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Your very first dress

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  •  How many of us can remember the very first dress (or female clothing) we actually bought for ourselves - and without a sympathetic female at our side? All on our OWN!
     Do we remember the feelings we had when we first went up to the counter, fumbled with the money ( terrified to look at the sales clerk the entire time), then, actually walking out the door without the sales staff raising a "hue and cry" as you thought they would? How about the feelings you had when you finally got home with your new "Prize" - and finally, when you first wore it?
     All these feelings we had, at that time, are now embedded as precious memories of our "awakening" at the beginning of our transition in this life we have chosen.
     Did you keep that clothing? Did you wear it out - LOL? - and finally, do you have an unexplainable sense of gratitude (or indebtedness) to that clothing?
    If so, I do not think you are alone.
     I still have that short, little black dress. It is safely tucked away  . . .  deep within my main clothes' closet.

    Yesterday, while searching for something different to wear, I happened to touch it. It felt like an electric shock went through my body as all those memories (and feelings) flooded back into my mind. I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I burst out into tears. After a few minutes of "heavy-duty crying," I took out the dress and just held it close to me, hugging it  . . .  lovingly. The dress didn't fit all that well when I tried it on -  because my shape is more feminine now. But wearing it certainly felt good!
     Once I had regained some of my composure, I dismissed any thought of altering the dress to fit me better - out of a sense of indebtedness to the dress. It sounds silly - but I thought it the "proper" thing to do.
    I still have the first picture of me wearing that dress. It's my "memory dress" now.

    Hugs . . . and tears of joy

    <p>Doanna Highland</p>
      June 30, 2011 6:52 PM BST
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  • For me it was my blue acid wash jeggings from JCP. I wear them often and even though it was not that long ago that I baught them I can't imagine at this point every getting rid of them.

      June 30, 2011 8:15 PM BST
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  • I bought my very first clothes for myself just under 3 years ago. I went on a shopping spree buying undies, stockings, shoes, make up and a skirt and top!

     

     The skirt and top was the most eventful... the makeup the scariest I was shaking like a leaf as I handed the makeup to the elderly woman at the checkout desk!

     

     As I mentioned, buying the skirt and blouse was the most eventful. I had already bought the undies and stockings in another shop and now I was looking in another store for outer clothes. 

     

    I quickly decided on a grey skirt and a black top but then realised I had no idea what size I was, so I plumped for a size 16 skirt and top and took them, a little nervously to the sales counter and handed them to the 40 or 50 something shop assistant.

     

     As she scanned them through, she noticed there wasn't a price tag on the skirt, so said in a rather loud voice, "I 'll just have to get a tag for YOUR skirt!" She mentioned 'YOUR skirt' a few times but I was past caring and when I finally had made my purchase I practically floated out of the shop!

     

     Anyway, here is a photo of the first time I wore the outfit.... in fact any outfit with makeup, wig and shoes!

     

     

    This post was edited by Former Member at July 12, 2011 6:02 PM BST
      June 30, 2011 9:11 PM BST
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  • Doanna, while I'm sure I was totally thrilled when the UPS truck delivered it, after nearly 50 years I don't remember what it was any more. Probably undies or a pair of shoes or maybe a skirt.


    I do have most of the femme things I ever bought, never purged. I do occasionally donate things I'll never be able to wear again (oh, to weigh 143 lb. again...) to charity. Other things have worn out and gotten tossed.


    I do have things, mostly dresses, that I may never fit in again or will never be in style again that I love and hang onto.


    On the other hand, I regularly wear a pair of denim wedges I bought in the 1980's which are back in style again.


    Life goes on, Oolba Dee, Oobla Daa..

    <p><span style="color: #800080;">Girls will be boys and boys will be girls It's a mixed up muddled up shook up world except for Lola Lo-lo-lo-lo Lola</span> - Ray Davies, The Kinks</p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff;">(S)he's a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction</span> - Kris Kristofferson</p>
      June 30, 2011 9:13 PM BST
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  • The first female clothing I ever bought for myself was a skirt and blouse from a small local shop.  I was looking through the skirt rack and the woman (Maureen who I got to know quite well) asked what size I was.  When I said I didn't know she said I looked about a 10 (those were the days!).


    I remember going home putting on my blouse and skirt and "modeling" them for my Mum and sister much to everyones amusement.


    This was a long time ago and I don't think I could get the skirt over my hips now never mind zip it up.

