Going to spend some more time out

[Camille15]

So far as Camille I've wandered around hotel lobbies a bit when I got a room, taken a short drive through a drive-thru, and even done a quick trip to a cd supportive house for a makeup lesson. But I haven't really ventured out for too long, or too far from the safety of my car or hotel room.

Soon though I'm going to have another hotel day, and this time I've gotten a room that's closeby to a lake with a walking path. The area is well populated, and I plan to take a stroll along the path for awhile and see how it goes. I already have a cute fall outfit picked out: green 3/4 sleeve dress and brown boots with black leggings, with brown crossover purse. And I am going to be shaving my chest hair for the first time so I can finally wear a dress that isn't up to my neck. Between that, makeup lessons, and my first couple if test outings, I consider this will be my most passable/blendable outing to date.

I'm excited but nervous to leave the hotel grounds. But the area is very safe with people and business around it. I hope to have a memorable outing as Camille in a beautiful location. There is even a lakeside restaurant there, and I'm tempted to order and sit with a drink, but we'll see if I'm that brave. I think my pink fog makes me believe that I blend better than I really do, and I'd hate to be stuck there waiting for my bill whilst some other patron have me dirty looks or worse. But the more I dress, the more I want to be in the world as Camille, and not just hide in a hotel room. So it's very tempting and exciting. I wish it was today!!!

Wish me luck!
Camille

[JayeLefaye]

YAY FOR YOU CAMILLE!!!

Sounds like an excellent plan! It sucks to be all dressed up with nowhere to go, so yeah, ya gotta get outta that hotel room, and a park sounds a lot nicer than just hanging in the hotel bar. When I first started going out, it was to either a social function(A local CD Meet-up Group or to a get together at the houses of friends), or else, if I was by myself, I'd throw on something comfortable, often a simple blue jean skirt, and a pink baseball cap & sunglasses(those 2 items really cut down on my prep-time), and I'd hit a paved walking trail that ran next to a stream through a local park and was a 5 minute walk from my apartment.

One of the nice things about a walk like that, is if someone is walking toward you and you suddenly get nervous, you can always step ff the path and look(or pretend to look) at something in the distance, and thereby avoid any actual contact.

Oh, and please don't give two figs about some other, hypothetical, patron at the restaurant...Dirty looks, especially from strangers, never do any physical harm, and it sounds like a safe enough location to not worry about baseball bats and torches....You will be OUT dangit, don't let the fear of an ignorant stranger rob you of your special time!!!

Enjoy!

Jaye

[Julie Denier]

Good luck, Camille, and good for you! I'd love to be able to do that when I dress during my work trips. But it's usually at a location teeming with work colleagues or business acquaintances, and being fairly well known in my industry's circles, I can't risk it. Enjoy! ;)

[CarlaWestin]

Go for it and have a good time, Camille. Be mindful of your surroundings but, really, just have fun.

[Jenniferathome]

Camille, I'll bet that zero women will be wearing dresses while walking a path around a lake. Zero. You seem to be worried about being discovered but by walking about in a dress where a woman would not wear a dress is like a spotlight on you.

Why not take that same walk downtown? After work hours there are likely to be some women in dresses and skirts. You will actually blend in more...

[Camille15]

Hi Jennifer -

Downtown would be too many people for me, and I'm not ready for that. Plus I want to reduce the chance I'll run into someone I know.

The dress is a very casual one, and I often see many women in fall wearing season appropriate dresses. This is california after all. It will be 60 degrees it warmer. So i don't think you're right here. But I'll do some scoping, and if need be I can switch to jeans and a sweater in my hotel room.

It's also worth mentioning that this is located along a path where several businesses reside. So I could easily be a local employee out for a stroll midday.

[Jenniferathome]

I want you to have a stress free, enjoyable experience. Really. Hiding in plain sight kinda makes sense. Now, "appropriate" includes, season, location, time of day, etc... it's complex, even more so for us cross dressers!

Scope first, walk second. Have fun

[Beverley Sims]

Well walk in safe places and also where it is well populated.
This is my experienceof the last couple of days.
I walked down Fifth Ave and Seventh Ave without any apparent notice.
There is a lot of activity here and at 5 o'clock at night the only problem is stopping on the sidewalk.
They will just run you down.
Sitting on a tran in the subway is a little different people do have time to survey you.
I walked through Central Park today and only got looks from some I suspected were dressers.
Got a few smiles, still wearing those great boots and only a couple of comments.
Only when dressed in drab.

Nope, the wife was not overawed. :)

[Diversity]

Good luck, Camille! Hope to hear more from you as to how your outing goes. Have fun!!!
Di

[donnalee]

As to the prevalence of dresses/skirts in casual locations:
I was in Target the other day and started to look around because there was a very nice looking Asian woman in a dress in front of me; every other woman was wearing pants, so it seems to indicate that skirts can be a little dressy for shopping these days. Damned shame; I am so much more comfortable in a skirt or dress than in pants. I would have complimented this lady, but she seemed to have her family with her and I thought I might be intruding.

[Krisi]

I agree with Jennifer that walking downtown would be a good idea. Sure there will be lots of people but they don't know you and you will be less obvious in a crowd than walking alone in a park. Wear some feminine sunglasses to help disguise your face and prevent eye contact.

If you want to look like an ofice worker, hang an ID card around your neck.

[Camille15]

Thanks all for the advice. I understand your concerns, and appreciate them. I am just not ready for a trip in a crowded area though, like a downtown. I'd rather be "made" in a less crowded space, where the other person walks by and the moment is over, than have 1,000 eyes on me. Perhaps this will change in time. I'm also not keen to let anyone discover Camille, and so the risk of running into anyone I know, while perhaps unlikely, would be enough to tie my stomach in knots the whole time.

I am going to compromise and first take a walk on the path near the hotel in some jeans and a cardigan, and scope things out. I'll decide from there whether I want to dress it up a bit more. And by that, I just mean boots and a sweater dress, nothing too fancy. I'll let you know how it all goes.

[Ally 2112]

Good for you Camille have fun and be safe :)