Reflections on My First ‘En Femme’ Outing
Turning heads in Tampa
In the summer of 2014, I have finally gotten the chance to go out as Chanelle. In this short article, my goal is to make some reflections on my first night out as Chanelle and what I learned to do for future outings.
At the time, I had a long-distance relationship with girlfriend. She was visiting me in Tampa, FL from Miami, FL for the weekend. We went out together at night to an area in Tampa, called Ybor City, which is known for having great clubs, both ‘regular’ and LGBT-friendly clubs, and Cuban cigar shops and cigar factories. Before going out, I did some research on the local venues, especially the LGBT-friendly clubs, and we even went out in the day to see the area and the adjacent Downtown Tampa. Knowing what venues are in the area and where the parking would be helped me be more prepared for the night out.
Another pre-game activity I highly recommend doing is having girl time before going out, meaning doing makeup, nails, hair, etc with whomever you are going out with, whether it’s another CD, t-girl, your cis girlfriend/wife (if she wants to come too). This pre-game girl time will not only get you in a good mood before the night out, but it might even help you enjoy the night even more and make the night even more special instead of it being just another outing…
Last, but not least, an activity for you to consider for pre-game is getting people to go with you. Going out en femme is not only safer, but is also more fun when done with a group. So ask around your local contacts on social networks you made for your female alter-ego! Who knows if there’s somebody willing to go out with you?
During my first time out, I found I made a seriously stupid mistake. Naturally, believe it or not, I am shy. Not to the extreme, but I am a little shy. It takes me time and patience to prepare show-stopping speeches and presentations. I also make up scenarios in my head sometimes, in which I think about how I approach people. I feel really awkward when I’m not prepared to talk and even more so when all the eyes are on me and I’m in the spot . . . The mistake I made was over-dressing. I wore a bright yellow dress, silver heels, medium blonde wig, and had a bright color on my nails as well. While this “bombshell” look was not an issue in my quiet inner-city neighborhood when I stepped outside the house to get to my car, all the eyes were on me — I was the star — when I stepped out of my car when I went to park in Ybor, half a block if not closer to the “gay” part of the area, where all the LGBT-friendly clubs were located. Everywhere I went, I shined in the spot, very many people wanted to dance with me, and I even got cat-called and whistled at several times. In the outings that followed, I wore things slightly less “shiny.” Dressing simpler helped me blend in better with the crowd and be happy and comfortable throughout the following outings.
This is the same outfit I wore for the first time out as Chanelle.
During the first en femme outing I also did not take any pictures and the outfit shown to the right is a re-creation of what I wore that night. I sometimes look back and regret not taking any pictures, but I still feel blessed to have remembered the night, since I only had two drinks — especially since I was the one driving my former girlfriend and myself to the party-town of Tampa. Remembering the first night is special and while taking pictures can help, I advise to not drink too much so you can cherish the experience for years to come.
Last, but not least, make some goals — plan what you want to do that night. Of course, plans change, but having some expectations can make you feel more prepared and help you enjoy the night. Sitting around and just talking with someone is boring. Exploring new places, new restaurants, playing bar games, and dancing the night away — that’s what’s fun, that’s what’s cool!
Just past 2 a.m., the lights turned on and the party was over. We went back home, but the euphoria of the experience resonated within me for the rest of the following week.
Category: Out & About, Transgender Opinion
About the Author (Author Profile)
I'm a 20-something. Florida bird since 2006. Have been crossdressing on a part-time basis since 2012 with a couple of breaks in between. As of 2018, I'm taking an indefinite break from the TG life in the aggressive pursuit of a full-time career as a music producer and artist. On TG Forum, you can discover several articles I've penned on relationships, business and most importantly for this blog, topics of crossdressing while continuously learning about this world with you.Subscribe
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Great experience and a great lesson learned. Thanks for sharing, I don’t think we ever forget out first ‘serious’ outing.