Monday, June 2, 2014

How can you tell I'm still excited?


Gee, how can you tell I'm still excited?  Maybe because I'm still posting...    Continuing the prior post:

As Miss Judy was working on my nails, the elderly lady who had come in just after the end of our "preferred gender" discussion, began chatting with me  (idle talk, nothing special.)  One of the other techs had her 2nd grade daughter with her at the shop in for the day...a cute, well-mannered little girl who recognizes me, and previously has seemed very shy and reserved.  But not with the women. She talks with them all the time.

Right after the boss's "Miss Mandy" discussion with the techs (the little girl understands whatever language they were using),  she came right over, sat down next to me and began chattering like a magpie.  We talked at some length about the her school, the 'paper boxes' she was making, and the many things she might use them for, even while Miss Judy worked on my nails.  Seems she must be more comfortable around women, and hearing from the adults that I'm really Miss Mandy has helped a lot.  I just wonder what questions (if any) the adults got from her, after I left?

Guess I'll never know...

It was time to pay.  I stood up and reached around my chair to the bench behind me for my purse. A thirtysomething lady was sitting on the bench waiting her turn for a pedicure (they had become very busy and customers were filing in.)  She said "please let me see those nails, Miss" and grabbed my hands. She held them gently, in that way women do with each other (but never with men), told me how gorgeous they are, and asked Miss Judy about them...  Between Miss Judy's explanation and being able to see my nails, it was a successful "show and tell."

Then she asked about shellac nails...and since I was wearing sandals Miss Judy asked me to hold up my feet for her to see.  She liked what she saw, and instantly became a first-time-shellac customer for Miss Judy.  The day was a first for me, too.   I walked out of the shop very pleased, having been affirmed as a woman, by many women.  YAY!!!

Now, I know they'll be happy to see me in a skirt or dress and heels.  That can happen...once my wife leaves for her relative's place in August.    It's no wonder I had a fabulous time...but wait, there's more!  The fun wasn't over quite yet...

Last stop for the day was Willy's.  (Goodwill Industries Thrift Store, for the uninitiated...)  It was the day of their big sale, and I wanted to check for anything that might fit, for half off.  Unfortunately I couldn't get there till well after lunch, so the place looked almost disheveled, compared to normal. People were everywhere, and things were flying off the racks.  All but two of the blouses I've been watching were already gone.  So I put those two "lone rangers" over my arm and off I went, to the dressing room.

It was an easy decision.  One clearly didn't fit - its empire waist hit my small bustline in the wrong spot.  The other was perfect - a pink floral "blousy blouse."   (Unfortunately, it's not something I'll wear around my wife "yet.")  I'll try to get a pic as soon as possible. So I continued to hold the good one, lest it disappear, while combing through the racks of dresses.

As I was looking, two women were rifling the rack a few feet away, and moving toward me.  The younger of the two was pulling black dresses off the rack and holding them up to herself.  She asked her older friend what she thought.  Since I wasn't involved at that point,  I wasn't listening to their conversation.  But when I heard "Excuse me - Ma'am - Ma'am?"  I turned toward them and smiled - they both smiled back.  The younger one asked, "Do you think this looks OK for me?"    My response: "Yes, Ma'am - it's lovely. (And it truly was.)  Just the perfect length for you, and it doesn't show too much up top.  Do you have a necklace to go with it?"  That opened the flood gates.  The three of us talked dresses for probably three or four minutes, or most likely more.   I wasn't watching the clock.  They also held a couple of their black dresses up to me and checked me out.  "Here, this would look cute on you...and show off your legs." etc, to encourage me to get one, too.  Meanwhile, I noticed two dresses in my size, from the mail order house that I use...it was a great chance to return the "favor."  I pulled the blue floral maxi dress off the rack, held it up to me and asked if she thought it was too long.  "No, sweetie, it's perfect for you.  That's a pretty floral pattern, you should be able to wear it anywhere.  Don't forget your heels with it, though..."  Then I pulled out the traditional blue denim dress and asked which they thought was better.  Unanimously, "Oh, the floral one for sure...every woman has a long denim dress...you'll wear the floral one everywhere you go."  I thanked them profusely and started looking for more dresses as they took their selection to the dressing room.  I was soon interrupted by another woman at the end of the plus-size racks.  She wanted my advice on a skirt and two blouses she was holding.  In addition to being accepted as a woman, I must look like a fashion expert...I didn't realize wearing silver nails, capris, a sleeveless blouse, sandals, and carrying a purse, could have that effect!  But I'm not arguing...

Finally, the interruptions ceased.  I took both long dresses, the black dress, and the floral blouse,  and headed back for the fitting room.  My lady friends with the black dresses apparently had finished and were gone.  I was next in line...and thus had to continually answer "Yes Ma'am" to every woman with an armful of clothes who asked "Excuse me, Ma'am - are you in line?"  Surprise - no men needed to try anything on!  Guess that's part of the so-called "male privilege" that I've willingly given up!  And the line grew behind me...

