Monday, January 30, 2023

Shopping Hacks

By Paula Gaikowski

Finding the right dress, shoes or foundation garment is always a challenge for a woman. For femulators the task can be even more daunting. So many of us have gone shopping to buy a “gift” for our wife or girlfriend to find it not fit. Some of us have overcome the hurdle of fearfulness and come out honestly with sales associates and have found it to be liberating. 

So many girls are embarrassed or fearful about going into a store and buying women’s clothing. Let’s start with a question, what you are doing? Answer: You’re buying women’s clothes for yourself. Now that may be atypical, but you certainly aren’t alone. Sales associates I’ve spoken with typically help two to three crossdressers a week.

I always enjoyed the affirmation that I received from sales associates. Most seem fascinated by my transgender story. They seem to share my excitement and were interested in helping me. There’s this peculiar giddiness that takes place. My guess is that finally “a male” sees what it’s like to wear a bra, heels and pantyhose for 10 hours or perhaps it’s the satisfaction one feels when you win someone over to your point of view?

When you’re shopping in drab, I recommend that you dress nicely. Wear clean, pressed clothes; be clean-shaven and smile. Don’t show up to try on dresses in dirty work clothes. If I am in drab, I like to wear an almost androgynous look, a black knit top and black or khaki pants. You want to depict a positive image. It helps if the likeness they see is a nice man verses, “This guy looks creepy.” 

Sales associates today are familiar with transgender people. They are typically informed and probably have friends who are LGBT. They often are the most enthusiastic and even seem to embrace the diversion we present to them. Smile, be polite and don’t waste their time if you are not going to buy anything. 

Remember you are not the first femulator in the store. They want your business and want to help you. If you’re worried about being recognized, find a store away from home.

However, even with shopping in today’s brick and mortar stores, it can be difficult to find the more specialty items that we need. Online shopping was quick to fill the gap for femulators, there are all sorts of sites thar caterer to our needs.

The big problem many of us have is privacy. Many of us are in the closet, and don’t want our wives, girlfriends or parents knowing about the new breast forms and hip pads we just ordered.

My wife and I have a don’t ask, don’t tell agreement going; she knows that the small closet in my office has “that stuff” in it. So I like to keep my purchases under the radar.

I’ve found that Amazon has everything you need to put that great look together. If you find something on another site, search the item on Amazon and you will almost always find it.

Why I am so keen on Amazon? Ordering here lets me keep it private. Here’s how I do it: I have a separate Amazon account under my female name and I use Amazon gift cards that can be purchased at most major drug stores, grocery and Walmart’s in denominations up $100. Just a side note I started receiving Amazon gift cards at work as Christmas gifts from management and didn’t know what do with them until a pair of cute shoes caught my eye.

I used the gift card and then have them shipped to an Amazon locker nearby. Just type in your ZIP code and a location nearby will be shown. The lockers look like mailboxes in a post office. You’ll be emailed a locker number and code to enter and then Oh là là! your new breast forms and maid’s uniform and no one is the wiser!



Source: Intermix
Wearing A.L.C.



William Reynolds
William Reynolds femulating in the 1951 film No Questions Asked.

13 comments:

  1. The Femulation by William Reynolds is one of the best I’ve seen especially in older movies very realistic

    I wonder what the story was here was this person transgender, a female impersonator, would love to know the background on that

    Also I love the name of the movie a little double Meeting here “no questions ask“

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    1. As far as I can determine, Reynolds had no other professional history doing female impersonations. He had a long acting career mostly on television in the mid 20th Century. He is probably best known for playing an FBI agent in 161 episodes of The F.B.I. (1966-1974).

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    2. In the film, he and his partner are thieves. They hold up the women in the Ladies Lounge of a posh theater during intermission. They exit with their haul of jewels and money into a waiting car, then change back to drab in the back seat.

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    3. Thank you Paula for this article. I am also a believer in the Power Of The Gift Card - and I have my packages delivered to my place of work. Everyone in the office gets packages delivered there, so mine just blend in. And I can also blame The Wife, "What did she order NOW?"

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    4. Well in light of that information "NOT a Civilian!" ---Paula G

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    5. Mary MinderbinderJanuary 30, 2023

      To Paula, thank you. And may I ask where you shop for wigs? And specifically that wig! You’re gorgeous.
      To Stana, get well quickly!

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  2. Paula, I have hit the 3/4 century mark and all I can say is "Thank You Internet." As a young man the stress of buying female garments bordered on intolerable. If I was buying something for my petite wife it was easy. Of course, there was no way I would be able to even squeeze into anything I bought for her. Go up two sizes my mind turned to mush. It was the conditioning from my youth. Even in the liberal area of the country where I moved to, there was disapproval. And, the disapproval was not hidden. For awhile it seemed it was getting easier, and then the political climate changed for the worse. Too many people have become emboldened to stick their noses where they do not belong.

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  3. Thanks Paula - Great suggestions. Shopping is one of m y favorite "Escape" activities. I get to try on and play with looks that I would not necessarily buy.

    One other point - in Paula's photo (great shot) there is a Chico's store with a "Store Closing" sign very prominent. Chico's is not closing all their stores or going out of business. That has to be an individual store closing. I work part time at Soma Intimates and Chico's is one of our FAS sister stores. No Chico's is not closing all stores.

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  4. Melissa RobertsJanuary 30, 2023

    Thanks for the tips Paula. I really like the Amazon locker idea!!

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  5. I had an encounter at a local Lane Bryant that didn't go well. I was looking for jeggings or skinny jeans that I could tuck into Bean boots as that's a popular style at the therapeutic riding center where I'm a volunteer and I'm out. Maybe they were confused with what I'm looking for. Think I'll try Macy's Saturday

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  6. It's amazing to see someone so feminine and passing, and to find out that was just a one-time performance. William Reynolds, who looks even more lovely colorized, is one of those actors. Another such one-timer is Mehdi Dehbi who does an amazing job in "He's My Girl" -- and we get a whole lot of her in this film as opposed to "just" that amazing robbery scene in "No Questions Asked".

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  7. William Reynolds 1931-2022, long life as well as long acting career. Excellent female impersonation but as he was only 20, full testosterone poisoning had not occurred. If only any of us had the benefit of Hollywood makeover at that age, what effect could have been achieved!

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  8. One way is to check the store,s websites to which ones are likely to have anything interesting and eliminate any which don't
    I think most sales assistants can estimate your size and work out who a dress is for
    Lucy

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