Musical Interlude - The Best Of Times

 La Cage - The Best of Times Is Now (2010)

See the original Post from 2017

How Not To Get Caught...

 Wearing A Bra At Work (And In Public)

HOPE ALEXANDER UPDATED:OCT 14, 2009

Believe it or not, some men want to wear a bra to work, (or anywhere in public, for that matter,) but don't want to get caught doing it. Gadzooks! How are they to achieve such a goal. I have some tips for them, which I believe will help. I can only help they read this in time, before they go running out of the house in a red lace bra under a wet white t-shirt.

The tips below should help them in their endeavors, but please, if you are among this number, be aware that unless you are wearing a suit jacket, leather jacket, ski jacket or some kind of thick bulky overcoat, your brassiere may be detectable. If you're wearing a bra and a t shirt and someone runs their hand over your back then yeah, they'll probably feel the band.

But, for those of your coworkers who aren't fondling your back all day and night, these tips may help. (There's one that will foil those people too, its right at the end. Like the butler, who totally did it.)

Match Colors

If you don't want your bra to be too obvious, match the color of the bra to the tone of your skin, and perhaps more importantly, to your shirt. That means no black brassieres under your white business shirt.

Plain Is Better

If your brassiere has a whole lotta lace and embroidery going on, the ripples and bumps can show through your shirt. Wear that plain beige brassiere on the days you just want to feel a bra against your skin.

Cover Up

Wear more than just a bra and a shirt. Wear a bra, a vest and a shirt, or preferably, a jersey that is somewhat thick. The more layers you have on, the less likely it is that you will get caught wearing your bra. This works best in winter, of course.

Get The Right Fit

A bra that fits properly is less likely to be seen than a bra which is cutting into your flesh. Avoid flesh bumps at all cost.

T Shirt Bras

T shirt bras were designed to be the original stealth bra. By wearing a white t shirt bra under, say a thick white vest, you should be virtually undetectable to 99% of the human population. (Except those bastards who keep lingeringly running your fingers over your upper back.)

And finally, for those SOB's, the silver bullet...

Strap Up

Put your brassiere on, wrap some wide crepe tape around that puppy and go about your day. Don't wind it too tight or you won't be able to breathe, which could spoil your ability to enjoy your brassiere. If people touch you, they'll feel the strapping. You can then claim some awesome sports / shark related injury.

That, I think, is all the advice I have for you today.

I Love A Success Story - Jan Sport

Jan at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2023

Jan Sport, sometimes known simply as Jan, is the stage name of Charlie Mantione (born Charles Joseph Mantione; June 11, 1993), an American drag queen and singer based in New York City, who came to international attention on the twelfth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. On May 26, 2021, she was announced as one of the 13 contestants on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, where she placed 7th overall. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

He considers his drag "birthday" to be July 8, 2016. Mantione formed the pop group Stephanie's Child along with queens Rosé and Lagoona Bloo in 2018. His drag mother is Alexis Michelle. In 2018, he won the title of Breakthrough Artist and was nominated for Best Vocalist at the 2018 NY Nightlife Awards. When he first started drag, he frequently appeared as a Kris Jenner impersonator.

Mantione appeared on The Voice Season 13 finale with Jessie J and competed on America's Got Talent with Stephanie's Child.

*

I Am Not A Walmart Shopper

 

I have a baseless fear of going into Walmart.  My only foray there is to pick up 5 Qts of Mobil 1 Oil. Walmart have the cheapest prices anywhere on that product and places it at the farthest corner of the store imaginable. Why, so you have to walk through the whole store to find it. The fear is that during my trek back, my photo will be taken and someday appear on the "People of Walmart" site.   

The People of Walmart

Please let us not add to civilians being able to point us out and make fun. We have to much at stake.  If you are all-dressed-up and need some where to go, please, not Walmart.  Enough said. 

The pick in the above fashion layout is from Walmart.  It was brought to me through Pinterest, so no store entry was required. I am safe until I need more Mobil 1. The top is:

Pxevl Plaid Basic Tops for Women Casual Summer Slimming Fit Tight Crewneck 3/4 Sleeve Curvy Hem Layering and at $9.89 worth trying. 

