DressTech Hip Pads (Standard Length)

Literally decades ago, I had to learn — the hard way — that my body was way too masculine to even remotely look 'passable'. While 'passing' is not important for many crossdressers and transgender people, I have found out, by experience, that the more you look like a woman, the more people will accept and tolerate you. It's strange, but yes, adhering to stereotypes makes one's life easier; and that also means *looking* as close as possible to a female — so that women's clothes will fit you well, and that, in turn, will make you look much less an 'oddity' or a 'freak' but someone who is seriously attempting to look their best, taking it very seriously.This basically means two things: a clearly female haircut (and for most crossdressers, this almost certainly means a wig); and shapewear. Yes, all sorts of shapewear. Celebrities use it all the time, so why shouldn't everybody else — including us in the transgender spectrum — do the same?DressTech's own Judi explained to me that there is a ratio of waist-to-hips that is experienced as attractive in the Western world: 0.7 for women, 0.9 for men. This means three things (and even hormones will only help you part of the way, because hormones will NOT change the pelvis bones, just redistribute fat around the body): enhance your chest (use breast forms), narrow your waist (use a corset), and widen your hips (that means hip pads). While most crossdressers will at least use some 'filling' on their bras, and sometimes even use a waist cincher, they normally leave the hips untouched, because they have no clue what to do about them.Well, 25 years ago or so, I learned that hip pads *existed* — back then, almost all were made of foam. There were many DIY instructions available, even back then, on doing one's own hip pads. Sometimes you could even get reasonable results, if you were talented enough, and had a small workshop in the garage (cutting foam is messy!). If not, the choice would be to buy them online: a lot of places carried them, and they are still offering them these days.Foam has many problems: it has the wrong mass for 'flesh' (it's far too light). It can deform, flake, and eventually break apart — I know, because I owned two pairs before! You cannot wash them easily, or not at all, because that might damage them. So they're good enough for playing around (say, at Carnival, Halloween, Mardi Gras...) but not a 'real' solution.Search on the Internet, and you will start seeing a lot of higher-end offerings: one-size-fits-all rubber, latex, or silicone gel pads. Sometimes sellers offer them with some special panties or girdles with pockets to place them inside. Although they can be cheap, the problem with those solutions is that they are relatively crude: there is a specific anatomy for hip pads. Male-to-female crossdressers, or even cisgender females with very narrow hips, cannot simply expect to wear some 'bumps' close to their hip area and expect these to be very realistic. Sure, you can disguise it with certain kinds of clothing (for instance, A-line skirts), but if you already use that, you don't need pads at all... and, of course, if you're washing the panties/girdle, and they haven't dried yet, it means you cannot use them. Or you might buy several, but that will also mean that your underwear will be a little boring and limited... Or, well, you can risk wearing them inside tights. Sometimes this works. But if people are selling them with special girdles and panties, then, well, it's because they will not hold in place without them.There *are* more expensive products, too, which will offer more choices, and design the gel pads to look much more realistic. In fact, I've used such a garment for several years. Then, well, I got some extra weight on my belly and bottom... the belly can still be corrected with a corset, of course, but suddenly the garment I had for the pads stopped being realistic! There are people who love insanely huge bottoms (just look at Jay Lo!) but in my case it was clearly over the top — I needed to shop for something else!Meet the high-end of hip pad technology: DressTech's Silicone Hip Pads. They come from a completely different approach: the idea that this is an *essential* piece of shapewear that people will wear a *lot* of times, and expect to look good in them *all the time*, no matter what kind of outfit one is wearing. DressTech's pads are made of a special kind of silicone that not only looks *very* realistic, but it's also very slightly tacky on the surface (you will see why this is important in a bit). They have a very special, anatomic format which is very unusual for most hip pads sold out there. Everything has a reason, and DressTech, like the company name implies, actually does some research on the products they manufacture before they put them on sale. The hip pads were *specially* designed to give *males* the illusion of perfectly feminine curves, and the 'strange' form they have is due to the way male bodies are shaped in the hip regions — there are dimples on the wrong places, which badly designed pads will not only not cover, but often make them look even worse!I did not blindingly search through the Internet and selected DressTech's hip pads. As a matter of fact, I had also done my research — several years ago! Since then, DressTech's products are being reviewed all the time on many popular transgender and crossdresser forums and groups. The girls are *known* by the community quite well; not only in the US, but abroad as well. The truth is that not so many companies out there really know how to design hip pads, and there is not so many choice as, say, on breast forms. DressTech stood out of the crowd probably because one of the owners is a transgender girl (and the other a cisgender woman long involved with the TS/TG/TV community) as well as a product engineer — so she *knows* what *we* need, and has the know-how to manufacture them *correctly* — not somewhere in Asia, but really in the USA.As a result, the hip pads look terrifyingly professional — as well as packaged. You can see the detail that has been put on them: the edges are meant to blend easily on one's skin, and they do exactly that — not because of the colour (they offer the pads in four colours and three sizes, and have a longer model — the one I bought — and a shorter one which is more appropriate for mini skirts and hot pants), but in the way they taper to a thin edge, producing a perfect