Yes. This.

I’d been aware of the existence and effects of feminizing HRT since–well, probably my mid teens? And always thought that I’d really like it, if only I was trans. Funny thing, 25 years later, turns out I’m trans (I was also starting to get some uncomfortably dark thoughts regarding my continued existence). So I never really worried about it, just realized one day “oh right, I can do this now.”

And yeah, probably a lot of it is placebo, but I feel so much better on estrogen. When I was in the process of cracking, I read a lot of comments saying the same thing and thinking “yeah, right”. But no, starting HRT has been, by far, the best part of my transition so far.

The initial (reversible) effects will definitely let you know if it’s right for you.

Three months in is when I started getting “oh shit, this is awesome”-level changes.

Funny thing – I was paranoid about drawing attention, but in my experience so far very few people notice anything out of the ordinary, and even fewer care. Absolutely nobody has said “you smell like a girl”.

You can get away with a lot more than you think!

That’s just self-doubt. You have my permission to ignore it and go buy a bra. You deserve it <3

I can also recommend a tube bra for the same reason. No cups or pads makes them inconspicuous and really comfortable, but less great if you’re getting pokey or sensitive – fine for lounging around in, though.

In addition to the other comments, how about some nice-smelling body care products? Hair milk, lip balm, hand cream, deodorant etc. Floral scents make me happy!

Oh, and put on sunscreen every day.

Clothes-wise I am enjoying my long cardigan, a wearable blanket and a pair of knitted room shoes.

I found a regular padded sports bra gave a pretty good look (especially since I had some chest fat from being overweight), but because I knew it was just padding I ended up feeling worse overall. YMMV.