For some reason I've been not caring much about embarassment when dressing lately and last week I decided "f it", I'm going to go out dressed fully. I finally was able to take advantage of this during a business trip to Baltimore. What a thrill!!!
I'm not trying to pass and that's never been my motivation, so I figured I needed to compensate for that. I did this by choosing a feminine but plainish outfit that wasn't too flashy such that it would obviously stand out. The idea was that I could blend in the background.
My outfit was:
- fitted oxford-style white blouse with stripes. It had front, back, and bust darting. This created a feminine shape. I liked the white because it made my bra visible
- a black ankle-length skirt. I chose this length so I wouldn't have shave
- open-toed sandles with a 1.5" wedge heel. Toes painted pink
- Cute, small plain purse
- small hat
I did some research and decided that the Mt. Vernon area of Baltimore was probably safe. It's a gay villiage with a few gay-friendly places. My goal was to simply go out in public, walk around, get coffee, hang out a bit, etc. Minimal interaction.
I found a coffee shop called Red Emma's. This place was perfect. No one even lifted an eye at me when I came in. It has only one bathroom so I never had to deal with that issue. I literally blended in perfectly.
I will admit freely that I was scared to get out of the car. But after a few minutes in Red Emma's I realized I had achieved exactly what I set out to do- go about the day without thinking about my clothes. I sat next to a GG at the bar for about an hour and she never gave me a second glance. Chatted a bit about nothing with the barista. That was so cool!
I stayed in the coffee shop for 2 hours, got lunch, read a book, used their free internet, then went out and walked around the block a bit.
All in all it went so much better than I expected. I won't be back in Baltimore for at least 6 months however you can be sure I will do this again.
If you find yourself there, no matter how you are dressed please visit Red Emma's. They treated me right and made me feel relaxed.
~~~ Jeanine
