Suzanne Pleshette

I fell in love with Suzanne Pleshette in 1962 when my aunts took me to Radio City Music Hall. Back then, Radio City showed a first run movie after the stage show. The main attraction for us was the stage show, but we stuck around for the movie anyway.

The movie was a love story, Rome Adventure starring Troy Donahue. Ms. Pleshette was Troy's love interest in the film. I don't recall the plot of the film, but I do recall how I became infatuated with Ms. Pleshette during the film. She was gorgeous and I began seeking out all her film appearances. (A year later, she appeared in The Birds, where I think she looked even more gorgeous.)

My experiments in female emulation had just begun and Ms. Pleshette was my role model. She was famous for her deep mannish voice, an attribute transwoman often take note of when they try to femininize their voice. Back then, I was only interested in the way she looked and dressed; I wanted to look and dress just like her.

I just heard the news that lung cancer took her life at the age of 70. I am very sad and will miss my role model.

shopping again today

My wife's coat search continued today and I took her to another Marshalls in the area.

My wife found a coat to buy and I also found a couple of items to add to my feminine wardrobe: a cute black knee-length skirt for $10. It is a straight skirt with pleats from the hem up about six inches. I also bought a black shirred chiffon scarf/shawl with silver flecks for $15.

shopping today

The little woman wanted me to take her to Marshalls to look for a coat to buy, so I did.

While she was trying on every coat in her size, I spied a cute cream colored cropped retro sweater jacket in XL for $25.

The more coats my wife tried on, the more I wanted that sweater jacket.

My wife did not find a coat to buy, but I decided to buy the sweater jacket and when I returned home, I tried it on and it was a perfect fit.

Funny! Going into the store, my wife remarked how often we go shopping for her and she comes home with nothing, while I come home with something.

high heels reconsidered

I dunno about you, but after viewing this photo, my feet began to ache even though I am not wearing heels!

beyond Katy Keene

When I was a youngster, my first favorite comic book character was Katy Keene, the long legged fashion queen with jet black hair. I was fascinated by her glamorous image and I loved cutting out the Katy Keene paper dolls and outfits that appeared in the pages of her comic books.

No one ever discouraged Little Lana's interest in Katy Keene. In fact, Ma abetted it by helping me cut out the more difficult outfits. (Sometimes I think Ma wanted me to be a girl. She always encouraged me in all of my interests including those on the feminine side of the street.)

I don't recall any crossdressing in the pages of Katy Keene, but I did wish I could wear some of the outfits that Katy wore.

As I grew older, I started to worry about my image, so I stopped buying Katy Keene off the comic book racks to avoid being branded a "sissy." Superman, Batman, Dick Tracy, and Mad magazine replaced Katy and soon I encountered crossdressing in their four-colored pages.

I remember a female impersonating gangster appearing in a Batman story. I also recall a story in which Superman's pal, Jimmy Olsen, went undercover en femme. Dick Tracy had so many encounters with gangsters in drag that I still wonder about the Chester Gould's feminine side. Over the years, Mad had numerous encounters with crossdressing.

An excellent source for these crossdressing references is the TG Graphics and Fiction Archive. Last time the Web site was updated was March 2002, but the site is still live and an excellent resource for learning more about crossdressing in the comics.

Meanwhile, Japanese comic books (manga) and cartoons (anime) have lots of crossdressing. I am researching this subject now and discovered the fine work of Jana, who has a Web site, Jana’s TG Manga And Anime Pages, and a blog, Jana's TG Manga and Anime Journal dedicated to trans content in Japanese comic books and cartoons.

vintage crossdressing, part 2

I prefer vintage clothing. When I can't get the real stuff, which in my size is often the case, I will wear modern retro clothing as a substitute.

I told my vintage crossdressing story before, so I won't bore you with it again. I just want to mention story I found on the Internet about another vintage clothing goddess. (Be sure to check out the images and see the vintage outfits to die for.)

Feel like a woman, Wear a dress!

"Feel like a woman., Wear a dress!" so says the message on this image that accompanies an interesting interview with Diane von Furstenberg, famed fashion designer and creator of the wrap dress, which is my favorite.

How old does Staci / Lana look?

Thank you for participating in my poll.

For the record, I am 56 years old going on 57 in seven weeks.

I must be doing something right because 75% of the voters think I look younger than my actual age and over half (52%) think I look ten years younger than I really am.

Only 14% think I look my actual age, while 8% think I look older than I actually am.

Anyone who thinks I look 60 or older either needs glasses or is just jealous of my Amazonian beauty. I should just discount their votes, but I am sugar and spice nice and will let them have their say (no matter how catty they are).

On the other hand, anyone who thinks I look younger than 19 also needs to check their eyeglass prescription!

Here are the full results:

19 years old or younger: 3 votes (4%)
20 to 29 years old: 2 votes (2%)
30 to 39 years old: 13 votes (17%)
40 to 49 years old: 39 votes (52%)
50 to 59 years old: 11 votes (14%)
60 to 69 years old: 3 votes (4%)
70 years old or older: 3 votes (4%)

blogging without obligation

I found this reading Jodie's blog. She got it from tartx blog.

Blogging without obligation makes a lot of sense to me and I now subscribe to its philosophy.

