The Occasional Woman

Author Archive: Lorraine Anderson

I am a native Californian who has been based in the Philadelphia area since 1984. My first CD fashion creation was a gold lamé dress for the now esteemed editor of this publication. Since then I have made tons of fabulous frocks and other fashion apparel for the crossdressing and transgender community. Contact me for custom clothing or alterations via email: aqualorraine@gmail.com Visit my Facebook page, @alterationsbylorraine

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The Occasional Woman: What’s my size?

| May 13, 2019 | Reply

When a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of dressing like a woman one of the first questions he must ask himself is, “What sizes do I wear?” In the old days this was where the Sears catalog came in handy. Now that the catalog and its size charts is ancient history how do you determine what size dress will fit?You can find that info on the web but Lorraine Anderson, the lady behind The Occasional Woman custom clothing service has a way for you to be sure that hot red dress will fit and look good on you.

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The Occasional Woman — Spring Fashion!

| Apr 15, 2019 | Reply

Our resident fashion maven, Lorraine Anderson, the lady in charge at The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, has some thoughts on spring fashion. There are new outfits waiting to be coordinated and worn and Lorraine has tips on the hottest and easiest to wear fashion trends. Also some examples of what could wrong with some styles. Check out her advice in today’s fashion post.

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The Occasional Woman — Spring! Time to Shop!

| Mar 18, 2019 | Reply

it’s almost spring and that means it’s time to shop! Lorraine Anderson, the owner of The Occasional Woman custom clothing and alteration service urges you to take advantage of the sales at deep discounts on winter apparel and accessories so you are prepared for next winter. And there are bargains to be had that you can wear this spring. Get her fashion tips in today’s blog from The Occasional Woman.

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The New Year Brings Fashion Bargains!

| Jan 21, 2019 | Reply

The cold of winter beats against our dwellings here in the northeastern United States. Many take refuge in a hot toddy, or perhaps a soothing and warming mug of hot chocolate or tea. What could be better than the shelter in your warm abode as the icy winds blow? Just one thing — bargain shopping! Right now the sellers of lovely lady’s attire are having fantastic clearance sales! Today Lorraine Anderson, head seamstress of The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, tells you about all the bargains to be found.

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The Occasional Woman — Holiday Finery

| Dec 24, 2018 | Reply

Today Lorraine Anderson the lady in charge at The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, talks about how to dress yourself up for the holidays! Whether you want to make an elegant fashion statement with a cashmere top over velvet jeans, or want to pull out the stops with a sequined jacket and sparkly heels, this is the season to show off your festive fashion sense. Lorraine provides a slew of ideas to help you sparkle.

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Collar Fashions

| Nov 26, 2018 | Reply

Today Lorraine Anderson the lady in charge at The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, talks about collars. From the status implying ruffs of yesteryear to crew necks, v-necks, cowl necks and more, Lorraine let’s you know how your collar can affect your style.

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Transgender Fashion: Dress Styles with The Occasional Woman

| Oct 29, 2018 | Reply

Our cisgender style consultant who is dedicated to improving the fashion sense of transgender women is Lorraine Anderson, the woman behind The Occasional Woman custom clothing and seamstress service. Last month she wrote about a few of the basic dress styles and her post proved so popular that she delves deeper into the dress styles that can make you a well dressed woman. And there are many flattering styles to list.

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The Occasional Woman: Dress Styles

| Oct 1, 2018 | Reply

Dresses! Oh the joy of a lovely dress. Despite the efforts of some fashion designers to make dresses for men over the past few decades it never catches on and dresses remain the property of ladies. A dress is just what a crossdresser needs to feel womanly and like one of the girls. Today Lorraine Anderson, the woman in charge at The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, talks about the many variety of these simple but sexy garments. There are dress styles for every occasion and Lorraine introduces you to a few of them.

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Rules for Looking Real Good

| Sep 3, 2018 | Reply

Lorraine Anderson, the woman behind The Occasional Woman seamstress and costume creation service, has some hard and fast rules for Looking Real Good. There are nine rules in all and if you manage to follow at least a few of them you will improve your feminine image and be a happier lady. Keep in mind, rules are made to be broken — but if you choose to do something in violation of Lorraine’s rules make sure she doesn’t find out about it. Read on for tips on looking your best.

