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On Lipstick |
Do not get "long lasting" lipstick. It stains the lips and does not come completely off after washing. | |
Removing makeup |
One of the best removers ever is Albolene available at most drug stores. It is a petroleum-based makeup remover that does the job. It turns from a gell into oil on contact. It is also very slippery and lasts a long time (wink wink). You will need to wash the oil off with soap and water. | |
Foundation |
I use two layers. The first is a liquid which does a good job covering shaved beard stubble. Let it dry completely. Then finish it with a powder foundation. This will take the shine away and absorb a little (minimal) moisture. | |
Filling bras |
I use water balloons. 12" helium quality which I buy in bulk from a party store. For "smaller" (G or smaller) breasts You can get away without doubling up the balloon (read on for details). A single balloon is weaker but has a more natural feel and has a great jiggle. Above a G double the balloons by taking an empty balloon and twisting it so that it takes the shape of a stick. Insert this balloon into another empty balloon of the same size. It May take some teasing to get them seated together. Fill the balloon with water, tap them so that any air rises to the top then relaease the air. Tie each balloon closed. On hot days, I will even put them in the freezer for a half an hour to act as coolers for when I get dressed. |  |
Mail Order |
Get a PO Box. They run about $70 for a year. You'll need to get it in your real name (unless you know some identity tricks) but you can sign on any other names such as you femme name. I usually go by first initial and last name of both my male and female names. If any package is too large for the box, they will put a note in the box and you can pick it up at the counter. This is where the first initial comes in handy in case they ask for ID. |
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Shoes |
Female sizes are 2 to 2-1/2 sizes larger than men's so a male size 9 will be an 11 or 11-1/2 in a woman's shoe. Which really sucks for so many crossdressers. Heel height is not an absolute. Larger sizes often have higher heels to keep the angle of the shoe consistent for the shoe. I have shoes listed as 6" but in a size 11 the heel is closer to 6-1/2 to 7" which makes them impractical to wear out. Also, men's feet are wider than women's so a regular male 9 will often need a wide woman's 11. |
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Pantyhose |
Sorry, can't help you much here. Most of us will take a queen size but you'll have to read the size charts for yourself (which is half the fun!) and every brand has different sizes! | |
Shave your legs? |
This is a tough one to get away with since it takes close to two months for hair to grow back to normal. I wear opaque tan or nude dance tights as a "foundation" and then put pantyhose or stockings over them. It doesn't do a bad job. | |
Panties |
If you think it's optional (for some of us it's all about the panties) consider this. Wearing pantyhose without panties can be painful. Here's why: the very thin skin on the underside of your penis may actually sneak between the threads and stick out like a tiny bubble. When this bubble rubs against the next layer of clothing it really hurts. Wear panties! | |
Earrings |
Don't forget about clip-ons! cliptomania.com Great selection and prices. | |
Sizing Clothes |
This one took me a long time to figure out. It's mostly trial and error- an expensive proposition (unless you don't mind returning clothes!) I wear a men's large shirt and that works out to be a 16-18 without bra. Fully stacked I'm a 22. Pants I take a men's 34 which is a 12-14 depending on how many sundaes I've had recently. If you are on the larger side, no worries. There are plenty of plus sizes out there and they've got some really nice fashions for full-figured women. | |
Going out for a drive |
I will usually dress completely (without the balloons) at home then cover up with bulky male clothes. I drive towards my destination and dress once I'm safely away from my neighborhood. Be extra careful if you have a noticeable car or vanity plate. You can finish your transformation in a large parking lot or just some secluded road. Be very careful not to get mugged! (Never happened to me but I'm careful of which roads I use). | |
Wigs |
One thing you don't hear much about is that wigs can get very hot. They trap in heat. Put your wig on last. | |
Stashing your stuff |
Find a place that no one will ever go. A high corner of your attic, a crawl space in the basement (can sometimes be too moist for storage). Make that area uninviting to anyone who might come along (no ladder to get high). Keep all your stuff together. If you scatter a little here and there, you'll eventually lose track. I keep my stuff in stackable tupperwear containers for ease of storage and moving around. | |
Getting time to yourself |
You NEED to know where everyone is going to be. Make sure you have plenty of time- leave at least an hour after for a good cleanup. Maybe call halfway through your block of time to "see how everything is going and what time does it look like you'll be back". Imagine their suprise if they return early to "suprise you." |
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Keep your accessories together |
When you take your things out for an evening of fun, keep everything together, preferably in a little-used room. Sure, have fun. Change outfits, accessorize, try on different shoes but keep everything together. Imagine scattering things all over and then forgetting one tiny thing after clean up! I use a room that is rarely used so that I can push it all in one corner and close the door without raising suspicion. | |
Triple check |
After clean up and packing things away, retrace your steps backwards and forwards and look for any stray signs. Pantyhose tend to find their way into cracks in couch cushions. If you have a dog or cat, make sure Rover didn't take a toy to play with. Look for stray wig hairs- particularly on the sink. Also, foundation powder and eye shadow can leave dust on the sink. Wipe it down. | |
Hiding yor digital pictures |
Have pictures of yourself? Have a batch of pictures of me? (Naughty boy!) I made folder with many branches and sub-branches that is almost impossible to find. each branch has an official and scary-looking names like "system" and so on. Clear your recycle bin if you deleted any pictures. Be careful of your "Recent Documents" folder. If it keeps track of your last bunch of files opened, open up a bunch of harmless word files until the incriminating files are off the recent list. | |
Hiding your web activity |
Use another browser. My family uses Internet Explorer. I downloaded and installed Netscape Navigator so that Amanda can surf the net. I deleted the icon from the desktop and other easily seen locations so it just doesn't get used. I access e-mail and the web through this second browser. If you copy and paste links or graphics, be sure to clear the clipboard before you move away from the keyboard. Imagine, your significant other trying to paste a word into a document and up pops a copied picture of Amanda. Explain that! To clear the clipboard simply select something innocent like a harmless word, and copy it (ctrl+c). |
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Get a seperate e-mail account through some different service. I use a free yahoo account for Amanda and I only access it through the browser that I use for my crossdressing activities and access it only from home. NEVER FROM WORK!! |
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Shopping in person |
You're not fooling anyone! They know why you are there. Accept it, get over it and enjoy it. Just do it in some other town. Besides, it's NOT illegal! There's also a huge thrill that comes with that experience. | |
Close Calls and Avoiding getting busted |
Once I had too red of a lipstick on for too long and it didn't come completely off. I quickly fixed a plate of spaghetti and was eating it when they came home. After driving around one evening I drove home to see their car. Imagine the horror and panic- I had to get in that house. Luckily I have an emergency doomsday kit in my trunk (food, water, clothing, flashlight etc). I kept driving, got undressed/dress in the car and used a bathroom in HomeDepot to clean up. |
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