Witnessed Something for the First Time

[JoAnnDallas]

Back in May, I went to Walmart and bought a complete new outfit. Skort, top, pantyhose, shoes, earrings, neckless, watch, and makeup. When I checked out, I did not have one drab item at all. The checker did not even lift an eyebrow. She did comment about how nice the skirt was until I told her it was a skort. Then she said that she may have to take a look at them. She rung me up, I paid, and said have a nice day.

[Kandi]

yesterday the oppurtunity to go in payless was too tempting. Dressed in drab I entered and noticed only one SA. I went about trying on several pairs of heels and flats and she turned the corner while I had on a great pair of 4" black heels. I smiled and proceded to tell her alittle about crossdressing. She was very pleasant and told me she wished more men could show there other side. I walked out wiith a pair of flats that I plan on wearing to Atlantas' Southern Comfort Conferennce!!

[Wendy me]

omg lol shopping lol..... OK i am not shy ... see a long time ago i got to thinking if i want something then i need to just go out and get it .....oh i get the looks from time to time .... who cares .....no bigge......

[traceyanne]

hi rainbow

when i first started dressing i used to be very nervous when i was in shops, but now i doesnt bother me in the least, people can think what they want.
was in marks last week to get my wife a pres. browsed through the lingerie section and picked what i wanted.
went up to counter and put my stuff up, pair of french knickers and a lacey bra size 18 and 40dd, picked a bra and pantie set for myself , size 16 and 38b.
lady at counter points out the difference in sizes, she thought i had made a mistake when picking them, but i told her the larger size was for my wife and the smaller size was for myself, she just laughed and said sorry at least your honest and why not, your not the first and wont be last. as i paid for them she says i hope you enjoy them as they are really pretty, i just smilled and said thanks and i will. no probs/ no embarrasment.

traceyanne

[Slip Affinity]

I have no problem shopping for what I want whether it be for my male self or my female self. The only thing that ever did bother me was when I had to go to the store for that "pink box" for my better half.

[paulaN]

I have learned to "just do it". If I want or need something I just get it. I do get a little nervous sometimes, but I still get what I need. 99% of the time I am drab (boo hooo). Also most times I do not try things on. I have not gotten that much courage yet. And after all of these years I know my sizes pretty well. So my advice to all cd'ers out there is "just do it". If anything should happen as in some form of embarrassment to you or a sales rep. everyone will get over it rather quickly And you bought what you wanted. Have fun with it.

[Plain Jane GG]

Just a GG

If you try explaining "For my wife" "My wife is in a meeting and broke her heel, called and asked me to get her new shoes" "The dog ate all of her clothes and I need to replace them before she get home" whatever you say the SA's are going to pay attention. Just shop with no story and they won't think anything about it.

You will have the times that someone will make a rude comment. But as an overweight women I have felt looked at in a store for picking out things. We lived in an area that was more upscale and I would feel that they looked at me like I could not afford to shop there. Rude SA's are out there and we can't stop that.

The more you shop to better you will get at it.

I just wish I got some of the things that "For the wife"
Years ago Chelsea bought me a nightshirt for X-Mas that I would have had to gain 75 pounds to wear. Now I realize she had no excuse for that. The next present better fit me.

Plain Jane

[MsPriscilla]

The 'for my wife' thing works - perhaps - for lingerie, but less likely for a skirt, top or dress, and not at all for heels. I can't think of any circumstance where a GG would ask her male partner to go and buy shoes for her. And of course, the whole 'story' falls apart if he tries them on.

So...................................... I just love shopping for heels. I have only ever done it in drab. The 'sissy' in me enjoys, if that is the right word, the attention I get when i am trying on heels. This varies from looks, giggles, whispered conversations, to total ignoring. Three highlights of my heel shopping:

once I found a range of mules on sale, but only one colour in my size on display, so i asked the SA if they had white as i wanted. She hurried away, broguht me back a pair, and then watched and waited as I tried them on and walked around the crowded shop. No giggles, rude comments, nothing. Very professional.

Another time I was trying on boots, and the SA asked if I wanted pop socks to try them with, but I told her i was already wearing pantihose. No further reaction.

Thirdly, I tried on and bought a pair of court shoes. At the checkout, the cashier complimented me on my nails that were painted bronze. I squirmed with the pleasure of it.