effect of visual contiguity; in other words, they do NOT look like 'bumps' or 'lumps'. They do not look 'funny'. And, of course, if someone slaps them, they will feel exactly like real flesh (something which bothers many cisgender girls who look at me and cannot figure out how I can have such feminine curves...).There is always the big question: what holds them in place?DressTech's hip pads were designed to be worn under tights, and they recommend Spandx shapewear to keep them in place, so that's what I additionally ordered directly from Spanx on Amazon (SPANX Women's High Waist Mid Thigh Shorts, Soft Nude, Large). I had some bad experience with that kind of shapewear before: because it is usually designed for women's figures, it tends not to sit well on a male body. Of course I was pleasantly surprised: I forgot that when wearing the hip pads, I *do* have proportions much closer to a cisgender woman, and naturally enough, Spanx does its job beautifully!Well, I have do admit that I was a bit skeptic. After all, I perspire a *lot* — yes, even in winter time. It's probably related to my metabolism, or perhaps it's just the oily skin, or the extra weight I carry (the fatter you are, the more you perspire — well-known fact). While I was pretty sure that I wasn't allergic to silicone (latex can irritate my skin a bit, but I have worn silicone breast forms for decades without any issues), I was unsure if even Spanx could hold them in place. After all, the Spanx garment does not have 'pockets' for hip pads. What would keep the pads from slipping and falling to the floor? (This did happen several times with my foam pads from 20 years ago... and they were incredibly light) BTW, one of the things that immediately strike you when unpacking the pads is how heavy they are! I was used to gel pads before, so I'm aware that they *have* to be heavy, because silicone has pretty much the same density as human flesh, but it still came as a surprise... and I had the 'large' size, not the 'big girl' size, which is larger and much heavier!Putting them on the first times is NOT easy. Ideally, you should have 'something' to hold them at the top (the small pamphlet with instructions say that the top of the pads should be at navel height) — like a belt or some elastic — while you roll the tights (or, in my case, Spanx) over them. This requires some experimenting. In my case, I wear them *over* a corset, and I use the lacing cords to keep the tops of the pads in position for long enough to roll up the Spanx over the pads. As said: it does require some time and patience and skill. The good news is that it gets easier very quickly, if you do it often! You'll soon learn how to place them, how to move your arms to quickly place the tights/Spanx over them and fit them neatly in place, do the final corrections, and there you go, you're ready! But make sure you have *plenty* of time for your *first* time ever. Sometimes it's more helpful to do it lying down on your bed; sometimes when standing up. It will depend on the person, of course.So, my first surprise: no, they don't slip and fall. Incredibly, they 'stay in place'. It's not because of the slightly adhesive texture of the silicone, although it *feels* like it's attached skin-tight (pun intended) to your skin. But no, I guess it's one of those marvelous feats of engineering: the compression power of tights/Spanx and the friction caused by silicone-on-flesh is enough to compensate the effects of gravity. Talk about high-end engineering! You really cannot understand my surprise when you *feel the weight* of the pads for the first time, know that they are just held against your skin by shapewear and... they remain in place. Not even my ultra-light foam pads did that!Actually, they stay in place *very* securely — adjusting them is *not* so easy as it sounds. The bad news is that, yes, this means some extra time when putting them on for the first place and making sure that they are symmetrically positioned and on the right place, because detaching them (inside the Spanx) and re-positioning them is much, much harder than one would expect it to be. The good news, of course, is that this also means that they will *really* stay in place!25 years ago, online shops for crossdressers sold a lot of props that were meant to be used in very special conditions, namely, when you took pictures of yourself. That means that these props would sort of work well if you were standing up and striking poses — but utterly fail on every other situation. Well, as so many others have already commented here, this is not the case of the DressTech hip pads. You can walk, run, even dance — and not only will they stay in place, they will realistically move with your body, exactly as expected. It's actually uncanny how it works so well — especially when sitting down and even crossing your legs! It seems to literally become a part of you — and remember, I have not used any glue on my pads (yet!), this is achieved merely by having them very close to the body (which is what Spanx does, after all). Of course, the special design that the pads have will very likely have a strong influence in how well they adapt to all body movements!My biggest fear, however, was what would happen with perspiration. Indeed, it's unavoidable in my case; but I can say that I perspire much less when using the DressTech hip pads than with my previous pads. Why? I don't know, but I believe it has something to do with the kind of silicone they use in the manufacturing, as well as a better ventilation provided by Spanx, compared to the girdles and similar garments I used to have. But the truth is that I don't know. However, 'less perspiration' does not mean 'zero perspiration'. There is still enough perspiration to 'unstick' the bottom half of the hip pads. But I found out so far that this is not really a problem for me, because the top part, being *over* the corset, will still provide enough friction to keep them in place. It's true that I'm always a bit afraid that they fall out of place when I'm perspiring; but, so far — and I have been through rather hot days lately! — this has *not* happened. And I didn't get any comments to the effect; so I have to assume that I was the only one knowing that the pads were not 'stuck' any longer to the skin, but freely swinging around... or, rather, NOT swinging around as much as I feared they would be! Somehow, Spanx still keeps them *mostly* in place — more than enough for nobody