Party Notes

Here are some comments regarding the company Christmas party I attended on Thursday.

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All my previous femulations among my co-workers was with blonde hairdos, so when I showed up as a brunette on Thursday, some people did not recognize me.

While standing in line for the buffet, the co-worker in front of me remarked that she had no idea who I was because I looked so different as a brunette. She added that I looked gorgeous as a brunette.

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Although I had a great time celebrating the holidays with my former co-workers, it was also a little depressing to hear the news I missed during the past year. One co-worker's son committed suicide, another co-worker was diagnosed with colon cancer, and the company is being sold (again), which may result in my division disappearing.

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Good news is that I reached my weight loss goal this week. Bad news is that I now have a closet full of shoes that no longer fit. I had no idea that losing weight would result in reducing my shoe size as well as my dress size.

I plan to go through my collection and see what fits and what doesn't fit. Every cloud has a silver lining, so I assume I will also find shoes that were too small six months ago that now fit.

I discovered my shrinking foot problem when I tried on the Nine West metallic platform pumps a few days before wearing them out. They were very loose and after a few steps, I would lose one shoe or the other.

Being a stubborn fashionista, I was determined to wear those shoes with my new dress to the Christmas party, so I inserted heel liners in each shoe. The liners helped and I did not lose a shoe throughout the day, but often I had to clench my foot when it felt like a shoe was not going my way. So they are destined for the "do not fit" division of my shoe wardrobe.

Wearing Boston Proper (Source: Boston Proper)

Alan Sues femulates Jo Anne Worley on television's Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.

Company Christmas Party

Thursday, I attended my former employer's Christmas luncheon party.

I wore the Julia Jordan gunmetal fit-and-flare dress, Dress Barn off-black pin-dot tights and Nine West metallic platform pumps. Instead of accessorizing with silver jewelry as I originally planned, my wife suggested I wear something colorful for the holidays, so I wore a red necklace and red earrings.

As I began to fill my old tired-looking black handbag, my daughter gave me an early Christmas present: a red Kate Spade handbag! I was so surprised and happy with her generous gift that I almost started to cry, but I held back my tears so as not to ruin my makeup.

I left the house and drove to the banquet hall hosting the luncheon. Usually I wear my heels when I drive, but the platform pumps are about a half-inch higher than my usual footwear and that half-inch or so made it difficult to manipulate the three pedals under the dashboard, so I wore flats to drive and switched to heels when I arrived at the banquet hall.

I entered the hall and when I checked my coat, the three women staffing the front of the hall said they loved my outfit. One said she wanted to buy shoes like mine.

I found a seat at a table with my former co-workers and it was just like last year's Christmas luncheon when I wrote, "It was as if I showed up in boy mode." Folks greeted and chatted with me like old times. The fact that I was presenting as a woman made no difference.

Reflecting on what I wrote last year "...as if I showed up in boy mode," I realize now that it did not matter if I showed up in boy mode or girl mode. Rather it mattered that I showed up in Stan mode. In a dress or slacks, I am the same person that my former co-workers knew for 20 years and I think most of them were glad to know me just as I was glad to know them.

Wearing Unique Vintage (Source: Unique Vintage)

Joe Regalbuto femulates in a 1990 episode of television's The Love Boat.

Party Time

My very sparkly outfit!

Today, I will attend my former employer's Christmas luncheon.

I retired in the summer of 2017, but was invited back to the 2017 Christmas luncheon. I dressed in a very sparkly outfit befitting the woman I am and it left no doubts in my co-workers' minds that I was trans-something. (Showing up at work dressed as an office girl the previous five Halloweens put those doubts in their minds in the first place.)

This year, the only surprise will be that I show up (for those who did not know I was invited). No one will be surprised how I will be dressed.

Thanks to your input, I decided to wear the Julia Jordan gunmetal fit-and-flare dress, Dress Barn off-black pin-dot tights and Nine West metallic platform pumps ("Outfit #2" in my "For the Holidays" post). I will accessorize with silver jewelry and perhaps a colorful scarf. Outerwear is dependent on the weather, but if the the "partly sunny 43 °F" forecast holds, I will probably wear my purple swing coat.

I am so looking forward to the luncheon and as usual, you can expect a full report in the days after.

