Are you a woman of a certain age? Think you can’t wear a trendy tulle skirt? Why not? Fashion maven Tasi Zuriack believes that women of all ages can express themselves in the great variety of tulle skirts that can currently be found in your favorite store. Whether short, mid, or long length Tasi has recommendations on how to rock that tulle skirt without being mistaken for a ballerina or a bride.
You can tell a lot about a woman by looking at her purse. Some carry small bags with everything they need organized smartly. Others have gigantic shoulder bags with other bags stuffed inside. Some women always carry the same bag with every outfit, while others coordinate their bag’s style and color to the color scheme of their attire. Today Cate O’Malley takes on the topic of bags and puts forth the criteria she has arrived at after conducting exhaustive research on what constitutes a good purse. See if you agree.
Spring is in the air and spring fashion is on lady’s minds. We all want to look stylish and many love to be on trend but are all the spring fashions right for everyone? Lorraine Anderson, seamstress from The Occasional Woman and fashion maven, has some thoughts on the matter. Find out what Lorraine recommends when it comes to designer trends like “cold shoulders” and “paper bag” waistlines.
It’s fairly obvious what constitutes fashion. It’s the designs, the clothing and accessories that make the woman. But what is “style”? That’s a concept that is a bit less concrete. It’s possible to wear thrift shop chic and have style. It’s equally possible to wear a designer suit and not have style. Today Tasi Zuriack writes about style and tells you about a Style Contest.
If blending in and passing is what you strive for when you’re out and about in public then this column is not aimed at you. Cate O’Malley has made a decision to not adhere to the dictates of fashion or to just blend in. She has firm likes and dislikes and when she dresses to go out for the day she dresses the way she likes. She also urges others to do fashion their way. Will that approach work for you?
Today the head seamstress of The Occasional Woman, Lorraine Anderson, drops the subject of clothing to discuss something many of us could use help and advice about: makeup. It’s not that she’s an expert in the area of face decoration and enhancement. Far from it. Her usual makeup routine is basic and, routine. When she was a teen her paint was extreme. Now it’s minimal and she wants to learn how to do more, but not too much. Dip into cosmetics with her in this first of a two-parter on makeup.
They say clothes make the man but so often it’s accessories that define the woman. A basic outfit can be upscaled, cooled down or made sizzling hot with the proper accessories. Jewelry, scarves, shoes, hats, hair clips and pins are just some of the things you can do to take a basic outfit, like a little black dress, into new territory. Today Tasi Zuriack takes you on an exploratory journey into the land of accessories.
At holiday time you my want to be bold and stand out at the office party or an upscale event. In that case Tasi Zuriack recommends you go red. As Tasi says, “Every woman should own a bright red dress. The color red says ‘look at me!’ and ‘yes, I can’ or maybe even ‘yes I will.’ The color red sparks in us an enthusiasm and energy that increases the heartbeat and protects us from stress and fear.”
Happy holidays to one and all and may your holiday parties be glamorous and glittering! Today Lorraine Anderson, the woman behind the custom clothing business called The Occasional Woman, has some tips on what to wear to make the most festive impression and she has a few hints on how to do it on the cheap.
What’s a car wash skirt? Something you wear when you and your sorority sisters do a car wash fundraiser? No. A car wash skirt is one that has slits all around like the sponges that you drive your car through in a car wash. They vibrate and rub your car clean. A car wash skirt flounces around your legs and exposes them as you walk. They can be daring, and demure, depending on the fabric, length and the length of the slits. Get all the info on car wash skirts and how to integrate them into your wardrobe from our fashion maven Tasi Zuriack.
Lorraine Anderson, proprietor of The Occasional Woman seamstress service, has been so busy all of October that she found herself the day before Halloween without a costume of her own for the big night. Being good with deadlines she went to a costume shop for inspiration and came out with an idea that she managed to sew together in one day. She recommends that you take a bit longer to design your costume for next Halloween.
Lorraine Anderson is a seamstress and theatrical costumer who has been making clothing for the crossdressing community for many years. What started as a sideline to help her crossdressing friends has become a business called The Occasional Woman. Tell Lorraine what kind of dress you want and she can make it for you. This is a re-run of her very first column for TGF. The advice is still good.
