or even to admit I was wearing women's underclothing. I could only say, “I didn't put a bra on because the straps would have shown.” But she insisted I didn't need one, seeming to think my young chest and my thin but firm white shoulders were right for the dress. I bought the dress and shoes for a very modest sum. I obtained many more things from Mrs. Finlay after this, overcoming my shyness until I could appear before her in a slip, trying on this dress and that suit. She never asked about why I wanted things after the college show was over; she simply subscribed cheerfully to my obvious pleasure in dressing as a woman. She would even phone me and tell me of something she thought might suit me, something of her own or of one of her women friends. And one day, as she left me to change from my male clothing, she handed me a flat box bearing the name of a well-known local store specializing in women's clothes. "A little present for you!" she smiled. It was an underset in fine black rayon satin a tailored slip with the tiniest touch of floral lace edging the bust and hem, and a pair of flare- legged knickers (or "French" knickers as they were known in England) to match. Needless to say, I put them on right away, over my bra and girdle, and let Mrs. Finlay see before I started trying on dresses.

That was twenty years ago. And now, after six years, a woman was once more helping me, this time to go out among other people at a party, fully dressed as a woman, specifically as a flapper circa 1927. (Reprints of the old Sears mail order catalogue for this year have just become available.) It is a crazy period in modern history that has always held my interest, and the women's fashions of the time intrigue me. Obviously, it's fairly easy for a man to assume the role of a woman of that period since women flattened their busts, cut their hair very short, in effect, tried to look like men. Bras and wigs are not essential for effective disguise. If anything, however, young women at least made themselves look more feminine, in the same way that a large, powerfully- built man in a ballet skirt makes an image that virtually screams “I am

MAN!" Shift-type, fairly loose-fitting dresses; low heel shoes; cloche hats; all make it relatively simple for a man, preferably with some female assistance, to modify a dress and improvize accessories. Corsets or heavy girdles are unnecessary, unless you've a real figure problem. If knickers are unobtainable ("bloomers" in American English) it is easy to modify a pair of petti-pants by running some fine lingerie elastic around the legs just above the lace with which they are usually edged. I bought my present pair, blue rayon to go with the blue slip and dress, in England in 1969, and that at a very smart women's specialty shop in a fashionable area. Older women still wear them, but so, I gather, do younger women in winter the loose fit makes for more

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