So, I renewed again paying via PayPal without incident and the 3,000 Yearbook Femulation images were restored.
Yay!
Actors John J. Joseph (left) and David Engel (center) femulating
in the Los Angeles production of Leading Ladies, 2012.
Wearing Zenobia.
I renewed my flickr Pro account in mid-April. Evidently, my Paypal payment "failed" for some unknown reason, but flickr never notified me that there was a problem.
Since I did not pay up, flickr reset my account to a free account yesterday. As a result, most of the 3,000 Yearbook Femulations images I uploaded to flickr during the past year were deleted except for the last 200 that I uploaded (200 is the maximum for free accounts).
Argh!!!
I complained to flickr and await their response.
In the meantime, if you visit the Femulate flickr account, you will only find 200 images, not 3000.
And so it goes!
I was a woman in the dream.
There was a discussion with my girlfriends about the new high heels I was wearing.
And I breastfed a baby!
Wow!
Rocker Frank Iero femulating.
Wearing DressBarn.
This guest post comes from a long-time femulator and Femulate reader, Patio.
I started out as many of my femulating friends do, with breast forms that were, shall we say, too ample. With time I used more appropriate forms.
I have also used adhesive breast forms and found that the adhesive comes in many different strength: too weak, just right, or too strong. Recently, however, I was visiting a Jo-Ann fabric and craft store and in the aisle where they sell shoulder pads and other dress making needs, I found Dritz Adhesive Silicone Cups. I bought some in A-cup size and found that for me, on a smoothly shaved chest, the adhesive was perfect. They stayed on all day and peeled off without pain.
Jo-Ann often has sales at 40% off, so a pair cost me $16. These adhesive breast forms do have a limited number of applications, but I have used mine 30 times and they are still holding strong (so after 30 uses, it only cost me $0.50 per use). They also come in cup sizes B, C and D.
During a recent sale, I decided to try some C cup size.. The inside bowl of the adhesive form looked too large for my “nearly AA” natural breasts, but I started at one edge and rolled them into place squeezing out the air and they pulled my breasts into a perfect size for me.
I thought maybe that there was a gap between the form and my flesh, but when I peeled them off, they were adhering all the way across. The larger cup sizes are larger in area, though not much greater in thickness. For my 40-inch bra band size, the C cup proved to be a fine size.
I use adhesive forms with a bra most of the time, although sometimes I just wear them under an elastic camisole,and other times just let them stick on their own. So far I have had no failures.
If you femulators would like to try an adhesive breast form on a budget, check Jo-Ann’s for their sales and try out the feel of attached breast forms.
Actor Nolan Gould femulating on television’s Modern Family, 2012.
Wearing Worthington.
Remember April Ashley?
I do and yesterday was April Ashley’s birthday. Although it is a belated greeting, I would be remiss in not sending birthday wishes to the woman who amazed me with her beauty at a time when I was just starting to recognize my femininity and thinking about emulating females like her.
“Maybe I could be an April Ashley, too,” I thought.
I femulated whenever I could, that is, whenever I was home alone. I explored my mother's and sister's wardrobes and learned all about women's fashions. I experimented with my sister's makeup trying to look like a pretty young lady just like April Ashley.
My femulations were closeted during my teenaged years. But even though I was deep in the closet, I worked hard to perfect my female presentation. I was not sure where I was going with it, but I wanted to be the best woman I could be.
In my early twenties, when I finally broke out of the closet dressed to the nines to attend a Halloween party, my hard work was affirmed when I heard one guest ask another guest while referring to me, "Who is the woman not wearing a costume?"
I did not succeed at becoming April Ashley. Instead, I succeeded at becoming my own woman.
Womanless beauty pageant contestant femulating Katie Holmes (left). Wearing Spiegel (right)
I overpack.
It has not been an issue so far because airlines have not been involved in my travels, but multi-day trips involve packing my Subaru to the brim.
I took eight pieces of luggage to Provincetown for my first trip to Fantasia Fair for an eight-day stay (see photo above). Last year, I only had seven pieces, but I also stayed one day less.
