And a Happy New Year

 We returned to the UK in time for New Year, with a short chance to reflect before another set of celebrations. One of my reflections is that I'm really not very good at packing. It doesn't seem to matter much whether it's for a long holiday, a short break, or just an overnight at a friends place, I always seem to get it wrong. I will often stay over night at a friend's place to allow me to have a drink, it has become a standing joke that I always leave something behind, a toothbrush, a sock, or a sweater there always seems to be something.

Valletta Christmas Tree
Maltese Parliament building on the right
Burger King on the left 

Last year when we spent Christmas in Malta I took all the wrong clothes, I was expecting it to be much warmer so didn't have enough sweaters or a warm jacket with me, so I spent much of the week either too cold or too warm (in my UK overcoat!). This year I thought I would do better packing lots of sweaters, warm skirts and tights. Of course that meant that this year Malta enjoyed an unseasonable warm Christmas! I could really have done with some shorts and a light weight jacket. But this last trip I managed worse than just not anticipating the weather.

After unpacking I realised that instead of the two pairs of jeans I thought I had packed I had actually brought one pair of jeans and a pair of jeggings, hardly the end of the world, until I put on the jeggings and the zip broke, then when I put the jeans on instead, a small split opened up so neither were wearable. This ended up meaning that at least one of our expeditions to Valletta was spent looking for a new pair of jeans ~ yes Valletta does have a Marks & Spencer and yes I did buy a pair of their jeans. Even this was not the end of my inadequacy though. I also managed to forget to take a pair of proper shoes for Christmas day.

I had packed a nice pair of court shoes, then unpacked them so I could wear them the day before we flew off, but forgot to repack them afterwards ~ so I was faced with either wearing trainers for Christmas lunch or having to buy some more shoes. Once again I opted for the expensive option and bought some new shoes, they are lovely, but being new did manage to run up a small blister on my toe. I find it hard to believe that at the age of 64 I might ever learn to get any better at packing, but maybe that should be my new year's resolution ~ to learn to pack!

A Matter of Choice

 Inspired by both Stana over on Femulate and Crysti I have been thinking back to my cross dressing days and how things have changed since then. It all seems like a long time ago, indeed it almost feels like all that happened to different person ~ maybe it did? On checking I see that is now over six years since I went full time, that of course also coincided with the end of my cross dressing! In all honesty I can say that at no point since then have I even considered surreptitiously sneaking into a Charity shop to see if they had some cavalry twill trousers or a pair of brogues in my size!

Very pretty, but not that practical

Although all of this is a timely reminder of just how much better I now feel about myself, and about how I relate to other people, I've already strayed from where I had planed to be ~ on fashion! Something else that doesn't seem to occupy as much of my time or concerns as it used to. Regular readers will know I have a weakness for shoes, not trainers or practical sturdy walking shoes, indeed not even for the footwear I wear most, steel toe caped work boots! NO, it's the pretty impractical and probably very bad for my feet shoes I still have a weakness for.

They can be very pretty, but I wonder if there is more to it than that, when I was young dress codes were very different, my father and grand father always wore a collar and tie ~ for work my father had separate starched collars, black jacket and pin striped trousers. Even at weekends they would still be wearing ties and quite possibly suits, but may have been a bit more casual with "soft" collars. My Mother always wore heels, and my memory tells me most often a dress ~ a skirt and jumper might have been a bit casual for her. I certainly do not remember my mother possessing a pair of trousers until I was in my teens and I'm quite sure neither of my parents ever had a pair of jeans! Up until the 70s men's and women's clothes were very different, I suspect for those of us past a certain age there is still a natural association between certain items or styles of clothing that are very gender specific, if you are a woman you wear a dress, if you are a man you wear a tie and never shall the twain meet!

