Saturday, January 11, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
The Tale of the Male Bridesmaid
Paula e-mailed me about a male bridesmaid and her quest to get to the bottom of the story.
It all started with an article posted on the WLIF FM radio station website titled “Trend Alert: Male Bridesmaids.” The article stated, "Now, it’s not always women on the Bride’s side. What to you think of a man on the Bridesmaids’ side?"
Accompanying the article was the following photograph.
Some readers concluded that the bridesmaid on the right was male. Admittedly, she is a big girl and her face has some masculine features, so their conclusions are not out of line especially considering the photo's juxtaposition to the article.
Paula was fascinated with the photo, posted the link on Crossdressers.com and asked if anyone knew the bridesmaid.
Turns out the male bridesmaid was probably female.
The original bridesmaids' photo appears here in a set of photos from a 2010 "celebrity" wedding in Australia. (The celebrities were an Australian fashion model and an Australian professional football player.) The names of the bridesmaids appears here. All the names are female names.
The male bridesmaid could have used a female name, but I believe that other photos of the so-called male bridesmaid (like this photo) suggest that she is female and not male.
On the other hand, males femulating in wedding parties do exist. Here is a perfect example.
Sadly, I never had the opportunity to be a bridesmaid, maid of honor, or a bride, and at my age, it ain’t gonna happen. However, mother of the bride is still a possibility.
Maxine Andrews of Andrews Sisters fame
with actor Charles Busch backstage in 1995.
Wearing Madeleine.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Glamazons
This time around, reader G Kunz contributed a bunch of new entries to the Famous Females of Height List, including two members of the Glamazons; a third member of the group, Dorothy Ford, was already on our list.
You can read all about the Glamazons here and here are all the additions to the list.
5’8” - Abbie Cornish - actress - film, Seven Psychopaths - Source: Stana
5'9" - Betsy Brandt - actress - television, Breaking Bad - Source: Stana
5’9” - Olivia Williams - actress - film, Rushmore - Source: Stana
5’10" - Chyna - wrestler - source: G Kunz
5'11" - Betsy Brandt - actress - television, Breaking Bad - Source: Stana
5'11" - Christine Marzano - model and actress - film, Seven Psychopaths - Source: Stana
6'0" – Irish McCalla – actress – film & television, Sheena: Queen of the Jungle - source: G Kunz
6'0" – Helen O'Hara – actress – television, Richard & Judy - source: G Kunz
6'0" – Bunny Waters – actress – film, Dangerous When Wet - source: G Kunz
6’7” – Amazon Ashley – stripper - source: G Kunz
Actor Gaurav Ghera femulating in India television’s Mrs. Pammi Pyarelai, 2013.
Who wears Julie Brown better?
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
The Weight
Between Thanksgiving and New Years, we are urged to consume, consume and consume some more. Then right after the big ball drops in Times Square, we are urged to diet, diet, diet!
Maintaining a girlish figure between T-Day and January 1st is a battle. Some years are better or worse than other years. Most years, the battle is lost.
During those worse years, I have had to wear the heavy-duty girdle with the metal stays for any January outings en femme. But this year was better; I maintained my weight throughout the holidays.
I suspect that being a housewife for over a month while my spouse recovered from surgery had something to do with it. Trying to be a good little wife, I cleaned and washed and cooked like I never had before. And most weekdays, I also telecommuted eight hours a day. As a result, I did not gain a pound and I also have a better appreciation for women who are trying to have it all.
And now that the holidays of consumption are over, this housewife should be able to shed a few pounds.
Happy New Dress Size!
Actor Robert Knepper femulates on television’s L.A. Law in 1986.
Wearing J.S. Boutique.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
Losing Leg Hair
Paula's post on shaving her legs moved me to write about shaving my legs.
I avoid shaving my legs with a razor blade and shaving cream or gel because it is too time-consuming. My legs are too long... 36 inches each to be exact and it takes forever.
Early on, I discovered the wonderful world of chemicals. Nair and Veet were my hair removing chemicals of choice. They did the job quickly and thoroughly. And after using them for over four decades, they permanently removed a lot of my leg hair. As a result, using chemicals now is overkill.
So every morning, I attack the leg hairs that toughed it out. After I shave my face and neck with a top-of-the-line Norelco rotary head electric razor, I do a portion of my legs. One day, I will shave my knees, the next day, my calves, the next day, my thighs, the next day... well, you get the idea. As a result, when I get all dolled up to go out en femme, a quick touch-up with my Norelco is all I need to be femininely smooth.
By the way, I use the same routine to keep my arms, shoulders and breasts hair-free.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Nothing Beats a Great Pair of Legs
You might remember that phrase from an old commercial, but it seems pantyhose commercials have gone the way of the 8-track tape. Growing up transgender, I would watch them all with envy, “Gentlemen Prefer Hanes,” “Our Leggs fit your legs,” “Sheer Energy,” “No Nonsense”. Someday I wanted smooth sexy legs like that
Shaving my legs was a milestone and rite of passage on my transgender journey. There has been nothing more liberating and cathartic than looking down and seeing a pair of woman’s legs surface after shaving for the first time.
