going out as a femel in the COVID-19 era......

In the present pandemic era, even in upstate NY most places... shops. malls etc are now open as long as they comply with a given state's COVID rule and mandates .This is in addition the the places that were deemed "essential .
In NY State where I live, this just consists of face masks and maintaining proper distancing .

So, most of you face is covered by a mask. Then if you were eye glasses, female glasses wiil insure no one will know it's you... or even if you are a male.
Of course, you have to have a reasonable female. body.... aside from wearing breasts forms .

Having said all that, this is the main key to passing ..
You have have the attitude that you are doing nothing."wrong" You are only wearing the same lingerie and other female clothes that any female would wear.
You must be completely at ease in doing this and shop as any other female would. If you act nervous, it wail just draw attention.
You also must dress your age and where you are going . Take a cue from females on this . slightly over dressing is OK for the most part however . The key work here is "slightly".
For example, I always wear a casual dress to the laundromat early in the morning and no one gives me a second look even if all the other females are wearing pants... and sort of look like they just rolled out of bed.

As far as interacting vocally like with a cashier at a shop. I never had a real problem as I never had a deep voice.
However try this if you do I read about it years ago.
Tighten your throat a bit as if you were to gargle and then speak normally . it will raise your pitch a bit and avoids that awful falsetto sound
I use this the myself. Try it. You will be surprised how well this works.

BTW I also have my own long grey hair with straight cut bangs that helps me pass. I tie it back in male mode.
I also live alone.

So go out as female. You will be surprised how easy and enjoyable it can become . :)

I have found the mask part a little liberating, it covers the worst of my inadequacies. It has been almost eight years since, in a tsunami of pink fog, I impulsively took a short drive dressed up. In the past two months, I've done it twice (that's as far as my going out has ever gone). My next goal would be to drive to the next town and put some gas in the car -- actually getting out of the vehicle in public.

It you wear a mask and female eye glasses, no one will have a clue who you are. Once you realize that no one will laugh or point at you... and actually pay no attention to you... it can be extremely liberating to say the very least.
You will go from hoping no one will see you to wanting go where many will see you.. like at a busy mall, etc.

BTW, it you do not wear eye glasses, sun glasses are great for the summer .
In addition, eyeglass sellers on line (like ZENI) usually also offer female frames with plain .... non corrective lenses for those who do not need glasses but want them as a fashion statement . The are usually relatively inexpensive as most of the cost of eye glasses is in the corrective lenses made to your unique prescription.

I know I'm blowing it!? I could go nearly anywhere as Sherry. And, with a virus mask on I could pass nearly anywhere!:devil:

If only I cared about dressing to Denny's or Walmart. Or, enjoyed dressing to blend!:doh:

A mask does hide a lot, the advantage for me is is not having to shave as often.

Oh! Don't forget and take the mask off if you have not shaved properly. :-)

The mask does let you get away with a less-than-great makeup application. If you've been thonking about stepping out they afford you a lot of anonimity as well. Just make sure you check the inside of your mask for lipstick marks!!

I envy your natural long grey hair Barbara. When COVID hit they closed the barber shops and hair salons so I've used that as an excuse to not get my haircut in almost a year. Alas, I think I'm getting a bit too thin on top to pull off going without a wig :(

Only other COVID rant is the fitting rooms are off limits in the stores in our area so you cant try anything on.

Just remember that even wearing a mask, walking out the door of your home and getting into your car while dressed as a female is going to arouse suspicion. Same with returning home.

Personally, I believe my presentation as a female is good enough that I wouldn't be recognized by anyone I know once I am away from home. Mask or no mask. It's the getting out and back that's the problem.

Yeah getting out and back can be an issue as everyone's situation is different .

Here in NY state, most take the virus seriously.
So, it is not unusual to see people wear a mask when going out to their car in my apartment complex. it has become like the norm.

As far as female clothes, you can completely under dress of course.
I also add most on my female clothes under an oversized T shirt and jeans Again , males wearing an oversized T shirt is not that unusual in my area.
Then i quickly go out to my car that sits right in front of my apartment. Like I said i have my own long grey hair so, there is no wig needed.

Personally, I have a few great places to quickly finish my dressing.....removing my jeans and adding a skirt, female shoes, jewelry etc in major parking lots on the other side of town where al the great shops/ malls are etc
BTW, sometimes I even we a dress that I can hide under my jeans that will not wrinkle doing so. I might even wear a skit under my jeans that will no wrinkle doing so.
When I am finally ready to go home, I just reverse the process
I have everything down to a fine routine and it all works for me... and I can do everything rather quickly.

So we all have to what woks best for a given situation. When there is the will there is usually a way. :)

The first time I went out masked while dressed I felt less nervous than my usual trips out before Covid and no maks. But you know what, I'd prefer to go out maskless and feel a little insecure than hide behind a mask. I need to embrace how I look and feel good about it.

If I was not six foot and 200 lbs the mask would be great. In the evenings I have not problem getting in and out of the house. If I wanted to mingle among the masses what is great for a male appearance is not so great for passing as a woman. I still see many women wearing dresses and skirts. Maybe, they are all cross dressers "mask-uerading" as women! :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barbara Jo

It you wear a mask and female eye glasses, no one will have a clue who you are. Once you realize that no one will laugh or point at you... and actually pay no attention to you... it can be extremely liberating to say the very least.
You will go from hoping no one will see you to wanting go where many will see you.. like at a busy mall, etc.

