An Easter to remember

 

Last weekend I was away at an Easter Party, the first as Tammy I had attended as the only events remotely connected to easter I ever did was a couple of picnics in the the Twenty-Tens in southern England inside a public park so you had to tone down your presentation.

This was at a private fairly secluded house so no such concerns so having got their I changed little mode over that approximating a school girl but with frilly underwear and white pereline socks with Hello Kitty slipper socks over them.

That was the skirt I chose, a step away from the grey or black traditional ones but one not uncommon in some schools.

We chatted for a bit until everyone was here at which point we'd all gathered for beefburgers of which I had mine just with fried onions not caring for "plastic cheese" or sauces.

You could make Easter Bunny masks or have your face painted bunny style before it was time for some bunny themed games, not a million miles removed from the sorts of games we had at junior school such as archery which I was rubbish at, the Egg and Spoon race which I was okay at if not super fast and Tin Can Alley.

Party food was fun being a buffet of whatever we bought so loads of pork pie, sausage roll, pizza, a home made trifle and cake before we had a Easter Quiz where you had to say if a fact about it was true or false.

We chatted the next morning tired from being up until two in the morning  before having a two course meal out before saying our goodbyes and making our way back home.

Being able to be with a group of people not role playing a girl but being a little sissy gurl comfortable as her own self, feminine but not pretending to be anything else just doing littles things like playing and being at a child's party was so much fun.

R.I.P Mary Quant

Last Thursday, it was announced the fashion designer, Mary Quant who had a massive influence in British fashion had died.

Mary was a number of things one being an early outstanding female entrepreneur opening her own store in the Kings Road, Chelsea, London and several others at an early age, that in an era a Woman could not get loans easily on her own.

Mary gave women their legs back having been covered up for a long period and shunted fashion as well award from elegant wear for grand social occasions to everyday life that allied itself with the growth of a younger market and things such as the "Mod" movement.

Her most famous creation was the Mini, as in a Mini skirt, something that liberating for women at the time and certainly as a sissy I am thankful for for showing more of our figures off rather than hiding it.

As she said, it named after her most loved automobile the Austin Mini, itself a design classic from 1959 which to gave freedom to many including younger women.

She and others who followed in her footsteps injected colour, experimentation with different materials such as pvc, got our hemlines up, gave us hotpants giving rise to "Swinging London".

Mary was awarded an O.B.E, Order of the British Empire in 1966 for services to fashion and here she is seen with it in a short skirted dress, clearly living a part of the life she sold to others.

By encouraging young and often female fashion students to get into retail, selling the clothes they knew their friends wanted she gave all of us more options and great chances to be ourselves.

That's why she merits an entry here.

Dealing with change

Change and how you address it is a real enough issue for many people for whole variety of reasons from something relatively mundane such as a change of address  where there are people to contact for personal reasons such as friends, organizations you do business with or notifications for things like local authorities.

It often feels like there's a lot to be done.

Some changes aren't so important but may have things to do with relationships where often we know a good deal about each other as much as we may keep some things private which might include things and people who we take an interest in following where a friend may from time to time get or give us something connected with that.

It's not the end of the world if we no longer watch a show, follow a pop group or sports team but it makes for smoother relationships if we keep our friends up to date around such things.

When we get into things about our identities such as finding more about our pasts, where our families are from things connected to sexual and gender based identities things can be more complicated such as finding a whole new family line from a different country within these Islands or your sexuality really was different from what you first thought and so close friends make assumptions that now no longer apply openness and being honest about such things helps.

Thus after a long time at one place I have decided to be open around my own gender sides especially as they relate to the little side of me as much as it can complicate things so we all are clear as I learn to go forward as I am rather than some of the pressure I have faced in the past.

Being honest to yourself and to others is the way forward.

Easter Edition

So it is easter, having seen the Church here decorated for various services like last Sunday's Palm Sunday, school is off which I'm sure will go down well with children enjoying time exploring, playing in the park and so on.

There is something else you do at easter, something I still love doing which is eating Easter Eggs and this one is mine as I find white choco doesn't give me as many migraines as dark brown and anyway that rabbit is most cute.

I also had this smaller one with white choco buttons inside too which was really nice.

HAPPY EASTER FOLKS!

Now Yearbook 1986

It's April 2023 and after going backwards in NOW'S inspired compilation series Now Yearbook to a catch up 80-84 Main and Extra we now move forward to Now Yearbook '86 which as the title suggests is a whole volume on 4 cds (and three records) to hits of 1986.

As you can see it features the now legendary book form housing the discs with background notes although there is a "plain jane" fold over card version with just the discs and titles for a bit less.

The usual licensing issues prevent hits from David Bowie (Absolute Beginners, Underground), Prince (Kiss and Anotherloverholeinyohead) and Madonna (True Blue) from being presented but they are on those artists own compilations that you might well have.

There was a noticable change following the previous year as many of the artists of the early 80's struggled to have hits as tastes on the top 40 changed with "hair metal", "chicago house" and hip hop becoming more popular as well as Hi-Nrg acts.

