It's That Time of Year

Remembering Fantasia Fair

This week is TransWeek in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Previously known as “Fantasia Fair,” I attended 17 years ago and today's post are my thoughts about that amazing week en femme 24/7 in October 2008.

During my week en femme in Provincetown, I shopped, dined, and had many other encounters with civilians throughout Provincetown and never had a problem. Everyone I encountered was friendly and treated me like a lady with one exception. Twice, I bought items at a pharmacy on Commercial Street.

First time, I found what I wanted to buy and stepped up behind a dude talking to the pharmacist who was standing at the cash register. The dude and pharmacist concluded their chat. I stepped up to the counter and the pharmacist turned his back on me and walked away instead of ringing up my purchase. 

I waited a minute or two for someone to ring me up. A middle-aged woman finally showed up to handle my purchase. She was very cold, avoided eye contact and the only words out of her mouth was the amount of money I had to pay.

Second time, the same woman rang me up with the same level of frigidity.

In both cases, I was my charming self, but the only response I received was a blank cold stare. I would not say that the pharmacy was transphobic, but they certainly were not transfriendly and being the only pharmacy in the center of town, I am sure they made a lot of money off the trans folks visiting town last week. Go figure!

***

I improved and streamlined my makeup skills during the week. Doing my makeup twice a day for a week, I found shortcuts to get the job done more quickly. (“Practice makes perfect.”) By week’s end, I probably shaved 15 to 20 minutes off my normal 1-hour makeup routine. I also was able to experiment with different looks and colors, which was a lot of fun!

***

I learned a lot about woman’s footwear during my week en femme. Downtown Provincetwon uses cobblestones for many of its sidewalks and they are unforgiving when you wear high heels. I quickly learned which shoes to wear when I had a lot of walking to do, that is, my booties and my mid-heel pumps with the chunky heel. If I wanted to wear heels at an event, I carried them with me while walking in my comfortable shoes, then changed to heels when I arrived at the event. Luckily, many events were in my hotel, so I did not have to carry heels around town that often.

***

I had a lot of fun mixing and matching separates (tops, jackets, skirts, pants) to create outfits during the week. (Is it still crossdressing when you wear pants?)

***

I reached a new level at Fantasia Fair. Femulating 24/7 for a solid week, you stop thinking about the fact you are femulating and begin living like a woman. All the techniques you use for femulation become second nature; you no longer have to think about using those techniques because they are now natural. I believe that during Fantasia Fair, I came as close to feeling like a natural woman as I can be and I hope that that second nature will stick with me forever.

***

Will I attend future Fantasia Fairs?

As my euphoria peaked at the end of the week, I told anyone who asked that I would be back next year and that I would begin saving money for the trip on Monday to make next year’s trip possible.

After the banquet Saturday night, I began reconsidering my return next year or any year.

The civilians in Provincetown are aware that the circus is in town, which makes it impossible to pass. Every tall woman is a potential man in a dress, so the civilians check out every tall girl to see if that is the case. I never experienced anything untoward in Provincetown, but being a very tall girl, I became annoyed by the inspection that I (and all the other tall girls) had to undergo every time we walked outside.

If you are a closeted femulator and want to get out of the closet in a safe way, I highly recommend Fantasia Fair to you, but I don’t need that. I could take the money I saved to bankroll a trip to Fantasia Fair and have a wonderful time shopping for a new wardrobe in the malls and outlet stores of Connecticut. Sure some people might gawk at me as I shopped, but most would not because (1) they would not be alerted beforehand that a crossdresser may be in their midst and (2) I often pass and do not attract attention to myself in a bad way, that is, in a way that gives away my birth gender.

I had a wonderful time at Fantasia Fair and I am sure I would have a good time if I attended again, but weighing the cost versus the potential of growing more as a woman, I think my money would be better invested elsewhere.

A Connecticut sister hit the nail on the head. During one lunch, she distributed ballots to the Fantasia Fair attendees to vote for the Miss Cinderella Award. Another friend suggested that everyone vote for me, but my Connecticut sister remarked that the purpose of the award is to recognize the attendee who blossomed the most during the Fair and that I had blossomed before attending the Fair.

Nuf said!

[By the way, I attended Fantasia Fair three more times (2010, 2012 and 2014) for the same reason I attended Hamvention year after year: to see friends from all over the world, who I would not see otherwise.]

Source: Rue La La

Christopher Morley femulating on television’s Too Close For Comfort.

It Seams To Me

When I started dressing seriously in the early 1960s, I wore nylon stockings that had seams. But just as I was warming up, my nylon stockings’ source (Mom) switched to the newfangled seamless stockings (and I no longer had to worry about keeping my seams straight). 

I’ve been wearing seamless hose ever since, but the first funny in this past weekend’s Someday Funnies got me thinking about seamed hosiery and the fact that they are very sexy. And that it is about time that I added some seamed thigh highs to my wardrobe.

I poked around Amazon and found a three-pack of On the Go black seamed thigh highs at $22.99 ($7.66 per pair), which is a reasonable price for thigh highs these days. 

