This problem is the same for many of us - especially those girls who cant shave their arms. Lots of interesting comments about usefulness of sleeves as cover ups as well as for other uses?? - plus the lack of pockets in many women's clothes.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/aug/15/sleeve-mary-portas-duchess-cambridge

and here are some dresses + tops currently round on the high street in the UK

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2011/aug/15/sleeves-high-street-tops-dresses#/?picture=377930526&index=4

Enjoy the read and the photos.... and hopefully lets have some comments

hugs

Pauline xxx

Hey Pauline,

This is just part of the story - but many people also have hair on their hands - long sleeves don't cover that up? And gloves aren't practical for every occasion?

What can people do about that?

We need to compile a list of excuses why we need to shave our body hair - what area and what excuse...?


x Becca

Hey Becca,

Well one I know that was used by T girls in Holland was - "I need to shave my legs to go cycling". But that only helps in summer, not in winter when many more girls go out...or is that a myth?

I know that Marianne often wears gloves so maybe she can comment on the practicalities of that.

As regards disguising hairy legs - there is a solution which works well. Wear Danskin dance tights in nude colour and then 15 denier stockings or tights over the top - I know that works. I suppose you could try opaque flesh colored tights (cheaper than Danskin and easier to find) with transparent stockings or tights over them. And dark opaque tights cover a lot....and as we approach autumn its the time for boots.

hugs

Pauline xxx

I told everyone I shave my arm and hand hair to prevent the Taliban from hiding in it
XXXXX

haven't needed an excuse for years now, nobody at work has ever asked so don't need to have one....lol

I'm with you Paula - I think many people's problems are more at home though... eye brows - plucking them...

I would like to know how far people go - shaving their legs for swimming - and then having to swimming every day? or doing amateur dramatics to be an ugly sister?


x Becca
This post was edited by R Fox at August 19, 2011 5:05 PM BST

only hair I have is on my head (and that's going slowly :-(..), I am fully shaved, not a lot of people see my legs so am lucky really...tried plucking my eyebrows but usually just trim them...I'm currently using an scanning IPL on my face basically coz I seem to always nick myself when wet shaving....main thing is I shave for myself , no one else....not really bothered what others think...

I am not so worried what others think, as I am shaven all over. Its more for the others who can't. As for plucking eyebrows - do it sensibly and give yourself an arch with a pencil. P xx

I think that in general people rarely notice hairless hands arms etc in fact its very hairy limbs that tend to attract attention! I'd just go for it I've been doing it for years and I've never had anyone notice or comment!
XXXX

Well me long sleeves at work and sensible plucked eyebrows - but away from there doesnt matter. TBH it depends where u live and the intelligence.

More people shave, wax etc now so.

Kelly xx

Im bloody lucky cos im as hairy as a sphinx cat, i shave my legs and belly but dont bother with arms, i only have a few hairs on the wrists and along the side of each hand but their barely noticeable. never plucked eye brows, not sure there is enough to pluck unfortunately, so i used to try draw into them but it looked daft lolxx

as i have stated in the past i epilate the lot, i am not bothered if anybody mentions it, my eyebrows are near to non existance, so girls that is about it with me, i have heard shaving legs is good for cycling, as it aids to streamling, or something like that, love collette XXX.

Fingerless gloves - the answer to many a hair!

Weird though, I removed all hair from my hands this year at Sparkle but still wore gloves - I decided afterwards it was because I like gloves.

A woman at work told me that someone shaved their arms because they were a "tranny". I asked her did she have a problem with that and she said no, not at all. So I suspect people will be a lot less worried about it than we are.

So the answer - do whatever you feel comfortable doing and ask people for tolerance of that.

Love Marianne
XXXX

none of my mates have noticed my shaven arms lol but thats blokes for not very good at noticing the little things and i do my brows to but not to much just tidy em plus with all this male grooming these days not many give a damn with what ya do just dont turn up in a dress and stilettoes for ruby practice ha ha xxx

Amymichelle, But i guess after ruby (rugby??) practice its OK to put your dress on. P xx

ha ha yes thats true and im rubbish at spellin lol which skool did i went ha ha but at least you knew it was ruby (oops) rugby xxxxx

lol, yeah, being the hairless guy in the locker room is not that rare anymore with all the manscaping going on. I ride my bike long distance, so the legs are usually well shaved, and up to the low waist, as nobody wants to be the "guy in woolly shorts" teehee

Arms and torso, a bit more touchy, as wifey likes the touch of hair I have there. And she knows I've been dressing when it is smooth, and she is not that comfy with the dressing fully...yet.

