A short shopping story

[Sodapop]

I like Wal Mart.

Clearance sales are common, and I love to grab a skirt or dress off the clearance rack. I never go out en-femme, but I've never had any problems buying there in man mode.

So after work yesterday, I stop in to the nearby Wal Mart. I saw some of those neat-o panties with extra-firm support for your waistline in the flyer last week, and I was itching to get a pair for myself. I love the idea of the tight body-shaping garments and I need all the help I can get with a waistline!

My courage waned a bit, when I first arrived in the store. Everytime I shop I still get a bit of butterflies, because I know a lot of people in the community and I'd have a heck of a time explaining myself to someone I know. My wife is obviously not my size, and a curious person would probably notice I'm buying everything in a "large". So, I scope out the store, pick up a couple shake flashlights and a large can of coffee before cruising back to the lingerie section.

Of course, after cruising the clearance racks (nothing there in my size) I had to check the shoes. I was hoping for some of those nice big heeled sandal type of shoes with the cork-looking heel, but there was no size 10 left.... but wait! Boots! The boots are out and oh-boy... I can't resist. I check the calf, and sure enough, they're stretchy. I look at the heel, and sure enough, it's a dangerous heel, a good 3 inch. The boots are the right height, up to my knee (of course I don't try them on!) and they've got size 10! Well... I can't carry the coffee and the flashlights and the boots without a cart, so I grab a cart, come back and plop the boots into that cart. Sweeeeet. Of course, any man with a pair of high heeled boots size 10 in his cart is clearly buying them for himself. Anyway, I spot the body shaping panties I wanted, and notice a pair of stockings with the seam up the back (new item!) and toss that into the cart as well. So here I am, with some high heel boots, body shaping panties (large) and seam-back stockings (tall) and off to the cash I go.

I check the cashiers.... 50-something lady.... 20-something man.... youngish 20-something woman.... I pick the 20-something woman with the short lineup. Up onto the conveyer goes the boots.

"Are these for you ?" she asks, in a neutral tone.
"A curious question." I reply. "What if they were for me ?"
"Then I'd be a little freaked out." She responds.
"In that case, they are for me." I say.
"Oh, I'm a little freaked out." She says, barely loud enough for me to hear.

The body shaping panties go by the scanner. She pauses for half a second, and does a barely discernible double take, then puts them in the bag. Next, the stockings.

"I like your braids." I said, trying to break the slight tension.

She briefly talks about hair, puts my other purchases in the bags and is still slightly freaked out. I say "ok bye bye" and off I go.

I bet she had fun recounting that story to her friends later.

I didn't mind the experience really. It wasn't negative for me. I get a bit of a thrill talking to sales ladies, and the line wasn't crowded. I could have said they were not for me, and if I was trying to be extra stealthy, I could have limited my purchases to just one crossdressing item instead of the obvious panty + stocking + boots.

Anyway, the boots are great, the panties are great and I didn't try on the stockings yet.

Happy shopping.

Sodapop

[Dita_B]

I LOVE your story...

It proves my point made in another post that when you are interacting with a SA and you confront them with the fact that you are a cross dresser, you put them on the spot, not yourself... and it is fun to play with their reactions, once you feel you have the upper hand...

Next time try shopping en femme, and there is no problem shopping for and buying female items, even when you get read, they accept you for who you are. Or for who you pretend to be. If you are dressed like a female, you obviously want to be treated like one...

Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed it.

:love:Dita

[Ibecomingfemale]

SodaPop, how much $$$ was the seam-back stocking?

I attend stores with few or ANY people in them. Wal-Mart is one of them I shop without getting nervous buying women clothes and shoes. I go in there with a game plan; of course, I don't stick with it.

Nylon

[Phyliss]

I like Wal Mart.


I didn't mind the experience really. It wasn't negative for me.

Happy shopping.

Sodapop

To each their own.






The clerk's job is to trade your money for their merchandise. Period.

For her to comment that your buying anything from her employer "freaks her out" may not bother you, but I'd be inclined to just leave without buying anything and probably have a word with the manager on the way out.

