A question for the long-time TG/CD/TS Girls

[AngelaKelly<3]

I've been spending a lot of time thinking about dressing reciently and something came to me today...

How much of a godsend has the internet been to us TG/CD/TS girls?! :eek:

Apart from giving us access to great worldwide communities like this one, It's allowed us to buy stuff in secrecy if we don't want people to know yet.

How did people explore their femme side before being able to order stuff off the internet? Did you just do something like get it all at a store and pretend it was a gift?

Thanks

- Angela <3 x

[STACY B]

See Landery Hamper Thread ,,,LOL,,,,LOL,,,

[Kate Simmons]

Very carefully Hon.:heehee:

[Laura912]

Saddled up ole paint and rode to the country store. Told them all that stuff was for the little woman at home. (patooie). Actually being married helped. Before then it was trips home during the summer and just going nuts otherwise.

[Foxglove]

Theft was an important part of your strategy--although we didn't think of it as such. Any item left lying around by your mom or sister that didn't appear to have been used for a while could be regarded as yours. I mean, if they wanted it, they could be wearing it, right?

I remember when I was still pretty young going into Penney's and buying a dress. A nice one, too, with a matching pair of panties. I don't know how I got up the courage to do that. Actually, I don't think I thought much about it. I just went and did it. It was a reckless thing to do and I could have got outed, because this Penney's was in the same mall where I worked. If any of my colleagues had seen me with it, questions could have been asked because I didn't have a girlfriend at the time.

Some people survive by their native wit. I think I survived by sheer luck. Ah, the good old days! I'm so glad they're gone. (Actually, I wish I had them to do over again.)

Best wishes, Annabelle

[LeaP]

How much of a godsend has the internet been to us TG/CD/TS girls?!

Apart from giving us access to great worldwide communities like this one, It's allowed us to buy stuff in secrecy if we don't want people to know yet.

How did people explore their femme side before being able to order stuff off the internet? Did you just do something like get it all at a store and pretend it was a gift?

I've never bought a single article of clothing online, male or female.

[Sally24]

"Padding" your order at the checkout. Hammer.....toothbrush....candy bar.......beer.....bra.......glue...... Wait...BRA?:devil:

[Cheryl T]

Back then I shopped for myself with a very red face at the check out.
All my information came from the periodicals of the time, such as Lady Like Magazine.

Had I had the web and all it's info at that time things would have gone much differently for this gal.

[AngelaKelly<3]

Theft was an important part of your strategy--although we didn't think of it as such. Any item left lying around by your mom or sister that didn't appear to have been used for a while could be regarded as yours. I mean, if they wanted it, they could be wearing it, right?

I remember when I was still pretty young going into Penney's and buying a dress. A nice one, too, with a matching pair of panties. I don't know how I got up the courage to do that. Actually, I don't think I thought much about it. I just went and did it. It was a reckless thing to do and I could have got outed, because this Penney's was in the same mall where I worked. If any of my colleagues had seen me with it, questions could have been asked because I didn't have a girlfriend at the time.

Some people survive by their native wit. I think I survived by sheer luck. Ah, the good old days! I'm so glad they're gone. (Actually, I wish I had them to do over again.)

Best wishes, Annabelle

I'll admit, I have "stolen" stuff before as well! :( I took some stuff from my friend's sister once that I was suppose to throw out, so I suppose I'm off-the-hook Karma wise, right? :battingeyelashes:

I've almost plucked up the courage to buy something in a store, as things delivered to my house would probably mean some questions too, but I decided against it as being too risky!

[sissystephanie]

I have been a CD for over 60 years. In the early years I wore my sisters clothing. After my parents died when I was only 14, an aunt and uncle raised my sister and I. They did not know that I was a CD, and the aunt taught both my soster and I to use the sewing machine! I should mention that my aunt was an excellent seamstress!! I do have and wear a lot clothes that I have made myself, but I also have a lot feminine clothes that I have bought. Some I bought on the internet, but since my CD'ing predates the internet, much of my feminine clothing was bought in stores. I started doing that when I was in my late teens, and haven't stopped. And BTW, the clerks always knew that I was buying for myself! I never have hid that fact!!

