Introducing our Eye Candy of the Month: Lea Taylor
We are honored to bring you an Eye Candy girl who was the runner-up of the Newcomers in the last Glamour Girl picture contest. If you don’t know who this gorgeous babe is then let us introduce you to Lea Taylor. As well as providing some stunning pictures, Lea spills the beans on her crossdressing life – and what a read. We love her even more because she is ‘bestie’s’ with Kelli Perry.
Let’s start by telling everyone where you are from?
I am a Midwest country gurl and live outside of Springfield, Missouri. I grew up in the country as my family were crop farmers and owned a lot of land.nI was, and still am, an avid outdoors person. I love being out in nature. Hunting, fishing, hiking, riding horses and ATV’s.
When did you first start dressing and how did it come about?
I have only been dressing up for about 5 years now. I am still pretty new to it. Even though as a male I am pretty masculine and a type A personality, I have always had a feminine side that I just kept buried. It showed up in my artistic ventures.
A few years ago, my testosterone levels dropped really low. My female hormone levels were getting higher than normal for a male. The doctors put me on testosterone shots and estrogen blockers. I did it for a while. But after researching the side effects, there are so many cases of heart attack from people that use testosterone that I stopped taking them. I refused to change what nature had planned for me. I figured my body was making changes for a reason. Who knows, maybe the drop in Testosterone levels was my body’s way of preventing some form of cancer or heart disease. I just embraced and accepted the situation and thought that there must be a bigger plan for me and a good reason for my body to start this process.
I first started noticing that in certain movies I would catch myself with tears rolling down my face for scenes that normally didn’t faze me in the past. I started becoming more attracted to female clothes and was more and more curious how I would look as a woman. I spent hours researching as much information as I could. I started watching hours of videos on makeup and started experimenting with different looks, wigs and makeup. It was most certainly a trial-and-error period.
I purchased my first pair of breast prosthetics and a lot of lingerie, clothes, and makeup from Glamour Boutique. The prices were very affordable, and the packages were discrete when they arrived.
When my mother had her double mastectomy from breast cancer, my wife and I sat down with her on a laptop, and we went shopping at Glamour Boutique for her new breasts. She said, “Well, it’s go big or go home!” She went bigger. She doesn’t know about this other side to me, but it was actually fun to give them to her when they arrived in the mail. Of course, she couldn’t wait to try them out. She came out of the bedroom (with her top on) and had to model them for us. She is so funny.
How did you come up with your Femme name?
I am a huge fan of Lea Thompson. I first saw her in the movie, All the Right Moves that also starred Tom Cruise, when I was 13 or 14. I had a huge crush on her. I thought she was gorgeous in that movie and the Movies Red Dawn, Back to the Future trilogy, Some Kind of Wonderful and so many other great movies. She is not only stunningly beautiful but very talented. Her personality really comes out in her movies and in interviews. I associate the name Lea with beauty, poise, elegance, and confidence.
My last name comes from my love for the music and talent of Taylor Swift. She is not only gorgeous but an incredible songwriter and entertainer. Her voice is so smooth and pure, and you can hear the passion in her voice for each song she sings. I associated Taylor with courage being vulnerable to show her inner side and thoughts.
How often do you dress?
Well, it varies on how much time I have. Work keeps me pretty busy, and I put in a lot of hours. I try to dress a minimum of a couple times a week. There have been times when I dressed daily for a week. So it just varies quite a lot actually.
Are you married/in a relationship? If yes, are you able to share your female self with your partner?
I have been married to an incredible woman, for several years now, who I consider my soul mate. Yes, she knows and is supportive of my feminine side. She doesn’t really like to see me as Lea though. It does make her a little uncomfortable as I do not look like the “man” she married at all. It’s totally understandable and I respect her for it. We are very open with each other and often talk about the changes my body has been going through.
We do everything together. She helped me a lot when I was first discovering myself as Lea and exploring by helping with clothes, shoes, and other things. We occasionally go shopping together for both her and I, in the women’s department. I love those days.
There are so many things about her that I admire and respect. She is a very strong, intelligent woman and I am very proud that she is my wife and partner.
You were the runner up in our Glamour Girl Contest in the Newcomers category. Tell us what goes into getting the perfect photo for the contest.
