Hiya, Sophies been out trying to pass again.

Hi again.

My first thread starter for many months, I thought I would tell you about my latest outing.

PART 1

This like all of them was pre planned, I never just get up and think "oh I will go out today" no way, it takes a lot of planning. We have just had a Bank Holiday here in the UK on Monday (its a bit like a national day off work) and it was going to be a good opportunity for me to go out. So I decided that I would visit a furniture store and then move on to a big shopping mall.

Things did not go perfectly on the preperation side, I already had a good idea what I was going to wear and on Sunday I tried on the outfit, a pair of light blue jeans/trousers blouse and jacket. Well It took me 2 and half hours of trying different jackets and blouses, including 3 pair of trousers before I could make my mind up, I was really getting quite tired and a bit worried, I just could not decide.

Monday morning I was up early 6.30.
(I have been sleeping as Sophie for a few evenings so far and well, sleep is not what I get, to excited)
Today is the day, I tried a new razor 4 blades wow, that will rip those hairs. To be honest I was not impressed with it, I will be back to my 2 blade razor next time, for your interest I use 4 twin blades for one face shaving session, just to get very close, I split my face into 4 areas and use new blades on each. I had finished shaving and was not happy, I could still scratch stubble with my finger nail Ugh! but I could do nothing about that now, I know that another attempt at a shave would leave my skin ripped to pieces.

Makeup well I did the usual, but when I had finished, again not happy, to light on the beard, and blush on the cheeks higlighted it even more. Washed it all off and did it again. Much better. Never done that before.

5 hours later. (I do take it seriously)

I was eventually ready to go out, I was nervous, but not quite as much as in the past because of my "previous sucesses"? and your kind comments noted in earlier threads. I got into my car, took the video camera with me, I was going to take some video shots.

Drove to MFI (a UK furniture store) about 45mins away, this was my first planned port of call, I parked the car in a spot that would give the camera a good view of the entrance. I set it running and went to the etrance and looked at the opening hours, and walked back to switch it off.

Now time to go in, my stomach was beginnig to turn a bit now. This would be a first for me, Sophie has never been into a furniture store, I walked to the doors, they were electric and they swang open, I entered, this was like a porch, there was a second set of doors, I waited for these to open, I could see inside the store now, the doors did not open, heck you had to push these, I felt a bit of a twit. Anyway I was in, the first thing I noticed was wooden floors, drat I though these shoes are going to make a noise, and they did, I want people to see me, but I do not want to draw attention to myself with noisy shoes, If I hear a set of heels, I WILL look.

I moved into the store, estimate around 15 - 20 people in plus staff, I noticed about 6 staff in total. I wanted to find the bedroom section, so just browsed through other sections to find the area I was looking for, I was trying to dodge people as much as possible, does not show much confidence in passing does it?

Why the bedroom section? well mirrors, I knew they would be there and once there i was able to wander around all the bedroom displays and keep checking myself out, I was able to open drawers, cupboards and generally wander around, I was also now walking past people, I did not notice any type of reaction from anyone who saw me that they had read me, and that included staff who just glanced fleeting across at me as would be normal.

I was feeling great now, shoes clicked away on the floors, mirrors all over the place, including bathroom displays so I had a look around there too.

20 minutes I spent in that store wandering around different displays walking past people, and thought I will return one day with my video camera and set it up on a shelf in the store and video myself in there.

Time to go, I made my way to the door a young woman customer was sat with her family and shop assistant discussing a purchase, as I walked towards them, she looked at me, no reaction, turned and carried on with whatever they were up to, had she read me, I thought, I was able to look at them and I am confident she had not.

As far as I am aware that was 100% success, I felt great.

Next on to the mall, about another 20min drive.

I will let you know how the mall went later, this is a long post and I hope you are still with me.

Here is a link to the video, fast connection will be needed

I will post some photos after the mall part for those who may not be able to see the video.

Please let me know what you think.

Sophie.

http://www.zippyvideos.com/953317196...fi03/*sophie30

Sophie,
I enjoyed the video so much I watched it a second time. Congratulations! You look wonderful. Quite self possessed I thought. Your outfit looked very nice, evrything looked just right. It would have been fun to be your companion.

Carol Anne:happy:

Hi Sophie,

Very nice indeed. Enjoyed the video, and thought it was especially nice with the music. Look good girl.

