Stuff 5

By J.J. Atwell

It’s JJ again! The fact that you are reading this means that you and Stana liked my previous installments of Stuff. I hope you’ll continue to find it thought-provoking.  

Hair Part 2 – how to get it

So, before we resume, you might want to queue up the song from the musical Hair I mentioned in the previous installment.  

Today I’d like to write about getting feminine hair. I’ve got a very male haircut. Or at least what hair I have left. So to present as female, I needed a wig. But how to get one? 

There are lots of ways to go about getting a wig. You can buy them online from several sources including the wig company, on-line wig shops and, of course, Amazon.  

The really hard part is finding a wig that looks good on you. I’ve experimented a bit with various hair styles and colors by using FaceApp. It allows me quickly to see an alternate presentation and narrows down my decision-making. But what you see on screen is definitely not the same as seeing it in real life. 

In my opinion, nothing beats going to a wig shop and actually trying on several. Yes, that’s a big step for many of us. I found a place nearby that is run by a female impersonator (drag queen, if you must) that also caters to cancer patients. Of course, they are very welcoming to CDs, so I was comfortable going there even though I was nervous at first. 

It was a great experience trying on various wigs. Long. Short. In-between. I ultimately went for a shoulder length, after trying some shorter styles. For me, the longer length helped the illusion.  

But the most important factor in selecting a wig, I believe, is actually the color. I tried several different colors and ultimately settled on a darker blonde shade that you see in my headshot above. It was amazing to see the difference when trying on different colors. The shop owner was very helpful in suggesting colors and styles that would work best for me. Be sure to bring along a friend when doing this as it’s always helpful to get a third opinion.  

You’ll know when you get the right one. You’ll look in the mirror and spontaneously exclaim “that’s me,” when you see it! Yes, that’s the good stuff.  

I’ll be back

I hope you enjoyed this installment! As before, comments are welcome either here on the blog or by email to Jenn6nov at-sign gmail dot com. JJ is always looking for more stuff!

Wearing Paige

Diether Krebs femulating on West German television’s Sketchup.

Someday Funnies

Wearing Concrete Jungle

Bradley Whitford and Jeffrey Tambor femulating in television’s Transparent.

Someday Funnies

Stanley Baxter, famed professional femulator of stage, screen and television

Living the Dream

By Ciara Cremin 

As with every reader of this website, I love wearing women’s clothes. So much so that in July 2015 I dressed openly to work for the first time as a woman. 

I know from reading the site that many of you fantasize about dressing openly as women. Some do occasionally. I fantasized about doing this for decades. That fantasy is well and truly realized. At work, when shopping, on the town, day and night – all times, without exception – I dress fully en femme. I don’t “pass.” I don’t even try. There’s nothing wrong with our bodies. The problem is with society.

Soon after coming out, I changed my name to Ciara. At first, I identified as a “cross-dresser,” a transvestite even: both terms are now well and truly redundant. I dress as a woman because I am a woman. 

I can’t express strongly enough what a thrill it is getting up every morning, selecting an outfit from the many dresses, skirts, blouses, etc. that I own, matching it with shoes or knee-length boots, various accoutrements such as jeweley, figure-hugging underwear, panties, bras, slips and most of all, pantyhose, and spending about 20 minutes in front of the mirror putting on my makeup from the assortment of lipsticks, eyeshadows and so forth overflowing my makeup drawer. It’s such a tonic to get dressed up in my style and doing so in the knowledge that this is the image I present to the world, not simply in my own private oasis in front of a mirror, an oasis I once felt imprisoned by. 

After eight years, the pleasure is undiminished. It’s so liberating being able to dress openly this way and for people to recognize and identify me as a woman. I love shopping for new dresses, shoes, handbags, everything, in fact, associated with femininity, amassing over this time, a huge collection to indulge in and experiment with daily.

I’m fortunate to have a job in academia where I’m fully accepted as a woman; to live in a country, New Zealand, in which it is relatively safe to present this way; to have friends who fully support me – those that didn’t are friends no more. I know this isn’t the case for everyone. But if you do fantasize about dressing openly, day and night, as a woman, and can, all things considered, do so without losing your job, being ostracized from friends, loved ones and family and in relative safety, why not do the same? It’ll transform your life, maybe for the better. And if like me, it becomes you, your only regret will be that you didn’t do it sooner.

