I Remember…

… the first time I ever (successfully) asked a girl out, she was so cute and I was such a total, gibbering wreck. I never thought I could be so much of a hopeless, pathetic wimp ever again. And then I decided I had to go and have my first ever professional makeover and photoshoot…

I’d known for years that such a service was available and I’d found out a couple of years earlier that there was a lady in my own fair city of Leicester offering a full makeover/photoshoot service: the lovely Tracey at Femme Side Studio, only 40 minutes on the bus from me. Covid delayed me, but in the end I decided to give it a go, even though the voice in the back of my mind kept telling me that I’d back out at the last minute. OK then; sign up, pay up – and just know that it isn’t really going to happen. But there was a “problem”: the closer the day got, the more I told myself I had to go through with it… but also the more terrified I became. No-one knows I’m a CD (bar my CDH sisters) and I’d be fully dressed up – with a GG doing my makeup and taking photos of me! Only a week before I was due to go, I had told myself I’d back out, but then I started to tell myself that I needed to stop being a wimp…

I managed to get on the bus – which promptly broke down! They got it going again, just soon enough for me to get there smack on time. Here I am at the door; do I ring the bell? Errmmm – there isn’t one; so knock… but before I can, the door opens and there stands Tracey, inviting me in and asking if I wanted a cup of tea. I can’t tell her how terrified I am, but she’s so lovely that I find myself calming down, my heart rate slowing and that dead, prickly feeling at the back of my brain is disappearing.

Tracey wants to know what sort of look I want to portray; good question, but not one that I really have an answer to. In the end, it’s more a matter of looking through the vast selection of dresses, skirts, tops and shoes that she provides and seeing what matches. Once she has a basic idea, it’s make up time! I’ve never had a proper makeover before and it feels a little strange; the false eyelashes and the eyeliner are a touch scary, while the work on my lips feels really nice! In the end, I look in the mirror and I’m really unsure – don’t I look a bit pale and pasty? Tracey seems to be very happy though – and she’s the expert… Things now move at a pace; I really don’t notice when she helps me into a bra and breast forms, then I find myself in a beautiful, short, red dress and lovely soft, black, thigh high boots. My wig looks very beautiful in the mirror and somehow I’m sat in front of the lights and posing for the camera; I surely must look like a complete mess though, right? The next couple of hours pass with a couple of outfit changes and me wondering just how I can manage to change my tights without losing all of my false fingernails…

Eventually, I get to see all the pictures that Tracey has taken; a few are rejected – because the model just got it so wrong. Everything Tracey has done is, however, FANTASTIC! I almost look good (hey – miracles don’t happen, but she has come closer than I ever thought possible!) I don’t think I look anything like I do as a male – good thing, really! I started out being completely terrified; I ended up loving every second and wondering why I didn’t do this years ago! If any of my sisters out there are thinking they can’t do this – believe me, you CAN… and you’ll be SO glad you did! This is NOT a paid advert for The Femme Side Studio in Syston, Leicester, but I can’t help thinking that Tracey is a lady that all of us should consider visiting; a talented make up artist, a far better photographer than she thinks she is – and a truly lovely, gorgeous lady who will make you feel so great about yourself. I’m sure there are many, many other places out there that can do such a great job; I just want all my sisters out there to know that they CAN look great and that getting up a little courage is a fantastic idea! You’ll be on Cloud Nine for ages afterwards; after all, I still am……

Love you all: Holly XXX