its time for for me to start shopping on my own. i am not intimadated by the salespeople i think. in my mind i dont care. i just think no matter how far i go away i am going to run in to someone i know. its happened before. its not that i am ashamed of what i do. its just that its my secret.

It's a big step,Rachael. I wanted to tell my wife later but the opportunity came a lot sooner that I expected. I told her that I dress and things are cool. All I can say is enjoy it. Tell us how your shopping trip went.

Gennee

A tip:  Shop at thrift shops like GoodWill or Value Village,  Costs a lot less to learn sizes, colors, styles there. 

Once you can go to the stores enfemme, there will be even less discomfort.  And should you go full time at some point, you'll find 'it ain't the clothes anymore.'

Ah, memories.  I can't believe it was only 10 years ago.

Robyn

You look marvelous Robyn!   I have too many wrinkels, sags and bulges to look femme but enjoy it all the way under drab.

well girls its sunday and yes i did go shopping last night. i had some courage enough to browse and even buy a few things. i just had a hard time trying things on. i was dressed somewhat enfemme at least on the inside. no makeup or wig. the salespeople seem to know what i doing and who i was. i figured that would give some confidence and it did because at least i made the effort. i did purchase some lingerie which i needed badly.darn purges.that wont stop me. i am planning another trip this weekend. this time i am going to have my nails done.and some makeup.the salespeople didnt seem to mind
. it seems like its more in my head. the good thing is at least today i can enjoy the femminine me more later,rachael.

i think :d Rachael most of all it is in our heads, 2 years ago I was going crazy with growing hair in body and legs in the summer (every summer since I began, some years now, 2 shave.... the same was happen), so I decide with any cost 2 continue hair removing and depilating ( I live with my mother and sister).
And the miracle!!!!!
My mom (she's 65 y.o.) when she c me first time with a HOT shorts and smooth legs...touched my legs and she said "you have my legs, its a very nice shave, where u learn to do it so knit!!!", after a while she buy me a present, a nice female top and I was in the HEAVENS!!!!
My sister doesn't bother at all with that, she told me to get her shaving GEL, I was stunned!!!
From then every now and then she look at me and says (like she does with my sister when she was young) eh!! U r legs need shaving: D!!!

By the way im 45 y.o. (not a child) so they understand, what i do it's for a reason not 2 play, but they r real family.

I LOVE BOTH OF THEM (((KISSES DARLINGS)))

P.S. sorry if i do mistakes but i dont use (speak-wright) very often my english here. Lately i just read only. 

Quote from: Jaimee on August 19, 2007, 08:47:22 AM
You look marvelous Robyn!   I have too many wrinkels, sags and bulges to look femme but enjoy it all the way under drab.

Thank you, Jaimee.  My husband says I clean up okay.  <grins>

Robyn

As well He should Robyn.    I'm 71 and still enjoying life.

Quote from: rachael devry on August 17, 2007, 10:15:05 PM
its time for for me to start shopping on my own. i am not intimadated by the salespeople i think. in my mind i dont care. i just think no matter how far i go away i am going to run in to someone i know. its happened before. its not that i am ashamed of what i do. its just that its my secret.

Rachael - figuring out when/how to disclose to people and what risks are acceptable is a natural part of all this.  In my case, there are only a few non-TG folk that know about Robin, but I don't let that stop me from going out.  If I'm spotted by someone I know, I'll deal with it then (and for every bad encounter you read about on the net, there are several good ones).

As for shopping, I think the key thing is attitude... If you act embarrassed and skulky, people will think you're weird.  If you are confident and friendly, no matter how good you look, people will be OK.

Robin

I'm thinking of doing some shopping for the 1st time soon.  Anyone ever go and buy things when dressed as a man?  Or is this way too traumatic?  Also, pointers on how to act would be greatly appreciated....I just feel that people can read me know matter how I act.

Quote from: jacqui on August 31, 2007, 05:44:32 AM
I'm thinking of doing some shopping for the 1st time soon.  Anyone ever go and buy things when dressed as a man?  Or is this way too traumatic?  Also, pointers on how to act would be greatly appreciated....I just feel that people can read me know matter how I act.

Jacqui - I suppose it depends a little on where you go, and where you live.  Many people find that they can shop in thrift stores completely comfortably -- in many of those places, even if you feel "weird", you can be assured that you won't be the weirdest one there.

