Friday, March 30, 2012

March Madness 19

The final outfit for the windy month is this colorful splash from Kmart. I bought it during the first summer after I returned to dressing.


Accessories: Yellow bow, black-and-white jewelry, natural hose and lynx-print Mary Janes.


The morning portraits were better, but this is still nice:


More pics on Flickr; I promise I'll do some writing this weekend; and don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!



March Madness 18

One of my favorite dresses, a green henley-collar shirt dress from Kmart's Route 66 line. I did something today I haven't in a while ~ I didn't wear a wig, just combed my hair forward into a femme style. Your thoughts? I'm thinking I need to get a wig in the salt-and-pepper color of my natural hair.


Accessories are white bow, scarf, gold jewelry, black belt, natural hose, and black pumps with metal heels.


The portraits came out well:


More pics on Flickr; another outfit later today; and don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!





Wednesday, March 28, 2012

March Madness 17

OK ~ all the fashion experts say we "big girls" should not wear horizontal stripes but, tell me true, doesn't this look terrific? I think the horizontals emphasize both my boobs and my waist, don't you? Another new dress from Kmart's Attention line.


Accessories are blue bow, silver jewelry, natural hose and black pumps with metal heels.


The light filtering through the window gives a painterly touch to this portrait.


More pics on Flickr; next dressing on Friday; and don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!

March Madness 16

All new clothes today! This geometric print dress with the interestingly fluttery sleeves is from Kmart's Attention line. I liked the pattern more than anything else...but I'm pleased with the fit and look of it on my figure as well.


Accessories: white print bow, new chunky necklace and bracelet, other silver jewelry, natural hose and neutral peep-toe pumps.


The portraits all came out well today, I think...I left my eyes their natural dark brown for this set:


More pics on Flickr; another new dress later today; and don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!


Monday, March 26, 2012

March Madness 15

Originally, I didn't think I'd be dressing at all today. We had repairmen coming and I presumed they'd arrive late enough and take long enough that any time alone in the house would be limited.

I was wrong ~ they arrived early and were done quickly (and well, I might add), so I did have time for one outfit. The black top with the crystal trim is one of my oldest purchases and the brown/black print skirt is from this fall.


Accessories are black headband, silver jewelry, tan belt, patterned hose, and black patent pumps.


I really like this portrait; the eyes especially came out well, with even the lashes looking long and feminine.


I also had the chance to do some shopping today ~ got two dresses at Kmart; look for them on Wednesday. More pics on Flickr...and don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!


Sunday, March 25, 2012

New Poll

Once again, choose the image you think belongs in the year-end review:

ABCDEF

Vote in the poll on the right.

Poll Results

Once again, blonde wins the day. I thought that leggy seated shot would take the prize.


Friday, March 23, 2012

Becoming Young Ladies, continued

[As promised, a continuation of this classic story. If Deirdre Rosamond O'Connor ever sees this, I hope she'll be happy with it. This is just the first part of the next chapter as I see it. There will be much more to come.]

IV: Pearl

The next morning, about ten o'clock, after her first session with Debbie and Jan for the day, Susan went downstairs. She reveled in the feel of her pink dress clinging tightly to her bosom, to the sensation of the five layers of petticoats rustling against her nylon-clad thighs, to the slight shakiness of her ankles in her three-inch pink heels. The hobbles on her legs again kept her from taking anything other than lady-like steps and she felt a frisson of excitement at the feeling of entrapment they gave her.

She stopped as she entered the central hallway and saw a woman she didn't recognize. The other woman was tall, emphasized by her four-inch white patent leather heels. She wore a floral shirtwaist dress, with a bouffant skirt bouncing over acres of petticoats, the hem falling to just below her knees. At the sound of Susan's footsteps, she turned.

"Dad?" Susan exclaimed, as she recognized the face. Her father, despite his feminine attire, was still wearing his hair in a masculine pony-tail, and his face was unadorned with makeup.

"Joe? I mean, Susan..." her father began. "My god...you look gorgeous! Your hair, it's perfectly lovely," he continued, gazing at Susan's now-white blonde hair, still piled high in the tight beehive Jan had put it in the day before.

"Dad...Mom said you dressed in women's clothes sometimes, but this is fantastic! You look like June Cleaver!" Susan laughed.

"Well, except for the hair and the face, I guess," her father said, joining in the laugh. "But I gather Jan and Debbie are going to take care of that for me, today!"

At that moment, Emma and Rhoda entered. "Susan--I see you've met Pearl!" Rhoda said.

"Pearl?" Susan asked. "Oh, you mean Dad...is that going to be your name, now? What should I call you? Dad doesn't make much sense if you're going to be as girlish as the rest of us."

"Hmmm...good question. How about you call me Momma Pearl? And your mother can stay just 'Mom', as always."

"An excellent solution," Emma said, clapping her hands. "Now, Pearl, Jan and Debbie are waiting upstairs in the salon for you. Jan, especially, is eager to get to work on you. And Susan, Marie is waiting for you on the terrace."

Susan tried a curtsy (a bit clumsily, perhaps) and said, "Thank you, Aunt Emma," and hurried off.

"Well, I guess I'd better get moving, too," Pearl said. "Thank you both for giving this to Susan...and to me, too, I guess." She tripped her way upstairs.

Emma and Rhoda looked at each other and smiled.

At the top of the stairs, Pearl was met by Jan and Debbie, the two maids, dressed in their salon uniforms, their hair in curlers covered with pink hairnets. "Hi, sweetie," Jan greeted her. "Come on into the salon."

