Let’s start by telling everyone where you are from?
I was born and raised in the north-west of Germany and have been living and working for many years by now in the Frankfurt / Main (that’s a river!) area in the center of Germany. I love cultural diversity, I have travelled to many countries in the world, and I have also lived in several foreign countries, amongst them the USA, where I spent four years in graduate school (a long time ago).
When did you first start dressing and how did it come about?
My interest in feminine clothes must have surfaced when I was about 10 or 12. The first time I left the safety of my own apartment fully dressed, was when I was in college, and I nowadays cringe at the thought of how I must have looked.
How did you come up with your Femme name?
There is no specific reason, other than that I like it very much, that it exists in many different variants in different languages, and that it somewhat represents my age group. I selected it about 10 years ago, asked my wife for her approval, and have been using it ever since. I actually wrote a post on my blog, titled “What’s in a name?“ that reflects on the origin and meaning of the name Franziska and why it very much fits for me. Lately, I have used the short form Franzi more regularly.
How often do you dress?
There is not a single day that goes by without wearing something feminine, be it underwear, nylons, or a nightgown. I might partially dress at home once or twice a week, but the effort of a conversion to full feminine appearance, I only undertake when I have a chance to go out in public for at least a couple of hours. Going out en femme, to me, is the supreme discipline of crossdressing. Unfortunately, these occasions – despite all efforts to plan and schedule them in my otherwise busy and eventful life – present themselves just once or twice a month.
Are you married/in a relationship? If yes, are you able to share your female self with your partner?
I am married to my wonderful wife, who has never had an issue with dressing en femme, partially or fully. I told her about my femme leanings early on when we started dating. Unfortunately, there have been very few occasions so far for us to go out – me en femme – together.
Tell us what goes into getting the perfect photo?
I dress for the occasion and the images I like to present are those of congruence between my style and the setting. My perfect photo presents me in a certain fitting context and not just in some outfit at home or in front of a nondescript background. Even better is, if the photo tells a story, say, wearing an evening gown, standing in the lobby of the opera house, enjoying a glass of Champagne. And now imagine a handsome man in a dark suit at my side.
What are some of your favorite outfits/fashions?
For many years, I have almost exclusively worn dresses. Nowadays, my wardrobe varies widely, from short to long and flowing skirts, blouses of all styles and colors, and increasingly pantsuits and pants, from wide and playful to skintight. I own women’s blazers in several colors and styles, which can nicely be combined with all items above, as well as several jackets and coats for all seasons. I also own a smart-looking business combination of matching blazer, pants, and short skirt, for when I feel like portraying the businesswoman, running her errands and going out for lunch. It goes without saying that my shoes must complement my clothes. Most importantly, I love scarfs. I own some 50-60 or so myself and if nothing matches, I’ll ask my wife for one of hers. A scarf ties in the colors and completes the outfit. And btw, I own almost as many men’s scarves and shawls, which I wear almost daily with my equally tastefully put together male business and casual outfits.
Stockings or pantyhose?
I wear almost exclusively pantyhose for everyday use and when I go out en femme. Stockings are great for special occasions or to be worn to bed in winter.
Heels or flats?
That depends on outfit and season. I love my boots, flat or with a moderate heel in winter with a long coat. Strappy sandals in summer nicely show off my painted toenails, preferably but not exclusively with heels. The key question I ask myself in selecting the shoes with my outfit of choice is the following: can I afford to wear those high heels with that curly long blonde wig, that skimpy blouse, and the miniskirt and still have a good chance at passing? If not, I will tone down on one or the other aspect.
Favorite places to go when dressed?
The opera or a classical concert! Or the municipal theater as an alternative, or a musical. I love dressing up for evening events, such as those listed above. I even try to go with the scene, such as a matching dress if I go to a musical that plays in the 1920s. When an occasion for a day and evening out and about presents itself, the first thing I do is to check the local event scene and to try to get a ticket. The second place I regularly visit are museums, especially arts museums. I like the stylish, classy atmosphere and the many visual challenges that invite to be photographed with Franziska. The third place is a restaurant. I simply love to be waited on by attentive waiters and to enjoy great food, paired with matching wine. Check out my blog for many examples of such events and places that Franzi has visited over the last years.