The photographs I selected are typical of my daily style, some of which were taken at work before giving a lecture to hundreds of students who know me only as Ciara. You can probably tell from them that I love wearing pantyhose. My legs feel bare without them. As too my face without makeup on. The only time I don’t wear pantyhose is when going swimming at the beach or in winter, at the hot pools in my bathing suit, but still in makeup as you can see from the photo below. 

I’ve published two books reflecting on my experiences. Published in 2017, Man-Made Woman charts my transition and documents the effects, both on me and the people I encounter daily. It’s quite theoretical, so not necessarily a book I’d recommend unless you’re willing to put the work in and prepare yourself for challenging ideas on gender, sexuality and most of all, a society that casts us as freaks. 

Likewise, 2021’s The Future is Feminine, an excoriating critique of the effects of masculinization that living as a woman, it is difficult not to regard as a sickness. Living as a woman has a healing effect, a kind of therapy that addresses the damage done over the years by a self- and societally-enforced masculinization.

If you have the desire and the conditions afford it, feel the fear and do it anyway. Liberate your femininity. Become the woman you were always meant to be. It’ll change your perspective on life and, just as importantly, the world. If enough of us do so, maybe we can even change the world and make it a better, safer, less alienating place for everyone.

(Editor’s Note 1: Ciara will entertain your questions. Ask them in the Comments section below or email them to stana-stana at-sign sbcglobal.net) 

(Editor’s Note 2: The book links in this article go to Amazon.com. The books are also available from Australian bookseller Bloomsbury.)

99

Wednesday, my wife was undergoing tests at the hospital, so I did not visit her because I did not know where she would be at any specific time. Would she be at the hospital or at the rehab center or traveling in between? I was way overdue to go out en femme and decided to do so since my wife was otherwise occupied.

The weather was beautiful, so I wore my Venus faux leather shorts, JC Penney lacy top, Avon blazer and Payless 3.5-inch chunky heel Mary-Janes. I was en femme around noon, then sat around waiting for the test results.

The results arrived by email at 3 PM and it was all good news! With that, I was ready to go, but as I rose from my seat, I noticed that the rubber tip on the heel of one of my Mary-Janes had come loose and was resting on the carpet. These Mary-Janes are an old time favorite and I guess the glue on the rubber tip had dried out after all these years. I put them aside to fix later, grabbed a different pair of Mary-Janes and I was on my way.

I had a 99 Restaurant gift card, so I drove to a local 99 for dinner. 

I walked in and was greeted by a hostess who showed me to a booth. Before she left me, she asked if the booth was a good fit in consideration of my long legs. The booth was OK. (Do they actually have roomier booths for leggy women?)

I ordered mango iced tea (delicious) and baked stuffed shrimp (an all-time favorite that I have not had in eons). There was an older couple (yes, older than me) in the booth opposite me. The man seemed a little odd (early Alzheimer?) and the woman was quiet taking in all that the man was saying. When they were finished eating and figuring out who owed what, the man seemed confused, handed the woman some cash, then got up and left leaving the woman to deal with the bill.

The woman looked at me, smiled and we exchanged pleasantries. I felt sorry for her.

I was tired and returned home after dinner. I did not have a lot of interaction with the civilians, but it was great to go out en femme and I hope to get out again real soon now.

Wearing Tory Burch

Mari Dekox

Back on My Heels

My wife is still in rehab. I was hoping she would be home for her birthday on Friday, but it looks like we will be singing stolat in the rehab center. She is improving, but she still needs more rehab, so I think she will need another week to ten days before she comes home.

My total knee replacement surgery was six months ago and except for the slowly disappearing scar, it is a non-issue. Using my knee without any pain is a blessing – I don’t even think about it anymore. I am even getting around in heels again and plan to go out en femme in heels real soon now.

Coincidentally, I received an email ad from Vivian Lou extolling the virtues of their high heel insole inserts for people who have had knee surgery.

