Vegas crossdressing has been occurring for me more frequently than I ever expected. Crossdressing Christmas parties like mine with CHIC will probably be cancelled if they nave not already been. It is a huge disappointment for all the members. I think its the first time it has happened in the clubs 46 year history. The gowns will spend another year in the closet unless somehow an excuse materializes to wear them before next Christmas. I mitigated my disappointment by taking advantage of great rates at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas for 4 nights and 3 full days.
I arrived early enough on Wednesday to get ready and go to CHICA in the Venetian side of restaurant row. Chef Lorena Garcia created a unique Latin American menu for the restaurant. They treated me wonderfully with a great table and service with the manager buying me a Cosmo.
VEGAS CROSSDRESSING DAY 2
Thursday morning I was off to the Fashion Show Mall across the street for some Vegas crossdresser shopping. I had a quick lunch at Maggio’s Italian restaurant before I started. I only came away with one jacket which was disappointing as I had high hopes for a big haul. The fact that I found so little could mean that I already have so much. That is a pretty accurate statement in truth. Everything was either the wrong cut for me or I had something almost like it. Vegas crossdressing and shopping is great fun and they treat you very well helping with trying on outfits and sizing questions.
The day ended up being very special because a CHIC member friend Tonya with her wife were going to be in the Las Vegas area. They joined me for dinner Thursday night at the new Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse located in the Flamingo Hotel. A great dinner with good friends and laughs all around. After dinner we retreated to the bar for after dinner drinks.
VEGAS CROSSDRESSING DAY 3
I was moving a little slow Friday morning so I met them for a late lunch before they left for home again at Chica’s. After saying our goodbyes I was on my own again for dinner so I went back to my room to get ready. Friday’s dinner was back to Smith and Wollensky’s steakhouse in the Grand Canal Shops within the Venetian Resort. While I was eating alone that night it wasn’t lonely because I had the same server as BFF Ashley and I had in June when we were there for the Vegas reopen. She has a great personality and is as chatty as I am so we had a great time. She even had me judge the Cosmo contest between the two bartenders working that night. That was fun!
VEGAS CROSSDRESSING DAY 4
Saturday I opted not to crossdress during the day in that I covered every inch of the mall Thursday afternoon. The plan was to go get a messy burger as Duke then cruise the canal shops for something interesting. Didn’t find anything in the shops and opted for a messy chicken sandwich instead of the burger.
Saturday night was a change for dinner also after so many steak houses Italian food sounded pretty good so it was Caneletto located on the Grand Canal overlooking St. Marks Square. The food was awesome with the beef mushroom risotto followed by Cannoli Siciliani for desert and of Cosmo’s a plenty.
Now that I have crossdressed in Vegas over 20 times I have come to the opinion that nobody there cares, provided you act like a lady. Wearing a mask has made it interesting because people can only look at your body and mostly your eyes. If your eye makeup looks good they will probably take notice and keep going. Everywhere I went the proper pronouns were used and the people I met were very nice. It kinda makes me wonder if I am fooling them for a while but, I always let the cat out of the bag with my voice. Whether they were fooled or not they treat me great so who cares? My favorite encounter was walking down the long hall from my room (See picture above) to the elevator when a 30ish woman was walking straight toward me. I reached the elevators first and pushed the button wondering if she was going to follow me into the elevator. She did but said nothing to me then the elevator stopped at every floor going down with nobody getting on. I commented to her that somebody is getting their kicks out of pushing all the buttons on every floor. She nodded and then I noticed her looking me over from head to toe. When she looked back at my face she said”Damn you look good” and I thanked her.
Crossdressing in Las Vegas for Halloween is something I dreamed of as a kid but was afraid for many years. That all changed about 20 years ago when a few of us took a chance on San Francisco being tolerant or possibly accepting of us. They were and we went back every year since until this 2020 when COVID 19 got in the way. Friends there advised against doing it this year so we opted for Las Vegas Crossdressing instead. We spent three nights there and had a wonderful time masks and all dinning at great restaurants and shopping during the day. The weather was amazing with the high at 80 and the lows around 60.
