Anyone ever force yourself to dress longer?

[Pamela girl]

I remember years ago as I was staying in a motel over the weekend and would dress up then try to leave the room but would only go outside the door then chicken out and go back in.
I finally had the ideal and got 2 keys for the room, left one in my car in the parking garage and took the other one with me to the room. Got dressed and done makup then stepped out of the room without my key! I stood there a long time with the door not quite closed trying to get my nerve up since I new if I closed the door I had no choice but to take the elevator down to the garage level, walk to my car retrieve the other key then come back into the motel back in the elevator and then to the room. I could not get my nerve up to close the door so I let the door close against the latch easy but not pull it closed. I would walk to the corner and look but if it wasnt clear I could just hurry back to the room. Sounded good but the closer on the door pulled against the latch and as I was just a few feet away from the door I heard "Click"!! I was commited, fully dressed and terrified. It was late at night and everybody was in their room for the night. My walk was uneventfull as I got to my car without meeting anyone in the motel, however my heart was beating so hard I'm sure if I had met anyone they would have heard it. I opened my car and quickly got in and retrieved the key. As I sat there trying to get my nerve up to get out of the car I realised I definatly had no choice but to get out and get back on the elevator to back to my room. Again I met no one but still was nervous. I remember standing on the elevator as it was going up just praying someone hadnt pressed a button to call the elevator on another floor. I could just imagine the doors opening and someone or a few someones being there then stepping on the elevator with me and the doors closing.
I also had the idea but never followed through on it to stay at a motel outside of the town where I had my meeting scheduled then after the meeting put my male clothes in a suitcase with a lock on it then drive back dressed.
Some of you may be comfortable just dressing and walking out like nothing is out of the ordinary but at that time I hadn't reached the level of comfort and this was somthing exiting.
Sorry for the long post but was just wondering if anyone else had adventures like this? I would love to hear them.

[cosmolovesph]

that actually sounds like fun and a good confidence builder for sure.

[JulieC]

I'd venture to guess that most of us have had times when we felt like we pushed ourselves to do something while dressed. It's definintely a "crossing the bridge" moment. It gets easier as the experiences rack up.

I'm not a 100% in public en femme person yet. As far as I go is dressed, at night, in the rain, with a large umbrella that does a good job of hiding my face if I so choose. But, even with that...the first time I did that it was hard to get out of the car and go for the walk. After a few walks in places I knew would be deserted, I started walking in neighborhoods. I'm working myself up :)

Paradoxically, the first time I went to a support group meeting I had no problems with driving there dressed or stepping out of the car in the parking lot fully dressed and walking into the building. I had a passing thought of "Well, this is it!" as it was my first time even stepping outside the car while dressed. But, it was just a passing moment and I had no problems walking in. Odd. Maybe it is because I knew I was about to be among kindred spirits.

The first few times I bought femme items I had a real struggle getting myself to peruse the racks. It's easier now, but I still have to screw up my courage.

Related; my wife is supportive, but not absolutely 100%. I find myself battling with myself over whether to dress when I know she will see me. It's easier to dress when I know she won't see me. It's a constant battle, and one she tells me to ignore and just go ahead and dress. I wish I could get over that.

[wendy]

i've only done it a few times, not to the extent you have but rather just walked up and down my block late at night dressed up. Usually our block is rather quiet when it gets dark, so i grabbed the opportunity to go under the cover of darkness for a walk.

Like you, the first time i did that my heart was pounding so hard i thought it would rip out of my chest. But the more you do it the easier it gets.

But, i am waiting for the day that I do get sent to a seminar/conference out of town where i can dress up for longer.

