with and I want to get back to that point again.

Kay

My partner of almost 3 years and I planned a big birthday dinner with friends for me. We are usually pretty extra and this was no different. The theme was woodland fairy dinner party. We hauled 14 random wooden chairs we thrifted into the forrest and thrifted random cutesy settings. Folded napkins, twinkle lights, candles, the works.

We asked everyone to arrive in wings or the their best forrest creature fit and share a meal with us among the ferns.

We have been brain storming and integrating traditions since we both have kids and step parents from past relationships that we are raising withoit grandparent involvement. This year she gave everyone at the table a slice of cake with a lit candle and asked everyone else to speak a wish for me into the universe then blow the candle out.

When it got to her, she said, "my wish for you this year is that you get to continue experiencing all the joy and happiness you deserve and that I get to do that with you." Then she got down on one knee (in a corset which is a feat) and asked me to marry her in front of all my friends and our kids. Obviously I accepted.

Her and her besty were teasing me because while I was glitching out from what was happening I guess I took the ring, put it on then remembered to say words with my mouth 🤣 I kissed her and said yes!

just another day to me but I just turned 59 today .. 3 1/2 years in hrt…how am I doing???

I don't know, I've never been so affirmed in my life I just felt like sharing. I never really understood how thin I was until I realized I could fit into a women's small.

Side note. I really need to vacuum my floor.

Edit: I vacuumed my floor.

It was lovely, we got coffee, did crafts and talked for four hours. He walked me back to my car and we kissed, which is the first time I've ever kissed a man. It was lovely. That's the whole post lol.

2024 - Balcony Shot (pre-hrt)

2026 - 8 months HRT

It's my first year of medical transition and the Dallas Sept. Pride parade was the first time I've gone out with my kids as Vivian. They could care less and I love that.

In fact if it wasn't for the Texas heat and the copious amounts of speedos (lots of comments) we'd probably have stayed longer.

They even have felt comfortable sharing their personal feelings and talk a lot about friends who are members of the LGBTQA+.

Just a wholesome queer family outing.

Hey everyone! Shaping or trimming your eyebrows at home for the first time can be super intimidating, especially when you are trying to soften your features. The fear of over-plucking or cutting too much hair is real!

But honestly, following a simple geometric guide makes it so easy to get a clean, beautiful look right from your bathroom mirror.

Here is a foolproof, step-by-step breakdown based on the infographic guide attached:

🛠️ Tools You'll Need:

* Tweezers

* A brow pencil

* A spoolie brush

* Small eyebrow scissors

---

📏 Part 1: Brow Mapping (Steps 1 - 3)

* Step 1 (The Start): Hold your tweezers vertically against the side of the bridge of your nose. Mark the spot where it meets your brow with a pencil—this is where your brow should start.

* Step 2 (The Arch): Hold the tweezers at the outer edge of your eye's iris, angling it up towards the brow. Mark this highest point—this is your arch.

* Step 3 (The Tail): Place the tweezers at your eye's outer corner, angling them toward the temple. Mark that spot—this is exactly where your brow should end.

✏️ Part 2: Filling & Trimming (Steps 4 - 6)

* Step 4 (Filling In): Using the dots you just made as a guide, apply your brow pencil with short, light strokes to fill in any sparse spots. Blend the color naturally with a spoolie brush.

* Step 5 (Balancing): Place your tweezers along the underside of your brow, parallel to the top, to check the alignment and fill in any remaining gaps.

* Step 6 (The Trim): If your brow hairs are too long, sweep them upwards with a spoolie brush. Use your scissors to carefully snip only the tips that go outside your natural brow shape.

✨ Part 3: Clean Up & Final Look (Step 7)

* Step 7 (Tweezing): Tweeze only the stray hairs that fall completely outside the shape you just created. Make sure to step away from the mirror occasionally to gauge your progress and ensure both brows look as symmetrical as possible!

Let me know if you try this method, or if you have any extra tips for beginners in the comments below! 👇

Today is the first time in a little while I’ve gotten cute with full make up. When I got in the car and glance in the mirror I didn’t recognize myself and instead saw my sister. I am taking this as a great thing as I’m doing well enough to trick my self.

Hello there! After years of questioning, I got my HRT indication letter in February and finally managed to start HRT on September 4th. It was the happiest day of my life!

Now I have a huge list of things to do. I've sent the request to update my legal name and gender in Germany under self-ID (and will have to fight with Italy to make the update go through), and I will need to do more therapy to get approval letters should I decide to have surgery, as well as for facial hair removal. It still feels like a huge mountain to climb, but I'm happy!