Non Stop Shop

Without a doubt, shopping seems to be a major pastime of those here. We’ve read of members who have a small bag of hidden things all the way up to uncountable quantities of dresses. For myself, shopping used to be part of going out. It was fun and I built my wardrobe, learning what did and didn’t work for me along the way. It also killed some time (ok, a lot of time) until I figured out how I wanted to spend my outings. Before the current great upheaval, I was only popping in to quickly look for key items.

What sort of shoppers do we have here? Why do you do it? Love it, hate it? Buy too much or just enough? I don’t really want to discuss specifics of what you buy, more interested in the rationale and how it plays out for you.

(Mods, I posted in this section as I thought it relevant to the general discussion)

Angela,
I tend to use shopping to socialise with people , sometimes I might not buy anything at all . Nothing we can do about the current state of affairs with Covid-19 , we wil just have to be patient and hope we stay safe because of that I'm trying to ignore the constant Emails offering big reductions , we may not wear some items till next year .

Otherwise my buying habits have changed , I need more everyday items than I do for going out in the evenings , I still get enjoyment out of choosing everyday wear .

P.S. I like your new avatar .

I have a semi truck load of fem things. Strangely, there r still things I see that I need. :thumbsup:

However, the difference from BC (before covid), and now is:
Then, I spent a lot of time in thrift stores finding that odd, rare item I didn't remember having.:brolleyes:

Now, I buy exactly what I want and need in minutes from my home computer!:D

I love thrift stores where you can get $100 dresses for $5
I love the photo shoot so I need a different dress for each one.
Paying $40 to $100 for a dress to wear once would be a bad idea.

There was a time whenever i went out, which was every weekend, that I'd go shopping. It got to the point that I had way too many clothes. Yes I was shopaholic.
Now I only go when I have a chance, to my favorite thrift store. The Saturday and Wednesday is 5.00 a bag sale days. The last Saturday of every month is the only day you can shop off the better clothing racks.
I don't get there very often. I am usually working on the weekends. The last time I went, it turned out that they just reopened after being closed for this pandemic. To my surprise, everything in the store was free. Unfortunately, I didn't find enough stuff to completely fill my bag, but I did get some great clothes.
My only other outlet is cruising thru the women's department at Wally World, and checking out the clearance racks, that doesn't always prove fruitful.
I think I have my shopaholicism under control.

No, I don't go "shopping". I have all the toys and things I'll ever need. I buy only what I need. It's paying off. I got layed off last week but am not panicking because I learned a l-o-n-g time ago to be stingey and frugal with my money. Just sayin'......
Jon

I shop, like Judy mentioned, at thrift stores for photoshoots and having a different outfit... on those get togethers, with my like minded friends.
If I am out and a thrift store is on the way and, I have time, I'll stop. IF....I know I have room in my fixed boudoir.
So it becomes a management thing.
I am a lot more picky lately, as I have those "Never Donate" clothes that make me look so pretty.
But I like shopping for womens wear and accessories...always did. :battingeyelashes:
I was Mom's little baby and she often took me shopping. Those experiences shopping were fascinating, wonderful, and taught how to be a lady.
Seeing these historically iconic brick and motor stores, from my youth, closing for good.... is so heartbreaking for me.
I walked the last Kmart store by me remembering buying, with my own money, a pink softcup bra, when I was 11. :daydreaming:
Today, I am at a loss to find the Sears "Timeless Comfort" bras I currently adore.... and now JC Penny is going....it's where I use to buy Goddess, Underscore, and Vanity Fair.
It's the experience...interacting with a lady who know where my Jennifer Aniston Beachscapes perfume is displayed, or the queen sized pantyhose extra stock is under the display are.
The lady is suggesting a dress size or what color shawl would match a dress....it is that interaction I am starting to miss....so sad. :straightface:

I spend very little time shopping these days since I’ve started making my own outfits.

Making your own clothes is a great way to get exactly what you want! So far my efforts still look home-made though.

