jenni_xx
10-15-2013, 03:13 PM
Last week I enjoyed a break away in London. Even though I spent most of the time meeting up with friends and family I have down there, I did put aside one day for myself - while my friends and family were at work - to go shopping.
I used to live in London, so know the place well, and when I lived down there, would often go out shopping, but not to the extent (or with the same drive) as I did last week. Down to the fact that I only had one day last week, whereas when I lived there I could go out whenever I wanted.
Anyway, I digress. I was staying with my sister, and left her house when she left for work. I was in male mode. I got on the tube and headed over to Portobello Road Market. A place full of vintage clothes stores, market stalls, and high street fashion stores. I walked into one clothes store, looking for a coat for winter, and headed over to the ladies section. The shop assistant was nothing but helpful. Picking out coats for me to try on. There were plenty of other customers in the shop, and none of them gave me a second glance, other than a young pre-teen girl with her mother who pointed to me and giggled, to which her mother quickly apologised to me for. I ended up shelling out just over £300 for a coat - the only one they had left in the shop, and upon leaving the shop assistant told me that she was really pleased it was going to a good home.
Next, I was off to Camden, North London. A place similar to Portobello in that it has plenty of markets and vintage stores, as well as high street chains. A place called Stables Market has many independent traders, and is a favourite haunt of mine. While there, I bought a handbag - the kind that has a section in which you can put your hands to keep them warm. But that section was too small to fit my hands into, so the sales staff altered it for me. Again, nothing but acceptance and consideration, and not any negativity at all. Off into another shop, which sold both male and female clothes. I was looking at some skirts, when the shop assistant asked me if I needed any help. At first, she was under the impression I was shopping for a girlfriend/wife, but as soon as I told her that I was shopping for myself, she told me to go and try on anything that caught my eye. Off the the changing room, and while inside, she picked out other skirts and told me to try these. Settled on a beige pencil skirt.
Next I wanted to buy myself a scarf, so headed into a small independent shop and began browsing. The shop assistant (I think she was the owner) asked me if I needed any help. I told her what I was after, and she pulled all sorts of the shelf. Again, she initially thought I was shopping for someone else, but when I told her I was shopping for myself, she said "why didn't you tell me straight away?" She then asked if I dress as a woman completely, to which I said I do, and she began to show me all kinds of things. I ended up buying a necklace, a scarf, and a cashmere top. On leaving, she said to me that it's been a pleasure meeting me and wished me all the best.
One more stop. This one was quite interesting in regards to how people view crossdressers. In addition to the winter coat I bought earlier in the day, I wanted to treat myself to a gilet. So I headed across to a stall that predominantly sold fur coats and fur gilets and began browsing. The owner of that shop asked me why I wanted fur, and then said that I don't look camp, or gay. I told her that I was gay and she said "well that explains it then". I had to correct her on that - telling her that my crossdressing isn't an indicator of my sexuality, and that the majority of crossdressers are straight. She immediately apologised for her faux pas. Unfortunately, despite trying on many gilets, nothing really caught my eye, but when leaving she said to me "come back soon, and when you do come again, bring a cup of tea for me". All the while I was trying on the coats, several other customers come into the shop and not a single one paid any notice.
So all in all, despite the incredible length of my post, I finally get to my point. Every single store I went into I was meet with nothing but acceptance. From both the shop assistants, and the other customers who didn't bat an eyelid. It could be down to the places I went to, and being in a big city - where it's all been seen before, but then the big cities have the most number of people, so I couldn't help but think that the more people who are aware and have seen it before, the better it is for us in terms of being accepted. I never once felt as though I was being negatively judged either. So while indifference can be misconstrued as acceptance, even if there were people who do view cding negatively, I never once felt it.
I used to live in London, so know the place well, and when I lived down there, would often go out shopping, but not to the extent (or with the same drive) as I did last week. Down to the fact that I only had one day last week, whereas when I lived there I could go out whenever I wanted.
Anyway, I digress. I was staying with my sister, and left her house when she left for work. I was in male mode. I got on the tube and headed over to Portobello Road Market. A place full of vintage clothes stores, market stalls, and high street fashion stores. I walked into one clothes store, looking for a coat for winter, and headed over to the ladies section. The shop assistant was nothing but helpful. Picking out coats for me to try on. There were plenty of other customers in the shop, and none of them gave me a second glance, other than a young pre-teen girl with her mother who pointed to me and giggled, to which her mother quickly apologised to me for. I ended up shelling out just over £300 for a coat - the only one they had left in the shop, and upon leaving the shop assistant told me that she was really pleased it was going to a good home.
Next, I was off to Camden, North London. A place similar to Portobello in that it has plenty of markets and vintage stores, as well as high street chains. A place called Stables Market has many independent traders, and is a favourite haunt of mine. While there, I bought a handbag - the kind that has a section in which you can put your hands to keep them warm. But that section was too small to fit my hands into, so the sales staff altered it for me. Again, nothing but acceptance and consideration, and not any negativity at all. Off into another shop, which sold both male and female clothes. I was looking at some skirts, when the shop assistant asked me if I needed any help. At first, she was under the impression I was shopping for a girlfriend/wife, but as soon as I told her that I was shopping for myself, she told me to go and try on anything that caught my eye. Off the the changing room, and while inside, she picked out other skirts and told me to try these. Settled on a beige pencil skirt.
Next I wanted to buy myself a scarf, so headed into a small independent shop and began browsing. The shop assistant (I think she was the owner) asked me if I needed any help. I told her what I was after, and she pulled all sorts of the shelf. Again, she initially thought I was shopping for someone else, but when I told her I was shopping for myself, she said "why didn't you tell me straight away?" She then asked if I dress as a woman completely, to which I said I do, and she began to show me all kinds of things. I ended up buying a necklace, a scarf, and a cashmere top. On leaving, she said to me that it's been a pleasure meeting me and wished me all the best.
One more stop. This one was quite interesting in regards to how people view crossdressers. In addition to the winter coat I bought earlier in the day, I wanted to treat myself to a gilet. So I headed across to a stall that predominantly sold fur coats and fur gilets and began browsing. The owner of that shop asked me why I wanted fur, and then said that I don't look camp, or gay. I told her that I was gay and she said "well that explains it then". I had to correct her on that - telling her that my crossdressing isn't an indicator of my sexuality, and that the majority of crossdressers are straight. She immediately apologised for her faux pas. Unfortunately, despite trying on many gilets, nothing really caught my eye, but when leaving she said to me "come back soon, and when you do come again, bring a cup of tea for me". All the while I was trying on the coats, several other customers come into the shop and not a single one paid any notice.
So all in all, despite the incredible length of my post, I finally get to my point. Every single store I went into I was meet with nothing but acceptance. From both the shop assistants, and the other customers who didn't bat an eyelid. It could be down to the places I went to, and being in a big city - where it's all been seen before, but then the big cities have the most number of people, so I couldn't help but think that the more people who are aware and have seen it before, the better it is for us in terms of being accepted. I never once felt as though I was being negatively judged either. So while indifference can be misconstrued as acceptance, even if there were people who do view cding negatively, I never once felt it.