There were in hindsight far more memorable songs than you might of thought with soulful hits such as Holding Back The Year, Set Me Free, How Will I Know, Dancing on The Ceiling and Rain or Shine being personal favourites.

Few could forget that series of songs The Edge Of Heaven and A Different Corner announcing the era of Wham! who'd taken american soul, funk and rap and wrapped it around a UK context to great effect the group would be no more but left us with some great solo George Michael songs to come.

The Bangles arrived in full force with Manic Monday, Paul Simon went controversually  to South Africa and gave us You Can Call Me Al, A-ha continued their success from 1985 with The Sun Always Shines On T.v. and Kim Wilde returned to the charts with a cover of the Supreme's 60's hit You Keep Me Hangin' On.

1986 was the year the NOW and HITS compilations arrived on the new cd format with Now'86 and Now 8 plus Hits 5 towards the end of that year albeit as single cds and not doubles like the record and tape versions.

That patchy representation in year themed cds - no HITS4 for instance with its early 1986 CBS/WEA hits was the reason for buying this set which does write that very well not detracting too much from the flawed cd reissues of NOW 7 (which never had a cd isssue) and the fullish reissue to the original truncated 8 a few years back.

Favourite of all of the tracks is Susanna Vega's haunting folksy Marlene On The Wall from her debut album.

As with this series there is a matching Extra released April 7th that expands upon the original generous set although it comes in tri-fold card sleeve which doesn't properly slot neatly with it.

The first disc kicks off with the Queen classic 'A Kind Of Magic', Eurythmics' 'When Tomorrow Comes', the lead single from their 'Revenge' album, and smash hits from The Bangles and a-ha. Sophisticated Pop from Sade, Bryan Ferry, and Sting follows and some of the greatest vocalists of the era are up next including Patti Labelle, Tina Turner, and Anita Baker with the timeless 'Sweet Love'. 

Hits from Five Star, Paul Young, and Stan Ridgway are joined by movie tracks from The Style Council, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and 'Left Of Center' - the collaboration between Suzanne Vega and Joe Jackson, plus the title track 'Graceland' from Paul Simon's controversisal 1986 best-seller. 

Bon Jovi open Disc 2 with 'You Give Love A Bad Name', followed by Kenny Loggins' 'Top Gun' film anthem 'Danger Zone', alongside huge tracks from Spandau Ballet, Robert Palmer, Simple Minds, and Julian Cope, before some classic Power Pop from Cutting Crew, ZZ Top, and Mr. Mister. 

Pure Pop hits from Modern Talking, Samantha Fox, Elton John, and Jennifer Rush follow before the disc closes with timeless 'The Way It Is' from Bruce Hornsby & The Range. 

Disc 3 begins with a run of fantastic Indie and Synth-Pop smashes including The Housemartins, The Smiths, New Order, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Dead Or Alive, and Falco's 'Vienna Calling'. 

Debut hits from Latin Quarter and Sly Fox follow, plus 'Pull Up To The Bumper' - a big hit on re-release for Grace Jones while Soul music legend James Brown scored a big hit with 'Living In America', and Jellybean, Cherrelle & Alexander O'Neal, and The S.O.S Band enjoyed three of the year's biggest Dance tracks. 

The collection winds down with soulful ballads from Atlantic Starr, Billy Ocean and Freddie Jackson before signing off with one of the greatest tracks of all-time; 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' from Marvin Gaye - a smash hit again 18 years after it originally hit #1 after sound-tracking an ad campaign which became a trend for the next two years.

Good Gurl II

 Am I A Sissy? Quiz

Oh darling, celebrate! Based on your responses, it's clear that you have thoroughly embraced your sissy nature. You've not just dabbled in the occasional frilly lace or the allure of a flattering dress; no, my dear, you've jumped in with both feet, giving up any last vestige of masculinity you ever had. What a courageous and thrilling step you've taken!

Your wardrobe, no doubt, now features the softest satin nightgowns, the frilliest of lace underwear, and stockings that make your legs look as if they go on for miles. And the dresses! I bet you have an entire closet filled with them - in every colour of the rainbow, in every style, in every cut that flatters your figure and makes you feel like the gorgeous girl you are. There's nothing quite like the sensation of a silk dress grazing your smooth, freshly shaven legs, is there?

Your makeup game, I'm sure, is on point. The perfect stroke of eyeliner, the subtle blush that brings out your cheeks, the mascara that makes your eyes pop and the lipstick that makes your lips look plump and oh so kissable. Remember, darling, it's all in the details!

Now, let's talk about the boys. You're going to make men very happy, my dear, lots and lots of them. With your radiant smile, your flirty demeanour, your irresistible charm, and your alluring femininity, how could they resist? Whether it's a gentle flutter of your eyelashes or a coy smile playing on your lips, you've mastered the art of seduction. You know what men want, and you're not afraid to give it to them ... in spades!

But remember, lovely, while it's a joy to bring happiness to others, it's just as important, if not more, to bring happiness to yourself. Embrace who you are. You're a sissy, and you're proud of it. Live in your truth, revel in your femininity, and keep shining bright in your perfectly fitting dress. You're fabulous, darling, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Congratulations, sweetie

Tammy is Totally Sissy, the sign of a Good Gurl