NIGHT #1 THE PALM RESTAURANT
The first night we went to The Palm restaurant at the Forum Shops in Caesar’s Palace. Great food and service and we were treated like ladies seated in a nice booth with a view of everything. For my first night of Las Vegas Crossdressing I wore my new zebra skirt that fit perfectly. I paired it with a black zippered jacket I already had. The Micki Finn mask is real not Photo Shopped I had it made for the trip.
THE FORUM SHOPS AT CAESARS
NIGHT #2 DELMONICO’S
The second night was at Delmonico’s Steakhouse between the Venetian Hotel where I was staying and the Palazzo where Ashley stayed. Delmonico’s is a favorite every time we go to Vegas not just for the food and service but the location also. We were seated at a great table next to the wine room with a nice view of the restaurant. Our server was attentive, fun and did not rush us through the dinner.
DELMONICO STEAKHOUSE
CROSSDRESSING LAS VEGAS
Trips for Las Vegas Crossdressing always include lots of walking long distances on hard tile floors for the most part . That’s why I pack my fold-able ballet slippers in my purse and change a short distance from my destination. This night I opted for my leopard jacket over a sleeveless dress. I forgot to have Ashley take a picture of me at the restaurant so I had to take this one in my suite on the timer.
MY VENETIAN SUITE ENTRY
NIGHT #3 COSTA di MARE
Our last night a special occasion because of Halloween and we were in Vegas so we went to a new restaurant. It is the Costa di Mare located in the Wynn Hotel and was exceptional. It was quite possibly the best food and service I have ever had. Although it came at a price similar to the GDP of a small country. The hostess gave us a choice of taking the elevator or the stairs and I jumped on the elevator. I wish I had taken the stairs because it is the grand entrance to the lower level dinning room. We took the elevator option because the black patent pumps I was wearing were 4.5 inches tall. I ordered them by mistake and love them but they are too high for Vegas. I did not want to make my Las Vegas Crossdressing entrance going end over end down the stairs.
COSTA DI MARE DINNING ROOM
Our servers were terrific with a head waiter showing us the large fish cart displaying the fresh catch of whole fish, lobster, scallops, and octopus. We opted for the chefs recommendation that was a assortment of items from the cart. The fish we selected was a mild flaky salt water fish carved perfectly by one of our servers. Neither of us found a bone on our plates. Ashley talked me into giving octopus another try after my Hawaiian experience years ago. Selecting it from a buffet I chewed for half an hour on what seemed like an inter-tube! Costa di Mare sold me on octopus because it was tender and very flavorful. I guess the buffet is not the best place to get it.
THE PALAZZO SHOPS
The Wynn had more security than any other hotel on the strip putting us through electronic wand sensors and purse searches. There has been some violence on the strip in recent weeks so they are on the lookout for problems. Most of what I have read about was late at night so I was not too concerned. One takeaway from the experience is that the American people want their life back! The Strip was packed the streets, the casino’s, the restaurants, and even the Showtime Mall across the street. Everybody everywhere was wearing a mask which, was mandatory so I guess people are sick of staying locked up.
Crossdresser in Las Vegas is back and yours truly was there with my BFF Ashley from CHIC to get it started. After 3 months of solitary confinement we were ready for a crossdressing adventure it was just a question of where. When Vegas reopened and the Venetian announced their discounts it was a done deal for us. They opened on the 4th and I got there on the 6th late in the afternoon to get the lay of the land. Our plan was to dress Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights with golf in DRAB as Duke and Rocco Monday & Tuesday during the day. Crossdressers in Las Vegas in not that unusual but I am pretty sure there were only ones doing it that week. Rest assured we were the best dressed ladies anywhere in town as there was a sea of shorts tank tops and thongs to compete with.
CROSSDRESSER PASSING
Maybe Ashley the night she wore jeans but definitely not me overdressed absolutely as always! We were noticed for sure but nobody really cares so they observe, smile then drink some more. Some people wore masks but not in the casino’s and restaurants along with the bars. I did not devote the time it takes to put Ms. Micki together to wear a mask so did not. All servers and resort personnel wore masks at all times along with taxi drivers. There was constant cleaning everywhere all the time so Vegas is on it big time.
DINING OUT CROSSDRESSED
Crossdressed in Las Vegas may be back but not everywhere with some casino’s not open yet and mainly the anchor stores open in the mall. Others were scheduled to open June 12th and were getting ready. I think by the 4th of July everything will be open again.
