Gimme Femulation

Wednesday, I wrote about singing along with songs sung by girl groups as they played on the radio.

Coincidentally, ham radio sister Trish e-mailed me about a news CD/album released by one of my favorite punk rock groups  Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Titled Are We Not Men? We Are Diva!, the Gimme Gimmes cover 12 songs made famous by female singers including such diva standards as "On the Radio" by Donna Summer, "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul, and "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand.

If you like Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, you will like their Diva album. And to make things even more interesting, the group's lead singer, Spike Slawson, appears en femme on the cover of the album!

 

 

 

 

 

Spike Slawson (center) of the rock group Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
femulated for the group’s new album Are We Not Men? We Are Diva!

Are you OK?

Rejected

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professional femulator Donna Sachet and friend.

Better Selfies

Moved by Paula's photography post, I poked around the Internet looking for tips about taking selfies.

Google provided a selection of websites containing tips and after poking Google's finds, I am passing along one that I thought was the best of the bunch for taking selfies: wikiHow's How to Take Good Selfies.

Over the past year, I have been using my iPhone 5 for most of my photography. The quality of the iPhone 5 photos is very good in my opinion (good enough for me) and it is hard to beat the convenience.

The only problem is that the Camera app bundled with the iPhone does not have a self-timer and girls like us can’t live without self-timers! So I bought two inexpensive apps that do have self-timers: Top Camera and Camera+. The former costs $3, the latter $2.

And to do a self-timer selfie right, I also bought a small tripod ($4) to hold the iPhone while I get ready for my close-up.

 

 

 

Wearing Naked Zebra.

 

 

 

Omar Kingsley femulating as “Miss Ella” circa 1885.

Smile Pretty

By Paula Gaikowski

I enjoy corny jokes and still chuckle when I hear this one.

How can you tell who the crossdresser is at the family reunion? He’s the only one who knows how to work the self-timer on the camera!

Yes, it’s true we love to take pictures.

How far it’s all come in the last 20 years! I remember driving several towns away to have film developed for fear someone would recognize me. I still enjoying seeing those now vintage photos that were scanned and then uploaded onto bulletin boards followed by that new thing called the Internet.

In 1999, I had a professional makeover and photoshoot with Jamie Austin and at that moment, the picture-taking floodgates opened. Okay --- enough about the ole days, Auntie Paula!

Today we have digital cameras with the capability to take hundreds of photos and see them instantly.

Pictures provide us with an invaluable tool to guide us through our evolution towards womanhood. By looking back, we can see the mistakes we’ve made, but also recognize the clothes and accessories that made us look better.

Pictures help us build confidence and raise our self-esteem and create a personality that we can use online to build friendships and community. During times when I can’t express Paula, I look to my photos for a pick-me-up.

I’d like to share some of the tips and techniques I use to get better photos.

First, learn about your camera. Don’t wait until you are all dolled-up and then start experimenting. Get familiar with that self-timer, read the manual and learn about the different features.

Next, find the area you’ll use for picture-taking. A light-colored wall without clutter works well. There also should be plenty of natural light or indirect artificial light. Light equals glamour. I sometimes use two desk lamps reflected off the walls to produce light.

Many digital cameras can be mounted on a tripod. Investing in a large tripod is not necessary. I found this Gorilla Pod at Wal-Mart and it’s priceless in helping to get good shots at home or away.

When you are in boy mode and the pressure is off, start taking some practice shots to get your settings and lighting correct.

I had trouble finding poses that were feminine and natural. So I began noting how women news anchors pose themselves when standing. That is how I learned these basic poses:

• My basic go to pose is simple hands behind my back and one foot in back of the other.
• Front-standing with feet together and hands crossed above hips.
• Ladylike with one foot forward and the other leg back and turned to the side. You’re your hands above your hips, cupped or slightly opened. Don’t be afraid to act girly --- let her out!
• Sitting. The key to a ladylike posture are the curves. Your body should form an understated “S” shape. This is critical for a feminine posture when standing also.

