Advent Calendar IXX

I know I posted this picture the other day illustrating my post on presents, and I know I post a lot pictures of scantily clad Betty Boop.   One thing that has not changed with my transition is my fondness of Betty. I like the way (when properly drawn) she is naughty, but somehow still quite innocent. ~ Sort of Naughty but Nice.   I will also admit that now I wouldn't mind some of her attributes!

But I am very aware that a lot of things have changed since my transition, including my attitude to underwear! It used to all be lingerie, lots of satin, bows, and lace, all very impractical. I still like satin, lace, and bows, but now practicality comes a lot higher on my priorities list.

I still like to dress up in something nice and slinky, I like to feel a bit sexy, even though I have no intentions of doing anything about it, it is nice to feel desirable and I think it would be nice to feel desired. But these days I mostly dress for comfort, jeans and a sweater, or if I'm going outside jeans and three sweaters! My underwear reflects that as well, these days I am often to be found with my thermals on, especially when I'm working.

Anyway; ~ what prompted all of this reflection was this picture of Betty, most of the Betty pictures show her scantily clad and being a bit naughty rather than attempting out and out erotic but this one has for me crossed the line ~ sure she is not showing any more flesh than in others so what is my objection.   Well, it's the suspenders! Like many of my generation there is something erotic about stockings and suspenders, maybe it was growing up with the image of Sophia Loren in The Millionairess, but whatever it is that is responsible they are definitely erotic, I know it when I see them, and I know it wear them.

But my complaint about this picture is not just that! it's how they are worn! Clearly this was drawn by a man, no woman would ever have the suspenders outside the pants (panties for the Americans) I mean how would the poor girl ever manage to go to the loo!?

It had to happen

I expect that a very high proportion of my readers will understand the joy of putting on new hosiery, there is a very different feel to tights and stockings which shows whether they are freshly laundered, have been worn, or best of all brand new.   This morning I put on a brand new pair of lace top hold ups, despite all my prejudices against them, my last few experiences have been quite acceptable, so I thought I would risk it.

I didn't have any work planned for today, the forecast said it was going to rain, or worse, so I thought this would be a good day to meet a new "friend" for a coffee.   We had arranged to meet up at 11:00 in a Costa in Croydon so I started to preen myself as soon as I got up, shower, lots of shaving, blow dry my hair, paint my nails,set up scaffolding, apply polyfilla and all the other essentials of trying to make myself presentable. After much deliberation I decided on my red dress with a black jacket and boots.   While not being too obvious I thought I looked smart and well presented, and so at a little after 10:30 I set off and walked into town.

I arrived just a few minutes early, got my coffee and sat down, now I expected my "friend" to turn up more or less on the stroke of 11:00 so as the minutes ticked by I began to get a little worried.   Then I began to get a little annoyed!   I did wonder if he might have gone to the wrong Costa, so I went to the others in Croydon just to check, no sign! So I visited the bank and went home.

I was feeling annoyed, frustrated, and rejected, on so many levels this was not turning out to be a good day.   Getting home I turned on my computer to find that there was  a message sent a couple of days ago letting me know that my "friend" was ill and wouldn't be able to make it.   Now I know that it is my own fault, I should have checked my messages, I just didn't even turn my computer on the previous day; and I'm not ready to give out my phone number yet!   Any way having gone online I found that a couple of other (long standing) friends were having a day out in Croydon so we met up for a coffee and a chat, it was good to see these friends, although I keep in contact through Facebook it was good to have a proper chat and catch up.

So the day I took off to meet a new friend because the weather was going to be lousy, turned out to be a lovely day for gardening, I didn't meet the friend I planned to, and, when I took off my boots I found I had laddered both stockings!

