The Jaunts of JeffB!

[bluejay]

JeffB,

I like your new riding boots. They look great on you. I bought a pair of flat heel riding boots, last year. They are the UGGS, "Seldon" in brown leather. I liked them so much, that I bought them in black , this fall too. When you don't want to wear, a heeled boot, riding boots are fine. I see them being worn every day, now that fall is here.

The riding boot has become a fashion staple, for women. Why not for us men too?

BTW, I have put most of my Payless, "O'malley" slides away for the season, but I still have a pair in brown and black ready, for a warm, late October jaunt.

In spite of what others have said, I still like the O'malley slides, just like you do!

 

Happy Heeling,

bluejay

[JeffB]

Thanks for the kind words, bluejay! Yes, at this time of the year, I see women in riding boots everywhere, they work well with just about everything: snug jeans (tucked in), leggings and skirts, both long and short, that's why I was so eager to get my hands on a pair myself. And yes, no reason men can't enjoy them too! As for the slides, I don't mind putting them away for the season, but they'll be back come spring!

[JeffB]

Jaunt #289, 10/24/2015: I look at yesterday's outing as another opportunity to push the envelope, though perhaps in a small way as I opted for more colorful attire for what was a sunny but chilly Saturday, heading out in my faux black leather jacket over a magenta turtleneck, a 23 inch corduroy pencil skirt in camel, black tights, the Walking Cradles Elites riding boots and a black handbag. Between the sweater and skirt, those were colors I felt would help me stand out, to see if I'd really get noticed, as for the boots, I was dying to wear them again because I enjoyed them so much.

My first stop of the day was the main branch of the Post Office as I had to buy a money order to renew my newspaper subscription. with temps only in the low 50's with a wind blowing, it was rather chilly, but my outfit kept me nice and warm. Once inside the Post Office, there were half a dozen people in line, but, no one took notice of me, that even included a young girl who busied herself chatting to her doll, something I found cute. After purchasing my money order, filling it out and dropping it off, I was off to downtown and my friendly neighborhood comic book shop, having parked little over a block away, I enjoyed a good stroll to the shop, the half inch heels making a nice, sharp sound on the pavement, but people didn't bat an eye. Having spent twenty minutes in the shop, I headed down the street to the always crowded, hustling and bustling Rittenhouse Square area, no attention. I spent a good half hour in Barnes & Noble, then strolled at a slow, casual pace over two blocks down the street, chock full of people, again, no notice, swung by the Apple Store as I was thinking about upgrading my iPad as it's showing it's age (I've had it for nearly five years now) and wanted to check out the current offerings, but, I didn't buy anything. The store, as is always the case, was packed with shoppers, but I went ignored. Leaving the store, I strolled the almost four blocks back to my car among the crowds without so much as a glance from passersby.

I guess my little experiment to be noticed by wearing more colorful attire was a flop. But, that didn't disappoint me, no, it showed what I've always believed: that people are too wrapped up in their own lives and affairs to take notice of anything deemed out of the ordinary (and if they did, manners dictated not saying anything), and that society for the most part, seems to have no problem with the concept of a man in a skirt. Meanwhile, the more I wear skirts, whether with heels or flats, the more I love the experience, makes me glad I ditched my jeans for what I truly love wearing on my outings. More to come....

[Thighbootguy]

JeffB;

Looks fine as usual.  Why would anyone bat an eye?  But if your going to wear that color, you need new drapes.

[SkirtDude]

Looking good, Jeff! Probably as you are dressed so well, it was a 'flop'... it was nothing extreme, a lovely skirt as well! As long as you dress well and carry yourself well, there will be no stares or double takes. I have tried coordinating my outfits more, more new tights for my formal skirts as the weather is getting colder. But nothing extreme...

Looking forward to your next jaunt as always.

 

The Artist formerly known as Kilty

[JeffB]

TBG: Thanks for the kind words. Funny you should mention green, one of the three corduroy skirts I recently bought at Sears is a sort of dark olive. I'll be sure to wear that one soon.