You’ll notice women keep their hands cupped or have their fingers curled inward while holding their hands idle. Women also tend to keep their hands above their waist.
Become an observer of women. Find a mentor and note her movements and gestures. Then practice and don’t be afraid to act feminine.

When I first started going out in public, I was hesitant to act feminine, then it dawned on me. “You’re wearing a dress, idiot! Of course, I should act feminine.”

Observe yourself in front of a mirror as if you were rehearsing lines in play. Let your feminine nature come to the surface. Use the above poses as a starting point, however, don’t become mechanical --- let your inner girl take over. In photos, being overly feminine plays out well.

Photos taken from a slightly elevated level seem to look better, compare this photo verses this one and you’ll see the difference. Use your new mini tripod to get a slightly elevated view.

I know you have heard it before and I’ll say it again “Smile”. Pictures where you are smiling come out much better.

Let’s talk about taking pictures when we are out in public. Having a keepsake photo of that wonderful occasion you attended as woman is precious.

When taking a souvenir photo select a setting that tells a story. Stand near a sign or use a display to show the viewer where you are. At restaurants, the entrance works well. At museums or stores, displays tell a story.

I used to feel very self-conscious about taking my photo in public or asking someone to take my photo en femme. Nevertheless, I overcame my inhibitions about asking someone to take my photo and found that like all of my other fears and worries when it came to femulating, they were unfounded. Sales associates are always happy to oblige and at restaurants, the waitstaff is eager to please. If outdoors, I’ll always ask a young woman to take a photo and have never been turned down and typically, had friendly conversations afterward.

Getting high-quality photos take practice and more practice. With digital photography, we can make adjustments as we go and delete the shots we don’t like. Accept the fact right now that many of your photos are going to look terrible. On the other hand, from the many comes one, yes, one great shot --- a second caught in time when it all comes together. The iconic shot of the flag rising on Iwo Jima was 1/400 of a second taken over the shoulder of a war correspondent. Experiment and have fun using your photography to express yourself and grow as woman.

My Jamie Austin photos changed my life. They showed what I could achieve if I worked at it. They gave me assurance that I could look good as a woman.

As I started taking more photos, my attitude and confidence increased. It was work, but it was satisfying and enjoyable to see myself mature into a woman. It was all part of being a woman, that is, learning how to dress, accessorize, style my hair and do makeup. In time I not only saw a positive female image emerge, but I personally changed and evolved also.

Please remember to enjoy the journey, the practice, the friendships, the accomplishments and even the failures. In the end, it’s not the photo that’s important, it’s the big picture you need to focus on.

 

 

 

Wearing Milly.

 

 

 

Actor Andrew Garfield femulating in Arcade Fire’s 2014 music video We Exist.

Playing the Girl’s Part

Did you do this?

As a teenager in the 1960s, I often sang along with songs as they played on the radio. My favorite sing-along songs were tunes sung by girl groups like The Crystals, The Shangri-Las, The Chiffons, The Supremes, and The Shirelles.

It never occurred to me that merrily singing along to lyrics like “One fine day, you’re gonna want me for your girl” was a wee bit incongruous. I never thought twice about doing all the hand motions while singing “Ooh, baby, baby, where did our love go?” and imagining myself wearing a floor-length sequins evening gown.

Didn’t the other guys in the neighborhood do that?

I discovered that the guys didn’t do that, but that the girls in the neighborhood did!

I was a little confused, but I liked playing the girl’s part, so I continued doing so. And the rest is her story.

 

 

 

Wearing Madeleine.

 

 

 

Actor Michael Stoyanov femulating in 1991.

9 Million

The blog's hit counter climbed past the 9 million mark on Monday!

When I started this blog back in the winter of 2007, I never dreamed the blog would become so popular. I just wanted to encourage (by example) other girls like me to flee the closet and experience the world as women.

I have achieved that goal.

My correspondence and face-to-face encounters reveal that many girls who never considered going out before were inspired by this blog to go out and are very happy that they did. They only regret that they waited so long to take that first step (been there, done that).