For me, it starts with the makeup routine and picking out the outfit that reflects my mood. I spend about 2 to 3 hours getting ready from showering, shaving and makeup. I learned to over exaggerate the makeup a little more for the camera in order for it to pop. Not all photo sessions turn out the way I hoped. Sometimes the makeup was too much, and I basically just chalk it up to experience. It’s still fun and entertaining.
At the point when I first entered the Glamour girl contest, I was experimenting with a new ring light and photographers lighting. The ring light came with a remote that connected to my cell phone. The remote is very small, and I am able to hide it in my hand.
I have a huge mirror in my room. I learned to direct the lighting and cell camera into the mirror at different angles so as not to show the ring light or other lighting. Shadows and angles are important. By looking into the mirror, I am able to position my body and face at different angles and I can see the pose.
I want to get a professional camera to start taking higher quality photos. There is only so much you can do with a cell camera. I do use some lighting filters in the edit, but mostly for contrast and brightness. I do not use any face altering apps. I like the artistic freedom to add some color to sepia tone pics or black and whites.
When I entered the contest, I had never entered one before and had no expectations of winning or even getting close. There were so many gorgeous girls in the contest I didn’t think I had a shot. I was ecstatic when I found out that I made the top 20 and very honored to have been selected to runner up in the Newcomers category. Thank you.
What are some of your favorite outfits/fashions?
I vary a lot from a more casual look to blend in when going out in everyday settings to club wear with miniskirts and dresses. Those more casual days are more jeans or leggings, tank tops to sweaters and vests. Sometimes I just wear sweats and tennis shoes.
I love clubwear and elegant dresses. Any chance I get to wear stockings makes me feel very feminine.
The change of seasons here in the Midwest gives plenty of opportunities to explore different looks. My favorite time is the fall.
Stockings or pantyhose?
STOCKINGS! I love how sexy they make my legs look. I love how the stockings can make the outfit pop.
Heels or flats?
Heels for sure. I am only 5’9” so the heels don’t make me look like a giant. I am a very active athlete, and my legs are pretty muscular, so the heels help lengthen my legs and slim them down to a nice toned look. At least I hope that’s how they look. I have a couple pair of workout shoes that I can wear with my leggings. Anytime I go out in the evening, I wear heels though. I have knee boots, and booties that are heeled and I especially love the more elegant high heels.
Favorite places to go when dressed?
I love to go shopping for clothes, makeup, and shoes. I enjoy going out to clubs, listening to music, and catching shows. I love going out in nature and hiking, hunting, and fishing now as Lea as well. I will pretty much go anywhere now after my first experience out with my girl Kelli Perry. Check out the story below.
Go to accessories for a night out
I have to find the right purse that matches the outfit. I carry lipstick, powder, a lighted makeup mirror, nail glue, gum, perfume and of course my cell phone.
Who is/are your female role model(s) and why?
Well, this is a hard question to answer. There are so many women and other transgenders out there who have inspired me.
First off, my wife. I love her strength and open mind. She has a huge heart and will do anything for anybody without expecting anything in return. She is well educated and very easy to talk too.
My grandmother was another role model. Her patience, quick wit, and sarcasm were qualities that I definitely inherited from her. She was a very classy lady, and her elegance and grace were noticeable by everyone, and I hope some of those qualities show through me.
Christine Jorgensen was a WWII veteran as a male and the first known person to undergo sex reassignment surgery and became an advocate for transgender people. Jorgensen’s highly publicized transition in the New York Daily News was the front-page story in December of 1952. the headline read; “Ex-GI Becomes Blonde Beauty” After her marriage license was revoked by New York state, her fiancé was fired from his job from the publicity. Because of her incredible bravery and courage, she left a legacy to open doors for gender identity.
Caitlyn Jenner has a tremendous amount of courage. I think making the transition and coming out after you are already a celebrity is even more challenging. I love that she speaks her mind and takes a very common-sense approach to matters of the transgender community. I would love to meet her someday to shake her hand.
Tell us some fun facts about yourself. What are your hobbies (either when dressed or not), likes, things you do in your spare time, or anything else you would like to share?
I have had the craziest life. I have done so much for so long with so little, that I can do anything with nothing. I did some modeling as a male when I was in my 20s. I have been self-employed most of my adult life in many different business ventures. I enjoy gardening and growing beautiful flowers. I have a green thumb for plants, and they calm my mind and help me relax. I love being creative and artistic. I love the artistic challenges of makeup. I love helping people do things and making them feel better. I have kicked around the idea of being a comedian, but the problem is that I am just not very funny.
