Almost did it but chickened out

[cdsteph]

1. make a detailed list, give it to the lady at the makeup counter and ask her to find the items for you, it's gotta be for a family friend in the hospital or your sister in a body cast or the au pair tied to your bed...right?

2. Thrift store...give them a list....a friend lost everything, here's her size..here is her age...tell the sales lady this fictional gal needs everything...
Ask them to pick out a cute wardrobe, the classier the better.
They will pick out amazing items, give you an equally amazing deal and you can go home and spend a few hours trying on your new nearly free wardrobe.

3. ebay

4. Like most on the post...walk in, select the items... pay for them and comment on how you can't wait to try it on.

[regularman]

when i need to buy lipstick or something 'feminine', i always shop with confidence and if you ever get nervous say youre picking it up for a girlfriend/wife

[KristinSkye]

^^^ that's good advice IMO. Also for whatever reason it helps me to include other non-feminine items with my purchase.

[Jodygurl]

Gosh, ya mean I'm not the only one who's had trauma over a purchase. I used to go to elaborate measures to try to hide the nail polish, mascara, lipstick I was buying. Hoped it would blend in w/ the toothpaste and deordant. Then I noticed nobody cared. And, no TG alarms sounded.

I'd been buying a lot on line for a while but shoes are a different problem, right? I forced myself into a Payless across town (who'd recognize me there?) Looked around and found something I liked, tried it on and bought it. Again, no TG alarm or snickers.

Last week I went into another Payless closer to home. A very eager clerk asked to help me so I told her I was looking for sandals in size 11. She appologize for what she considered a small selection and walked me down the isle which just happened to have ladies on one side and men on the other. I guess I've become very self-assured about this but said, "Oh, no, darlin', I meant from the other side of the isle." She stopped for a nano second and started helping me w/ sizes and styles. Couldn't have been more helpful and I think she was having fun.

But dresses? Well, that's next week. Across town.

[Valerie1973]

Buying make up can put an awful strain on your ticker. I found going to a grocery store here in my town either very early in the morning or very late at night and then going threw the self check out takes away the jitters. The makeup is way at the end of the store were no one really goes and it is if heaven fell to the earth with all the selections. :Zenith: Valerie

[Toni TampaCD]

Well I just purchased a cute little purse (only $6 on clearance!), and a few makeup items from Kmart yesterday (guy-mode). Got a few looks from the makeup section girl, but ignored her

Checkout- no problem

I guess I just don't care what people think when I'm in guy-mode!

(still don't have the courage to go in public dressed yet though).

[brassieres]

I finally did it, well kinda. I just bought lipstick online and another bra. I am not so sure how I feel about this.

[megan163]

I understand the initial fear, but once you start being confident and unapologetic about it, everything will be fine. Last night I went to a CVS dressed but with not great makeup. I'm sure the checker could tell I was CD but I walked up confidently and made my mascara purchase. She even commented what a great deal it was. I said thanks!

[HalloweenDragon]

You can do it!!! I had the EXACT same feelings and anxiety about buying anything feminine for years. I am lucky I have friends, a wife, and this website for respect and support. Even today, as long as it's a female at the register, I feel a little bit better about buying anything.

I've gone into lingerie shops being FULLY crossdressed and tried on clothes and bought a few things. There's clerks that are so nice and remember me when I come in. I feel so happy like that that I wish I could go everywhere all the time dressed how I truely feel inside.

Recently, I've been going EVERYWHERE with BLUE eyeliner, eyeshadow, finger/toenails and lipstick while wearing toerings, and an anklette. It has really helped me to get over the anxiety, but I have yet to receive a rude or akward comment (knock on wood!).

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

[stefanie]

for sure.....this is problably the commonality most of us have. that first something 'taboo' that scared the bajesus out of us. It could of been an early 'try on something of mom's" to the CVS lipstick to the first step out......one thing for sure at least i have noticed is that once you do the 'once', the 'second', the 'third' becomes easier.....so what about the 'once'

for me, i just went for it but in a town i didn't live in, but that is just me..... After that, i was an addict....hell, i could shop for anything now

But perhaps try this to get yourself going and to be less intimidated......

buy 1: just buy some women's lotion, see if anyone cares
buy 2: buy some women's sock's (not nylons), see if anyone cares
buy 3: buy some women's accessories, see if anyone cares
buy 4: buy some tampons, see if anyone cares
buy 5: then buy some lipstick or other makeup product..... and you know something, you will find that well, as all have said, no one cares...guys, girls, old lady cashiers....none of them care.

good luck! happy shopping.

[Tina B.]

Girl most of us have been where you are, I did a lot of window shopping before I got up my nerve. But after while the want will over come the fear. A lot of us have things we find hard to by, and things that we can just walk in an get, and what that is changes from person to person. I bought so many dresses and blouses, that came easy, but foundation garments, and shoes scared the heck out of me. I bought this really cute form fitted out fit, that just cried out for a waist cincher, everytime I put that dress on I want cry, it hung stright up and down, (that was before I got fat.) One day I was off work, and really wanted to wear that dress, so I got into the car, went to the biggest mall in town, walked into J.C. Penny's, found what I wanted, got in line with a bunch of women, got a funny look or two when they noticed what I was holding. When I got to the front of the line, I looked that middle aged woman behind the counter right in the eye, she gave me a little frown, then rang it up, In payed walked out of there on cloud 9 (yes it's pink), After that I loved that dress and I looked marvalous!
Tina B. For the shoes, I walked into Sears one day, and found a 50% off sale, Went up to the counter and the little girl working looked up and smiled, she said, "thats a lot of shoes", I so no reason to amke up anything anymore, and just smiled and said, " Yeah, I can't resist a good sale". I didn't owe her anymore explanation than that, I'm sure she knew who they where for, but come on, 50% off, I had to do it.
Tina B.

[brassieres]

Now thats what I am afraid of, the looks, the frown, etc. It just would deflate any confidence that I may have. Ordering online is much easier, but even then sometimes I think that the party at the other end is less than thrilled about things selling to a man.

[PaulaLee]

I bought my first purchases on my own last week, a skirt and some tights , and it was very difficult, the queue to the checkout seemed to take so long, but when i did get to the front , the guy in from of me was buying a couple of dresses, so i thought what the hell. I think the hard thing for me is because of the size of the garment i am buying it is pretty obvious it is for me, and not for my daughter or wife. I can buy make up quite easy now, but like most of you say its the clothes. However nether mind , its what i want, who gives a damn what they may be thinking, i will be buying again this weekend, lets hope it does get easier.

Paula XXX