I wonder how many other success stories there are that I never heard about? If you have a success story, you are welcome to tell it here and inspire even more girls to live the rest of their lives as women.

You go, girls!

 

 

 

Wearing Metrostyle.

 

 

 

Swedish singer Yukiro Dravarious femulates all day and all of the night in Tokyo.

Philately

Recently, I renewed my interest in stamp collecting.

My mother collected and encouraged me to collect, so I began collecting as a pre-teen and continued well into my mid-teens until life got in the way.

In the interim, I inherited my mother’s collection and a collection of an uncle, who I did not know collected until he passed on and we discovered his collection among his belongings.

About two years ago, I finally got around to see what I had inherited. There were some interesting items, but I did not strike it rich. However, I did catch the bug to start collecting again and have basically been spending a few hours each week organizing what I had in hand and adding a few items from here and there.

As luck would have it, the American Philatelic Society (APS) is having their annual StampShow just up the road in Hartford later this month. From what I gather, the StampShow is a real big event, the stamp collector’s equivalent of ham radio’s Hamvention and I plan to attend one day of the show.

And I plan to attend en femme.

Never having attended StampShow or any other big stamp collector events, I am not sure how to dress. Casual, business casual, or business formal?

I looked all over the Internet for photos of women attending StampShow to get an idea what women wear there, but I have not found much because similar to ham radio, women are in the minority in the stamp collecting world.

From the few photos I did find, I am guessing “business casual,” but I am not sure, so if any of you are stamp collectors and have attended StampShow in the past, please pass along what the average woman wears there.

I want to fit in and not stand out.

Wearing Metrostyle.

Actor James Lecesne femulating on stage in Diary of a Mad Playwright in 2010.

The Funnies

I am on vacation this week, so instead of new original content each day, I will post old original content, also known as "The Best of Femulate."

 

Like Father; Like Daughter

I am on vacation this week, so instead of new original content each day, I will post old original content, also known as "The Best of Femulate."

Call me "Jamie."

It is not my real name; it’s the name I go by when I dress up like a boy.

I dress like a boy because I am a crossdresser. I prefer male clothing to female clothing. In addition, I try to act like a boy. I want to be masculine, not feminine.

I want to be able to go out in society and pass as a male, but my female characteristics are difficult to disguise, so passing is a tough goal to achieve. I will keep on trying to improve my presentation because I know it can be done.

Many crossdressers have websites where they display photos of themselves crossdressed and many of the photos are very convincing. These females look just like boys, so I know passing is possible. I may not be able to fool all of the people all of the time, but it would be nice if I could fool some of the people some of the time.

Also, there are websites that provide information on how to pass as a male. They describe how to walk, talk, and act like a boy; how to style your hair to look like a boy; what undergarments to wear to achieve a male form; etc., etc. There are also online stores that cater to crossdressers where you can buy everything you need to "express your masculine side."

My crossdressing started around the age of puberty. I don't know where the idea came from; it just popped in my head while I was in the bathroom getting ready to take a shower and there was one of Dad's suits hanging on the shower curtain rod.

That pinstriped suit called my name and I could not resist trying it on. It fit me like a glove. I felt so masculine wearing it and I could not take my eyes off myself preening in the full-length mirror mounted on the bathroom door.

Suddenly, I felt very guilty and was worried that I might be caught, so I slipped out of the suit as quickly as possible, hung it back on its hangar, and took a cold shower.

Since then, I dress in my Dad's and brother's clothes whenever I am home alone.

I prefer my brother's clothes because he is only two years older than I, so he dresses like a boy my age dresses, whereas my Dad's clothes are more adult, i.e., clothing that an adult male wears.

But Dad's wardrobe includes items that my brother's wardrobe does not, so when I dress, I borrow items from both my Dad and my brother. For example, my brother has no suits, whereas Dad has six suits and I guess after that first crossdressing experience in the bathroom, I have a thing for suits.

