Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 21

STRICTLY FOR DADS DR. CHARLIE SHEDD DETROIT FREE PRESS Tuesday, Nov. 4. '75 3-C muw. f.

www" ifiwc THAT'S THEIR GOAL VI He Frien rpecisl men He specializes in little peo ple's stuff. Games. Stories. this 32-page booklet, send $1 and a postage-paid self-addressed envelope to "Sex Education," Box 2218, Mission, Kans. 66201.

Imaginary playmates. Bedtime tales with sound effects. His wife is nominating him for "One Neat Dad." 'My husband is undoubtedly ore to Karen" (Keeping Love in Marriage) and "Letters to Philip" (How to Treat a Woman) are on their way. Thanks for telling us about your man. He really is one neat dad.

For Dads and mothers a practical booklet of advice on how to approach sex education. Dr. Shedd gives helpful, frank insights on bow to deal honestly with the subject. For "Another thing they play is race cars. Each one has his own imaginary car and they take turns winning the race.

"So our boys not only have a special dad. They also have a special friend." And didn't the Lord say, "Except ye become as little children ye shall in no wise enter the Kingdom." Another prize-winnfng set of the marriage books, "Letters ueens among the best. Actually, unique is a better word. "Our sons are five, three and two, and to them their dad Is really special. It's written on their faces.

You should see their delight when daddy becomes a talking Dumbo and i VI 'I gives free rides. Or a wicked witch making some special potion. Then they taste this imaginary mixture and see who can make the funniest faces. A u.auiiMiiuu. mi iiuimmmi, Loll fct veiling 1)2 "Sometimes they chase each other around the house like frogs and my husband adds the sound effects.

"Anyone who can get boys to sit still very long has to be special. Yet they do sit and lis it e-r-P" i It I i. I if 1 rv ten to their daddy's stories, and they aasorb every word. They also like to add their "Buttons La Walker" in feather boas, black jersey Free Press Thotos BY LONA O'CONNOR Buttons all the way to the waist or leave it unbuttoned for added glamour. Any way you wear it, it is one of the most exciting new looks.

In soft, clingy Trevira polyester. Shirred yoke back and front. Black or red. Misses' sizes 6 to 16. By FRANCES HENACHAN.

88.00 Setter Dresses ill stores BY MARJI KUNZ fru fmt FMhlon Writtr The crowd screamed its approval as La Walker" gyrated, maneuvering two enormous feather boas to beat of "This Will Be," throbbing through the loudspeakers. Ai "Buttons" moved, nine yards of black Qiana jersey swung out from the rtiinestone-trimmed, strapless bodice of the dancer's dress. Hands waving dollar tips reached toward "Buttons" from the audience la a vote of approval for a memorable and a thousand-watt smile. This was one of the magic moments In the final competition for "Miss one of the titles coveted by Detroit-area female Impersonators. Dramas similar to one at Menjo's are being staged regularly this fall in nightspots throughout the area where the impersonators vie for prizes (usually $100 and a trip to Las Vegas Miami) to become a sort of queen-'- of -queens.

Change in the Law There is as much pomp and clrcum-' gtance surrounding these contests as a of the traditional American beauty pageants. But the contestants are ineligible for those contests 'because legally they are men. Up until this year, dressing up to participate in the contests on any I night except Halloween might hav subjected the contestants to arrest. But a recent Wayne County court deci-, sion striking down Detroit Ordinance '39-1-35 in dress of the opposite has changed that. I Circuit Court Judge John R.

Klrwan found the ordinance unconstitutional for a variety of reasons, Including the breakdown of sex lines in wearing apparel. "At present," he said, "so many items of clothing are worn by both men and women that a person of ordinary intelligence can hardly be expected to tell female attire from that of male attire," referring to examples like high-heeled shoes, trousers and blazers. Prior to Kirwan's decision, contests like those at Menjo's, a Palmer Park-area nightspot, were limited to Halloween night, when anybody in Detroit could wear anything. Now most of the contests take place over a period of several weeks in the fall. ideas to the story and he encourages them.

"Sometimes he incorporates the boys' names in the story and he adds sound effects like crinkling paper for a fire burning. Their dad's creation of imaginary friends for them has also given them the desire to be creative. Community Day Observance The Detroit unit of Church Women United will join others across the nation at 10 a.m. Nov. 7 in observance of World Community Day at St.

