Dress - Starting From Scratch

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This posting is from: Diva Las Vegas
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Dress - Starting from scratch:

Each week (most weeks, anyway) we will post one dress-related item to
the DLV Discussion Group. This week we discuss starting from scratch,
for those with little or no wardrobe.

This is a rewrite of one of last year's items, which was written
originally as a response to one potential attendee who wrote in
saying:

"I don't have a THING to wear!!!!!" (Literally!)

After this was published, we received comments that it was helpful to
those who did have somewhat of a wardrobe as well.
. . . . .

"I don't have a THING to wear!!!!!"

That's just fine. That can be taken care of. And we'll help you get
started.

This column is addressed mainly toward those who have little or no
wardrobe, or don't think they have the garments that would be
appropriate to wear at DLV.

Yes, it is very possible to come to DLV with absolutely nothing and
find everything you need. There are shops and vendors in Las Vegas,
both mainstream and alternative, who are eager for your business.

I will mention a few shops and vendors in this article. I have no direct
connection with any of them, other than being a satisfied customer of
most of those I'll mention.
. . . . .

Now ... taking off from a totally cold start ...

Let's divide and conquer. :) Let's concentrate first on below the neck
and then above the neck.

Undergarments: Foundations. Unmentionables. :) There are many sources in
Las Vegas, from discount outlets to high-end boutiques and everything
inbetween.

Most of you probably have at least a small collection of undergarments
already. Even if you've been dressing only in private, some of these
will most likely be just fine for under the outfits you will wear in
public. The key points are fit, comfort, and wearability.

If you don't have anything, or anything you think appropriate, you
can get anything you need quite easily from many sources in the Las
Vegas area.

Of particular interest are the special needs of our community. The
average male body does need a certain degree of control and/or padding
to assume a feminine figure. Breast forms are almost certainly needed
and they are available from several sources.

One of our long-time favorite vendors, Glamour Boutique, has medical
grade forms in all sizes at reasonable prices, plus some lower cost
alternatives. Cheaper forms are available elsewhere, even in mall shops
and places like Walgreens.

Glamour Boutique also has some items that can add shape to the hips and
rear, should you need this.

If you have no idea about the sizing of undergarments, Glamour Boutique
can most definitely help you get items that will fit properly.

Bad Attitude Boutique specializes in corsets and shapewear. They are
reasonable in price and they deal regularly with the t* community. "Size
and gender friendly" is their motto. (Or is it their slogan?) :)

For the more common items such as bras, panties, etc., these are
available many places, from department stores, to discount outlets, to
specialty shops. If you're a bit shy about purchasing things like this,
just ask one of the others or a Big Sister volunteer to help you out.

Hosiery, pantyhose, stockings, etc., are available just about anywhere,
even at convenience stores. Pantyhose are almost considered a disposable
item these days, and it's actually hard to find a place that doesn't
carry them. :) For the garter-type stockings, garter belts, etc., you'll
also find countless sources, from the outlet malls to the specialty
boutiques. Again, if you're uneasy or shy about shopping, ask for
somebody to go with you.

A good place for lingerie and hosiery at bargain prices is the
Hanes-Bali-Playtex outlet in the Las Vegas Outlet Center. Much of
their stock is "slightly imperfect" and is discounted quite a bit.

For shoes you will have countless options, but where you shop will
mainly depend on what size you wear and what styles you are interested
in.

One important point to note is that in this day and age, many shoe
styles are quite androgynous, meaning that you may already have some
shoes that will be quite appropriate for casual girlmode. This is
particularly true for various athletic styles, and also holds true
for many flat casual styles as well.

If you wear a womens shoe size 10 or so or smaller, any department store
or mall shoe shop will have a very wide selection of all styles. Look in
the north end of Las Vegas Outlet Center for several options.

If you wear a larger size or want some more exotic styles you also have
several options in Las Vegas. Glamour Boutique has a selection of the
higher heel styles in larger sizes. Leonards Wide Shoes (recently moved
into a new larger shop) has quite a few casual and dressy styles in the
larger sizes and they are familiar with the TG community.

