shopping

[CherryLynn]

i was just wondering where you girls shop for dresses and makeup.I am such a scary cat i would love to shopin person but always wonder what the sales girl would think. i will be visiting NYC at the end of August -so if any of you girls know of a tg friendly place please let me know.
thanks girls
Cherry

[JoAnnDallas]

Try places like the Salvation Army. Goodwill, and/or Thrift stores. If your wife is accepting and supportive, try garage sales and estate sales. Wife and I went to one garage sale and I found both skirt suits and pant suits for $1.00 each set in my size, Misses 14.

[Carla L]

I go everywhere. Either they don't pay attention, or they are happy to help.

[DeniseL]

for shopping I go basically where ever i want to.

Have had no problmes in ladies stores such as Cato, Dress Barn, Layne Bryant and others.

Just be yourself, go about it as it is the thing you do every day, and no one will probably even take a second look.

When I go shopping for Denise, I am always Denise.

Denise

[MsJoann]

I can shop anywhere. My best deals are at Goodwill. Just last nite I picked up 2 cool tops and a pair of denim capris!!!
The young guy at the register was also stocking the racks...I think he dresses too....he looked feminine with long hair and all.

I just browse the racks as anyone would. No one really cares. It helps to down a couple good belts of gin before I get there. Helps me relax and concentrate on what I'm looking at.
It is a good point to "concentrate" on what you're looking at....that way you won't distract yourself thinking who is watching you. And yes they do notice.

[MsJoann]

Oh yes, might I add that he was smiling at me too but when he rang me up, he made no passes that I was aware of. He did very carefully and neatly fold everything for me.
I have had women at the registers actually just throw my purchases in the bag out of disgust! I'll bet if they could spit on it, they certainly would.

[MsJoann]

One more time....I don't shop fully dressed so as not to cause a commotion, last nite I wore cute little denim shorts and baby blue tee.
Luckily right now, my real hair is almost as long as my avatar pic. Dressing low-key works well for me.

[KimberlyS]

but always wonder what the sales girl would think.

Why does it matter what the sales girl would think if you do not know her and she does not know you and you will never see her again?

[Absaroka]

The sales people are interested in you giving them money for merchandise. That's their job.

However as a married man with daughters I can tell you that I have bought many womens clothes, especially for Christmas and birthdays, and if any one cared and asked they were usually impressed.

Absaroka

[Carla L]

I recall the initial nervousness I had when I first started buying clothes. It was such a welcome feeling when I would get a clerk who would help me. Later, I started to realize no one cared. I would go into women only stores, shop, pay for items and leave. No weird looks, no questions, no nothing. I was just another customer.

Later I would go into larger department stores, JC Pennys, Kohls, Younkers, same results. Then I started to grab items, throw a pair of mens pants or shirt over them and head into the mens dressing room, to try them on. Heck the only thing left to do now is to forget the mens pants or shirt, just go in with dresses and skirts!

I've done some shopping enfemme. My favorite time was at JC Pennys and trying on bras. If you ever do that, remember to wear a blouse you unbutton, rather than have to pull over your head (wig). I did it, but had some really messy hair when I was done. I bought two bras that night.

[CherryLynn]

thanks for the advice girls. I have alot of shopping to do- so many things i need. It's hard to believe that i once considered myself a male. Lately i have become so girlry

[Diannna]

You know! I pretty much agree with MsJoann and her 3 post. Although I don't dress enfem when I go shopping for Diana, I usually don't have any reservations as to where I go and what I buy. However at the local thrift shop I frequent, I sometimes have mixed feelings when I go in. I mean, I don't know why it is sometimes, I could care less who is there or how many people are shopping there. I can walk about even in the company of other women and look for some pretty things. Then there are other times I walk in, and I'm not there 3 minutes and just end up leaving. I wonder if that might be a fem trait! Anyway CherryLynn, your money spends just as good as real girls, and once in a while you actually get someone who really wants to help also. Just do it. ( Oh! And as for having a little nip or two of the spirits..... I thought I was the only one that did that )

[Alana]

CherryLynn,

When I first starting shopping for myself I was scared about what other shoppers or the salespeople might think. But now, I don't care. I usually shop in male mode and haven't had any problems. Like Absoroka, I also shop for my wife and daughter.

I don't think the salespeople really care why or for whom you are buying. Although I had one saleslady ask me if the lipstick I was buying was my color. I told her it was.

Just go for it. It gets easier the more you do it.

Love,

Alana

[Brandy]

That first shopping experience is something you'll always remember; you may or may not remember what you bought (I do) but you'll remember that you did it, and it was okay-nobody leaping out from behind a rack yelling "Aha!" Just ignore everyone else-you're there to shop just like anyone else and they should mind their own business. I don't recommend asking to try anything on though-that would likely draw unwanted attention.
As far as CD/TS friendly stores, there aren't that many and I don't know of any personally, but you shouldn't let that stop you from shopping where you want to.

[Absaroka]

Lately what I feel guilty about when shopping is how much money I am spending. After all these are shared finances for my family and it's their money too.

To that end most of my shopping is done at Goodwill or Wal Mart. I ususally try the clothes on in the mens dressing room. You can scout it out in advance to see if there are attendants there or not. Most dept store have unattended dressing rooms.

Don't know where you are but in fun things I did a post about a store in Westerly Rhode Island called Zoe and Company which I found to be incredibly CD friendly- the manager went out of her way to say they have a great many CD customers and they were generally pleasant about other stuff also-we chatted for quite a while.

The beaches in RI aren't as nice as the Jersey shore but in the summer you could combine shopping and going to the beach for a day trip or overnight if you are feeling rich. Or if you like fishing there are lots of great deep sea fishing trips out of there. I have a friend who's caught some nice tuna on these trips and she always gives me some.

Absaroka