Wearing Intermix (Source: Intermix)

The "Professor" (Russell Johnson) asks "Mary Ann" (Dawn Wells) if he passes as a woman in a 1967 episode of Gilligan's Island.

It's the Pits

Back in August, I purchased a Philips Norelco Bodygroomer. Sunday morning, while using the bodygroomer, I used it to shave something I have previously avoided: my armpits.

In the past, I tried using my rotary head electric razor to shave my armpits. It removed the hair, but left a nasty itchy rash that lasted for days. Having learned my lesson, I used a manual razor with a shaving gel to shave my pits after that bad experience.

When I used the bodygroomer to shave on Sunday, I decided to try it on my armpit hair as an experiment. Surprisingly, it removed all the hair, but it did not irritate the skin.

I will never use my rotary head electric razor again in that neck of the woods, but I now have two shaving options to do the job..

Wearing Boston Proper (Source: Boston Proper)

Soldiers femulating USO canteen girls in the 1943 film This Is the Army.

Mothers and Daughters

Undressing on Saturday, I noticed that one of the hooks on my Rago long line bra was ready to escape from its moorings ("My bra's not too tight – my boobs are too big"). So I got out my sewing kit and fixed the problem.

While I was sewing my bra, I thought about how my mother taught me sewing basics when I was a youngster and wondered how many mothers teach their sons how to sew?

You may recall that one time my mother gave me a makeover when she misinterpreted my feeble clown makeup for a failed attempt at girl makeup.

There were other clues during my youth that convinced me that my mother had an inkling that I might be boarding the good ship Lollipop in the future. So like any good mother, she was just preparing her daughter for womanhood when she gave me sewing and makeup lessons.

(Thanks, Mom!)

I Resemble That Remark Dept.

Actress Sandra Bullock on why high heels don't faze her, "I think it's my mother's gene because she did everything in high heels." (Source: Parade)

Wearing Nine West (Source: Nine West)

Bob Denver femulates in a 1967 episode of Gilligan's Island.

My New York & Company Experience

You may have noticed that lately I have been regularly using models wearing outfits from New York & Company in the Femulate Her slot. Their models and clothing are attractive and I have been tempted to self-gift their apparel. But I am always a little hesitant about buying online from a company I have not done business with in the past. I am concerned about sizing. Does their clothing run small or run big or is it true to size?

However, they have had such terrific sales this month that I could not resist any longer and I ordered two dresses: a button-trim cable-knit sweater dress in burgundy spice and a belted bell-sleeve sheath sweater dress in parker green.

UPS delivered the dresses on Friday. Opening the package, I was impressed with the quality of the dresses. Trying them on, I was happy because they both were perfect fits (like gloves) and they looked very nice, too. So, their dresses seem to run true to size and I would not hesitate to order from New York & Company again. And I may do so soon if their holiday bargain sales continue.

Wearing New York & Company (Source: New York & Company)

Grayson Perry, circa 1982. (Follow the link for an interesting article about Grayson's early crossdressing experiences.)

Someday Funnies

Wearing Boston Proper (Source: Boston Proper)

The U.K.'s Angela Booth, whose cartoons has been featured recently (like today) in the Someday Funnies spot. 

The Ball's in My Court Shoes

People remark how well and how long I manage to wear high heels.

Having worn high heels for over a half century, I learned that the balls of my feet are usually the first part of my anatomy to complain about my choice of footwear. To avoid or prolong the onset of sore feet, I have a simple exercise to strengthen the balls of my feet. When I am not wearing heels, I walk tippy-toe whenever possible.

Every morning, I walk one mile on the paved streets of my neighborhood in boy mode and most of that mile I walk tippy-toe.

Luckily, I live in the woods and only pass three houses during my daily mile. Foot and vehicular traffic is also very light and most days, I do not encounter anyone during my walk. So although I am outdoors and very exposed, it is very private and I can walk tippy-toe without anyone seeing me.

Walking tippy-toe on pavement is probably the best exercise my feet get as compared to walking tippy-toe around the house on carpeted floors. Besides strengthening the balls of my feet, walking tippy-toe probably strengthens my arch, too. Note well that I am not a doctor and I am not qualified to give medical advice. What I am writing here is just what I have experienced as a woman and your mileage may vary.

