one more step.. in a bridal store!
I have never gone shopping drag, and when shopping for myself, never mentioned to an SA that I was buying for myself. However, Louise and I (Carin mode) are planning a committment ceremony later this year. This is a serious event and I need to look good. We browsed and found the perfect outfit, shoes and all on David's Bridal website. But you have to go to a store to make the purchase. So with much apprehension and hesitancy I am working up the courage to 'Out' myself in a store for the past few days, and in a Bridal store of all places.
The plan was to call the store and 'clear the way', make an appointment where we would both go in reasonably discretely. This morning I am going to work late, and I know that David's Bridal store opens in a few minutes. I am thnking, store just opening, not too busy, maybe I will go and check it out. Sure enough, no traffic at the door, maybe I will venture inside. Inside is another story. Busy!! people bustling around doing their thing. I am going to take a brief walk around the store and back out. This is too busy to discretely inform an SA what I need, much less ask for the manager, which was my preference.
So I am heading for the door out when a SA asks nicely, Hi, Can i help you? I head is saying "No thanks, I'm chicken". But damn it, I'm here. What am I going to do? Come back another time and prove that I was chicken the first time. So I said, "Well yes actually. My wife and I are planning a ceremony later this year, but there is a twist. I am transgendered." She tipped her head to one site a bit as if to say "Yea, and..". I told her I had a specific outfit in mind, not a wedding dress, and pulled the website printout from my pocket. One page for the outfit, one page with the shoes.
She said "We have that outfit here against that wall. I really love those shoes, I am waiting for a pair for myself", walking towards the wall rack. There are three or four of that outfit on the rack, she looks at one - its a size 16, she looks at me and muses 'What size, you are not a 16. I have a 14 here, do you want to try it on." OK she is way ahead of me now. I was just here to 'Clear the way for this event'. Sure, so I follow her to the dressing rooms. There is a GG coming out of one stall, and the SA makes an admiring comment to her as she passes, good SA that she is. She is walking with the outfit held high, and me following her. I am in drab, going to work (I dress androgenously anyway, but there was no doubt about my genetic gender.) She pauses a moment, as an afterthought asks "Would you prefer the other side" (guys dressing room I assume). "No, whatever works for you" I said. She is clearly completely at ease with all of this. She ushers me in, departs saying I will get the shoes. 5 Minutes later she returns with the shoes. I am in the outfit, no forms or shapewear mind you. She is still going on about how much she likes the shoes, then comments, "that (the outfit) looks really nice" (good SA that she is) and hands me the shoes. I am standing in the stall doorway (the dressing room doors are all full mirrors). The're is another lady looking at herself in one of the mirrors. I don't know if she looked or cared.
So I made and appointment (the original objective) to come back with Louise (and the appropriate accessories), decide on that size or one size smaller and if alterations were necessary.
I don't know what I was expecting, but what I got was the same treatment as any other customer would get. What a wonderful feeling.