Stockings

Most of us have a complex relationship with stockings, when I wear stockings, as opposed to tights I feel quite different, it feels a little risqué, a little bit dangerous, and the combination of freedom and restriction is of itself quite exciting.   One thing I am sure of is that when I am wearing stockings I never forget them, like I can with just about any other garment.   I am constantly aware of the tug of the garter straps, the nakedness of my upper thighs, the risk of a fastening failing.   With all these issues why would I wear them?   Well I think part of it is the total femininity, part is the styles available, and I suspect that part of it is a left over from the remaining man in me who knows that they are sexy, and so I feel sexy too.

I wonder if it is the idea of availability, of exposure, I have heard it said the the combination of stockings and suspender belt frames the "area of interest".   Like many of these things it may (or may not) be quite complicated and does not really bare a lot of analyses.   I know I do have at least one (male) friend who finds stockings to actually be a bit of a turn off.

I very rarely wear stockings, so it is a special occasion when I do, it has to be said that tights are simply so much more practical, and for girls like me are much better for "containment" purposes.

A while back I bought a job lot of stockings, they are very nice and I have kept a couple of pairs for myself, the rest I have been selling on e-bay.   I have made a little profit, but the emphasis is on the little rather than the profit.   It has been both a learning exercise, and "a bit of fun".   What has interested me is that as far as I can remember every single pair has been bought by a man!

Not a Natural

I was chatting with one of my customers earlier today ~ I was chatting because, lets face it, with this weather I can't actually get on with any work ~ and showed her a couple of photos of Paula.   She asked about my clothes, had I many? where did I get them? that sort of thing, she also observed that "A Girl Can't Have Too Many Clothes"

Well sometimes I wonder, I actually think that I probably do have too many clothes.   When I was less out and couldn't wear what I wanted when I wanted, one way to affirm my femininity was to buy feminine garb.   I suspect that I have become well known in one or two of our more local charity shops.   The end result is that I have far more clothes, many of them items that I will rarely get an opportunity to wear.   I like to dress well, I like elegance, so I have quite a lot of dresses and a few suits (again mostly dress and jacket suits) these are not the sort of thing I can wear for work, or a evening in the Pub or at rehearsal, there's a bit f me that says I should have a cull, but there is nothing there any more that I can say I will not wear.   I just don't necessarily know when.

I also look at all those clothes and think about how much I have spent over the years building up this impressive wardrobe.   For what it is I have spent very little, but with work being so difficult at the moment money is in short supply and the profligacy offends my inner puritan.   I have actually tried doing a bit of on-line trading through e-bay, but have so far singularly failed to sell a single item.   Perhaps I made the mistake of trying to trade in items I would like rather than thinking what others might want to spend their money on.

I am sell (or rather not succeeding in selling) stockings and ear studs maybe I should stick to what I know.   It looks like I will be stuck with a lifetimes supply of era studs, and will be wearing stockings for the next couple of years.

Flash

A fellow blogger made this passing comment on a recent post "Her boyfriend fantasized about her showing up at his door, wearing just a trench coat over lingerie." It reminded me of an occasion many, many years ago, and one of the most erotic experiences I have ever had.   My girlfriend of the time was, ahem, enthusiastic about the physical side of our relationship, as a young man I did my best not to disappoint her.   Well one evening she showed up a little unexpectedly on our doorstep wearing an over coat.

Once she was certain that it was me who answered the door she opened her coat to show that she was just wearing Bra Panties, Stockings and Suspender belt underneath.   I was still living with y parents at the time, and just as we were going to go upstairs my father came out to see who it was and say hello.   It was quite surreal witnessing the conversation unfold knowing how she was dressed.   Later we went out together and I found it so erotic knowing how she was dressed under her coat.   We went to a pub for drink, at her suggestion, she went to the ladies and when she came back presented me with her panties.

I could barely contain myself until she eventually allowed us to go somewhere where we could be, alone, and more intimate.

I still fantasise about this sometimes, it's just that now, it would be me in just my underwear under the coat.