Ashley suggested we stay within the Palazzo and Venetian hotel where we were staying to avoid having to mask up for UBER. Taking her suggestion I booked CUT by Wolfgang Puck at the Palazzo for Sunday night where we got an awesome booth. The server asked if it was a special occasion and I replied yes, my first Cosmo in 3 months! The servers although masked were wonderful treating us as ladies never missing a pronoun.
On Monday after golf was Italian night so we walked over to Canaletto restaurant in the St. Marks Square section of the Venetian Canal Shops. There weren’t any acceptable tables outside so we opted for one inside. The only available one outside was right next to the hostess station so we would be in a fishbowl all night. We were not comfortable with kids staring at us all night. YES KIDS! They were everywhere with parents escaping to Vegas for the inexpensive hotel rates and dragging their kids along masked or not. No wonder the divorce rate is so high in America. Maybe seeing gurlz Crossdressed in Las Vegas will convince them to leave the kids at home.
Anyway, we had a great Italian dinner and of course more Cosmo’s before calling it a night because of an early tee time Tuesday morning.
Tuesday night we went to Smith & Wollensky just off the Canal shops at the Venetian for an amazing steak dinner.
I had a bit of a fashion emergency when I wore the snake skin pumps for the first time. I broke them in using my freezing technique so they felt OK walking around my house but the tile at the Canal shops was a problem. They loosened up after a while and the heel started slipping which has never happened before. Thank goodness I keep a thin pair of ballet flats in my purse to switch. I did put the pumps back on for the grand entrance into the restaurant. It was a bit slippery walking on their tile floor but I made it to our booth which was the farthest one in the back.
They did not rush us so we took out time even chatting with the staff as the night progressed. We called it a night around 10 so we could leave early the next day for home.
CROSSDRESSED IN LAS VEGAS OBSERVATIONS
The town is coming back to life each day and more venues open each day. When I arrived Saturday afternoon the Sephora store next to the Venetian still had plywood over the windows. Monday afternoon they were gone and employees were stocking the shelves. There was a sign on the door stating they would reopen June 12th. The Fashion Show Mall had Macy,s, Dillard,s, and Nordstrom’s stores open with a few smaller ones on Sunday. More smaller ones opened on Monday and the same at the Venetian Canal Shops. I expect this will continue daily until everything is open. I know many were waiting to see what the demand was before opening and were shocked at the bookings. The Palazzo and both Wynn hotels changed course quickly
Cross Dressing 101 is a page I created for those who are new to crossdressing to guide them along the journey of going out en fem. However it is written to include anyone interested in picking up some techniques they might not be aware of. Cross Dressing 101 will get you ready but the decision to go out. It’s a decision only the cross dresser can make for themselves. Having said that sometimes a little push is needed to get them across the threshold which can be intimidating. Some years back there were conventions that you could attend in large hotels where you could dress in your room. Then you could venture downstairs to meet new friends. There was no Cross Dressing 101 back then so you just went downstairs no matter how bad you looked.
CROSSDRESSING 101 HELP
Thankfully there was always somebody that looked worse than you but the good news was there was a fix. In those days there were several hundred crossdressers all in the same hotel. That many captive prospects made it very profitable for vendors to set up shop. Once you made it downstairs to the vendor area you would start with Jim Bridges (Hollywood studio makeup artist) for makeover. Jim would strip off what makeup you had which was most likely all wrong for your skin type. He would educate you and apply the correct shades based on your age and skin tone. Jim had wigs but if not the right one he would borrow one from the wig ladies to complete your look. When you left Jim’s chair you were looking the best you ever could. Also armed with instructions on how to do it yourself. I think in most cases you left with the new wig you were wearing (purchased) thanks to Jim. Jim also did seminars on makeup because it was impossible to remember everything he told you during the makeover. From there it was just steps to the jewelry folks to accessorize the outfit you needed to wear that night. Extra large shoes were available and some clothing along with some corset makers.
