Skip to main content

10 June - top hat

I may not be actively doing anything about gender or transitioning but mentally and emotionally I am feeling positive about it. 

The slightly odd title to this post is literal - I have need of a top hat. Most years I go with work and clients to Royal Ascot which is in a week or so. I don’t particularly like horse racing to be honest, but I do enjoy champagne and a day out of the office so it has its compensations. One of the requirements, and part of the charm of the event, is the dress code. Hence the need to hire a top hat and tails. 

It’s on expenses so doesn’t really matter to me, but I do think that in the long run, if I am going every year, buying my own would be better, except that wouldn’t be on expenses, that would be my cost. But I could get something less obviously a standard hire suit. 

This was in my mind when I went to book the hire. Maybe I should buy one? 

What I really wish I could do, obviously to us anyway, is follow the ladies’ dress code and wear a beautiful dress. 

Buying a gentleman’s outfit for future years would be saying to myself that I will always be going as a man. Or more importantly, that I don’t believe I will ever be going as a woman. 

That may be true even if I have transitioned this time next year as I am not sure our clients would be open to inviting me in a dress to be honest. 

It would be amazing though, to go to an event like that wearing a gorgeous dress and feeling fabulous and being seen. 

Maybe next year…or the year after. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

23 Sep 2025 - a handbag?

I have not been out presenting female in public for about six months which is a long time.   The last time was my trip to London when I went out to the bar and dinner, which felt great, and to breakfast in the hotel which was less successful. At that time, I felt confident and like I could do this.   Following my wife catching me out with some of my underwear, I cut my hair, put away my clothes and didn’t do anything for a while. It seems my confidence got lost in that too, because when I started thinking about going out dressed again, I felt really nervous about it.  Probably doesn’t help that the anti-trans lobby had successes during this time and it feels a less safe thing to be doing now than it did six months ago.  Whatever the reason, I was pretty scared this time.  The biggest mental hurdle is around changing from male to female clothing, as I have to leave the office and arrive at the mall in male clothing, then be back in male clothing to go home so...

4 Mar 25 - first time out at a queer bar

I can’t believe I’m doing this but I have left the hotel in a dress and full makeup and walked half an hour through central London to Soho and my first ever queer bar, She Soho, a lesbian bar and man-free zone. Unfortunately no mobile reception to share with friends. Have logged on to the wifi but that doesn’t work. Ok, so how do I feel? Lonely!  There are two groups of friends and a couple.  The chat is pretty loud and I’m sitting by myself which is a bit tragic.  But, the point is, I am out in public as openly dressed and made up as I have ever been. That on its own is awesome!  I have never done this before! To be fair to myself, if I was in a normal bar and dressed as a man, I wouldn’t be talking to anyone either, so maybe that is not something I should be stressing about. Why would I imagine that being in a dress is suddenly going to make me capable of socialising and speaking with strangers?   The music is pretty cool. The beer isn’t that good, and really ...

6 Mar 25 - visibly trans at breakfast is more challenging

I was unsure whether to do this, but in the end thought “what the hell, why not try”.  Went to breakfast in the hotel wearing a dress, the same outfit I had worn to the queer bar.  This felt so much more exposing and uncomfortable than the queer bar or dinner.  It was daylight, crowded, a mix of work trips and families and a man in a dress in that environment is completely incongruous.  It may have been better if I had a different outfit, but I had only taken the one dress with me. It is probably a bit more “night out” than breakfast.   Staff were fine, and most people ignored me or didn’t notice. One little girl stared and a middle aged fat man actually walked away rather than stand next to me at the buffet. Hilarious.  Going back up to my room, there was a young couple who clocked me and I heard them comment. Then we got in the lift and she couldn’t stop giggling. Rude! Then two families got in the lift. It’s really hard to hide and be inconspicuous in a ...