The best selection of exotic styles is most likely at Red Shoes on west
Sahara, and they welcome TG business, but the staff has been reported to
be somewhat snitty (to everybody, not just TGs).

When shopping for shoes, regardless of what you've heard, the only way
to be sure of fit and comfort is to try them on. Yes, yes, yes, there
are all kinds of true-isms out there that say to add 1 or 2 to your
boymode size except on Sunday and subtract 1/2 when the moon is first
quarter, but the only real way to buy shoes is to try them on. If you
are shy about shoe shopping, go to some of the places that are known to
be familiar with the TG community or ask one of the others to accompany
you.
. . . . .

Far more common in our community than having absolutely nothing to wear
are the reports of having nothing that is appropriate or presentable
to wear in public. A report from somebody who cancelled just before
DLV last year stated that the main reason she was cancelling was that
she didn't think she had the outfits necessary to appear in public.

We hope nothing like this will happen this year. If anybody's in this
situation and wants some help, ask for one of our volunteer Big Sisters
to help out, either before DLV via e-mail or in person at the beginning
of DLV.

Let's talk about outerwear. This will be the "look" that you present
that will be observed by others.

We will cover outfit selection in some detail in some of these columns
between now and DLV.

The important points to remember about selecting an outfit for any
particular activity include:

1. Your personal style, your likes and dislikes, your particular mood
at the time.

2. The time, place, and circumstance of each activity. The weather,
the walking distance. What is usual and customary to wear to such an
activity.

3. Your age, height, size, body shape, and fitness level.

As with shoes, many casual items are quite androgynous, such as shirts,
jeans, slacks, and it's often difficult to tell mens from womens styles.

Some items that you already have will most certainly work in casual
girlmode.

We'll discuss the casual style in more detail in another column in this
series.

For dresses, separates and coordinates, etc., a good place to shop if
you're a beginner would be Dress Barn in the Las Vegas Outlet Center.
They will have a good selection in both regular and larger sizes and the
prices will be quite reasonable. They are very familiar with the TG
community, so you will be nothing new to them, even if you shop in
boymode. Again, ask somebody to accompany you if you're nervous or shy
about shopping!

If you want something a bit more dressy or even a bit glitzy, try either
Chez Magnifique in the Las Vegas Outlet Center or DuBarry's on Decatur.
Both welcome TG business. These places ain't cheap, but they are not
outlandish, with DuBarry's being somewhat higher in quality and in
price.

For things more exotic, yes, there are a number of sources. Glamour
Boutique, Bad Attitude, and several other places.

Las Vegas does have countless shops which carry clubwear and such, often
in larger sizes. Many of these more far-out outfits would be appropriate
to wear to such things as the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the Night Of
The Soiled Doves, and even possibly our Dance Night.
. . . . .

We've covered the neck down, so to speak, now let's talk about what
goes on from the neck up.

Skin care and cosmetics:

If you have absolutely no experience with makeup at all, I would
strongly suggest booking an "instructional makeover" with one of the
professional makeup artists listed below. When you get to your
appointment, just state that you are a total beginner and that you
want to learn a "basic face" and get some hints for both a daytime
and evening look.

If you already know how to do a basic face and just need some supplies,
they are available most everywhere. If you're really shy about shopping,
Glamour Boutique does have a fair selection of products and shades, but
nothing as extensive as you'll find at the neighborhood Walgreens or
supermarket. If you need some advice or consultation, JC Penneys at
Boulevard Mall is known to be T-friendly. They carry the Dermablend line
(among many other things) which is a very good beard cover. Do be warned
that department store cosmetics can be a bit pricey. :)

For hair, some prefer to wear and style their natural hair and others
prefer wigs. I'll concentrate on the latter, since that's the way most
who are new want to go.

A wig shop that is not T-friendly is a wig shop that's soon out of
business!

The TG community is always a certain amount of any wig shop's business.
They know this, and almost any wig shop will be familiar with TG needs
and will welcome your patronage.

A place like Glamour Boutique will carry a certain number of wigs, but
simply can't maintain a selection like you will find at the various
wig shops.

One item of good news is that the wig business in Las Vegas is extremely
competitive! This keeps prices down and service high. The sales staff of
any wig shop will be prepared to spend some time with each customer, to
suggest styles, and to experiment a bit with various looks.