I concur with the social aspect of shopping. I became very friendly with the manager at a charity shop, she was always so nice and the shop attracted a lot of dressers who felt confident browsing though the racks. The charity was for abused women and the shop went out of their way to let it be known that everybody was welcome to be there.

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Originally Posted by Joni T

No, I don't go "shopping". I have all the toys and things I'll ever need. I buy only what I need. It's paying off. I got layed off last week but am not panicking because I learned a l-o-n-g time ago to be stingey and frugal with my money. Just sayin'......
Jon

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Well, Joni, I am sorry to hear that you have been laid off. I hope that you will not be long unemployed, but will quickly find another job.
It's a good thing you have all you need for your cd-ing life - you'll be needing to spend your money carefully on food and housing.
Best of luck!
Gale

As regular readers here will know my opportunities to shop enfemme are limited so in the past it was a case of updating my wardrobe so I've always been a selective rather than an impulse buyer. Things I know I'll wear for more than a try on in front of a mirror. These will get worn for all to see.

Spending time shopping for me also serves another purpose in that it's a form of socialising. SO's, other shoppers allow me to interact with others while enfemme. Hard to explain but it sort of makes Helen into more or a real person. I'm doing what women do as part of their daily lives.

It feels liberating to do. To be me doing all the usual and normal things. Shopping facilitates other things, travelling on public transport, grabbing something to eat in a cafe, normal everyday stuff. It's as much a means to an end as a single standalone activity.

I am one of those with a vast wardrobe. During lockdown I realised I could do without my shopping fix and I have not yet ventured out for anything besides food. However I do most of my shopping in independent boutiques and with a significant increase in my income, I feel a moral obligation to be there for the shop owners who have always been so kind to me. I am going to be more selective, though. I need more accessories than clothes but if I see anything that I think will REALLY suit me I will buy it. I have not been out in a skirt or dress since before lockdown but am planning a trip with a GG friend as Susan in two weeks. She is having her style analysed and wants me to go along. I know the stylist because she has styled me. I need to get my shoes for this day re-heeled and a battery for my Susan watch and though I probably won't dress up for this I will likely do some light shopping at the same time. My favourite lingerie boutique is open but only by appointment and she is VERY busy so I can't go there even if I want to. I do most of my big dress shopping in major cities and travelling to them is not on the cards at the moment. I would also have to check that the fitting rooms are open - there is no chance of me paying ?100 or more for a dress that I cannot try first. Please remember our independent boutiques as lockdown is released - and use the local braches of chains rather than the internet. You not only help the local economy but you help ensure that these shops will still be there for us all in the future.

Hi Angela,

I've always hated shopping for guy clothes. It's just boring. Now shopping for my girly things, in the other hand, is just so much fun. It's a completely different mindset. I love the interaction I have with the SA's and the thrill of the hunt.

Although I have to say Covid has really put a damper on my fun. I feel very uncomfortable being inside stores.

For me, this is ironic. When I was small, I remember going clothes shopping with my mom. It didn't matter if it was for her or for me, it was just boring.

Now that I've been CDing for years, shopping for drab clothes is dull as heck, but shopping for Wendy's clothes is exciting, I feel like a kid in a candy store and I just want to see and touch every article of clothing in the women's dept. I could literally spend hours upon hours in the women's clothing area and still not be done.

Now with covid, I mostly browse on line.

Micki/Angela,
I bought a sewing amchine just to be able to do my own alterations , I'm not into drag so the clothes I buy are more to live my life as Teresa , I've bought some fantastic items from charity shops , at those prices why do I need to make my own .

Helen ,
That was the point I was making , shopping is part of our interaction , referring to some of my threads some aren't clothes related being full time .

I've grown out of my "gotta have that" shopping phase, but it filled my closet. Now, I try to wear a different clothing style every day to justify those past purchases. It's fun!