Only on special occassions

My memory is that it was not until the seventies that we started to see jeans, sneakers, or tee shirts coming to suburban UK and it was a good few years before they became as ubiquitous as they are now. The clothes I wear most of the time now are very little different from the clothes I wore most of the time before I transitioned, like most people I know I can generally be found wearing jeans and jumper or tee shirt. It's still nice to dress up occasionally, but for me putting on a dress is very an even, where for my Mother it was her everyday garb. Where I wear trainers or comfy boots, my Mother would have been in heels.

On reflection I think I am glad that those fashion essentials are now a matter of choice,  and saved up for special occasions only! 

WOW!!!

I feel so privileged, yesterday I spent the day with a couple of hundred of the most awesome women in the Country. I was part of an event which should not be needed, but I fear it will have to keep going for quite a few more years yet.   Just now I won't go into all of the issues that women still face today, I won't bang on about how women are obliterated from history, how women artists, composers and writers are forgotten while their male contemporises are celebrated ~ I suspect that I may be preaching to the choir, but then yesterday the choir was all women, just like the orchestra.

Quick selfie during rehearsals

I was a little disconcerted when I first heard that I was not going to be part of the orchestra this year, then I was pleased that there were other women tuba players applying, then please to be called up, and also sorry that the original Bass Trombone was too ill to take part. All a bit on an emotion rollercoaster.

I love my Orchestra, but the WOW Orchestra for Mirth Control is something very special.   We just gather once a year for this event, but I do believe it may well be the only all female orchestra on the planet.   A mixture of Professionals, Students and Amateurs we have a wide range of experience, and age, I think my trombone was older than any of the other brass players, I am certainly old enough to be their grand mother, but we all worked together for a great musical result, and had a lot of fun along the way.

Sneaky shot of the Royal Festival Hall audience ~ My Office Today

The Brass Section and Horns walked on stage first and sat there waiting for the beginning of the evening as we started the whole thing off with a fanfare. Joan Tower's Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman no.1, written in the 1960s as a response to Aron Copeland's Fanfare for the Common Man. To my shame it is the first time I have come across this remarkable piece.

We were asked to stand to play, so that did slightly restrict my choice of shoes ~ playing the trombone standing up, in front of 2,000 people while wearing stripper shoes with 6 inch stilettos felt like just too much of a risk. I also had a few restrictions on my choice of dress ~ having put on a bit of weight I found that on my first choice the zip wouldn't do up (actually it wouldn't even meet!) and my second choice made me look pregnant, I went for the classy option with my black velvet gown gold jewelry and nice shoes.   It was a good choice since I felt comfortable, but fabulous!

So pleased and proud to have been part of this truly fabulous section, I think these girls (sorry but they are all so young compared to me) show that you don't need to be butch, big or manly to play Tuba or Trombone! 

Concert Dress XI ~ Your Slip is Showing!

There are things I didn't say about Saturday night in my last post, not least what a fun concert it was.   Some of the choices of music were ambitious, 1812, William Tell, Hymn of the Highlands, but I think we got away with it.   This band is not like my main band, the Croydon Symphonic Band, where the emphasis is on musical and technical excellence, giving the best performance it is possible for us to give, All Saints is much more about entertaining the audience, and if that means a few musical compromises then so be it. Whatever, the audience were definitely entertained.

Because it was to be such a dress up occasion my preparations actually started the day before, with a manicure, when I got a glittery gold gel coat polish to go with my accessories.

I had some earrings I wanted to wear

I managed to find some rings and a bangle to match

And as for the shoes!

We had a run through before the concert with a break to have something to eat, and then time to change, as expected I needed all of the time available.   I had of course had a trial to make sure everything went together OK, but I did have to buy a new strapless bra, I don't know whether it was the new bra or some temperamental fit by the zip, but it took three people tugging away to get me into the dress.   I was worried that I wouldn't be able to breath, but I managed OK even if it did feel a better fit at the end of a very long note!

I like the dress, I like how it makes me look and I like how it makes me feel, I do hope I get another chance to wear it.