Artist Formerly Known As Kilty: To be honest, I wasn't all that broken up over my outing yesterday being a "flop". Heh! Yes, I do go to great lengths to look good and act appropriately, because it just wouldn't do to embarrass myself while on my outings. Does this mean I can go pretty much anywhere in women's clothing and shoes? Nope, not even close, but it is gratifying to know I can be accepted (or just plain ignored) in certain places I visit in the clothes I choose to wear.

Jaunt #290, 10/25/2015: Sunday arrived with a chore I needed to undertake, so I decided to turn that into a quick little outing, going out in my denim jacket over a black, long sleeved, scoopneck t-shirt, the light denim button down skirt, the Payless "Karmen" pumps in black matte and a matching handbag. My chore was to Home Depot out in Springfield to buy a new smoke detector for the basement and batteries for all the others in my house, I didn't need to dress up for that small task, but I wanted to wear a skirt in public, and this provided me with an excuse. There was some sunshine and mild temps when I arrived, so I hopped out after I arrived and went inside. There was a good crowd in the place, but, as is the case, no one paid me any attention as I went about my task of finding the aisles where the smoke detectors were, picking out the one I wanted, followed by getting some batteries, I went to the self serve register, paid for my items and left, pretty as you please.

Back in the car, I headed down the road to Best Buy for my weekly ogling of all things electrical and electronic, something that nevver gets old for me, and I did see some cool new stuff, like a gizmo that, with the help of an app, enables one to use a smartphone or tablet as a remote control for a home theater system. Man, that's so neat! I didn't buy it, but it's on my want list for a future purchase. After a good half hour, I headed to the register with a Blu-Ray copy of Jurassic World, meaning I'll soon be able to rewatch Bryce Dallas Howard being chased to and fro by dinosaurs while in a tight skirt and heels. HA! My last stop of the day was to Arby's for lunch where I had a classic roast beef sandwich and a small fruit punch. Yummy! All in all, even though it was a short outing, it was nonetheless enjoyable because I got to wear the clothes and shoes I enjoy. More to come....

[SkirtDude]

Double denim looks great! Never been a fan of button front skirts myself,  but teamed with that jacket it looks cool.

Heels'r'us2K♤

 

[bluejay]

JeffB,

Nice looking ensembles that you wore out this past weekend. Since I like a lot of color in my ensembles, I like your Saturday ensemble, the best.

I'm not a big fan of denim, but I do have a short 20" denim skirt, that I will wear out on occasion.

I recently bought some black and grey color combinations in both leggings, tights and tops. The black and grey combinations are big this fall. I'll still be wearing my bright colors combinations, this fall and winter.

I still have not worn my riding boots yet, but did wear a pair of Born, western style, mid calf boots, with a 3-1/2" stacked heel, a couple weeks ago on a very cold evening, with black leggings.

Happy Heeling,

bluejay

[Steve63130]

TBG, when I saw Jeff's magenta top and how it clashed with the gold drapes, I thought EXACTLY the same thing as you! HA HA HA!

Great minds run in the same gutter, eh? LOL

 

Jeff, don't mind us. We're just clowning around. You're looking great!

Steve

[JeffB]

Double denim looks great! Never been a fan of button front skirts myself,  but teamed with that jacket it looks cool.

Heels'r'us2K♤

 

It's rare when I double up on denim, but I thought it made for a nice look. As for button down skirts, I've come to like them a lot, casual but stylish.

JeffB,

Nice looking ensembles that you wore out this past weekend. Since I like a lot of color in my ensembles, I like your Saturday ensemble, the best.

I'm not a big fan of denim, but I do have a short 20" denim skirt, that I will wear out on occasion.

I recently bought some black and grey color combinations in both leggings, tights and tops. The black and grey combinations are big this fall. I'll still be wearing my bright colors combinations, this fall and winter.

I still have not worn my riding boots yet, but did wear a pair of Born, western style, mid calf boots, with a 3-1/2" stacked heel, a couple weeks ago on a very cold evening, with black leggings.

Happy Heeling,

bluejay

I've wanted to experiment with color while not looking too terribly garish, and I though I did a pretty good job in that regard. As for denim, it's what I enjoy wearing, but I've added other styles like knits and now, corduroy. With fall here and winter on the way, I'll be stocking up on tights for the season to come.

