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Awkward moments
I’m sure lot of people here have had an awkward or embarrassing moment when out dressed? Mine occurred last Thursday while stopped at a traffic intersection waiting for the lights to go green. I must admit I was a bit distracted with thoughts other than driving when the lights turned green and the cars in front started moving off. I automatically followed when the car in front stopped for no apparent reason resulting in her cars toe ball embedding itself in to my grill. No time to react let alone stop in time.
Luckily nobody was injured apart from my poor nearly brand new car.
Out I get to talk to the driver who was remarkably calm unlike myself as I was a bit shook up at the time.
The awkward moment arrived when we had to exchange license details as I’m not full time yet so still have my old photo and name on it.
She took it all in her stride though and drove off afterwards, but no doubt will have a funny story to tell at parties for a while….. -
22 Replies
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One night many years ago I dressed and decided to extend myself to get money from an ATM. I parked the car across the road, got out and walked to the machine. There was a small queue so I waited and felt a bit self conscious about it. But I survived and took money out of the ATM. Happy and somewhat relieved I walked nonchalently back to the car… I passed a couple and heard those dreaded words: ‘thats’s a guy’…. I was shocked and all I could do was muster enough courage to keep my dignity and get back in the car in a ladylike manner.
The incident made me more determined to go out more and think who gives a rats about what others think
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Good on you Helen for maintaining your dignity and for not letting one setback get to you too much. I have only had one negative experience and I looked the jerk in the eye and kept my dignity along with my temper and the coward looked away.
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Rachael. It was a case of what else could I do? Let’s just walk off in a dignified manner and not let the true feelings surface…. They were fear and at the same time excitement….
Now I couldn’t really give a rats…..Helen
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almost sounds to the contrary to my first embarrassing moment, where I nearly caused a divorce in a pizza shop.
SHE threatened to divorce HIM if he didn’t try buy my dress, or get one like it for her.
[and I was new to going out]
HE apologised to me and asked where I bought the dress.
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I think I know how you felt Helen. When I realised I was being mocked I experienced several emotions simultaneously, embarrassment, humiliation and anger. Luckily anger was the foremost and I remember thinking “how dare they mock my life!” it gave me the strength to face them down. I also had a few choice words I was going to fling at them if I was confronted!
Brenda you have to put up a pick of that dress!
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Hello good people in TGR,
I was not dressed on two of the three occasions I was embarrassed, but that does not mean it was not a difficult moment on all occasions.
Moment 1/. As my profile states, my one and only job for most of my working life involved a lot of interstate and overseas travel. The plus was many times being Caty in hotel rooms all over the planet and yes, some fun times at dressing services and going out “clubbing”,well sort of. For example, I never “drank and dragged”.
The downsides?? a/. having to go through the red “goods to declare line” at a certain North American airport and having my luggage. complete with all Caty’s “finery”, examined in minute detail. (Thank goodness in a private room!!).
b/. The zip on my garment bag let go at an airport in Northern Europe. That was the compartment with all Caty’s “unmentionables”. (Including my forms and wigs….).Luckily “company policy” was to carry them all in plastic shopping bags. Cos all that could be seen was my garment bag and about six shopping bags merrily parading around the baggage carousel in front of a plane load of people waiting for their bags.
With my “normal clothes” plus Caty’s and the “Stuff” I needed for work, I regularly had well over 30kgs of luggage. This led to comments such as “You have enough luggage there for two”. Yes well,… quite so…
OR. “All that travel must be a real drag” Well yes, you could say that. OR A business contact comes to my hotel room, comments on the mirror with all the globes around it. “Hey, that would be great for putting make up on”Unanswered question? Was he “one of us” or did he guess/know about me?….I “ended the association” very shortly afterwards, (business matter, not the mirror). Come to think of it, did he know someone in Customs at the airport??… Same city…..
3/. Driving around Perth late one night dressed, imagining I’m Caty the “female rep” for my company. Up and down a couple of dark streets wasn’t smart, attracted the attention of “Perth’s finest”. Flashing lights, the works….Rule one when dressed. Dont drink alcohol;. Rule 2. Carry your drivers licence. 3/. Be polite to the nice constable. Nett result. “Think you should head back to your hotel now…… SIR…..”
Think film, “Just Like A Woman” Our hero/ine goes out on the town, gets pulled over by the cops, spends night in cells in his/her “finest”
Post Sept 11 2001, I’d “signed the (temporary) CD pledge”. Twice in 24 hours the Yanks went through my luggage with a fine tooth comb. (Why me, do I look like a terrorist??? 2012 answer, Only when you dress these days Caty, no make up and your wigs look like birds nests).