Alternately, higher-end stores (esp. department stores like Macy's, Nordstrom, etc.) usually will have staff who are professional enough to help you no matter what.

Most important is the attitude.  If you skulk around and look embarrassed, people will go with that and treat you much differently than if you hold you head up, smile, and act like everything is OK.  The latter isn't as hard as it may sound, since everything IS OK -- your money is as green as everyone else's, and most people won't care anyway.

Regards,
Robin

Quote from: robinhayes on August 31, 2007, 04:36:49 PM
Most important is the attitude.  If you skulk around and look embarrassed, people will go with that and treat you much differently than if you hold you head up, smile, and act like everything is OK.  The latter isn't as hard as it may sound, since everything IS OK -- your money is as green as everyone else's, and most people won't care anyway.

That's really true.  If you want to read about my first time shopping you can see it here:  https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,10208.0.html
I really don't get too nervous any more, but I do find that if you act suspicious you will be treated as if you are.  So you may as well enjoy yourself.  Don't treat the experience like it is a hunt.  That's what guys do.  Enjoy the displays, the presence of other women, and don't EVER pass up a clearance rack.  That's like blasphemy.

Kristi

That's really true.  If you want to read about my first time shopping you can see it here:  https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,10208.0.html

Kristi, I would love to read this but it says it is off limits when I click on the link.

Thanks to both Robin and Kristi, you have made me feel more self-assured about trying it, although today when I went shopping for some Jolen I about freaked when a girl saw me looking at it!  I guess these things will get more natural with repitition.....

Jacqui,

After 15 posts you will be able to read it.    So post a few more and voila!

I'm sure you know this, but if you don't act suspicious, no one will pay you a second mind, no matter how you are dressed.  But they will if you take off like a scared caught child.  All in time.....it will come with experience as you grow comfortable with who you are and what you are doing.



Kristi

I have really gotten into EBAY lately....  mostly got some really cool Dresses and forms... 

I did get a set of 8 pairs of shorts size 16 ( shrunk to size 14 ).... but other than that -- it is a inexpensive way to get nice stuff.

Daisy

Hi,
I am new here so forgive me if I am speaking out of turn.
In my experience, regardless of how you are dressed, no one cares.
If your in drab most people think your buying it for someone else.
I have found it relativley easier to go out like this, as I have not gone out much dressed.
I also live in a rather conservative area and unless I go to the more "open" stores its likely someone will say something, regardless of how comfortable I seem.
So either way you go, just relax and use your common sense. 
In my opinion, thats how you found out what you liked in the first place.

When I started shopping for myself in drab, I was nervous and flustered, as you might expect. I would hang around the lingerie section and try to wait it out until no GGs weere around, until I realized (duh!) that it never happens.

But with experience came confidence. Now when I shop, I ask the SA up front if she is OK working with a CDer, and they are almost always very nice.

And I still get a great, heady rush every time I do. A delicious feeling, for sure!

I shop in male clothes all the time.  Lots of men buy clothing as gifts for their wives, so no one will really think anything of it.  I've also tried on ladies clothes in a number of different stores.  Just a couple of weeks ago I went to a Lane Bryant outlet store and found a bra and some tee shirts I was interested in.  I went to a clerk while holding the bra on top of the other items and asked the clerk "would it be possible for me to try this on?" and she gladly opened up a dressing room for me.

I've tried on clothing in about a dozen different stores and never been treated with anything but respect.

It's scary the first few times, but give it a try!

Veronica

  Well,
  For all of you reading this and wishing you had the courage to go shopping...
  This Is The Month!!!
  It's October, that means Halloween is coming, so....  If you decided to "do drag' for the party, the sales people will most likely help you put everything together, from bra, to enhancers, to dress, hose, heels, purse and makeup from the MAC counter!  Try a Macy's or Dillard's or any other 'upscale' store!!  I did about 3 years ago and was fitted from the skin out!
  I'm considering it again, just to add to my wardrobe!
    Huggs,
  Lisa Elizabeth

I couldn't agree more about October being the time to try shopping.  The sales girls in the shops think it is so much fun to dress up a guy.  I went into one shoe store before and I must have tried on about 20 different pairs of shoes all with the help of the sales girl.  By the time I was done I had my own audience and a free lesson in walking in heels ( which I really didn't need, but I played along anyway)

Go out, have fun, it is very liberating.  Oh..and once you go out, you won't be able keep yourself from doing it again and again and again...