Changing looks
Recently my mind has been going into overdrive for a few reasons and my dressing as come to the forefront at the moment.
I recently had a surprisingly good reaction to a long train ride where I was dressed in mostly female clothes and (for the first time) had a shoulder bag with my personal items in it on me and openly on display. I put all this up on another thread a week or two ago.
In preparation for that trip i had bought a few bags of various sizes, some large shoulder bags and a couple of smaller medium sized ones which are more discrete. Today I had to go to my local post office sorting office to collect a parcel. My nephew was staying over for the night (at his request). So there was four of us in the house - myself, my wife, my nephew and our daughter. My wife is fully aware of my dressing and largely to the extent of it.
Anyhow, I planned to go out before the kids got up so I could be back in time to cook breakfast. At the moment I am not allowed to drive for medical reasons so to go out meant either a 30-40 min walk each way or a bus ride and a 10 min walk. I got dressed in a female t-shirt with bra and C-cup forms under it, male zip-up jumper, female jeans and female trainers (they are white with very obvious pink detailing and styling). As it was cold I was also going to wear my warm male coat.
Because I was wearing female jeans with small pockets I thought I would take one of the smaller bags which I could put my wallet, purse, keys and monthly bus ticket in and the bag could sit under my coat. So off I went at 8am to the sorting office. I got to the bus stop and found out the bus would be 20-25 mins so I started walking with the aim of catching the bus at a later stop. As I walked I started to get warm so undid my coat which exposed the bag a little but I was careful not to show it off too much as around where I live that may not be the best idea. But about 15 mins up the road it is much safer so I felt more comfortable.
I got on the bus, bag mostly hidden and took the short ride. Got off the bus and started to walk again to the sorting office. As I walked I exposed more of the bag, making it fairly obvious it was there to the few people around or anyone passing in cars. Walking down the road a new Nissan dealer has recently opened and my car which I got 6 weeks before I was stopped driving is a second-hand Nissan, and as I passed the dealer I noticed they did parts and servicing. "Hmm I think I will nip in there on the way back" I thought. At the post office the staff did not bat an eyelid to a man with a shoulder bag under his coat and I was treated fine. I then walked back to the Nissan dealer, the bag 3/4 exposed. Here I was dealt with by two lovely and warm people who gave me the information I wanted. I was again surprised that when asked for my car registration (and not knowing it) I opened the bag, got my phone out and called my wife to look and tell me it, and then put the phone back in the bag - the people carried on as if men do this everyday. Not a flicker, an odd look or glance. I was treated with exception professionalism.
After leaving there I found I had missed the return bus by 5 mins and rather than wait another 20 I decided to walk home - which I did with the bag openly on display as I walked with my hands in the pockets of my jeans holding my coat open (so you could see the bag on my shoulder). Again no odd looks from people. I only covered the bag again as I walked to the adjacent road to where I live as a precaution...
Again another step into mixing male and female successfully. No bad or noticeably odd reactions to a man with a handbag. I am honestly surprised at the lack of reaction and wonder if it is either people being polite and not looking/speaking in front of me or if people really do not care as long as you are comfortable and act natural they have no reason to be anything other than the same back.
This is something I can see happening a lot more in the future and something I want to explore more. I know I will also have to tell my wife about carrying bags on me when I go out and she may not be overly happy - but the worst I suspect is that she will ask me not to carry one when with her but when on my own she will leave me alone as will not affect her.
Just wanted to share this and again hope people can take something positive away from it.
You will become stronger in the ways of the Pink Fog. May the Pink Fog guide you and be with you now and forever.