You don't need to worry about your knee joints or high-heel induced strain if you pair your heels with Vivian Lou Insolia weight-shifting insoles.

 

Designed by a podiatrist and engineered by a rocket scientist, our Vivian Lou Insolia weight-shifting insoles ever-so-slightly rotate the heel bone up and back to shift weight off the forefoot and stop the feet from slipping forward in shoes.

 

This shift in weight correct the center of balance and shift body weight to the heel resulting in proper knee extension and significantly less strain on the knees.

The ad concludes with reviews from people who had knee surgery and were able to get back on their heels by using the Insolia inserts.

I have been using Insolia inserts for years and I am a satisfied customer – before and after knee surgery. 

Insolia inserts are different from other inserts I have tried (and discarded). Instead of adding padding to the shoe, which is basically what those other shoe inserts do, Insolia inserts shift weight off of the ball of the foot back to the heel by placing the foot in the optimal position for high heels.

As a result, high heels are comfortable longer than they would be sans the inserts. They really work and since that time, I automatically buy a new pair of Insolia inserts whenever I buy a new pair of high heels.

Wearing Ann Taylor

Jared Leto femulating in the 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club

Someday Funnies

Edmund Fischer (1852-1920) femulating for a fraternity show at Tartu University
Thank you Barbra Anne Taylor for this femulation.

Stuff 4

By J.J. Atwell

Hello All

JJ is back with more stuff!  I have much appreciated the feedback I’ve seen about my previous stuff. Please keep it coming. 

For those that missed the previous installments, I’ll recap. The column is called “Stuff” because I couldn’t think of a more descriptive title. I’m covering a wide range of things and this column is a place for my stuff. So on to installment number four.  

Hair - How to get it and how to lose it

Remember the play Hair from the 60s? No? Well, you might remember the song that went with it. I’ll give you a few minutes to search for it before you continue reading my stuff.

Hair is one of the most enjoyable and yet troubling aspects of being a CD. First we need to get rid of hair in places that most women don’t have any – face, arms, legs, torso. Then we need to add hair where most women do have it – on their head.  

How to lose it

Getting rid of hair on the face is fairly easy – most of us just shave. The trick is to get a really close shave before putting on your makeup.  

For special outings at night, I’ve gone to my local massage/spa shop for a facial in the morning. In the afternoon, it’s time to shower. At this point, it’s getting the face clean before shaving with a new blade. Then I shave again to make sure I’ve gotten it all. After getting out of the shower, it’s time for a color correcting moisturizer. Usually at that point, I need to cool off before starting to apply makeup. 

But what about unwanted hair elsewhere? I’ve tried shaving, epilating, waxing and hair removal creams. They all work to some extent or other. I think whatever works best for you is a matter of trial and error. In terms of ease, shaving the legs in the shower seems to be the easiest for me. I especially love the feeling of applying lotion to my smooth legs when I get out of the shower.  

Waxing is an interesting option. If done right it will leave the area hair free for a week or more. Repeating it over time will greatly reduce the regrowth. Just be warned – it hurts!!!  After a few sessions, you’ll get used to it, but we must suffer for our beauty.  

Epilating is also a bit painful, but the pain is something you have a little control over. Of course, waxing and epilating both yank out the hair at the root so regrowth should eventually lessen over time.  

I’ve never tried electrolysis or laser hair removal, so I can’t comment on either of those options. 

That’s all the stuff I’ve got about loosing unwanted hair.  

I’ll be back

That’s it for today. I know I just covered the part about loosing unwanted hair. Getting feminine hair will be the subject of the next installment. I hope my stuff gives you something to think about. In the meantime I’d welcome comments here on the blog or by email at Jenn6nov at-sign gmail dot com.

Wearing New York & Company

Yet another out and about modern couple

Someday Funnies: Church Ladies

I welcome all Femulate readers to submit Before and After photos for publication here.
Just send your photos to stana-stana at-sign sbcglobal.net

Someday Funnies: Like Father, Like Son

 

Wearing New York & Company

Corey Fogelmanis as Brenda on television’s Girl Meets World.
Thank you Zoe for this femulation.