Turner

So after (a very nice) lunch, I finally made it to my destination, the reason for my day off / out the Turner Inspired Exhibition, the exhibition was fascinating and gave me some fresh insights into the work of this very important and popular artist.  

Turner, Caernarvon Castle

Just about all of the people I have spoken about the exhibition to have know and loved some of Turners works, (The Fighting Temeraire, etc.) but have not even heard of Claude.    Known simply as Claude or Claude Lorraine after the area he was born in, Claude became one of the most influential landscape artists of his generation, and was certainly a major influence on Turner, and therefore on the impressionists.   It is a shame that he is not better known as his paintings are well worth a viewing

Claude, The Enchanted Castle

I would strongly invite you to follow the links to learn a little more about the man and his work, that is of course if you like this sort of thing.

After the exhibition I decided that I would walk up Regents Street to see what I could see, once I got as far as Oxford Street I felt obliged to look in a few stores.   I fancy a three peace lingerie set, that is matching bra, panties and suspender.   I want something pretty, not bridal white or ivory, nor sexy black, just pretty.   Now I understand that a lot of girls don't seem to like wearing stockings, well I understand that they don't I don't understand why, but that's another story.   What I don't understand is that in about half a dozen major Oxford Street stores I couldn't find anything that fitted the bill.  I want to be able to wear stockings, particularly over the summer months, but the two suspender belts I have are both "going home", one has a split in the fabric, the other has a broken fastener, and as I have mentioned before I simply don't trust "stay ups" because they don't.

While I was still at the National Gallery I was beginning to regret my choice in footwear by now my feet were killing me!   I paused for a coffee as much for the chance t sit down as for the coffee, so just to give me an excuse to sit down a little longer I had a slice of carrot cake with it.

Black and White

Is it all her fault?

I have recently noticed a trend that to me is something totally new.   I don't know if it is a factor of the weather we are having in the UK, ~ a bit of a cool snap after an early warm spring, or whether it is just a case of following where  our latest addition to the Royal Family leads.   Either way I am not sure how I feel about it; Yes I am talking about the white dress with black tights.

My first reaction when I saw a girl wearing this combination, was "what was she thinking" it does after all sort of break all the rules.   Now what Kate is wearing in the photo above is  a nice combination, the black detail on the dress and the black jacket make the tights and shoes perfectly matched, I'm not so sure when the only back is the tights and shoes.    Too me the contrast is just too much, in this shot of Zooey Deschanel on the left there is a lady in the background wearing a black top, white skirt and sandals with bare legs or natural tights, sorry Zooey but I think that is actually a better combination.

I think this is a very difficult combination to carry off and maybe toning down the white, or a not too heavy black would make it a bit easier, Either way I am sill not at all sure it is something I will try, I think will leave it to the younger and more glamorous.

Still Wednesday

After my trip to the opticians I popped home for some lunch, as you would I had to try on the new suit properly, you know heels, full makeup jewelry and wig.   Then once I was all dressed up I thought, well now I've just got to go out.   So I went over to Banstead to check out the charity shops there.
I picked up a couple of pairs of earrings, a lovely watch with interchangeable straps and trim, and some rather posh seamed stockings, and a nice wrap around grey wool skirt, all for less than £20 in total   I did have a little trouble with some irritating young children but soon managed to get rid of them.   I fear that I was a little obvious being dressed like the mother of the bride while everyone else was looking ready for a hack in the country.   I would have liked o stay out fully dressed like this for longer but I did have another appointment, with my osteopath.

As I mentioned here and here, I have been teasing him a bit with what I am wearing when I go for our sessions, he is far to polite to say anything but I am trying gauge his reactions from the way he carries out the massage.   Well today I upped the anti quite a bit.   I was wearing some nice but basic high leg white panties with butterflies on, a pair of sheer mink trouser socks (pop socks) pale pink pearlescent nail polish on my toes nails, and he pretty pink lacy cami I had on earlier.   I also wore one of my "gold" chains.   There was no way that he didn't notice, it was so obvious what I was wearing.   After I was stripped down to my panties he had to ask me to remove the chain, so I was totally naked apart from my panties.