My annual Dayton, Ohio trips usually involve four or five pieces of luggage for a four-day stay.
The only time I economized was for my four-day trip to New York City. I only had three pieces of luggage because I was traveling by train.
I always bring stuff that I never use: extra dresses, extra hosiery, extra bras, extra panties, extra Spanx, extra shoes, extra nails, extra jewelry, extra etcetera.
Usually, I plan ahead and know what I am going to wear for each day of my trip, but I still overpack.
One piece of luggage that I know I should leave home is my makeup box. It is a large tackle box that I bought at Walmart that is chock full of makeup. Who needs 30 shades of lipstick for a four-day trip
Funny story occurred the last time I was moving my luggage into my hotel room. I was in boy mode carrying my makeup/tackle box and as I passed two guys in the hall, one said to the other, "He's going fishing!"
In two weeks, I will be packing for my four-day stay in Dayton. I hope I can do it with three pieces of luggage. I'll let you know how I do.
Actor Michel-Serrault (left) and another actor (right) femulating in the film La Cage Aux Folles II, 1980.
Wearing Robert Rodriguez.
Part 1 of Our Weekend of Womanless Events
Thanks to a heads-up from Aunty Marlena, here are links to womanless beauty pageants held at Travelers Rest High School in Greenville, South Carolina in 2013, 2012 and 2009.
Actor Michael J. Fox femulating in the film Back to the Future, Part 2, 1989.
Wearing Le Redoute.
Tuesday traffic was light and I arrived at the Southern Connecticut State University parking lot 20 minutes before the Human Sexuality classes started where I was doing outreach.
As usual, the parking lot guard stopped me as I drove onto the lot to see what I was up to. It was the same middle-aged guard I have encountered the last few times I visited Southern, so I think he recognized me when I told him I was speaking at a class.
He was very accommodating, called me “Miss,” and told me to park in any empty spot that was not reserved. I scored a spot right next to the classroom building, which was a good thing considering the poor weather. Then I slipped on my sweater coat, but was shivering nonetheless as I walked the short distance to the building.
Inside, Michelle, a post-op male-to-female transwoman was already waiting outside the classroom. I have done outreach with Michelle for years, but I just discovered that she reads my blog, so "Hi, Michelle!"
(Also, “Hi” to all the students from Professor Schildroth’s class who might have tuned in.)
Two other long-time fellow outreachers, Quinton, a post-op female-to-male transman, and Mary Ann, a non-op male-to-female transwoman soon joined us.
Then a young woman came up to me and asked if I was doing outreach. I said, "Yes" and she said she was also doing outreach.
I tried to figure out why she was doing outreach because I pegged her as cisgender female. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me and I asked why she was doing outreach. Turned out that Katie is the significant other (SO) of a female-to-male post-op transman.
That was a first for outreach. We had the cisgender female wife of Mary Ann do outreach with us in the past, but not the cisgender female SO of an FTM.
Professor Schildroth ushered us into the class and we started by giving brief versions of our biographies.
I know the biographies of Mary Ann, Michelle and Quinton by heart, so when they told them to the class, my mind wandered, but when Katie told her story, I listened to every word. Wow! What an emotional roller coaster she has been on as the love of her life, her girlfriend became a boy.
After our biographies, the students asked questions. Sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get them to ask, but on Tuesday, the students in both classes asked questions without any dental work.
There were a few questions I have never heard asked before. One student asked, "Was coming out scary?"
I answered that I was willing and often anxious to come out. The scary part was not knowing how people will react to your revelation. (In my case, I have been lucky. Most of my coming out reactions have been positive.)
Another student asked, "Do drag queens represent transgenders?"
We answered with a resounding, "No."
Finally one student asked me if I have a penis.
I explained that I do have a penis; I added that I have had no sex change surgery and have never taken hormones.
She followed up by asking about my female breasts.
I explained that I have small female-like breasts that might be the result of an over abundance of female hormones and/or Gynecomastia. I added that they have been augmented by Victoria's Secret. (That got a laugh.)