Any stories you would like to share about yourself and your journey?
My first night out as Lea was with Kelli Perri, last year’s glamour girl contest winner and also an Eye Candy girl. I reached out to her on Instagram to congratulate her on her well-deserved victory. We really hit it off and before long, we became sisters and were chatting almost daily. She plans a couple of events every year for girls like us to get together and have a little fun and she invited me to join them in Nashville. I booked the airfare and the hotel. I packed everything I thought I would need in four suitcases.
I had never been out in the public eye as Lea. So, getting ready that day I was very nervous. I had all of these negative thoughts racing through my mind of worse case scenarios. I kept saying to myself, “Hey! You have come this far; we are not backing out now. You can do this… Piece of cake.”
After I was completely ready, I stood in front of a full-length mirror, gave myself one last long look over, walked over to the door, and stood there for a couple of minutes to gather my composure. (When I was a kid, I had this puppy one day I saw him eat an entire peach. He pretty much swallowed it whole, seed and all. Later that day I saw that puppy out in the yard trying to pass that peach seed. His entire body was shaking uncontrollably until the seed finally popped out.) When it was time to open the door, my hands were shaking so bad, it reminded me of that puppy when I was a kid. I stood there and laughed for about a solid minute. I took a few deep breaths and said to myself, “You’re beautiful and you are who you are. Just enjoy the night with a fun group of friends.” I opened the door and stepped out in public view of the hallway for the first time. I went down the hall to Kelli’s room while she was finishing up. I knocked on the door and low and behold this beautiful lady opened the door and she said, “Oh MY GOD Lea, you look amazing!” She gave me a huge hug and said, “come on in girl, I am just about ready.” Her confidence in herself and me was very contagious and before long, I was totally calm and laughing.
We were going to be meeting up with other girls: Brandi, Robyn, Lisa and Jenny. We were also joined by a husband-and-wife couple Shayne and Ginger and Kelli’s female friend, Sherri, was joining us to go out and hit the nightclubs on Broadway.
I had the best time. Everyone made me feel so good and relaxed. We met a lot of people who were very supportive and just extremely friendly. All of those negative thoughts I was having in the worst-case scenario was a total fabrication in my own mind. Nothing even close to those thoughts. In fact, it was the complete opposite. So many beautiful women would approach us and strike up conversations with us. They were so supportive and very comforting and complimentary. After that night, I look forward to getting dressed up and going out, especially with other girls.
If you have social media, what is the best way for others to follow you?
You can follow me on Instagram: Leataylor1976. I am only friends with other CD’s or transgenders. If they do not have pics or posts, I won’t let them follow me. The men on social media sites are rude and crude. For some crazy reason they want to send pics of their personal parts. I often reply with, “Yep, looks very similar to mine, only smaller!”
Please reach out to me if you are a CD or tans. I love conversations and sharing life’s journey.
Before we go, would you like to send a message to your fellow girls out there or a closing statement.
You don’t really choose this lifestyle; this lifestyle chooses you. You are who you are and there is only one of you.
I think about this often. I have always lived my life on my terms with risks and adventure. If you have not experienced life in public as your feminine self, but dream of doing it, then all it takes is a little planning.
Don’t let fear and anxiety keep you from experiencing what you desire. Face your fears with a deep breath, with courage and vulnerability. You can’t let fear hold you back. We only get one shot at life, live it under your terms. If you have Netflix, I suggest you watch Brene’ Brown in her documentary special called, The Call to Courage. It’s really good.
If you have other transgender friends in your area, then plan a night to attend a trans friendly club or bar as a gurls night out. Go catch one of the local drag shows, you are always welcome there and they are usually a blast. You can always make plans with your friends for a girl’s trip in another city. My favorite quote on courage is “It’s better to be a Lion for a day than a sheep the rest of your life.” Elizabeth Kenny
If not you, then who? If not now, then when?
Thank you to my wife, all of my friends and especially the great folks at Glamour Boutique for asking me to be an Eye Candy of the Month. I am very honored.
Well said Lea. Thank you so much for talking with us and sharing your story.
Would you like to share your story and become an Eye Candy Girl?
Let us know by emailing us at glambmarketing@gmail.com or by messaging us on our Facebook Page. For more Eye Candy, head over to our blog and get to know some amazing girls.