I had laser on my arms a few years ago and not one person ever commented. I think people generally are pretty unobservant to be honest and for those that are observant I think most aren't really that bothered. Let's face it in the grand scale of things in people's lives the fact that someone they see has or hasn't got arm hair is unlikely to be top of their importance list. Like a lot of things trans related, it's more worse in our own heads about what people 'may' think than the actually reality.

Aint that the truth Amber!!!
XXXXX

Pauline Smith said:As regards disguising hairy legs - there is a solution which works well. Wear Danskin dance tights in nude colour and then 15 denier stockings or tights over the top - I know that works. I suppose you could try opaque flesh colored tights (cheaper than Danskin and easier to find) with transparent stockings or tights over them. And dark opaque tights cover a lot....and as we approach autumn its the time for boots.

I have done this before to cover the hair on my legs. It does work quite well! Have a look at the pics

http://www.transtastic.com/se4/albums/view/878
This post was edited by Pauline Smith at November 10, 2011 7:32 AM GMT

Wow, I've just epilated my arms (yes it did bloody sting, thanks for asking, lol) and I absolutely love the look and feel of it. I work in a very male orientated work-place and although I was initially nervous no-one seems to have noticed at all! My wife already knows about Suzi so she was prepared for this event, even tho she used to love my hairy arms when we 1st got together. Now smooth all over and there's no going back ;-) xx

there, as i have always said, epilating is best, at first you will have to keep a check on it after 2 weeks, but the more you epilate the easier it gets, and if you epilate as long as i have, you will only have to do it every 2 months approx, you will have to keep an eye out for ingrowing hairs. well all the best to you all out there who are taking up epilation, love collette XXX.

Like some of the other correspondents, I'm also lucky in that I have little hair on my arms and hands. However, I still felt it spoiled the overall effect so it's largely gone, particularly on my hands. If anyone has noticed, it's never been commented on or drawn curious stares.
Another possible solution for legs is lacey hosiery (if you like it) moderate hair covering is well disguised by these. I use this option if I "need" hairy legs for hot holidays with friends. Sometimes you just want to avoid the awkward questions! Lacey legs is a compromise Susan can cope with until she's back with her (much preferred) smooth legs
This post was edited by Susan d'Aristoc at April 21, 2012 2:58 PM BST

With me its not about the hair as i have shaved my body for years ( and here comes the excuse ) im a master scuba diver and pulling on a wetsuit over a hairy body and ripping hairs out can really bring tears to the eyes , in fact im lucky in as much as ive never really had a hairy body just a few fine hairs so unless you really looked closely you would,nt be able to tell , my concern is tattoos ! , yes like a muppet i thought they looked cool , many years ago they cost me a job as cabin crew and i have hated them since ! but hey ho what can a girl do , apparently laser surgery can leave scarring so im stuck with them , the one i really hate is slap bang in the middle of my chest , ( that one i really hate ) so im looking into trying an American cream which claims to fade them . anyway back to sleeves , most of my dresses and blouses are no sleeve or half sleeve , however at the moment i am wearing my new studded dress with no sleeves but i have co.ordinated it with a lovely little black suit jacket which is light enough to wear even in summer , if im on the beach or hols then i simply wear a very light loose fitting sheer blouse ( you can see through it but with difficulty ) as for legs , feet and hands , well a nice close shave with a 5 blade razor deals with that easily and it stays at bay for days !! , as for eyebrows , i pluck regularly and as Pauline says ..from below in order to give them a nice arch , then just pluck the stray ones as needed . i will ps here ,if your unlucky enough to have to return to male mode and for some reason have to show your body ( sports swimming etc shaven men is not a new phoenomena men have been shaving and moisturising their bodies for years now so its nothing to be embarrassed about , just look at some of the top football players . xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

when i was in a loving longterm but sexless weekend relationship with a girl...she came round one weekend and I was totally devoid of body hair. She asked why I had done it and i replied 'it looks better innit', she just shrugged and said I guess so. That was that. I dont see the problem in this day and age. David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Gavin Henson (sports people..and I know its apparently uncool to like footie etc being a tranny but i aint cool) well they all have shaved/waxed their bodies in the past. Is cool. It looks better. Thats that really.