I think it will look good with jeans or shorts.  I like the asymmetrical neckline.  Another "Feminine Differential".

If Walmart is you go-to store, and for many it is, please do not be offended. Just know that everyone carries a "camera" these days. 

  

This Memorial Day, Remember

 

It is not a day about car sales, furniture sales, or mattress sales. It is to remember those who gave their lives so that our freedoms are guaranteed. This year, consider how important your vote will be. It will be what perpetuates the freedoms that others before gave their life to defend.  

Political Week In Review 5-26-2024

Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a controversial bill that deleted many references of climate change from state laws.  Steve MacLaughlin, a meteorologist for NBC 6 News in Miami, called it right:

 Don’t Say Climate Change! As Florida is on fire, under water and unaffordable, our state government is rolling back climate change legislation and language. 

 

 

Life Is Better In Pink 2

 

My Top 10 Summer Picks

 

The unofficial start of summer is next week. Summer brings a fresh start and the chance to revamp your wardrobe and style; if you feel you're lacking in the style department -- all is not lost! And, no, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to achieve a summer style you love. 

More than likely you already have many of the items above in your closet and just need to use you style skills to match everything up.  These pieces are known as wardrobe basics, the must-have timeless essentials that are always in style! 

A Summer Jeans Look
from Pinterest

My first item is a basic summer dress.  It is from TEMU "Floral Print Square Neck Dress - Feminine Flutter Sleeves & Knee-Length Design", $16.49

White jeans are my go to summer starting point and, as you can see, go with almost anything. A jeans jacket complement all of the items and is perfect for the cool evening dinner outside at a restaurant.  

Tops: A timeless strip top or plain white tee is perfect.  Add anything that is off-the-shoulder for dressy look and stripes are still so in.  

Shoes: My platform Ked for daytime /casual and my Tory heeled sandals for dressy.     

Accessories:  Investment hoop earrings and a good every-day leather bag are essential.  

Investing in the pieces you can wear with everything, transitioning through this summer season, and allowing you to mix and match your wardrobe is needed.  Enjoy! 

Welcome To The Family, Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X writes a letter to his younger self about coming out

Style should be about courageously
exploring all of who you are.

I’m collaborating with Coach because they came to me with an amazing campaign rooted in the things I really care about: authenticity and self-expression. Welcome to the Coach family. 

From NBC News 
By Jo Yurcaba

I know we promised to die with the secret, but this will open doors for many other queer people to simply exist, the rapper wrote.

Rapper Lil Nas X wrote a letter to himself about coming out publicly as gay.

The "Old Town Road" performer addressed the note to "14-year-old Montero," using his given name, Montero Lamar Hill. "I wrote a song with our name in it. It's about a guy I met last summer," he wrote.

"I know we promised to never come out publicly, I know we promised to never be ‘that’ type of gay person, I know we promised to die with the secret, but this will open doors for many other queer people to simply exist," he continued.

He added that coming out was difficult for him, and people accused him of "pushing an agenda."

Fans rallied around him in response, thanking him for being open about who he is and helping future generations feel comfortable doing the same.

"As someone who didn’t come out even to myself until I was just about grown, I’m so proud of you," one fan wrote.

In a follow-up tweet, Lil Nas X shared a link to his new single, "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," with a music video that Rolling Stone described as "unabashedly queer."

"In life, we hide the parts of ourselves we don't want the world to see," he says in a voiceover at the start of the video. "We lock them away. We tell them, 'No.' We banish them. But here, we don't. Welcome to Montero."

Lil Nas X first appeared to come out in a tweet in June 2019, on the last day of Pride Month. He pointed out a rainbow building on the cover of his album, "C7osure," and said, “Deada-- thought I made it obvious."

Psychological Benefits Of Wearing High Heels

 

JANUARY 11, 2024

The Psychological Benefits of Wearing High Heels: Boosting Confidence and Self-Esteem

High heels have been a symbol of femininity and glamour for centuries, but they also come with a range of psychological benefits that go beyond just looking good! We’re here for it all. From boosting confidence to enhancing self-esteem, high heels can help women feel empowered and confident in any situation.