So to just be the “normal” (sic)… me on that trip was a blessing…. (I could add the words, “in disguise…). But no, that’s pushing the metaphor a bit too hard…
Happy dressing one and all
Caty
PS Just thought of another two AND YET THERE IS MORE. Early days “dressing service” in major Australian capital city. Just get all dolled up, the night is becoming “interesting” and a guy breaks in with a knife and robs the place. Hey I’m fully dressed and made up, so I’m no use to anyone, I’m also no hero… Rule No 4. Dont take your “original wallet/purse” out with you when dressed. Just enough $$ for the night in another old one.No credit cards etc.He had to be satified with what was in my “no2 wallet”. I had to get back to being “me” in a hellava hurry and get outa there before the cops got there and I become a (VERY EMBARASSED) witness. Not to mention divorced when I got home. So no money, backblocks of the city on a “dark and stormy night”. Luckily a friendly co-operative taxi driver picked me up, hotel reception believed my story about lost keys and wallet and I was able to pay the driver and head for my room. That was no gale in that city that night when I locked the door,it was my sigh of relief.
One more for the road. Most men get into trouble if they come home with make up on the outside of their shirt collars. I used to get into strife with make up on the INSIDE…..
And after all the “trials and tribulations” above, it’s no wonder I locked Caty away for all the years I did.
CR
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Caty you certainly have been through some adventures. Have you thought about writing a book?
I have had two brushes with the law when out dressed and both times they were fine. One was for a random breathiliser which was ok as I drink and drive and the other was for driving around Perth with my headlights off. I sometimes do silly things like that. The streets were brightly lit and I forgot to switch them on.
I just recalled another time I was driving down the freeway towing a trailer filled with book cases and forgot to secure the load. We pulled over to the emergency lane as I noticed the tarp covering them had come loose and was flapping in the breeze. Whilst retying the tarp a nursing home bus pulled up and the driver came running over saying “ladies you lost a drawer down the road.” we didn’t have any drawers in the trailer so dismissed this thinking he was senile or something. We should have realised something was amiss when a truck driver passing hit his air horn!
We were right about not losing a drawer but unfortunately when we got back to my friends place we realised we had lost an entire 7 foot bookcase. It had just slid straight off the back of the trailer and must have just missed the truck behind us! -
Hi Racheal and everyone.
A book… well there’s a thought….. I put it down to a certain English teacher a very long time ago who told me I’d make a good writer/journo. Been a frustrated one of those “species” ever since..
Just thought of another “book chapter”. Back in my work travelling days I achieved a very long held ambition to stay overnight with Juliette at Sophie’s Dressing Service, then of Plymouth and one of the best of that ilk in the UK. Had a great time, (still got the photos to prove it).
Plan B after leaving there was to spend the day as Caty driving to my next accomodation down in Cornwall. About a four hour drive. Big Conundrum here. Whilst I was wanting the “world” to see what a great job Juliette had done turning me into Caty, I was equally scared witless that someone would “spring” me. (Mental note, should have put this in under “passing”.) But then, that’s supposed to be half the fun of it, is it not…
It was supposed to be a “tranny friendly B&B”. Instead it was a dump of a place run by a very scary character whom when I arrived greeted me in the driveway in the “full disaster”, “external” S&M gear. Black everything, boots, full cape, hat, the works. The “accomodation” walls were covered in all manner of S&M posters and prints.
Needless to say I found this very unnerving and having paid in advance, got out of there ASAP next morning and as the “normal me” hightailed it to a “normal” hotel.
The stories keep coming back.
North American town, local CD group cajoles me out for dinner dressed. I was petrified, but starvation was the only other option. But I survived the night. Next day I’m “out on the road” with one of the local reps and it gets to lunch and he pulls into the same town. I thought, “if he takes me into the same restaurant, Im gone”. Luckily no.
The “worst one” of the lot was being able to attend The Tiffany Club’s three day Convention at Provincetown out on Cape Cod. One of the best and longest running in the States. By the time the resident make up artist had finished with me I looked and felt like a million bucks. Half way through the first night, what I thought was serious health problem re-emerged. I panicked and got back to “me” in very short order and headed back to Boston like a scalded cat. So what should have been three days of fun, just did not happen.