Laid out on the bench it must have been so obvious that my entire body was shaved clean, and my toe nails polished, there was no comment, but there was time spent on my feet, legs and lower back.   This meant that he had to roll down the top of my panties at one point, and was above the leg line at another.   I have always enjoyed my visits, but think that maybe I should show a little restraint before things get out of hand.

Growing Old Disgracefully

Over on Femulate Stana quotes Anna N as saying "I have been a TG person since I was born, my mother brought me up as a girl until the age of five, then I had to go to boy's school. Believe me that was one of my first traumas in life. I have a Master's degree in Engineering, a major's commission in the military, been married three times and I am gay. My profile is on Flickr and Yahoo."

Anne just celebrated her 79th birthday and sent me some current photos "to show the younger generation of TV people that one can still look reasonable although they are ageing. ...one can age gracefully, without miniskirts and fishnet stocking."

This really chimed with me, when I was younger (well quite a lot younger really) a lot of my cross dressing seemed to be about sex, I think this was partly because that was the message society gave me, and partly because as a young man just about everything is about sex.   In consequence my dressing was very much secret and most of my garments very inappropriate ~ the sort of thing that I now tend to classify under the generic heading of "Naughty Knickers"   Certainly I would not have contemplated going out publicly as I do now.   Added to that my experience was that the urge to dress was always strongest during periods of sexual frustration or high stress; at the time I did not necessarily associate these periods without sex as also being times when I was not in any sort of relationship, as I said I was a young man.  

As I have grow older I find that my own sex drive has diminished (just as well really) and that the satisfaction I get from my dressing is much more about achieving some level of comfort and peace with myself than achieving some sort sexual relief.   This in turn means that as I am not dressing for any sort of sexual gratification I am not wearing the dodgy, border line fetish stuff.   I do have the high heel boots, a leather mini and some fishnets, but these are worn with discretion (or maybe jeans).   Certainly I am dressing for myself, not not as a plaything or as some sort of auto erotica.

I have pretty much decided on my ensemble for tomorrow (Friday) as long as the weather forecast is reasonably accurate and it all goes together OK.   I am a little worried that my white jacket is not only a little crumpled for a winter in a suitcase but it also seems to have picked up a dirty smudge, if I can't sponge that out in the morning there may have to be a small change of plan.   I am as prepared as I can be, I have all my clothes in the house, and I have shaved everything that needs to be shaved.   In the morning I will have a shower and final shave before putting on my face painting my nails, getting dressed and them hitting the road.   As must be pretty obvious I am looking forward to my outing tomorrow enormously ~ I just hope I won't be disappointed.

Looking forward to Friday

I know we have the restaurant chain  "Thank Goodness It's Friday" not quite my scene but that is what I will be thinking this week when Friday comes around.   I have given myself the day off ~ because I deserve it ~ I will be meeting my GG friend P, she and her husband have met Paula once before at their home and seemed very happy and comfortable with the experience, this time I hope that we will be able to go out. 

On Saturday I saw a dress that I liked at Matalan, but I would like a second opinion, I am hoping that P will come with me and give her opinion when I try it on.   I now know they have a branch near by as I hinted at this in an e-mail to her.   I may even take her out to lunch as a reward / bribe.

As well as planning my time and the journey, of course I also have to plan what I am going to wear, as I said P has met Paula once before, but I can't remember what I was wearing, I don't want to do a repeat and make it look like I am a guy who has just bought one dress, so I will be wracking my brains at least thinking of what I definitely did not wear, and of course making sure that my shoes hose and undies will go with the dress I am planning on trying on.   If this weather keeps up it may well be one of my summer dresses, which curiously are all longer than my winter dresses.

