Crossdresser’s interact with civilians from time to time and some more than others. If you go out in public crossdressed like I do meeting civilians is a certainty. You may not have a conversation experiencing only eye contact but you need to think about how to handle it. Long ago I took the look them in the eye and smile approach which has always served me well. Last Friday night was no exception but the outcome surprised me just the same. Seven of us were in town for the monthly Saturday night CHIC meeting so we we headed over to a favorite restaurant for dinner. Like our other venues it is a mainstream upscale restaurant where we are definitely in the minority. That said, we are well known by the owner and staff which sends a signal to the other patrons that we are accepted. COOL!
BFF Ashley, my guest Sherri and I arrived via UBER greeting Mario the owner out front when we arrived. After we hugged I introduced him to Sherri who had never been there before. Then we joined the others who were at the bar but opted to go to the table early due to lack of bar seating available.
I followed the hostess to our table taking a seat at the end looking out the window to the courtyard. There was a 50ish couple seated at the window in my field of vision so eye contact with the woman was inevitable. It was time for a crossdresser interaction with civilians. I smiled at her several times but she was expressionless. It was more like she was observing rather than communicating with her eyes so I got involved with my group conversation. Her male companion looked over once then looked away with no expression obviously unimpressed. In situations where I don’t have a feel for what the civilian is thinking I end the contact.
Conversing with my gurlz I lost track of time when I was surprised by a gentle touch on my shoulder. The expressionless woman was telling me how she loved my hairstyle and how great a choice it was for me. She told me how the color was perfect and the cut was flattering for me. I thanked her for her compliments and she said good night. Even though it started a bit mysterious my crossdresser interaction with civilians worked out wonderfully.
The picture above was taken Friday night back at our hotel where Sherri and I went to the patio bar for a nightcap. It was taken by two ladies we met on the patio as we were leaving. That makes two crossdresser interactions with civilians in the same night. This encounter was different because although I saw them sit behind us with two other younger women we had no contact. I was not even aware that the younger ones had left. When we stood up they spoke to us and I was so surprised I don’t even remember what they said. They were curious about us and had questions which we did our best to answer. We pretty much covered everything heterosexual married crossdresser, DRAG QUEENS, Gay, Transgender’s Transsexual’s my club CHIC. They left very well informed civilians.
Saturday night it was more crossdresser interactions with civilians but nothing like Friday. I received compliments on my new wig debuting on that night but not on a par with the night before.
The wig I am wearing above Saturday night is actually darker in the back than Friday’s. Its deceptive because both of them are very light in the front so they look very similar.
Saturday night was special though on several levels beginning with our group being larger than normal with 20 attendees. We took up the whole west end of the restaurant with a long table. I have intentionally blurred the faces of those who have not given permission to post pictures of them. Seven of the attendees were wives accompanying their crossdresser husbands.
When I sat at the bar before dinner it was next to the same woman I did a year ago. She naturally remembered me DUH! I stand out but I remember her because she was Asian with an accent and a low voice. Both crossdresser civilian interactions with her were challenging because of my hearing and her accent but we did well.
So in two consecutive nights I had three wonderful crossdresser interactions with civilians. It was very rewarding and I went to bed with a smile on my face that night.
Crossdresser fingernails are a must have to achieve that fabulous female presentation. They add that extra unmistakable feminine touch which completes your elegant look. For many years I used a process where I glued my nails on with DAP Contact cement featured on my CROSSDRESSER FAKE FINGERNAILS PAGE. It worked well for the most part but there were some drawbacks. Recently I read an article on crossdresser nails written by one of my CHIC Sorority sisters Erica. She shared a process she uses to attach her nails using press on gel tabs that stay on for days. I was intrigued because years ago I used Sally Hansen press on tabs that lasted minutes so I dumped them.
This old dog might be able to learn a new trick and be well served to give her process a shot. I ordered some and took them with me to Las Vegas last week. I wanted to try them out but brought my contact cement with me just in case.
CROSSDRESSER FINGERNAIL TEST
I put them on Monday night and was really impressed with the holding power of the gel tabs. Not one problem with lifting or loosening throughout the evening. I decided to leave them on all night because we were going shopping the next day and see how many got through the night. In the morning they were all there just as tight as the night before.