But for those who haven't tried shopping direct and trying on things, please do it. As most other girls have said, the SA's have seen it all before, and are most unlikely to embarrass you ( personally I regret that!!!). My best experience was trying on a basque in a specialist corsetry shop, and having one of the SA's come to see the fit, help me into it, and then go and get me another size.

Priscilla

[tammie]

Hi Everyone: i once tried on heels in a Payless shoe store. The young SA was watching me with this amazed look on her face.
I looked at her and smiled and said, "believe it or not we were the same size shoes".

That was in fact true, and although I didn't say they were for her (my X) she was comforted by thinking that perhaps I was buying shoes for my then amazon dominate wife who told me to buy myself a pair of black hi heels and have them on when she came home from work.

Along with a black bra panties slip thigh high stockings and makeup. Also to have dinner ready for her.

[CheriTV2006]

Hi Rainbow, I have to psych myself up to shop. At first I have to use kind of a personal "anger crutch" in that I have to think of all the negativity that's been directed to me in the past, either by relatives or others ... this gives me a psychological boost in that I feel as though I'm gonna "give the world a piece of my mind! And I'm willing to break all barriers!" This sounds like alot, but it works for me. Also, I do get somewhat of a sexual boost from buying this stuff and also a kind of "female affirmation" from this. I also end up with a great feeling of satisfaction when I find that the salespeople are very helpful in all instances so far. It took me a very long time to overcome my fears beforehand. Cheri.

[Mitch23]

Your radar is a little more in tune - you probably would have not even entertained the thought in the past. Look around you'll see loads more situations like that

Mitch

[Claudia Zylindrias]

I really just shop for whatever it is i need or want. I do often correct SA's when they ask me if I need help sizing my wife/girlfriend. I will say usually that its for me and that i looking for size... Lucky enough I live in a place that believe they have seen it and done it all. So often enough, even when i'm in drab i may wear a kilt or a skirt. No body evens gives me a second thought. As long as i'm not crass or obnoxius, i say let freedom ring. Or at least the credit card beep...


Claudia

[BarbaraTalbot]

I had decided I needed some make-up to complete the look so I could show her. I was feeling brave so I went to the Walgreens within walking distance of my house. I was nervously looking over make-up when the cosmetics counter lady came over and offered to help.

I gave this excuse that my wife sent me in for some concealer and I was trying to remember what brand she said to get. I went so far as to get on the phone and pretend to call her to ask. I pretended she didnt answer. I had a brain flash when she asked what shade of skin she had. I said, well, she has very similar coloring to mine, only less weatherbeaten. I showed her the underside of my forearm and had her help me get a match!

Brilliant!

Funny though, a couple of weeks later feeling all warm with my wifes acceptance, I went back and marched up to the same lady and asked for help finding cuticle softener and orange sticks, explaining that my wife and I were going to have a spa day and do pedicures. That was when I was in the blossom of sunlight just out of the closet and wanting EVERY sales clerk to notice. I am back to a little more circumspect.

I once noticed a GG looking sort of curiously out of the corner of her eye as I browsed women's shorts. So I struck up a conversation, never said anything about them being for me, but I asked for and got help with locating where the activewear tops were.

Couple of more stories Ive mentioned here before and lengthily on my Blog about shopping and being frank with sales associates. Once for bra's at Target, and once for shoes at an Hispanic clothing store.

[Ruth]

Like others have said, you get used to it. I can remember being a bag of nerves when I bought my first dress. Nowadays I just go in and get what I want, don't offer any explanations. As long as you are smiling and civil and pay your money, SAs are really not interested in your story.
I'm probably more nervous when shopping enfemme than when in drab. But this is because I'm concerned that my appearance is OK and my actions are "in character", something that doesn't affect me in drab.

[Fab Karen]

It has to do with experience & getting comfortable with yourself. I shop plenty in male mode for femme things, whether make-up or lingerie or heels. I just walk in find what I want- what others think isn't important.
As a tangent, I can remember being a young boy & wondering why all the pretty clothes were made for women, all those colors.

...my then amazon dominate wife who told me to buy myself a pair of black hi heels and have them on when she came home from work.

Along with a black bra panties slip thigh high stockings and makeup. Also to have dinner ready for her.

Talk about a compromise with the wife!

