[Alison_2]

At the age of seven when I first started to dress dress as a girl I used the name my Mother would have called me had I been born a girl, Susan. It stayed with me until the 80’s when I decided I needed a name with the same initial as my male name, so I could have mail coming to my postbox without drawing attention from our local post office. I chose Alison and it has stuck with me ever since although in hindsight Angela would have been better, As various people only know me as Alison and having various accounts in that name I have decided it’s too bothersome to change it now, but maybe one day lol.

[Alison_2]

Hi Melissa,

Over the years I’ve experiment with wearing different lengths in the Summer and while around the neck is cooler when wearing a shorter wig I find that it’s the top of the head that is still hot and irritating in the Summer. I’ve tried different brands, cheap one and expensive ones, and there really isn’t any difference. I have found that by carefully altering the inner webbing can make a difference. Cutting away some of the inner support lets the air circulate better but I made a mess of a few and learnt to be careful or it ruin the way the wig sat on my head. After stuffing up the first one I decided to buy a couple of very cheap wigs from the Vic Market to experiment with. If you decide to try making some gaps my only advice is study the design and alter just tiny pieces at a time. Don’t be like me and don’t rush it lol.

Alison

[Alison_2]

Over the last few months I too have been concerned that some people might not be as tolerant as they used to be, but I have yet to see any evidence of this. People I come in to contact with are still nice and polite, I feel perfectly safe around my local shopping centres (Cranbourne and Fountain Gate) and when I go to the pub. I might just be a fraction more alert than I used to be but not by much.

[Alison_2]

Like you Jessica,I too have always identified with having a dual personality and I too enjoy both my male and female sides. I’m happy with my dual personality but I wonder if I had been born in todays world instead of the 1950’s would I still be the same. I believe my dual personality is due to the constant struggle I had trying to hide my feminine side for over half my life, and in the struggle keeping the two sides completely separate. Surly I must be completely mad or why else would I have made my whole life so dam difficult, Oh wait, now I remember, so I could have some inner happiness.

[Alison_2]

Hi Myra, I too have a spare wig if you would like it, never been worn and it’s about 6mths old.
It’s a Madison Wig from the Valentino Collection
They sent the wrong colour and didn’t want it back. Colour is ash blonde not as the picture. You can have it at no cost and I can post it to you.

[Alison_2]

Another terrific post Emma, you managed to bring back memories that I had well and truly forgotten about. The things we did and the things we used in those early day long before the internet came along. Back in the 1960’s when I was a teenage girl I can remember ……. Oh gosh better not go there as I want to forget those tennis balls that sucked onto my chest.
Moving on quickly, I like to think I pass every time I go out, well I like to think positive, and apart from having my head in the right space I have learnt that it helps to pass by blending in. Wearing the same sort of clothes as the women are wearing wherever I go and wearing older clothes rather than new. Apart from them being more comfortable they don’t draw attention, so I don’t get looked at, well that’s my logic and it works for me.
I love shopping from the op-shops and from eBay and I have adopted a simple way of hardly ever buying anything that doesn’t fit. (Well only because I spent years of wasting money on clothes because they looked nice and I thought they would fit). I always have a small handy tape measure with me – I never leave home without it, well ok I have about ten of them, they are in my car, in my handbags, even in the pockets of my man jeans, they are after all my most important tool (behave and keep your mind on the topic). I also carry a list of my measurements so I can check the items before buying. Now if buying on eBay I always ask the seller for the measurements i.e. underarm to underarm; the waist; the length and I always allow for them not being exact. I also ask for the inside and outside measurements when buying shoes or boots online. Golden rule here is if the seller doesn’t get back then don’t buy.
I hate to think how much time has been spent experimenting with makeup. Being a Pom my skin is a reddish colour, and I have a dark quick growing beard so it has always been difficult to cover up and keep it covered up for long. Some years ago I mortgaged the house and went for makeup lessons with a company that specializes in makeup for actors. Probably one of my better ideas because I didn’t have a female at home to help me and I always seemed to get hopeless advice from the girls in Myers. Yes I pay a fortune for it but it works for me and gives me the confidence I need. Having said that I do have everyday makeup for just around the house or opening the door to the postie. I used to get it from Priceline but found it cheaper at Chemist Warehouse, just a pity the girls aren’t as friendly as the ones at Priceline.
Emma, your posts are marvelous and are invaluable to us all, please keep them coming.

[Alison_2]

Great post Emma, I often go out visiting friends and I will go shopping or out for a coffee, see a movie etc. and as long as I have a friend with me, who becomes my security blanket, then I can cope with anything the world wants to throw at me but it’s not so easy when I’m on my own. Being an introvert I have great difficulty in meeting groups of people that I don’t know or going into large places that are new to me and it’s the same if I am in male or female mode.
The Seahorse cafe evening is a venue I would love to go to, but I never get there. I do have a problem driving at night and I do live some distance away in the South East, yes I know these are pathetic excuses, but I just don’t cope meeting groups of strangers or going into new places on my own for the first time. So I am home alone watching the TV more than I should.

