Suggestion for going out dressed

[Karen__Starr]

While writing in another post a thought came through in that many here have a) never been out dressed but want too b) would like to broaden places to go out. Here in Oregon there are several cities that have an event called “Saturday market” where vendors come together to form an outdoor market which attracts all types of people. I have found them to be very safe havens for me for many years to go out dressed and to shop with great ease and have never been bothered by anyone. Yesterday I went to one where I dressed in fold-over leggings, crop top and sandals, which are common, place for this market. I spent three hours shopping and listening to a live band along with chatting with several people mainly over the type of food I was eating as these people were trying to decide if they wanted to try African style food. Afterwards we went to see Avatar (yes I will admit not to have seen it yet) at a theater that was too my surprise was showing it as I thought it was not in theaters now.

Any ways my point is that many crossdressers and transgender people can be very uncomfortable to going out dressed but it does not have to be as where you choose to go and dress and make all the difference in the world. Even though I am not big on having to under dress to have a good time like mentioned above but instead smartly choose a safe place to go out dressed and have a good time. So if you have been thinking about going out for the first time and have not consider finding one of these Saturday markets and dress to blend in and have a good time.

[Billijo49504]

Hmmm!! Today I was to WallMart, bed Bath and Beyond, Fruitbasket Flower Land, Meijers and then to the Meijer gas station. I had on jean capris, a cute, springy top, tennies and a little makeup and a short wig. Sorry, no farmer's market today. But I did get some plants for my garden.:hugs:BJ

[Super Amanda]

For those of us either full time, or who go out regularly, it's easy to forget how hard it was to make that first step out the door.

Baby steps are what I recommend for beginners. I did dumb stuff in my early days like go to a 24 hour laundromat at 3 am, or stroll around my not so great neighborhood at midnight...not very safe.

So I suggest a grocery store on a weekday morning. You get mostly senior citizens and most kids and young people are in school, work or bed. Like between 8 and 11 in the morning. Also Walmart is a good neutral place to go around the same hours. Actually those are golden hours for almost anywhere to avoid crowds and such.

I know I wanted to go out, but not interact with anyone at first. I had to build up to live cashiers. Many stores feature "self checkout" these days, a godsend for shy folks, unless the machine glitches which has happened to me several times, you can have a whole real life shopping experience, without interacting with a single person, if you want.

Also, you can get some good eye contact and interaction practice if you want, without so much pressure from young folks who lack respect, or over observant children ("Mommy, is that a boy or a girl!!!).

Of course I can't speak for anyone but myself, but when I used to be in the closet, I hated feeling "all dressed up with no place to go" , so just getting out at all was a huge thrill at first.

So there's my suggestions, I hope it helps! :)

[KarynDavis]

I started out driving around as I could enter and leave the car from my garage. (I am the world's best driver when dressed em femme!) Then eventually, I could stop and put gas in the car. Leave the drivers door open - use a credit card and never have to interact at all. After a while it occurred to me that no one was watching and no one cared. That led going inside the automart and grabbing a soda. Just one step up the ladder at a time.....

[Sheila]

Debs did the going out at night in her car thing twice before we got tog ......... scared herself witless by behaving stupidly as she put it .......... her first ever day time outing was with myself, Sandra and Nigella to a local busy garden center where we also had lunch, yes she was spotted, but nobody was abusive, We have been out together several times in the day and in the evening to mainstream places and trans friendly places, at no time have we been given any grief :)

For those contemplating going out, if you can go with a friend the first few times it might help you be more comfortable, otherwise a busy street/supermarket will probably be least wearing on your nerves as you will quickly realise most folks don't see you as such and those that do will very very rarely do anything other than smile or at worst make a rude comment

[Freddy12]

Selecting the best place and time are important. Also, selecting the right outfit. At wal-mart, for example I see few skirts, and most GG's are not wearing make-up. If you go there wearing a short skirt and make-up you will not blend in as well. Notice what GG's wear and dress appropriately if you are not looking to stand out. If you are looking to stand out, then don't dress as others do.

[sissystephanie]

I go to Walmart all the time wearing a skirt, along with the other feminine garments! And I don't wear makeup either, or a wig. I am a man wearing feminine clothing! I go everywhere like that and never have had many bad comments. I have had lots of compliments on my outfits!!:love:

[AriannaVillota]

It's easiest to drive first. Though my first drive I made 3 wrong turns in 4 minutes. :battingeyelashes:

It's become something of a tradition to go to starbucks whenever I'm out dressed. Something very feminine about coffee with a friend. =)

[MissKara]

I went out into a shop today..... ok, it was safeway, but it was busy :D

I was wearing tights and a purple top with a handbag... I didn't end up wearing my wig thought so it was Karl in drag but none the less, I didn't get that many odd looks :D

Lots of love,
Miss Kara

[Lexine]

I guess I'm a huge anomaly to the CD/TG community because I never had problems stepping out en femme ever since I started CDing a couple of months ago. In fact, my only real problem now is not going out enough and balancing time going out en femme and as a boy. If anything, the only issues I had when going out en femme stemmed from the gender role I portrayed, like going to which bathroom.

It almost feels like stepping out as a CDer is like Lewis and Clark, venturing into the vast unknown... well, en femme that is! It's interesting to experience all these sensations stepping out and like I've stated so many times before along with the rest of the girls: once you step out, it's really not that bad ;)

[Schatten Lupus]

I suggested a road trip to my fiance, to travel to different parts of America, and I could go out dressed in some stops. I said we could start by going to the Field Museum and Shed Aquarium in Chicago. She thought the idea of me being dressed in Chicago wouldn't be a good idea, and I told her that it's not uncommon for bigger cities to be me tolerant, and Chicago does have anti-discrimination laws, and with us going to museum/tourist trap, there is a chance that a number of people we would cross paths wouldn't be assholes about it. I even tried to through in that the Feild Museum has too much about evolution to attract any bible thumpers that would make a scene out of it in a last ditch effort, but she wasn't sold on the idea.