[carol ann]

I have no problems or hang-ups about looking at the make-up, lingerie or clothes but do try and make sure that there are no customers around that I recognise ( just in case it came up in conversation in social life when wife around)

[sammie]

We do the same as u hon;sometimes with a red face.lol Seriously speaking for myself,I happen to love shopping so much that i sometimes forget i'm a boy! A few (many) years ago it would really bother me because i was afraid of what people thought and thats really the main problem for a transgenderd person like me.No one likes to be odd girl out! It's just a matter of pride i guess.I still find myself embarrassed at times,but for the most part i just think of shopping for girlie things i need as part of life in paradise.And for me that means shopping,shopping,shopping.

[Kristen Marie]

I sometimes use pictures as a crutch to get help get the conversation going. Something like I'm having some photos taken this weekend and am looking for some lipstick to go with this outfit. Can you help me?

I show her one or two photos and I have never had anything but a great time with the sales associate. I think being mentally preared for some verbal encounter helps so much. I just can't make up stuff and make it sound real.

[Donna506]

I have only recently started buying wardrobe items. It all started about 3 months ago when I had a pedicure and manicure. I then went to Target, Kohl's, and two Payless stores. In the first store, Target, I aked the SA manning the dressing room if she would be adverse to helping a CDer shop for lingerie? I told her if she were not comfortable helping me, would she recommend someone else. She seemed eager to help me pick out panties, bras, and a few other items. She suggested I use the Women's Dressing Room to try them on to make sure they fit. I did and she stayed nearby to help me if I needed it. At Kohl's, I did not ask for help. I just found my sizes and checked out. When I went to Payless, I asked the young lady SA if she ever helped CDers with shoes. She told me many men come in to buy shoes for Pagents. I told her they were for me. She showed me the shoes in my size and suggested I wear the footies. She recommended going to another Payless several miles away that had a larger selection of large sizes. This time there were two young lady SAs and I told them I was a CDer. No problems with either Payless.

Since then, I have had a makeover at a M.A.C. counter in a local mall. This time I was in jeans, top, ladies shoes, and no wig for nearly two hours while the one SA did me and helped other customers. After she finished, I put the wig on and walked the mall. When I first went in I had a male Aloha shirt over my top and male sneekers. I removed both for the makeover. Did I mention that the counter was next to the Women's Shoe Department and they were having a big sale? I must have been seen by nearly everyone who came to the sale.

Since then, I have been back to Payless several times. The SA on duty the last several times was a guy, probably in his mid 30s. He has no problem with me shopping for shoes.

I guess the bottom line for me is to be honest with the SAs. They won't have to guess and will admire your honesty. It will also give them the opportunity to personally meet a CDer in male mode and realize that he is just like other normal people.

I have abbreviated my experiences here. If you want to read my more detailed posts about shopping and makeover, look in previous posts I have made.

[Charleen]

I've bought most in drab, though last week I needed new makeup and went full Lily. No problem in either case!

[Amber82]

Donna506 being that we are both from raleigh I could really use some advice on shopping out and going out in CD form since you sound like your getting the hang of it pretty good, such as friendly places, not so friendly places, etc. My wife and I want to go out with me in CD form to a mall or something and shopping for clothes but have tons of questions that I just think it would be very helpful to have another local CD'r to ask for advice from, if you think you might be willing to help out send me a PM and maybe we can exchange a few ideas i have about places and maybe chat so I can ask more questions if you have the time. Thanks in advance.

Amber

[Claudia Zylindrias]

i go a new tank top and the best mascara and eyeliner ever from Rimmel, also some cute sandals to show off the french pedicure i gave myself this past weekend.

love u all
claudia

[Staci]

I just go in and buy what I want. I figure that if women can go into a mens area and just look around that men should be able to go into the womens area and do the same. Once in a while I get a funny look from someone but very rarely. Yesterday I was in a store that had clothing and hardware etc. I picked up a pretty blouse that was on sale and then went to find the screws and insulation I needed for a project while carrying the pretty blouse. Just go for it. The only one that thinks it is unusual most of the time is you/us.

[Country girl]

[SIZE=3]Rainbow, when my ex and I were still together we would go shopping together and I would always buy everything for him. I would pretend to look at something and he would tell me if he liked the style or not, ie panties and bras, and then I would get the right size for him and we would go check out together and pay. If he ever got nervous due to the size I would always comment about how I was pretty sure these would fit my sister or daughter, blah, blah, blah, for the benefit of the saleslady. It always seemed to work and no one ever gave us a strange or funny look. CG GG[/SIZE]

[DAVIDA]

I do not shop dressed, but I have way too much fun shopping to care what others think. I have had the SA at payless tell me about the days they get their shipments in, because the selection is better.