I am a shop 'till you drop girl! I love shopping in store and online, although I prefer in stores so I can try everything on. My wife also enjoys shopping and we used to make special trips out of town just to shop for clothes.

Of course that's all over for the time being, but all of the retail stores that are open have very liberal return policies right now since all the fitting rooms are closed. Makes it a little bit of a pain in the you know what, to have to buy everything, take it home to try on, and then return the stuff. But that's the cost of shopping these days.

I have had my Ebay account since 1999 so I am no stranger to online shopping either. I do like the way I can zero in on something on Ebay. Like if I know a certain brand and size fits me it's easy to search for just that.

Also living in a small community our stores like Lane Bryant and Torrid are small and never have any of the really cute stuff you see online in stock. So I order online and I always have my items delivered to the store because I am too cheap to pay the shipping, and it gives me an excuse to go to the store and check out the clearance rack. I have mentioned this before when people talk about picking items up, to take advantage of offers to try them on (pre-covid) as once I received an extra %50 off clearance deal if you tried something on in the store.

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Originally Posted by Helen_Highwater

Spending time shopping for me also serves another purpose in that it's a form of socialising.

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This definitely seems to be a common theme!

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Originally Posted by BTWimRobin

I've always hated shopping for guy clothes. It's just boring. Now shopping for my girly things, in the other hand, is just so much fun. It's a completely different mindset. I love the interaction I have with the SA's and the thrill of the hunt.

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Originally Posted by wendy

...but shopping for Wendy's clothes is exciting, I feel like a kid in a candy store and I just want to see and touch every article of clothing in the women's dept. I could literally spend hours upon hours in the women's clothing area....

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I am going to agree that it can be very enjoyable. Perhaps for me a little less so as time goes on as I am really just searching for specific things now.

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Originally Posted by Teresa

Micki/Angela,
I bought a sewing amchine just to be able to do my own alterations ... at those prices why do I need to make my own?

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I am learning to sew because the specific styles I like (40s 50s) are hard to find now. Reproduction stuff is really poor quality and expensive so this seemed the logical step. There are a lot of vintage patterns available!

I'm a reverse shop-o-holic. Let me explain, last summer I was in Grand Junction CO and I went into a thrift/consignment store that had almost 50 pairs of Vanity Fair and Lorraine NWT patterned panties for $3 and 1/3 off. I was in heavy. These hit my sweet spot. I bought them all. I almost felt sorry for the clerk, she had to ring each one up individually then do the 33% off and subtotal for each panty.

This summer, we stayed at home because of the virus. I cleaned out my closets and attic. I had more clothes that I thought I had. Lots of NWT gowns, robes and panties. I would buy these things almost compulsively when I was not as old as I am now.

Now, I'm culling the herd. I brought two large batches of nwot lingerie adn night clothes as well as lots of panties and other clothes to two thrift stores in town. Later, I went to the store and saw my old stuff out. I was always so crazy, I would always buy two of everything, panties, pajamas, gowns, robes, in as many colors as I could find. One to wear and the other to save. Save for what, I still don't know so I am letting stuff go, slowly.

So, if you live in or near Springfield MO and shop at Salvation Army or The Blind Store on Battlefield.... they should be stocked up with lingerie and tops and shells and bottoms and shorts and etc, etc, etc,

Angela,

When I first started dressing, I bought many items, spent too much money, and caused friction in my relationship. Since those early days, I pared down my wardrobe by donating almost all of it. Now, I just browse and every now and then I purchase. It feels natural to buy one item or accessory that'll work well in my wardrobe.

When I bought a lot, I was acting like a collector. Now, I have these clothes because I have to wear something. It's also lots of fun to mix and match pieces to make outfits.

Mandy

I'm in a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" marriage. My wife is not accepting of my cross dressing desires, but she says absolutely nothing about! Nada, nil, zip..nothing. When she was still working I had opportunities to dress. I was already retired. One of the outlet for my mental sanity was buying clothing. I have way too many dresses and slips, and now it's panties. Buy clothes keep my head in the game, The only other outlet is participating on this site. My wife also had a total knee replacement. She does not drive due to a depth perception issue. Coronavirus has us locked down. I am now waiting for the postal service to deliver three pairs of panties.

