Joanie_Shakti
07-29-2010, 10:53 PM
Two days back from vacation, this may be a rambling post of shopping sprees, high fashion, observations of a GG friend, and some feelings I had about my crossdressing.
Headed for the San Diego area from Arizona last Friday morning. I had a Sunday evening date to see "Oklahoma" at an outside venue with my best GG friend. Intentions for my alone time was shopping, and perhaps going out in public dressed one evening, mainly for a drive, but perhaps to fill the car with gas. Leaving the house, I had a light coating of Bare Minerals "Warmth" powder on my eyelids, some neutral lipstick, a pearl white nail polish on my fingernails, and a ratty French pedicure. The color on the fingernails look clear until the light hits them right, then they look like mother of pearl. My pedicure was several weeks old as I had hoped to get one with my friend while I was visiting.
Rolled into Mission Valley around lunch time. First stop, Mission Valley Mall, where there is a Fredericks of Hollywood. Before Fred's I went to Macy's to pick up an out of state discount card. Browsing the women's department, I ended up buying a long red skirt, a white top, and a blue ruffled top.
I stashed the bag in my car and headed on to Target. Nothing I liked there. One thing I don't like about that store is that the women's section is blended in with the maternity section. I then went over to Payless shoes. There I ended up gettting a pair of cream colored low heeled pumps and some bronze sandals. I stashed them in the car and then headed to Frederick's.
I wanted to get a bra at Frederick's, but one that fit without extensions in the back (42 C). I may have seen one in that size, but I didn't like the style. But most of them only went up to 38 and a few were 40s. I was disappointed as I've seen 42 Cs on the website.
A few miles down the road is the Fashion Valley Mall, which is my favorite in the area. I just like to hang there and watch the women. Both to watch the girls and to check out their clothes. I passed up the Macy's in that mall, my goal there being to get some "Hope In A Jar" moisturizer at Sephora. Was going to look in Penneys for a white lacy bra and I like the lingerie section in that particular store, but it was getting to be mid afternoon and I wanted to head north to Vista before rush hour.
Arriving at the motel, I made plans to meet my friend at a restaurant near her house. When she saw me, she commented that she could see that I was taking care of myself while glancing down at and mentioning my toenails. But there was no specific mention of my fingernails. ( More about this later.) After dinner, we went to her house to watch a DVD.
I've mentioned before that I sometimes wonder if my crossdressing is a substitution for the lack of female company. As I sat next to my friend, I started feeling self-conscious about my fingernails, my shopping spree, and my dressing in general. Though I'd like it to be more, we're just friends. And after months of my female side slowly taking over, my male side seemed to be coming back.
Back at the motel, it was too late to go out dressed and I wasn't even that crazy about dressing up for the night. But remembering my new clothes, I became motivated. Took a couple of pictures, then lounged around and went to bed.
I had decided to go to the races in Del Mar Saturday. Nails still polished and again with the shadow and lipstick. Lots of attractive women there in great outfits - dresses and heels, plus a few hats. I was more interested in girl/outfit watching than betting on the horses. Afterwards, another dinner and late evening with my friend, so it was too late to go out as Joanie again that night.
Sunday afternoon, I headed to Target for more shopping. Found a "ballerina" dress and a tube top one. Again, the women's section was almost blended with the maternity one. Next door was a Famous Footwear store. Not having been in one before, I went in just to look. Ended up with a pair of Steve Madden brown suede heels, which are my new favorites. I only had a pair of black suede Maryjanes before, but there is something about suede pumps that move me.
Dropped the items at the motel, then off to the mall in Oceanside. My Tommy Bahama shirt that I had planned to wear to the play that night was too small, so I used it as an excuse to get another. First though, was the women's Macy's store, where I ended up getting two chemises and a satin robe. (Got two Tommy Bahama's shirts at the men's store, but that's really irrelevant in this story.) Still wanting that lace bra, I again went to Penneys. I don't like that store as much as the one in Fashion Valley. The lingerie section seemed cramped and I felt kind of creepy looking for my size in a style I liked, though I tried to remain nonchalant.
Dinner and the play with my GG friend that evening. Though I was the one who chose the show, it being "Oklahoma," I thought that I would be disappointed that the actresses wouldn't be in attractive clothing. The girls turned out to look cute in their frontier dresses. Though the outfits in the nightclub scenes in "Mamma Mia" are still my favorites (heels and flirty skirts).