Keep reading for some of the psychological benefits of wearing high heels:

Boosts Confidence

There is no denying that wearing high heels can make someone feel more confident. It's hard not to feel powerful and assertive when you're strutting around in a pair of high heels. The extra height and the way they make your legs look longer can make you feel more self-assured and poised.

In fact, a study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior found that women who wear high heels feel more confident and have a greater sense of power than those who don't wear them. The researchers concluded that wearing high heels can enhance a woman's sense of femininity and sexual identity, leading to a boost in confidence.

Enhances Self-Esteem

High heels can also enhance a woman's self-esteem. When you're wearing a pair of shoes that make you feel good about yourself, you're more likely to feel good about yourself in general. You may find that you walk with more confidence, stand up taller, and carry yourself with more poise.

In addition, when you receive compliments on your high heels, it can boost your self-esteem and make you feel good about your fashion choices. It's a small boost, but it can make a big difference in how you feel about yourself.

Makes You Feel More Attractive

High heels can make you feel more attractive, which can have a positive impact on your self-esteem and confidence. When you're wearing a pair of high heels that make you feel sexy and glamorous, you're more likely to feel attractive to others as well. This can lead to more positive interactions overall.

Improves Posture

Wearing high heels requires good posture, which can have a positive impact on your physical and mental health. When you're standing up straight and tall, you're engaging your core muscles and strengthening your spine. This can help alleviate back pain and improve your overall health.

Good posture can also make you feel more confident and self-assured. When you're standing up straight, you're projecting an image of confidence and strength.

Wearing high heels can have a range of psychological benefits, from boosting confidence and self-esteem to improving posture and making you feel more attractive. While high heels may not be suitable for every occasion or every woman, they can be a valuable tool in boosting your confidence and enhancing your sense of self. So go ahead and rock those high heels, and enjoy the psychological benefits they bring!

Wear your high heels longer with Shoe Gummi outer-sole pads, designed to reduce the pressure on the balls of the feet and stop feet from sliding forward. Your feet will thank you later!

Social Transitioning...

Is when a trans person changes how they express their gender to others. This could include using a new name, adopting different pronouns, or changing their appearance.

Medically reviewed by Francis Kuehnle, MSN, RN-BC — By Zawn Villines on October 3, 2023

Measures that are not public, such as changes in how a person thinks of themselves or how they dress when they are alone, are part of an “internal” transition. There is no pressure to move from internal to public transitioning if a person does not feel safe, comfortable, or ready for this. [I believe that many crossdresser who do not go in public, are at this place.]   

What happens during social transition? 

Gender presentation is incredibly diverse, so there is no “correct” way to be any specific gender. For this reason, there is also no universal approach to socially transitioning. Trans people choose what happens.

In general, social transitioning involves telling others about being trans or expressing one’s gender differently in front of others. This is what makes the transition “social.”

Measures that are not public, such as changes in how a person thinks of themselves or how they dress when they are alone, are part of an “internal” transition. There is no pressure to move from internal to public transitioning if a person does not feel safe, comfortable, or ready for this.

If they do, some examples of things a person might do include:

• going by a different name
  
  
• using different pronouns
  
  
• wearing different clothing
  
  
• changing hairstyle or grooming habits
  
  
• adopting different ways of moving or speaking
  
  
• experimenting with different gender presentations
  
  
• telling others they are trans

Not everyone takes all these steps. The process can also be as fast or gradual as a person wants. For example, some people may tell their family about being trans long before they tell co-workers.

What are the types of transitioning? 

All forms of gender transition begin with an internal transition. [This could occur anytime during a person's life.] This occurs as a person recognizes they are trans and that their assigned sex is inconsistent with their gender.

From there, the steps people take while transitioning generally fall into one of three categories:

• Social transition: This is the transition to a new gender identity in a person’s relationships, behavior, or appearance.
  
  
• Legal transition: This is the process of becoming legally recognized as a different gender to the one doctors or caregivers assigned at birth. Sometimes, a legal transition is necessary for a person to have their gender fully affirmed at work or school. The process varies but can involve getting a new birth certificate and driver’s license.
  
  
• Medical transition: Medically transitioning, or obtaining gender affirming care, includes a range of medications and procedures. It might include hormone medications, surgeries to alter specific body parts, or procedures to change physical appearance.
  