Many trans folk have gone through the experience of purging their femme clothing in an attempt to deny their true nature. Of course this never works as the urge does not go away and you have to hit the stores again to rebuild. Often after crossdressers learn their lesson and realize they should keep their wardrobe intact they don’t take the time for a “controlled purge.” They accumulate, just like GG ladies, too many clothes that they will never, ever wear. Today Lorraine Anderson tells you more on clearing the closet. Shoes and lingerie!
Do you not fit into the classic styles? Do plain steady styles bore you? If that’s the case you just might find joy in Bohemian attire. Boho for short. Today Tasi Zuriack examines the many flavor of Boho Chic. Long skirts, short skirts, if they are interesting and fancy they are Boho. Learn all about this fashion trend with Tasi.
Many trans folk have gone through the experience of purging their femme clothing in an attempt to deny their true nature. Of course this never works as the urge does not go away and you have to hit the stores again to rebuild. Often after crossdressers learn their lesson and realize they should keep their wardrobe intact they don’t take the time for a “controlled purge.” They accumulate, just like GG ladies, too many clothes that they will never, ever wear. Today Lorraine Anderson gives you a guide on how to cull the bad things out of your wardrobe.
The drop waist dress has popped back up in the fashion rotation. All fashion seems to do that but the drop waits hasn’t been around since the ’80s and this incarnation of this fashion trend has evolved since it was worn by Lady Dianna. Tasi Zuriack, our fashion maven, tells you the history of this style and tells you how to wear it in an updated manner to flatter all figures.
Much of the U.S. is blanketed in high temperatures and while fun in the sun is what many call it to those of us who prefer to present ourselves in ladylike attire it can be a trial and tribulation to look good and not be coated in a layer of “dew.” Lorraine Anderson has some hints on how to look cool in the heat.
Today Tasi Zuriack takes a look at skirts. Why women don’t seem to like wearing them and why the majority of crossdressers can’t get enough, and the shorter the better. What keeps women from wearing skirts all the time and why do they spend so much time in pants of some kind? Tasi fills you in today.
There once was a day when a woman’s outfit was not complete without a stylish and statement making hat. Of course in our modern times when women go out and about in the most casual of outfits and flip flops are considered proper footwear who expects to see a hat on anyone unless it’s worn ironically? Tasi Zuriack says — don’t give up on hats! They can be a valuable accessory for any woman.
Here is the east the hot, humid air has rolled in and the cool breezes of spring are just a memory — even though summer doesn’t officially begin for a few weeks. It’s time to pull out the summer dresses and sandals but what about our legs? They are our method of moving around but they’re also a fashion accessory. Lorraine Anderson gives you some tips for showing them off.
Talking to our crossdressers here; when you get a chance to go out and about would you rather wear a skirt or leggings, or pants? Most would CDs would say they love to wear a skirt. Why? Skirts are one of the most feminine items of attire. Of course dresses have skirts but with a skirt you get to change the top. Some women, more often younger women, avoid skirts claiming that they are more comfortable in jeans. Maybe they just don’t know how to wear skirts properly. Tasi has skirt advice for one and all.
It’s winter, and you want to go out dressed to impress. What good is it to pick out a great outfit when you have to bundle up and hide it? After all, in cold weather the first thing people notice about you is your outerwear. Wear a great outfit but make sure the first impressions you create are also stylish. Lorraine Anderson has some hints for how to make your coat and accessories just the first layer of fashion fun.
Hip pad. Do you need them to attain your perfect femme figure? Today Tasi Zurich explores hip enhancement, discussing styles that add hip width, and she looks into what’s available to create an alluring derrière commercially and home brew. If your femme curves are not up to par then Tasi’s blog on hip pads is a must read. She also includes some videos.
For fierce fashion Tasi Zurich goes on safari and tracks down the many ways to use animal prints in your wardrobe. Whether you choose a leopard dress or a python pant suit Tasi gives you the insight into how to put it together so it works. When you wear a tiger top what shoes and bag will compliment the look? Are zebra print leggings ever going to work, or will passersby say OMG? Tasi tells you how to work with the animal prints to bring out the animal in you.
Before you can choose flattering femme attire you must first learn your body type. A dress that looks fabulous on a slim hipped body can look disastrous on a pear shaped body. Today Victoria Williams talks about how to figure out your body type so you can choose the best fashions to flatter your figure.
