First time trying on in a store

[Stephanie H]

Find a local small shop for your lingerie needs. The staff has usually "seen it all and are most helpful. If you find one, stick with it as the staff will y be most helpful to you in the future. I normally go the first thing in the morning thus eliminating tooooo much potential conflict with other customers. With the relationship, the staff will inform you as to the best time to shop. This enables them to assist you with your needs and pay more attention to you. It also helps fill their day.
Stephanie

[FrancineBrice]

Find a local small shop for your lingerie needs. The staff has usually "seen it all and are usually most helpful. If you find one, stick with it as the staff will uasually be most helpful to you in the future. I usually go the first thing in the morning thus eliminating tooooo much potential conflict with other customers. With the relationship, the staff will usually inform you as to the best time to shop. This enables them to assist you with your needs and pay more attention to you. It also helps fill there day.
Stephanie

Great Advice !

[RikkiOfLA]

Near my home there are several different malls, each with a Lane Bryant store. All have been perfectly welcoming to me, whether I was dressed as a woman, a man, or androgynously. I heartily recommend them.

By the way, Lane Bryant (the store) is no longer connected to Lane Bryant (the catalog). Both carry large sizes, although the stores cater to a much younger, more style conscious audience. Even though I'm in my 50s, I like to look my best (most of us do).

I can especially recommend Lane Bryant jeans. I'm not great fan of jeans, but if you ever go out dressed, it's a good idea to have at least one pair, because there are times when nothing else will do. And Lane Bryant jeans fit us heavier crossdressers really well. Most large women's jeans run really large in the thighs--large enough to leave bulging material on my upper legs! Lane Bryant jeans don't have that problem. Especially the ones with a little bit of stretch in the material. They fit really well.

But, in my opinion, an even friendlier store is Torrid. Torrid is owned by Hot Topic, and it started out as a large-size gothic store. They have stayed large-size, young, and fun, but they have moved away from the gothic stuff into a general look that I would call feminine, pretty, but never raunchy or inapproriate. The clerks are always very friendly and helpful young women too. They know I'm a tgirl (the male name on my ID gives me away), and seem genuinely interested in that.

[Paige]

Rikki,

Thanks for mention of Torrid. I went to their website http://www.torrid.com/default.asp?LS=0& and found a store not too far from me. I was impressed with their selection and might try going there soon

Sorry all for the temporary hijack of this thread.

Hugs,
Paige

[Anita]

Veronica--
My, your experience had its ups and downs, but it was a good one overall. Bless that clerk!

I find consignment stores to be comfortable places to go. They are not as cheap as thrift stores, but:

1) You are more likely to find the owner working the counter, and store owners are more willing to work to please their customers. Out of five shops I go to, only once have I encountered hired help.

2) The owner is almost always a woman over 40, and I find personally that older women do not have as much of a problem with me as younger ones sometimes do. Just my observation...

3) The quality of the clothing can be really good, and at the same time, it's still affordable.

Keep on going out there, V. Practice helps a lot.
A

[DeniseL]

Congratulations on your courage to finally ask to try on clothes in the store.

I also took me a long time to get up the courage as well. Last March when I was on vacation away from where i live, i was in a Layne Bryant store as well, looking around. The sales girl asked if she could help as I was looking at green skirts for a St. pattys day party.
I asked I i could try on the skirt I was looking at, and she immediately told me I could try on anything that I wished to.
I also had a similar good experience in Dress Barn when looking at a skirt suit

Denise