Shopping For Panties ...For Sissies - Closing Thoughts and Bits of Advice

I think after four issues in the "Shopping For Panties ...For Sissies" series I said almost all I have to say about the subject. However, I thought of some odds and ends that didn't fit into any of the previous issues. So with that in mind here is Part 5 of the series, a little thing I call "Closing Thoughts and Bits of Advice."

So, in no particular order:

Shopping on the same day of the week at about the same time increases the chances of seeing the same sales personnel during a visit, and they get used to seeing you. My thinking is that this tends to make everyone more comfortable. A nice touch is to address an associate by name (it is on their name tag after all). You might even end up chatting and get to know them a little. For instance, I asked one women about her interesting accent and it turned out she was an immigrant from the Ukraine.

One positive effect of being a regular and familiar customer is that these women know you are not buying all those panties, bras, camisoles, slips, etc. for someone else. No, they know you are shopping for yourself, so they know you are a sissy. This is a good thing for our cause. We want people, especially women, to know about sissies in society. It has always been my experience that the staff is accepting, if sometimes only business-like. But unless I am mistaken, they are often at least interested or even amused. But we can't (or shouldn't) try to force ourselves as sissies on them, which leads to my next point.

I have often been asked a question like, "I want the cashier to know the panties are for me, how do I tell her?" The answer is easy, "You don't." Think about it, women don't take a batch of panties to the cash register and say, "Oh by the way, these panties are for me!" No, the cashier already knows the panties are for her, just as she already knows the panties are for you, if she bothers to think about it at all. Unnecessarily pointing out or emphasizing this fact can come across as you forcing her to participate in your fantasy life, even if that was not your intention. Just bring your selections to the register, be natural and pay, and only make whatever small talk arises and is appropriate. In short, it is not fair to be an exhibitionist but you have every right to be yourself.

One last thing... when you can, join the club! One time Nadia, the Ukrainian woman mentioned above, had been especially helpful. I asked her if there was a way to pass a good review to her manager. I was thinking comment card but she told me that I could join the Dillards Shopping Club online and send comments that way. I joined the club using the name "Jackie Goodsissy" and sent a comment explaining how Nadia had been very helpful. I mentioned that I was happy with my purchases and would recommend Dillards "to all my friends".

A short time later I was at that store in line with a few women behind me. When I stepped up to pay, the cashier looked at me and said, "Oh hi! Was it you that wrote that nice email?" I was thrilled and said that if it was from Jackie then yes, it was. She told me the manager loved it and printed it out for the bulletin board in the break room! The cashier (and it was not Nadia) spoke to me in a conversational voice that some of the women in line could surely hear. As I left, I was so proud that I could not stop smiling. How many people had become at least marginally aware of sissies in their world because of this?

Since then, I have joined more clubs including shopping clubs, a panty buyers club (buy 5 get 1 free) and a pantyhose club. I have more stories I could tell about those, but you get the idea. So, I think it is time to bring this series to an end. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed the writing. So one last time, thanks for reading!

Shopping For Panties ...For Sissies - Of Course You Can Try it On! A Sissy's Fondest Shopping Memories

Writing the series "Shopping For Panties ...For Sissies" naturally lead to some pleasant memories of my own shopping experiences. So in this issue I would like to relate a few them and illustrate how the right attitude can bring the sissy pleasant shopping experiences. With that in mind, here is Part 4 of the series which I call "Of Course You Can Try in On! A Sissy's Fondest Shopping Memories."

I have already mentioned the earliest experience that comes to mind. Miss Barbara and I were at J. C. Penney and I was happy she was with me because I was still nervous about shopping for myself. She picked out a lovely string bikini panty with two pretty flowers where the "string" part meets the "bikini" part. I liked them and I picked out a pair for myself, only hers was size 3 and mine was size 6. When we were checking out, the sales associate mentioned what she thought was a mistake and pointed out the size difference between the two. Miss Barb said, "No, there's no mistake, these are for me and those are for him." I must have turned bright red as the cashier looked at me and said, "Oh, I see."

Later I told Miss Barbara I couldn't believe she had said that. She asked, "Why not? What was I supposed to say?" She went on to explain that since I would be shopping for panties, among other things, for myself, that people, and especially sales associates, were going to know I was a sissy. I might as well accept it and get used to it. And of course, as usual, she was right.

That advice came in handy soon after when I was shopping at Macys. I was browsing a rack of Vanity Fair panties and glanced up just in time to see two young women quickly look away and melt into giggles. I felt very embarrassed and my first instinct was to get out of there fast. But then I thought about what Miss Barb had said. I realized they knew I was shopping for panties for myself. After all, no man would buy the style I was looking at for a woman. What else would they think? So I decided to just accept it. I picked out a bunch of colorful full-cut nylon briefs (buy three get one free!) and carried them right past the table of sexy little panties where the women were standing. I could hear them talking and giggling as I paid. As I walked away with my purchase I thought I heard the phrase, "...must be some kind of sissy," and then more giggling. But I already knew I am some kind of sissy! And after that, I wasn't so worried about others knowing it too.

