My day out in London ^_^

[xdressed]

So yesterday (Saturday 27th of October) I went out to the London MCM Expo, which is a huge comic con where people of all ages go dressed as there favorite anime/sci-fi/comic/movie etc characters to check out the stallls and talks. I went as Mana from the bands Malice Mizer and Moi Dix Mois, which meant I spent nearly the whole day (about 14 hours straight) dressed up in the most fantastic gothic dress, high heels, a blouse, full make up and my house mate did my hair for me. It was amazing, and most of the day was not quite how I expected it. The first thing was that I didn't feel nervous, not once, for the whole day. I walked straight out of my door, down the high street and got onto the train to London with my girlfriend (who was also in costume) and one other friend of ours. It felt brilliant. I got a fair few looks on the train and the underground until I got near to the Expo itself, but nothing much. It was also hard to tell exactly why they were looking. It could have been because they knew I was a man in a dress (anyone that could hear my voice would realize that), they couldn't tell, or just because people will generally stare at a 6ft goth chick anyway. I definitely passed to at least one guy, we caught him staring at my girlfriend, then straight after he walked passed me on the stairs and did a sort of fake trip so that he could look my top, then did much the same to my other friend who was in front of me. I suppose that's flattering in a way, although it's definitely much more creepy.

The expo itself was brilliant. I didn't realize that it was more like a massive anime bootfair, so at first I felt a little disheartened as I didn't have much money to spend, but after seeing a talk with the cast of the upcoming Primeval: New World (including Andrew Lee Potts, who I am a big fan of and my girlfriend even more so) playing Borderlands 2 and receiving a free t-shirt from them, meeting some professional comic book artists and buying some of their books, seeing and meeting all the other awesome people dressed up and getting two professionally done photographs of myself, I was certainly having a blast. (all of the photo's done were taken by other people so I will upload them when I've got them)

There were two things that put a little bit of a downer on the whole thing though, not much but just a tiny bit. The first was how totally worn out I was from walking around all day, to the point I have a fairly bad blister from the heels, but that's nothing I can't handle. The main thing is that I was supposed to meet Kimberly Faye, a fellow member on this site, but my phone is not working properly (I can get it to work for a few minutes by taking the battery out for several hours and then putting it back in but that's it) and my sim card doesn't work in my girlfriends phone for some reason. I thought I had her number written down but it didn't work, so if you're reading this Kim I'm really sorry and totally gutted that I missed you, we will have to arrange something soon (damn technology).

Something I noticed though, is that I didn't exactly 'feel like a woman' as some people say they do, but nor did I just feel like 'a man in a dress'. I just felt like myself. I think the more you're in the closet the more exciting and 'forbidden' it feels to dress up, and when you start to get out there and feel a bit more accepted, while obviously it feels great, it also feels much more normal that way.

Can't wait for Halloween now, as I'll be going to a fundraising party at my uni where I'll bump into people I actually know ^_^

[Kimberlyfaye]

I thougt I would post here instead of starting a new topic. Unfortunatly my original post messed up and now I'm going to have to write it all again :(

Anyway to start with my girlfriend and I got ready and headed off to town to get the train. While in town we stopped to pick up some flowers for her costume. Nobody even noticed me I don't think. So it was good. That changed on the train as when a family got on the two girls, who were probably mid teens, kept looking at me. I didn't care. I was out to enjoy the day no matter what. Anyway, when we got the last train a guy let us squeeze into the carrige. "Come on girls, there's enough room for a couple more." He said. We got chatting to him and when we were going inside he asked our names. I told him mine and he was a little shocked. "Wow, I didn't think you were a guy. That's quite impressive." So, we got inside and lots of compliments and hugs followed, due to my free hugs sign. I hugged a group of girls and the last girl stepped back after hugging me and looked at me twice. "Oh my god, you're a boy! I didn't realise!"
Now the only negative comment I heard I'm assuming was aimed at me. There were two guys and I can only guess one had seen me and thought I was cute. I heard his friend say "No, you can see a beard." He must have been checking me out. I'm taking that one as a compliment hehe.
Also I finally did it, I used the ladies restrooms! I went in, did what I had to, and left. My heart was pounding the whole time but I finally achieved that goal.

To finish off the weekend I sort of came out to my mum. She asked what I had gone as and I told her. "You didn't?" She said. I said yes and she said "So you must be.... (now I think she was about to use the word gay, but she stopped) a crossdresser?" I replied so? She said "Your girlfriend must like crossdressers then." That was about it but she did say again "So you went as her" pointing to a picture of the character. I guess she has sort of accepted it.

So overall with the good and not so good, I had a great weekend.
And we will have to arrange something else hun. Sorry we never got to meet :(

Hugs to you all.
Kim x

[xdressed]

Sounds awesome glad you had fun too. I will make sure we meet next time we have the chance. You look so good in your avatar and so different to your previous ones I might even have seen you and not noticed. I managed to get around the toilet problem by just not going to toilet the whole day. Barely ate or drank anything so I just didn't need it, was so busy from the time I left right up until I got back into the house, which was about 14 hours in all.