 A couple of those summer dresses, photos from last year.

The other things I am looking forward to are my appointment with the opticians, well I am looking forward to choosing and getting some new glasses, and next  Wednesday's appointment with my osteopath

Laundry

One of the difficulties of y situation is doing the laundry, since my wife disapproves of Paula and my daughter simply does not know I am just not in a position to keep my washing up to date.   While on the one hand this gives me the excuse to own more "smalls" than I should really ever need it also means that there will always be something I want to wear that is not clean.   My normal practise is to wait for a rainy day when I will be at home and the rest of the family at work or school, and then do a load of washing.   However we are currently in the middle of a drought so it is some time since I have been able to get any washing done.

One option not available

There is also then the problem of garment care and appropriate drying, much of my stuff should not go into the tumble dryer, but I certainly can't hang them out to dry in the garden.   There would be too many explanations needed if anyone not in the know was to see a line of tights, stockings and pretty panties hanging out dry that are obviously not my daughters of wife's.   All that is of course before I start to think about my blouses, skirts and dresses.

Just another of those difficult to reconcile needs, on the old how to balance family and self when the interests don't match.

in suspence

I need to buy a couple of new suspender belts.   This sounds simple enough but is actually quite challenging.   I have a very limited budget for Paula's wardrobe and generaly the suspender belts that fall inside that budget are the type that are made more for the bedroom that proper wear.   I have a very nice belt with six straps (the best number to have - security but not overkill) that also acts as a waist cincher; the trouble is the bones have gone and stick out at all sorts of odd angles this means that it has become uncomfortable and impractical.

As I said at the beginning I need to buy a couple of suspender belts, although I am not especially attracted to stockings I do like to wear the every now and then ~ and of course that means I need to make use of a suspender belt.   The very thing that I don't like about stockings; the slight insecurity; the feeling of the suspenders tugging against the stocking top; the feel of the strap against bare thigh, indeed the bare thigh itself ideed being constantly aware of wearing stockings; are also the things that I like.   These feelings that on occasion can mean inconvenience and discomfort on other occasions can mean barely concealed eroticism.   Certainly when glammed up it is nice to go all the way and wear stockings - which brings me right back to I need suspender belts.

I hope to find a couple so that I have a dark one and a light one, probably black and white then I can wear them with any of my outfits and other lingerie.   I do rather like my bra and panties to match, or at least co-ordinate, so it is a given that I would like to do the same with suspenders.   It does seem that a lot of the belts I see were not made for regular lengthy wear so the selection will have too be carefully made on practical levels as well.   Much of what I would say can been already been said here, in the mean time I will be looking out for something sensible, pretty and inexpensive.

Wardrobe Update

I have now had a bit of a chance to assess what got turned out from my wardrobe.   I haven't had a look in the bag currently lurking in my garage, but I have had a look through my draws (that is draws, not drawers) and go through the hanging space in my wardrobe.     The knicker draw that I referred to in an earlier post had my panties, bras tights and stockings in, they have all gone.   In my sock draw I have found a couple of pairs of knee highs (or trouser socks) in other draws a couple of skirts my roll necks and a pair of culottes escaped exile, curiously I seem to have retained a couple of pairs of plain cotton panties, while my men's silk briefs aren't there.

In the hanging section all the dresses and slips have gone, but my denim jacket, jeans, a formal jacket, a couple of pairs of trousers and a couple of skirts that were on the same hanger as my denim jacket all survived.   I should say that as far as I can tell at the moment everything has survived, just been put into exile.   The sword that I thought had fallen on my head remains suspended by a thread, but still suspended.

Next job is to find a better way to look after my wardrobe, out of the way but accessible, for the sake of domestic harmony I think I need to be more circumspect about  cross dressing activities; I also think that however reluctant my wife maybe about this we do need to talk, she is not good at talking, at any rate discussing, so I may have to force the issue, maybe even suggesting going to a councillor.