Not being worried about strangers knowing you are a sissy can lead to things you never dreamed of. For instance, Miss Barbara told me I should wear a camisole over the bra under some of my shirts so one Friday I went by Dillards after work to look for one. I was a regular in the lingerie section of this particular store. The sales associate once even said to me, "Oh good! Whenever I see you here I know its Friday!" Well, I found a style I liked but could not tell which size would fit... 38? 40? 42? I decided to buy several and return the ones that didn't fit.

I went to the counter with the camisoles and the sales associate asked, "Did you find everything you need?" I said something like, "I think so..." but she must have noticed something in my voice because she asked if there was anything she could help me with. Knowing that she knew I was a sissy, and noticing there were no other customers in the department, I decided to take a chance. I said, "Would it be okay if I... tried these on?" A look of surprise flitted across her face but disappeared in an instant and she said, "Of course you can try them on!" and directed me to the fitting rooms.

I was in sissy heaven! I tried them on, found the perfect size, and took three camisoles to the counter for purchase. When she was ringing them up, she said, "If you ever need anything, just ask because I don't have any problem with it." How awesome was that?! And it was true. Over the next few months she helped me with several things including finding sizes and showing me these great gel inserts that go in bras and give extra cup size.

So remember, accept that customers and cashiers already know you are a sissy and just have fun!

Next issue: I think next time I will finish up this series with a few closing thoughts and bits of advice. So keep reading for "Shopping For Panties ...For Sissies - Closing Thoughts and Bits of Advice" (unless I think of a better title before then!) Thanks so much for reading!

Shopping For Panties ...For Sissies - A Sissy's Guide To How Not To Shop For Panties

So we talked about the best places to shop for panties and about how to be natural and enjoy the pleasures of shopping. My mental audience has been the "new" sissy just going out shopping for panties those first times. I wish I could have read those posts before I went shopping for panties that first time. Why? Well that leads me to Part 3 of the series, "A Sissy's Guide to How Not to Shop for Panties."

This happened before Miss Barbara knew I was a sissy when I was still wearing panties in secret. I was travelling for work, and decided it would be fun to buy a bunch of panties to see which ones I liked and which sizes were best. Plus I knew it would be fun to play in my panties in my room and wear them to work (actually it was a class) too.

I decided to go to a Walmart on the drive out of town and buy my panties there. I told myself to relax and act natural, but it didn't help. I kept having those, "What if somebody sees me? What if they know I am buying panties for myself?" thoughts. So yes, I was nervous, but I managed to overcome it and go into the store.

I didn't hesitate once I was there. I got a cart and went right to the lingerie section. There were a couple of women working there, arranging things, stocking the racks and tables, things like that. Also, other shoppers, women of course, came in and out while I was there. I tried to act casually but I also tried to stay away from other customers and the employees. That probably made me stand out more than if I could have just relaxed, but I couldn't help it.

So I started looking at the panties. And there were so many of them! It was a pretty panty wonderland! I didn't know where to start. I looked at the different styles and decided to try a few different ones in different sizes and started putting some into my cart. I was getting more relaxed but then I noticed the the employees in the section talking to each other and looking at me. It may have been my imagination, but it got me nervous all over again. I put a few more in the cart and got out of there.

But then I had to pay for my selections. The store was busy with lines at every cash register. I walked back and forth a couple of times looking for a good place to check out. I didn't want to go to a male cashier. But then again, I didn't know if I wanted to go to a young woman or an older one. I ended up in the line of a small middle-aged woman.

Standing there, I realized how obviously full of panties my cart was and hoped the people in front would not turn around and notice. Most of the time, when the person in front of you is paying, you start putting your things on the conveyor, but I was afraid to do that with people all around. After the person in front of me paid, I started unloading. It seemed like a hundred pairs! I started putting them on the belt, panties and more panties. Different styles, colors, fabrics and so obviously panties. I thought I heard somebody behind me in line whisper and even laugh but I was too embarrassed to look in that direction.

The cashier was a little Hispanic woman and after she scanned about three panties she paused with a funny look on her face, looked at me and said (heavily accented), "Are these all yours?" I was totally stunned and didn't know what to say. I don't remember what I did say but I certainly did NOT play it very cool. She continued scanning the panties.

And then, horror of horrors, there was a pair of panties with no price tag! I thought for a second that she was going to get on the microphone, "Price check, aisle 2!" I said, "I think they are the same price as those." She looked at me a second and scanned the other panties again and said, "Next time make sure they all have tags." And then I was out of there with all my pretty panties!

So I had my panties and I did have a very fun trip. Some of those panties were surely among those found soon after by Barb during the hurricane evacuation. The shopping was exciting, true, but it would have been so much more pleasant if I had been able to read those last two entries!

Next issue: Some of my best interactions with sales associates! Stick around for, "Yes You Can Try it On - A Sissy's Fondest Shopping Memories" (or something like that!)