Shopping - CD/TG Friendly Stores?

[Guest MeganBr]

I buy my panties and bras a VS. They pretty much all know me there and know that I'm really buying for me. And when I'm in there and another costumer is around they ask me questions like would she like this or what is her favorite style. After they leave they will give me advice on what they think would look good on my and fit my body good. I go to Body Central to buy my jeans. I try them on and they ladies there will let me know if the jeans look good on me or not. I do also buy some of my jeans at Wal-Mart. The only ones I buy their is l.e.i. I just love them. I know they aren't as good as most and are cheap. But they have the styles I like. I just love the embroidered buttoned back pockets and they are low rise too. I buy my socks at Family Dollar. I know what you are saying about the dollar stores, but hey there are some real hidden gems their. One they are hardly every packed. Two they have some really cute stuff that you can't find at the big retail stores. And if you find the same thing at a big retail store it's more expensive than the dollar stores. They even have some really cute shoes there to. The only drawback to shopping there is that they don't have a very big selection. But like I said most of their stuff is really cute. Even though they never have my size shoes, the biggest size they have is a size 9 and I'm a 10. If you want to do you first public shop I would have to say the the dollar stores is a good place to start at. Most importantly where ever you go to shop just act normal, like you are suppose to be there. I know that takes time. Some longer than others. Me, I keep trying to hide it and then I finally said "Hey this is part of what makes me me. And I don't need to be ashamed of any part of me." My friends know and some of the girls want to have a girls shopping day and want me to come. So that I can give my male point of view on their outfits and so that they can help pick out some cute girl outfits for me. It's really a win-win for them. They will have another girl to help dress up and have a male's view with out the "let hurry up and go already" male additude. Another place you can look that has good deals on some pretty cute thing is normorerack. If you use this link and sign up the you will be my friend. I don't know if I get anything or not, but I'm not worried about that. They have friend deals and you will be able to get certain things if you have the right number of friends. I can also send $10 gift card code, but have figured that out yet. My referral link is http://www.nomorerack.com/?cr=1331588. After you sign up, you can sent your referral link to all your friends.

Megan

[Michelle 2010]

My shopping evolution continues...

My wife and I went to a funky consignment shop in the Florida Keys today and I found a really nice brown dress and short jacket that went wonderfully with my skin tone and hair color. Wife was trying something on and so I simply took the outfit to the cute clerk and asked if I might try it on, then surprised myself by coming out of the dressing room and asked both their opinions as to how it looked. We all agreed it looked nice (of course if I hadn't thought so in the first place I never would have worn it out, right?).

It felt very natural to do so. While I am comfy shopping the thrift stores, I had never exited the dressing room enfemme to ask an opinion before! Felt really natural to do so!

Hugs

Michelle

[Guest Lani]

Its going to depend on your community to a large degree, but the whole list of Americana big stores have individual stores where the service to TG's is great and friendly. There is no one store chain better than others at ALL stores. For example!! The Wal Mart store near me will let me take Three any gender garment into a fitting room they point me to. The one closer to where my daughter lives occasionally gets a bit stuffy and suggests I buy the garment "have the lady try it on at home and bring it back for a full refund if you are not completely satisfied within 30 days". (I am now full time and they don't pull that routine any more.) Some of it will depend on the structure of the fitting rooms, and stores like Macy's and JC Penney make their changing rooms floor to ceiling with solid doors. Most fitting room attendants if they have a worry, will direct you to a seldom used or a tailors fitting room either in the next department or tell you to take the clothing over to the men's fitting room. They will be nice about it in almost any of the big name mall stores. (Macy's, Penney's, Sears, Dillards, Kohls, etc) in the larger communities.

Terrible thing to tell you, but REALLY, REALLY, REALLY no one is looking at you one way or the other in a major department store even in the women's wear department. They are all too busy with their own business to notice you!! To a sales person offering assistance, the line "I am looking for something nice for a person who is about my age, height & weight, and complexion, for ____________(type of wear). This will get you help and some great suggestions and if they respond by asking if it is really for you, a nice pleasant wink and grin "Can you keep a secret??" If they answer yes (and haven't heard this before), then you simply say, "So can I", and thank them openly for their help. It is actually a bit of a feminine thing, but will make you seem less nervous and they will respect your privacy.

Very, very true Vicky!!

