Do you keep journals & data bases?

[Lainie]

In another thread, Ophelia advised keeping a detailed list of every "femme" item you have and every item you have thrown out.

Do you do that? I do!

I have actually maintained a database of everything I bought over the last decade or two. Part of the fun of shopping is recording item, color, material, brand, vendor, price, washability, &c. in a cafe afterwards. Haven't been quite so careful about noting what I've donated to charity, but there is a field for it in the data base. 482 items, although some of theme are multiples; e.g., necklace & earrings, briefs x 3, &c.

Also for more than a decade I've also been keeping a database of outfits: skirt, top, layer (sweater or jacket), purse, shoes, hose, accessories, hair, when, where, ... and Story: a little diary of who I met, what I did, where I went. 146 items, including my First Time in public outfit on 24 June 2005. Probably several dozen outfits that I only tried on at home. Now I dress completely in women's clothes when I come out of the gym and have lunch in the cafeteria, about half of the time. But it's always jeans or slacks and polo shirts, so no one notices (I think), and I don't bother to record them. No skirt days out for Lainie in 2014, :sad: Maybe next month?

[sanderlay]

That does sounds interesting, but I don't currently.

For me... What I have considered is keeping a journal or time line of events in my life. I'm not sure I want a lot of details of the things, but the events, places, people, happening and how I felt would be of interest to me. Perhaps I could look back to see how I've changed along this path or a life's story.

[Melissa in SE Tn]

Lainie , stats get in the way of feeling feminine. Enjoy those moments when you can. Peace, mel

[Eryn]

I thought of keeping a photographic database of my clothing items so I could select outfits by looking at the pictures.

Total failure. I need to have my hands on the clothes and put them together on the fly. I start with an idea of what sort of outfit I want (casual or dressy, skirt, dress, or jeans) and then find a clothing item that suits my fancy. From that I select items to complete the outfit, shoes, and jewelery.

Then I usually show my selections to Mimi. She often has suggestions that I hadn't thought of! :)

[KaceyR]

While I don't keep a full spreadsheet,etc..(and I don't have the biggest sized wardrobe to "plan" much anyway) I've been trying to do a bit of the thing with the Stylebook app in ISO/iphone... just to keep track of colors and plan purchases,etc.
(sorry...I may be getting more into fashion thanks to CDing...but CDing doesn't really get rid of the geek side of me :)
It's not been the best because the iphone has not taken the best pics (bad color correction for my heavy fluorescent lightning...it also messes up the "shiny" elements too).

[Nikki Love]

To me, keeping a detailed list is more of a burden than an asset. I enjoy the things I have, and it seems like work to have a database or journal. When it comes time to pick an outfit, I rummage until I find the perfect match. But this is how I often function, in the moment. Sometimes I find a surprise, something that I have not worn for months, and suddenly it becomes new and exciting again.

[Adriana Moretti]

I do stuff like that too..except mine are more data based ( how geeky does that sound) ...i make draft emails full of lists could be anything from clothes, to makeup, insprirational colors, to things that need improvement, websites, links, long & short term goals,...real nerdy stuff... i use it as a notebook to future outfits , ideas & inspiration not so much what i bought in the past...

[Betty_42]

Interesting idea? I'll think about it!

[ArleneRaquel]

When I first went female 24/7, about 19 years ago, I started a journal. I may have continued that experiment for about a week.

[Zylia]

That sounds an awful lot like work actually, so I'd rather not. I used to do it for my record collection though.

[biggirlsarah]

Errrrrrrrr no!

[Vikky]

Hi Lainie
I don't yet have enough clothes to form a database, but who knows, and then setting one up would be a chore. I have however been keeping a journal of all my CDing activity, so far only a few months or so. I have just been reading back and already it has been a fascinating journey.
Vikky

[Kate Simmons]

What I keep on my computer and do online is pretty convoluted. If the NSA wants my information, they are going to have to work for it. :battingeyelashes::)

[Beverley Sims]

I don't have enough memory to keep a database like that.

Lotus 1,2,3. was never designed to be that large. :)

[Lorileah]

sounds sort of...masculine

[susan54]

I have huge Word files listing every piece of outer wear and shoes by number, saying where bought and for how much and whether dressed as a woman,original price (I buy a lot in sales) and linking this to photographs - four of each outfit (different angles) and then when and where disposed of. I also have a code for when it was worn in public, and if so what with and describe the circumstances. Then when I upgrade my camera I take a whole new set of photographs. Yes, it is probably masculine, as is dressing to the best standard I possibly can, but then I never lose sight of the fact that I am a man - everything else si just an act. And I love acting. The fun is mainly in buying and them wearing the clothes but the catalogue is pretty enjoyable too.

[Bria]

I agree with Lorileah, Bria

[ophelia]

The purpose of my lists is just to make sure I don't leave something in a dressing room, the car, taxi cab, laundry hamper...
I also shred and destroy all reciepts for femme stuff I buy. All of my photos are on a Kodak USB and are hidden with all of my numbered prints. The whole point of it was to free me from worrying about one route of discovery. Look, once a girlfriend discovered some nylon ladies underwear in my laundry hamper. I got out of with with a half lie that I bought them as a windbreaker for my "package" when I skiing, cycling or skating in the cold. I actually have some male jocks designed for that, but ever after whenever we went skiing or skating I had to wear them....they worked, but not as good as the designed pair of jocks. I don't think she ever trusted me after that.
Soooo, it;s taking care of little things so I can realx and enjoy the big picture....dressing!