[Carla2003]

Back when I was going to college, my (future) wife & I finally agreed that for Halloween, we should "swap." I'd go as her, and she'd go as me. Well, instead of going as her, I wound up dressing as a French maid (real original, I know-LOL), and she wound up wearing one of my work uniforms. We got ready and were meeting her girlfriend before we went to the on-campus bar. The night went great, we all had fun, but when we went to drop off my wife's girlfriend for the evening, she invited us in. This was about midnight. My wife fell asleep on her couch, and her friend Tina swiped the car keys and hid them somewhere outside. After looking around for nearly an hour, I finally gave up. Of course by then, she had locked me out. In order to get back in, I had to promise to stay dressed until my wife woke up in the morning. That was easy enough to do since I didn't have my guy clothes with me. So, dressed I stayed. My future wife, who was pretty drunk, couldn't be roused from her slumber til almost 3 the next afternoon. When she woke up, she thought it was pretty funny, so she decided to hang out at Tina's place the rest of the evening. By the time it was over with, I'd been dressed from 5 pm on a Friday night til almost 9pm the following Sunday. She wouldn't go get my clothes, and wouldn't give me the car keys. Tina was about the same size as me, so they thought it was pretty funny that I had to dress in her clothes after showering. I loved every minute of it!
-Carla

[Melinda]

I hear you. I remember when I was afraid to go downstairs dressed for fear someone would see through the window. Just lately I guess I've gotten more confident and will go nearly anyplace or do anything dressed. I don't even try to pass as I haven't gotten a wig. I just dress up, maybe put on some light makeup and go. The avatar picture is me in something I actually wore out shopping in broad daylight. Now, if I could just get my wife to move past her current 'Gays in the Military' policy of don't ask, don't tell... Oh well, at least she hasn't left me and that's a lot to be happy for. :)

[JoAnnDallas]

The first time I went out in public was a drive around the neighberhood. I too thought my heart was going to explode, as fast as it was beating. Then I noticed that no one was paying any attention to me and by the time I parked in the driveway, my heart beat was almost normal. The more times I went out the easier it got. Then I went to HEF2006 last Nov. I was a little nervious getting dressed in the SUV, but when I stepped out and started walking toward the Hotel, I got real calm. Then as I entered the Hotel a male guest was coming out and said "Morning Mam". I could not believe it at first, then I started smiling. HEF2006 was my offical public coming out, as I had to interact with the Hotel people and other guests. It was also the first time I meet others like ourselves and they right up front made me feel so great.

[linnea]

I have done a few things to "force myself" to take a few more steps into the feminine world. Usually, in my early days of crossdressing, I would not venture far from the ways and means to change into my drab-wear, but later I started to go out farther and farther until at times I simply began going out without a bag of male clothes in the back seat of my car. It's gotten easier and easier.

[Nikki A.]

As has been stated before and I've experienced in my limited outings. We are our own worst enemies.
Now even dressed and with make up I make an ugly gurl but on Halloween when I dressed at work I found that people who sort of knew me were oblivious (Who's the big girl? Who's the new person?) that it was me. So if you encounter a stranger and blend in fashion wise with the surroundings they probably won't even notice you. Everyone is usually too busy with their own lives to notice and even if they do who cares are you going to see them again.
That said I wish that I could do it again but my wife is not for going in public with me dressed period. I don't want to stress her or the kids by doing it alone close to home and yet I can't get away by myself either. I'll shop for myself, try on shoes and don't think twice, my money is green and a sale is a sale.
Be true to yourself, but respect those that you love.

[Gary]

not so much related but Searching, durn i loved what you closed with...be true to yourself but respect those you love...what a great thought...thanks for sharing that...gary

[Krystenw]

Last summer I had to take a couple weeks vacation or loose it. Since we didn't have any plans to go anywhere my wife thought it would be a good chance for me to spend two weeks as a woman. I have a post somewhere about the whole thing.
After several days at home we decided to go to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole and just travel for several days. I was going to take some guy clothes along but she insisted that I leave everything home. I was thinking that this was going to be cool. And as it turned out it actually was.
When we went to the Grizzly bear habitat in West yellowstone My heart was also pounding so hard I thought everyone could hear me, but I don't think anyone even looked at me.
By the time we got to the Buffalo Bill Museuem in Cody my heart didn't seem to bother me a much.
But even now if we decide to go to a movie the first little while I just know that everyone is staring at me but by the time the movie is over I am just fine and then when we go shopping I don't have any problem at all.
I guess when you's as old and ugly as I am people just ignore you no matter what you are wearing.

[Angie G]

I don't pass I don't think I could do what you did :hugs:
Angie