TBG, when I saw Jeff's magenta top and how it clashed with the gold drapes, I thought EXACTLY the same thing as you! HA HA HA!

Great minds run in the same gutter, eh? LOL

 

Jeff, don't mind us. We're just clowning around. You're looking great!

Steve

It's all good, I appreciate humor! Heh!

[SkirtDude]

On ‎25‎/‎10‎/‎2015‎ ‎10‎:‎48‎:‎25, JeffB said:

Jaunt #289, 10/24/2015: ...a 23 inch corduroy pencil skirt in camel, black tights, the Walking Cradles Elites riding boots and a black handbag.

Where did you get your skirt from? Looks lovely

 

[JeffB]

It came from Sears. I also have one in beet red and a dark green. I'll show off both soon.

[JeffB]

Jaunt #291, 11/14/2015: When I heard the forecast calling for sunshine and chilly temps only reaching 50, I thought that made for a good day for a jaunt, so I headed out in my black leather jacket over a gray turtleneck, the Sears corduroy pencil skirt in beet red, black leggings, the Walking Cradles Elites riding boots and a black handbag. As promised, it was plenty chilly indeed, but I felt perfectly warm and comfortable in my outfit, I also felt at ease wearing such a brightly colored skirt as I didn't think it was any big deal, perhaps I might've been just a tad overdressed for a Saturday, but hey, I love dressing up and showing off a nice outfit I put together, and for a third time I enjoyed wearing my riding boots which paired together well with the outfit. I'm so glad I bought them!

Having drove downtown and parked little over a block away from my friendly neighborhood comic book shop, I got to enjoy a good walk, unfazed by the crisp temps, if anything, I actually felt invigorated by the chilly air which made being out and about all the more enjoyable. After twenty minutes spent in the shop, chatting about the Eagles-Miami game on Sunday, I headed down the street to the Rittenhouse Square area to Barnes & Noble, Walnut Street was packed to the gills with people as usual, and, as usual, no one paid me so much as a second's worth of attention, which I found satisfying. Following some twenty minutes spent in B & N, renewing my membership and buying a couple of basketball magazines, I left the store and headed further down Walnut to the Apple Store to take a look at the new iPad Pro with it's near 13 inch diagonal screen, boys and girls, that thing is honking HUGE!! So's the price tag as it starts at $799. Methinks I'll stick with my trust five year old model, thankyouverymuch. After chatting with a salesperson about the new rechargable wireless keyboard and the iMac with the dazzling Retina Display which intrigued me, I left and returned to my car and headed into South Jersey.

Lunch was at Boston Market near the Moorestown Mall where I had their pulled BBQ chicken sandwich and wow, was it ever good! What I found humorous was how the person who waited on me, a Latino man in his thirties called me "boss", even though I was wearing a skirt and carrying a purse. HA! Next was a stop at the nearby Best Buy which had a plenty good crowd and looked to be getting ready for the usual Black Friday madness, I spent well over half an hour there, chatted with a salesperson about the LG OLED 4K TV which is absolutely dazzling before leaving with a Blu-Ray copy of The Equalizer (the Denzel Washington big screen remake). My last stop of the day was to JCPenney for a little shopping, but, and this will surprise everyone, I didn't buy a skirt, rather, I purchased a new handbag and a couple of crewneck sweaters, perfect for the cold weather on the way, but with comfy corduroy skirts like what I had worn, I'm ready for whatever old man winter throws my way. More to come....

[Thighbootguy]

2 hours ago, JeffB said:

2 hours ago, JeffB said:

I might've been just a tad overdressed for a Saturday,

 

I didn't realize that each day of the week had its dress code...

Looking good as usual JeffB.  I have a couple of pair of flat heeled boots, but I still like the look of the heel. 

As a suggestion, keep your eyes opened for a shorted leather jacket that trims in a bit.  Something like this:

 

[JeffB]

I shall be on the lookout for such a jacket. The problem with women's outerwear is usually with the sleeves that are often a tad short on me. But that doesn't stop me from trying to find suitable jackets.