The wig shop that I most often recommend is not the most convenient, nor
does it have the best setting. They do offer, what I believe, the best
selection and service in the area. This is Vegas Girl Wigs and they now
operate exclusively out of the Fantastic Indoor Swap Meet at the corner
of Decatur and Oakey. The mall is only open Friday-Saturday-Sunday and
can be crowded and zooey. Vegas Girl Wigs invites TG business and they
will take special measures if you're shy. Just say so, and they will
draw the curtain around you.

Another wig shop in the same location is Hair Fantasy 'n' More. Again,
they are experienced with TG customers and will draw a curtain if you
request it.

Serge is a large wig shop in Commercial Center on east Sahara. They
advertise heavily and will welcome your business. Their main shop is
not cheap. They do have (also in Commercial Center) a separate wig
outlet shop with better prices and a decent selection. They also have
recently opened a second wig outlet on west Sahara.

Nails: Ok, put your hands above your head. Now these (as well as rings
and bracelets) fall into the above-the-neck category. :)

Whether you want just a manicure and polish or a full set of acrylics,
there are (at least) two nail shops (see the Big List) who will welcome
your business.

Some of our people do get a temporary set of acrylic nails at the start
of DLV and have them removed at the end. Boymode may be a challenge if
you do this, but one of our people gets around this by wearing gloves
while in boymode.

One hint if you wish to blend, is that if you have larger hands, avoid
long false nails and/or bright colors of nail polish. These will only
draw unwanted attention to the size of your hands. If you have larger
hands, go with a nice manicure and a muted or clear polish.
. . .

Jewelry and accessories:

If you're starting from scratch, you will probably want to concentrate
on costume jewelry, as opposed to precious metal or gemstone quality
items.

Stores such as Target will have a wide selection of costume jewelry at
reasonable prices, plus there are accessory shops in the various malls
that will have an extensive line. Claire's at the Las Vegas Outlet
Center (nee Belz) has a very good selection at very low prices.

One accessory that you will definitely need is a purse. It's up to you
as to what style and size you will need, mainly determined by how much
you intend to carry in it and what outfits you will carry it with.

For a beginner, I suggest you look for a medium-size handbag in a
neutral or dark color. This will give you enough space as you get a
feel for how much you need to carry, plus it will go with just about
any outfit, both casual and moderately dressy.
. . . . .

For a preview of some of the shops available to you (and there are
many more) visit our Big List of vendors and clubs at:

http://www.geekbabe.com/dlv/vendors/

This is updated frequently and includes customer ratings and comments.

Some of the places that were cited in this column include:

Glamour Boutique: The TG community is their specialty. This is the
closest thing to a one-stop-shop that you will find in the area. They
have a good selection of undergarments, good prices for breast forms,
shoes, mostly high heels in larger sizes, a fair selection of wigs, and
a makeover artist on staff. Their selection of outerwear is somewhat
limited, however. This is probably the "safest" place to shop in Las
Vegas.
. . .

Bad Attitude Boutique: Their specialty is corsets, girdles, and waist
cinchers. Also carry club wear, gothic romantic clothing, shoes and
boots. Again, very safe. You will be nothing new to them.
. . . . .

The next two are friendly competitors, if one doesn't have what you
want, they will most likely send you to the other.

Vegas Girl Wigs: Probably the best overall in terms of price, selection,
and service. The disadvantage is that they now operate exclusively out
of their Fantastic Indoor Swap Meet location which is only open
Friday-Saturday-Sunday. They specifically invite TG business.
. . .

Hair Fantasy (wigs): Also in FISM. Again, open Fri-Sat-Sun only. They
also invite TG business.
. . . . .

Dress Barn: Outerwear, both missy and larger sizes. They specifically
invite TG business. They're located in the Las Vegas Outlet Center
(formerly Belz) on the very south end of the Strip.

Dress Barn has in the past offered promotional discounts to DLV
attendees. It's too early this year to know if this will be repeated
for DLV 2006.
. . . . .