This all sounds a bit heavy, but I am so relieved that it is not as bad as I at first thought that I shall reward you all (and myself) with a picture!   This was taken back in June, I'm not sure if I have published it before, by the way the skirt and jumper I'm wearing were both still in my draws.

Mini skirts and high heel boots

On my last post I recounted the trip we made last night, or at least the show we went to, I am still buzzing with the experience this morning, a great performance from a bunch of really nice blokes, but my aim this morning was not to undertake more publicity for the SWO (although I probably will at a later date) but to make a couple of observations on the journey, and the audience.

As I spend my working life in suburban gardens I don't get into town much so when I do I try to  keep my eyes open, to see what women are wearing.   As we travelled by train I had ample opportunities for my observations.   The first thing I noticed was that there was a lot of leg on display.   The most popular combination last night seemed to be black min skirt, black hose and knee high boots, this look managed to range from the classy and elegant but sexy, through to the "are you sure", the differences are subtle and mostly down to the rest of the look - make up, accessories etc. and of course the fit!   The miniskirts did not seem to be limited to the younger girls either I did notice a couple of very well presented mature ladies carrying off this look with great style and aplomb.   Back in the day Condalessa Rice was known to sport something close to this look.

When George W. Bush's second Secretary of State wore these knee-highs to Wiesbaden Army Airfield in Germany four years ago, the Washington Post's Robin Givhan daydreamed Rice was a "dominatrix," adding, "Rice's coat and boots speak of sex and power — such a volatile combination".

 
Now apart from enjoying seeing "a bit of leg" I was quite struck that this was counter to what I am reading and seeing in the fashion pages where they are all telling us that hemlines are lower, I like hemlines that are either high or low, I'm not a fan of anything in the middle, but generally given the choice I prefer high. In fact I like the whole miniskirt, black hose and boots look, especially when teamed with a nice blouse and tailored jacket, and better still a long coat unbuttoned as a bit of a tease. I think I might get the old black leather mini skirt out a couple more times while it is still cool enough to wear my boots after all.

The other thing I noticed was heel heights, these again seemed to be either high or low - and these days by low I mean non existent!   I rather like the look of ballet flat (almost slippers) especially with
trousers, but I just haven't yet found any that I would be comfortable wearing out.

I have to say that I have found it very difficult finding library pictures to illustrate his post, I have trawled quite a few fashion sites, ad a few Goggle searches and none of them came up with exactly what I have in mind, but some of these are pretty close.   Surprisingly the one of Condalisa Rice is closest, I just have in mind a shorter skirt than a Secretary of state should wear.   Maybe I will have to find a tame model or photographer and get some shots myself.

And yes the title of the post is a blatant attenpt to see what searches are attracted to the blog

It's Getting Cold

The last couple of mornings we have had a frost, and it is definitely getting colder, and this morning quite windy.   No surprises there really after all it is December, but for those of us who work outdoors it does mean putting on some extra layers.    These extra layers include long underwear, personally I favour wearing tights under my working trousers, I find they are warmer and more comfortable than traditional "Long Johns" as well as being a lot cheaper to buy.   O course I like to wear tights at any time, but at this time of year I don't have to worry about concealing the fact, and my wife will wash them for as well.

I am getting low on "sanctioned" tights I have a couple of pairs of brown ones and a pair of grey cable cotton ones.   I try to get a type / colour that is different to what my daughter or wife wear so that they don't get confused in the wash.

I noticed that Lidl have an offer starting Thursday on tights, as well as Sateen Pyjamas and various other things that could interest me.   I quite like Lidl's 8 year old Scotch, I think that tomorrow my shopping basket may contain a few other things as well.