[JeffB]

Jaunt #292, 11/28/2015: Despite cloudy skies with showers in the forecast, I decided conditions were good enough for an outing, and with temps in the upper 50's, it was mild enough to wear my denim jacket over a magenta crewneck sweater, my black denim pencil skirt, the Walking Cradles "Elites" riding boots and a new handbag I recently bought at Sears because I liked it's style. My first stop was to the main branch of the Post Office as I needed to buy a money order, walking to the main entrance, I held the door open for a thritysomething woman who gave me a little smile as she left, perhaps that was in regards to my outfit. After a five minute wait in line, I bought my money order, filled it out and left, next was downtown and my friendly neighborhood comic shop, I managed to find a spot half a block away from the shop, and after feeding the meter, I spent a good twenty or so minutes in the shop chatting about the Eagles and their horrid Thanksgiving Day loss to Detroit.

From there, I headed down the road to the Rittenhouse Square area, crowded as usual with people, perhaps a little more than usual since the holiday shopping season was underway and went into Barnes & Noble which also had a good sized crowd. I spent nearly half an hour there before heading to the register with a couple of anime magazines, when I stepped up to the counter and placed my bag on same to fetch my wallet, the cashier, a twentysomething woman told me she liked my bag and asked where I got it, I replied that it came from Sears, she chuckled, saying she did most of her shopping at Macy's but couldn't find anything as nice as what I had, then added she would go to Sears and look around. This wasn't the first time a woman complimented me on my handbag while ignoring my skirt and/or footwear, and I found that mildly amusing. I guess women will notice what they want to notice, still, it was cool to get good input on my attire, tells me I'm doing things right in terms of my appearance.

Heading back to my car, ignored by passersby as usual, I drove over into South Jersey and to Boston Market for lunch as I was eager to partake of their pulled BBQ chicken carver sandwich which I had on a previous outing and enjoyed it. My last stop of the day was to Best Buy as the clouds grew thicker and rain looked to be on the way, and I have little love for being out in the rain. I spent well over half an hour there as the place was packed with holiday shoppers before going to the register with a Blu-Ray copy of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and then headed for home. As usual, it felt good to be out and about, especially about how no one gives a guy in a skirt the time of day, which I find to be a good thing. More to come....

[Thighbootguy]

JeffB;

I like the outfit and the boots but I do miss the heels.

It is always nice to get a complement.

[Steve63130]

Ditto.

 

Steve

[JeffB]

18 hours ago, Thighbootguy said:

JeffB;

I like the outfit and the boots but I do miss the heels.

It is always nice to get a complement.

Indeed! Especially unexpected compliments, like the one about my handbag.

17 hours ago, Steve63130 said:

Ditto.

 

Steve

Thanks for the comment!

Jaunt #293, 11/29/2015: Sometimes, a guy has just GOT to wear a short skirt! That's how I described my brief outing yesterday, even though it was cloudy and chilly, with temps only in the mid to upper 40's, and had showers earlier in the day as well, I had a sudden desire to go out in my 15 inch denim mini which I paired with my black faux leather jacket, a red crewneck sweater, black tights, the Walking Cradles Elites riding boots and my new handbag. Even though there was a decided chill in the air, I felt perfectly comfortable in my outfit as I headed out into the western 'burbs to run a couple of errands, perhaps it was because of the chilly conditions that spurred my desire to wear that skirt which went well with the boots which I've kinda become addicted to wearing because they look good on me. My first stop was to a supermarket to buy a few items I needed, there was a good sized crowd in the store when I arrived shortly before 11 a.m., but, as usual, I went ignored as I wandered down the aisle filling out my short list. From there, I went to Home Depot right next door to buy a new broom to replace one that had worn out, that place was crowded to, but went about my business without comment.

With the stuff secured in my trunk, I felt the siren call of Best Buy, and since I had little under ninety minutes to kill before the day's NFL action began, I headed there to look around. Best Buy was pretty crowded with holiday shoppers, but I blended in appropriately, or, as well as a guy in a skirt can blend in with my surroundings and spent well over half an hour there before heading to the register with a Blu-Ray version of the action flick, Olympus Has Fallen, a film I'm curious about since a sequel, London Has Fallen is coming out in 2016. While my outing was relatively short, it was none the less enjoyable, as are all my outings as a freestyler. And since I'm a nut for numbers, it should be noted that yesterday's trip was my 100th in boots, tops for footwear since I started keeping track of my stats, in a way, I have Thighbootguy to thank for that since nearly half of that number were done in thigh boots. And, I promise to wear heels again real soon! More to come....

