I was 12-years-old in 1963 and became fascinated with female impersonation when I noticed weekly thumbnail-sized ads in the New York Daily News for 82 Club. Each ad depicting a glamorous showgirl accompanied by the caption “Who’s No Lady?”
The 82 Club showgirls were female impersonators and I was amazed that a male could emulate a glamorous female! I was so impressed that I began clipping the 82 Club ads out of the newspaper each week and hiding them behind the Washington Senators in the box containing my baseball card collection.
One thing led to another and one afternoon when I was home alone, I went into my parent’s bedroom and opened the drawer of my mother’s bureau where she stored her nylon stockings. (This was in the days before pantyhose and seamless stockings were popular, so her nylons had seams.)
I carefully slipped a stocking up each of my hairless legs (those were the days!) and straightened the seams. When I was done, I opened my mother’s closet door to admire myself in the full-length mirror mounted on the inside of the door.
I liked what I saw: a pair of legs that looked just like a pair of woman’s legs! Then I realized that I could do even better.
Inside the closet were stacks of shoeboxes containing my mother's shoes. I carefully looked through the boxes for a pair of high heel pumps. When I found a pair (with a three-inch heel), I slipped them on and revisited the full-length mirror.
Not only did I see a pair of woman’s legs in the mirror, but they were now a shapely pair of woman’s legs! I proved to myself that that a male really could emulate a female.
I quickly, but carefully removed the shoes and stockings and returned them to their proper place before my family returned home. And I assure you that would not be the last time I would visit my mother's bureau, closet and full-length mirror.
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| Wearing Max Mara |
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| Femulating professionally at 82 Club. |
I could have written that description I remember seeing and ad for th review when they were on the road near Cape Cod. Probably wasn't old enough to get in then. Still love a good drag show
ReplyDeleteThat was most likely The Jewel Box Revue. They toured extensively and I saw them many times in a few venues in DC. I especially remember their month-long stay at The Howard Theater -- I was in heaven.
DeleteOh yes, once again very familiar for me. It was a Saturday morning no one was home. My sister worked for Bendix in Teterboro and they were on strike so she was out of the house. I went down to her room I was in the third grade go-go boots fishnet stockings were all the craze I guess this was something that was on my mind for a long time. I just wanted to know what it felt like the girls in my class all wore this. so a pair of black fishnets mini dress with a paisley design and a Peter Pan collar. I put the fishnets on the pair of panties no bra this time still hadn’t been on my radar yet Zipped up the go-go boots, put the dress on let it fall over my head in the closet was a hairpiece. My sister had, not a wig, but a bun you would put on top of your head and put in place on to-the vanity with the lipstick and rouge, and then I heard the car come in the driveway I ran into the basement with my pajamas and changed back into them later in the day I threw all the clothes in my sister’s closet she had to know. I just threw them there. And here we are today 60 years later Paula G
ReplyDeleteHi Paula! How many times did we put away "borrowed" clothes in such a way that the owner knew we had borrowed them? I always tried to be so careful (at least in my young boy brain) about putting my mother's pantyhose and clothes back *exactly* where I found them, but I often wondered if she knew๐ค
DeleteSometimes, I wish I had never crossdressed. If I had not, I could enjoy the experience of dressing for the first time. I feel that would be AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteMy first time was in 1977. I was 11 years old. My mom had gotten her Masters degree and was now a working professional, so her wardrobe has shifted from black stretch pants to elegant skirts and blouses with pantyhose and heels. She seemed to enjoy wearing nice clothes and she told me, for reasons unknown, that she felt more feminine in a skirt. One evening she had piled her outfit from the day on top of the hamper in the bathroom. I was overcome with a need to know what it felt like to wear pantyhose. I had seen women put them on in countless movies so I knew how to reach in, grab the toe seam and gather it neatly. It felt so good next thing I knew I was wearing her silky print blouse and coordinating midi skirt. I strode the length of the bathroom several times feeling the sway of the skirt and the hem brushing my knees. I practiced sitting first smoothing the skirt under my bottom and then crossing my legs. It felt so right!
ReplyDeleteHi Andy, thank you for sharing this lovely story! Your vivid details make us feel as though we were there with you that evening. Ok, as I read that back, it sounds a little creepy haha!
DeleteIt reminded of an event from my youth that I had long forgotten. I was a teen and our family was visiting my parents' friends. I went to the bathroom and saw a pair of pantyhose in the hamper. I was tempted to try them on but, not wanting to cause suspicion over a long bathroom visit, decided to stuff them in my pants and take them home. I wonder now if the owner of the hose had any idea that I was the thief.
For as much as pantyhose is integral to my look in fall winter and early spring, I’m happy to put them away when summer comes. There is nothing more comfortable on a hot day than breezy ruffled and tiered cotton sundress with just a pair of lace panties underneath. Worn with wedgy espadrilles and a casual purse, the combination of easy and pretty just can’t be beat, especially when presenting as unmistakably genetically male with no wig or makeup. If I never had to wear shorts weighted down with my wallet, keys and phone again I’d be one happy guy! Feminine clothing choices should be an option for EVERYONE!
