Opening The Door For Her To See

By Juliet Gee

I suppose I started like most others wearing my mother’s clothes, I was still at junior school, so I would be 8 or 9 I think. I remember coming down stairs in one of her dresses and opening the door for her to see. I don’t remember the reaction or comment.

I don’t have any brothers or sisters, but I had a cousin about my age who used to come and stay. She would go out with some of the local girls and I would bet chance to wear some of her things it I was careful.

As a teenager I would rush home from school knowing I had an hour or so before my mother came in and could dress. At that time, we were about the same size so things fitted quite well including shoes. This would be the mid 1960’s. I remember she had a yellow dress, short sleeves with box pleats in the skirt which was a favourite together with a pair of white block heeled mules. Unfortunately, she came home early one day and caught me fastening a pair of her stockings to a girdle. She made me promise never to do it again, I promised, and I was good for at least a month but we know a promise like that is impossible to keep.

I was very careful after that. A new supermarket opened in town that sold clothes and hardware as well as groceries, quite a new experience then. I remember going in to buy some oil for the motorbike and also a pair of blue and white knickers, don’t know what the cashier thought of such a combination.

About that time, I met my first girlfriend, she was still wearing suspender belts and stockings, tights were a new thing in the UK then. I don’t remember now how it happened, but I was able to wear her underwear and later dresses and skirts.

I moved away to college, bought a few items of underwear mail order which I wore in my college room. Another girl friend and I would borrow some of her things while she out.

A failed marriage and a long period without any relationships followed, I built up a wardrobe of sorts, cheap wigs, no makeup and evenings spent dressed.

A second marriage, now in its 38th year with 2 children now grown and flown. Intermittent periods of dressing in both mine and my wife’s things. She is aware of Julie but doesn’t approve, I am able to dress on occasions when she is out and when she visits one of our daughters abroad.

A few years ago I visited a dressing service for the first time, the result surprised and impressed me so much. I now have a large wardrobe, bigger than my wife’s, more shoes than I have ever owned as a man.

I don’t know why I dress except that I enjoy it and I find it relieves stress.