I always try to improve my female presentation whenever I can. So while I am walking tippy-toe, I also practice walking like a woman, one foot in front of the other just like the woman in the video clip at the top of this post.

Have a femulating weekend!
 

Wearing Boston Proper (Source: Boston Proper)

Stephen Carr femulates in a 1952 episode of Adventures of Superman.

FYI: Links

Source: Wikipedia

It has come to my attention that some readers are not getting the full benefit of this blog. In particular, the links in the Femulate Her and Femulator slots below.

Femulate Her links typically go to the website of the seller of the item(s) worn by the Femulate Her model. Occasionally, the links go to the webpage of the actual item the model is wearing.

If the Femulator is an individual, there may be a link to Wikipedia or another website that describes the individual. If the Femulator image is from a film or television show, there may be a link to a video (typically on YouTube) that shows the femulation.

For example, today's Femulate Her goes to the Veronica Beard website. And today's Femulator link goes to YouTube where you can view the entire film, This Is the Army.

What alerted me to this issue was a comment from a reader who said she had never seen a femulation from television's Your Face Sounds Familiar and wondered if the performers lip-synched. This surprised me because whenever Your Face Sound Familiar is in the Femulator slot, I usually include a link to a video of that television show's femulation. By the way, the Your Face Sounds Familiar performers do not lip-synch.

And while on the subject of links, if you click on any link in this blog that takes you to Amazon and you make any purchase during that Amazon visit, your purchase helps to support this blog. So thank-you for your support.

Wearing Veronica Beard (Source: Veronica Beard) (I love this skirt suit!)

Alan Manson femulating in the 1943 film This Is the Army.

Triumph or Downfall

Wearing high heels can lead to a girl’s triumph or downfall. Over the years, I have experienced both.

High heels make your legs look shapely and are so darn sexy. That is why I have a closet full. The problem is that you can never tell whether a pair will be your friend or foe in the long run. Will your feet be happy in heels all day long or will they be screaming in pain after an hour or two?

The height of the heel is not a reliable indicator. Some of my most comfortable shoes are four-inch skyscrapers, whereas I own flats that I wore once and will never wear again because they were so uncomfortable.

I often use inserts in my heels to alleviate any problems. Insolia and Dr. Scholl's are the brands I have used successfully. Then again, I own many comfortable heels that don’t need inserts (like Janine and Karmen from Payless and Predictions).

Speaking of heels...

Remember the gunmetal mesh dress I wanted to purchase to wear to my former company’s Christmas party. I ordered the dress from Dress Barn in the largest size they offered (Misses 14), but it was too small, so I returned it. After searching the Internet, I found the exact same dress in size 16 at Rue Lala. I ordered it and USPS delivered it today. And the good news is that it fits me like a glove! Yay!

What’s that got to do with heels?

You may also recall that I was considering two pairs of heels to wear with the dress. The majority of you who commented preferred the metallic platform pumps, but Tanit commented that I might consider pairing the dress with heels in a color that pops.

Now I am thinking the same thing.

Wearing Madison

Charles Demetri

Films to Femulate By: The Thomas Crown Affair

Friday evening, TCM showed The Thomas Crown Affair starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway.   According to IMDB, McQueen plays a debonair, adventuresome bank executive, who believes he has pulled off the perfect multi-million dollar heist, only to match wits with an insurance investigator, played by Dunaway, who will do anything to get her man.

This 1968 film has a lot going for it: interesting plot, good dialog, excellent cast, cool use of split screens and it was filmed in Boston, my old stomping grounds (it is nice to see scenes of Boston as they were when I was stomping around up there). But for me, the best thing about the film was Faye Dunaway.

Dunaway is not my favorite actress, not by a longshot, but as a budding femulator, I wanted to wear the outfits that Dunaway wore in that film. Her Vicki Anderson was just my style. So much so that I did something that I had not done since I took scissors to my Katy Keene comic books years earlier — I cut out photos of Dunaway in those outfits and hid them in the pages of a Red Sox yearbook for future inspiration.

I never achieved a drop dead lookalike femulation of Dunaway's Vicki Anderson, but I had a lot of fun trying and learned a lot in the process.

Faye Dunaway in The Thomas Crown Affair

Not quite Faye