So far so good but putting on my shape wear, butt pads, and breast forms would be a real test. No problems at all although putting on make required some adjustments to my routine. I was actually ready ahead of schedule getting ready then went to lunch and shopping. Back at the hotel I changed clothes to go out that evening and my crosssdresser fingernails were intact. I even was complimented by a gentleman at the bar over my lovely nails.
I’m hooked Erica’s process for crossdresser fingernails and tossed my contact cement after ordering more tabs. I have also updated my CROSSDRESSER FAKE FINGERNAILS page to show my new technique.
Vegas crossdressed is always an adventure and this weeks trip was no exception, think crowded! When I first decided to make the trip Easter did not enter my mind but I wish it had. Everyplace was crowded even during the high wind warnings on Monday. Going outside in Vegas crossdressed had an additional challenge this week, WIND. After spending some time Monday night doing my hair getting my newest wig just right. The wind restyled it for me which I call hair by hurricane. Our plan was to take UBER from the Cromwell Hotel Valet which is sheltered from the wind to the lower level of the Forum Shops also sheltered. UBER moved their drop off point and refused to go down below so we had to walk out in the open. Fortunately I was able to get my hair almost back to the way I had it before we made our grand appearance at The Palm Restaurant. We had a great dinner with a booth on the side about the middle of the restaurant facing everyone.
Being in Vegas crossdressed is pretty well accepted and even though we are over dressed people seem to be fine with it. Tuesday we went to the mall for some shopping but found very little of interest. We rendezvoused at the Bounder Bar in the back of the Cromwell Hotel for a drink before dinner. We met a nice young couple from Birmingham England who came to Vegas to get married earlier in the week. The wife gave us tons of compliments on our looks and had no clue when my BFF Ashley showed up that was a CD.
They bought our drinks and we chatted for a while before heading off the Del Frisco’s for dinner. I love Del Frisco’s but was disappointed with our table which was in sort of a overflow dinning room. The atmosphere is better in the main dinning room across from the bar which has a better vibe. The food was still great and our servers exceptional even remembering us from a previous visit.
Wednesday night our Vegas crossdressed adventure broke in a new restaurant off the strip called Piero’s Italian Cuisine. Its where some of the movie Casino with Sharon Stone and Robert Din Ero was filmed. The Cosmo’s are lethal and the food fantastic with very generous portions in addition to a very good server JR. He took very good care of us throughout the evening.
After dinner the two lovely hostesses were kind enough to take a bunch of pictures of me as we left.
Crossdressing isolation is common in most of our stories but the pandemic has exacerbated the problem. For us more seasoned crossdressers it was especially hard having known it growing up. Then finally letting the genie out of the bottle later in life. Now with the pandemic we were being thrust back into the bottle again. Crossdresser isolation for younger people was possibly worse because they did not know what to expect. They were being shoved into the bottle for the first time.
Besides the not crossdressing there was the lack of socializing in general because of the shutdowns. losing human interaction impact is still being calculated especially with the younger less mature kids. Social gatherings were difficult if not impossible even with family members.
Crossdressing isolation was less of a problem for my sorority sisters in CHIC who are a crafty bunch. We only missed two club meetings the entire pandemic because restaurants in Long beach reopened with the same restrictions everyone else had. They would not do groups larger than 6 people and had outside seating only. So three of us made reservations for 6 people each at the same time with no problems until we showed up. The manager figured out that something must be up when 12 crossdressers and 6 wives show up at the same time. Not to mention that they instantly became friends chatting their heads off. Tonya asked if we could be seated together but he refused saying that would be an illegal group. Even though there were about 20 other diners on the patio seated at tables of four we did not push it.
CHIC had to cancel our Christmas Party like everyone else that year but member Tonya was determined to pass out the gifts she bought for everyone. She was wearing a long coat most of the evening until she started playing Santa Baby on a recorder. She then dropped the coat to reveal her Santa Clause dress and put on her hat.
Santa Baby
That broke the ice with the civilian customers seated on the patio with us. From then on it was 3 crossdresser groups combined with 20 civilians for a total party. Crossdresser isolation was a bit more manageable after that night and we were fortunate to have so many restaurants in Long Beach with outside dining.