Never liked shopping for drab and still don't

When I was young and passed, I shopped like most of the girls in my age group. Well I had help from the clerks at the store I worked at which gave me enough money that I could buy new outfits when needed. I also had some clothes from my sisters.
After I was married, I didn’t do a lot of shopping until I was making excellent money and we moved to another major city where I had a lot of free time and we knew a lot of women that liked shopping and became friends.

I was outed to the girls by accident years ago. Never lost any of our friends over it that we knew of. The girls liked shopping with me because I liked shopping for the same things. Now that we are older, we don’t do shopping trips. I think everyone’s closets are full. The girls felt safe and I would go get the car etc. I think I wrote about our martini stops where we shared our shopping finds. It was the fun part because we all wanted to have the best find. My purchases were critiqued along with the rest.

Seems like shopping is also an outlet for many girls here, especially if you are limited by what you can get away with. This aspect makes me a little bit sad, a reminder how much disdain we can still receive. But I am going to admit to enjoying hearing about how it is also a social lubricant for many. I also hear “I want to go shopping with you!” from GG friends every so often. It’s 2 hours of shopping and then a couple of G&Ts after, great fun.

I started buying female clothes on the Ebay as I realized my wife had issues with the fact that I was a size 2 hourglass and she couldn't shop at the same places I'd want to shop.
A few years after she passed I started shopping at Kohl's, Target, and Forever 21.
I've been shopping online these days. I find I can trust the GGs reviews as to fit, even for bottoms. I just bought a size 0 short shorts and they fit perfectly. The reviews said to go one size down, so I did.
Being size 2 means that if I wait, most of the clothes I want ends up on a discount rack somewhere. Most of the stuff I buy these days is deeply discounted. :)

I just bought a cute sweater from Revolve.

Marion

When I first accepted this side of me it was a lot of shopping. And buying things that were only maybes. Mostly at thrift stores, but a lot of purchases exploring various aspects of feminine presentation. Now that I have a full closet and dresser, I started being a lot more selective in my shopping. And with covid closing down trying on clothes, I am even pickier.

I love shopping just for the browsing and potentially getting something, but also as a way to be out dressed. My wife isn't a big fan of going out with me dressed so that doesn't happen often dressed. My kids don't really care so I actually go out more with them dressed.

And the last several weeks, my son is obsessed with getting nerf guns at thrift stores and is always begging to go together. So we go and I am usually wearing a skirt and he shops for nerf guns and toys while I check out the clothes. Actually made it so we just do one town of thrift stores a weekend so he doesn't harass me when we are going again :)

I too am one of those with a vast wardrobe. I?m in sort of a translation of getting ready to move from my current location in a three bedroom house and have been packing all my girly clothing and accessories in large 27 gallon plastic tubs with heavy tight lids on them. Well was reorganisation I counted everything and have 19 tubs full of everything I need clothes shoes makeup hair stuff nails I?ve folded neatly everything that was hanging as well too I never even realised myself I had this much and wear almost everything I have on occasion except two brand new size 9 dresses that I bought at a flea market and am trying to lose enough weight to be able to wear them for the first time. I only paid $5 each for them and both still have the $150 price tags from Dillard?s on them. Their both evening and around 3/4 length zip up dresses. Really made me think and wonder how far I?ve gone in buying everything I have. I do believe I could put all of my guys stuff in 6 tubs that?s including coats and sweaters too.

Angela,
Just an update from yesterday , after 2-3 months I finally picked my friend up from the train station and decided to head off to an out of town store , even wearing masks we had a great time , there appeared to be more SAs than shoppers so they were desparate to stop and chat and have some fun . Their 60% sale had just started , my friend saved ?149.00 on two jackets and I saved ?109.00 on a lovely fitted denim jacket . All I can say is what's there to hate about shopping ?