Davey:D

Real good, but I confess to wondering what you would do with those two approaching blokes. Would you go back to the shop twhen they had gone in or not..that is such a familiar feeling..
Then I thought, OMG she has locked herself out of the car...lol
~Samm
PS go do it again, its fun.
~S~

A great video and you look really good!

Question - How did you get the camera to follow you with panning and zooming?

Missy Anne

sophie you are really a wonderfully talented beautiful crossdresser

your outfit, your nails, your size your weight everything was really well done

i would say constructively the only thing i saw was that you looked pretty tight ..meaning not loose and confident i think that reduces your feminine traits a teeny bit...your other video i noticed you were much more confident and you were loosely swinging your arms which i think is a very telltale trait that women do when they walk

all in all tho...i loved the video so much and i totally relate as i usually prepare for days and days if not longer...i desire to pass(my size makes it much tougher) and i have walked up to so many stores, sometimes go in..sometimes i bail...in the end its great fun and i hope you do many more!!!!

Dear Sophie
Your video was a delight to behold. Just perfect in every aspect of womenhood. Its just to bad that it was so short. You really know how to entertain. Keep up the wonderful videos for us all.
Jerry

Hi Sophie:

Congrats on your outing. You look great, I love the outfit, I'm sure you blend right in dressed like that. I'll use that shaving tip next time I go out.

Judy

Great job girl. The only thing I would suggest is that you try to hold your head up higher when your walking, don't look down. If your going to figet with anything, ie, your purse, looking for your keys, stop, get them out and then continue walking with your head up.

Thanks all for the very kind comments.

The critisism has been very welcome and well received as I know that the only way to learn is to listen to others who can see things I cannot easily spot.

MISSY ANNE
The panning and zooming was done in the editing room after the shots.

MICHELLE. "sophie you are really a wonderfully talented beautiful crossdresser your outfit, your nails, your size your weight everything was really well done"

Thank you Michelle your lovely comments make me feel quite serene.

MICHELLE "i would say constructively the only thing i saw was that you looked pretty tight ..meaning not loose and confident i think that reduces your feminine traits a teeny bit...your other video i noticed you were much more confident and you were loosely swinging your arms which i think is a very telltale trait that women do when they walk.

Fantastic Michelle, well spotted, you are right, nerves were getting the better of me, I was trying too hard I think. In the other video, I had interacted with the sales assistant and he had called me "Love" (a quite common but sometimes frowned upon uk male to female term) and I was feeling 100% female. Again thanks for your comments and they have been taken on board.

JERRY
You are my hero.

JANNAIE "Great job girl. The only thing I would suggest is that you try to hold your head up higher when your walking, don't look down. If your going to figet with anything, ie, your purse, looking for your keys, stop, get them out and then continue walking with your head up."

Jannaie, thanks I cannot argue with you, I agree 100%, when I practice at home I alway try to keep my head up, but as I said to Michelle, nerves were getting the better of me, and I start to shrink into what feels safe, but it has the opposite affect.

Thanks again all who have commented and also to those at the Zippy video site.

I am going to post part two now.

Well after my visit to MFI, I was feeling more confident than when I arrived, so I was going to continue with my "mission".

I drove to the Trafford Centre a big shopping mall in the UK. I arrived and there was a short traffic que to get in and one of the car parks was full I drove in and spent the next 20 mins just driving around trying to find a parking space, this I was not enjoying, finally parked up, got out and and locked up, by the way it feels fantastic to get out of the car as a woman.

I had not got a clue where to go, I have never been here before, I felt a little lost. If I had been in male mode I am sure he would have had no problem. Anyway I saw a stairway, great I will head for that, perhaps it goes down to the stores, wrong, it goes up to the upper level carpark. Well I went up to the next level and spotted a storefront sign, "Selfridges" I headed that way.

I was starting now to mingle with a few people I was getting closer there were now even more people. It was quite a long walk, but my slingback high heels are well worn in now so no problems there. I walked into the mall, it was very very busy, I was feeling quite self conscious and uncomfortable.

Wherever I turned, people were there, I really felt everyone was looking at me and although that's why I am out there, it was getting too much.

I went into the Selfridges store, it was busy and noisy I started wandering round, I walked passed a wig section, instead of using my brain, and thinking what an ideal chance to try a new style, I thought only of avoiding that area altogether, if anyone was going to read me it would be the wig sales assistants, they would be able to spot my wig from a mile.