Unfortunately crossdressing isolation never improves for those who never go out. They settle for dressing alone in the basement. Some are lucky enough to dress in a hotel room when traveling on business but its still a lonely existence. Some are married and have never told their wives out of fear she will leave while others have a DADT (Don’t ask don’t tell) arrangement. Still others have an agreement with the wife to lie to her about the CD’s outings. I read a post on Kandi’s Land blog yesterday where lying and DADT were being discussed. It reminded me how lucky I am. My wife has known since we met and has been on many trips with me to conventions and weekend trips with other couples.
Thinking about the subject prompted me to add some content to my CROSSDRESSER HUSBAND page. I thought it might be helpful for wives to know that crossdressers have many interests other than girly stuff. Crossdressing is only a part of them and there is much more going on that is more mainstream. The wife who reads that page is going to have to believe me. I knew all of the people whose occupations and sports that I reference on the page. I have found it truly fascinating over the years that so many of these guys have done and do such cool stuff. The fun thing is nobody who knows them would ever guess they wore dresses. After seeing them in civilian clothes and then dressed as a woman I know I know more crossdressers than I am aware of. I would never have suspected any of these guys crossdressed. I’m betting the same goes for all of us especially the wives. They may have known one at work or school and had no clue.
I hope possibly if a wife reads my page she will gain something from it that helps in some way.
Crossdresser group outings are always fun not only because you are with your sorority sisters but because sometimes your group is well received by the other restaurant patrons. Saturday night the ladies of CHIC went to a place I have been before but left after dinner not going into the bar afterward. This meeting the bar was almost empty after dinner, so we decided to have some drinks. This night’s restaurant I am very familiar with having been both there and their other location. In the past I would not have recommended going there because their clientele I thought would not be open to us gurlz. That has all changed and they actually look forward to us coming with our group of 18 to 20 ladies. Truth be told I think we are sort of free entertainment, but everyone treats us very well. We always enjoy our outings there. Sports are huge at this place and there are memorabilia from both college and professional sports as you see in the picture below. Makes me feel like such a jock standing there.
Crossdresser group outings are great but the duos are many times more enjoyable than the big group. I think it’s because you are more approachable when there are only two of you. The bigger group is sometimes intimidating for the public. Friday night before the club meeting there were just two of us. My BFF Ashley and I and she took this picture in the hotel lobby before dinner. We went to the same restaurant that we had the CHIC Club Christmas Party in December. We had a great relaxing dinner not rushed in any way by our server. He understood that we don’t see each other that often.
As always, I’m looking forward to our next sorority meeting in a few weeks.
Crossdresser traveling is fun especially when you have back to back outings with friends. I keep looking for ways to make the task easier and a little better organized. In a previous post I showed my three different colored bags for eyes, foundation and misc. It worked pretty well but I was always going back and forth between them which wasted time. I started looking for a way to improve my crossdresser traveling experience and hopefully reduce the time to get ready by eliminating some moves. After perusing Amazon (where else) I found a bag that looked promising and bought it.
CROSSDRESSER TRAVELING
In order to replace my three bags an extra large bag was needed so it holds everything in one place. It eliminated the extra time and steps back and forth retrieving needed items. The left picture is the first level when you open the case with eye shadow in the mesh zippered pockets on top. 3 large pockets just below that then a mesh pocket for large flat items like false eyelashes.
When the zippers below the large flat pocket are opened they expose the lower portion of the case pictured to the right. I did not use the partition system than came with the case but some plastic boxes instead. That allows me to open them and place on the counter when needed then put back in the case. I am able to do all of my makeup and hair without moving more than one step in either direction.
I am still tweaking how and where everything goes but have reduced my get ready time again by about 45 minutes to an hour.
The small plastic boxes are from Office Depot or Staples and come in many different sizes but I picked these because they fit well in the case. They fit better when the lids are placed in different directions so they offset and seat better in the case.
Crossdresser social clubs were once fairly prevalent but have declined consistently year over year since they heyday of the 1990’s. That said there still seems to be considerable interest in them based on my website clicks. CROSSDRESSER CLUBS ranks # 6 in popularity over the other pages and posts. I am very curious as to why clubs have vanished if there is so much interest in them.
CROSSDRESSER SOCIAL CLUB
Last Saturday was my crossdresser social club CHIC’s monthly meeting and we had 16 of us attending. That number includes 5 wives who are always part of the fun. We had the whole upstairs floor of the restaurant for the group which was great because there are no time limits on us.
In the picture below I am wearing a navy jacket with a multi white / navy skirt outfit . The jewelry I am wearing was featured in a previous post and was made from two necklaces from Macy’s.
Crossdresser socializing is what CHIC is all about and some of our outings lend themselves to it better than others. This weekend being upstairs with 6 booths to choose from allowed some to table jump during the evening. That allows for sitting in small intimate groups and socializing until the dinner gets served. Because we have no time constraints it allows for more socializing afterward also. This month we had a new applicant so the upstairs table hoping allowed all of the members and wives an opportunity to meet the prospect. The small group allows others at the table to hear the answers of others questions and formulate their own accordingly.
When dinner concludes we usually have a contingent of members go down to the bar below and mix with the civilians. Its something I look forward to because we are well accepted and I have had some very nice conversations there. Crossdresser socializing is not restricted to just other crossdressers. I had to pass this month though because I was not feeling up to it but look forward to next time we go there.
Crossdressering at DIVA21 is behind us now and I think the organizers of DIVA Las Vegas did a great job pulling it off after last years was cancelled. I’m not sure about the headcount but there seemed to be quite a few crossdresser’s there. Even though there were two events going on a the same time DIVA Las Vegas and Wildside there was no conflicts. I think the highlight of both events was the costume party Saturday night where both groups attended together. I attended as a military officer which looked like a general but had Sargent stripes so I’m quit sure.
CROSSDRESSING AT DIVA21 COSTUME PARTY
Crossdressering at DIVA21 was different this year because it was changed from Spring to Fall and landed right on the Halloween weekend. I think the most fun I had was sitting at the back bar with the civilians dressed like a general. I got lots of compliments on my costume but nobody saluted me.
CROSSDRESSING AT DIVA21 1ST NIGHT
My 1st night crossdressing at DIVA21 was Thursday and after shopping in the afternoon I came back to the hotel and changed for dinner. Cleaver & Butchered was the restaurant and they had about 20 of us there. They gave us our own room in the back and the food and service were very good. The only downside was they would only do two checks for 20 people so the girl sitting to my left had to try and decipher who had what and collect the cash for the ten people on our side of the table. The good news was the count came out on the money so we tipped a bit extra.
I’m still working on my photography skills and made the mistake of having the bar manager take this shot of me wearing a favorite suit. I had to tweak the colors and lighting because the background was too dark to show the suit. The lights in the cabinet behind me confused the camera I think. The suit is still a favorite and will try again to take a picture with a better background.
CROSSDRESSING AT DIVA21 2nd NIGHT
The second night of crossdressing at DIVA 21 I had dinner with 7 of my CHIC sisters at Giada’s in the Cromwell Hotel. I’ve been there before with good and bad results but, this time they were great. Our waiter was very attentive and the food was awesome with my friend Tonya getting the fresh made pasta. When I say fresh I mean like in Italy where they don’t use the dry stuff but make from scratch every day, Tonya loved it.
I wore my new snake skin jacket from Venus over a black sleeveless sweater dress. It was a good choice as a got a lot of compliments on it. Surprisingly it was not uncomfortably hot which, I was concerned about in that the fabric does not breath. I guess having an open front gave it the needed ventilation.
I’m looking forward to the mask mandates ending possibly with the new therapeutics currently going through approvals. Wearing a mask indoors not only is uncomfortable but it really screws up your hair. I solved the makeup \ lipstick smearing issue with my MAC lipstick and my mask basket. Unfortunately I have not gotten around the mask steaming up glasses and making you face sweaty.
Crossdresser accessories are where the fun begins for me because I like to experiment. I like to think of my dressing style as classic but I am also trying new things to see how I like the look. Eyelashes are great crossdresser accessories for putting some glam in your style for the night and my latest discovery I am in love with. I bought my first pack of magnetic eyelashes as an experiment about 9 moths ago. I had used the Ardell glue on lashes for decades but never mastered the technique for putting them on. So I tried some magnetic ones and liked them right away. I did not care for the assortment though because half of them are too radical for my conservative style. About 6 months ago I discovered a 7 set package for around $10.00 on Amazon and a company called GXO BEAUTY. These were great for day to evening crossdresser accessories and thankfully I bought more before they ran out of stock. I don’t know if they will ever be back so I went on the hunt again.