[Guest Guest_]

I know that this topic is a little old, but there is such a wealth of knowledge and experience here that I thought it was worth brining forward for newer members to read. I know I enjoyed reading it when I found it. I have shopped at almost all the stores mentioned, and have never had a problem. Out of all of them KOHLS gets my vote. Love Amber L.

[mara13]

Thank you for bumping it Amber, and thank you KayJo for creating it. A special thank you to every one who posted advice here, it is very helpful, I am glad that I saw this. Oh! and MegamBr, I clicked your link, and made an account. If I get enough money set aside to get a prepaid visa, I will be shopping there!

[Guest Kaylee234]

I have to admit that I was in the same boat when I first started seriously shopping. It was a nerve wracking experience. Really what you have to do is just do it. The more you do, the easier it will be for you and the sooner you realize that it's not a big deal at all.

It can also help to bring a friend so that you aren't so self conscious.

[Guest Janet]

I am in New Jersey and shop in any ladies department of any store

I shop en drab and never had a problem when I told the SA what

I am looking for and that it is for me. They are so happy to help

and not play the guessing game as to who the item is for.

So to answer the question Every store is CD friwndly

[Guest Xeriis]

I have to admit that I was in the same boat when I first started seriously shopping. It was a nerve wracking experience. Really what you have to do is just do it. The more you do, the easier it will be for you and the sooner you realize that it's not a big deal at all.

I totally agree. The more you do it, the less anxious you'll be. When you first walk into a store some of the sales associates may give you interesting looks, but they still offer to help and many just let you do your own thing. After going back to the same store a few times many of the sales associates will recognize you and a lot of that initial awkwardness is gone.

Something I've done to make it a little less nerve wracking for myself is that I shop with my 7" tablet and I usually pull up one or two things I like on the store's website before I go to the store. When a sales associate asks if I need any help I tell them, "My girlfriend was looking at this on the website and I was looking for a couple of things that could go with it." Often I'll just ask for help looking for something to go with it with no mention of a girlfriend. I've found sales associates to be quite friendly if they see you came in with a purpose and not just some random guy walking into a women's store (even if I did just pull up those pictures on my tablet 2 minutes ago). Some sales associates do seem a little relieved that they have something tangible they can help you with (especially many younger ones as it might be their first time in this situation and they are nervous too).

Thinking about it some more, JCPenny and Kohl's are also great in that they don't have those "dressing room monitors" that other stores have. It's much more comfortable to be able to walk right into the dressing room without having to show the person what you want to try on. Stores like Target and others where they have a dressing room monitor where you have to go through them to use the dressing rooms I can't bring myself to try women's clothes on there.

While I am somewhat comfortable shopping on my own, I am still too self conscious to use a dressing room to try things on. In Canada I haven't come across any stores without a "dressing room monitor."

[Guest Kendra K]

While I am somewhat comfortable shopping on my own, I am still too self conscious to use a dressing room to try things on. In Canada I haven't come across any stores without a "dressing room monitor."

I did it once at Target, but it was sort-of a mistake. I had a couple of drinks then went shopping at Target. I grabbed a bikini set and thought I could just dash into the dressing room. The monitor stopped me and said I needed a number (I think). I then had to come back out and give her the clothes, which happens all the time to everyone, but me trying on a bikini I felt very uncomfortable doing it. So right now I can't imagine doing it again.

I've bought nail polish, nail polish remover, even panties, at Target but for whatever reason I feel self conscious about doing the dressing room thing because of those dressing room monitors.

[Guest Kaylee234]

OTOH, I doubt the dressing room monitors care at all. They just want to make sure you come out with the same number you go in. I just smile at them. No big deal.

~ Kay

[Guest sophia.gentry58]

I think most of us have had the same feeling when first going shopping in the women's section, clothes and comsmetics. I was no different, I thought everyone whose eyes even glanced my way were doing so because they were judging me. However, it really is about perception, yours not theirs. What I've learned is that no one is my mine and therefore cannot possibly know why I'm buying what I'm buying. Now I just go about my merry way regardless of who is looking. It was just a few weeks ago I went to Wal-mart and purchased several bikini swimwear and a one piece swimwear along with a black negligee and matching thong panty. All items were up front with maybe 20 or 30 feet of space between those items and the cash registers and long lines of people. For all they know I could be purchasing those items for my wife. Although, I have bought so many women's things there that someone might be more the wiser.

I do admit that I have not gotten to the point of taking women's clothes and trying them on in either men's or women's dressing rooms. This is a military town after all!

Sophia