For makeovers, both transformational and instructional, we have two
in particular we recommend (in alphabetical order):

Amy at Glamour Boutique: Amy is available for appointments during their
normal business hours. Phone for information.

Stephanie Williams: Stephanie has years of experience and is very
familiar with TG needs. She operates out of her house in the Summerlin
neighborhood. Contact information will be in the Large Final Mailing.
. . . . .

A few notes about shopping ...

Yes, it's natural to be nervous when shopping in person the first few
times. One thing to keep in mind is that you are the customer. You are
the one spending the $, and you are in control of the situation. Yes,
you are the one who calls the shots! No matter who you are or what
mode you are in, your money is green and the merchants want it.

When a customer (that's you) enters a shop, the salespeople want to see
two things. First, they want you to find something that you like, so you
will buy it. Second, they want you to be happy with what you bought, so
you will return and buy more, and also recommend them to others.

Another thing to note is that Las Vegas is a "show town" and it's not
unusual to see men buying cosmetics or womens items. In fact, I
frequently see men browsing in the Hanes-Bali-Playtex outlet at LVOC.
. . . . .

If you have any specific question or concerns about dress, you can ask
them here in our DLV Discussion Forum or if you would feel more
comfortable not asking them in public, just write in (dlv@geekbabe.com)
and we'll do our best to help you.

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This posting is from: Mary Beth
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Very good refresher course!

Some added opinion for newbies on a budget:

>Undergarments: ..... The key points are fit, comfort, and
>wearability.

Two very important things here - first, you need to get a friend to
measure you properly to get the correct bra size. You can't do this by
yourself as your arms should be hanging at your sides.

A lot of newbies waste entirely too much money on overly expensive
lingerie. Save the Fredericks / Victorias stuff for the bedroom. For
just walking around town, I find that my outlet-store Playtex and Bali
bras are the most comfortable, and more importantly, hold my breast
forms in place better than the slinky/delicate stuff that is really not
functional for our needs.

The other important thing is to get a decent padded hip garment. If
you're going to want to wear a larger breast form, you have to have
proportionally large hips. A triangular figure, (broad shoulder
narrowing down to slender hips) is a dead giveaway. If you want to spend
a little more money here, Classic Curves makes a made-to-order hip pad
that is quite good.

A note about breast forms - a lot of us want really huge breasts (well,
who doesn't!), but going for the (dating myself here) Chesty Morgan look
will just draw unwanted attention. You want to blend in, right? When
shopping at the boutiques for breast forms listen to the sales clerks
and get something in proportion to the rest of your body.

>corsets and shapewear.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I think corsets are overrated,
overpriced, and a waste of money. Flexees makes an excellent line of
waist cinchers that perform better than corsets at a quarter of the
price. You don't have to bother trying to keep the strings hidden
either.

>Hosiery, pantyhose, stockings,

Again, for everyday wear you want to buy pantyhose in an outlet store or
the local Target or anywhere you can get them cheap. Until you get used
to putting them on regularly, you're probably going to ruin a few pair
just trying to get them on. Save the expensive stockings for your best
dress-up outfits.

>A good place for lingerie and hosiery at bargain prices is the
>Hanes-Bali-Playtex outlet in the Las Vegas Outlet Center. Much of their
>stock is "slightly imperfect" and is discounted quite a bit.

My favorite place to shop in Massachusetts as well.

>When shopping for shoes, regardless of what you've heard, the only way
>to be sure of fit and comfort is to try them on.

A cautionary tale for all you young'uns - I once found a great pair of
boots in a consignment shop. They were about a half-size too small, but
they looked great and I figured I could cram into them.

I wore them for a day, and when I took them off my feet were blistered
and screaming in agony, my toes were blistered and bruised, and a week
later the toenails on both of my big toes fell off. It took about 8
month for them to grow back out. The moral of the story is - MAKE SURE
YOUR SHOES FIT PROPERLY. The higher the heel, the more pressure you're
putting on the balls of your feet and toes. Improperly sized shoes will
damage your feet and increase any back problems you have as your spine
adjusts to walking in heels. Also, if you should buy shoes at a
consignment store / Goodwill / Salvation Army, by sure to spray them out
with a disinfectant (the kind they use in bowling shoes) to kill any
stray bacteria and mold that may be hiding in there. Your feet will
thank you later.

