Oh yes, of course it's a crazy journey and above all a journey of small steps. And an ugly duckling can soon become a beautiful swan. And Caylee, by God you're not an ugly duckling!

The voice is of course very important and your points about the right resonance are great, Didi!

However, the route is long but also incredibly wonderful.

I also have fond memories of my very first time out as a woman in 2009. I was soooo nervous and when my companion said that we were also going to a restaurant, I hoped that a hole in the ground would open up and swallow me. She also let me order myself and the waitress didn't react at all. Here's a photo from my first outing. My God, what a difference from today. Can you see how nervous I was?

Nadi!

Thank you very, very, much for the words of confidence.  Especially now as I had a real bad day, I guess the hormones were really working.  For some reason since this transition started I was doubting why I started this journey.  Thank GOD my wife was there to pick up the pieces, she stepped in and put her foot down and straightened me out. So your words are very much needed.

Your first time out was still better than mine. I still see a pretty lady but I don’t see the standing up straight confident Nadi, but now a beautiful, confident lady. I have to take your advice small steps and I will find the lady at the end of the rainbow.

Thank you again 
Caylee

Caylee!

Bad days are completely normal and taking hormones naturally increases the mood swings.

Thank you for your comment on my first time.   My companion already made sure that I stood up straight and appeared as self-confident as possible, but I think the progress compared to my appearance 10 years later is significant. 

All the best 
Nadi

That’s the confident Nadi I know, very pretty.  If I may ask, what is the background very interesting.

Always!
Caylee.  

Thank you so much Caylee!

That is the Mariahilferstraße in Vienna.

Nadi

Very interesting!  

A trip to see the EU is not in the future,  as you can easily guess where all of the money is going, that’s right Caylee LOL. So I have to settle on the pictures you and DiDi post, I find them very interesting.

Caylee

Off to work on all of my roadblocks.

Big difference between the two photos! I've gotten negative comments when I dressed in public, but I would love to go out in a city setting like you do. There's no way I could here where I live because it's not practical.

I really do admire your attitude & goals. Your wardrobe is wonderful! Definitely an inspiration with how you carry yourself through life.

I resorted to public CD through stealth I guess you could say. I just filled one chest of drawers of nothing but femme clothing, although they're certainly not as nice as yours, Nadi. I am able to dress 24/7 with a full summer wardrobe that is more androgynous in nature, but the cut & fit are an important part.

Next on the list will be casual jeans & slacks, and a few winter shirts and a jacket, too. I'm determined to have a complete femme wardrobe to wear year-round. The hardest choice will be winter shoes, but my goal is almost complete.

I can well imagine the money going somewhere other than traveling Caylee. But it's a wonderful goal.

Thank you so much Stevenator! 
 
Interestingly, I have never received any negative comments when I am dressed as a woman in public. Maybe people are more open here or don't notice it as much. Sometimes I even have the feeling that I am treated in a particularly nice and friendly way, e.g. in stores, bars or restaurants.

Nice that you have such an extensive wardrobe Stevenator. As well as my purely feminine clothes, I also have lots of androgynous pieces, especially T-shirts, blouses and jeans.

I've worn skirts every single day for the last eleven years, (but only here at home and in the yard). Hopefully one day I'll venture out & about.

In your newest pictures you look very passable and obviously well groomed and thought out outfits. And you're also dressing for your age and doing it with good taste. That tends to make you more passable I think. Especially if your voice and body language is a match. Even for people who might clock you, it likely comes are far more credible and nice when you're visibly putting in the effort, I know for a fact what a difference it can make.

If a lady like you walked by at the city center here, I wouldn't think twice if that's an ordinary woman or a minority woman. But here's a neat little fact, most people are jerks. They might have a facade of acceptance on them, but that mask falls quite quickly. When random people treat you well, especially men, you can be sure that you're passing for a woman. Typical cishet men WILL NOT treat you like a lady unless they see you as one! Women in general tend to be more open minded and perhaps a bit easier go from tolerance to actual acceptance as obviously they know how it is to live as a woman and that automatically lends a hand to deeper understanding towards us.

I have noticed a peculiar difference in behaviour lately, in less than a year. Ever since I started learning makeup and pay more attention on my presentation when I'm out and about. Even when I'm dealing with people who are in the know about my background, like medical personnel or some others like people in my bank and so on, they tend to take me with more seriousness and treat me better depending on how much effort I put into my looks! Better dressed and more dolled up I am, better treatment I get. And to them I obviously do not pass for a cis woman as they know my background which is often the reason I have to see them in the first place. I think this is pretty privilege in action, what people call "halo effect", it wasn't like this two years ago or three years ago, not even close!

So with becoming a passable for ordinary woman, better you deal with your looks in general, more chance there is that you'll get treated better despite being passable or not and I think it also ticks more boxes on the "sex trait checklist" which all people subconsciously have with every human interaction in their lives. Also getting dressed up well and taking care of yourself is fantastic therapeutic fun, its great for mental health. I love it so much I wish I had a huge wardrobe and stronger skin and eyes so I could wear makeup more often.