When he became a she Just for the day!

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Aug 9, 1998 | by CAOIMHE YOUNG

IMAGINE your local milkman wearing a sexy black number, a pair of six inch stiletto heels, complete with silicone breasts and a sexy pout.

This is Larry - or Lorraine - a Dublin milkman who went from a he to a 'she' during a 45 minute make-over in a Dublin shop.

Transformation specialises in giving men the most feminine experience of their lives - and its popularity is growing fast.

The 31-year-old milkman, who is married with two children, agreed to try out the female world of corsets and suspenders to become lovely Lorraine, after a good deal of arm twisting.

Transformation opened its doors to the Irish market of cross- dressers and transvestites last September. The firm has branches in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle and Berlin.

The shop in Dublin's Phibsborough is surprisingly high profile with a wooden shop front, and sexy underwear and dresses on display in their main street window.

Larry had a choice of being a naughty nurse, French maid, a bride or a sexy tart. He chose the tart - he couldn't say why.

"When they asked me what size boobs I wanted I nearly died - I just said medium please," said Larry.

HE went for a pair of silicone breasts which warm to the wearer's body heat.

"I have to say they feel real. But I wouldn't fancy running for the bus with a pair of them on. I couldn't believe how heavy they were.

"I was really nervous about the whole transformation thing, but the beautician helped me relax. I couldn't believe it when I was done up - I looked like such a tart. It was quite frightening.

"I felt the outfits were a bit stereotypical. The shop just had sexy black and red gear or flat shoes and long skirts so you could be a slut or a school ma'am," he said.

"I thought they'd have more realistic clothes, I expected glamour but it was all a little bit dated," said Larry.

When Larry arrived at the shop he chose his underwear, clothes and shoes.

"It was bizarre - I had to wear a type of jock strap which was designed to hide your male organs. When I put on that contraption I really thought: "What am I doing here?'" said Larry.

Dressed up in stockings, suspenders and a thong complete with a frilly leaf front he looked a lot closer to a Lorraine' than Larry and it was time to get his kinky kit on.

"Next thing I know I'm a 36B with no belly. The boobs were jiggling around although my chest hair was a bit of a give-away," he said.

Normally the client's chest would be waxed but because Larry was just there for the laugh he escaped without that painful treatment.

The beautician hid any traces of Larry's stubble with a special beard cover foundation.

And spurred by the power of the powder, the brilliance of the blooming blusher, a seductive eyeliner stare and a Catherine Zeta Jones wig, our brave milkman was gone - instead there stood luscious Lorraine, who would be welcomed in any early morning call.

"I didn't look like a woman you would see in a night-club. I wanted to look a bit more up-to-date but when I asked for platforms they didn't have any.

"When I was Lorraine I didn't mind posing or walking around because I felt like someone else. But I didn't feel very feminine - I just felt like a bloke in drag having a laugh," said Larry.

"I know my wife would recognise me as Lorraine - but I'm not sure if I came on to one of my mates in a pub looking like this they'd realise who I was. But they would get a bloody great shock."

BEING Lorraine is an experience I won't forget in a hurry and having my picture in the Sunday News means the lads in the milk dairy won't forget it either. I don't know if I'm ever going to live this down.

"I don't mind too much as long as people remember to call me Larry and not Lorraine.

"I go to the gym three nights a week and I'm a married man so I'll just put this down to experience," he said.

Although Larry was not what you would call a serious punter, 95 per cent of Transformation clients are heterosexual males with partners or a wife and children.

Advertising leaflets describe the shop as the world's leading transvestite specialists with a team of female staff with whom you can share all your feminine secrets.

Transformation Sales Manager, Angela Hellawelly said: "Thousands of Irish men were subscribing to our mail order catalogue service to receive underwear, sexy clothes and hormone treatment creams to help them feel more feminine.

"We receive orders from every corner of the world but we knew the time was right to go across the water and launch Transformation in Ireland," said Angela.

The service was set up in the UK 14 years ago by sex change founder Stephanie Anne Lloyd.

Three years earlier Stephanie had undergone a high profile sex change with lots of publicity.

"Society is slow to understand why a man would want to be a woman and Stephanie had to undergo a lot of flak from the British media," said Angela.

It was a very difficult and emotional time for Stephanie and she wanted to create a safe haven where men who were confused about their gender preference could come and still feel safe, ordinary and comfortable in who they are.