shopping

[Ralitsa]

well shopping is probably high on the list of all time great things to do when dressed

I thought I'd reflect not on a particular shopping trip, but on shopping in general and how my attitudes about it have evolved.

Of course, as a guy, shopping was just a task to complete. There was a specific list to fill, and the idea was to do it as quickly and cost effectively as possible. Or maybe that is the engineers way

When I first started shopping for womens clothes, I took the same approach. Then after I got a little more comfortable with it, I found myself looking at stuff out of curiosity and began to take an interest in things that were not on the list.

For a long time I was attracted to the clothes that I like to see on women. But when I was buying clothes for myself, I tended to get colors and styles that were not overtly feminine.

Now, I hope I can say that I am shopping better. I no longer buy any of the non-descript styles. And I find that things I would have been tempted by before, I find is really cute but not for me. I know that the things that 25 yo women can wear, I can't. So I get the more age appropriate, but stylish and pretty things.
Now I really do enjoy shopping, and when I fail to find something that I really like in my size I am bummed out. And I prefer shopping with other women, trying things on to see how they look, and then putting 95% of it back on the rack.
I also find that what I'm thinking about has evolved. Now when I'm shopping in the womans section it feels like I belong there, I'm not thinking about excuses I will give if someone asks me what I'm doing. I'm thinking about where and when I will wear a particular outfit, and if I like it enough to wear it often enough to justify the price. I also find myself buying things just because "it will be good to have this in case I need one some time."
But the best thing of all, I don't feel guilty any more about spending the money on womens clothes. It used to bother me, and I viewed it as a waste to spend the money on this stuff because I didn't NEED it. But now, these are the clothes I wear all the time and having a quality wardrobe is something important to me. So I like looking nice and knowing that I'm better dressed than most everyone else.

[April Rose]

Ralitsa, I love the way that you are creatively engaged with your cross dressing, and not just being driven around by it. It is admirable, I think, and suggests a goal for many of the rest of us.

[Ralitsa]

Thank you April.
At the point when I decided that I was a crossdresser and that I would accept and embrace it (and it was a specific and definite point), I more or less told myself "I am doing this because I think it's fun, and I intend to have as much fun with it as I can."

Now it did take a few years for me to get familiar with and comfortable with all the details. But now, I wear skirts and dresses and nylons more often than most GG's so I kind of consider myself to have a right to them. I believe that if one is going to do something, they should do it right. If I were wearing clothes only to protect from wind, rain, cold, bullets and arrows, then I would wear jeans, chain-mail, wool jackets, kevlar vests, whatever. But I'm choosing my clothes for beauty and style and comfort, so I will take a cute little sundress.

[Kelly Blaine]

You did really point out the change. All of you.
Shopping is a chore a man but for a woman it is an exciting adventure.

[Martina H.]

I now am far more confident these days when shopping for my fem side and will browse around the racks to see if there is anything that I like, only the other week while out with my wife I saw a dress in a shop window as we were walking by and just had to go in and see how much it was but the cost was to much for what I wanted to pay. I used to just go to the shops like a man would and look and if I could't find what I was looking for straight away would give up without looking any more, so now I can spend as much time as I want and just move on to the next shop, it is so much more fun these days.

[Paula G]

My own shopping has changed as I have become more comfortable with who I am. I spend a lot of my shopping time in Charity shops, I love the variety and the prices. The only trouble is that if you see something you like in the wrong size, you can't ask if they have it in a size 16? When I first started to realise that this was something permanent and serious I would buy just abut anything (especially shoes) that seemed to fit. Now I am beginning to develop my own style, I am a lot more choosy, and am quite happy to spend hours in shops looking and trying things on, but not buying anything at all. Indeed sometimes I go out and just try things on just for fun ~ again especially shoe ~ when I have no intention of buying anything at all. Now I only buy things I need, that is of course unless that absolutely shout TAKE ME HOME WITH YOU at me.

[Ralitsa]

I completely agree with you Paula!!!

I used to buy anything that I had more than a 20% chance of squeezing myself into, but now I can find things that fit me perfectly and I will look at myself in the dressing room mirror and say, "it makes me look fat".
But while I'm getting a lot more fussy about fit and style, I find that I'm willing to try more colors and patterns than I used to. Part of this is because all of my GG friend tell me "you really need to have some clothes that are not plain blue." OK, probably all of it is because of that reason.

I know that shopping is considered the stereotypical woman thing, but I know some women that do not like it, and claim to hate it. I'm not entirely sure I believe them, though. But really, I've known some guys who were really into clothes also, so I'm not so sure it is as gender specific as everyone says.

Anyway, what I can say is that when you enjoy your clothes, then you also enjoy shopping. And I have now decided that if I don't enjoy my clothes, then I need to get new clothes.

[Paula G]

I know what you mean, only with me it is grey. More women than men are "into" clothes but it is mostly women and I think it is that enthusiasm that drives the shopping bug. I am so much more selective than I used to be I can now go shopping almost all day, not buy anything beyond coffee and still consider the day a success. However as a GG friend reminded me the other day the one question I don't need to ask is "does my bum look big in this?"

[Karen Marie]

i know exactly what you mean.i have become so
comfortable shopping.i tend to do department stores
and stay away from womens only shops unless i'm
with my wife.but,in general,shopping for womens
things seems so natural..

[Davita]

What's wrong with women only stores? We gotta stop thinking like that. They are anyone's clothes and I shop anywhere any time. As many say, our money is good and the stores need it. Besides, we girls tend to be loyal when treated right and the smart stores know it.

So again, I cruise all the stores I want. I walk, touch, shuffle things and give the clothes a chance to beg me to take them home. Some are lucky enough to time it right that I'm in the mood to buy, have the money and the clothes are just what I was wanting -- even if I didn't know it until they were in my face begging.

[Karen Marie]

went to kmart yesterday.bought a pair of riders jeans
size 20 regular length.tried them on.it was pretty busy
but no one really pays any attention.got some womens
socks and a new lipstick.i just felt so girlie.it was wonderful.

[Ralitsa]

well I have to admit that I mostly go to "womens only" stores, though I'm clearly not a woman and don't very much pretend to be. Also, I'm a little put out by the idea that I should pretend to be a woman so that I have an excuse to like pretty clothes and to wear cute outfits. yeah, yeah yeah, stereotypes and societal expectations and typical behaviour and the earth is flat, whatever......
Mostly guys like Nascar, but Danica Patrick is hot!!!! More men go hunting than women, but my nieces are more interested in it than I am.
You're right Paula, I don't need to ask if my bum is too big, but I am disappointed that I don't have much on top, and too much in the middle. So we all have problems (rofl)

What color lipstick did you get Karen? I'm really getting into lipstick and eyeliners lately.

[Karen Marie]

revlon super lustrous cream,
coral berry lipstick.

[Wendae]

went to kmart yesterday.bought a pair of riders jeans
size 20 regular length.tried them on.it was pretty busy
but no one really pays any attention.got some womens
socks and a new lipstick.i just felt so girlie.it was wonderful.

Love the Riders Jeans. Got a pair at GW Love the stretchy. I wear them more in guy mode guy then in fem.
I'm finially over the fear of shopping in the women's department. It's a great feeling to be able to just look and feel the clothing and not feel out of place.
Bought a denium skirt yesterday at GW for $5. I do alot of shopping there as I'm on a retired budget. There are alot of great deals. Obviously lingere is purchased new.