Shopping for women's clothing while cross-dressed as a woman

I found this article about shopping while dressed.

Shopping for women's clothing while cross-dressed as a woman

http://www.lisagirl.net/cross-dressing-tips-and-advice-shop3.html

The pinnacle of being a cross-dresser is dressing up like a woman and going out to shop. While you don't always have the opportunity and sometimes the courage to do this, you will love nothing more than to spend a few hours shopping as a woman whether it's stocking up on groceries or scooping up a handful of items and locking yourself away in the safety of a dressing room. Regardless of the errand, dressing up like a woman and venturing out into public is the biggest reward a cross dresser can give herself. Here is some advice on going out in public.

Fit in with the crowd. If you want to be discreet and invite as few looks from others as possible, then you must fit in with the crowd. Determine what time you want to venture out, and then match your outfit to what the majority of women are wearing at that time. There is always a time of day and scenario that will accommodate your shopping while cross-dressed, so plan ahead and don't be disappointed if you can't always wear a skirt.  If you must wear a skirt an pantyhose out in public, the outfit at right is an example of how you can achieve that while still maintaining a casual look.

Early morning to about 9:30 AM: This is actually one of my favorite times to shop as a cross dresser. The crowds are miniscule and you have the option of dressing up like a woman on her way into work (which means you can wear a skirt and pantyhose), a woman running to the grocery store for a gallon of milk, or a woman getting an early start on her day of shopping. If you dress casually in the morning meaning a pair of jeans, pull your hair back into a ponytail, wear less makeup, and wear fewer accessories. The picture at left is a perfect example of how I often dress when I want to blend in with the crowd...and I'm still managing to wear pantyhose with strappy sandals.  If you are a woman on her way into work, look the part with good makeup, nice hair, and more accessories like a flashy pair of earrings. One other trick that I use when posing as working woman is I've taken an old work badge and laminated a picture of me dolled up over the original picture, so I can wear it around my neck or attach it to the side of my skirt.

9:30 AM to 4:30 PM: This is a more difficult time to cross dress in public. The majority of people out and about are mothers who have just sent the kids to school and are out running errands or shopping for themselves, and we know how much we girls like to scrutinize other girls, so you're more likely to get glances from those around you during this time. If you cross dress during the day in public, you have to dress casually (which usually means no skirt) with the one exception being a working girl who is on her lunch break...a challenging but rewarding scenario if you can pull it off.

4:30 to 7:00 PM: This is a difficult time to cross dress in public because the crowds are likely peaking at this time of day, and it's nearly impossible to be out and about and not get noticed. There are some veteran girls out there who can pull it off any time of day, but for the beginner, I would not recommend shopping or venturing out in public cross dressed during this time. Perhaps a quick run into a grocery store or other store dressed as a working girl on her way home could be done, but it's easier to do this a little bit later.

7:00 PM to Store closing: This is a more relaxing time to head out for a few hours of cross dressing because the crowds are thin and you also have the cover of night. Night time shouldn't make a difference, but I believe it does to a girl's confidence, and since confidence is key, anything that makes you more relaxed is better. You can still pull off the working girl scenario at this hour (the badge helps :), or you can choose to go casual. A lot of women out at this time have dressed into a jogging suit or other clothing that is comfortable to lounge in during these hours. Heavier make-up is acceptable because you would expect that from a woman near the end of the day. Most of my clothing shopping is done during these hours with my grocery shopping done in the morning.  Pictured at right is something that I would typically wear when I want to present myself as a working girl.  This is a great chance to wear a short skirt and heels.

Patronize stores with self-service registers.

It's one thing to put yourself on public display dressed as a woman, but it's quite another to interact with someone face to face. For that reason, when shopping cross dressed it is easiest to patronize those stores that have self serving registers. Knowing that you won't have to talk to anyone increases your confidence level, but be prepared for how you will pay at the register. One time while shopping at Walmart, I pulled my credit card out of my purse out of habit and swiped it through the machine. The lady overseeing the self-serve registers hit the accept button immediately, but that was a possible point of danger if she had asked to see my ID along with the card.  Perhaps she thought I was a legitimate looking women .  I hope.

On another occasion, I purchased some eye shadow applicators while cross-dressed, and the self serve machine couldn't detect that I had placed them in the bagging area because they were so light. As a result, the light above the register started blinking, and I had to explain the situation to the person on duty. I'm positive I was ousted by that experience, so the best advice is to plan ahead and run the possible scenarios though your mind. If you're okay with the chances, then go for it! But you also need to be mentally prepared for the unexpected.

Take baby steps. The first time cross-dressed in public is extremely unnerving regardless of the scenario, so when interacting somewhat with the public, take baby steps.