Unfortunately there are only a handful of events going on now that are similar in some ways but much smaller. The only one that I have attended and would recommend to a cross dresser 101 girl is Diva Las Vegas. It is different from the old convention formats with no vendor area or seminars downstairs but help is available. Their version of cross dresser 101 is to have appointments available at the malls for makeovers and some independent services that cater to cross dressers. The MAC CROSSDRESSER MAKEUP counter at the mall on the strip is very popular and the artists are great along with being extremely cross dresser friendly. Amy at Just You is a full service male to female cross dresser store close by where you can get pretty much everything you need.
Diva Las Vegas this year has been re scheduled from the original March dates to October 27 thru Halloween the 31st. Being that Halloween is the official cross dresser holiday it should be fun. There are many wives who attend with their crossdresser husbandswho make it a vacation. There is probably no better time for a wife who fears being outed when seen with her crossdresser husband. Halloween is a good to go out with him in costume as a princess or Alvira. Last year I went to the CHIC Halloween party as Captain Morgana (Captain Morgans Rum) and there are many online costume stores to chose from.
CROSS DRESSER 101 VEGAS
The main reason I recommend Diva for crossdresser 101 girls is because of Diva’s Big Sister program. It is intended to help those needing someone to assist them getting around Diva. I have talked with many CD’s that want to attend but don’t know other crossdressers so feel intimidated going out alone. We have all had times like that especially in the beginning if you can remember that far back! The key is to sign up for the event NOW and ask for a big sister when you do. It is first come first served and they go fast so if you want one its better to do it right away.
I think when Las Vegas opens up again there will be a rush like a tidal wave some rooms could be a problem.
Crossdressing history comes in two parts, one is the personal crossdresser’s history. The other is part of the collective history of crossdressing men wearing dresses over the ages.
Younger crossderesser’s will have a relatively short history but, are none the less part of the collective history of crossdressing. The younger crossdresser’s are the inspiration for this post. It also pertains to others regardless of their age that have recently made the leap to explore crossdressing.
CROSSDRESSING FEAR AND TREPIDATION
Crossdressing in public isn’t what it used to be and the young and newly launched gurlz benefit from the efforts of those who came before. Long before Caitlyn Jenner drew so much attention to the subject when she came out to the world others were pushing the envelope. Some at great personal cost like divorce, job loss and in some cases jail. The farther back in history you go the worse it was.
30 years ago I would have been extremely uncomfortable going into the 555 Steakhouse dressed as a woman. It is an upscale restaurant in downtown Long Beach near the convention center. The 555 is always crowded liquored up convention folks. Getting the cold shoulder from the management and frowns from the customers would have been my expectation and that would be the good part. Fearing being asked to leave or having customers request being moved were also a consideration. My worst fear though would be to have had some dunce pull my wig off and play catch with his boozed up buddies.
Please understand my paranoia of the 555 Steakhouse was in no way based on the establishment but, my fear of society in general in those days.
Last month I made a reservation at the 555 online for 10 people on the Friday night before our club (CHIC) Christmas Party. I did not notify them in advance that we were going to be crossdressed. I did years ago out of consideration for the restaurant. The reason being that they know me there. Micki has eaten their many times in large and small groups being treated as a lady every time. I think I am in their computer system so they know what to expect when we arrive. That Friday night the place was really crowded but our food & service were exceptional. Other than we were dressed better than most of the women there nobody paid us much attention.
MATURE CROSSDRESSER HISTORY
I have posted before on mature crossdressing history when I wrote about a book my friend John C. Gunn authored called I’m Dressed Your Not. John went by the name Lane when we met at a CHIC meeting about 30 years ago. She is in her 90’s now and I and others learned a lot from her especially the fingernail technique I use. Another post I did was about Laverne Cummings who would be about the same age as Lane had she not passed a couple of years ago.
I recently came across some information on the internet that took me back to the early stages of my crossdressing history. It along with seeing how different things are nowadays for younger and newly launched crossdressers are what inspired this post. Possibly after reading it those with less crossdresser history will gain an appreciation for those who came before and blazed the trail.
CROSSDRESSER DOCUMENTERIES
I came across a series of YouTube crossdressing videos by JoAnn Roberts from the mid 1980’s along with a tape from the Phil Donahue television daytime show.
JoAnn passed in 2013 but not before making a significant impact on the crossdressing history of many of us.
She started her own publishing company and began producing LadyLike Magazine.
In 1985 she wrote and published Art & Illusion, A Guide to Crossdressing.
