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Went to Macy's today in drab and the lady at the Clinique counter was very helpfull. She had never helped a guy before and we spent 20 minutes trying to find a good color for beard cover up. She and I chit chatted and it was all good once we were both very comfortable

Yeah!! That's awesome! What did you end up buying?

I bought some foundation after she tried 3 different ones on my face and some makeup remover. Need to hide that beard, lucky me it's so dark.

Almost all the hair on my face is now white, so is easy to hide with foundation. A trick that a local Draq Queen showed us once at a Tri-Ess meeting is to use Orange lipstick. Spread it lightly over you upper lip and chin area using a makeup sponge before you apply your foundation. Works like a charm.

Thanks JoAnn I will have to go back to Macy's and try some of their lip stick.

Not sure what has happened but recently I have just started asking the sales people for help and it makes all the difference. No longer just lurking in the womens department. I came out of my shell and find that when approached 99% of the sales staff treat you no different after the first 30 seconds, next thing you know they hussle you into the changinging room and start bringing you dresses or what ever you are shopping for.

So much fun to be treated like a woman, crossed a bridge for all of us somewhere.

Great Advice, I got out of my shell about 5 years ago and have had wonderful experiences with the SA's everywhere. They are all helpful and are trying to sell products. Only a few times did they have trouble with the dressing rooms being used by men. But they usually manage to fix you up with a place to try on outifts..Janet

I came out to a SA at a local Lane Bryant store, we call each other by name and actualy are happy to see each other. She is just too cool, and helps me tremendously.... Next mission is the counter at the Ulta store....

Macy's sells Dermablend. You won't find an everyday product with more coverage than it. It's also pretty much impervious to sweat for the summer. I use it as my foundation and they have colored setting powders so I use that as well.

I imagine every Dermablend girl has taken care of at least one of girls. My local Macy's girls have proven very helpful over the years.

BUT anyway glad you got help. I find all the Macy's counters nice to deal with including the jewelry, perfumes and makeup.

As someone who is starting over from essentially nothing, I'm envious of all the shopping stories here. I suppose I could just go in drab (I'll have to -at some point- for that first outfit!), but sometimes that often felt more awkward than those early, uncertain days en femme!

Hi Monica

don't worry about shopping in drab, the staff have seen it all before and from my experience as soon as you mention you are shopping for you, its almost a matter of pride with the SA's to see you get what you want. Welcome back to our wonderful world.

Best wishes

I completely agree with Susan. I found the Assistants at my local Debenhams very helpful when I got measured for a bra and ahve found a local online supplier just as helpful. They know who you are buying for. my wife is also very helpful.

Davita wrote:Macy's sells Dermablend. You won't find an everyday product with more coverage than it. It's also pretty much impervious to sweat for the summer. I use it as my foundation and they have colored setting powders so I use that as well.

I imagine every Dermablend girl has taken care of at least one of girls. My local Macy's girls have proven very helpful over the years.

BUT anyway glad you got help. I find all the Macy's counters nice to deal with including the jewelry, perfumes and makeup.

*this*

Dermablend might be heavy but there's nothing short of basecoat/clearcoat paint that will cover as well.

I have had great luck with the SA's at Macy's. One time I had stopped by a Macy's to see if they had a new girdle that Flexees had. While looking for it this SA came up and asked if I needed help. I ask if she had seen it yet. They did not have it in yet but we ended up talking girdles and girdles versus shapers for an hour. She even pointed me to some they had on clearance including one that she wore and liked. I decided to try the one she liked so much and asked if she had some place I could try it on. She said yes an took me straight to the fitting room in the area. Interestingly on the way into the fitting room she stopped and paused, then turned to me and said to wait while she checked it out. I think it finally hit her that I was a guy, in full guy mode, end of the day needing another shave since noon. She got me a room and it fit. When I came out it was just like the pause did not happen. We were back taking girdles and shape wear. I wore it the next day and came back for another one the next night. I could not pass up the clearance price for a good comfortable girdle. The SA from the previous night was not there, but the SA that was treated me well also.

Out of all my trips I have had only one SA seem put out to help me, have all of you had the same experience?

I find that like most of the posts just let them know it's for you and they are very motivated to find the right thing for you.

Ms. Darla wrote:Out of all my trips I have had only one SA seem put out to help me, have all of you had the same experience?

Positive experiences were certainly the rule for me as well back when I was shopping in drab. It didn't matter whether I was shopping for clothing or makeup, the SA's were pretty uniformly helpful, and when they weren't sure what the policy was just asking them to check with their manager cleared things up. The few who weren't all that enthusiastic seemed to realize that it was still their job and that they had to put their personal feelings aside, but they were rare in my part of the country and almost invariably older (I'd guess within ten years of retirement.)

It clearly didn't matter to them who I was shopping for, and when I pointed out I was shopping for me they were able to be much more helpful by suggesting good complementary colors for my skin and hair, or by matching foundation.