| THE NIGHT AT THE PHANTOM PART ONE "THE PLANNING" The last time we went to the FOX Theater in St. Louis, we saw Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." I mentioned to Joanne that an evening at the theater would be a wonderful time to unveil Falecia. I told her that seeing all the gorgeous theater outfits made me excited about what Falecia would look and feel like in that atmosphere. She took a moment to think about it and said that the theater had a lot of the properties she thought could ensure the kind of anonymity she hoped for in the experience. It would be dark, people would be engrossed in the production and the formal decorative clothes that people often wore to the theater would create the ideal platform for Falecia's debut. We didn't have any immediate plans to return to the FOX, but I knew if "The Phantom of The Opera" returned we would go for certain. So I began to make plans. One of the first things I did was to step up my conditioning program. If I was going to be unveiled at the Phantom, I was going to be as fit and trim as I could be. I was determined to get my 5-10 frame down to less than 150 lbs. I knew that Falecia would look pretty good at that weight even though most women of that size might appear heavy. Men hide a lot of their weight in muscle and bone. Believe me, at 150, I look slender. The fitness would help if I were going to spend several hours standing, sitting and negotiating stairs in high heels, a padded corset, support hose, a padded bra, makeup and a styled wig. Women have a lot of stuff to carry! Next, I needed to start thinking about the best outfit. I was certain that I could choose from things I already had and have some time to refine accessories that would add to the image. I wanted to be inconspicuous, but I did not want to be dull. That was the primary reason that the theater would work so well. For a dedicated CD like Falecia, "dressing up" needs to be dressing up. Joanne had asked me years ago why I always wore high heels when I dressed. I explained that the style and beauty of women's clothes is the thing that I am attracted to. Therefore, there would be no reason to dress in bland or nondescript clothing or to wear "sensible shoes." There is very little that is sensible about "dressing up," so why waste an opportunity on what women wear to the super market? Nevertheless, there are times that I wear more sensible women's stuff when I'm doing the androgyny thing. There are women's pants, tops and shoes that maintain enough of the feminine to be satisfying and yet generally elude the scrutiny of the homophobic. But for the theater - nothing but my best and most sophisticated femininity would do! And while I have several elegant pairs of slacks that are appropriate for the theater, I thought that a gown, blouse and skirt or a nice suit would be my preferred outfit to set the evening off. Besides, heels are easier to negotiate in a skirt where there is no chance of catching on a cuff or pant leg. I finally chose an ankle length silk skirt by CHAVA Collection that I had found at Goodwill several months before. It had the originally department store tag on it so it had not been worn by the original owner. What a find! It was kind of a smoke black with two layers of fabric. On the outer layer were some subtle creamy-gray butterfly highlights. It was a size 12 with a side zip and hook and just a touch of elastic around the back. It fit very comfortably although I'm moving more and more toward a size 10 in slacks and skirts. The elastic would make it work and I though I might add a belt to set it off. Belts often help a CD develop a more hourglass appearance. Women without curves aren't very compelling or convincing! Next for a top! I chose a cream colored somewhat billowed blouse from Casual Corner. It was a size 14 with slightly padded shoulders that fit perfectly. This was another GW find that needed some repair. When I found it, it was in perfect condition and was probably donated only because it was missing two cloth-covered buttons that would have been difficult to replace. I found two plastic buttons, similar in size, shape and color at K-Mart. I replaced the missing center button with the remaining on one sleeve. I then sewed the two new buttons on the sleeves. The cuffs were a sort of French arrangement that could be worn either folded back or out to slightly veil the hands. The color of the blouse complemented the butterfly touches on the skirt. I chose sheer smoked panty hose with control tops to set off the part of my ankles and calf that would show beneath the skirt. These would be worn over nude matt support tights that would conceal hair better than shaving. Shaving has never worked as well for me because it needs to be refreshed too often to avoid snagging hose. Besides, Joanne prefers my hairy legs. Understanding works best when it goes both ways! Underneath the tights and hose I decided to wear the hip and derri�re padded panty girdle that I got from Fredericks. They describe it this way, "Removable hip and fanny pads create a totally feminine shape. Firming front control panel flattens tummy, panels in back shape and lift. Silicone gripper elastic at legs prevents ride-up." Boy (no pun) does it work. I suppose they could market it for women