After the concert I got changed back into some baggy white linen trousers and a casual top as I had to take some of the percussion back to the rehearsal room in my van, after loading up we joined some of the others at a local hostelry, I ordered our beer, twice, since the poor lad serving was having some difficulty, and then the beer we wanted had gone "off".   After he managed to get everything sorted he added it all up and told me how much it would be, adding "Sir". I just looked at him for a moment before he realised what he had said, he then turned bright red and fell into abject apologies.   As we walked over to a table to join our friends I heard him saying to his boss, "Oh no, I've just said the most awful embarrassing thing ever" ~ in all honesty I don't like it but I have had worse, and I am rather glad to find somebody who is embarrassed by their slip.

Advent Calendar ~ 11

I suppose i's about time that we all started to think about presents, I mean the presents we are going to buy for other people.   What are you going to buy for the girl in your life?

And if any of you are wondering about what to buy for me I take a size 8 (EU 42) she, or if you want another clue, I don't believe in Santa Claus anymore.

And please remember to take the Poll!

Enough!

There are a lot of us around, often we like to hide our weakness, people make jokes about us, we are figures of derision and contempt.   Society is ashamed of us and tells us that we must conform, but we find it so hard.   Now we are in the 21st Century with the wonders of he internet we can get in touch with others like us, know that we are not alone, some like Joey and me even write blogs admitting to our weakness.   Yes I will admit it, I don't like going to the dentist!  

If I have the opportunity I will always put off visits, and try to resist going at all.   Having missed a couple of regular check ups I sort of just fell off the system and hadn't been to the dentist for several years   All was fine until a couple of weeks ago one of my teeth started to get a little loose, it became uncomfortable and even painful last weekend so I had to bow to the inevitable and make the dreaded visit. Yesterday was the earliest appointment I could get, so I duly traipsed into Croydon to reacquaint myself with one of the most understanding and gentle dentists you could hope to find.   As I suspected the tooth had to be removed, and off course it was all a lot less painful than I anticipated, indeed the worst bits were the x-ray, the injection, and paying at the end.

More pain was to follow as there was another extraction on the menu, I met my daughter straight from the dentist to go shoe shopping, it was her birthday the other day and I had agreed to buy her some Ugg Boots, I think these are truly horrible but she loves them, I see all the other gorgeous shoes on display, and think of how many pairs of lovely pumps I could buy for the same price as these ugly things, but I had agreed and had to go through with it.   As I paid I realised that this was actually the most I have ever paid for a single pair of footwear, ever! I normally enjoy shoe shopping, but to buy the most expensive pair yet, and not even like them stretched the enjoyment, I just hope that she continues to enjoy them as long as Spinelli.

Having started the day out with an electrolysis session that was more than enough pain for one day.

Shoe Haven

As usual I was woken up by BBC Radio 4's Today program, the editor today obviously has a thing for shoes, as well as a piece about the Northampton shoe museum apparently there was a discussion about flats versus heels.  Much of the conversation about the Shoe Museum featured Dr Naomi Braithwaite, in search of a decent on line photo of her I found a couple of blogs that she has contributed to.   I feature them here for the more academically minded of you, for the rest there are some pictures of shoes!

Project Blog – If the Shoe Fits: Footwear, Identity and Transition brought to you by Sheffield University

and her very own web site here  

I Need Help

Now I am sure that many of you will agree with the implied meaning of the title to this post, but on this occasion I am looking for satoral help.   I am usually pretty self confident about my clothing choices, I feel I do have a definite sense of style, and have my own style both as a woman and as a man.   But I have now hit on a problem area.

Classic pumps

I like animal prints, more to the point I love animal print tights.   There is a bit of me that says "you are too old and should leave them to younger women" but where's the fun in that?   The trouble is that I love the tights but just don't know how to wear them.  Sure a mini skirt shows the tights off well, and though I say it myself I don't think my legs are too bad, it's more a question of what to wear on my feet.