[AprilMayy<3]

The only tracking I do is taking pictures every time I dress. Helps make me aware of my progress, and I've heard a lot of CD's do that as well haha

[Helen_Highwater]

I have a database of what clothing I have as a way of keeping the "pink fog" away. One it stops me buying too much stuff. It would be easy to have so many items that given the limited time I currently have to dress I'd never get around to wearing something more than once in 2 years so I tend to operate a "one in, one out" policy. It also stops me buying things that are too much alike to things I already have. Along with quantities I also keep a record of spending. It would be far too easy to spend considerable amounts of money and end up with a wardrobe of "worn once" items.
It also helps when I do get to spend time away from home and dress to choose what to take.

[~Joanne~]

I have a journal. It helps me sort my feelings, record my experiences, and tell my story at some later time. I also add photos to it so that I can look back and see how I have improved my look or see what outfits worked and which ones really didn't. but I don't keep a detailed list of what I own. All I have to do is open the closet door to see that. It might be an idea, probably not a good one lol, to record the prices I have paid for new things just to see how much I spend.

[Katey888]

Interesting idea? I'll think about it!

Interesting idea? I think I'll forget it...

Katey x

[Sharon B.]

I do have a blog on dressing as a woman but I don't keep track of what clothes I have or have gotten rid of, nor I do I keep track of how much money I have spent on clothes or other feminine items.

[Beverley Sims]

Betty 42 had an idea.....
Katey 888 had a faaar better idea. :)

[Carmen]

I have always maintained a journal of my activities.
Several of them go back to my first days out and about en femme, (30 years worth).
I've written down details about road trips, social events, shopping, interactions with people.
When sitting at a restaurant I would write down everything that was going at the moment...what I was feeling, peoples reactions, etc.

Over the years I have learned that if you dress en femme and go out amongst the populace and behave like a normal person, no one is really concerned about you.

Makes for some good reading and reminiscing.

[Lexi Moralas]

I used to keep a diary of sorts in the form of a blog on a myspace account.
Than when my SO found out about Lexi I when around frantically deleting every thing I had any where.
As she was crawling the wed and my lap top for any scrap of info that could be out there. I am much more careful now

[Amanda Roberts]

I am not keeping a paper journal but I am keeping a tumblr blog that is going to be a record of my journey. Im not too worried about SO finding it because I am going to tell her...as soon as I figure out how lol.

[Allison Quinn]

I keep a journal they make me acknowledge things and help me to figure out what it is tha I want or how I could have done things differently and better etc. they are fun to write too :)

[Amanda Roberts]

One of the best done journals I have seen so far has been http://lisagirl.net . She has a lot of great insights and reflections that have been great for me in beginning this adventure. And my oh my, the girl knows how to put together and outfit!

~Amanda

[LICutie]

great thread.

imho i think that journalling and databases (and other documentationing) could be very helpful for some maybe not others.

it could be helpful for cultivating what we are actually doing and how we are doing it so that we could be more mindful in what we do.

but for some it may be too tedious and a waste of time.

i'm on the fence on this as so much of our life nowadays seems to be cataloging and broadcasting every moment when it comes down to it, there may not be anything that we can hold n to and all the documenting may separate from the actual life we live?

[Amanda Roberts]

LICutie, you made some great observations. I agree - much of our lives these days are spent cataloging and broadcasting.

My goal for the blog I am keeping isnt so much as a way to broadcast - though input from my girls, CD and GG alike is welcome - as it is a kind of way to record my progress, thoughts and introspections with the goal of understanding and getting in touch with my femme self better.

~Amanda

[LICutie]

thanks, Amanda

i believe whatever it is (which may be different for each person) that leads us to better understanding and getting in touch with our femme selves is a step closer to reclaiming our wholeness.

so plugging in and out of "the matrix" may each have their time and place...

hugs,
Lil

[jjjjohanne]

I realized that if this website went away, I would lose the entire written history of my crossdressing. That lead me to start e-mailing all of my former posts to myself. That assured me of having at least two copies of my CD-life story. Then I decided to create a blog. I filled in the blanks in my life in my blog. I tried to create a fuller timeline of the crossdressing events I can remember. Sometimes, I go back and read the stories again. Sometimes I find things I had forgotten. Sometimes I am amazed.

[Julia Red]

I have a little database of the things I own, with pictures, but I'm too lazy to update it regularly. I don't keep exactly a "journal" because I only dress at home and take pictures, but it's kind of like that because almost every outfit I came up is registered on photos that are sorted by date.

But it would be very interesting if I had a journal of things I bought, prices, stores and things I have thrown out. I have an old list of things bought on ebay, but that hasn't been updated for a while. Also on a lot of online stores they keep my purchase history, so maybe it's not late to start one if I check them.

[Lynn Marie]

I do that for my other hobbies. Never crossed my mind to do it for my CDing. If I had, I'd have a better understanding of my sizes and what didn't work before and maybe not make that same mistake again! Not going to start now though.

[CynthiaD]

My clothing database is my closet. As for keeping a diary, I thought about it, but my life is too boring to keep a diary, and wearing female clothing doesn't make it any more eventful.