Another day of beauty!

[kaleyg]

part 2 is down below (where comment #2 begins)!!! i hope you'll take a few minutes to scroll down and read about my adventure! ; )

(i'll post pics in the photo section) i wasn't sure where to post this -- it contains shopping, a makeover and mixing with the general public. so, hope i don't get deleted . . .

also, instead of a really long post that i don't have time to write, i'll make this part 1. here goes . . .

tuesday i had a full free day away from home (thanks to a business trip) to be kaley! i had set up my salon appts ahead of time, as well as two appts to try on gowns. so here's how the day went . . .

my appt at the salon was set for noon, so of course at 9:30am i had a dead battery. got it fixed, got ready (drab) and headed to the salon. got lost, stuck in horrible traffic, but managed to make it a few minutes late. almost thought fate was against me.

met my stylist and esthetician, and when they asked "is this for some special event?" i just said no -- just for fun. i didn't say 'cross dresser' or 'transgender', but they got the idea. my stylist took the wig and wanted to style it on a mannequin while i had my makeup done. she worked so hard -- even ended up washing it. it is a ken paves wig and thus heat-friendly, but it is hard to curl. she had to curl each strand and pin it for a few seconds to set.

my esthetician was so sweet and made me feel right at home, even though i was really nervous. she made an extra effort to cover my beard and gave me a smoky eye look. when makeup was done, i put on my outfit for the day: low cut, flared jeans, pink top with black cami, and a cute hoodie jacket to cover my arms (and gray flats that gave me blisters--hated them). i wasn't sure i could do the jeans look, but i think it was ok. in make up and clothes, but no wig, i still felt like a . . . well a freak. i went and sat at the stylists station watching her finish her painstaking work. at this point, my esthetician and another girl who wasn't busy were hovering around us chatting.

finally, she put the wig on me and it was like magic. from freak to chic. i could see it in the girls faces -- a sort of relief, i think, that i didn't look ridiculous. my stylist leaned down and asked softly, "do you feel pretty?" i almost cried. i said "yes." that was so meaningful! then she said, "that's what we do here, we make people feel pretty." my heart is racing just typing this now!

we took some pictures, i hugged them both, tipped them generously, and headed out the door. it was 2pm and i could be kaley all day! only one thing missing: nail polish. i had a bottle of pink to match my top with me, so i went to a nearby park, walked to a gazebo, sat down in the glorious sunny, breezey day and painted my nails. the day was so beautiful -- i just soaked in the experience and tried to feel like a girl. there were many joggers/walkers who passed within 20 feet of me. i tried not to take notice, but i don't think i was read. i think i even heard one lady tell her friend, "oh that's a good idea!"

(look for pics from the salon and of my outfit in the photo section -- i'll do part 2 soon)

[kaleyg]

you know your post is too long when . . . the system logs you out while your typing it. lol. anyway, caveat lector -- this is long.

so here's the rest of the story i started last wed. (i'll post pics -- or at least a link -- on wed. in the photo section) . . .

(quick recap: had hair and makeup done at a salon, finished by 2pm, went to park, sat in a gazebo and painted my nails -- a glorious sunny day. there are pics from the salon in the photo forum.)

after my nails were done, i walked back to my car and headed out. i had two appointments at two different bridal/gown shops, but they weren't until the evening! so what to do? well, i couldn't think of anything good, so i actually called one shop to see if i could come in early, and they said 'sure.' so, i drove over there -- all the time feeling a little nervous because i've not been out as kaley in the middle of the day before -- and parked, but i was still early. there was a marshall's in the same plaza, so i bucked up my courage and went in to buy a purse (i didn't have one with me). my horrid shoes were rubbing blisters on my heels at this point, and i wanted to get new ones, but the shoe section was really crowded. so along with my purse i bought some little mini-socks to wear in my flats. ahhh-relief! the cashier was so friendly, i almost thought she didn't read me. she never flinched or showed any signs -- but i just know that isn't poossible.

after getting my purse, i walked into the bridal shop. i was greeted and sat down to look through a catalog while i waited for my SA. i have to admit i went in with a cover story -- that i was doing a charity mock beauty pageant event, and that i had a trial run through on hair and makeup today. i could tell she didn't completely buy it, but she smiled and was very warm. she asked, "did they talk you into this or did you volunteer?" i said, "kind of both." she said some other things that revealed her suspicion that i was doing this for fun. but she was totally professional.

we picked out a few gowns (mostly bridesmaid dresses) and she took me to a dressing room -- the kind without mirrors so that you have to come out and be seen! (i kind of like that.) i told her i didn't have a strapless bra and she said she would bring me one. she returned with a white bustier with garters attatched! i said i might need help getting it on and she said "just let me know." sure enough, i really couldn't get it on by myself (i really tried). so, i put my jeans back on and let her in the dressing room. she got me hooked up in no time.

the first few dresses were decent, and she took pics for me but did it a little too quickly so the shots were really bad. i wasn't really 'warmed up." but then i mentioned the idea of doing a bridal theme for the pageant and she brought me two clearance gowns. these were both cute, but the second was really sweet -- straps with a sweetheart neck, empire waist and a cute bow detail. before i even put it on, she said, "this is going to be your favorite." she was polite and professional, but i could tell she was not really having fun. i finished up, and asked her to hold the second bridal for the day. i was going to another shop and needed to look around a bit more.

i got dressed, thanked my SA and headed off to shop #2 (i asked them if i could come early there also). i had some taco bell on the way over, and i pretty much ruined my lipstick while eating. i did have some lipgloss to touch up, though. when i got to the boutique, they were really friendly and looking forward to having fun with me. (same cover story.) i was the only girl there, so i got lots of attention. they had a really amazing selection of prom dresses/evening gowns -- much glitzier than anything at the other shop. they also brought me a bustier, but without garters, and i could get it on myself. my favorites dresses were a black one (backless, halter split down the front all the way to my navel, with rhinestone beading on neck), and an orange one (fitted, strapless, flared/ruffled bottom). you'll see all these in the slide show! my SA took lots of pics and had fun doing it -- sometimes taking several of the same dress to make sure we got a good one. i also took a few mirror shots in the dressing room. she had to help me get into several dresses, but i was very careful not to reveal too much. : )

after leaving the store -- i nearly floated to my car -- i still had time to continue my adventure. so, i found a tjmaxx and went in to browse. i wandered over to the lingerie section, in part because there was no one else there, but also because i thought it might be nice to have some cute pjs to sleep in that night. i took two sets of pjs (pants + cami) into the dressing room, and had no problem. i took lots of pics, but i'm not sure i feel comfortable posting them. sadly, i didn't buy anything, but looked around a little more and headed out.

by this time it was getting late and i needed to head back to my hotel. i tried stopping at a mall (i got lost quite a bit, which cut into my adventure time!) but everything closed as i got there. so, that was the end of my latest day as kaley! i went back to my hotel, snuck in, changed and sat down to look through all my pics! i had such a wonderful day!