First time away from home! (Part 2)

I promised that I would write about my experiences from this weekend just gone, so here goes 🙂

I'm already used to driving as Fiona, but Friday saw me take my longest journey yet, to Leeds for the monthly First Friday LGBTQ+ big night out. It's a wonderful feeling not only setting out fully en femme for my first nights away from home, but knowing that in my suitcase there was not a single item of male clothing. After a 4-hour drive including a stop to use the Ladies and eat my lunch, I got to my hotel by the station about 2.30pm. I checked in as Fiona and was treated as a woman then and throughout my stay. Another little 'first' was having the door held for me as I arrived, which was very much appreciated as I was pulling my suitcase and had my rucksack and handbag crowding my shoulders.

After getting everything set up in my room, I went out into Leeds and did a little shopping and browsing, before it was time to wash off the little makeup I had on, shave again and get into my outfit. But which dress? I'd brought two, with same shoes and accessories working for either. First I tried my shortest tightest sleeveless mid-thigh bodycon, in cream with black polka dots and a peplum. But I didn't think I was going to be able to walk out in that in broad daylight down to my make-up appointment. So that made it the silver sleeveless maxi with a knot detail on the front, that went very well with the design of my little silver chain/clutch bag. On with the bling and the shoes - silver and diamante wedge espadrilles - load up the clutch, and off I strode, bare-faced but otherwise a woman ready for my first night on the tiles!

My 'make-up and go' appointment was with Tracey Galligan from Femme Side Studios, who goes to LFF every month with her partner Toni, who does a DJ set in one of the venues. Their little apartment was only about 300 yards from my hotel, but that took me right past people sitting outside pubs and restaurants getting their Friday night under way, and under the railway bridge with restricted space on the pavement and other people oncoming. I guess they must all be used to First Friday though, as I drew not a single stare that I could see!

When I got to Tracey & Toni's room, the party was already getting started 🙂  It really was as much a social occasion as a service that I'd paid for, the wine and Prosecco were flowing, the music was on in the background and there was plenty of chatter.  I met Sadie from Kings Lynn, who was already being worked on by Tracey in the chair. A little later on we were joined by Emma. When it was my turn, I asked Tracey for something slightly less glam than she'd put on me at my makeover in June and she duly obliged, but picked out my features in the same way so that I still looked every bit as feminine. I must try to understand what she does and how, because I can't get anywhere near that look myself yet! I'd thought to bring my own lipstick, and already had my nails in basecoat, but I'd forgotten to pack my nail varnish! Luckily though, the only colour Tracey had with her was silver - phew!

Once Tracey had got us both to the most gorgeous versions of ourselves, Sadie and I decided to go and have a quick bite to eat together before gathering at the meet-up venue. We went to Chaophraya, the Thai restaurant - since those are normally very quick to take your order and get your food to you. We got to know each other, chatting away just like two women over a Pad Thai and a cocktail each - I can definitely recommend the blood-orange sour 🙂 Then it was time to go and find our tribe at "Bridge End Social" - as the name suggests, it's just over the bridge from the main Freedom Quarter.  My wedges were really comfortable and easy to walk in, whereas Sadie's gorgeous graduated purple/pink/white heels were slowing her down, so I had to remember to keep my stride down.

When we got over the bridge we found the CD crowd spilling right out onto the pavement. I couldn't believe how many girls there were - certainly many dozen, possibly even a hundred, in all shapes, sizes, stages and ages. One girl must have been over 7' tall in her platform heels! There were a few GG's amongst us, but they were outnumbered by at least 10 to 1. After another glass of wine while mingling and chatting, we realised that it was getting on for 9.30 and Toni would already be playing her DJ set, so we made our way straight up to "The End" in Hirsts Yard. It was still fairly empty but we ordered mojitos - which were excellent and ended up being our staple drink for the rest of the night - and took in the old-skool vibes that Toni was putting out. I was soon up and dancing quite happily and uninhibitedly - again, I suspect if I'd gone in any other shoes that would quickly have been curtailed. As it was though, the dance floor did rather seem to slope in some unexpected directions! Did I mention the excellent mojitos? 😉

Emma showed up a little while later, and we sat and chatted for a while, before a young slip of a girl named Eleanor appeared, who was very friendly and chatty with Sadie and myself. She can't have been much more than 21, and was very warm and positive indeed about who were were and why we were there. There were hugs and selfies and more drinks together, and lots of getting very close to bellow in each others' ears over the volume of the music.  Since she said she was bisexual, I guess she was attracted to us, which was rather flattering to both Fiona and to what's left of my male ego. There was a round of shots, heaven knows exactly what was in them but I recognised a white chocolate liqueur as being one of the three ingredients. When Eleanor needed to visit the Ladies I was invited along with her, the way girls do - actually, it was more like I was taken by the hand and led in without any compromise - not that I needed any! All was above board of course, and the other girls in the loos were more than happy to have me there, there were more chats and selfies together. In the end though, it became clear that Eleanor was getting a bit too intoxicated: luckily the bar staff were friends of hers and one of them put her in a taxi.

In all the enjoyment, Sadie and I hadn't even spotted the join where Toni's DJ set finished at midnight and a guy took over - I'm sure not a beat was missed anywhere though or I would have noticed. We decided to give "Fibre" a try and on arrival, bumped into some more of the girls we'd been mingling with at the start of the night, so we all went in together.  Straight away another couple of young girls seated by the door got up and chatted excitedly to Sadie and myself, there were more selfies together - and the same happened again when I visited the loos. My smile must be all over social media by now! I'm sure it's Tracey's make-up that was doing it for them, because none of the other girls bar Sadie and myself got that sort of attention. Fibre was quite fun, with house dancers performing actually on top of the bar at times. I'd been wondering if I might get some attention from the male side of the LGBTQ+ spectrum at some point, and sure enough it did eventually happen, but he was fine when told him that the GG's around us were more my scene.

Come 1am, Sadie's feet had started to get the better of her so I walked her back to her hotel - the same one as Tracey's. She went inside one very happy girl with a big hug after a fantastic night out together. I decided that having seen some of the outfits being worn, I couldn't possibly now pass up the opportunity to get my larger boobs on and rock my little cream bodycon dress in public, even if it would be just for a little while. So, I went back to my hotel for an outfit change, then straight back out again, feeling as free as a bird with the cooling night air against my now bare legs. I got back to Fibre just as the other girls I'd been with were leaving to go to "Smokestack", so I joined them again. In the end though, we didn't stay too long, which is just as well because I was now starting to feel tired too. As a last port of call, I had a look in "The Viaduct" showbar and a quick chat with a gorgeous mid-30's transwoman before calling it a night myself.

Having got back to my hotel I remembered to take some pictures in both my outfits while I still had my makeup on, they're pretty rough with just the basic room lighting, but they'll be in my Public Photos shortly.  I think I finally lay down to sleep about 3.30am - my ears were ringing and my feet had finally started to get sore, but oh what great night I'd had! I could definitely do that again 🙂