Flatties ( with a bow)

I have several pairs of heels, some nice, normal pumps and some pretty extreme (for a girl my age and size) heels, I also have a couple of pairs of flats, but none of them seem quite right with patterned tights.   I rather like them with boots knee high or higher, heels or flat doesn't matter too much, but in the summer that seems too much.

Somehow this pair looks a lot more blue in the photos than I feel they are in reality, but I now have several pairs of various types of print, zebra, leopard, pink, blue, grey and mauve, I like them all and want to keep them, and wear them, but how?

So ladies, do you, would you, wear patterned tights? how do you wear them? and what sort of shoes should I wear?

Separated a Birth?

The other day I mentioned in passing here, that I had bought yet another pair of killer heels on my shopping spree in Eastbourne.   Now like many "Girls like me" I have something of a fixation on shoes.   I have several pairs of pretty, high heeled, not terrily practical shoes.   Luckily I do get a chance to wear them occasionally when playing concerts but there is no real practical justification for the sheer quantity of shoes I have, especially when I have to work quite hard to find a sensible pair to pop round to the shops in.

Stana has already beaten me to sharing this Lila strip commenting that she and Lila must have been separated at birth, triplets maybe?

Oh yes the shoes, the heels are 5 inches high but since they als have a 1 inch platform they are surprising comfortable and easy to walk in.   However I don't think I will be adopting the for work wear!

Excuses, excuses

Pardon my absence, after the extreme blogging of April May seems to have been a bit thin on the ground.   Just for a change I have got myself more than a little over committed.   One day I will have to learn how to say "no"

I have had at least one commitment every night for the last ten days, and the same for the next four.   Some of these commitments are for Paula, and some for Paul, guess which I'm looking forward to more.

One of last week's commitment was to play on the bandstand at Eastbourne.    Before playing I met up with three of my (female) friends and we travelled down to Eastbourne by train, nice and early so that we could hit the charity shops, then have a leisurely fish and chips lunch.   It was great fun trawling some different charity shops, I helped my good friend "S" make a couple of purchases, including a lovely floral skirt, which I would have bought if she hadn't.   I also managed a couple of purchases for myself.   All four of us happen to have the same size feet, I have my eyes open for a pair of sandals but I just can't help but notice any shoes that are in my size, so on this occasion it meant any shoes in our size!

In teasing the others I suggested a couple of pairs of extreme heels I found, when one pointed out that they were my size as well, I felt obliged to try them on, and they were surprisingly comfortable, so dear reader I bought them!   This did demand an explanation, so once again I found myself coming out to some more friends who totally failed to realise that this was a big thing.   I am constantly surprised by just how accepting and understanding people are.

Killer Heels

Thursday evening I had an audition with the wonderful (or should that be Fabulous) London Gay Symphonic Winds, of course I was more than a little stressed out by the whole experience, not least as the last time I auditioned for anything it was to play tuba in the Youth Orchestra! needless to say that was a few years ago now.   Added to the mix of problems was what to wear, I wanted to present myself well but appropriately for the situation, this meant casual, but not too casual.

I also wanted to reaffirm my femininity through my clothes.   This is not a problem that genetic females have but for some of us it is a problem,   I choose to wear a purple tee shirt top, with leather jacket, jeans and this pair of ankle boots.   Yes they are high, but not that high.   Yet after a couple of hours the balls of my feet were beginning to get quite painful, I don't often have a problem unless the heels are very high, but the soreness from these carried right through Friday and into today.

This afternoon I have been wearing these pumps, the heel is about the same height, and I have had no problem at all.

Tomorrow I will be playing at the LGSO Concert in the evening, I shall be wearing one of my favourite Little Black Dresses, this is not only an opportunity to be a little bit glamorous, it is almost obligatory, especially since I have already set my own bar rather high. During the day, including the afternoon rehearsal I shall definitely be dressing for comfort, but come the concert and it will be time to show off, so, the question is which shoes to wear?