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The Occasional Woman — Halloween and Thrift Shops

| Aug 6, 2018 | Reply

Today Lorraine Anderson, the woman behind The Occasional Woman seamstress and custom costume service, takes on two topics and they are connected. First she brings up the fact that Halloween, the holy day of obligation for crossdressers, is coming in just a few short months. Then she tells you how to shop for costume pieces and accessories in thrift shops.

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The Occasional Woman — Beat the Heat!

| Jul 9, 2018 | Reply

Lorraine Anderson, the proprietor of seamstress service called The Occasional Woman, has some tips for beating the heat by choosing the proper fabrics for summertime attire. She also offers advice on important steps to take before wearing sandals, and even goes so far as to suggest what perfumes and body spray scents will help you achieve a cooler state of mind when the humidity is high and the unforgiving sun beats down.

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The Occasional Woman — Passing Tips

| Jun 18, 2018 | Reply

Today Lorraine Anderson, the woman in charge at The Occasional Woman seamstress service, talks about what she saw when she to a party for trans people. She observed attendees who were otherwise well dressed as women walking like guys. Shoulders were hunched forward and high heel shod feet were planted apart. Then there were the body language errors she observed while attendees were sitting down. Lorraine will go into everything in much more detail and if your goal is to be accepted as a woman in public you should make note of what she says. As a bonus we include a video of a group of men who are trying to walk in high heels for the first time. It illustrates some of Lorraine’s comments.

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The Occasional Woman — Accentuate the Positive!

| May 14, 2018 | Reply

Lorraine Anderson offers advice on how to make the most of your best feature. Everyone has something going for them and the trick is to identify it and highlight it. Do you have sexy, curvaceous legs? Then always be sure to showcase them with shorter length skirts and short shorts. Is you derriere ample? Tight, light colored skirts will draw the eye. Take it from The Occasional Woman, it’s time to Accentuate the Positive.

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The Occasional Woman — Springtime!

| Apr 16, 2018 | Reply

Spring is in the air and spring fashions have wandered off of the runway and into many women’s closets. How do you determine which of the many springtime looks is right for you? With help and advice from Lorraine Anderson, the woman in the know when it comes to fashion! Lorraine is the owner of The Occasional Woman custom clothing and alterations service. Now, let’s leap into spring fashion!

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Work the Classics!

| Jan 22, 2018 | Reply

Lorraine Anderson, the woman in charge at The Occasional Woman custom clothing service has advice that will never leave you standing in front of your closet saying “I don’t have a thing to wear.” She suggests investing in the classic pieces of attire that can be accessorized for any occasion. From the Little Black Dress to a denim jacket, Ms. Anderson tells you what you’ll need to pull a look together.

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Holiday Party? Highlight Your Strengths

| Dec 25, 2017 | Reply

Our seamstress with fashion tips, Lorraine Anderson, proprietor of The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, has some suggestions for how to dress to impress for holiday parties without buying a whole new wardrobe. Since this is Christmas Day and the majority of Christmas parties are over use the next week to prepare for your New Year’s Eve affair. You’re sure to turn heads and make an impression with Lorraine’s budget fashion tips.

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The Occasional Woman — Holiday Bargains!

| Nov 27, 2017 | Reply

The holidays are a time when there are parties, events, social gatherings, and it’s expected that a lady will show up in something elegant, sexy and beguiling. How do you accomplish that on a budget that may have been over stretched with other holiday expenses? Lorraine Anderson, the lady in charge at The Occasional Woman custom clothing service recommends you dig for bargains. She suggests some places near her Philadelphia area headquarters.

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Have a Scary but Comfortable Halloween

| Oct 30, 2017 | Reply

Lorraine Anderson, the costumer behind The Occasional Woman, is all about costumes and Halloween fun. She has been making costumes and wearing costumes for as long as we’ve known her. In this pre-Halloween post she brings up the things you need to keep in mind as you prepare to dazzle the world in that Wonder Woman outfit or Emma Peele cat suit. Will you be able to relieve yourself and get back into your costume? Will those shoes allow you to walk normally all night or will you turn into a limping disgrace before midnight? Read on for Lorraine’s guide to a sensational, trouble-free Halloween.