My favorite suit is one Dad wears when he and Mom go out to a fancy restaurant or to a dinner party. I like it because it has a more youthful look than his other suits, which are more conservative, i.e., the kinds of suits you wear to the office or to church.

Dad claims that that suit is a "channel knock-off," whatever that means? The fabric of the suit is a rosy pink boucle with blue undertones. It has a cropped jacket with four buttons and four pockets and a pencil skirt that’s 20 inches long.

Dad also has a matching pair of pink pumps with a 4-inch stiletto heel; he looks so masculine in that outfit! And, wow, my Dad has great legs; he sure shows them off in that suit with its skirt about four inches above his knees, wearing off-white pantyhose perched on those 4-inch pumps.

Dad is a beautiful male. He is a platinum blonde and always looks great no matter what hairdo he wears. His makeup skills are excellent, too, with huge eyes and full pouty lips.

I try to emulate Dad when I crossdress. And sometimes when I do my makeup just so, I look a lot like him.

 

 

 

British television personality Louis Walsh femulates British television personality Cheryl Cole.

 

 

 

Wearing Cheryl Cole.

my en femme encounters with Bond, James Bond

Seems like James Bond is everywhere these days. A new Bond film came out recently, there are Bond movie marathons on the tube, and the new issue of Mad Classics has a retrospective of Mad magazine parodies of the old Bond flicks.

The Mad retrospective caused me to recall some things trans-related to James Bond that influenced me when I was a newbie femulator.

I can never forget the opening sequence of Thunderball, which had the bad guy disguised as his wife purportedly attending his own funeral.

The femulation was in two consecutive scenes. In the first scene, I am sure that the bad guy en femme was actually played by a woman because you can catch a glimpse of an attractive blonde under the thin veil covering her face, but in the second scene, the veil has suddenly became thicker and you cannot see the features of the grieving "widow" as she fights Bond and is revealed as male. Despite the obvious (to me), I always fantasized that the leggy blonde in the first scene was the bad guy en femme.

[Update: According to IMDB, an actress named Rose Alba is playing the role initially and a stuntman named Bob Simmons plays the "widow" during the fight.]

Another trans-related Bond memory actually appeared in a Mad musical parody of the Sean Connery Bond films (Mad #94, April 1965).

In the beginning of the parody (click on image above to magnify it), a bevy of scantily clad female admirers surround Bond, while another female stands to the side admiring Bond's revolver. Bond asks why the she is admiring his revolver and not him.

The female reveals that "she" is actually agent 008 in training and that his girdle is killing him. The secret agent in training was not very attractive, but he was wearing a wig, dress, and a girdle and that definitely was of interest to me.

Finally, I recall another comic book parody loosely based on the Bond films. The spy in this parody was gay and named Jamie. He goes to a hair salon for some work unaware that the salon is run by the enemy.

While under the hair dryer, the hair stylist puts him under a spell that reveals his sub-conscious feelings that he really wants to be a woman. He then undergoes a makeover and soon appears seated in the hair salon chair dressed as a pretty leggy blonde in a short dress and high heels with the other hair stylists gushing over him about how fabulous "she" looks.

When Jamie returns to spy headquarters en femme, his superior is aghast, but he has a cure, i.e., a sexual encounter with a female. Sure enough, the cure works and soon the now macho Jamie confronts the brains behind the enemy operation that transformed him into a woman: his mother.

As you can imagine, I read that comic book over and over again and wished I could be so lucky as to walk into the enemy's hair salon.

By the way, this story appeared in a one-shot comic book in the mid- to late-1960s. I lost the book in a purge a long time ago. I have no idea who published it or what was the name of the comic book, but I do recall that the book contained two stories and they appeared throughout the book with one story appearing on the top half of each page, while the other story appeared on the bottom half of each page.

If anyone can provide any other information about this comic book I would greatly appreciate it, so that I can track down a copy to add to my collection.)

 

 

 

Kuranosuke cosplay by Feeracie.

 

 

 

Wearing DailyLook.