Definitely an occasion for what we might more normally term killer heels, and I find I have all too many of these, ranging from the open toed sling-backs to the suede platform court.   I may even break out and not wear black shoes but either my outrageous but wonderful silvery sandals or my 4 inch heel bronze pumps.

I had thought of calling this post Knew Phone as I have just replaced my old Samsung with a shiny new Nokia, in the past I had always had Nokias and I pretty much understand how they operate, and I thought that it would be easier for me to have another.   Well some is easier and some not, but so far I quite like, and the camera is a whole lot better, all these shots were taken with it and the quality is fine for what I want, the only thing is Blogger seems to want to rotate the shots, I have to load them onto my computer, revolve them, then revolve them back before they appear how I want ~ most odd!

All I want for Christmas...

Well I don't know about all I want, after all there is a lot of jewellery out there, and sexy lingerie, not to mention some nice smellies 

Dress Size Lottery



Dorothy Perkins size 18

On Monday morning I had my hair done, just a trim wash and dry, I think I may have it permed again next time, as long as I am still working at my current levels this is a small luxury I think I can allow myself.   I rather like the feeling of being pampered and I always think I look good when it’s done, and that helps to make me feel good, yesterday was no exception.

Country Casuals size 14 (with new Jones shoes)

After this I had a few things to do so popped into West Wickham were I visited Boots and the Bank, once the essentials had been done I did a trawl through the charity shops.   There was nothing I needed but I did want to see if I could find a small white should bag, and maybe some more androgynous tops.   I am aware that sizes can vary so was prepare do try on anything I was thinking of buying.   I actually bought

·        Brand new (with labels) Essentials all wool trouser suit size 16 for £17.50

·        Country Casuals dress and jacket suit size 14 for £10

·        A white leather shoulder bag for £1.99

·        White top size 16 for £1.00

·        Cream top size 16 for £1.99

·        A pair of brand new (with labels) Jones the Bootmakers brown shoes for £4.99

After all that I was in need of a coffee, I was wearing a favourite Dorothy Perkins dress size 18.   I tried on both suits and they both fit fine, the bit I am most surprised about are the suit trousers, I would normally be a size 12 or 14 for trousers but both the jacket and trousers fit ~ maybe that’s why they ended up in a charity shop.    It does seem ridiculous that on the same morning I can be three different sizes from three different manufacturers.   I find myself increasingly sympathetic for the amount for clothes that my daughter has to return as she won't try them n in the shop.   Anyway, depending on your point of view I either wasted or saved a lot of money.

I did make one mistake, I bought what I thought were a couple of packs of three tights, it was only when I got home and unpacked everything that I realised they were stockings, not tights.   Oh well in the greater scheme of things a good morning in the shops.

Odd Behaviour

I have noticed a very strange phenomenon over the last couple of weeks.   With one thing and anther in quite a lot of my gardens I have been late dead heading peonies,   this should not be a problem as they dead flower heads are not that unattractive and they only flower once, usually.   On several plants this year I have noticed a few fresh flower buds forming, this is something I don't ever  remember seeing before in around fifty years of gardening (I was very young when I started)

Sorry it's not much of a photo but then that's camera phones for you!   I think if this had just been one plant in one garden I would have discounted it, but I have seen this on at least five plants in four different gardens, in different situations.   I can only conclude that it is something to do with our unnussual weather patterns, but I can't say I understand it at all.

Something I might be able to understand a little better is the latest development in  the meaning of Lila, I think that I may have a bit of completion there.

 

 

As they might say at the BBC, "Other Blogs are available"

Concert V, Karen would be proud of me

I promise that this will be my last post about my concert with LGSO way back on the 30th June, and once again this has nothing to do with the music or indeed the performance.   This as to do with my other favourite subject shoes.

During the afternoon rehearsal and then over lunch I wore these very nice open toed sling back pumps.

Then I got changed into my LBD then I needed something a bit more formal and much more black so I also changed my shoes for these black sling backs, they are just so cute with the big leather bow on the front over the open toe.