  

Transitioning can involve myriad changes, but the specific changes are unique to each individual. For example, one person might pursue all three types, while another might choose only some.

Summary:

Socially transitioning can have mental health benefits for trans children, teenagers, and adults. It has little to no inherent risk.

Authentic Lives: Social Transition

WQED Pittsburgh

I Love A Success Story - Nikkie de Jager

Nikkie de Jager

My note: Be sure to watch Nikkie's heart warming story "I'm Coming Out".

From Wikipedia: Nikkie de Jager (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈnɪki də ˈjaːɣər]; born 2 March 1994), better known by her YouTube channel name NikkieTutorials, is a Dutch makeup artist and beauty vlogger. She gained online popularity in 2015 after her YouTube video "The Power of Makeup" became popular and inspired many other videos of people showing their faces with and without makeup As of January 2022, her YouTube channel has 13.9 million subscribers and over 1.5 billion video views.

De Jager first began uploading videos to YouTube in 2008, at the age of 14, after watching MTV's The Hills while sick and being inspired by Lauren Conrad's makeup. She then began searching YouTube for tutorials to recreate the look, and was inspired to begin creating her own. After uploading videos for about two years, she enrolled in makeup coursework at B Academy in Amsterdam. She then signed to Colourfool Agency in 2011, and began working as a professional makeup artist.

In the autumn of 2013, she became the head makeup artist for the RTL 5 show I Can Make You a Supermodel with Paul Fisher. De Jager left Colourfool Agency at the beginning of 2014 to work as a freelance hair and makeup artist.

Forbes magazine named De Jager one of the top ten beauty "influencers" in 2017. In 2017, she also won the award for "YouTube Guru" at the Shorty Awards and the award for "Choice Fashion/Beauty Web Star" at the Teen Choice Awards.

In 2017, De Jager uploaded a video reviewing a foundation produced by a Prague-based cosmetics brand and spoke about the company using her image, specifically a screenshot from her "The Power of Makeup" video, to sell their products on social media without her permission. She expressed disappointment in the company's actions, feeling they had lied to their followers as she was not wearing any of their products in the photo of her they had used to promote their company.

On 13 January 2020, De Jager uploaded a video to her YouTube channel, titled "I'm Coming Out", in which she revealed that she is transgender and that she had been blackmailed by someone who threatened to make her assigned sex at birth public. She underwent her transition in her childhood and teen.

I'm Coming Out

Political Week In Review 5-19-2024

There Is Nothing More Beautiful...

 

Never Too Late to Escape

 Wear your feelings....

15 Things Women Can Do...

 That Men Can’t

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Anything you can do, I can do better.” Well, that might not be entirely true regarding certain [female] activities. While men and women are equal in many ways, there are still some things that each gender is uniquely suited for. In this article, we’ll look at 15 things that women can do that men just can’t.

My Note: Many of the items on the list are obvious; like "Get Pregnant". However there are a few worth noting on the list.  Exactly why we enjoy our adventures into the land of femininity. Even if an item does not click, several are qualities we can strive to emulate in our journey. Enjoy the whole list; Here are a few of my favorites. Comment on your favorites. Let's add to the list. 

Wear Heels

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Women can wear high heels without it being seen as strange or unusual. High heels have been a staple in fashion for centuries and are often associated with femininity and grace. This ability to rock a pair of stilettos is both impressive and empowering.

[Wearing heels exudes power over your body, your surroundings, and those who envy your bold style.  Never underestimate that power] 

Women Can Dance With Each Other

Women can dance with other women without it being seen as taboo or strange. This act is a beautiful and empowering form of self-expression that allows women to connect and bond with one another on a physical level.

Wear Skirt and Pants

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Women can wear skirts and pants, while men are often limited to just pants. This ability may seem trivial, but it speaks to the larger issue of gender roles and societal expectations. Women can express themselves through clothing choices, whether feminine or traditionally “masculine” attire. 

Emotional Intelligence

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Women are often considered to be more emotionally intelligent than men. This statement means they better understand their own emotions and those of others. Women can empathize and connect with people on a deeper level, leading to better communication and stronger relationships.