Again, it was too late to go out dressed afterwards. I did try on the new dresses and took more pictures. Monday morning, I checked out the Payless across from the motel. That store has about a third of the selection in size 11 that the Mission Valley store has. I had enough shoes anyway. I can't resist shoes when I like them, but I'm usually barefoot at home, in both guy and gal mode. And Monday evening was spent with my friend, so again, I didn't go out. Then it was back to reality, home, and work on Tuesday.
Tuesday before I left for home, we got our pedicures and manicures. I got the toenails Frenched again and then the girl asked if I wanted the same polish on my fingernails that I was wearing. I said that I didn't want any polish (not when I was going to work the next day), and my friend exclaimed loudly that she was glad to hear that. I was a bit embarassed then as I had contemplated geting some remover earlier but didn't. If she would have said anything earlier, I would have removed the polish. I didn't think it was that obvious. The girl tried to put clear on but she saw me making a face. After my friend's comment and expecially having to go to work the next day, I didn't want polish on the fingernails. It took a couple of minutes to convince her that I didn't want any.
At lunch before I left, I brought the polish subject up. I told her that the fingernails were an experiment. I had bought the polish thinking I could touch up the nicks in my French toenails between pedicures but it was too light. I thought it wouldn't be too noticable on the fingernails, but I guess I was wrong. I told her that I liked the French toenails though, as the tips give the nails a clean, healthy look. She told me that she was ok with that if I was.
So no public dressing for me yet. I had bought a new sweater and purse from National for the occasion too. Though I don't consider it that I "chickened out," I didn't take the opportunity to have my first public apearance as Joanie. I just didn't feel as compelled to as before I left on vacation. Again, I think a lot of it was being able to enjoy some female company. I did dress for a couple of hours every morning and evening in the motel room and wore the nail polish and light makeup, but that was it. And as for coming out to my friend, after my feelings after being around her for a little bit and her comment on the fingernails, I don't think that will happen anytime soon, if ever at this point. I gues that if we ever do evolve beyond just friends, I'll have to tell her. I mentioned once seeing a crosdresser in a restaurant in San Diego and she seemed pretty open about it. But of course it could be very different for the men in her life as she's looking for a "real man" according to a dating site heading I saw on her computer.
So I got my rambling out of the way. Attached is a picture of the outfit I brought with me to wear for my drive if I was so inclined. The new outfits will be posted in the pictures section sometime this weekend.
Headed for the San Diego area from Arizona last Friday morning. I had a Sunday evening date to see "Oklahoma" at an outside venue with my best GG friend. Intentions for my alone time was shopping, and perhaps going out in public dressed one evening, mainly for a drive, but perhaps to fill the car with gas. Leaving the house, I had a light coating of Bare Minerals "Warmth" powder on my eyelids, some neutral lipstick, a pearl white nail polish on my fingernails, and a ratty French pedicure. The color on the fingernails look clear until the light hits them right, then they look like mother of pearl. My pedicure was several weeks old as I had hoped to get one with my friend while I was visiting.
Rolled into Mission Valley around lunch time. First stop, Mission Valley Mall, where there is a Fredericks of Hollywood. Before Fred's I went to Macy's to pick up an out of state discount card. Browsing the women's department, I ended up buying a long red skirt, a white top, and a blue ruffled top.
I stashed the bag in my car and headed on to Target. Nothing I liked there. One thing I don't like about that store is that the women's section is blended in with the maternity section. I then went over to Payless shoes. There I ended up gettting a pair of cream colored low heeled pumps and some bronze sandals. I stashed them in the car and then headed to Frederick's.
I wanted to get a bra at Frederick's, but one that fit without extensions in the back (42 C). I may have seen one in that size, but I didn't like the style. But most of them only went up to 38 and a few were 40s. I was disappointed as I've seen 42 Cs on the website.
A few miles down the road is the Fashion Valley Mall, which is my favorite in the area. I just like to hang there and watch the women. Both to watch the girls and to check out their clothes. I passed up the Macy's in that mall, my goal there being to get some "Hope In A Jar" moisturizer at Sephora. Was going to look in Penneys for a white lacy bra and I like the lingerie section in that particular store, but it was getting to be mid afternoon and I wanted to head north to Vista before rush hour.
Arriving at the motel, I made plans to meet my friend at a restaurant near her house. When she saw me, she commented that she could see that I was taking care of myself while glancing down at and mentioning my toenails. But there was no specific mention of my fingernails. ( More about this later.) After dinner, we went to her house to watch a DVD.