A bit of fantasy

As I was walking down the street yesterday evening I was very conscious of my heels.   For me they are very high, at 5'10" four inch heels raise me to 6' 2" which generally makes me a little self conscious.   They are quite comfortable, but I notice that I have to walk with slightly shorter strides than with 2 or 3 inch heels, and a little slower just to be safe.   I was also very aware of the short a slinky nature of my dress, and the conservative length and quality of my overcoat.   (I promise I will engineer an opportunity to get some photos for you soon)   The coat is a nice dark blue, long, double breasted cashmere, but does have a split up the back, so anyone who choose to check me out would have been able to see plenty of leg as I walked past.

This was actually a very sensual experience and put me in mind of an occasion many years ago, indeed more years than I care to admit to here.    I was still living at home at the time, and had a girlfriend who was, err how can I put this, yes I know, lets say that she was very keen on the physical nature of our relationship.    One evening, not long before Christmas, when she knew that my parents were out she arrived unexpectedly and when I opened the door to her, she opened her coat to reveal that apart from her shoes she just had stockings and lingerie on underneath her coat!   Needless to say we had a very pleasant evening, and afterwards I found myself getting quite excited again thinking about her driving home apart from her coat just wearing her bra, panties, stockings and suspenders.
The coat and heels I was wearing on Saturday reminded me of this occasion very strongly, only this time I was imagining myself as the one with the lingerie!   I don't suppose I would ever act out this fantasy, and come to that I doubt very much if I would ever want to show anyone what I actually look like in my lingerie, but it is a thought that has now planted itself

I should read my own blog

I should pay more attention to what I write.   I managed to find a couple of hours free this afternoon so I decided to dress, and let Paula out to play. Why should I read what I write, I wore a pair of hold up stockings, and they didn't! fortunately for me although the dress I was wearing is rather short (I like short) I was wearing my wonderful long winter coat ( Windsmoor cashmere mix), fortunately because there I was walking around Croydon town centre with my stockings creeping down my legs towards my knees just as well the coat is long.   On the whole not a good look!
I started off in West wickham where I did succumb to a pair of shoes in the Oxfam shop, and then into Croydon town centre.   My original plan was to go to the bank and pay in a few cheques, but I was too late for the bank.   As by then my stockings were beginning to become an annoying embarrassment I popped into Primark picked up some tights and then into Debenhams to use their ladies' to change.   I selected a grey animal print design which I really like.  Walking back to where I had parked I felt so great with these tights on I left my coat open so everyone could enjoy the pattern, showing rather more leg than auntie would approve of.   Apart from the tights I resisted the temptation to buy anything else other than a cup of coffee, so maybe I am getting better.

It now takes me a lot less time to change, I stay pretty clean shaven all the time, so unless I am showing a bit of chest it is just a question of putting on some makeup.   I have decided that less is more in this department.   Today I wore very light makeup and minimum jewelry (apart from big ear rings) and barely got a second look, despite the very short dress!

Stockings

There has been a bit of discussion around recently about stockings, including a post I put up at a forum I am a member of

"Last night I went out to the theatre, this gave me the chance to "glam up" a bit and I wanted to wear a particular pair of very impractical shoes, with an open toe. Now it's not the weather to go bare legged so I wanted some hosiery without a reinforced toe. With what I had available this meant stockings.

When I first started dressing and then going out I preferred stockings, somehow they were more feminine, more other, and definitely made me feel a little sexy. Latterly I have been favouring tights (pantyhose) for the ease, comfort and practicality (they also help keep everything in place). But last night I felt so good and I am wondering if some of that is down to the special feeling from wearing stockings again."
Meg has also written about how she rarely wears stockings but enjoys them when she does.   From the comments that we have both received I get the impression that stockings are very often the hosiery of choice amongst cross dressers, however my experience is that very few genetic girls will wear stockings, unless they are trying to have a particular effect on a man.   This makes me wonder as cross dressers do we like to wear stockings because we like to see women wearing them? do we like them because we associate them with being sexy? are we at some level hoping that we will have that effect on a man? or is it because they are special, and so totally different to any form of male attire?

