kaleyg
03-31-2010, 09:16 PM
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)
(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)