Just one more, but not as bad as any of the others. I made “penfriends”, (remember them?? “pre FB”, Facebook), with someone in a major northern capital city. So I went there for a dressing session one night. It all went well, until a/. this person became “tipsy” and b/. started making “untoward suggestions”. I made a quick change back to “me” and headed for my rental car. Opened the boot and this big “plus size”blighter promptly sat in it and refused to move…
I got him out… eventually and yes, that was another night of getting back to the safety of my hotel.
As for unsecured trailer loads, I learned that lesson a very long time ago. I always rope stuff down.
Caty
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This is probably one of the best threads at the moment. Other than being a giggle by sharing your experiences you gurls are helping us who haven’t been out often to know what pitfalls to look out for. I have been looking forward to reading new posts every day. Keep going, please.
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Hi Sharon Candice and all on Tgr,
Flattery will get you more stories, tho I am running out of my “better ones”. After all, I was travelling for work and at some stage actually had to do some..Not to mention justifying the expense of it all.
One more “quickie” comes to mind. Transformation Shop, Manchester UK, late ’80’s. Overnight stay organised, so is Caty. So I’m wandering around the shop with my “Spare wallet”, with quite a few quid in it I might add. (see previous story). Put it down on the counter and get distracted for a few seconds. Another “punter” in the shop was far too quick for me, lost the lot… That took the edge off that stay as well…….Later years Transformation shot one of their early CD videos in the rooms above the shop. Brought back memories of my lost “currency of the British realm”.
Just a couple relating to my ex “‘er indoors”. I once overheard her conversation with someone, (whom does not matter for this story), when she was talking about expensive ladies clothing.
“No one we know wears Schaparelli or Dior stockings”. Wrong dearest, they always were a weakness of mine… Sotto voce, of course…(Black, seamless, preferably with a nice tight corset and high heels, both black…,of course)
Later years of our time together I would arrange to meet her somewhere in Oz or NZ on the back end of one of my o/s work trips for a holiday…
Hmmm… Planning required here. If I cant ditch Caty’s stuff before we meet I’m in deep do do. (She hated my CD’ing with a passion, but give me credit, I did tell her early on, she did not find out the hard way).
So….. Flights are organised so that I get in well before her, cheap motel rooms are booked for a few hours, “packaging materials” sent there well in advance and if all goes to plan, Caty’s gear is despatched from the local post office to my “secure address” at home and I’m all smiles back at the airport as she gets off her plane.
Back up plan in case flight schedules come unstuck??? Buy cheap luggage at last work port of call, pack Caty’s stuff in that before check in and if necessary, beseech airline staff to send it to me at home as unaccompanied luggage. Did not come to this, tho’ did have to carry a “modicum” of Caty’s gear around a NZ holiday once, labelled in my bags as “quote samples”. Awkward Customs decs and getting it in back into OZ, you see.
I remember doing it up in Qld one trip, these days I still go to that city for holidays. The “cheap motel” is passed on a regular basis, but there’s so many of them on that strip, I cant remember which one it was…. Remember the post office tho’…
If I can go “off topic” for a minute. Things have changed a lot these days with us “girls”, (sorry Amanda!!), in terms of our shopping. Most ladies clothing shops will take our shekels as much as any other person in the community. Back then was a bit different, so before I’d do an interstate trip, using my private PO box as a base, I’d do a mail out to say, five lingerie stores. A positive response meant I was happy and they got my $$ and were happy too. Perth was a “happy hunting ground” for this. Thousands of miles from home, but same $$ and language. Taking my forms into the change room to make sure the bra fitted, was very special.
Discretion was and I’m sure still is, very important. Our “clientele” will never provide sufficient income to maintain their businesses, so they must always be concious of their “core customers”. So mostly closing time or after hours appointments were best for all concerned.
Used to love bridal gowns and formal wear, but how to get them? Answer, tell stories in recyled formal wear shops about role reversal fancy dress party. (Yes.. An oldie but a goody!!!). “She can get into my dinner suit but I cant get into her bridal gown”.
These days if I tried that stunt, it would have to be “mother of the bride”….Not to mention that with what a bridal gown costs these days, what wife would let her CD’ing husband near it???.. Oh well, it happens on the “fictionmania” website enough, that will have to do.
Cut to my time with my current and beloved partner. We once went to a live stage show where one of the main male characters spends most of the show in a dress. She does not know about the”other me” and I dont want her to. So when she said, “most guys at some stage have dressed as women, have you???”, I just about fell through the floor.
Hate lying to her, but had no choice.