 

[Thighbootguy]

3 hours ago, JeffB said:

I went to Home Depot right next door to buy a new broom to replace one that had worn out

I have always thought your place looked tidy.

 

3 hours ago, JeffB said:

I promise to wear heels again real soon!

Here is a winning formula:

Cool weather + leather jacket + short skirt = Thigh boots

[JeffB]

19 hours ago, Thighbootguy said:

I have always thought your place looked tidy.

 

Here is a winning formula:

Cool weather + leather jacket + short skirt = Thigh boots

Regarding my place, well, I do as best I can. As for your formula, I will take that under consideration! HA!

[JeffB]

Jaunt #294, 12/6/2015: Today's outing was strictly a spur of the moment decision, brought on by sunshine and crisp temps in the mid 50's. I had no place in particular I had to go, nor any errands to run, I just had a mad need to dress up and go out, so I headed out in my black faux leather jacket over a turquoise crew neck sweater, am 18 inch crew knit skirt I bought the day before, gray tights, the Pleaser "Vanity" knee boots and a black handbag. I looked good and felt good, that's what wearing a short skirt and high heeled boots will do for a guy. Once in the car and away from home, I arrived at the decision to go to Parx Casino in the greater northeast, I got there shortly before noon, and there was a good sized crowd in the place, probably because the Eagles don't play until 4:25, so there was time for folks to spend a few sheckles before settling in to watch the Birds in action, and I won't deny that was one reason I headed out. Once inside, I went to one of the restaurants for lunch, munching on a small hoagie and water, then headed out on the floor to wage war with those wicked one-armed bandits. I spent about an hour in the place, then left with close to one hundred bucks, hardly enough to retire on, but I had fun.

Leaving with my meager winnings, I hopped back in the car and headed into town and drove to the downtown area and parked about a couple of blocks away from Rittenhouse Square Park. The weather was mild and pleasant, good conditions for a walk through the area, crowded as usual with shoppers, none of whom gave me so much as the time of day as I strolled to one of my usual stops, Barnes & Noble, I headed up to the second floor where I enjoyed a bottle of lemonade and a croissant in the lounge at a window seat where I watched the world come and go, and that was most relaxing. I headed back down to the ground floor where I snatched up the latest issue of an anime magazine that I frequently read. Walking out the store, I crossed the street, went into the park, sat on a bench and spent a good half hour reading my magazine while people came and went, and I found that a good thing as I was treated like just another pedestrian enjoying the nice weather, and isn't that what everyone wants, to go about his or her business without incident? By going out of my way to dress tastefully and appropriately for the surroundings I was in, I garnered no unpleasant attention because I wasn't garishly attired. If you're going to be a freestyler like myself, then dress to impress, it's the only way to go. More to come....

[Thighbootguy]

6 hours ago, JeffB said:

I just had a mad need to dress up and go out

Wow do I ever understand that statement... but I cant explain it.  When you figure out  "Why that is", let me know.  I have fried a lot of brain cells trying to figure that out.

However, the outfit looks great and I like those boots better than the riding boots, especially with the short skirt.  You might try the riding boots with jeans (if you still have a pair).

6 hours ago, JeffB said:

I spent about an hour in the place, then left with close to one hundred bucks, hardly enough to retire on, but I had fun.

I don't recall you ever posting that you have lost money at the Casino.  Those folks are going to start remembering the guy in a skirt and heels that wins all the time.

[JeffB]

5 hours ago, Thighbootguy said:

Wow do I ever understand that statement... but I cant explain it.  When you figure out  "Why that is", let me know.  I have fried a lot of brain cells trying to figure that out.

However, the outfit looks great and I like those boots better than the riding boots, especially with the short skirt.  You might try the riding boots with jeans (if you still have a pair).