One of the reasons I really don't care for wally world. I guess it's some sort of corporate policy to have the checkout people be "chatty" or act like some neighborhood friend, perhaps a carryover from the days of when it was a single store. Anyhow, it just doesn't sit well with me even if I'm buying something as simple as a wrench.
I can recall about four years ago I picked up a pair of high top rubber boots to wear when washing my car and for use in the garden on wet days. (I think in UK they're called gum boots). The checkout gal made some comment about them along the lines of "Oh, somebody has some work in a wet place." Having gotten tired of comments like this I replied with a totaly straight face, "No, actually my Significant Other wants me to wear rubber for our commitment ceremony"
Not another word from her.

[angelfire]

I actually went shopping today, and chickened out. I had a bad experience (I guess kinda similar to yours), except it did sit negatively with me. The girl had basically asked what I was buying the women's pajamas for, and I just basically said "Something to do." but she kept prodding, until eventually I just said "I'm gunna sell them on e-bay." to shut her up. Ever since then, I've had problems buying the clothes I want for fear that it might happen again.

So I went to the same value village today, found a nice denim mini I wanted (there was a very nice lady who offered to move over a bit so I'd have space to look), and went up to the cash. Same cashier as before. Having a feeling she would pull the same shit again, I put the skirt back, and just bought the men's jacket that I wanted to buy. Its unfortunate that I let someone else have so much power over me.

[trannie T]

I usually do as Sodapop did, if the clerk asks the least bit of a question I tell her I'm buying the clothes for myself, that I'm a crossdresser. They usually get quiet very quickly.

[Zee]

LOL, thats awesome.

I had a similar experiance with a wal mart employee. I needed stockings really bad and they just moved everything around in the store. So I asked a 50 something lady where they were...

She looked at me for a second and after a few moments I said, "preferably something in my size..."

I thought she would faint, the color seemed to drained from her face. Noticing this I brought her back to reality...

"Excuse me, but I really need to know where the nylons are please. My wife and I are going out tonight and I have nothing to wear."

Well that did it. She laughed a small giggle and showed me where they were. And she even played along saying afterwards, "the bras are down that row too. If you need any help let me know."

I think she was taken aback when a 6'2", 240lbs man was asking her for help looking for stockings... but it turned out ok.

Just thought I would share.

[Jodi]

I only go near a Walmart if I absolutely have to. Customer Service, if you want to call it that, is non-existant.

Yesterday, I was visiting friends to help them do some electrical work. We needed some electrical fixtures, and he took me to the local Walmart. I couldn't find exactly what I wanted, and asked three different employees for help. They kind of sneered, and pointed toward the hardware dept. I eventually found what we needed, but left with an increased bad feeling for Walmart.

Jodi

[JenniferR771]

I went to a tiny consignment shop. The regular old lady was not there but a friend was watching the store while she was out of town. She said "I will tell her you stopped. What is your name?"

"Jennifer. I am a crossdresser." She was really nice and talkative. No one else in the shop. I bought nurse's dress.

[brandie]

i shop at target never had a problem even when i buy adhesive bras never even get a second glance and i shop there at least twice a week

brandie

[Pretty Heather]

I like Wal Mart.


My courage waned a bit, when I first arrived in the store. Everytime I shop I still get a bit of butterflies, because I know a lot of people in the community and I'd have a heck of a time explaining myself to someone I know. My wife is obviously not my size, and a curious person would probably notice I'm buying everything in a "large". So, I scope out the store, pick up a couple shake flashlights and a large can of coffee before cruising back to the lingerie section.


Happy shopping.

Sodapop


Some years ago, I entered a department store at approximately 9:15 AM. Not many customers at that time. I advised the female sales clerk that I desired that short girly tennis outfit for myself. Her tresponse-It's for a woman! I know had been my response. She INSTANTLY suggested that I try it on in one of the dressing booths. From time to time, as I changed, she looked over the low doors of the changing booth. She then took me by the hand, before a large mirror on the outside of the changing room. She adjusted my panties and tennis outfit. She then took me4 by the hand and introduced me to the other male and female employees.

She requested that I stay and try on heels, etc. I had the impression that she desired that I remain for additional "female" clothing shopping.

As nolted inb another post...I never actually felt like a woman...until the INSTANT I stepped into heels for the first time.

