Shopping for yourself

Janet Bern · Post by **Janet Bern** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 11:00 am

This is for all of you who are nervous about going into a shop en drab and shopping for your womans clothes. I have shopped enfemme on many occasions but more times en drab. I was enfemme on Monday and was in Coldwater Creek outlet in Manchester VT where I looked over some clothes and saw a blouse I liked but didn't want to mess with my wig.
I returned the next day en drab but wore my bra and breastforms 40B (with a bulky top so the breast wouldnt attract attention) hoping I could try it on, As I looked at the blouse the SA asked if she could help me. I asked if I could try it on. She said sure so I took a white one and a black one. and tried them on. As I got in a conversation with the SA (Jean) regarding my height and my long arms, she showed me some skirts and some blouses and asked me try them on. She came to the fitting room many times and looked at my fit and made recommendations. I was there for over an hour and a half, trying on and had a great experience. I did purchase quite a few items.
I have done this many times at many places and have always been able to try on clothes while endrab with only good experiences. My advice to anyone that is petrified to go shopping for yourself, just drive 15 miles from home and enjoy the experience. Dress Barn and Marshalls are both wonderful places.

Post by **DonnaT** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 12:24 pm

Good to hear of another nice shopping experience.

Erica S · Post by **Erica S** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:03 pm

Janet,

Nice to hear you have had positive experiences with shopping. I am still nervous about looking in the women's clothing. It is getting better as I do go browsing when I can find the alone time. It sure is nice having new clothes to wear.

Hugs,

Erica

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:10 pm

Bravo Janet

I have found SAs are very keen to help us - I expect we break up the monotony of serving women day after day

All I can say is go for it - your money is just as valuable as any GG.

Michelle Miller · Post by **Michelle Miller** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:15 pm

I enjoy shopping both ways, but there's just days where my 'mischievous side' just loves the look on a clerk's face, as I ask, from behind three day stubble, "Excuse me, do you have these in an 18w?"

Ralitsa · Post by **Ralitsa** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:53 am

I also have had many great experiences shopping, sometimes en drab but most as-is, which is some blend of wearing womens clothes without looking at all like a woman. A few places that I've been frequenting lately have found out my "secret", which is that I will buy anything they make me try on and tell me I look nice in. The last time (in Bulgaria) I went to a shop and the girl (who the time before sold me about $200 worth of skirts and dresses) told me that she had a few dresses that she was saving for me and wanted me to try on. So I spent a few hours trying things on that she picked out, and spent another couple hundred. She didn't have any belts that she liked for me, so I have to go back when she finds me one.
Aside from making money, I think she really enjoys helping me pick things out and finding things that look good on me. She isn't bashful about telling me when something is wrong, and saying "no" when something doesn't look good on me, so I'm convinced that she genuinely is interested in helping.
And she isn't the only one, most SA's are the same way, but I think sometimes they are a little too polite, out of fear of offending, until you've been there a couple times and they get to know you some. They are pretty well tuned to whether a person is comfortable being there or not, and adjust their level of engagement accordingly. If they feel that you don't want to be noticed, then they act accordingly, but if you ask for help and advice they are very accomodating.
Shopping is SOOOO much fun when you can find things you like and try them on and get a reliable opinion about how it looks. Also really expensive

Absaroka · Post by **Absaroka** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:27 pm

Now a days my shopping is at Goodwill or sometimes I'll splurge on Wal Mart. So SAs aren't really a factor.

I have a wife and two daughters. So around Xmass I shop for them. I don't try on those clothes, and the ones for my daughters are obviously not my size. But that gave me a certain comfort factor in shopping.

Occasionally I'll comment that something is for me. The SA's are fine, other customers are sometimes taken aback

Janet Bern · Post by **Janet Bern** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:38 am

Today endrab I needed mens briefs and went to the Jockey store and while
I was there I noticed some bras on closeout. I asked the SA if I could use the dressing room. Sure she said and I tried on the bra.
Didn't fit so i put it back on the hanger and hung it up where
I got it. At the checkout counter I noticed that she had a
"bra fitter" on here name tag. We got in a discussion on bras for
about 5 minutes.. great day
Janet

Ralitsa · Post by **Ralitsa** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:01 pm

Janet, have you ever had a bra fitting? I've thought about doing that sometime, but I've always been afraid of the result. I've been worried they would tell me "well you are a 40 - negative F, and nobody makes anything to fit you".
So I just buy bras that more or less fit and figure if they don't fall off and they don't strangle me then I'm pretty lucky. It's hard to buy the right bra when you don't have boobs.
Anyway, I'm just curious (aside from the breast form approach) how one would get fitted for a bra, because I guess if you have forms then it's a pretty straightforward calculation.

Janet Bern · Post by **Janet Bern** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:10 pm

I suggest that you bring your breastforms with you. Go the the bra shop and start looking at ones you would like to wear. The SA will most likely ask if she can help you. I am looking for a bra for myself, but not sure of the size.
Let her take over. Let the SA manage the sale but let her know you have your forms with you.
(My forms are silicone triangular with indentations in the back so they will lie flat on my chest. )
I suggest you go early morning or dinner time when the shop is not crowded.
good luck

Erica S · Post by **Erica S** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:13 am

That is a good idea Janet, what kind of stores are best to get someone to know how to fit bras? I live out west

Erica

Janet Bern · Post by **Janet Bern** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:25 am

I find it easy to go to a Jockey. Hanes or Maidenform outlet store
Go early and they will not be crowded and will have time for you.
I went to a Jockey store yesterday and asked the woman if I could try
on a bra I was looking at. I did and it didnt fit well (straps not long enough)
so at the checkout we got into bra measurements and about a 10 minute conversation.
I went to Maidenform outlet in VT a few weeks ago and tried on a few bras with my breastforms on under my regular clothes and found a great fitting bra. Tried it on. Bought it..no problem

Davita · Post by **Davita** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 3:10 pm

Where to get fitted?

Around here, they are always advertising the event. Now I'm not sure how busy the stores get for the fitting events, but you can always go and fine out who is actually doing the fittings and come back another day and ask for the sales person.

The easy rule of thumb for a bra is your own chest measurement. Bra's are made to fit a man's body or a woman's; they are made to fit a chest. Cup size depends on your forms and ever bra maker has the "conversion chart". Lastly, the only part of getting a bra that's difficult is getting the style that works for you and your forms. The cutest, sexiest bra may be the best for you or, depending on how the cups are styled, may have your forms roaming around your waist because they escaped.

Anyway, back to bra fittings. Big girl that I am, all my Lane Bryants and Avenues I visit will fit me if I ask. My Fashion Bugs and my Dress Barns will too. They all know both of me so it's no issue for me to ask if I want anything regardless if I'm drab or en fem.

BTW, congrats to all you intrepid shoppers taking advantage of your financial prowess getting the help you need and the best solutions.

Absaroka · Post by **Absaroka** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 9:37 am

I did this at both Lane Bryant and Bare Neccesities and they both made the same mistake. Measured right under my breasts and said that was my band size. I looked this up several times on line. Some places say to take that measurement and that's it, others say to add a few inches. In reality I found that I need to add several inches to find the correct band size. Maybe this has to do with because I have male breasts that they wind up measuring a slightly different place without having boobs to guide them, or maybe the male torso is slightly different, I don't know. What I do know is that the tape says 38 but I need 40.

Also when it comes to forms I need a size smaller than what they say to allow for what male breast tissue I do have.

Jessica Hannah · Post by **Jessica Hannah** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 1:39 pm

Great advice, thank you