I wandered around more, but I was not relaxed, in other outing I would spend time looking at clothes, lifting them of the rails etc, but I was getting more self conscious. I decided to leave the store and go into the mall, I made my way to the exit, a couple male and female came in the door just as I was about to reach it I slowed a little let them through, he looked at me, I was looking at him that's how I know, but he did not react in any way that would suggest he had read me, I also looked back after they had passed to see if there was any other indication, a look back at me, or a nudge to his partner, non, I am pleased to say. This though did not make me feel any better, I was feeling that I was being read at every look, where had the confident Sophie gone?

I starting walking to the mall doors went on for about a further 200 yards, still loads of people about. I cannot do this I decided, time to go home, so I turned right round and headed all the way back to my car.

I`ll bet you are disappointed to hear me quit like this there was no good reason for it, I had not had any indications of being read, but my "bottle" had gone. There were far too many people around.

I will try again, I will need to build up confidence again, do you know it may have all started with that bad shave earlier in the morning.

Going out can be absolutely fantastic, but also very emotionally draining I to be honest I was quite disappointed with myself. I try to pass and felt I wasn't, perhaps I have raised the bar too high.

I will grab some photos and post them here soon.

Thanks for reading and listening.

Sophie

Hi Sophie

How can anyone be dissappointed with an adventure like that

I think you are amazing to get that far

Hey the video was great I took every step with you I know the feeling, You looked great, walked well, and I bet there are hundreds of girls on this site who only wish they could have the bottle to do a quarter of what you did, "Brilliant" keep going!
Best wishes Louise

Shopie:

I am LeAnn. I read your story and watched your video. My view is still the same you are lovely and talented as a writer. What a great spokesman for us you are. By the way I am a leg person myself. I watched the legs of your walk you really have it down. Leann took me for a week trip last week, I am old, my voice and other things get in the way. I got read everywhere, but I still love to dress Uni-Sex. My favorite clothes are Thigh Hi-Nylons. I find you can wear them any where any time. So mostly I do. I also wear a bra most of the time. Older women often do not wear one, but I have always been fastenated by them. I am most happy when I wear a bra and hose.

By the way I love your femme name.

LeAnn

Sophie

Loved the video. Your outfit was perfect for the situation. I thought that your attitude, walk etc. were very convincing. I would not have "clocked" you. BTW your nails looked gorgeous.

Sophie:

I would have done the exact same thing. If things don't feel just right for me, I abort. I know that there are many people here who go out and don't care if they pass or not. I also know that they probably think it's silly to even worry about it. It's just the way it is for me, if I don't think I'm passing, I abort and go home.

I think you did a great job and I am sure the next trip will prove better than ever. :hugs:

You looked really good! Along with the comment about loosening up and relaxing I will add one of my own. Slow down.... I try to think of it as slow motion. As I guy, I do things fast and immediately, very jerky and abrupt. As a woman, I take my time, I reach slowly for things, I turn slowly, I do everything smooth and slowly. It adds more grace to our normal male movements and from a distance, removes most of the male clues.

Good luck! You're doing great!

Sally

p.s. - loved the video and editing work. I'm a video/photo nut and it can be really fun and helpful.

Hi Sophie
you definately look femme. I asume you throw this video our way to get some feedback? I am a writer, and I frequently read my stuff at our writers circle. Sometimes the critique is too soft and I don't learn anything. The best days are when someone shows me something I didn't know about my style or writing in general. Watching you breeze in and out of stores makes me think of something. Why are you in such a hurry? watchiing you almost stresses me out. Think how you would look if you took time to just strool into that srore with your head high, taking your sweet time. You can do it I'm sure. I bet you would feel great savoring each step?
You go girl
Sejd

Wonderful feedback, thank you, I think it is great that there are still so many things to work on, "slow down Sophie", I will have to keep reminding myself about that.

I will have to practice more, non of this comes natural and trying to remember it all when I am out is very hard.

All of the things you have mentioned are things that I have been working over the last two years and I know it has made a difference in trying to pass.

I try to practice when I am in my male clothes, and do you know, it feels silly! I am not Sophie until I am dressed.

Wow, so much to work on now. I hope by the next video you will see improvments.

Sophie.

Hi Sophie, posted on the pics of this outing too, just to add that I think you are very brave too go out on a B/H Mon when there would be many people about at the type of shops you went too and it is a credit to you and your dressing that you were not "spotted".
As you say practice makes perfect, but I think you don,t need to worry to much. well done. hope you had nice time.

You look great Sophie. Love your outfit.

WOW :thumbsup: