Hi Everyone-

It's me Joni. Didn't recognize me with the wings on, did you? I stole them from backstage at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show set. Heidi is going to be so upset. They're cute, but it's hard getting through doors with them on.

As you girls can see, Sarah has made me moderatress of the Shopping forum Thank you, Sarah dear. The selection was made on the basis of...well, I can shop like a crazy woman. I actually had to get a new card because the magnetic strip on my old one had been swiped off. Kid you not. Actually I got it because the forum needed someone and I volunteered. Also I wear clothes, ones I bought, which meant shopping for them. Shopping...Shopping Forum. Makes sense. From now on there will be certain standards for the Shopping Forum (SF hereafter) no skirts longer than 15" from waist to hem and no heels shorter than 5". Oh just kidding, that's not standards, that's a lack of them. You be quiet, Wendy! And I'm just kidding about the lack of standards remark. I know lots of us girls adore short skirts, so do I, just look at some of my pix. But that's not what it's always about is it?

Seriously, I have some things I would like to do to make the SF better for everyone on TW, I will be trotting them out in the next few days, I hope. And I would very much appreciate any ideas that anyone has for making the forum better, more informative and more useful. I hope everyone's having a great day. Remember ladies, if you "shop till you drop" you aren't pacing yourself.

Hugs...Joni Marie

Hi Anyfer-

<big hug> Thanks, sweetie. I think it will be fun, at least I hope so. Clothes and fashion and shopping should be about fun and looking good and finding the best bargains and all that. Admittedly, it is the "lighter side" of being TG and while we all understand there are serious things to talk about and to consider in our lives as transgendered people, I hope we can make the SF enjoyable and helpful for everyone.

I appreciate your saying hi, girl. Have a great day.

Hugs...Joni Marie

Hi Mary Grace-

Thanks, hon. And yeah, I know about wives and clothing choices. Sometimes I feel like how a teen-age girl must feel. I don't know how many times I've heard, "You're not really going to wear that are you?" from my wife. Well...I had been...but I'm guessing I'm wearing something else.<lol> Thank goodness for wives and SO's I guess they keep us grounded, though fantasies are so much more fun.<g>

And, Mary Grace, and anyone else, if you have any ideas to improve this forum, just let me know. It can be here or in an email. I want to make this forum a great place for resources for all us TW girls. Whether it's shopping online or out there in a brick and mortar store.

Hugs...Joni Marie

Funny, I always thought I was an automatic tranny.

Hugs...Joni Marie

Hi Rae-

Thank you for the insightful comments. Of course you are right, every single act (at least in public) by any of us is, in a sense, a political act. How we conduct and comport ourselves whether at a restaurant or club or shop is, to members of the general public and to the owners of the staff and owners of the establishment, a reflection on TG persons in general, just as any minority group is often judged by the conduct and behaviors of a few.

Speaking only for myself, whenever I shop for clothes for my girlside, whether I'm en femme or drabbed out, I do it with no attempt to conceal who I'm buying it for and do it with confidence but not in some assertive or pushy way either. So far, I have never met with any sort of rudeness or prejudice. I think more and more staff at department stores have received sensitivity training in dealing with TG customers therefore, whatever their personal feelings may be, they remain professional in their conduct. And, as has been pointed out so many times, t-girl money and plastic are just like anyone else's. The cash register can't tell what's under that cute little skirt.

Shop on, girls! Shop on!

Hugs...Joni Marie

Hi Josi-

Merry Christmas, hon. And thank you for the nice post. Girl, I would love to go shopping with you, anytime, any place. I love shopping for clothes and accessories, and while not as good as some, I have fairly decent fashion sense and can put together an outfit. The picking and choosing is most of the fun.

And Josi, you do to have class and elegance, you have shown it many, many times in your posts here, so I know what you said isn't so. Fashion sense is another thing altogether, though. It is so true, Josi, fashion sense is not genetic, not at all. Many, many men, in fact seemingly most of them, have no clue at all. At all! Though to be fair, some do and not necessarily gay men only. And likewise, lots of girls don't either or at least don't bother to show it. But it's something that can be acquired and sharpened. All it takes is keeping an eye out for what you like on someone else or in a magazine and putting it together for yourself but not just copying item for item. So yeah, I'd love to go shopping with you. I'm sure you have lots of ideas that I would love to know about.

Hmm. Maybe this is an idea for the forum. Virtual shopping. For us girls who would like to go shopping together but can't because of distance or other factors. We can choose a store with online shopping, which nearly everyone has nowadays, and compare choices including accessories, shoes, etc. Of course we can't model them but we could help each other out with ideas and helpful comments. Hmm. Thank you, Josi, for inspiring what may be a great, fun thing to do.

Merry Christmas, girl.

Hugs...Joni Marie

Hi Nikki-

Girl, you make such a good point about the difference in how men shop and how women shop. In fact I was thinking about starting a new thread...and maybe a poll as well...on just that topic. And despite it's drawbacks, I think maybe someway for there to be feedback on clothes we are thinking of purchasing might be fun. Two or three TW girls on a virtual shopping spree. Hmmm.

Hugs...Joni Marie