I don't recall you ever posting that you have lost money at the Casino.  Those folks are going to start remembering the guy in a skirt and heels that wins all the time.

I think the sunny and nice weather yesterday had a lot to do with my desire to dress up and go out. As for trying to figure that out, I won't bother trying, not worth the bother, I just roll with it and enjoy. Meanwhile, I'm glad you liked the outfit, the skirt came from a store called Primark which just opened at the King of Prussia Mall two weeks ago. They had lots of nice looking stuff at reasonable prices, methinks I'll be shopping there often. By the by, I donated every last pair of women's jeans to Goodwill, I'm all skirts all the time when it comes to my outings. Lastly, as for my exploits at the casino, I never take more than fifty or sixty bucks with me, so, I never have too much to lose, and I usually get lucky on those one penny machines, though I don't think I've ever won more than say, $150 bucks. Still, not too bad. Heh!

[Steve63130]

Well, $100 or $150 will buy a very nice pair of new heeled boots or shoes! I wouldn't turn my nose up at that!

Good for you! We knew you were a winner! LOL

Steve

[JeffB]

12 hours ago, Steve63130 said:

Well, $100 or $150 will buy a very nice pair of new heeled boots or shoes! I wouldn't turn my nose up at that!

Good for you! We knew you were a winner! LOL

Steve

Thanks for the kind words! It's always good to win a little cash at the casino.

[JeffB]

Jaunt #295, 12/12/2015: With December having taken the day off as temps reached into the low 60's, I dressed appropriately for the conditions, wearing my denim jacket over a red t-shirt, a black denim pencil skirt, the Payless "Karmen" pumps in black matte and a black handbag. And, weatherwise, it certainly was a good day for a short outing as I have to be back home for the Army-Navy Game, my first stop was to the main branch of the Post Office to buy a book of stamps, got a puzzled look from a middle aged man as I entered, but that was it for attention as I stood in line for five minutes before getting to counter to make my purchase. From there, it was off to downtown and my friendly neighborhood comic book shop where I chatted with the staff about Sunday's Eagles-Bills game and if the Birds can win. Got another puzzled look from another passersby, another male, but again, no big deal.

Back in the car, it was off to South Jersey and the Moorestown Mall area. First was lunch at Chick-Fil-A, as usual, the place was fairly full, I got more than a few odd looks and stares, mainly from young kids, but that was standard operating procedure for me on an outing. Stop number two was to Barnes & Noble to pick up a couple of films on Blu-Ray I had ordered: Them! and The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. Nothing like old school 1950's monster movies in high definition! Yeah! Oh, yeah, I had also bought a box of Christmas cards while I was there as I plan to send off my cards early this year, thus the stamps I bought. My next stop was to Sears where I bought a nice black leather tote for future outings, $39.99 from it's original price of $79.99, I so do love catching a sale, whether it's on a skirt, a pair of shoes or a handbag. From there, I walked into the nearby Moorestown Mall, packed full of shoppers where I casually wandered about for some twenty minutes or so before buying a box Whitman chocolates for an upcoming office party at work. I'm sure I probably got a few looks here and there, but I didn't care. While I don't go into malls very often during jaunts, it was still rather invigorating as I pushed the envelope on my personal comfort level. Suddenly, I found myself thinking I might wander through malls more often in the future. As long as I dress and act appropriately, it shouldn't be a big deal.

My day done, I head back home to watch Navy beat Army 21-17 in a close and enjoyable game. More to come....

 

[SkirtDude]

Looks great! It has been unseasonably warm around these parts too, especially for December. A great reason to go without any tights. I am back home now (temporary accommodation ), but won't hijack the thread lest others start to kick off... I would stare at such an outfit as it looks so good, and you have the confidence to make it work! You do you, hun 

[Thighbootguy]

Hmmm...  two puzzled looks on this outing...  It must have been the pumps since on your last outing, similarly dressed, you wore boots and were

On 12/6/2015 at 4:16 PM, JeffB said:

treated like just another pedestrian enjoying the nice weather

Great look JeffB!  Did you get a haircut or are you just getting old and the gray doesn't show? (Been there done that [the getting old part]).