The photo with students from the class that I posted here on Wednesday was something I thought about doing some time ago. I had mentioned it to Professor Schildroth, but I was a little hesitant because I had doubts that any student would want to be photographed with me.
As the second class ended, the Professor reminded me about taking a photo, so we asked one of the students to pose with me. She was happy to do so and then other students wanted to be in the photo, too, and that happy group photo is the result.
In between classes, we repaired to the Student Center to eat and chat. I was hungry and gravitated to the Mexican food concession.
While I waited to order, two of the women behind the counter began discussing my dress and one admitted that she almost bought the same dress at Dress Barn, but it did not look good on her. On the other hand, she said it looked "gorgeous" on me.
At that point, the student next to me gave me the once over and then she said, "I love your dress!"
I thanked one and all and ordered a chicken quesadilla.
***
Despite the weather, I had a very good day. I scored some nice additions to my wardrobe and had one of the best outreach experiences I have had in awhile.
I was very loose and comfortable doing outreach (in the past, not so much). I think all the practice I had recently presenting at the youth conferences last month and last Saturday have improved my game. The lively Q&A with the students also helped make my day.
By the way, no one at the mall or the university treated me other than as the woman I am. I lost count how many woman smiled and said "Hello" to me as we passed like ships in the night. I also noticed a few guys checking me out.
It was all very affirming.
Actor John Lone femulating in the film M. Butterfly, 1993.
Wearing Diane von Furstenberg.
I planned and laid out my outfit for my day en femme ahead of time. I assumed the weather would be warmer, so my outfit featured a sleeveless collared dress that I purchased at Dress Barn.
I figured that my three-quarter-length sweater coat would fight off the inclement weather. So after I dressed I took the coat with me, put it in the passenger seat and drove to my first stop, the Westfield Mall in Meriden.
It was early and the mall had just opened, so I was able to get a parking space in the first slot next to the JCPenney entrance. I decided to forgo the coat for my tour of the mall because I knew from past experience that it would be too warm wearing the coat in the mall. Turned out that the temperature in the mall was just right for going coatless.
Last time I visited this mall was in the fall and things had gone downhill since then. Storefront after storefront were empty with no signs that replacement stores were in the works. It was depressing, but I did not let it ruin my shopping day.
First stop was Payless where I wanted to shop for casual spring/summer-styled shoes. My favorite Payless sales representative was holding down the fort. I have shopped for girl shoes in both boy and girl mode at three different Payless stores where I found her working. However, she seems to have stopped moving from store-to-store and I have run into her at the Meriden store the last few times I shopped there. Needless to say, she knows me as a customer who buys girl shoes in boy and girl mode and she recognized me as soon as I walked in the store.
Payless shoes sizes are all over the map, so I tried on sizes ranging from 10 to 13 in both regular and wide styles. I tried on approximately 15 pairs and narrowed those down to five pairs that fit, and finally to two pairs that I liked, one sized 11 and the other 11 Wide. Both pairs are white peep-toe wedges, one high (4-inch wedge) and the other low (1.5-inch wedge).
Payless was having one of their buy-one-get-a-second-pair-for-half-price sale, so I basically bought two pairs of shoes for the price of one and a half pairs.
Next, I wanted to shop for a pair of white shorts to go with my white wedges. I visited Torrid, Lane Bryant, Sears and Macy's without success. Either I did not like the styles they had for sale or they did not have my size in the style I liked.
Time was running out, so I headed back towards JCPenney where my chariot awaited me for my trip to do outreach in New Haven. By the time I got to JCPenney, I still had a few minutes before I had to hit the road, so I checked out JCPenney offerings.
I found a pair of shorts that were exactly what I wanted, but the way my luck was running, I assumed they would not fit and I almost hung them back on the rack without trying them on. But then I reconsidered, took them to the dressing room and was elated that they fit perfectly and looked great, too!I paid for the shorts, returned to my car and drove to Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.
The rest of the story will appear here tomorrow.
Barney Rubble and Fred Flintstones femulating in television’s The Flintstones, circa 1963.
Wearing Donna Morgan.