She was also one of the founders of the Renaissance Transgender Association, Inc. This was all done in an era where you could easily lose your job on just the rumor that you were a crossdresser.
Her courage and others like her eased the path for others by educating the public on crossdressing. In 1995 she was a partner in the online website Trans Gender Forum later named TG Forum.
It was TGForum and JoAnn that hosted the 1st CHIC website that I built almost 20 years ago. JoAnn was very patient with my lack of knowledge of websites back then.
Crossdressing in Las Vegas has not been one of my favorite experiences as a rule. Its starting to grow on me though as I am experimenting with different hotels hoping to find a better match.
I don’t gamble more than $100.00 per trip on video porker machines so much of what goes on there does not interest me.
DIVA LAS VEGAS 2019
I attended this year again and stayed at the Flamingo which I did not care for at all. Too many people and my room was the absolute farthest from the lobby way too far in 4 inch high heels. Thank God I stuffed my foldable ballet slippers in my purse, they saved my tootsies.
THE CROMWELL HOTEL
Three weeks after DIVA I found myself back in Las Vegas again for a crossdressing in Las Vegas / golfing / shopping adventure. This time we stayed at the Cromwell Hotel. Its right next to the Flamingo and liked it much better. It is a much smaller property with only 188 well appointed rooms. The staff was great and the elevator was only 50 feet from my room. Once down on the casino floor it was a short walk to either the strip or valet parking in the back. Right next to the valet is the UBER & LIFT pick up point.
GIADA’S
The only disappointment on the trip was the first night we had a dinner reservation at Giada De Laurentiis restaurant. Two years ago we had dinner there and it was over the top. We a window table overlooking the strip and a great server.
CROSSDRESED FOR DINNER
We were crossdressed both times but this night they seemed intent on giving us an undesirable table. I don’t know if it was how we were dressed or if the hostess was a moron or both. The first table had me sitting next to a wall looking at another wall. Like when I stood in the corner at school. I rejected it asking for the empty window table a few feet away. She said she had to check and see and took us back to the bar while she checked.
We arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes ahead of our reservation but sat at the bar for another 15. We sat while she filled all of the available window tables. Fifteen minutes after our reservation time she came back and took us to a table almost as bad as the one I rejected. She said the table I requested was in an area that the server was not taking anymore customers. The second table was not the window I requested and I only had to look at one wall.
Because it was almost 8:30 PM by this time we accepted the table and had dinner. Our servers were great and took very good care of us but I was so annoyed by the table incident I don’t even remember what I ate.
I can’t say for sure if the hostess was screwing with us because we were dressed or not but there are too many great restaurants in Las Vegas to give her another chance.
Crossdressers passing is a popular topic across the INTERNET and the world in general. I don’t worry about it and have discussed my thoughts in another post dealing with acceptance vs. passing.
I attended DIVA Las Vegas 2019 this year but only attended a few evening events. My days were spent shopping at the Miracle Mile Shops and the Fashion Show Mall crossdressed of course. Did I pass? Was I one of the DIVA crossdressers passing among the crowd? I will never know because everyone treated me as the lady I was dressed as. They addressed me with the correct pronouns, greeted me with a smile and in general gave me good service. I was surrounded by hordes of people all over town doing what people do in Vegas.
DAYTIME SHOPPING
The first day at the Miracle Mile I wore a black denim jacket with lace accents sewn on. Blue jeans and clack suede flats. The second day at the Fashion Show Mall I wore black jeans with a buckskin faux suede jacket and black suede flats again. Nobody gave me any significant looks or attention. I did get looks mind you but considering everyone else was in shorts and thongs can’t judge one way or the other. Was I read or a crossdresser passing? Did they look because I was a nicely dressed woman? Could being over dressed cause them to look longer? Who knows? Based on their demeanor I will say they accepted a crossdresser for how she was dressed and moved on.
DINNING WITH CROSSDRESSER FRIENDS
I joined Wanda & Susan friends from CHIC on Tuesday night at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse for dinner followed by cocktails at the Cromwell Hotel.
Wednesday after shopping I had a 5:30 dinner reservation at Stack Steakhouse in the Mirage Hotel. I dined with four CHIC members who were attending DIVA Las Vegas 2019.