But after a while even these began to get a bit too much and my feet were beginning to get a little sore so I changed into these flatties, they are really comfortable, and have even bigger bows than the heels.

Shoes

I know, I know, one of my favourite topics I have written lots about shoes, I have put up lots of photos of shoes, but then they are important to me, and I know I am not alone.

I know actors will often say that the key to finding a character is in the shoes, I find that having the right shoes for the job helps put me in the right frame of mind, whether it is steel toe capped work boots, black oxfords with a suit, or high heel sling backs with a LBD for a night out!   The other day as I was driving between jobs I caught a bit of a show on BBC Radio 4 all about shoes.


Foot Notes is a program put together by shoe enthusiast and collector Rowan Pelling who takes us on a journey through her personal shoe collection to tell us the extraordinary story that lies behind footwear.

It will be no surprise to an of us that she discovers that, far from being simple functional objects that we put on our feet, shoes can communicate our sexual desire, aesthetic sense, social status and personality. They not only reflect social history and changing fashions, but are also a personal record of our lives - a touchstone that evokes a time, a place and an emotion.

In language and throughout literature, they can be magical as in The Red Shoes, transform lives as in Cinderella, and used as punishment in the Twelve Dancing Princesses (maybe that's where it started for me at the age of 11 I played the part of the King in a school musical production of this story, it was also the first occasion I wore tights!).

Shoes have been made from jewels, can cost thousands and are often bought in the wrong size - just because we love them.

Fancy shoes, comfy shoes, old shoes, new shoes - they can change an attitude and define a generation and mean something different to us all.   This is an interesting and fun program, follow the link and listen.

When the Music Fades

After the concert most of the Orchestra, and quite a few of the audience went for a drink, one of the problems with playing in the City is the price of a beer afterwards.   Not only were the prices way high but to add insult to injury the bar closed very early.   A few of us decided to go to another pub afterwards, I hadn't realised just how far away the other pub was, and we ended up taking a bus!



Thank Goodness for the loo mirror

It was a fun way to end the evening with a beer in the company of some very nice people, and one or two totally outrageous ones.   In a quieter moment one of the more outrageous ones asked about my situation, especially interested in my sexuality, although he put it as "are you gay" I resisted the flippant answer of "well I'm quite happy", but gave a more considered reply.   This is something that has given me much pause for thought recently and my conclusion is that as a man I am straight, I fancy women, and only women, however as a woman it is more complicated I think Paula maybe Bi or straight, that is as a woman I do fancy men, I also fancy women but is that him in her subconscious, either way it doesn't really matter as I am married.   After that the conversation got a lot less heavy again.



The first dress, I really like this ne

I did get some compliments on my dress and more on my shoes, although I understand that I was "out shoed" by one of the violins with a particularly spectacular pair of heels.   Also after one of the lads complimented my dress the other girl I was with told him that he should have seen the one I wore last time as that was a really special dress!   I have four black dresses, one of them is probably a bit too short, and a couple of top and bottom combinations so that should be enough, but looks like I need to get some more shoes, this is war!

A tall story

To be honest my cold meant that I had to concentrate even harder than normal, just to keep up, and then I seemed to develop a nasty habit of coughing loudly in all the quite bits.   I had a bottle of "Covonia" with me and every now and then took a judicious swig.   Along with a few decongestant capsules I hoped I would get through.

After the rehearsal we had time for a quick, late lunch at a Carluccio's just round the corner before getting changed for the concert itself.   I had decided on the most demure of my LBDs but also my most outrageous shoes, I think they are a four inch heel with a very small platform, metallic silver leather sandals, as I soon found out they may look great, not so easy to walk in.   I know I felt as though I looked like a million dollars, between the height of the heels and the soft fabric swirl of the skirt across my thighs (yes I had also decided on stockings) I felt so sexy, somehow powerful and vulnerable at the same time.