And congratulations on coming out to your mum, looks like it went pretty well all things considered. My mum is so used to me doing weird things with my band that she seems to have just lumped this in with them, especially as Halloween is coming up and this is the first weekend before it. Maybe if I had gone as Amy Pond as well more questions would have been asked lol. I'm actually kind of disappointed that my house mates don't seem to suspect anything, although when I do finally tell them I think the penny might drop.

Anyway here's the pictures of me as I was nearing the end of the costume, will upload the two professional photo's I had done when I have them on my PC, enjoy ^_^

[Kimberlyfaye]

Wow your makeup looks amazing! I had to re-apply mine twice.
Here are the only ones I took.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w463/mikaylafaye/IMG480-1.jpg
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w463/mikaylafaye/IMG478-1.jpg
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w463/mikaylafaye/IMG483-1.jpg
The last one was the best. I was pleased with my makeup in that picture. But it was at the end of the day.

[xdressed]

Aww you look great. Your wig and makeup are awesome, and I agree the last photo is the best, smiles always look better.

I'm quite proud of my make up, aside from the little flicks under each eye and the fake lashes I did it all myself. I guess being an art student kind of makes it easier to get used to all the little fiddly bits around the eyes and that. I didn't need to reapply any make up but by the end of the day my foundation looked like it was melting off of me
and as great as my hair looks, I think I look more passable when it obscures my forehead a bit, I have a very masculine forehead.

Something I forgot to mention in my original post, when I got home the boyfriend of the girl who did the hair for me was there and said that the look suited me. At first I thought he was joking but when he said it again after looking the two photos I had printed I realized he was being genuine.

[Kerstin]

xdressed I LOVE that outfit! Kimberly you looked great too. I'm a sucker for gothic and burlesque style dresses etc, I would wear them all the time if I could. Some of the clothes at Drac In A Box (http://www.dracinabox.com/maincategory/Womens_Stuff) make me drool. I think that look does suit you (although I would tone down the hair for day to day purposes :D )

[xdressed]

I love it too, fits my figure very well I find ^_^

I defintely wouldn't have my hair like that if I wasn't in costume, day to day it would be like it is in my avatar (which like I said works better on me overall as it obscures my forehead)

[reb.femme]

Kimberly and xdressed, I think you both look great....end of!

Rebecca

[Beverley Sims]

Don't worry xdressed, I would have looked at you on the tube and closely checked you out as you have gone to a lot of trouble for such a successful look.
Kimberly, you look good as well but xdressed wins the prize hands down this time.
I hope you both meet when technology lets you. :)

[xdressed]

Haha thank you Beverley. It did take a lot of effort. The drainage system at my house got clogged up with hair from all the shaving I had to do. I found the make up kind of easy overall though but I had had a bit of practice, the first time I did it I looked like a bad Marilyn Manson. I love the hair though, you have my house mate to thank for that.

[EllenJo]

You both look very couragous to me. I think it is just awesome that you attend events like this fully dressed. You both look great!!! This is the kind of stuff at this forum that makes the rest of us realize that the world does not end when you step out of the closet. Love you both.
EllenJo

[xdressed]

Thank you Ellen, I still can't quite believe how easy I found it to do all of this. I've been dressed in front of my house mates and a few other friends several times now, there are photos of me dressed on facebook and I've even gone all over London like this now, and in two days I'll be doing it again at my own university. Just goes to show, the closet may be safer, but god damn is it boring. I'm hoping to use this experience as a stepping stone to finally getting out of the closet properly.

[xdressed]

Here's the two professional photo's I mentioned, I love them so much I've got them on my mantelpiece ^_^

The scanner didn't quite do them justice even though I've photoshopped them, but they still look great. The second image wouldn't attach so you can see that one here

http://xdressed.deviantart.com/#/d5jjcdh

[Kimberlyfaye]

Thanks to everyone who said we look good. I think that picture is good hun.

Of the whole day nobody really said anything about me being a guy. There were a few people who just saw the costume and didn't bat an eyelid at who was wearing it. I did have one guy take a picture of me and my girlfriend and he said "Thank you ladies." I was like oh my god, he called me a lady! I must be at least a bit passable :) Amazing day.

Now all that's left to do is find any pictures online and work out what to do for May Expo 2013. I have no idea what to do :P

[xdressed]

Thanks to everyone who said we look good. I think that picture is good hun.

Of the whole day nobody really said anything about me being a guy. There were a few people who just saw the costume and didn't bat an eyelid at who was wearing it. I did have one guy take a picture of me and my girlfriend and he said "Thank you ladies." I was like oh my god, he called me a lady! I must be at least a bit passable :) Amazing day.

Now all that's left to do is find any pictures online and work out what to do for May Expo 2013. I have no idea what to do :P


Similar thing happened to me and my girlfriend with the photo's actually, although it was obvious to him from my voice that I was a guy. It was quite funny when the woman at the photo stand went to tell the tech guy to print mine off. She said 'could you go print...' and then there as a long pause before she said 'his photos now'. Even though it was obvious from my voice I was a guy I guess I must have been passable enough to confuse her for a bit lol.

I also have no idea what to do for the May one. I'd love to go as a woman again, but I don't think I could come up with a suitable enough reason without outing myself to a lot of people. I want my housemates to know by then, but not everyone on my course or from back home.