As soon as they arrive, I will try them on and let you know what I think. (I already think that I will have to start worrying about keeping my seams straight!)

Wearing StyleWe

Ted Bessell femulating in a 1968 episode of television’s That Girl.

Stuff 93: Jennifer Loves to Cook

By J.J. Atwell

Loco Moco

Yes, I’m back with another recipe because, of course, Jennifer loves to cook! Doesn’t matter if I’m presenting as Jennifer or that guy. Cooking is fun. Fair warning: there is very little about CDing in this installment of Stuff. But you can compensate by trying this recipe while in girl mode. Thanks!

You may recall from Stuff #90 which Stana published on September 29, 2025 that I recently vacationed in Hawaii. That trip reignited my love for this specialized dish. I almost called it a delicacy, but realized that’s not the right word. Perhaps, it’s better to think of this as Hawaiian comfort food. 

So what is a Loco Moco? It’s an assemblage of yummy ingredients that is perfect for breakfast or any time of day. Basically, you get a dish of rice topped with a hamburger patty with gravy poured over it and topped with an egg.

Get Your Stuff

Ready to try it yourself? Great! Before we start though, I’d like to warn you that the hardest thing is to get all the parts ready at the same time. You’re basically making four different ingredients, each with their own cooking time. Oh, and you’ll dirty a lot of pots and pans making it. This recipe is per serving, but it’s easy enough to scale it up. Also, the portions of each ingredient are changeable according to individual preferences. Don’t forget an apron to protect that cute outfit. 

First, let’s gather the ingredients:

• Rice - ½ cup per serving of cooked white rice
• Eggs - 1 or 2 per serving
• Hamburger patty - 1 or 2 per serving. Preferably 80/20 lean/fat, at least 4 oz, but 8 oz is good
• Onion -1 medium diced (optional)
• Butter for sautéing if including onions or mushrooms
• Mushrooms - 4 oz sliced (optional)
• Water for gravy
• Gravy - ½ cup per serving, use a simple packet of brown gravy mix and the amount of water called for on the package
• Crispy fried onions or potato strings
• Salt and pepper to taste

Now that we have everything, let’s get started:

• Cook the rice. You can use the 90 second microwave packages to make this easier if you are only serving one or two people. If doing more than that, just make a pot of rice with enough to provide ½ cup for each serving.
• Grill the hamburger patty but don’t over cook it. You’ll find that medium rare burger is probably right for this dish
• Prepare a brown gravy by sautéing the onion in butter until translucent. Follow the directions for the gravy mix using a small pot and water, once boiling, add the onion and perhaps some mushrooms. Cover the pot and turn down the flame to simmer. Let it go for about 5 minutes. 
• Cook eggs as desired. I prefer over-easy or sunny-side so that the yoke is a bit runny.

Assemble the Dish

• This is best served in a shallow bowl
• First make a bed of rice
• Put the hamburger patty atop the rice
• Pour gravy over the hamburger and rice 
• Sprinkle crispy fried onions
• Top with egg and serve immediately

Remember, a recipe is a guideline not a hard and fast rule. In the Hawaiian islands you’ll find many variations on this versatile dish. Most often Spam replaces the burger. But you can also try ham, sausage or bacon instead of the burger. You may also want to try frying the rice instead of plain boiled rice. And adding your favorite grated cheese is always a good idea. 

I’ll be interested to hear how you customize this dish! Hope you enjoy this little bit of Hawaii!

I’ll Be Back

I’ll be finding more Stuff to write about. I welcome comments and suggestions here on Stana’s page or by email at Jenn6nov at-sign gmail dot com. Aloha.

Wearing L.N.C.

Lester Holt femulating on television’s Today.

No Kings, Just Queens

The Obvious

All In

October is nearly half over and I have not broached the H subject – until now. H, as in Halloween, is a day near and dear to the heart of femulators throughout Girly World

Early on, I used Halloween as an excuse to shop for my lady wardrobe. (Didn't you?)

“I'm going to a Halloween party dressed as a woman, so I need a...” (fill in the blank with whatever I needed at the time: wig, bra, girdle, dress, high heels, makeup, purse, etc., etc., etc.)

I used that excuse a lot when I was still closeted. I dunno if I fooled any of the store staff with my Halloween story. Not many guys are going to spend $100 or more on a wig for one night, so something else must be going on.

My first girdle purchase (actually an all-in-one) was memorable. I was working in Kingston, New York, and visited an old-school lingerie shop in boy mode to get fitted for an all-in-one.

I found the store in the Yellow Pages and I checked it out one evening after work. It was located in downtown Kingston, not in a strip mall or shopping plaza, and it looked tiny and inconspicuous… the antithesis of Victoria’s Secret.

For days, I thought about the store and finally gathered up the courage to visit it during a lunch hour. I drove to the store, parked on the street and sat in my car waiting for minimum pedestrian traffic to avoid anyone seeing me entering the store. When all was clear, I exited my car and entered the store as quickly as possible.