Once I finally got a fitting room, both blue dresses in my size fit, but were too snug, and the black one, while pretty and fit well, left room for too much "that I don't have yet" up top.  Bet the blue ones in my size fit just fine when new, but both were all-cotton, which shrinks in the dryer.  I'm apparently right on the edge of a step up in size so, I'll have to be careful.  If I buy something new in cotton from that online source, in the bigger size, I'll have to shrink it in the dryer, then have my seamstress girlfriend alter it.  I've done that before - unfortunately it's the expensive route.  So I'll continue to watch the dresses in Willy's...finding a pre-owned dress that's too big, will be cheap enough that I can afford to have it altered.

Finally I was on my way home. But there were still two surprises awaiting.  If you recall, my wife told me that I should get a bracelet.  I had been wearing my grandfather's crude handmade copper bracelet - yes, daily, in front of her.  It's supposed to help joint aches and pains (and it seems to - grandpa and my father both swore by it.)   I decided to buy a real copper bracelet by mail order, and it arrived today.  What a surprise...it fits! And my wife's OK with my wearing it.  Even paired with the silver necklace...  And she said if it continues to help, I should buy one for my other wrist.  Wow...   (Wonder if I said my ear lobes hurt, whether she'd have my ears pierced so I could get copper earrings?  No, I don't think I'll ask...)

And the last surprise is that so far, there has been no comment about my new nails.  That's an encouraging sign that I might be on the right track with them.   Here are pictures of my nails "today."  You can see the beginnings of a lovely silver sheen.  When she eventually applies two coats, it will be much more pronounced!  And you can also see my new copper bracelet...









4 comments:

  1. Mandy
    These last two posts made for entertaining reading. It really does seem that there are now a large number of folks that you encounter in your day to day life who have accepted and are comfortable with your feminine presentation. The combination of the long hair, the well manicured fingers and toes, the sandals, the pantyhose, the capris and the sleeveless blouses really go a long way towards giving all that you meet clear signals that you can be referred to as a woman and can be treated like any other woman of your age and generation. I like the suggestion that you add just a little blush to your face in addition to the foundation and I would get in the habit of adding a light coat of mascara for daytime wear and perhaps a bit of liner and shadow if you are looking for a more complete presentation.

    I think that the more people that encounter you, even if they realize that your a long time happily married guy who likes to present with a feminie touch the easier it gets for you and the more that others may benefit. You will never know if any of the women who you encounter ever go home to discuss this with their mates or whether they have a mate with similar porclivities or whether they may want to give their mate a mani/pedi or introduce him to pantihose. I think that all of the folks you have encountered may see your presentation as a manifestation of courage.

    You have crossed a major hurdle. Keep on keeping on.
    Pat

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    1. Yes, that was a very good day! And while today wasn't quite that good, it was still very positive. More on that in another post.

      As you mention, I'm gaining a support group of folks who accept me as female (even though my presentation is far from perfect. I'm a little hesitant to go as far as using blush on my cheeks every day...I'm still a bit leary of causing any issues at home. There's still some hesitation on my wife's part for me to be seen in the driveway in housedresses, with people present. That came to light the other day as I went to help bring in groceries from the car outside, and because the neighbors were out, she brought them in to me while I was still within the garage. Now, the fact remains that the folks next door (the ones who saw me in a skirt) can see me in housedresses any old day, by standing in their dining room and looking through our kitchen window!

      Other neighbors can see me when occasionally I move a car in or out of the garage. It doesn't seem like it was a major problem for her, just a "be careful sign." And as long as I'm wearing capris, sandals and sleeveless tops, I'm definitely not dressing like your average guy - instead like your average girl!

      Needless to say, I will "keep on keeping on!" And as always, thanks so much for responding!

      Mandy

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  2. A year ago we moved from a house on a decent sized lot to a condo. Even when we were in the house my wife was diligent about making sure the shades were down. Now in the condo she is even more focused on keeping the shades down whenever I may be dressed.
    When I am home alone I will do things like go out on the deck or move a car or even go to the mailbox while dressed. In the house the mailbox was at the end of a 150 driveway. In the condo the driveway is only one car lenght but the odds of being seen are much greater. Even when I dress to go out it was easier do drive out of my long driveway in my small neighborhood than it is now to get out of the condo where it seems that someone is walking a dog 24/7.
    Pat

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    1. There's only one neighbor (on one side) who can see in our windows, so we don't worry too much about my being seen inside the house. And our deck is very secluded. The back yard: almost as much so. Odds are that I can be (and have been) seen in a house dress by some of the neighbors. But, as in your situation, our wives weren't around, so it didn't cause a problem.

      And in the case of the neighbors who can see...they already know I wear skirts from the incident in the restaurant last fall...so it doesn't matter. Nothing has, or IMHO will be, said.

      But I definitely feel your pain about trying to get in and out of a condo. That's a challenge!

      Mandy

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