Dinner was earlier than normal because Wanda had gotten us tickets to the Terry Fator Show. The show was at the Mirage so it was a short walk to the theater.
Thursday night was the DIVA Las Vegas farewell dinner at Off The Strip.
I attended with four CHIC members and met two prospective members. I also had dinner with Cassandra and Susan from the Rose City “T” Girls in addition to Michelle the current Vanity Club President. CHIC members Wanda and wife Susan joined for a picture below.
A fun week for sure and if you have never attended DIVA Las Vegas you might want to try it. They have a big sister program for newbies.
Crossdresser colors you say! What is that? Years ago I found out quite by chance at California Dreaming a San Francisco crossdressing event. I was wandering around the vendor area looking at all the wares available when I came upon the Donna Fujii Cosmetics booth. There wasn’t much going on during the day in that most everyone was in the city shopping. As I was talking to the lady in the booth she asked if I wanted my colors done. I replied crossdresser colors? She explained that everyone should know their colors especially crossdressers.
COLOR CONSULTATION
I sat down in the chair and she explained the difference between cool colors and warm colors. My skin is medium and I was wearing a dark brown wig so while my skin says warm my hair said cool. She started with cool and placed a piece of silver metallic cloth on my shoulder and asked me to look at my face especially my makeup. She then placed a gold metallic cloth on the other shoulder again asking me to look at my makeup. When she then removed the silver cloth it seemed like my makeup changed looking much more complimentary or warmer. She advised switching to warm tones like blond wigs and warm palette colors for makeup.
Clothes such as red really pop when worn with a blond wig.
Micki Finn crossdressed in red jacket.
Finding anybody wearing much color is difficult today women, crossdresser’s or anyone else. Yes black is slimming but gets old seeing everyone dressed that way.
HAIR AND MAKEUP
The most important colors to get right are makeup and hair so if possible get the makeup right for your skin then do the wig color and style. The ideal would be to try on wigs dressed with your correct makeup on. Shorter styles are easier to work with because you don’t get distracted with the style and concentrate on the wig color complimenting your makeup. I think you will be surprised pleasantly and please purchase a wig if you take advantage of the Solon’s expertise.
Another possibility is to attend a crossdresser convention / conference where there is a wig stylist exhibiting but again if at all possible purchase something from them. Diva Las Vegas this spring should have a wig company working with them.
Crossdressing for Halloween is probably the ultimate fantasy for every crossdresser at least when they first begin anyway. I think like me everyone thinks it would be the safest way to venture out for the first time crossdressed in public. Although I thought of it I went out dressed for many years before finally going to a Halloween party. It was safe given by a crossdresser and her wife in their home. I got ready in my home and my wife sneaked me out the door keeping watch for neighbors.
HALOWEEN 2018
After many years one of the CHIC members threw a Halloween party last weekend, Of course everyone was crossdressing for Halloween. My wife talked me into wearing a “Queen of Harts” costume. She was not attending with me so I was to go alone. That is not a big deal other than I was not staying at a motel. Motels often let you park right outside your door so you only have a few steps to get in the car. I was staying in a high rise Marriott hotel on the 7th floor.
THE ELEVATOR
I have stayed in this Marriott many times and am comfortable with it. The staff knows me and I think they are always interested in what I will be wearing each night I am there. I am always overdressed and I think the ladies approve of my taste.
Saturday night was different because my wife goaded me into getting dressed in my costume at the hotel. That meant I was going to be driving to the party dressed in it. I wanted to rent rent a second room just for that night to get ready but had trouble selling her on the cost.
CROSSDRESSING MARRIOTT
All dressed and ready to go I ventured out of my room and down the hall to the elevator as the Queen of Harts. I was probably only 20 feet down the hall when I heard a door slam behind me. I would have company in the elevator going down and he showed up 2 seconds behind me. Fortunately he asked if I was going to a party and I said yes, to which he said well you look great. I thanked him and we got into the elevator.
Lucky me!
The usually quiet lobby was full of people checking in for a big wedding that night so I gave them something to talk about and left.
The party was about a hour away and was great fun but I left a little after ten. after changing into a more contemporary jacket, skirt and heels.
I attended with four CHIC members and met two prospective members. I also had dinner with Cassandra and Susan from the 