A middle-aged lady greeted me. She probably had seen it all, so when I mentioned I needed some foundation garments for my Halloween costume, I don't know if she believed me. And when I suggested that I might need an “all-in-one,” that probably tipped my hand immediately – how many guys knew what’s an "all-in-one?"

Nevertheless, she was very helpful and after measuring me up, she handed me two heavy-duty all-in-ones to try on and said, “Take these to the dressing room, try them on and call me so I can see if they fit properly.”

I did not expect such a hands-on sale, but was glad to have it. I went to the dressing room, quickly stripped down to my briefs and zipped myself into the first all-in-one, but it did nothing for me. However, the second one did wonders and I summoned the proprietor to examine me wearing the second all-in-one.

“Wow, that was quick,” she remarked. I assumed that her other male customers were not as fast as I when trying on their “first” foundation garment.

She checked me out and gushed about my girlish figure. I tipped my hand again when my face turned beet red in embarrassment. I could not pay for my purchase fast enough and get out Dodge.

By the way, I loved that all-in-one. It was constructed with spring-like metal stays and it gave me a figure like no other. It was my go-to foundation garment for years. I wish I could find one like it today!

Wearing ShopBop

Martin Weiß in the 2004 German film Agnes and His Brothers.

Our Undies Dilemma

In a recent email, Cathy Peterson wrote, “Perhaps we are the last generation with an affinity for lacy nylon satin silk layers and no bare legs. Will these delightfully feminine garments ever make a comeback? Will women again wear hose, stockings, tights, thigh-highs, pantyhose? Will lacy slips under dresses and skirts come back in style?”

I doubt it.

A few years ago, I needed a new panty girdle. Online, JCPenney had just what I needed. Since I planned to go to the mall, I held off ordering online because I figured I could buy the girdle in the JCPenney store at the mall. 

Turned out that the store did not have the panty girdle I wanted. Even worse, the store did not have any girdles – panty or otherwise! 

Curious, I searched the undergarment department to see if they carried any of the undergarments I normally wear (like long-line bras, corsets, waist cinchers, etc.). I came up empty-handed. 

Recently, my daughter was attending a dress-up affair hosted by her employer. She needed pantyhose, had none and borrowed a pair – from her father not her mother!

Today’s women just don't wear the same undergarments that yesterday’s women wore.

Luckily, girls like us can still get what we desire online or at the handful of specialty brick and mortar stores that are still in business. But I think the situation is going to get worse. 

My generation wears what our mothers wore, but the younger girls wear what their mothers wore and it’s not panty girdles and pantyhose. So as the boomer generation of girls like us grows smaller, the demand for our mothers’ undies will diminish and eventually disappear... maybe not today, but someday.

Not a great solution, but these days, whenever I buy “classic” women’s underwear, I buy two – one to wear and one to add to my undies stockpile.

And so it goes.

Wearing Shein

Roman Polanski femulating in the 1976 French film The Tenant.

Stuff 92: A Place To Go

By J.J. Atwell

Let’s Go Out!

In many of my Stuff writings I mention being out in public. I get out about once a month, usually with my local CD group. Some of our meetings are in a secure club house, but other meetings are typically a Girls’ Night Out (GNO) in an accepting restaurant. A few of us have gone out to playhouses to see a show and mingle with the general public. 

Picking a Venue

You might be wondering how the group decides where to go for their public outings. Especially since not everybody in the general public appreciates our open gender expression. I’m Vice President of our group and together with the President and other interested members, we talk about assorted venues for our GNO events. 

The group has some favorite spots: places that we’ve been to before and know that we are welcome. Still, we are always looking for new spots which then presents the burden of being sure that they will be welcoming to our group. Sure, just about all venues want new customers, but will our group fit in? I guess our concern is will the regular patrons of the place accept us? Or at least tolerate us? 

Yes, it’s unfortunate that we still have to be concerned about acceptance, but it’s a fact of life. We live in a fairly “blue” island in a “red” state so we have many options. Still, we are careful in expanding our footprint. 

Supporting the Community

One of our criteria is that a potential new GNO venue is accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. If you do a Google search for restaurants nearby you’ll get a huge number to sort through. Selecting one of them will bring up more information and typically, this includes a notation that they are LGBTQ+ -owned or -friendly. That’s a great start. 

We do further research about their menu, price and location. Our group prefers more mid-priced restaurants. Fancy places are good for some, but out of reach for others. Location is also important. Our members cover a large area of the state and for some of them, a long drive to the meeting site could be an issue. 

Once we’ve identified a potential new GNO site it’s time to see how receptive they are. In some cases, one of us may visit the location in guy mode to try it out. In other cases, we simply call or email them with a frank explanation that we are a group of crossdressers who are interested in trying their restaurant and asking if that would be an issue for them. Almost always the answer is positive and we put it on the list for a future meeting location. 

I’ll Be Back

I’ll be back with more Stuff in the next installment. Comments are welcome either here on the blog or by email to Jenn6nov at-sign gmail dot com. JJ is always looking for more stuff so let me know what you would like to read about.

Wearing Pyramid Collection

 

Jimmy O’Dea femulating on a BBC radio show.