Deletei feel liberated when I crossdress , I d not have to perform anyone else standards!
ReplyDeleteStana ,I Love that flowery dress on the white background !
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One of my favorites, too.
DeleteI can't recall a specific first time, but I know it involved a pair of my mother's pantyhose. Like many of you, my fascination with pantyhose and tights was my entrance into the world of crossdressing. I can recall being home alone, taking a pair of her hose out of one of those lovely plastic eggs, and wearing them briefly...sometimes with one of her satin slips. Decades later and I still find pantyhose and tights to be irresistible❣️
ReplyDeleteOne Never forgets her wonderful first time .
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I find it interesting that there is a pattern of “First Time” around 11 or 12 years old (like me) and always the wearing of hosiery and shoes as the first step. I used to enjoy watching my mother’s friends come over. Several of them wore seamed stockings because I at times would catch sight of a garter belt strap or two with their hiked up skirts. I think one of her friends always seemed to have them exposed if I came into the room and sat down to talk to them as they called out my name to ask some question. I was always looking to see what shoes or heels they were wearing and many times this allowed me to see if they had “painted” their toes. Naturally, I can see how my fascination for this expanded to wanting to wear hosiery and high heels and then why not see what I would look like “en-femme”?. I was lucky because my shoe was size was similar to hers and she had some wigs in the closet. My mother didn’t wear stockings and preferred pantyhose. I became very good at obtaining a few things while visiting her friends with my mother.
ReplyDeleteWhen we had a big tea social after renovating our home, spike heels would scratch the hard wood floors so heels were left at the front door at the bottom of the entrance. WOW! All these high heels for me to try on. I also did some mild hazing where a new street club member would have to go obtain a few items to donate to the gods of Motherly Love. I had them obtain some stockings, a black girdle and a bra. These younger kids did not understand their true purpose but I packaged everything up and we buried it at the forest where we had a small club house made of branches. I went later at night to bring my gift bag home. I do confess that I did borrow a pair of heels from her friend (she wouldn’t miss them as she had so many pairs in the closet and these were dusty). So I pretty much had an outfit and could borrow a wig. I could not wait for “my time” where I could enjoy being myself and spend time around my house when my parents were gone with my brother. I never had a sister so I relied on my Mothers friends. I had no idea if anyone else did this as I was 12 and it wasn’t until many years later I found a swingers magazine that someone left on the Bus. I saw a circled advert in the back looking to meet others that enjoyed transvestism (Oh it had a name – off to the Encyclopedia books to see what that meant and a female that could help them look like a woman. I wrote a letter to that PO Box and a few weeks later I got a reply to my newly acquired PO Box with some Polaroids. I never replied but I knew there were others interested in dressing up as women.
I have read so many articles on fetishism, transvestism, and crossdressing and not too many really state that maybe this person feels like he is more female than male and has desires to dress up in stockings and high heels and look like they were a movie star. I loved the look of Italian Movie stars because they all wore high heels, stiletto and kitten heels. No running shoes for them.
I wonder what would have happened if I had a sister, if she would help me, or even if my mother would have participated. My Dad would be very mad of course if he found out but for some secrets are forever so he may have never known if I had family help. I do strive to be my best and very passable from afar and I thank Stana for all her tips (and her girlfriends) but a professional make over from a local Trans girl gave me the confidence to go out and about. That to me was my second “First Time”.
In those days a teen would not be able to just walk out the door and do an out and about mailing letters, going to the ATM and window shopping…..no way. I really wanted to be that movie star. Over the years the business woman in a skirt look or secretarial look became my “identity” and always with a solid fashion flair to mimic what the middle aged movie stars look like now. My third “First Time” would most likely be at a weeklong event where I can be with others and be my “identity” for that time.
Hugs Brenda
Ah, Brenda, the sister question. My older sister hated my older brother, and when I was on the way she had hoped I would be a girl. She was disappointed, to say the least, to have another brother. Five years older than me, she was in the work world when I was I high school, my years of excited crossdressing development. She was working in a bank which required all female employees to be attired as proper ladies in skirts and pantyhose. We were the same size so I enjoyed trying on her outfits whenever I could. She would come home every evening and shout from her room “Gotta get OUT of this stupid skirt and goddamned itchy pantyhose !” Oh, how I wanted to tell her I WAS her sister in some ways and she could dress me up and we could have so much fun but I think she just would have thought it was funny. Her emasculated brother who actually liked these uncomfortable submissive clothes. 45 years later I really think she never had a clue what I was doing in her closet when she wasn’t looking.
DeleteThe 82 Club was around for many years. This is a photo with ladies I actually remember from my days in the mid-60s when I had those weekend business trips to New York City. I see a number of familiar faces, but don't remember names. Lovin' the big hair! As they say here in Baltimore, "De higher de hair, de closer to hebben". I do remember having a huge crush on the redhead in the lower right. She was a great dancer. I tried to get an invitation to watch the girls doing their makeup, but was unsuccessful.
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