Pants Can Be Feminine.

 TALBOTS CHATHAM ANKLE PANTS

Here is another look with pink/red flat front pants.  See, Pants can be feminine.

From Pinterest.

Tricks To Wearing Lipstick After 50

 Makeup Artists Reveal The Tricks

By Julie Kendrick Apr 27, 2024

Remember when you used to slap on a coat of lipstick as you dashed out the door — and still managed to look great? If you’re anywhere north of 50, it’s likely those days are over.

You may have already noticed how lipstick tends to run into even the finest lines around your mouth, leaving you with a smeary mess that can’t be blotted away with tissues.

Fortunately, there are smart, savvy makeup artists who have shared their expertise with us. They offered some insight on why our lipstick seems to suddenly turn on us.

Michelle Wong, the cosmetic chemist behind the popular site Lab Muffin, said: “As you get older, your skin tends to thin and develop more lines and furrows, which act as ‘channels’ for lipstick, which has pigments that are slightly soluble in the product’s oils.”’

Is there an official name for this new indignity? “It’s called lipstick ‘feathering,’ because instead of a sharp, crisp line around the lips, it can look like a feather around the edges — a bit soft and never defined,” explained makeup artist Mila Thomas.

What to avoid: formulas that are wet, thick and glossy.

After all those years of aiming for moist, glossy lips, you’re going to need to transition away from those types of products. “Oily, liquid lip products are more prone to feathering,” Wong said. “Lip glosses applied on top of lipsticks are common culprits.”

"MAC is a classic for gorgeous lip colors,"
  "I highly recommend the Ruby Woo shade."

Makeup artist Jamie Greenberg said that matte products might be a better fit for an older cosmetics user. “Anything too wet, glossy or thick will make the problem worse,” she said.

Thomas explained the reason why: “If the formula is too wet, it will more easily bleed into the skin beyond the lip line.”

There is much more...

What are the best lip products to buy?

“Use a more matte long-wear color for better control,” Lobell said. “A matte lipstick that’s full-coverage with a smudge-resistant finish is going to ‘travel’ less than other formulas.”

Still craving a bit of shine? “Keep gloss away from the edges of your lips, and apply it sparingly,” Wong said.

“If you need your gloss, keep it more centered on the lips when you apply it, tap lips together, and allow the extra to make it evenly shiny,” Lobell said. “If you love a creamy formula, tap the lips with blotting paper after you apply it.”

10 Essential Fashion Tips French Women Swear By

My Note: In my book the French invented style. The 10 suggestion are essentials to looking elegant and chic. I am going to list my favorite and encourage you read all 10.

_______

Bonjour! I'm Léonce, the editor of Leonce Chenal, a blog about French style, beauty, and more. I'm here to help you look your best and stay inspired. I hope this space brings you as much joy as I find in creating it.

10. It’s all about the attitude

French style is not just about how you dress but is mainly an attitude. Pay attention to your posture, and your expressions, speak with elegance, act in an elegant manner and be confident. It is all about the way you mix clothes and how you move, how you open your bag, how you cross your legs —just little things that make a difference. Prefer to emphasize attitude over clothing to favor minimalist basics.

Don’t try too hard to look sophisticated —and if you do, just pretend like you’re not paying attention. Indeed, French women don’t look like they’re trying too hard and don’t change much with the seasons —see for example what French style looks like on vacation. And even for dinners —or at the French Riviera— French women don’t really dress up —everything is very discreet, except for nonchalant touches, say a nice Chanel bag or a pair of Roger Vivier. I promise, you don’t need much to feel and look good, and at any age!

In the end, the clothing you wear is meant to spotlight the talented, intelligent, fun, and curious woman you are. Don’t make your clothing the conversation piece, do not hide behind your clothes. Instead, choose clothes regardless of the designer and elevates your confidence. Stick to what works and let go of what doesn’t. And above all, dress for yourself.

Et voilà! I hope these ten French-style tips will help you to look the best you ever have! 

