Dressing service, makeovers and Photo Shoots

hey celeste i saw your post..im also from salem..we should chat more but it wont let me view your profile!

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Originally Posted by Joni Marie Cruz

Anyone can go into a salon and get a makover for a reasonable price, anyone can go to a photo studio and have their picture taken professionally and pay a reasonable price. As a for instance, the pix in my "Just Another TGirl" album were part of a package deal through the salon I used to go to before I moved to Seattle. I had a makeover, then drove over to the studio and had pictures taken, the price included an 8x10 print and five additional photos of my choice on a disk all for one price. The photographer took about two dozen pix total, I had my choice of the ones I wanted to keep. How much was it? I paid $75 total, though I did choose to get more pix which were extra. Was it worth it? I think so.

As in so many things, we can be taken advantage of only if we let it happen.

Hugs...Joni Mari

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Originally Posted by celeste26

Those services are mainly for the closeted CD who just cant or wont get out of their closet and they do pay extra (sometime much extra) for the security of knowing that they wont ever be exposed to anyone.

For a CD who can and does get out on their own there really is little need for such services. Yes of course to the outgoing CD there is a whole world out there of shopping, makeup studios, and photo shops.

But for someone who is desperately afraid of losing wife and kids if they were ever exposed this does offer an outlet. The xformation studios need to have on hand clothes that fit a wide variety of people's size and taste. Just a good size wardrobe might run $ thousands and the makeup schooling and styling schooling goes for thousands of dollars too. They should at least have wide variety of experience in make up and hair styling (preferably certified with whatever local licensing requires), and they should have some valuable experience in photography.

Obviously, there is great variety in the quality of such studios and therefore is a variety of prices that a person might pay, hopefully there is some correspondence of quality with price. The ones I've seen advertised on the net have photos (used with permission) of people who have used their service so one can guess more accurately of what is possible for their own session.

From the business side of things there is only a very narrow niche market for such services and therefore few customers, so their mark up must be high. But some neighborhood girl who just offers to do a makeover is merely an amatuer and has little invested. They might be good, might not be, but they are less likely able to service a wide variety of clients that some professional service would be able to work with.

So I dont begrudge the service fees they charge and since I am not one of those closeted people I just go out and get what I want done without the need for such special care.

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Lots of great comments here but these two really struck me and fall in line with what I want to say.

Celeste's point about security is very important in this discussion. Imagine how many of "us" are out there who are unwilling or unable to step even their pinky toe out of the closet and for them, secure and private services like this are so beneficial.

The other point though is the difference between what I call a tg based and gg based makeover. Many in our community can not only benefit from the lesson aspect of a several hour session but also need to work with someone who has the skills and product on hand for beard coverage. This is why I always recommend that for anyone looking to go to a department store for a makeover, they should have their foundation down first because the counters simply don't have the product that many require, nor have the artists necessarily been trained in those kinds of coverage needs. So for that reason, I have to add caution to Joni's otherwise excellent post, not everyone can find what they're looking for out of a salon-based makeover if teaching and/or beard coverage is desired.

Hi Bev,

I have an appointment early next month for a makeover and photo session. I will be using the services of a company named Glamour Boutique, www.GlamourBoutique.com , which is located in northern New Jersey.

The session included a complete makeover, 40-50 photos and 2 changes in outfits. both of the individuals involved in the service are professionals and I have been told that this 3-4 hour session will cost me $140.

I have seen some samples of the work that this team has done and I cannot wait for them to do their magic on me. I am sitting here getting tingly just thinking about it. :battingeyelashes:

Nicole

Hi Bev,

Yes, I've seen some exorbitant prices charged for services like that.

I've been wanting to do portrait photography for TG folks, either at their homes or in my home, figured I'd want maybe $25 an hour for just photography, but that's not just snapshots, as I have studio speedlights, light modifiers, backdrops etc. and know how to produce a better-quality image than one would get with a digi-cam and a self-timer. I've tried a couple shoots already just to see what it would be like, and they turned out well. The only problem is that I don't do makeovers for customers, so they have to supply their own makeup, wigs and clothes. I did a bit of touching-up for them though, makeup and wig-fluffing, helped a lot.

Maybe I ought to put the push on and see if it's worth doing.

Carol

Hi Bev,

I'm a GG and helped my S/O do her first make-up, walking lessons,, buying shoes/clothes, and pictures. I also did her nails.

I've been wanting to get into a new business and maybe this is what I need to look into. Thanks for the idea!

I think there is a big difference between going to a transformation service and going to a place that does makeovers for GG's. A regular makeover place will try to bring out the natural beauty of a woman, while a transformation service will try to feminize a man, which are totally different ways of doing make-up. I think the latter is a whole lot more challenging. And more expensive for them if they are also providing clothing, breast inserts, padding, beard cover. And more skills required if they are to bring out that feminine smile and look. I have never been to a transformation service (nor a makeover place) but would love to, and if they really did a good job at the transformation I think it would be well worth it, especially if they could teach me how do to some of it myself. As mentioned before, the privacy and knowing they understand our situation (and not grossed out by a man coming into their make-up studio) also is worth something.

hello i have finally accepted the fact that i am a transgender. however i am in need of such a service to help educate me in the art of appling make up.this is the only thing i have not ever done because i have not known where to start. and what is needed. can anyone help me find a service in the ten.ky. or in.area. thanks.

You should gather up these prices and form a price sheet. Stay near the top end so you don't sell yourself short. Start at the average cost, add 20-30% and I think you're good to go.

I had my first makeover this summer with Phoebe Cross in McDonough, GA (near Atlanta). Her charge was $125 for 3 hours. She was so kind and caring. I dressed in 4-5 different outfits with pictures (included) in each. This was the most meaningful experience of my crossdressing life. Her price was fair and her interest in making me feel comfortable while helping me to look as womanly as possible was immeasurable. I would urge anyone in that area or who are passing through that area to contact her. I doubt that you will regret it. I plan to post my whole story later with pictures.

And then there are some of us that are ready to go out on the town,
but do not have any help in learning makeup.

Been out to some cd fuctions, but would like to be out amoungst the " English" ( any remember that line?)

.

That's high in any market, but you should still get back into it.

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Originally Posted by sherri52

That's high in any market, but you should still get back into it.

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I agree,keep it fair to your client's and fair to your self. i think it would be awsome to do something like that

I would whole heartedly agree that some of us need to learn, like me. :o Does anyone have a list of all these places in the US? Then I can learn and know, which equals confidence. :D I would like to totally learn more to progress but I feel save with these places as they are private.