CROSSDRESSER ACCESSORIES FALSE EYELASHES
Not one to wait and see I went back to Amazon searching for a replacement with all one style instead of the assortment. It wasn’t long before I found something even better although a little more expensive with 2 fewer pairs. They are a different crossdresser accessory more on the glamorous side and they look so pretty on. I especially like the way they taper from the inside getting longer as the go to the outside of the eye. The Arishine magnetic lashes
CROSSDRESSER ACCESSORIES JEWELRY
Jewelry accessories are a mainstay of every woman’s closet and are used to define her look for the day. Finding jewelry off the rack for crossdresser accessories can be a challenge. It can be done though with a little work and an imagination. Pictured below are two necklaces I bought on sale along with some needle nose pliers and lobster clasps. My intention was to make a larger necklace to fit me along with a bracelet and some earrings. It takes two of each style necklace in order to have enough links to make all three items.
I always end up making changes along the way like with the blue and gold set below. I decided to dump the bracelet idea with this project because the links are not very strong. This is sometimes an issue when converting necklaces because they are designed to be worn around the neck. Weight is a concern so they are sometimes made light to be more comfortable. There isn’t much chance they will snag on something and break. This necklace was designed to look heavy but the backs are hollowed out to make them lighter. Odds are I would be lucky to get a couple of wearings out of it before noticing it fell off somewhere.
I had better luck with the silver necklace below which was heavier material so I could make all three items. The bad news is that the earrings are too heavy and I will look like Dumbo by the end of the night.
I have not made up my mind yet what to do with this set which I am probably not going to wear. Possibly I will just toss it into my jewelry making box and incorporate the links into a future project. I never stop looking for closeout sales on jewelry and can pick some of it up for about $10.00 per necklace. I buy the earring hooks and lobster caws at Michael’s craft store in person or on Amazon online.
Crossdressing safety should be a top priority when going out in public especially if you venture out alone. Things are far better today than decades ago. However the world will never run out of A-Holes so always be careful. Friday night I was going out to dinner in Long beach by myself so I picked a restaurant that I know the owner and most of the staff. I always use UBER for my transportation for both my crossdresser safety and avoiding a DUI. I do love my Cosmo’s and Friday was no exception both during and after dinner. The place I went has a piano player so I sat at the bar listening to the music after dinner. The couple seated down the bar started talking with me and we chatted for a while. They invited me to go to another bar down the street with one of the servers I knew. In the interest of crossdressing safety I declined but they were persuasive so I agreed to go for just one drink. You guessed it that turned into two and I was feeling no pain. I did not finish the second drink thanked them for their generosity and headed for my hotel. Even though I deviated from my normal crossdressing safety rules I knew the area I was in. It was only two blocks to the hotel through a very busy entertainment area called Pine Ave. The police heavily patrol the area to keep a lid on things so I felt safe. I walked quickly past everyone and reached the hotel in a couple of minutes safe and called it a night. If I had it to do over again I think I would politely decline the offer and call UBER.
I paired my new black jacket from CHICO’s with a favorite red skirt. Really like the jacket which is made from a heavy material that conforms to your body when you wear it.
Saturday night was our monthly CHIC dinner and crossdressing safety was no problem at all because the restaurant was across the street from my hotel. MY BFF Ashley gave me a ride to the restaurant so I only had to walk back across the street to my hotel after the dinner. I was a good girl Saturday and limited my drinks to three for the whole night and was back at the hotel by 11PM. Some of the other members invited me to join them at the Irish Pub two blocks away but I steadfastly refused. I did offer to have one more at my hotel bar but they were set on the pub so we said good night.
It turned out to be a very wise move because I would have walked back from the pub barefoot. My wife is always telling me to wear something other than black all the time. I went through my closet and dug out my cream colored jacket. I’ve had it for a couple of years but it was an impulse buy and I never had a plan for it. I paired it with a copper mix skirt and bone pumps that perfectly matched the jacket along with a bone purse. I received a lot of compliments and my wife is pleased I ventured out with no black on. The barefoot part comes in with the pumps because I have not worn them in quite a few years. I checked the heel tips which were worn but still looked to have a bit of life left on them. Not so! The first one broke off in the restaurant and the second when I crossed the street to the hotel. I never heard of anybody breaking two heels on the same night but I did it. Fortunately I have extra tips and am an expert at replacing them.