Political Week In Review 5-12-2024

 

UNICEF: Children don't start wars but they pay the highest price

More than 200 days of war have taken an unimaginable toll on children in the Gaza Strip: over 14,000 have been killed and 12,000 wounded; 1,750 are missing. In October, families were ordered to evacuate and take shelter in Rafah in southern Gaza, swelling the city's population from 250,000 to 1.2 million. Now Rafah itself is under attack, placing the lives of 600,000 children at risk. On May 7, Israeli forces seized control of Rafah's vital border crossing, jeopardizing humanitarian aid deliveries that children rely on for survival.

“Rafah is a city of children," UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said in a Palais des Nations briefing in Geneva on May 7. “If we define safety – as international humanitarian law says we must – as freedom from bombardment, as well as access to safe water, sufficient food, shelter and medicine – then there is nowhere safe on the Gaza strip to go to."

Don't Let What Could....

 

Friend's Friday - A Loss

Most of us have friends who pass through our lives; some meaningful others road stops along our journey.  However, some are like a life’s tattoo that leaves a mark that is so meaningful they are always in your thoughts even with decades of separation.

Ray MacDonald Wilborn, Jr.
September 30, 1947 — May 8, 2024

I was twelve and had just lost my mother to a devastating bout of cancer.  My grandparents were there as my landing place and I knew they would now be my forever parents. They were amazing and their acceptance, love, and caring, was better than anyone could ever want in parents. I only wish I had told them “I love you” more. 

Early in my life I was conflicted between genders. I relished being a boy, yet there was a girl component that I could not shake. Scottsburg had a boys club. Nothing was organized but they all played ball, built forts in the woods, launched rockets, and did all the things boys do. I wanted to be in the group.  

Just after my mother passed Ray and his family moved three doors down; maybe a distant cousin. I believe he felt empathy and took me on as a project. We clicked and he facilitated my entry into a boy's life. Ray was easily accepted and I tagged along at first; then became one-of-the-boys too. My life changed.

I hung out at Ray’s and he ate many meals at my house.  My grandmother was a terrific cook. He called my grandmother “Granny” too.  Thanksgiving and Christmas he spent with us.  

Three inseparable boys emerged. We rode our bikes from dawn until night. Played cards, took apart lawn mower motors, and had a tool shed/shop behind Ray’s home.  We were always tinkering with our bikes.  There was Wingate, Ray and myself.  We hung with the others doing the boy stuff already mentioned. 

The Rocket building turned into a passion for a while. We experimented with dangerous stuff and did launch several of our aerosol can rockets. Early one summer night, one blew up with such force it shook all of Scottsburg.  We all ran to our respective homes, denying everything.  

David and Jimmy Priest, Bobby and Sammy Walden, Jimmy Gully, Bobby Conner,  Frank Loyd. Johnny Moorefield, Butch Moorefield, Ray’s younger brother Stacy and myself. What a pack.

Ray, had it not been for the love and caring you shared, I would have never become the man I did. 

Although later in life I rediscovered the gender continuum and play along it today, I so treasure my boyhood youth and such a significant friend as Ray. You molded my entire life. I so cherish our memories. 

Just this past fall I did get to spend time with Ray and we laughed, cried, and reminisced about our times 60 years ago in Scottsburg and the gang. I did get to tell him how important he was to me. 

Lesson learned; never put off thanking and sharing important memories with people you love.  

A Math Lesson

 

This was written by Scot Hacker after the mass shooting in Orlando, 2016 where 49 were killed. What has happen since - NOTHING!  

Why It’s Time to Repeal the Second Amendment

One of the reasons we end up focusing so hard on guns is that it’s something concrete we can address with the force of law. We can’t “fix” mental health by throwing money at it. We can’t “fix” religious extremism by closing our borders, because it grows in our own soil and is fed by the internet. But we can, at least potentially, “fix” the gun situation by recognizing that the Constitution is a fluid document that was designed to adapt to the times. We can stop thinking of gun ownership as an “inalienable” right and treat it as a privilege instead – one that has to be earned or bestowed (to hunters and law enforcement), not one granted willy nilly to every bozo who wants a human-killing machine for “reasons.”

See the Rolling Stone article by Constitutional Scholar David S. Cohen, Why It’s Time to Repeal the Second Amendment; again, June 2016. 

