Had you asked me a few years ago about what I used to pack, I would have shrugged and pretty much said that Freddy didn’t pack. Which he didn’t. When I first started doing drag I didn’t think packing was such a big deal. Besides, at the time, I couldn’t find a method I thought looked and felt realistic enough. Socks work for most (or shlocks as they’re coming to be known), but I found that unless you use the right socks, your package can look too big and oddly lumpy. Size is a big deal to me, and not for the reasons you’d think (Freddy is NOT a size queen, thank you!). I don’t know how many times I’ve been at a show and someone’s made a comment about someone else’s package and how ridiculously huge it looked. That’s not what I wanted. I’ve seen some packages that flopped around during numbers, or ended up somewhere on the king’s thigh. I knew a king who used to pack with a bundle of socks so big, he could barely zip his pants and it sat higher, parallel to his waist. To me, it just looked weird. So, Freddy chose not to pack, for the most part. If the pants I was wearing were on the tighter side, I’d pack because it looked better, but generally I figured it wasn’t a big deal. (Ha!)
As I’ve grown as a king, I’ve found that I actually enjoy packing now. It helps add to the illusion. I invested in an actual packy, which is essentially a silicone flaccid penis designed to look and feel real. There are a ton of these on the market these days, made out of all sorts of materials, but the best and most hygienic ones will be made out of medical-grade silicone, like the Vixen brand ones. I know a lot of kings who have tried these packies and didn’t like them because they couldn’t get them to stay in place under their boxer briefs or tighty whities. I discovered a fantastic trick to keep them where they need to be and enable the king to wear whatever undies they want. The secret? Jock-strap style chonies! Not a thong, not an actual cup, but the underwear that is designed to look like a jock strap. Minimal material in front will keep the packy in place and keep it from slipping around, even if grabbed by some overzealous fan (or gay boy), and the pieces of elastic will give the butt a slight lift and no one can feel it if your butt gets grabbed by some overzealous fan (or gay boy).
I will never understand the whole “everything but the kitchen sink” idea when it comes to packing. That would be the “I’m going to shove everything I can down my pants to make my package just look ginormous, because I can!” outlook. I’ve had oversized packages before but it was usually because the number was comedic in nature and a large package was warranted. To me, the art of male impersonating is just that… an art. It’s about the realism, the double takes, the gay boys who know you’re a chick, but would take you home anyway, the husbands who aren’t quite sure, and the straight chicks who know you’re a chick, but would take you home anyway.
I once had a very young person ask me to get them a packer, because they wanted to perform and they wanted to do it right. Now, this person was probably about 12 at the time. I refused and explained that a packer would look sort of ridiculous on their small frame, considering we’re talking about a penis that is designed to look like a grown man’s junk, so it’s grown man sized. Put that on a 12 year old and it would look strange and kind of awkward. That wasn’t the answer they wanted to hear, but I’m sorry. I want everyone who goes on stage to look the best they can, and that wouldn’t be what was best for this youngster.
My packy (Mr. Happy) has been through the ringer over the last couple years. This is actually the second Mr. Happy that I’ve had, and I’m about to get a third. If taken care of, these guys can last forever, literally. However, accidents happen. And by accidents I mean my damn animals. My dog got a hold of the first one and in trying to remove it from his mouth, Mr. Happy became, uh, a split personality. That was interesting when I took it back to the store to exchange it. My current Mr. Happy was knocked out of his box by my too-smart cats, who decide he’d be more fun to play with than the dozens of cat toys. This was about a year ago, and Mr Happy has had to live with chunks missing and teeth marks, though at least he is still whole, which is an improvement than his predecessor.
But even with teeth marks, my Mr. Happy has served me well over the past few years. He’s saved me from having weird-shaped, too-big, wandering junk, and for that I thank him.
Do I think packing is absolutely necessary? No. I know a lot of kings who don’t, and even I don’t do it 100% of the time. Sometimes it’s just more comfortable not to. It’s all a matter of personal preference. I just say that if you do, and you use something other than an actual packy, make sure you have someone to give you a second opinion as to how it looks. Another set of eyes is always a good thing when it comes to costuming and really, what is packing if not another element to your costume?