Glenda, I live in an area where we are always being pulled up by the police for licence checks and breath tests and I have always found them to be very polite and respectful towards me. When I have been asked for my licence a quick explanation has been accepted every time without any fuss. I haven’t even had a sarcastic smile or sarcastic comment made towards me by any police officer.

[Alison_2]

Hi Caty,
For most of us we can just frock up in our favorite clothes and go off out and about whenever we want, it is such a pity that you can’t display all those lovely costumes you have.
What about the other venues, historic homesteads etc.where period costumes are worn and I can just see you walking around Sovereign Hill or maybe assisting in one of the shops at Coal Creek.

[Alison_2]

Hello Caty,

I got the first pair from there but then I found 2prs online for $27.50 including postage. Would have got more but it was all they had left.

[Alison_2]

As soon as I read this post I went off to buy a pair of Coral High Cut briefs and I am glad I did. I’ve always had the problem of what to wear if I didn’t want to wear a gaff, nothing seemed to work very well for me. What a lovely surprise I got and have found them very comfortable, fit well and keep everything tucked away nicely. I’m so delighted with them I’m purchasing more.
Alison

[Alison_2]

Like Hollee I too worked in a male dominated industry – the transport industry. I would often drive trucks interstate as Alison. I rarely experienced problems, people in country towns were great as were most of the regular drivers that I would see on the road. Some staff at the depots would give me the cold shoulder but there was someone willing to stand up for me.
Since I retired I have been travelling around on my own both in Melbourne and throughout Victoria. I have found city people are too busy with their own lives to notice me and country people to be very friendly and supportive. I am often left wonder if anyone really cares who I am as long as I am either spending my money or willing to sit and talk .
Some of my neighbours don’t seem bothered except for next door who are my age and ignore me – their loss. I believe others think there are two people living in my house because only a few weeks ago when as Andy, I was asked how my sister was as she hadn’t been seen for a while. That boosted my confidence.
Last year I took a huge gamble and came out to the local shop keepers because I wanted to start going in as Alison. All except one said it was fine and should anything happen they would support me – well I do live in the rough part of Cranbourne so I wanted to make sure I would be safe.
I guess the most important lesson I have learnt when I go anywhere is to blend in, don’t stand out, dress as the locals, be relaxed, be polite and above all believe in myself.

[Alison_2]

I have been searching for the last two years for a female partner. Having tried respectable and the not so respectable dating sites I am still unable to find a partner. I know being 66 years old is not on my side but it is a disappointing journey. In general I find the respectable sites draw the sympathy replies and the not so respectable sites only draw the type of women I am not looking for – the ones just looking for sex.

To date I have only been lucky enough to meet 5 women and of these one was bisexual and probably the best except she was too domineering for me so that only lasted a couple of months, another turned out to be married, while the remaining 3 didn’t wanted to get past a second meeting.

In my mind I have tried everything I can think of to find a female partner. I’ve been broad in the age group, I’ve never stipulated about religion, nationality, looks weight etc. I have said meet the male then meet the female or visa versa and the only stipulation I make is that they should live within 50klm to me.

So recently I thought if I can’t find a female partner/friend then I would rent out one of my spare rooms thinking that would at least give me company in the house. I am offering it furnished or unfurnished and with cheap rent. No luck there as only two females have come to look at the room and while both were OK with me they found my house was not what they were looking for.

I am not going to let this get me down nor am I giving up but I am coming to the conclusion that my age, the fact that I spend a lot of time as Alison, my location and that I’m not looking for a sexual partner is the reason why females are not interested in me. I know there must be females out there that would like to meet me I just don’t seem to be able reach them.

These are just a few of the sites I have tried – Plenty of Fish; Locanto; Companions; Meet Crossdressers; Older Dating; Over 50’s Dating; Adultmatchmaker; Craigs list; RSVP, and the list goes on including some of the various gay sites.
Re renting out my room – I have spoken to various charity organisations but being on the pension and the fact I need rent to cover the extra expenses, they are not able to help either.

Here’s an idea maybe I should put an advert on the back of a bus – only joking I’m sure it would cost too much.

I do wish this half full glass would start to fill up lol

[Alison_2]

At the age of 7 I started off with the name my mother would have called me had I been born a girl. I stuck with that name right up until the internet fired up.I realised I need to change my name and use the same initial as my male name to make it easier with credit cards PayPal eBay and the post office.
I didn’t want a name close to my male name or sounding like it as I wanted to keep both my male side and my female side totally separate.

[Alison_2]

i hate my male name being called when they know I am sitting there as a woman and they have my female name on paper in front of them. Tired of the same old excuse – we have to use your legal name.

[Alison_2]

Thanks Jessica for this posting, I have been considering buying one, so I’ll look forward to your future posting with great interest.