Within the last couple of years, I have taken several weekend trips en femme. That is an unrivalled challenge and experience. In each of the trips, I took the ICE high-speed train – en femme already – from Frankfurt to Stuttgart, to Munich, to Cologne, and to Düsseldorf exploring the local theater, museum, and restaurant scene and enjoying uninterrupted femme living for two to four days. The coverage of the trip to Düsseldorf will come up on my blog shortly.
Go to accessories for a night out
I do not leave the house without a proper, matching handbag, be it a tote bag during the day, a stylish brand in the evening or on a Sunday, or a clutch bag for the opera. Otherwise, jewelry is most essential to me. It adorns me, I can feel it, I can hear it. I always wear some dangling earrings and am fortunate to have both earlobes pierced. My first piercing was done by a friend of my aunt when I was 15 years old with a sewing needle and a wine cork. The second one, I got in St. Francisco’s Castro District at age 30 at a piercing studio. I regularly wear a nice brass ring with an amber that my mother had worn all of her life, as well as a small tin ring from my grandmother, depicting her initials from before she married my grandfather in 1936. They create a nice connection to these two very important women in my life and I often wonder what they would think about it.
Who is/are your female role model(s) and why?
I never thought about it before. Honestly! And why would I, as I don’t have male role models either. But in doing so, two names came up, Susan Abigail Sarandon and Mary Louise “Meryl“ Streep. I know, they are almost 20 years my senior, but I admire their power, their determination, their female presentation, and their charisma, let alone their great acting. The first time I saw Susan Sarandon was in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” a movie, which I was fascinated with at that time and which I have seen some 20 times in my life. And simply fantastic are her role and her acting as Louise Sawyer in “Thelma & Louise.” My favorite movies with Meryl Streep are “The Devil Wears Prada” (talking about my fascination with female apparel) and “The Iron Lady.” Two strong female characters played by one of the leading character actresses in the world. Simply outstanding! Furthermore, I admire that both stand up for their beliefs and values.
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?
My wife and I are both full-time professionals with long working days and demanding jobs. When we are off work, we immensely enjoy travelling, cooking, drinking wine, and hosting friends at home. We are great fans of the Netherlands and of Italy and living in Frankfurt allows us to reach both places in a half-day ride, which we make use of whenever fitting opportunities come up.
Any stories you would like to share about yourself and your journey?
A day out and about en femme in Frankfurt: I was spending some time on one of Frankfurt’s bridges over the river Main, taking pictures of myself, respectively, asking another person to take a picture of Franziska. Apparently, I was read by somebody, who then secretly called the police, claiming there was “some creep taking pictures of girls passing by.” Shortly thereafter, on the way home, I was stopped by the police on the corner of a street, inquiring what I was up to and stating that they had been alerted. My ID was checked and run through a computer, while I showed to the policemen that the only “girl” on my camera was me. We parted again, after they had convinced themselves that I was not a police-known pervert. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the guts to ask if I could take a “selfie” with them.
If you have social media, what is the best way for others to follow you?
I am not active on most of the common social media channels: no Facebook, no X, no TikTok, nothing. All I can offer to you to read and see some more about my experiences, is the blog that I started in October 2022 and to which I will diligently add postings, as long as I have a backlog of pictures and new ones to come. Most of the pictures shown here can be found on my blog as well – with the accompanying story. I’d love it if you’d sign up as a follower and if you’d leave me a comment would be great. Comments are crucial not only for motivation, but to learn what your readers are looking for. One of my fellow bloggers compared blogging to hosting a radio show and not knowing who’s listening, if they enjoy the show, and what they might like about it.
Blog link: https://franziska-out-and-about.blogspot.com
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/franziska.frankfurt
Before we go, would you like to send a message to your fellow girls out there or a closing statement.
Be brave, be bold, but exercise caution. The world is a wonderful place, if you succeed to spot and circumnavigate the lunatics out there.
Would you like to share your story and become an Eye Candy Girl?
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