1/27/2019
I went on a long, one-day, round-trip drive yesterday to see a friend. I took some pretty clothes to wear on the drive. I changed into my beige skirt, black and white striped top, black cardigan, nude pantyhose, and black flats. As usual, I presented male (no bra, wig, make-up, or padding). I was just a man in a skirt.
Gas Station
On my way, I did something that took me back to my early days of crossdressing. I had to stop for gasoline. I remember reading about early crossdressers, during our frontier days, telling of their harrowing adventures of pumping gas en femme. I remember that first, frightening time of doing it myself. It was a non-event then, and it was a non-event now.
12/31/2018
Here is my fashion response to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:
- At least I am not naked.
- This fits me well!
- This outfit is appropriate for the situation.
- I feel good about my outfit.
- I feel beautiful in this.
- Other’s compliment me.
- Other’s want to dress like me.
(Somewhere in here, there ought to be, “This outfit is comfortable.” Unfortunately, it apparently has no place in this list!)
12/20/2018
I wanted to have at least one more time to wear something festive and pretty before Christmas was over. I offered to my wife that I would do the grocery shopping this week. I wore my gray skirt, a red top, a black cardigan, and black flats. Normally, I feel invisible in this skirt. This trip was not that way. The store was rather busy, but I was not uncomfortable at all. I had a great time!
I brought my camera to get some pictures of me in the store. This is complicated to do. Also, I feel like a freak sneaking photographs of myself in a public place. This is not my thing. I might not do it again.
I went to the store soon after work. I walked in and selected a cart and started shopping. Lately, I have felt like people have been looking more than they used to. Maybe it is because of the environment I was in. You can suddenly be upon someone in a store (and you do not get to see them coming). No one was rude. They just took glances at my outfit when they first came upon me. I never received any mean looks. I never saw or heard anyone laugh at me.
At one point, a mother and her early teenage daughter crossed paths with me. I will describe their behavior as trying to act normal. They noticed me, but did not want to stare, etc. Later, I was shopping for yogurt when they were. She told her daughter that I was waiting on her to get out of the door to the cooler. I said, “It is OK. I have not found it yet.” She started talking to me. We had a friendly, impersonal conversation about the yogurts we were seeking. I have had such encounters before. The first moment I encountered the some person, they seemed unsure what to do, but later, they are warm and personable.
The woman to my left is wearing a black dress with black tights and brown
boots and jacket.
An interesting fashion trend I have noticed. Women are starting to wear opaque tights with boots and skirts/dresses. I saw three women dressed like this in the store today. Last year, I think they would have worn black leggings instead of tights. This year, tights are showing up more. It is a good look. it is dressier. Recently, I have even seen several women wearing pantyhose and dresses. They might have been following their work dress code. Even in that case, dress codes in retail stores are setting an expectation to their shoppers about what dressing up should look like. Maybe women will start dressing more like me and less like other men! (Never could I have anticipated saying that and it making sense!!)
I finished my shopping and got in line to pay. They cashier and bagger interacted with me and with one another like nothing was unusual. I was just another boring customer. It was just as it should be!
Afterward, I stopped at a clothing store to see if they had any shoes in my size. I asked an employee to take my picture. She said she remembered me. She said she had seen me around town. I have been in this store once before. Perhaps she was mistaken and has seen me in the store. I expressed some surprise that she had seen me because I do not go out like this very often. She said that she may have seen me in the parking lot one day when she was on break from her job. (Am I out in public enough that people see me “around town”??)
12/17/2018
I decided that I would go get a haircut so that I would look my best in any Christmas pictures next week. I selected a festive, red skirt, a black top with built in cardigan, nude pantyhose, and brown espadrilles for the day. I prefer how pencil skirts look on me, but this red, shiny skirt is soft and Christmas-y.
11/26/2018
This is part 3 of a three-part series of posts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3 (here)
Fancy Restaurant
I changed into my red dress. I kept on the shoes and the black duster. I went to a fancy restaurant at the peak of lunch hour. I was seated by a happy hostess near a couple of occupied tables. My server, a man, took my order. A female server was taking care of one of the other tables. One time when she walked by she said to me, “I love those shoes!”
After I finished eating and paid, I stopped on my way out of the restaurant. I asked an employee if she would take my picture. She asked, “Do you want people in the picture, or do you want to be by yourself?” She made me change locations because of the lighting.