[AngelaKelly<3]

I have been a CD for over 60 years. In the early years I wore my sisters clothing. After my parents died when I was only 14, an aunt and uncle raised my sister and I. They did not know that I was a CD, and the aunt taught both my soster and I to use the sewing machine! I should mention that my aunt was an excellent seamstress!! I do have and wear a lot clothes that I have made myself, but I also have a lot feminine clothes that I have bought. Some I bought on the internet, but since my CD'ing predates the internet, much of my feminine clothing was bought in stores. I started doing that when I was in my late teens, and haven't stopped. And BTW, the clerks always knew that I was buying for myself! I never have hid that fact!!

wow! I'd love to be able to make my own clothes! I suppose I could learn couldn't I ;) I do live quite near where they made those Singer Sewing machines so it would be suitable! :P

I suppose it's just because I'm at a point right now where I know I want to explore this side of me but I wouldn't dream of letting anyone know yet, that I find it interesting to know how people would have done this in the past.

[Julogden]

Some things were bought in person, some things were bought through mail-order catalogs. Sometimes, particualry early on in life, late 1960's, I had an excuse handy if challenged, but nobody ever challenged me, although I did get some clearly disapproving looks from cashiers on occasion.

And there were a few friendly stores even back when I started.

Carol

[katie_barns]

"Padding" your order at the checkout. Hammer.....toothbrush....candy bar.......beer.....bra.......glue...... Wait...BRA?:devil:

I remember those days.

I use to volunteer to deliver the donated clothes to the goodwill center, just so I could pick out what I wanted first. Hey it wasn't stealing!!!!

[Vickie_CDTV]

Mail order was how many did it back in the day, if they were not comfortable shopping in person. In fact, at least since the late 60s and possibly further back there were a number of mail order boutiques that catered specifically to crossdressers. Some publications like Transvestia occasionally mentioned various resources known to be TV friendly.

[Tina B.]

Now days you call it the INTERNET, back then we called it a catalog, Sears, JCP, Montgomery Wards, Spiegel's, everybody had them, even Fredericks of Hollywood. In mens magazines you had Michal Salem's, and others that specialized in the cross dresser market.
But for me, every since I been grown, I preferred the mall. I'm the type that likes to see it, hold it and check it out before I buy, and mail order dosen't allow for that.
Like most, I started "borrowing things" when I was young. But by the time I got out of the service, I started buying, "gifts for the wife", after awhile you stop making up reasons, after all they generally don't ask.
But if a checker assumes it's a gift, I let them, why do I need to explain why or for whom I shop for. I prefer discount stores where the SA's leave me alone.
And yes I love to shop!
Tina B.

[Andromeda]

The Internet has been a boon. When I go clothes shopping I find it convenient to have a girl friend who happens to be about my size and of course i can not simply buy a gift card. Using a gift card just is not the same as selecting and giving that special item of lingerie. I don't know if the clerks reallybought this story i don't know, but none of them ever called on it.

[docrobbysherry]

EXACTLY THE SAME WAY, Angela! It was called "mail order". U can read about it in Tina's and Carol's posts above!

The only difference was that it took a little longer because u snail mailed in your order instead of emailing it! I ordered the most exotic crap that way when I was young. Because we had few interesting stores in our area back then!

[Dawn cd]

As Annabelle said, theft was part of it—including a few discreet instances of shoplifting. That was in the days before things were tagged electronically, so it was easier. Then there was the time I ordered a girdle from a department store, to be paid for on delivery. My roommate answered the door and, of course, declined to pay the postman. When he told me about it later I laughed and said, "It must be the store's mistake because I never ordered THAT."

[April_Ligeia]

I've found that you can walk into stores and just buy stuff. I've done it countless times and had maybe 2 or 3 conversations about what I was buying. For the most part, sales associates want to ring you up and get you out so they can get to the next person or so they can flirt with their coworkers. They don't usually care what you are buying.

[AngelaKelly<3]

EXACTLY THE SAME WAY, Angela! It was called "mail order". U can read about it in Tina's and Carol's posts above!

The only difference was that it took a little longer because u snail mailed in your order instead of emailing it! I ordered the most exotic crap that way when I was young. Because we had few interesting stores in our area back then!

Thanks for all your replys :D

I don't think the "mail order" stuff was as big over here as it is in the US. We had/have small networks of people built-up around things like AVON that all knew each other, so someone CDing would most definitely come out if they used something like that! :(

I had never heard of "Michal Salem's" before! but looked it up and it's really encouraging that even back then when unspeakable things being done to LGBT people was widespread, that there was a service like that! :)