Before I came out as a t-girl, I didn’t much care what I wore. I liked buying pretty clothes for other people, but not for myself. The latter seemed like a waste of money.

At some point I was in a relationship with a nice and fashion-conscious lady who practically begged me to wear slightly nicer clothes, and it was an uninspired person who complied. The result reflected the lack of enthusiasm.

I’d thrown on jeans, a t-shirt and sandals, and focused on work. If the shirts had holes, oh well. On days when I wore shoes, I wore a pair of work boots that were about 10 years old and looked the part.

Now and then I’d make an effort, thinking how nice it’d be to look pretty, but it never lasted long.

Now that I’m out as a t-girl, wow, what a difference. I make a point of dressing nicely. I can’t afford new boots so I buy them used but they look new and elegant. My clothes and jewelry are almost comically inexpensive but I combine them so they look good. Wherever I go, I get explicit compliments from other girls, and implicit comments from guys who hit on me.

I enjoy matching and pairing the colors, textures and fabrics on what I wear. For example, I was in northern California recently for a personal appointment with my dentist.  It’s an event for which some people might dress informally, but I enjoyed wearing something nice.

I’d just had my hair done, and I wore a pretty purple top, an elegant long skirt,  black leggings with black socks that were barely visible under the skirt, and elegant 3″ boots. I got a compliment even before leaving the hotel.

I couldn’t afford a hotel near my dentists so I found a nice and affordable one in the boonies. To get back to the hotel, I could take the freeway or the scenic route. I chose the latter. The street ran past the Blackhawk Auto Museum, which is a VERY elegant place with VERY expensive cars on display.