>For dresses, separates and coordinates, etc., a good place to shop if
>you're a beginner would be Dress Barn in the Las Vegas Outlet Center.

I'm a big fan of consignment stores, especially ones in upper-income
neighborhoods, where you can usually find recent fashions at big
savings. Consignment stores are usually run by the owner, who is only
interested in moving the merchandise. Her livelihood depends on it.
Consignment stores are a T-Girl's best friend. Use them.

>If you have absolutely no experience with makeup at all, I would
>strongly suggest booking an "instructional makeover" with one of the
>professional makeup artists listed below.

This is essential. If you can't find it someone to do it locally where
you live, your local Barnes & Noble has a good selection of books on
the subject. Kevin Aucoin's book has a lot of good instructional
chapters. Trial and error is really the only way to learn.

When it comes to make-up, the key is finding exactly the right shade of
foundation. This is the one place you shouldn't scrimp. Unless you have
an EXTREMELY light beard, forget about liquid foundation. It won't give
you the coverage you need. You need to start with Dermablend and then
get a good pancake foundation that matches your skin tone. I like MAC
pancake and one of the few places you can buy it is at the MAC store in
the Caesar's Palace shops. The salesgirls there are used to selling to
the performing community, and they (like most cosmetics salespeople)
work on commission and will bend over backwards to help you
(cha-ching!). To offset the price of the foundation ($26 the last time I
bought it), you can buy the best (and cheapest!) mascara on the market -
Maybelline's Great Lash. Yup, the same stuff your kid sister wore in
high school is still the best stuff I've found and a bargain at about
$3.00 when it's on sale at the drugstore. Drug store brand (L'Oreal,
Maybelline, etc.) lipsticks, eyeshadows and rouges are just as good as
the pricey stuff you buy at the Estee Lauder, Clinique, and Elizabeth
Arden counters at a fraction of the cost.

>For hair, some prefer to wear and style their natural hair

I'm lucky enough to be able to do this. Lisa Marie at the Sahara Hotel
Salon is an absolute genius with a curling iron.

>A wig shop that is not T-friendly is a wig shop that's soon out of
>business!

This is the other place you absolutely cannot scrimp. Nothing will give
you away faster than a bad wig. Try on a number of different styles
and colors, and get the one that best frames your face and looks like
what women your age are wearing. Forget about being a blonde or a
flaming redhead if it is not your natural color and doesn't match your
skin tone.

>If you're starting from scratch, you will probably want to concentrate
>on costume jewelry, as opposed to precious metal or gemstone quality
>items.

All I've ever done with expensive jewelry is lose it. Stick to
functional pieces that look good on you.

A note about ear piercing - do it. Clip-ons suck. Period. It's hard to
find any men under 50 who DON'T have at least one ear pierced. Unless
you're a bank president or the US Secretary of Defense you can probably
get away with it. Get one ear pierced, then six months later get the
other on pierced. Very few of your colleagues will care, and most
won't even notice when the starter stud changes from one side of your
head to the other.

>you will definitely need is a purse.....mainly determined by how much
>you intend to carry in it

I never understood women's obsessions with purses until I had to carry
one. It needs to be big enough to hold your wallet, car keys, cell
phone, kleenex, and most importantly, enough make-up to provide
touch-ups when you're out all day. Forget the little back bag that
barely holds a pack of cigarettes. It won't work. If you are, umm....,
big-boned, you need a bag that is proportionate to your body size. Too
big a bag will stick out, too small a bag will look
silly.

>Glamour Boutique:

John (the owner) is a great guy and a true friend to the community,
providing quality products at reasonable prices. I shop at his
Massachusetts store all the time. He deserves your patronage.

Thanks for reading my two cents worth. I've wasted a lot of money on
junk that didn't fit or didn't work over the years and hope I can help
you to spend more wisely.

Mary Beth Cooper
(still hoping to get to DLV this year, if finances permit)

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This posting is from: Rosaliy
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Your two cents worth is worth more than that Mary and I do hope to see
you at DLV this year.