[JeffB]

On 12/19/2015 at 2:06 AM, heelsrus2000 said:

Looks great! It has been unseasonably warm around these parts too, especially for December. A great reason to go without any tights. I am back home now (temporary accommodation ), but won't hijack the thread lest others start to kick off... I would stare at such an outfit as it looks so good, and you have the confidence to make it work! You do you, hun 

Thanks much! I do as best I can, and have fun while I'm at it!

12 hours ago, Thighbootguy said:

Great look JeffB!  Did you get a haircut or are you just getting old and the gray doesn't show? (Been there done that [the getting old part]).

As a matter of fact, I did get a haircut last Friday, but the gray does indeed show. Oh, well, what can you do?

Jaunt #296, 12/19/2015: It's amazing the difference a week makes. Last Saturday, temps were in the mid 60's, allowing me to go barelegged on an outing. Fast forward to yesterday when, despite plenty of sunshine, the mercury struggled to crack 40 while a stiff wind made it feel a good deal colder. Of course, that encouraged me to go out and brave the elements, attired in my black leather jacket over a red turtleneck, a 20 inch dark denim pencil skirt, black leggings, the Payless "Tara" knee boots and my new black leather tote bag that I bought at Sears the week before. Despite how biting cold it was, I felt perfectly warm and toasty in my ensemble, and that made me feel plenty good inside, proving that you can indeed wear skirts in frosty conditions and still be warm as long as you dress well and dress smart.

My first stop of the day was to a local branch of my bank to take care of some minor business, while I waited to served, a teller approached me and, with a smile, said my skirt was cute and looked good on me, I smiled back and thanked her. From there, it was off to my usual stomping grounds in center city, because of the holiday crowds, it took half an hour to find a place to park, however, because the city suspended meter feedings on Saturday mornings after 11 a.m. during the holiday season, I was able to hang out downtown much longer than I usually do. After a good twenty minutes or so in the comic shop complete with more chatting about the Eagles, Philly sports teams and the trailer for the new Star Trek film coming out in 2016, I stuffed the four comics I bought in my new bag and headed down Walnut Street and into the heart of the crowd which was considerably large with shoppers, and because it was so large, I was able to blend in to perfection, something I always strive for on my outings. I headed down Walnut at a casual pace, then, on a whim, I walked over to Chestnut Street and The Shops at Liberty Place, a very popular place downtown to visit with shops on the ground floor (along with a huge, well decorated artificial tree in the rotunda at Christmastime) and a food court on the second floor where I went for lunch. 

In all the years I've been doing freestyling adventures, it had never occured to me to visit Liberty Place, but today, I did, oh, sure, I did get a few stares here and there as I walked through the shopping area and to the escalator to the second floor, but that was to be expected, and was no big deal. Buying a corned beef special at Bain's Deli with a bottle of iced tea, it took a couple of minutes to find a table to sit at as the food court was just as crowded as the shopping area downstairs and ate at my leisure, as I left, I passed by a black woman who looked to be a few years younger than me and nodded appreciably as I walked past. Going back downstairs, I spent a few of minutes appreciating the tree, even though it never occured to me to take pictures while I had the change. Tsk on me. Leaving Liberty Place, I headed over to Walnut and headed back to my car, stopping to put a couple of dollars in a basket of a festively dressed young woman collecting for The United Way, she smiled and said I looked awesome before thanking me for my little contribution and I smiled back. By the time I got back to my car, and I had been in center city well over two hours and it had been an enjoyable experience, but, the day wasn't over as I drove over the Ben Franklin Bridge as I had a stop to make in the Moorestown Mall area.

My one and only stop there was to the Barnes & Noble where I had ordered the just released Blu-Ray version of The Car, a schlocky 1977 horror movie starring James Brolin as the sheriff of a small desert town menaced by a demonic, driverless car, a longtime cult classic I've loved. Like everywhere I had been, the bookstore was crowded to the hilt, but was able to come and go as I pleased. I was pleased with this outing as I pushed my envelope a little more with my stop at One Liberty Place, and that made things fun. I'll have to visit other places in freestyle mode and see what happens. More to come....