Pearl was amazed to find this full-service salon installed in the home next door to her own. "Susan and Nora told me about this, but I didn't quite believe them. This is where you made Joe over into Susan?"

"Yes, it is," Jan replied, guiding her to the chair at the shampoo sink. "And we'll start with you just as we did with her, with a nice relaxing wash and massage." She positioned Pearl's neck in the notch of the sink, turned on the warm water and began her work. As she worked the water and shampoo into Pearl's hair, she talked quietly and endlessly, a pleasing drone....

"It's so relaxing to have this done, isn't it, dear? It feels so good to have your hair washed, your scalp massaged...Just lay back and enjoy..."

Pearl soon found herself drifting, her world contracting to just the salon and Jan, and then just to Jan's voice...

"Just drift and listen as I talk...drift and listen...answer me if you want....How long have you been dressing in female clothes?"

"Ooooh...since I was a boy about Susan's age..." Pearl murmured. "But never a lot...just once in a while..."

"Are you doing it more now?"

"Yeeesss," Pearl answered, dreamily. "Ever since I found out Nora thought it was fun...."

"Want to do it all the time?"

"Geeee, I dunnnooo...."

"Oh, sure you do...it's so sweet and sexy to be a girl, isn't it?

"Yeess, sweet...and sexy...." Pearl droned.

"Yes, you can be Pearl all the time...sweet, sexy Pearl...pretty Pearl, sissy Pearl. Pearl can wear dresses and petticoats...Pearl can wear panties and nylons...Pearl can wear high heels and necklaces and bracelets...Pearl can have her hair curled and permed and colored...what color should Pearl's hair be? Blonde like Susan's?"

"Nooooo," Pearl answered. "Not blonde...red...."

"Okay, red it is....Pearl is a sweet carrot-topped sissy...a pretty housewife for Nora...you want to be Nora's wife, don't you?"

"Yess, love Nora...want to be Nora's wife...."

The shampoo done, Jan gently shook Pearl's shoulder. "Wake up, sweetie!"

"Oh, I fell asleep. Gee, that was relaxing, just like you said, Jan," Pearl said, yawning.

"Well, come on over here to the styling chair and we'll get you really pretty," Jan said, guiding her to the next station. "After all, Nora's husband has to look his best, right?"

"Husband? Jan, you know I'm not Nora's husband, I'm her wife...her pretty sissy housewife, just as I've always been!" Pearl protested.

"Well, then, what shall we do to make you a pretty wifey?"

Pearl gazed at her damp hair in the mirror. "This color is awfully dull...can we change it? I know--red! Make me a redhead!" She continued to state at herself. "And I'm not wearing any makeup! I look hideous!"

"You won't when Debbie and I are done, dear!" Jan exclaimed. "I'll get started on your hair and Debbie will do your face when I've finished!"

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Becoming Young Ladies

Many years ago ~ I have no idea how long, but probably about 20 years ~ I came across a fascinating story on line. It's called "Becoming Young Ladies" by Deirdre Rosamond O'Connor. It hits many of my favorite buttons...and after three chapters, it ends with a clear feeling that there is supposed to be more to come.

Over the years, I have occasionally searched for more of the story, or more work by Ms. O'Connor, and found nothing. Now, with my writing juices again flowing, I've decided to try and continue the tale on my own. I will try to capture the flavor of O'Connor's prose and themes as much as possible.

As a start, I have scanned and uploaded my printed pages (I no longer have a digital version) of the story here. Read them, give me some thoughts on where you think the story should go. My first intention is to work on the story of Susan's dad.

Look for the first chapter over the weekend or early next week.

In the meantime, don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

March Madness 14

One of my older dresses...this t-shirt dress from the Converse line at Target is somehow both youthful and office appropriate.


I went back to using the flash, and you can see how the lighting is less harsh, more flattering now. Accessories are white bow, red jewelry, red belt, natural hose, and red baby-doll pumps.


I'm still working on getting the lighting right for portraits. These required a lot of in-computer adjustments.


More pics on Flickr; no more dressing this week, but a big surprise for writing fans coming up; and don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!




March Madness 13

I haven't worn this outfit since last summer, I believe...but with temps in the 70s and bright sunny days, it seemed appropriate. Both halves ~ shirt and skirt ~ are from Fashion Bug. I played with the camera a bit with these, shooting without the flash...I think perhaps the result is too harsh ~ the flash softens the look.


Accessories are yellow bow, black-and-white jewelry, white belt, natural hose, and yellow sling-back peep-toe pumps.


I think you can see what I mean about the lighting in this portrait:



More pics on Flickr; one more outfit later; and don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!



Tuesday, March 20, 2012

March Madness 12

The long-sleeved t-shirt is a recent purchase from Target; the skirt is a thrift-shop find. I put them together when I realized the color of the shirt is close match to the green in the skirt. (By the way, I love the way the green sets off the red of my wig!)


Accessories: Yellow bow, gold jewelry, white hose, blue suede peep-toe pumps.


Interesting lighting on this portrait:


More pics on Flickr; may try to do some more tomorrow; and don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!



March Madness 11

One of the several outfits I found at Foreman Mills last month; it's a cute denim minidress, with interesting metal decorations.


Accessories are blue bow, scarf, silver jewelry, white hose, and blue/brown peep-toe pumps.


Another portrait:


More pics on Flickr; one more outfit today; and don't forget to vote in the poll (details here)!