We got through the overture without incident, although I did start to have a little problem with a suspender clip, then left the stage to the strings and the soloist for the concerto.   This is the first time I am aware of hearing this saxophone concerto (by Glasinov) it was certainly a tour de force but maybe just a little short on tunes.    Having had half a bottle of wine with lunch I resisted having any more during the interval, just topped myself up with Covonia and decongestants before  we took on the Mahler symphony.

While I didn't cough too much I am sure that being "off my face" on cough mixture was not the best way to approach this very challenging piece.   I think the best way to describe my performance was that "I got away with it" in the end the combination of drugs, booze and lack of sleep was just too much to maintain my concentration at the level needed.   Still at least I looked fabulous!

Of passing interest the first trombone was a fairly young (to me at least) girl, I think maybe still at music college, it only struck me just how tall she is when I realised that we were about the same height only I had on my heels and she was wearing ballet pumps!

Not a Thing to Wear

Well the good news is that I have managed to get this far into the week without breaking a finger nail!   This could be one of those rare occasions when all ten nails are of a matching aesthetically pleasing length, they will also be a very nice colour.   Only Friday and Saturday to get through now, I shall probably end up wearing gloves all day.

I also think that I now have got my cold on the retreat.   Yesterday was not as bad as Wednesday, and this morning I don't feel as bad as I have the previous couple of mornings so lets hope for he best.

One thing I have found with playing these concerts that has never been a problem for him, is the issue of what to wear, I have pondered what my concert dress will be and have made up my mind on that, but of course there is still the rehearsal.   I want something casual, but still feminine, if the weather had held I would have worn my white linen trousers, but it looks as though i will be too cool for anything as summery as them.   I could wear skinny jeans again but don't want to wear a sweater with them and most of my tops are a bit short (I like skinny jeans or leggings but only really with tunic length tops) and then there is the problem of shoes, like many girls like me most of my shoes have been bought for their style rather than practicality.   So now I am looking for a comfortable, casual outfit to wear throughout the day with practical comfortable shoes and find that "I have nothing to wear".

I think that this is a problem several of us can find, we buy the clothes that attract us, which of course tend to be the pretty, special, or formal feminine clothes, rather than the practical everyday comfortable and casual.   Looks like I will once again resort to jeans top and ankle boots, I draw the line at trainers!

The pictures are of a couple of previous attempts at casual outfits, while I quite like both, I fear the heels on the boots in the first are to high, and the length of the skirt in the second is too short.   I have a pair of flat heeled knee boots that look really nice, but are just a little too tight to want to wear for long.   I really should get rid of them but am reluctant until I have something else that will take their place.

Fed Up

I'm feeling a bit fed up, it feels as though it's been raining now for around twelve months, I am behind with lots of my outside work, I can't get motivated to get on with my office stuff, I don't even feel much like doing some practise.   Still I have a rehearsal tonight and another on Sunday, and better still this evening there is a special preview night at Matalan for "loyal" customers, since I fall into that bracket I plan on going, and on this occasion taking my daughter along with me.  





She has bought a stunning red dress for her school prom and now wants some shoes.   She wants some white platforms with very high heels, I can understand why, they are very fashionable with her peer group and since she is not very tall, those extra few inches can help. 

However I do worry that extreme heels are, well, a bit too extreme for her, yet anyway, I also think that some classic black court shoes would go better with the dress.   


My Daughter is reluctant to talk with me about my cross dressing, I know she is aware of it, but she seems to be following her mother's example of "ignore it and hope that it will go away" so I need to be careful just how much I talk about my taste in female clothing, and just how much I know about walking in heels.   (Note to self, avoid saying "I would love that dress", or "I would wear that"!)   Anyway I rather hope that the prospect of Dad paying for the shoes might be an incentive to let him have a say in the choice. 

Yes that is the down side, it will be him going, Paula doesn't have a chance to escape until Sunday evening for my first rehearsal for the LGSO Spring Concert.