Bumper Sticker / Decal

Feminine Differential - Denim Pencil Skirt

13 Different Ways to Wear a Denim Pencil Skirt

by Zeina Tawfik 6/22/15

Bored of your jeans? Well, worry no more, because the denim pencil skirt is officially taking over. I'll share with you 13 different ways to wear denim pencil skirts, to give you outfit ideas and inspire your daily looks. Ditch your jeans for the denim pencil skirt, and trust me on this, it's just as versatile.

My Note: I know a skirt is always an obvious feminine differential but it always provides a lift and fun look; dress it up or down. The most number of skirts in my closet are denim. Can a girl have too many from mini to maxi? I love the look. The site Fustany has some great suggestions.  See all 13.  Enjoy.

Also, there's a denim pencil skirt out there for everyone. There are distressed denim pencil skirts, polished denim pencil skirts in a dark wash, and denim pencil skirts with front slits. Now let's move to the different ways you can wear your denim pencil skirt. Go for a classic look with a tucked-in shirt, or explore new styles by layering on your favorite statement t-shirt and leather jacket.

Follow this link and check out all 13 different ways to wear a denim pencil skirt.

Trans Floridians risk being outed due to new ID rules

 

Story by Sommer Brugal 
2/26/2024

Steven Rocha (He/Him)
Policy Director Prism 

When Steven Rocha received his new driver's license — one that matched his gender expression — he nearly cried.

• There were so many spaces he would have to present his ID, and as a queer transgender man, it was "always kind of uncomfortable and sometimes scary depending on where I was to essentially be outed by my license that wasn't up to date."

Why it matters: Without identification that matches their gender expression, trans Floridians face the risk of being outed at every traffic stop, visit to the polls, beer run, hotel check-in and more, advocates say.

• In a survey of 1,100 trans Floridians, 37% of respondents said such a situation led to denial of service, harassment or assault.
  
  
• That data was collected in 2015, years before a recent surge of GOP-led legislation in Florida and across the country thrust trans people and gender identity into the spotlight.

Driving the news: Transgender advocates staged six "die-in" demonstrations across Florida earlier this month objecting to a new state rule barring transgender people from changing the gender markers on their driver's licenses.

• About a dozen young people protested in front of the DMV just east of Little Havana, carrying trans flags and homemade tombstones that read "The Florida DMV killed me," written in both English and Spanish, and "Hate kills."
  
  
• Rocha led the demonstration in both English and Spanish, explaining that he wanted to reach those who don't consume English-language media, which has been "where most of the coverage has really been," he tells Axios.

The big picture: The ID rule follows restrictions on health care for both trans children and adults, limitations on how trans teachers and students can refer to themselves in schools, and bans on using certain restrooms.

Read More...

My Androgynous Look

 

I have been ask by several how to pull off an "Androgynous Look"? There is very thin margin these days with more and women stealing for the men's-wear side of the closet. So, turnaround is fair play. 

I discuss in many post what can constitute a "feminine differential", With that I am looking to display is an edge to the feminine, with just a little subtle "I might be trans" visibility. Enough to create a question. 

Dressing androgynous at first and adding an item with a feminine differential is a great way to build confidence.  "No one seem to notice my yesterday's girl cut jeans, so what next?"  

Many times there are days when I do not have time for over-thinking. My long white hair, drawn into a high ponytail speaks volumes and gets a "Welcome Ma'am", more times than not. When out with civilian friends, it is sometime a little embarrassing; especially when my effort is an attempt to be just my androgynous self. I am amazed every time a door is opened for me with a smile. Like my grand mother always said, "You made that bed, so now go sleep in it".  Oh well.  

I have several of the blue cambric shirts as shown above, with cambric shirts being different from denim. Collared, it is a softer, tighter weave most of the time with a fresh, breathable, and absorbent cloth. I love the look and my Talbots cambric shirt has a sleeve with tabs holding the rollup. 

It is easy to see that the left side of the illustration is, although androgynous, a bit more feminine. As always the shoes tip the scale.

Fashion is so much fun. Do not get stuck in the crossdressing trap of always being a caricature of our dear mothers from the 50's. Study Pinterest, fashion blogs and people-watch for the latest looks.  Be a modern woman when you can and androgynous otherwise. 

It is the visibility that counts!