Top - Banana Republic
Skirt - Trina Turk
Shoes - Fitzwell
It's such a bummer that you can't really see the fabric of the skirt. It is kind of lace like. It is not my normal skirt length but I liked the fabric so much that I had to get it. Well that and the fact that I got it for like $10 - $15. What a steal!
This is what I decided to wear when I went out to dinner one night on my trip. While out and about I pushed myself to go out to dinner, by myself, just as I would if I was travelling with Jules. This particular night I went to Cattlemen's. If you don't know, it is a steak house/bar. I tend to stay out of bars as I think of them as pick up places, and that is not what I am out looking for. But when I got to the restaurant, I just out of my car and walked into the front door. The door closed behind me and I swear every head in the place turned and looked me up and down!
Wow, a bit stressful. Everyone got their look in and returned to their conversations. It turns out I walked into the bar entrance. I walked up to the first waiter I saw and asked him where the restaurant was. He was a bit taken aback by my voice, but explained the layout of the establishment. I fund the restaurant portion and had a great meal. Ya know, not that many people go out to restaurant by themselves. It is kind of a different experience. Not bad, just different. A bit boring though.
Oh yeah, I wore some of the new earrings I got in SF and said I would show you:
I was so super happy when I found them as they stated they were nickle free! Yay! :) Which reminds me, I went to Target recently and all of the earrings I found also stated they were nickle free. So cool. The world is finally catching up to those of us that are nickle challenged.
Other tidbits-
- I have ended my dressing streak. I think I ended up dressing for about 18 days in a row. Wow. It was interesting and fun.
- I finally graduated to receiving some hate speech submitted to my blog in the form of some really nasty comments. Which is exactly why I have moderation on! To that person and anyone else that cares:
Okay That's all.
Love ya. Love yourself! Love others!
you look sexy! i love your earrings!
ReplyDeleteThank you, that was nice of you to say!
DeleteHi Nadine!
ReplyDeleteTrolls... grr! Good for you for treating them with the contempt they deserve.
Love your style, btw; I learn *so* much with every one of your posts!
Hugs,
Cass
Thanks Cass, that is very sweet of you!
DeleteLovely look Nadine, and the wig looks great with the outfit! I had been meaning to ask you, and others, on your thoughts on voice. I've read that many people are out and proud, using their male voice, while others try to pass as completely possible, and spend lots of time on a feminine voice. I take it from the post that you use your male voice, right? I've tried out a couple of YouTube videos on voice training, but quickly gave it up since I won't be fooling anyone soon as a natural woman, and my thought is that I should be happy and proud of who I am. Some interesting thoughts...
ReplyDeleteVoice is a tough thing. I have thought about attempting some sort of vocal lessons, but have yet to go that route. So... do I use my regular voice? I suppose mostly. I think I speak a bit more softly, maybe try to but a bit of a feminine lilt to it. But I have a tough time with it all because when I try to change my voice I tend to sound unconfident and a bit odd, so I do find it is better to just go with my natural voice.
DeleteI think much of the ado with voice has to do with passing and I am kind of trying to get over worrying about that. It seems the less I care about it, the more that it appears to happen. I spoke in my standard voice to the ladies at Walmart and they apparently took me as a GG.
Let me ask Jules if she thinks I change my voice... She thinks that the tone of my voice stays the same, translation I have a deep voice, but she thinks that I kind of change the cadence of it.
I do agree with you regarding being proud of who I am. Very interesting thoughts. Thanks for inspiring some deep thinking. :)
wow from that first photo on this entry i still can't pelieve you are not a GG! and believe me i don't give idle complements!