who have straight or slender hips, but is it ever great for someone like Falecia. I'm pretty slender around the waste and haven't lost the shape of my bottom yet, but the proportions aren't right. I tried the outfit without the girdle to see if it would work. The girdle makes it twice as tough to use the facilities! But the look was night and day different. With the right shape, even a tall woman doesn't draw unnecessary scrutiny. The tights and support hose worn over the girdle pull the padding into a smooth fit. The final foundation garment I choose was a black padded lift bra that fastens in the front. I have several bras like this in different colors and sizes - different colors for different clothes - different sizes for the best look with the outfit I choose. One of the things I remember reading about CDs who haven't matured is that they make their breasts too big. I've found that a little goes a long way. I usually pick a 38B because the size is comfortable around my chest and the B cup is a subtle touch with most blouses and tops. The black one I chose was a 36B, partly because of the brand (manufacturers size differently) and partly because the 36 fit a little snugger to stay put better during the evening. Shoes would be an important component of my Phantom outfit. The heels would need to be high - you know why. But they should not be too high. I'm generally the most comfortable in about a 3�-inch to 4-inch spike or stacked heel. Several years ago, Victoria's Secret sold an open toed pump (by Colin Stuart) with a pike heel that widened slightly at the tip. It had all the elegance and poise of a spike but did not make the loud clacking noise on hard surfaces. It's about 5/8ths inch across bottom as opposed to the 3/8ths of the common spike. They are pretty easy to walk in. They originally sold in sizes 5 to 11, normal width in beige fabric, black and red patent and black suede. I could never find a red patent pair in my size. They were sold out until they discontinued them. But I have a pair of each of the other three. Even though they have seldom been out of the house, they are well broken in - they look nice but not "out-of-the-box" new. Besides, I have worn each pair so often that I am pretty competent in them. For this evening I would choose the black suede. A couple of years ago, I found some clip on bows to add to this pair. They seem to add a highlight that makes my feet look a little smaller, although size 11 on a woman Falecia's height is not out of proportion. The suede look is subtle and classy - perfect for the "Theater Crowd." The choice of these shoes gave me an interesting option - a matching belt. While the padded girdle really helped with the curves, the right belt could seal the deal. Besides my arm movements often tug my blouse loose even when I tuck it in my panty hose (a trick I learned from Joanne). The belt would draw in my waste and help with the blouse. Again - going back to the Thrift Store, I found a black suede (1� inches wide) contoured leather belt with a large (3 inches) half-moon gold buckle. The suede matched the shoes in color and texture and the buckle added a nice highlight to the outfit that would match some of the gold jewelry I would likely choose for Falecia's further adornment. The contour of the belt fit nicely over my enhanced hips and drew my waste into a convincing 29 inches. With my frame and shoulders, 29 inches looks pretty slender. Maybe I'd be 27 or 28 by show time! Joanne would play a big part in the success of the evening and in Falecia's comfort and fulfillment. If Joanne could enjoy our evening, Falecia would pull it off without a hitch. If the one person who knew for certain believed, Falecia would put the years of rehearsal to good use and make it all worthwhile. Joanne would be the primary makeup consultant because Falecia has never really done much with this part. Joanne's subtle touch would need to be taken up a few notches for Falecia, but a softer look would be more convincing even for her. Falecia couldn't wait for this newest dimension. Joanne had not yet seen the outfit that Falecia had chosen, but for the first time she expressed some eagerness about the style show that awaited her. Joanne would need to see if what Falecia had chosen worked for her and, if it did, she would have the opportunity to pick something that made them look like friends out for an evening without the men. They should look like the best friends that they are. Best friends might have some similar tastes or at least dress at the same level as one another for an evening at the theater. At least one irony was that Falecia was both more experienced and more comfortable with high heels at 5-10 than Joanne at 5 feet even. With the right outfit, maybe Joanne will try some heels again. She looks great in them! I told Joanne that I wanted her to get a brand new outfit - something really special. GW and the Thrift Store were great for Falecia, but Joanne deserved the best. I'll talk about our shopping trip in another part of the story. End of Part One - Part 2 and 3 will bring you up to date on accessories, wig and makeup. Part 4 will fill you in on the arrangements for the evening. Part 5 will be "The Night at The Phantom." |
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