      July 1, 2011 4:59 AM BST
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  • i had two sisters so plenty of clothes around...But can remember like yeasterday first items bought just for me. Was with my mum walking through Debenhams store when she just stopped..turned and said 'i think its about time you satrted owning your own things'...wasnt sure what she meant until we eneded up in clothing section. sales assistant asked if she could help and my mum explained taht she was looking for 2 straight black skirts...when asked what size she simply pointed to me as if it was perfectly norma; and said that they were for me....to 'get me started'...thing is assistant wasnt phased at all....and i even got to try on in the store. We eneded up witha lot more tahn two skirts and I realised that my mum had obviously planned the trip from very beginning. Think shed sorted whole thing out in advance with sales manager in store in fact.  ...can still remember how graet i felt that day..was about 13/14 i think and eternally grateful to my mum. No more hiding or borrowing....and first of many purchases...amy x

      July 1, 2011 8:46 AM BST
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  • Wow Amy, there are mothers of girls on this site, mine included, who deserve medals.


    Your story warms my heart.


    xx

      July 1, 2011 9:55 AM BST
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  • My Mum as well Lucy.  I don't know what I'd have done without her. Mums are the greatest!

      July 1, 2011 12:35 PM BST
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  • Not my mum sadly - though to be fair I never gave her the chance to be. I just borrowed her clothes when I could. Then one day I decided I really wanted a full length petticoat of my own so I went to the local M&S equivalent, and plucked up the courage to find one that looked like the right size. Paying for it was the difficult part - the checkouts were busy and I had to stand in line holding it. Once paid for I went into the toilets and put it on straight away under my clothes. The frills were just visible under my t-shirt. I then had to worry about where to hide my newly started collection.


    Sadly through purges I no longer have the item, but it would be way too small by now.


     


     

    <p>Alice</p> <p>"You can be whoever you are in Shangri-la" - Neil Innes </p>
      July 1, 2011 1:00 PM BST
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  • Hummmmmmmm, I guess that wasabout 1966 at a local G. C. Murphy store . Hey, I'm so old dirt is younger than me ! O K , I bought a pair of Textured tights, uh Tan w/ Black designs , whoa , they rocked ! ellen

    Liberalism , a desease - E Shaver
      July 2, 2011 1:42 AM BST
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  • When I was a child I stole my sisters and mums clothes but for some strange reason never stole my nans lol and at some point I bought some items from a charity shop but I cant be precise on which items they were, never mind! I have too much crap tho so I am going to go through my clothes soon and give the items that no longer fit or unlikely to wear to charity. Hopefully I will create some space for some new crap! :)

     

     

     

    Amy, i felt a tear coming reading your story, i imagine you felt ecstatic. My mum cant cope with it all so its a bit disappointing really.

     

     

     

    Love

     

    Penny

     

    x

    Just an ordinary girl finding her way in this strange life. - What will it take to get everyone to realise that everyone else is also a human being that deserves just as much respect? - How does someone tell their doctor they have hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia? - When I was a student I specialised in Alcopology. It always starts with Alco and always ends with pology. - Waiter! There's a hare in my rabbit pie!
    This post was edited by Penny Zenny at July 4, 2011 12:10 PM BST
      July 4, 2011 12:07 PM BST
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  • Penney, at my church, we have "Moneyless yard sales every so often. You need to see the sytuff I haul in . Look, bout all of my wardrobe is Thrift store too. O K , I buy my underware new ,but that's it . Still, I evnjoy folks taking home something they've seen me wear mabye twice ! ellen

    Liberalism , a desease - E Shaver
      July 4, 2011 8:45 PM BST
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  • First dress that i'd gone out and bought was one that i bought from a market stall, a simple LBD that was either made in lycra or something equally as clingy, it was nice and tight and short. Sadly like Alice said earlier, i had a purge of clothes and gave it away to charity - oh well x

      July 10, 2011 4:50 PM BST
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  • Lucy Diamond said:

    Wow Amy, there are mothers of girls on this site, mine included, who deserve medals.




    Your story warms my heart.




    thanks lucy and tx for your comments janis and penny....i tell my mum constantly how important she has been to me. it would aahve taken me  a lot longer to get here and i would have had a lot more mental anguish without her help and support.