to really notice.So, what are the disadvantages? The major one is, of course, that you *need* to wear tights, Spanx, or something similar that covers the whole length of the pads and keeps them in place. This rules out mini skirts, hot pants or bathing suits (as said, there is a shorter version for those, but you will still need something to keep the pads in place!), but it also means *always* wearing some sort of undergarment, even in the peak of summer! Also, the pads were designed to be used beneath clothing; even if you glue them on, and no matter how closely they match your skin tone (in my case, I was quite lucky, because my skin is really very close to the colour of the pads I bought), they will clearly look 'fake', except perhaps in a very dark environment. It's not something you can easily 'cover up' with some makeup; I haven't tried, though, and possibly someone very talented might be able to disguise the pads that way. I have no idea; the manufacturer just says that this is not how they are supposed to be used. There are some 'silicone girdles' which attempt to allow you to wear them 'in the nude', so to speak, but you will still have to be creative to find a way to disguise the edges. With DressTech's hip pads, this is not a choice: you will have to use some underwear to keep them tight to the body. As you can see from the many reviews here, however, it seems that most people are more than fine with that, and I will have to agree with them; but I guess that stage performers in the hot summer who wear nothing but their panties and a bra will not be able to use these pads.The second issue is probably how long it takes to put them on the first times. I believe that some people might have tried that out and were unhappy with the results, or with the time they took, and therefore gave up 'too soon' on them — thus explaining some of the bad reviews. Others, of course, have been patient, persisting at learning how to wear the pads properly, and figuring out the best way to do so — and all of them, including myself, are quite enthusiastic about the pads!At the beginning there is also this strange feeling that the pads will get out of place, or simply fall down, or something similarly embarrassing while you're wearing them in public. One of the strong points of the pads, after all, is enhancing your confidence — because you will look naturally curvy as a woman, it will 'confuse' others who see you and wonder how a 'male' can have such 'female-looking' wide hips. But if you are constantly worrying about the pads dropping out of place, then you will have no fun enjoying your curves! It requires therefore some training and practice until you're fully confident that the pads WILL stay in place, no matter what you do, and only THEN you will really enjoy them fully!Another disadvantage, of course, is that you will have to buy some kind of garment to keep them in place. It's quite possible that any of your tights will do the job; but, on the other hand, you might not be wearing tights in summer (depends on where you live!). Low-quality shapewear is very cheap these days, but you might not immediately find something that works well with the pads — thus wasting money (and time!). Spanx works admirably well, but, well, Spanx is expensive — and DressTech's pads are not cheap, either. On the other hand, if you *already* own Spanx or something similar, or you always use tights even in high summer, then you might be able to start using the pads immediately.Finally, depending on the kind of shapewear you'll use with the pads, this might condition what choices of clothing you may use. In my case, I'm quite used to a corset and some sort of pads, so my whole wardrobe takes that into account. But your own mileage will wary. For instance, if you love dresses with a transparent 'hole' on the sides, then the shapewear will be visible under them... and possibly the pads, too (Spanx is opaque so it hides the pads well, but transparent tights might not be able to hide them). You will have to take that into account as well!Last but not least: some people mentioned that they have some difficulty in using the toilet when wearing the pads; more specifically, it means having to roll the tights down, which will of course unattach the pads, do your thing, then put it all on again — this time, in a cramped place, which is not ideal. Well, I have a very simple solution for that: use shapewear that has a flap at the bottom! (Spanx has it, as well as many other brands.) And obviously you can always make a hole in the right place in your tights (I did that for the ancient foam pads I had...). Even if you use tights on top of the shapewear, you can roll only the tights down, and still keep the pads tightly secure and in place with the shapewear. It's all a question of being practical — you aren't seriously expecting that all those red carpet celebrities who use shapewear will need to completely undress in the stalls just to relieve themselves? :)All in all, I think it was a wonderful investment. DressTech gives you a warranty against defects for one year, which is unusual for a pad manufacturer (at least that's my experience so far). They also claim to be able to repair the pads (or even replace them) if they get large rents that make them unfit to wear. I have no idea on how long they will last. But the material is sturdy and very, very easy to wash (unlike all other pads I have ever owned, including some made of silicone gel, which however were not very easy to keep clean). I'm curious how it will resist the acidity of my perspiration, which can eat up *silver* (I'm *not* joking!!). Will the silicone used by DressTech resist that as well? We'll see. I have only used them for the past month or so, during the hottest month of the year, and so far, they continue to look exactly as on the first day I used them, but I didn't expect anything less than that...(Note on images: the first is my current choice of shapewear to keep the pads in place; you can notice the corset quite clearly, but the pads are pretty much invisible; second image shows the pads from the back, neatly labeled L and R so that you don't confuse them; third image show the pads from the front, and you can see how they are anatomically shaped, and there is a packet of paper handkerchiefs to give you an idea of their size; finally, the last image is from me wearing the pads beneath a dress. I'm 1.78m tall and clearly overweight at 89kg ;-) )