ReplyDeleteas far as voice goes it is interesting in that the vocal area is a mussle and like any other mussel it gains gradual strength. but i think even with gg's it can depend somewhat upon where in the world one lives. i have hearde one GG say that genetic woman in the north east sometimes have a bit deeper voice.
i am lucky in that my natural voice is a baritone or second tenor so when i started using the softer just into the falsetto range gently at first fro short times it eventually locked in till the mussel memory has become easier to switch in and out of. the only thing though is that my sinning voice has of course a shorter range. in the beginning i spoke softer which just made the waiters listen better even if i had to repeat myself .LOL !
i looove the pencil skirt look in the first photo. with your figure it is definitely you! since i am only 5'6-1/2" tall everything i own always needs to be altered. even though i can sew to a point ( lets say i can at least use a sewing machine to put 2 pieces of fabric together LOL) i have been lucky in that i have had a great tailor who knows. he has done some major renovations for me reasonably ( this man was still custom making suits 2 years ago when he sold his shop to his helper whom i currently use for renovations)
i have decided several years ago that although i am not transitioning i am tired of hiding in the closet and sneaking around so i have come out one by one to most of my family, friends and neighbors. i usually show them a conservatively dressed photo of me that i keep with me along with my pale pink finger nails and my pink safire earrings i wear in both modes and i have have had good reactions. i have been told by my dad that the outer shell is just there to recognize each other with but the true self is inside. friends have said being transgendered doesn't make one mean or nicer you are who you are deep inside.
having come out has actually made my life easier in that i don't get strange looks when i ask gg friends where the bought a vertical of clothing or earrings they just answer flat out what store the bought them at.
you are lucky to have Jules since i am single i usually end up going out and shopping or eating by my self.
anyway thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the complement Diana! I so love pencil skirts on me. Especially tighter stretchy ones. They hug in at my waist and knees and so give the impression of nice hips.
DeleteI love the fact that you are being open about who you are to people around you. It is so refreshing and inspiring. I almost outed myself, while in guy mode, to a party full of people recently. I decided it was not the right time and place, but still the thought of not hiding anymore was there. While I did not come out completely I did have a fun conversation with a lady about her wonderful eye makeup from Urban Decay. It was quite fun!
I do often feel lucky to have someone to go out and about with but good for you for still getting out and about even though you are by yourself. I enjoyed my time by myself. I certainly is a different experience and still quite enjoyable.
Thanks!
Nadine
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you, me and several of your other readers are evolving to the point where the goal is to get out and about as we choose to dress.
When the goal is to pass you will always be nervous and on edge since you are more concerned with being detected as someone out fooling others. If you merely look to blend in to not be an eyesore and to use your own voice then the charade is gone and you are making a more important statement than if you passed unnoticed. You make the statement that it is OK for a man to be out and about dressed in woman's clothes, wearing woman's shoes, sporting makeup and nail polish, etc. It is liberating to you every time you get out and it also serves to make the path easier for the next CD getting out and about.
If every encounter you have with a civilian helps that person learn that they can peacefully exist in a world where some men dress as woman you serve to open doors and open minds.
Keep on keeping on.
Pat
Thanks Pat. I totally agree with you. I am becoming more and more comfortable with the fact that I am a man in a dress.
DeleteI was recently at a party, in guy mode, with my fingernails painted. I began to get questions about why I have them painted. I told Jules that I was about ready to just tell people 'oh, my nails, yeah they are painted because I cross dress.' I chose not to though as it was a friends b-day party and I have not told my friend that I cross dress. At the time I was speaking with her neighbor and I thought it would be a bit rude for my friend to find out from her neighbor that I cross dress. I figured, maybe I should just start telling my friends first and then I could be open with others. It would probably be the polite thing to do.
I do feel very strongly about being open with who I am so that I can help dispel myths about the 'evil' cross dressers. Okay, maybe evil is too strong a word, so how about 'weirdo' cross dressers. Well regardless of what word I choose, I want people to know that we are fine, normal, upstanding citizens and we just may possibly be just as normal as anyone else you might meet.
Interesting. I love your thought provoking comments!
Thanks :)
I think that you are going about things the right way. Take things slow and take them as theye come.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to each of the friends that know you as a guy the way to look at things is that they are now finding a new friend, you in a dress.
BTW the outfit and new hair in this photo look great.
Pat
Thanks for the complement on the outfit and hair! :)
DeleteI am really enjoying the options that my new hair provides. What fun!