    That simple trip to debenhams and her acceptance and encouragement helped me beyond words. I flew back to the house on cloud 9 and as she recently reminded me she couldnt get me out of that skirt all weekend !......shame i cant fit into that size now.


    love amy x



     

      July 13, 2011 11:24 PM BST
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  • My first dress was a pretty purple plaid short skirt I bought from the thrift store many years ago. I couldn't try it on there as they don't have dressing rooms. The tag size said 12 XL, waist 32. I'm a 32 waist. Got home all excited and I hate to say the darn thing even unzipped wouldnt fit on me lol. The crazy thing is I have since bought more size 12's  and a even few size 10's which fit me fine. I learned a lesson I guess. Dress sizes tend to fluctuate depending on the company that makes them. Cherokee made this dress in vietnam. The thing should have been labled a 6 omg!!!!

    Jessica Nova
      July 15, 2011 3:39 PM BST
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  • Jessicia , I might add that the more expensive a garment is , the more material that generally is used in it's manufacture . For example , a garment made in Viet - Nam and made for a LOW-End discount store needs to be purchaced WAY Larger than that of a Moderate to Hi- end store . here in the U. S. Stay with Sag Harbor , Talbots , Pendleton , and Old Navy . Generally speaking, one can actually go a couple of sizes smaller on these pieces . ellen

    Liberalism , a desease - E Shaver
      July 23, 2011 4:51 PM BST
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  • Funny enough, my very first dress saw the light of day not that long ago when I moved house. I hadn't forgotten about it, it just got buried among all the other no longer worn stuff at the bottom of a draw.


    It was a scary purchase from a charity shop and I was at the time, unfamiliar with sizing so it was at least one size too big.


     


    I still like it even today and will never ever part with it

      July 26, 2011 9:29 PM BST
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  • Thank you for the tip Ellen.  I had no idea and I will keep this in mind now when I shop. Amazingly I have some how gotten good at using my thumbs now to gauge waist size . I seem to have figured out some inate ability to tell if it will fit just feeling the radius with it zipped or buttoned upSurprised

    Jessica Nova
      July 26, 2011 10:07 PM BST
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  • Years ago, I bought it at TJMAXX mixed with some other clothes I planed to return. There was a price check on one the items I did not need. I felt like Woody Allen trying to buy a girly magazine and getting a price check on it over the P.A. system. Later, I found it better to go to a nicer store and just get it gift boxed, the salesperson knew what you are doing but wanted the sale. I would even  put on a big oversized coat and wear layers of clothes so that what i was buying would not look like it would fit. I found that looked too weird. LOL, I still find shopping difficult. 

    I have been only using this site for a short time and it was been life changing. thanks girls. 

      March 13, 2012 2:48 AM GMT
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  • Mine was a short blue floral sundress that I picked up at the local Salvation Army shop. This was back in the mid-90's when I was a pool college student and spending less than $10 a dress had a certain appeal.

     

    It did, however, look and fit extremely well, and was a part of my casual wardrobe for a few years. It also opened the floodgates in terms of shopping. Its amazing what a little courageous victory does to you.

      March 14, 2012 1:22 AM GMT
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  • Julie,
    God Bless the "Sally Anne!"
    <p>Doanna Highland</p>
      March 14, 2012 5:53 AM GMT
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  • I was fortunate to find a black/white sequined fishtail gown in my size (amazing) on sale. It has helped me have the control to keep my weight down ever since. Cannot wait to have an excuse to wear it "out".
    "A live lived in fear is a life half-lived." - Native American proverb. "Inside every man is a woman who was drowned in testosterone before birth". - Wendy Jeanette Larsen "It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you're not." - Andre Gide (French writer)
      March 27, 2012 6:44 PM BST
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  • Been dressing since I was a child in the 60s but I guess the first thing I bought was a short black skirt in Dunn & Co in Southampton in 1990. They had matching jackets too and I wished afterwards that I'd bought one of those too. The checkout girl looked slightly oddly at me when I paid but no problems otherwise.

    The funny thing was I knew a little about sizing so bought a size 14 only to find when I got home that it was too big so had to pin it together around the waist. The next day, flushed with success, I bought some false nails and polish from some shops nearby. My wife was away at the time so I wore the nails all the time and will never forget the feeling of waking up in the morning and seeing them. Since then I've bought and purged regularly, which is a pain as I miss some of the great items I've owned; my favourite a faux leather jacket which was dead cute!
      June 12, 2012 8:13 PM BST
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