[JoAnnDallas]

A couple of months ago, I went into Walmart and bought a complete outfit. Skort, matching top, heels, pantyhose, earrings, neckless, makeup, and a new fem watch. Put everything onto the converyer, the young lady just rang me up, not even a raised eyebrow. Paid and all she said was 'Have a nice day".

[joann07]

Congrats! :happy:

Yeah. I remember when I first time I went shopping at Victoria's Secret. I was so nervous, but I just stayed calm and didn't make a big deal out of it. The SA's were very courteous and friendly and once my nerves subsided I had a great time. I even signed up for their Angel credit card because I just couldn't say no to the lovely cashier. Ever since then, I have no problems shopping.
However, I rarely shop in male mode because I mostly shop in femme now.

[Karren H]

Well I'm really amazed............. That you bought those shake flashlights!! :D

I rarely ever buy any clothing at Walmart.. Maybe a few bras, some stockings and makeup.. And never had anyone question me.. I assume that they assume that a guy buying a bra is into womens things..

I'd rather shop at Kohl's where they have nicer things on clearence and I can try them on.. I hate returning anything.. And nothing like trying on womens footware in a male business suit!! Lol. And except for the occasional comment on how they like the skirt or the top I'm buying, they don't even ask if I want a gift reciept! Cause they know and could care less...

Karren

[KimberlyS]

I didn't mind the experience really. It wasn't negative for me.
Sodapop

Sodapop, Way to go. I agree it was not a negative. You provided the gal with a positive experience with a CDer. So she was a bit freaked out as she put it. It just means she will think about it more, may discuss it with co-workers and friends, and may even do some research and come to this forum and see your post.

If each of us CDers would be doing this, the general society would begin to see there is a lot of us around and we are not as freaky as they think.

[jacky83]

I bought 2 pair of breast enhancers at Walmart. She had to do a price check and asked me what department they were from. I said lingerie. She was too irritated by having to do a price check to worry about what I was buying.

[raleighbelle]

Glad you had a good experience with that - I admit I still get very nervous and not sure how to deal with it. I'm not comfortable admiting I am a cross-dresser when buying things, despite that I suspect many of them think that.

I think we need to give the cashiers and employees at places like Walmart a bit of a break. Their comments may not be very professional, but they are not professionals who went to college to prepare for their jobs. They are low paid, and that is part of why we get the things in those places so cheaply.

I do like buying things that are on clearance sales. I have gotten some increedible bargains. Buying them in person does give a special thrill, though I buy many on line. Some of the sites like Brylane, Women Within, or the other women's outlets have some great clearance specials, and have them in sizes that actually fit. One nice thing for me is that since I cannot go out in public, and no one else but me will ever see how I am dressed, things don't have to all match or even fit perfectly. So that helps keep expenses down.

You are fortunate in that you wear a size ten shoe. I am more of a 12W -13 and it is much harder to find shoes in those sizes, and definitely I think people assume I am buying those for myself. I wonder how many women actually have feet that large. I am betting not many and am sure that most womens shoes that size are bought by men. But I always see size ten shoes at all the stores.

Anyway, one of the rare times a shop attendant made what I felt was an inappropriate comment to me about my shopping in the women's area, I said I was buying my girlfriend something for her birthday (admittedly a lie) and that I was a bit uncomfortable about it, but does she make the same comments to women who are in the men's sections buying men's underwear? I bet not. None-the-less, I feel bad that I don't just admit that I am buying them for myself (a large guy) and just enjoy their reaction!

Thanks for sharing your story.

[Trinni]

I have not bought tons of clothes but most of the clothes I have bought have been from Walmart. I'm not sure what it is but for some reason I have felt most comfortable there.

[BarbaraTalbot]

sounds like you handled it with humor and as a result had fun.

I think its even possible that she did talk to a friend or two maybe even a management person later just talking shop.

In this day and age of politically correct speech and standards, I can't imagine at least one person she tells the story to being pretty open minded about it. It could even lead to a store meeting.."How can we sell these stockings that gg's haven't been buying to cd's"

I personally have no short shopping stories. They are such momentous occasions I cannot see capturing them in anything less than 1500 words. Wait come to think of it it isn't just shopping, I have no short stories...hazards of being naturally verbose.

[Billijo49504]

When I go to Wally World, I take the wife. But she gets better deals from Avenue, where she works....BJ