I don't know, but I do know that I like them and will carry on wearing them, but not exclusively. Sometimes the practicality of tights will win the day, and I also have a particularly slinky black dress that I am waiting for an opportunity to wear that is so form fitting that suspenders would show, so tights and those special panties that have no visible pantie line will be a must.   Don't worry when I get the opportunity for this outfit I will let you know, and I will post pictures.

Saturday Night - part 1

I did go out last night, I know as I have a bit of a hangover now, on Sunday morning.   I have made an interesting discovery, Paula drinks wine and it doesn't take that much to make Paul suffer the next morning, and forget that the clocks change so I could have had an extra hour in bed.

Well nobody phoned up and asked me out to dinner, so I hunted around for somewhere to go. In Croydon there is a very good, very small theatre, The Warehouse, last night they they had a play that looked interesting so I decided to see it, and give Paula a new adventure at the same time.   I spent longer getting ready than I normally would, simply because I could, I planned my outfit down to the last detail , had a long leisurely bath and put the finishing touches to my shaving.   After that I used a moisturising cream all over, put on my bra panties, cinch, stockings (yes stockings I was planning to wear some very glamorous open toed shoes and the only hosiery I have without reinforced toes are stockings), and slip before putting on my makeup.   It was nice to be able to spend time getting the look just right, a little more eye make up than I would use during the day and a brighter lipstick, although I didn't get my nails quite right I was very happy with the result.   Finally the dress and jewelry, first hitch my dress was actually just a little too short for the slip and I don't have a shorter slip available, so I had to abandon the slip altogether.  

Then I thought my shoulders looked a little "bold" so I should have something with me to cover them, and managed to dig out a large silk square I have.   I am very aware that I didn't really know how to make the most of this item and will have to investigate.

The glamorous shoes

I am a little nervous of public transport at night so I took Gloria and immediately hit the first problem - parking.   On street parking in Croydon is charged for up till midnight, but worse you can only park in any one place for up to 2 hours.   Since I was early and the play was over two hours this was a no go.   Then to make life more difficult most of the multi story car parks have height restrictions lower than Gloria's roof.   I did eventually manage to park in the Fairfield car park which meant a slightly longer walk back to the theatre than I had planned.   Not a problem other than that the very glamorous shoes I was wearing are not good for walking, very good for looking at, but not for walking.

All the people at the Theatre were very nice and friendly, I did find I was rather over dressed - LBD sparkly jewelry, stockings and as I say glam. shoes - which may well have attracted more attention than I might have sought, but no one pointed at me and shouted "That man's wearing a dress"

Under Cover

Last night I had to go out to a rehearsal, one of my other passions is wind band music and I play in quite a successful local community band, - but that's more for my other blog.   The point is I had to go out, in drab and just wanted to rebel.   Just the thought of being so boring, continuing with the same drab clothes I had been wearing all day got to  be too much for me.   So I resorted to the good old standby of cross dressers the world over of under dressing.   Nothing extreme just some nice soft panties and some hold up stockings under my normal men's jeans.   I also wore a female denim jacket (buttons on the left, no side pockets snugger cut etc.)

What was a little different last night was the lack of socks, and the stockings were very sheer.   A couple of times I looked down at my feet and could see that it was quite obvious that I was wearing sheer hose, at one point I even slipped off a shoe and you could see that my toe nails were polished.   The outcome no one noticed.   This lends strength the idea that people see what they expect to see, they see a man in denim and don't look further, I wonder how far I could push this, if I were to wear my skinny jeans and a shoulder bag but no make up or wig would I start to get the odd funny look?   What would happen if I were to wear overtly women's shoes?

Although my aim is generally not to look androgynous, but feminine it would be nice to be able to go out knowing I'm wear fem without having to go through all the extra presentation work (shaving, make up, foundation garments, wig etc.); I think the look on the left is best left for younger and slimmer women than me.