The Spandex, Leotard and Tights Revival

Back in the 80’s, I remember my foray into crossdressing developing with the age of the workout video craze. When my parents would take me to a video rental store, I would sneak off to that area of aerobic videos, studying those boxes of VHS tapes on display. Looking at those beautiful, well toned women in stretched poses and in their brightly colored spandex leotards (plus a hint of their matching bright tights showing) made me aspire to be sexy like one of them. I basically viewed them as Superwomen in tights.

To my luck, my older sister would rent one of these videos on occasion. Then I would take my turn to watch it, as if it were a steamy porno, when she and everyone else was away. Unfortunately, my sis never opted for the same stylish workout gear, using a boring t-shirt and shorts without even the tights instead. Thus, she severely impaired my willingness to steal them from her. Nevertheless, while lacking the proper wear, I still could never resist the lure of the spandex era.

Since then times have changed, of course. More recently as an ode to those days, I never bought or used leotards but rather purchased thick, shiny exercise tights such as Danskin or Rumfp, on occasion and add them in the rotation while in my en femme ensemble. I liked these tights for what they were, thick and shiny, yet they never really turned me on quite like the more alluring pantyhose.

That is until recently.

On a whim I did a search for vintage leotards eBay and was actually surprised to find quite a selection of them. We’re not talking about those cotton, full-bottomed and rather dull versions for ballet that you can find anywhere. I mean genuine shiny spandex, thong styled and in bright colors just like from the 80’s. As impulsive I was at the time, not to mention recalling those old VHS boxes, I bought a few of them.

Then waiting, waiting, waiting, the first of them happened to arrive, a silvery shined thong leotard. I immediately throw on a pair of my black JC Penney tights, pull up the new leotard, some tan leg warmers and pose in front of the mirror. I absolutely loved how they looked but I wanted to really try out my outfit for it’s proper use. You know, exercise.

In my time when I’m not crossdressing, I love to workout and stay fit. Part of my motivation stems from a general need to stay healthy while some of it also comes from believing that the more slim and fit I am, the more feminine I can appear. Yet this was the first time the two have crossed paths. I’m glad they did, too, revealing a new discovery in the process.

Clearing out a space in front of my full-length mirror, I go through my normal routine. No video, just my own exercises and, for kicks, to the sound of 80’s music in the background. As I do my exercises, I find sweating through my leotard and tights  mildly erotic but a new sensation came over me which I never had before: female empowerment.

For the first time in my crossdressing history, I actually felt like a sexy a woman roleplaying an exercise goddess rather than being turned on by mimicking one. Maybe I owe a little to my own narcissism (ok, A LOT) but looking in that mirror and showing off (to myself) while in natural exercise motions could be the makings of a VHS video on its own, at least I feel to myself. What I finally realize, though, is that step where transforming into a woman instead of fantasizing while dressed as one has its own wonderful feeling in its own right.

So I haven’t quite ventured out in public in full dress (though I did in pantyhose) and it will most likely be an event in the near future. If you see a new workout session on Youtube in the meantime, however, you just may catch a glimpse of my first public action as my true feminine self and bring the 80’s spandex era back in full swing.