Here is what blogging without obligation is all about:

After coming across what seemed to be the 4000th or so post on someone's blog starting with "I'm sorry I haven't posted in awhile." I decided it is time to rethink what makes a good blog and the expectations that have come to be part of it. I am thinking that no one should utter those words again . . .and with that thought I give you Blogging Without Obligation.

• Because you shouldn't have to look at your blog like it is a treadmill.

• Because its okay to just say what you have to say. If that makes for a long post, fine. Short post, fine. Frequent post, fine. Infrequent post, fine.

• Because its okay to not always be enthralled with the sound of your own typing.

• Because sometimes less is more.

• Because only blogging when you feel truly inspired keeps up the integrity of your blog.

• Because they are probably not going to inscribe your stat, link and comment numbers on your tombstone.

• Because for most of us blogging is just a hobby. A way to express yourself and connect with others. You should not have to apologize for lapses in posts. Just take a step back and enjoy life, not everything you do has to be "bloggable."

• Because if you blog without obligation you will naturally keep your blog around longer, because it won't be a chore. Plus, just think you will be doing your part to eradicate post pollution. One post at a time. . .

It's not your father's girdle!

Shapewear has come a long way. Today's offerings in the body shaping department are high tech and seamless, too.

After viewing this report on today's shapewear, this girl is reconsidering the shapewear she has been wearing forever now and you might do the same.

A Major Award

Hurray for me!
This won a major award here.

King Kong (2005)

Believe it or not, the 2005 remake of King Kong contains crossdressing.

After Kong is brought to New York City, Jack Driscoll (played by Adrien Brody) attends a Broadway play, a comedy titled Cry Havoc. In the scene of the play that appears in this film, a male actor is crossdressed for some convoluted reason in order to win over the girl of his dreams.

(Yup! When I was dating and wanted to win over a girl, I always got crossdressed and drank tea with her.)

He wore a very pretty outfit, but he was not very pretty.

dress to shop

I'll admit it: I overdress when I go out en femme and am a prime candidate for OA (Overdressers Anonymous). But, I just found a perfect excuse for dressing up when I go shopping: better service.

Read about it here.

can you guess her age?

You can read this article about guessing a woman's age and apply its strategy to guessing mine (in the "How old does Staci / Lana look" poll).

The article also offers tips on how to work around those signs that giveaway your age.

dress your age

"Dressing your age isn’t what it was in our mothers’ day. It’s not even what it was the other day... The idea that a style, an aesthetic or a single item of clothing should become out of bounds simply because you cross an invisible Rubicon was always suspect but nowadays, when women keep their looks longer than any previous generation, it’s absurdly simplistic.

"You don’t suddenly turn into a hobbit on your 36th birthday, so outlawing miniskirts for the over-35s doesn’t make a lot of sense. I have a friend who lacked confidence during her twenties. Circumstances changed, confidence soared, the body is fabulous, and at 40 she started wearing short skirts. She looks terrific."

Read the rest of this excellent article that appears today on Times Online right on the heels of yesterday's blog entry here about dressing my apparent age.

Also, don't forget to vote in my "How old does Staci / Lana look" poll!

guess my age

I am getting older all the time, but I still think and act like a kid.

In that regard, being a crossdresser is a blessing. If you are adept at applying makeup, you can look younger than your actual age.

Wigs help a lot, too. A nice wig can subtract a decade from your real age especially if your hair is gray and/or thinning.

You can try dressing younger, too, but I think you can only go so far with that. For example, let’s say that you are a 45-year-old crossdresser. With the proper wig and makeup, you may be able to look like a 35-year-old woman, but don’t think that dressing like a 20-year-old will make you look like a 20-year-old woman. Instead, you will look like a 35-year-old woman trying to dress like a 20-year-old.

If you are successful in knocking off a decade with the proper wig and makeup, be satisfied and dress appropriately for your new age, i.e., if you look like a 35-year-old woman, then dress like a 35-year-old woman.

My problem is that when I look in the mirror, I see a young woman, who can wear anything and get away with it. Sometimes I do get away with it, but sometimes I don’t. The proof is in my photos. For some reason, I can fool myself when I look in the mirror, but I am not so fooled when I look at my photos.

Which brings me to my new poll: How old do you think I look? Don’t try and guess my actual age, but give me your opinion on how old do I look when I am en femme? You might want to consult my photos before you vote.

The poll lasts a week and when I post the results here next week, I will reveal my real age. (Isn’t that exciting!)

new stuff

I added two new links.

In the Tools Links, I added a link to the "How to Walk in High Heels" video (see the previous blog entry below).

In the T-Girls Links, I added a link to Kathryn Cleve's "Longing to be a woman" Web site. Kathryn's story is interesting, inspiring, and proof positive that there are supportive wives out there if you look hard enough!

How to Walk in High Heels

Linda S suggested that I check out this video and I suggest you check it out, too.

Jodie's fishnets

Believe It or Not! Jodie posted this photo on the Internet (a legshot of herself wearing fishnets) and she is not a tranny!

you're "it"

From today's Southern Voice comes this...

It was only two letters, but said a lot more. The lead paragraph of a Dec. 19 Associated Press article reported "Southern Utah University says a transgendered student must prove its gender in order to live in an all-male dormitory." Language can be tricky when discussing transgender issues, but referring to a human being as “it” is beyond demeaning. The AP should FOLLOW its own stylebook, which instructs reporters to refer to transgender people as the gender they prefer.