Because of my work schedule, I was able to pop into Ross before and after work. First place I would always go to was the female clearance aisle. I also enjoyed going to thrift stores, especially to hunt for items on sale.

But I didn?t just shop for clothes. I also went to record stores, guitar stores, the whole lot basically. With this whole Covid thing, I take some comfort in knowing there are pieces of clothing I?ve barely worn. Thing is, they?re all hidden so well I can?t even get to them! Well, not right away, anyway.

The other day, I managed to get into Ross for the first time in months. And sure enough, I found a nice clearance dress for five dollars. I picked it up for old times sake but I?m not in a hurry to add any more pieces. If anything, I need to take a break from shopping to work on my fem form. Now that I have new hips, I really should go over the clothes I have and make sure they all still fit OK and if they don?t, make a note so that going forward, all the clothes I buy will take my new fem hips into account.

It’s the thrill of the hunt! And it’s always nice to find an amazing bargain, something like that can make your entire day. My outings have diversified a lot and although I’m more likely to be looking at antiques than clothes, I still have my feelers out for a certain style of blouse.

hello Angela,
I love shopping and am missing it during the pandemic. That is not such a bad thing because i have so many unworn clothes I could probably open my own shop.
I think that shopping is exciting and I cannot resist a bargain. I have tried shopping on-line; it is not the same because I cannot feel the fabrics.
I went shopping with my wife recently - shop assistants were hovering around ready to snatch away any clothes we touched to quarantine them. That was not pleasurable.
stay healthy,
luv J

Before Coronavirus, I enjoyed shopping thrift stores with my wife. We wouldn't buy much, If I found a slip or some other clothing for each of us we would get it. Now with the virus,I haven't been to a thrift store in months because my wife is in the high risk category. I miss it. A lot of the things I would pick up,I didn't need but it was something I didn't have and it is fun to wear.

I'm not a shopaholic but I do shop as a form of retail therapy. I do a lot of shopping on ebay. so I wasn't totally shut down when we got locked down. But I like to shop physically. It's something I enjoy doing. I don't usually shop the thrifts, because they'r not very thrifty in my neighborhood. I can usually get new attractive and styling clothes off the sale rack that are not much more expensive than thrift costs. Plus, there's one "high-end resale" shop near me where I know the owner and everyone that works there. They are always glad to see me, and they treat me like any other girl. Plus, it's almost my home away from home. They let me change into girl mode there whenever I am going out, and they are always willing to help me with style choices and they honestly tell me how the clothes look and fit on me.

I agree with Steffi. If you time it right you can get new clothes in high end boutiques for around the same price you would pay in a charity shop. I was once in one of my favourite boutiques and the owner tried to sell me a wonderful black Mary Grant maxi dress with long clingy sleeves for ?329. She was a bit shocked when I told her I had just bought that in another boutique for ?20. But the shop trying to sell me that dress at full price has yielded Ghost dresses for ?20 and skirts retailing at around ?200 for a tenner. These clothes were not hideous and I don't know why they had not sold at higher prices. I recently discovered Eroke dresses and bought two at full price for ?169 each. The last time I went to the shop where I got my Mary Grant dress, there were Eroke dresses for ?30 each (a bit more expensive than a charity shop but only a bit).

my favorite time is going around most of the shops to check out ladies outfits every where ,,looking for fashion , make ups ,,dresses , high heels ,,,so never gone to mens clothing since two years ,,only ladies ....sometimes i win some good bargains,,,,it is so lovely to go around searching for ladies stuff around the city

Since the shutdown I’ve tried to spend four or five hours every day shopping online. What else is there to do? I usually don’t buy anything, but I’ve still managed to acquire a few new dresses. And a few skirts. And two or three cute tops. And leggings ... Well, that’s enough.

I love shopping. I used to spend my weekends going from store to store, but now? It’s goodbye Kohl’s and hello Amazon.