I've mentioned before that I sometimes wonder if my crossdressing is a substitution for the lack of female company. As I sat next to my friend, I started feeling self-conscious about my fingernails, my shopping spree, and my dressing in general. Though I'd like it to be more, we're just friends. And after months of my female side slowly taking over, my male side seemed to be coming back.
Back at the motel, it was too late to go out dressed and I wasn't even that crazy about dressing up for the night. But remembering my new clothes, I became motivated. Took a couple of pictures, then lounged around and went to bed.
I had decided to go to the races in Del Mar Saturday. Nails still polished and again with the shadow and lipstick. Lots of attractive women there in great outfits - dresses and heels, plus a few hats. I was more interested in girl/outfit watching than betting on the horses. Afterwards, another dinner and late evening with my friend, so it was too late to go out as Joanie again that night.
Sunday afternoon, I headed to Target for more shopping. Found a "ballerina" dress and a tube top one. Again, the women's section was almost blended with the maternity one. Next door was a Famous Footwear store. Not having been in one before, I went in just to look. Ended up with a pair of Steve Madden brown suede heels, which are my new favorites. I only had a pair of black suede Maryjanes before, but there is something about suede pumps that move me.
Dropped the items at the motel, then off to the mall in Oceanside. My Tommy Bahama shirt that I had planned to wear to the play that night was too small, so I used it as an excuse to get another. First though, was the women's Macy's store, where I ended up getting two chemises and a satin robe. (Got two Tommy Bahama's shirts at the men's store, but that's really irrelevant in this story.) Still wanting that lace bra, I again went to Penneys. I don't like that store as much as the one in Fashion Valley. The lingerie section seemed cramped and I felt kind of creepy looking for my size in a style I liked, though I tried to remain nonchalant.
Dinner and the play with my GG friend that evening. Though I was the one who chose the show, it being "Oklahoma," I thought that I would be disappointed that the actresses wouldn't be in attractive clothing. The girls turned out to look cute in their frontier dresses. Though the outfits in the nightclub scenes in "Mamma Mia" are still my favorites (heels and flirty skirts).
Again, it was too late to go out dressed afterwards. I did try on the new dresses and took more pictures. Monday morning, I checked out the Payless across from the motel. That store has about a third of the selection in size 11 that the Mission Valley store has. I had enough shoes anyway. I can't resist shoes when I like them, but I'm usually barefoot at home, in both guy and gal mode. And Monday evening was spent with my friend, so again, I didn't go out. Then it was back to reality, home, and work on Tuesday.
Tuesday before I left for home, we got our pedicures and manicures. I got the toenails Frenched again and then the girl asked if I wanted the same polish on my fingernails that I was wearing. I said that I didn't want any polish (not when I was going to work the next day), and my friend exclaimed loudly that she was glad to hear that. I was a bit embarassed then as I had contemplated geting some remover earlier but didn't. If she would have said anything earlier, I would have removed the polish. I didn't think it was that obvious. The girl tried to put clear on but she saw me making a face. After my friend's comment and expecially having to go to work the next day, I didn't want polish on the fingernails. It took a couple of minutes to convince her that I didn't want any.
At lunch before I left, I brought the polish subject up. I told her that the fingernails were an experiment. I had bought the polish thinking I could touch up the nicks in my French toenails between pedicures but it was too light. I thought it wouldn't be too noticable on the fingernails, but I guess I was wrong. I told her that I liked the French toenails though, as the tips give the nails a clean, healthy look. She told me that she was ok with that if I was.
So no public dressing for me yet. I had bought a new sweater and purse from National for the occasion too. Though I don't consider it that I "chickened out," I didn't take the opportunity to have my first public apearance as Joanie. I just didn't feel as compelled to as before I left on vacation. Again, I think a lot of it was being able to enjoy some female company. I did dress for a couple of hours every morning and evening in the motel room and wore the nail polish and light makeup, but that was it. And as for coming out to my friend, after my feelings after being around her for a little bit and her comment on the fingernails, I don't think that will happen anytime soon, if ever at this point. I gues that if we ever do evolve beyond just friends, I'll have to tell her. I mentioned once seeing a crosdresser in a restaurant in San Diego and she seemed pretty open about it. But of course it could be very different for the men in her life as she's looking for a "real man" according to a dating site heading I saw on her computer.
So I got my rambling out of the way. Attached is a picture of the outfit I brought with me to wear for my drive if I was so inclined. The new outfits will be posted in the pictures section sometime this weekend.