I absolutely adore these pads!! The video has my review which tells all! :)

This is my first review on here and i want to be very honest about my purchase.I am female however i have no curves or hips, small butt so after researching for a while i came across a youtube video about foam hip pads and i didnt want to spend time making those so i started looking online to buying some already made and came across these.. i bought these but took me a little while to figure out how to use these successfully and today was that day... i bought a long legged girdle at target and after struggling for a while i put it on and for the first time i felt like i had a shape. I felt gorgeous and looked as i looked at my self after putting my dress on... i recommend 100%. Takes a minute to get them on but once on they stay put.

I guess i put too many details in my last review, amazon didnt like it. Trying again since i find reviews very helpful and want to contribute.Following their guidance: Your review should focus on specific features of the product and your experience with itOk. Specific features: The shape starting very thin down the thigh is excellent it makes the whole the shape more natural as it gently increases and taper off at your waist. The silicone is very durable and well made. The storage bag included is of high quality, and a good design to keep the pads safe and clean when not in use. Size (Big Girl) is good length for my 6’1” height. Very thick and hold a natural shape, but flexible and natural to the touch.My experience with the product: They are somewhat tricky to put on and get into the right place, and the same place on each leg because of the size of the pads. I found it improved with practice. As far as my experience with what this product is for, the experience far exceeded my expectations. The shape produced was dramatic and natural. The pads stay in place well so will be useful for active performance and cosplay.For the sake of demonstrating how the features lead to my positive experience, the last picture included shows my natural non-existent hips, so you can judge the before and after for yourself.For me the features of the product and my experiences with lead to an incridibly positive result i am more than satisfied with.

I honestly can’t explain how happy you would be with these.... it’s the difference between night and day, and it made me cry my eyes out. I’m going to be saving now for the short set. It’s going to take me a while, but it’s a goal and if it makes me just a fraction as happy as these have it’s worthwhile!!!

Those hip pads are amazing!Seriously, they shape my hips in a such way that makes many girls envy. Even the Latin girls... haha!Fantastic, got tonnes of compliments.Bottom line: they are what is the best of. I strongly recommend!In the photos, the before (despite I'm using in the first photo a bodysuit, which enhances a little bit my hips), the after (only the hip pads) and the... grand finale.

I contemplated buying these for some time. I thought the cost was high for something I couldn’t return. I am so pleased with these and I’m so glad I got them. I just wish I had bought them a long time ago. I ordered the large size and am so glad I did. These are difinatly worth every penny. I’m going to buy the short ones to wear with my short skirts. Goodby foam pads you won’t be missed.Thanks DressTech keep up the good work 😊