Hello Susan,

You have a wonderful site. It brought back memories of my young childhood, events that have made me the man that I am today. My older sister and I used to play dress-up regularly after she found me frolicking in front of the full length bathroom mirror in her tights and yellow jumper. She watched me having fun for several minutes, before she jumped out yelling and laughing at how cute I looked. After that incident she dressed me in every extra-frilly outfit she had, and we both noticed that the more feminine the outfits, the more I enjoyed myself, and in turn so did she.

By the time I was 11years old (she was 15 then), my sister had me dressing in her figure skating dresses and tights, and we would sneak out of the apartment we lived in around dawn and skate the two blocks to the lakefront here in Chicago. Once there, we skated the paved pathways for an hour or two without drawing any attention to ourselves, as there wasn't too many people outside yet. This became a regular every-other-day thing, until we got caught.

When we got home one morning, it was about 5:45 am, the key to the back door wasn't in its hidden spot. We were locked out of the house. Unknown to us, our mother had got up to go to the washroom and when checking on us found us not to be in bed or anywhere else in the apartment. She realized we must have gone outside already, and took the emergency key so that we couldn't get back in without her.

We finally knocked on the door, nervous and scared about being out so early, and about how I in particular was dressed. Mom opened the door and her jaw dropped when she focused on the two of us. She hurried us through the door into the kitchen then yelled for us to, "Stop right where you are! What the heck are you two up to? Zeny, why are you dressed like that? What's your brother doing in your dress?"

 I was so embarrassed I wanted to run and hide but my mom yelled at me to take off my skates, as I would ruin the floor, and not to even make an attempt to change out of the skating outfit. Mom led us into the living room with a cup of coffee in her hands and told us to just stand there and let her get a good look at us.

After a few silent moments, that seemed like an hour to me, she started laughing. I must have turned a deep red because I felt my face feel like it was burning. She commented on how "cute" I looked in the tights, and that the little skirt that covered me from my waist to upper thigh hid me maleness very well. My sister and I were both in shock at  what she was saying. She continued, commenting how beautifully developed my thighs were, and then had me turn around for a side view. "Straighten up," she said, "keep your shoulders back", then we heard the words that humiliated me the most: "My god, I never noticed what a cute rounded little butt you have, that little skirt hangs better off your hips and butt then most of the girls at the skating rink. You look prettier in your skating dress then a lot of girls."

I almost died, she lifted the little attached skirt and it was impossible not to notice how incredibly excited I had become. I was embarrassed beyond belief, my knees got weak and I thought I was going to collapse. Mom told us both to sit down on the couch as she had something she needed to tell us. She said that she loved us, and that she didn't mind us going out that early to skate but to have done it without letting her know scared the heck out of her. If something had happened to either or both of us…(she never finished that thought).

"Now Jancia, [my sister's name] I knew you would go out skating in your skatewear from time to time, but tell me why you got your brother to dress like this?" I tried to respond but Mom told me to shush, I'll get my turn. My sister said that we just thought it would be fun to try.

She then asked me, ""Well Zeny what do you have to say ? l look at you sitting here dressed in this darling little skating dress next to your sister and I'd think you are twin sisters." I responded by admitting that I had been wearing Jancia's skatewear for quite a few weeks now and that I didn't know why, but I liked dressing and skating in them. She asked Jancia if she had let me and Jancia admitted that she was the first to bring up the notion of me trying on one of her outfits. I immediately butted in and said that I had hoped, from the first time she and Mom came home from the store with her first skating dress, that I would someday try it on.

Then it all came out, the dressing in my sister's tights and jumper years earlier. Our playing dress-up together etc. We all broke into tears and Mom hugged us both hard, and said that she is so glad that we came clean as she knew of my wearing Jancia's tights for the last few months, because there was some spotting on the front of the tights that had to come from a male. She told us both of the dangers of going out into the public dressed like we were, and that the danger was just as real, if not greater, for me as it was for Jancia.

She said that it was obvious to her and Jancia that I enjoyed wearing Jancia's tights and skating dresses but that it would be best if I were to have my own. Jancia and I just jumped from the couch in joy, she knew how much I loved it. They were both so happy for me. She explained about the spotting to me privately and within a week had sewn me a thong (for lack of a better description) or g-string type of underwear that had a padded patch in the front for protection. Its thin nylon waistband and rear would make it virtually unnoticeable under tights, and I would have a beautiful smooth look for my skatewear.

I have been wearing female skatewear since then. It hasn't made me gay. I am happily in love and have been married to the same girl for 23 years. I have three children (two boys and a girl). Our children have seen me in my skatewear since birth, and have never embarrassed me in regards to it. I think it's because from their earliest age of reason and understanding it's been talked about from all imaginable angles, as well as society's feelings in this regard. I don't skate around our house, but still go roller blading four to six times a week along the lakefront in Chicago (we live in the nearby suburbs) in my skatewear. My wife obviously supports me, but, to this day, is still too embarrassed to skate alongside me. She usually is a half block behind or in front of me.

Z.K. & family
Chicago, U.S.A.

The little pleated ice skating skirts of the years prior to 1970 or so were very sweet, and traditionally worn with a soft woollen sweater, warm tights, and nylon or satin pants in pretty feminine colours. I don't talk from experience you understand; you don't need skating rinks in Scotland, and there isn't much skating - more shivering, and making sure that one has enough haggis or cock-a-leekie to stay warm on long January nights. But I have seen plenty of Hollywood films, and the winter comedies always have wonderful clothes in them.

There was even a skating version of Esther Williams - Sonia Somethingorother. Saffy would know, I am sure. If readers come across any pictures of those darling little pleated skirts (I trust Mary Beth and John are reading this) then please e-mail them in, and I will put one on this page.
Susan