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The Occasional Woman — Fall Fashion

| Oct 2, 2017 | Reply

Today’s topic in Lorraine Anderson’s The Occasional Woman column is fall fashion. It’s that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when sandals get put away, bare legs get covered by tights and over-the-knee socks, and bright floral prints take a rest until next spring. Out come the “moody” dark florals with cute jackets, scarves, and sweaters. What are the trends to watch? Lorraine has read Vogue from cover to cover and taken notes. She passes the knowledge gained, along with her own fashion wisdom, on to you.

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The Occasional Woman: Passing!

| Sep 4, 2017 | Reply

Every male who dresses up in feminine attire has individual needs to meet. Some want to blend in with the female population seamlessly. Others want to proudly put themselves out there in fashion forward looks that draw attention and have those nearby saying to their companions, “You mean that’s a man?” If your goal is to blend in, for whatever reason, then you won’t want to miss Lorraine Anderson’s Occasional Woman column today. She talks you through the biggest “tells” that make others suspect you are not what you appear to be. And we include a video on how to walk in high heels. What more could you want?

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The Occasional Woman — Summer Clothes

| Aug 7, 2017 | Reply

It’s summertime, summertime and Lorraine Anderson, proprietor of The Occasional Woman, has some tips for your summer attire. This column was first published in 2014 but her advice remains timeless. Follow her guidelines put forth in this post and spend the remainder of your summer in fashionable comfort. Ignore her words and be prepared for the consequences. Lorraine says “If it doesn’t fit, you must toss it.” Read on for more words of fashion wisdom from The Occasional Woman.

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The Occasional Woman — Summer Fabrics

| Jul 10, 2017 | Reply

Fiber is not only good for you digestive system. In hot summer weather natural fiber clothing is more comfortable. Today Lorraine Anderson, head seamstress at The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, discusses the benefits of all natural fibers. The choices available include linen, cotton, silk, and hemp, among others. Each offers different properties but all of them, when used to create a summer frock, will help to keep you cool and dressed well.

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The Occasional Woman: Undergarments

| Jun 19, 2017 | Reply

Wearing women’s clothing is something you have to teach yourself if you want to look comfortable and poised in a dress or separates. Even the best coordinated outfit, when you’ve done your best to match your shoes and handbag to the color of the tiny blue flowers in your floral print dress, will not look as nice as it should if you don’t have the proper foundation garments doing their job underneath your dress. Today Lorraine Anderson brings undergarments out into the open and gives you some ideas on what to wear.

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The Occasional Woman: Make Sure it Fits

| May 15, 2017 | Reply

So you found the perfect little floral print spring dress and it’s, heaven’s to Betsey, in your size. You love everything about it from the tiny flower pattern to the cut, and the flouncy skirt. And to make it even better it’s clearance priced! You take it home, without trying it on since using the changing room in the lady’s department makes you nervous, and learn that “little” is right. It’s too tight. Even though it is your size it’s either mislabelled or just “runs small.” Fit is very important. If you’re worried about popping buttons, or if you can’t raise your arms you’re won’t make a great impression. Today Lorraine Anderson talks about the importance of fit.

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The Occasional Woman — Spring & The ’50s Look

| Apr 17, 2017 | Reply

We leave winter behind and step into spring! And the fashions we wear are a step back — to the ’50s. Retro looks and feminine touches are all the rage and today Lorraine Anderson, head seamstress at The Occasional Woman, gives you ideas for how to be fun, floral and femme for the new season. Kitten heels, cinched waists, and full skirts decorated with floral prints will have you feeling all girly and glam.

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The Occasional Woman

| Mar 27, 2017 | Reply

Some members of the trans community, especially on the crossdressing end of the spectrum, love to dress sexy, or some would say slutty. That causes a bit of conflict with those who feel all trans folk should blend in with other ladies of their age in their surroundings. To be tastefully dressed and attractive as a woman is what they feel the goal to be. Today The Occasional Woman looks at the fashion mistakes a girl can make and cautions against them. This is not to say that you shouldn’t ever wear that extreme mini with those ten inch platform pumps. Just think a bit about the impression you intend to make on your audience. If you’re hoping to hear “Look at that sexy slut” then go for it. If you want advice on being sultry while sedate give this post a read.

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