Adding my two cents worth to Mary's.

Pantyhose: I have found excellent buys and fit at the 99cents only
stores and several of the local dollar stores. Get something from No
Nonsence especially important is if it says CONTROL TOP on the package
it will actually assist other undergarments in keeping some things in
place and unnoticed. Not only that but it will make your legs feel
better overall as well.

Ross Dress For Less is a good place for clothes too but you have to
look a lot to find what works.

Shoes. Especially of you have large feet - Walmart carries up to size
11 although recently I got a good pair in size 12. They were tagged
$8.97 but actually rang out at $3.00 (no doubt clearanced) BUT they
work for me.

Another caution, IF you have large feet (I do) look for open toe/open
heel shoes. IF you end up a size less than you should wear, this will
provide some relief for your toes especially. Your feet have a lot to
do to HOLD YOU UP so don't damage them. Remember ALL YOUR WEIGHT,
including what you are wearing, is on your feet!!!!!!!!!

Purses: go for function over flash. Flash will make you stand out.
Most women match their purse to their wardrobe OR carry a neutral color
that will go with most anything.

Well, hope to see many of you at DLV this year and have a good time in
the process.

Rosaliy Lynne

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This posting is from: kumiko yvonne watanabe
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>I've wasted a lot of money on junk that didn't fit or didn't work over
>the years and hope I can help you to spend more wisely.

Yup.... been there and done that too.

Don't forget thrift stores. One can find clothing and almost everything
at a lower cost. For newbies its a good resource to discover your size
and styles that looks good at reasonable cost.

The draw back is styles that are 'dated', alterations by the former
owner, and how used is it (ie: faded, stained, frayed, holes)

Thrift stores is a good source for other items like shoes, purses, and
costume jewelry. One has to be careful on shoes and undergarments...as
in how clean it is.

The workers I've encountered there treat me as any other customer, for
one thing there are alot of men buying women's clothing for their wives
or girlfriends so its a everyday occurance. More so, money is the bottom
line.

-Yv

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This posting is from: Deidre
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Rosaliy: Here's my 2 cents....on pantyhose. If you're looking for sheer,
soft as silk pantyhose you'll love this one: WalMart carries A NoNonsense
brand made in Italy, yes Italy! I wear them 24/7 and hate to take them off
to wash and dry. Maybe even better, they cost $1.00 a pair. Yes, $1.00! It's
truly remarkable since I've paid as much as $45 for a single pair of
Wolfords. Try the Jet Brown color. You'll love them.! With hugs, Deidre

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This posting is from: Amber Michelle Kelly
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>I like MAC pancake and one of the few places you can buy it is at the
>MAC store in the Caesar's Palace shops. The salesgirls there are used
>to selling to the performing community, and they (like most cosmetics
>salespeople) work on commission and will bend over backwards to help
>you (cha-ching!).

instead of expensive mac products, ive found that Ben Nye threatrical
makeup is half as expensive as dermablend and half as heavy too. It
goes on almost as a liquid like paint but is really smooth and provides
really good coverage. Here in vegas at Star costume (corner of Valley
View and Desert Inn) i pay 8 dollars for a pancake. They also make a
good beard cover. ($5) And in order to get rid of the telltale blue-grey
color i use a touch of clown white under the beard cover- works great
couple more trips to get laser and i wont need it at all anymore yeahhh.

My roommate Valerie who moved here from Ohio is available to do
makeovers also. She went to cosmetology school in Akron.

Amber Michelle in Vegas

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This posting is from: Caitlin
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Glamour Boutique carries a beard cover as well, at least in LA & LV.
It's available online as well. It sells for $8.95.

http://www.glamourboutique.com/

Caitlin

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This posting is from: Mary Beth
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>ive found that Ben Nye threatrical makeup is half as expensive as
>dermablend and half as heavy too. It goes on almost as a liquid like
>paint but is really smooth and provides really good coverage.

I really like Ben Nye too, but I can't find it here in New England and I
hate buying make-up on-line since you can't really tell what the true
color is.

Ben Nye makes a very good Blue Neutralizer too, an important part of
covering up a heavy beard shadow.

Mary Beth

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