I’d like to write, “dont miss the next exciting episode”, but fellow TGR’ers, current “peacefully retired circumstances” mean that there should not and in reality, I hope not, be any more.For one thing, funny as some of it may be now, but on some of the occasions I have written about, the stress levels were way beyond a level good for my health. Viz. The Tiffany Club convention I wrote about last time.
So unless sometime whilst under my “birds nest wigs”,the old brain box comes up with any more, I’ll simply write.
THE END.
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Caty,
Your tales are fascinating and really make me feel somewhat comfortable in the times I have ever felt either awkward or have been read in public with comments.
In 2008 I attended the Seahorse Ball and decided that the only male clothes I would take were those I travelled to and from Sydney from my home in country Victoria. I arrived at the hotel, was met by Noeleena and proceeded to transform myself into Helen. We went for dinner and after nervously walking into the dining room I lost my nerve. So I went for a walk outside to compose myself. I walked for about a quarter of an hour before I breached my own wall and re-entered the Hotel, there was Noeleena waiting patiently for me at our table and so I sat down took a deep breath and dinner went swimmingly… Next hurdle was a visit to the powder room. That didn’t kill me and in the end I returned to our room wiser, more confident and also elated. I had done it, gone out to dinner as Helen. The next two days were a breeze.
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A couple of years ago my wife and I went to the Cannington Dog Racing thingy (Perth) and while we were in the queue to pay my wife starts taking to someone in the queue just behind me and after a while she asks where is your husband and :
my wife says “standing in front of you!”She did not recognise me even though I was standing in front of her.
Funny
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Hello fellow TGR’ers,
The “old brain box” came good with a couple more items, but more in the line of having a”get out” if things go awry.
They are both simple and relate to if you are relatively new to going out in public whilst “en femme”.
Rule 1/. Keep a “trackie” plus a box of tissues and make up remover in the car, maybe even a pair of thongs/sandals. That way you can do a “quick change” if needed.
Rule 2/. If you were like me and visiting the ladies literally scared the panties off you, but you were not game to do so, “when nature calls”, an isolated spot and a “suitable container” should do the trick. I leave the completion of this task to your imaginations.
Caty
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Helen, I had a “that’s a guy” moment but I saw it as a positive. To me it said at least I’m not obvious from a distance. I was walking through St Kilda late iun the evening (not necessarily a wise practice) and as the couple passed she said just those words. I think they must have been from Melton or somewhere they never see TGs given how many other girls I’d seen around St Kilda.
I also had a couple in a car in Adelaide (again late at night) who asked me directions. He seemed to make a point of saying “mate” in a smart arse way. My only solice then was the dirty look his partner gave him. She seemed genuinely affronted on my behalf.
The story I’ve been dining out on for a while is back in 2009 when my friend Kelly and I met up in Melbourne with a plan to go out to meet up with a group of girls at a restaurant in Fitzroy. We were staying at a hotel across from Albert Park and after getting ready we hopped into the lift on the 4th floor to go out. The lift stopped at level 2 and three women got in. They were quite chatty and interested but had well and truly clocked us. The next morning (just) after a very late night, I wandered out to the nearest convenience store in drab. Guess who got in the lift when I got to level 2? Yep, two of the three ladies from the night before. “Well”, one of them said, “It’s nice to see someone normal in the lift. Last night there were two men dressed as women in here”.
“Oh really?’ I said, perhaps a little feebly.
“And very elegantly dressed they were too”, said the other.”They certainly did a better job of walking in heels than I ever could”
Needless to say I was cacking myself on the inside!!
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My two worst moments were some years ago when I was closeted and in fear of being outed.
I had a flexi day off and was enfemme at home alone in a shared flat in Crows Nest when a knock came on the door. The flat had a long hallway and from the front doorway, you could see right through to the back and a silhouette would have been seen . I was in a front bedroom with no curtains but off centre to the street so I sat and waited. From the conversation I overheard I realized that it was the estate agent with people interested in buying the place. Suddenly I heard him say ” Come and look into the front bedroom and see the size of the rooms. I shat and as we had a mattress on the floor and no cupboards , had nowhere to hide. As they reached the window I dived down under the window and they looked over me so I was not seen.The second time was when I lived in a caravan on my place here , prior to my building the house. I had just put in a very bright red hair colour and had a head full of rollers when a friend arrived. With nowhere to hide ( he knew about me but a girl with rollers in wants to keep out of sight!)
I called out, ” I hope you are in the mood for a laugh” and he did just that. His only comment was ” where is my camera??”All this scary stuff is gone now that I no longer hide myself from the World and I am glad to no longer have the stress and deceit that closeting brings.