BTW, it you do not wear eye glasses, sun glasses are great for the summer .
In addition, eyeglass sellers on line (like ZENI) usually also offer female frames with plain .... non corrective lenses for those who do not need glasses but want them as a fashion statement . The are usually relatively inexpensive as most of the cost of eye glasses is in the corrective lenses made to your unique prescription.

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Yes, but don't about forget the eyebrows.

If you're sporting a pair of caterpillars like comedic actor Eugene Levy, all the "femme" glasses in the world won't help you slip under the radar...;)

About eye brows .... pencil thin eye brows for females are out for the most part.
So, are bushy eye brows for males .

In fact, before I decided to let my hair grow long, my barber routinely asked his patrons if they wanted their eye brows timed. If the answer was yes, he just very quick trimmed the hair back with his scissors, this did not alter the width of the brows of course.

A more natural look is in for both sexes . Most females do not have naturally thin brows .

For a CD, you could gradually shape them to have a more feminine appearance.... a more unisex appearance. Doing this gradually no one will notice. That is what I have done

BTW, IMO a more relevant issue is if you have the male brow line protrusion .
Personally, I have straight cut bangs on my natural long hair that covers my very slight protrusion . .... together with my female eye glasses.

Keep in mind that not all females are beauty queens.. far from it .
Females have always learned to hide their flaws and promoter their good assets . with makeup , hair and clothing tricks , etc. .:)

I went out before I was good at makeup. I am not good at it now, but at least now I know.
I went out before I trimmed my eye bushes down. I now trimmed them to a nice short length and started thinning them in.
I must have been quite a sight. I went to the large grocery store, shopped until I had a full cart.
I must have been extremely over dressed in my favorite dress at the time and my heels, hat, glasses and a covid mask.

I went out about 5 or 6 times like that. Nobody said a thing to me about it. I shopped at the famous makeup store. I wanted a color lesson, but covid shut it down. I bought some nice clothes at Black and White.
Then I just stopped going out.

Not sure why, it was like I had nothing to prove. At some point I will go out again, I am sure of it. Maybe if I had a nice winter coat I would use it. Here is the question, I am still in DADT with the wife. She asks if I leave the house. I tell her no. If I have a good winter coat, why do I need it if I am not going out???

But getting back to the thread. Eyebrows trimming matters when wearing masks. False eyelashes help too.

Yeah.. i understand. i went out without a mask before the pandemic also . That is not my point :)

My point was that wearing a mask can be liberating for those who are a bit paranoid about their facial appearance for various reasons or just do not want to expose their full face .
It just make it easier for them to get out there initially. and build up up their confidence .

Well, if a small mouth and nose covering is all you need as a confidence booster, it is a great time to get out girly in your mask!
I must admit, thieves have been using them to hide their identity for ages so why not crossdressers?!?! ;)
Now is a good time to explore public places as your feminine self as a lot of the public are staying home or having private rave parties in secluded locations.
The people you meet today in public are usually on a "mission" for their own needs and are not casually checking out people and places.

Stephanie47, you mentioned you are 6' at 200...well I think you're a lot like me in that I am 5'11" and 220.
You have been dressing for over 50 years so you are close to my age (according to your profile).
We get to wear less revealing fashions and undergarments that shape our forms...we actually have something to work with!
I am just saying you are selling yourself short...I bet you would fit right in going out grocery shopping, clothes shopping or picking up a pizza at the local joint.

Confidence IS the key! I have found it you take your presentation, mannerisms, and attitude seriously, you can do anything! It is very empowering! Go for it!
One last thing, today...compared to when I was a girl back in the late 70's, the general public is much more accepting of alternative lifestyles.
By no way do I think I look so feminine that I am never clocked as a crossdresser. The general public are pretty indifferent or they are curious.
By for all the times I get out and about I just don't see society as a negative factor in our ability to mingle in public.

Getting away from the house without being noticed can be a factor, it is a problem for me as I am deep in the closet with family, friends, and neighbors.
So I under dress and carry a unisex grab n go bag, change in the my detached garage and finish the details (wig and jewelry) at a forest preserve or parking garage.
I shop out of town to minimize people recognizing my vehicle or possibly running into people who know the male self.
It does take some effort to keep yourself in the closet and still mingle in public but the rewards are heavenly and empowering!
You will thoroughly enjoy the experience. :battingeyelashes:

I recently went out dressed for the first time in a long time, other than my regular visits to TCNE. I only used mascara and brow makeup. The mask helped my confidence a lot. I purposely went to a busy commercial area. I only got one hard look from a guy at an outdoor restaurant table.

Or maybe he was just lost in thought. who knows?

Myself, I usually get some hard (approving) looks from older guys.... even some wolf whistles.
I an now 73 years old with a quite good somewhat feminine body with great legs and, always wear skirts or or dresses.
I have come to realize that the older gents love to see a feminine lady nicely dressed in a skirt or dress.

When i go out during This pandemic I just wear a little mascara with my mask on with fem glasses and my fem clothes i.e.skinny jeans sneakers women?s winter coat. Usually no one looks at me when I?m at a store. But I usually go early in the morning. I?m 5?9 180 lbs btw

Richelle423, same here. Eyeliner and Mascara, maybe a little bit of lightener on the browbone, then stylin in a big women's coat and black clothes, and quasi-practicing voice on every shopkeeper.

Makes shopping bearable ;)