I had always hoped that someday I would free my legs from their matted jungle of maleness. Finally one winter, using the transparent excuse of dry skin, I persuaded my wife to give into a winter shaving so I could moisturize my legs without globing a mess of lotion over all that hair. Actually, this truly is a benefit of having smooth legs. Before I started shaving my legs during the winter, whenever I put on moisturizing lotion, the lotion would mat up in all the hair — yuck!
Finally the day came. I had dropped my wife off at the airport and I had an empty house where I could experiment with my new Venus razor. I envisioned a scene from the Venus commercial where Jennifer Lopez glides a razor over her already gorgeous smooth hairless legs and they reappear even more stunning.
I set to work bursting with enthusiasm and anticipation ready to “reveal the goddess in me.” I started by lathering up my legs and then slowly pulling the razor over them, but as I did the razor became clogged with hair. I constantly had to stop and clear the razor.
“Hmm I didn’t notice Jennifer Lopez doing this?”
After that, I needed to go over each spot several times. Next the shaving cream started to dry, then I cut myself. Next the razor got dull and it had to be replaced, then I cut myself again! Finally there I was hobbling down the hallway to get another razor while bleeding with shaving cream dripping all over.
In conclusion, after over 90 minutes, three razors, cold and bleeding legs, an aching back, a messy bathroom, my legs looked more like Mario Lopez than Jennifer Lopez!
It was not the glorious feminine initiation ceremony I had imagined. Still covered with patches of hair and nubs my legs did look a lot better and I was, of course, delighted at my initial results.
Practice makes perfect, and after five years of shaving my legs, I’ve learn a few things that I would like to share. We all want that feminine shaving scene we see in the commercials and I’ll get you there girls, but the first time is a bit challenging.
To do it right I am going to strongly suggest that you buy yourself a set of electric clippers. For under $20 at CVS or Wal-Mart you will find more than one type available. I bought a model with a length attachment and use it to trim my arm hair down to ¼ inch. As a transgender woman, these clippers can and do have many uses.
Next, before we do any actual shaving, find a spot where you can start shearing off a lifetime of leg hair growth. I suggest a spot where clean-up is easy and there is a lot of light. There is going to be hair everywhere. I shave my legs for the first time every year come October. I pick a sunny warm day and go out onto the back deck. Here I can see all the little hairs in the sunlight and clean-up is simple with a broom. Slowly but surely, work your way up from the ankles, carefully around the knees and gently behind the knees and thighs. When you’re done you might want to find a mirror and check for spots you missed. At this point, your legs will be bristly, but they will look amazingly different.
Phase two can wait until the next day or if you have time, jump right into the shower. I find the key to getting your legs pretty girl smooth is taking it slow. I take three or four days to finish the whole process of transforming my legs from boy to girl. When I first started shaving, I used shaving cream; it smells pretty and makes you feel feminine. However, in the shower it’s near impossible to keep water away from your legs and the shaving cream starts breaking down. Shaving cream washes away as soon as a few drops of water hit it.
Instead, I use a moisturizing soap. I prefer Dove because I like their :”Real Beauty” campaign. Soap lather lasts longer than shaving cream and doesn’t wash away as quickly.
The first day, I shave from the ankles to about halfway up to the knee. I take my time and get all those hairs in the back and front. The next day, I start at the ankles again and move upward to the knees. The point not to miss here is that I am going over the same area as the day before. This gets any spots that I missed. The third day, I start at the ankles again and go up to mid-thigh. To finish on the last day, I start at the ankles and go all the way up my legs. By now, you have gone over each area several times and have now transformed your legs into smooth and feminine accessories.
The average women shaves her legs about once a week, sometimes more in the summer, sometimes less in the winter. If you’re not on HRT, then it probably should be every day. Your mileage might vary, but here’s what I do.
Believe it or not shaving will become a chore after awhile. So the easier you make it, the more you will do it to keep up that gorgeous look. I shave from the ankles up to the knees one day and then the next day, from the knees up to the top. By doing only half the leg, I’m done in five minutes. This makes it easy enough so that I don’t skip a day and keep up the maintenance. After a few weeks, they become use to the razor and are really smooth when moisturized afterward.
Wearing a dress and hose for the first time after shaving is a defining moment in a girl’s life. Nonetheless, being able to look down at my legs and see what appears to be feminine female legs, has a healing and curative effort. Those periods of acute gender dysphoria come less often and are less severe when I shave my legs.
Now go ahead. Reveal the goddess in you!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Out with the Old
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Boys Just Want To Be Girly
Christmas Eve morning, I gave it a go and successfully baked a batch.