To date, as previously mentioned, my experiments had mainly been tampering with the taboo of a man wearing women's clothes. I had played with make-up and lingerie in some of my short lived exploits with dressing, but never really spent a great deal of effort REALLY trying to look like a girl rather than a guy. The whole concept became more of a task then a desire or fetish. I went about it as methodically as I would solve any other problem in my life. Research, homework and practice. The only item that I was not really able to get down 100% prior to the parties was voice and some of the maneurisms (which are a big part - believe me).
Becky at Meijer's had given me all the colors I needed to begin painting my masterpiece and my creative shopping gave me the framework. A little careful shaving (all over - oh ho) gave me the canvas. It was time to start creating a girl from this semi-masculine frame I had been given since birth. As can be seen in the previous Shopping section, I made numerous trips through numerous stores. More that is even listed in there. I spent nights at the bar(s), stores and local restaurants watching girls and women, looking at the way the dressed. I even spent time studying and experimenting with my own body/dress/etc. to try to discern what would be the most convincing route to take to convince the most amount of people.
I knew right off that shaved legs would be the first part. More guys I know will drift their eyes to one of two places when a well dressed girl walks into the room. Breasts and legs. Since I don't have the former available to expose with cleavage and the like, I decided legs would be the best place to start. I also wanted a slightly conservative nice girl look. One, because if I was one, I would be nice girl, and two because it would be less conspicuous.
After getting the make-up, much exerimenting with that and my facial features gave me more ideas to do with both the make-up and my face. My eyebrows were trimmed back (nothing more than shave in this case) and I learned a fiew tricks with shading the blush, eye shadow and foundation to cover up hard cheek lines, wide nose, etc. Many trips too and from the stores too for the purpose of filling in my supplies with the needed items. (thus the brighter powder foundation and new eye shadow colors)
To further draw attention to my legs, I had ordered a new satin pleated broomstick skirt (that kind of fabric always catches my attention) as well as purchased white instead of black nylons, an ankle bracelet and higher healed pair of contrasting black shoes. I considered possibly using gloves for my hands, but that would have only matched a much more elegant outfit that would be more conspicuous than the 'nice girl' look I was after.
The addition of another hole in my ear for a second earring, and the purchase of non-descript loop earrings to fill those holes, as well as creatively utilizing some of my own matching silver jewelry for accents hither and tither would also help complete the look. My money would run out before I could get any other pre-halloween costume jewelry such as rings or additional bracelets.
Finally, one of the last items purchased was the wig. The lack of local wig shops required that I would most likely have to order one from a catalog or a WWW site. (this was before I found the local costume shop) So, I used the WWW sites I had found to grab some images of my most liked and most affordable wigs. Using an old picture I had already scanned of myself, I played with pasting the image of my face onto various heads of the women shown wearing the wigs. Some manipulation provided the pasteable face with makeshift shading such as you would find with make-up and also allowed me further opportunity to play with make-up ideas. (See Developing a Mental Image)
The final look was pretty much complete and was better than I ever hoped for after the wig was finally purchased from the costume shop. I was so delighted, that I went back and bought another wig (that I have yet to wear out). For the most part, I would change behind the locked door to my room like a cacooned caterpillar, not letting anyone see me until I came out the beautiful butterfly. Though on a couple of the occasions to follow, you will see that I found somewhere to change in the car without a whole lot of fuss.
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