Paul's AME Zion Church, 11359 Dexter, Detroit. Speaker will be Mary L. Brown, director of visitation at Convenant Presbyterian Church, Detroit, who will discuss her church's role in a community service project to feed 3,000 people during the last six months. Another feature of the program will be the presentation of an early Christian tradition, an agape meal, by the Rev. Janet Thorne of Sterling Heights.

if "Barbra Streisand'' goes for pink satin ness accomplished that makes the average American woman seem a bit plain. Detroit's 'Edith Head' Sitting at one of the back tables at Menjo's with the competitors, you learn that getting drag together is i RARE BOOKS ANTIQUES WOOOWABO AT STATI 7 Mill AT LIVfRNOIS IASTIANO CENTER BIRMINGHAM TH VIUAGI PLAZA DEARBORN NORTHLAND RARE BOOKS ANTIQUES time-consuming and exhausting. For example, how can you assemble razzamatazz fit for a queen when American designers are offering women evening blazer suits, satin jumpsuits and low-key sporty party dresses? "You either have to sew your own clothes or go to a dressmaker like the one we call "Edith Head' on the North-west side of Detroit," says "Barbra," who like a number of the impersonators has zeroed-in on both a Hollywood look and nom de plume. "Barbra," whose titles Include "Miss Cosmopolitan Detroit" and "Miss Gold Coast," had hand-sewn the hundreds of tiny rhinestones and pearls on the square-neck bodice of the pink satin gown. Many cf the contestants had a trail-I muffler of feathers but not "Barbra." "I'm allergic to feathers.

I'm a shoe freak and have to have a pair in every color to match gowns (dresses cost $100 to $300 each). I've found a store in Hamtramck which carries size 10's which aren't too tight after a couple of wearinps," says "Barbra," sticking out a pink satin pump. "I designed my gown and had it made by a gay dressmaker," says "Buttons," a former factory worker, of the flowing black gown that was used to advantage in the act. "Designers for straight people have a different concept of glamor. They go for a middle-aged look.

You don't have to be gay to be a female impersonator but it's only the gays who can really carry off this look," says "Buttons." Glitter Galore As in any crowd, there are obvious fashion and beauty trends. Here it's glitter galore, flaming red lips, delicate rhinestone necklaces and dangle earrings. Nobody makes a big secret of false eyelashes the favorite color is black and some seem to be wearing thorn in multiples. Here, also, Is a prime consumer market for false fingernails. "I usually wear false nails for a show but to do both hands I need three sets of nails," says "Barbra." "My own nails are wide and for thumbs and first two fingers on each band, I need a total of six thumbnails." There- is also another appearance problem probably not shared with the heroines for whom they named themselves.

"Some of us have to shave our chestf a bit." admitted "Barbra." "If I don't win tonight, there's always next year," "Freda Payne" said rather wistfully. And another year too for "Carol Burnett," whose job made this competition impossible. "Carol has to work all night at the telephone company," explained "Barbra." OPEN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHTS 'All Think They're Stars i 1 C. 11,1 One pink satin-garbed performer at Menjo's who uses the name "Barbra Streisand" said it has become a very Important time of the year. "Barbra" and other Detroit "queens" (the name by which impersonators refer to themselves) say any similarity between them and the average woman on the street is highly accidental.

"They (the queens) all think they'rs stars Las Vegas showgirl or Cher or Diana Ross. They Imagine themselves to be Gloria Swanson walking down the staircase in the movie 'Sunset Boulevard said one observer at Menjo's. Some of the disguises seen at Men-Jo's were as convincing to the average person as they were to Archie Bunker (of "All in the earlier this fall when he gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a female impersonator on the CBS television program. Your head tells you these are men but your eyes and ears take in people who go beyond the generally-accepted feminine stereotypes with carefully applied makeup, hairless arms, graceful gestures and soft voices. In some cases, there is a breathtaking pretti- 'Freda Payne" wear9 red sequins on the eyes Sewing Machine Tips 1 GRLkk embroidered tunic sweater over a long, slim skirt.

pretty, yet sophisticated, two-piece evening dressing designed by Pat Sandler for Maisonette. Travel-easy white featherweight wool and acrylic knit with soft coralshrimpgreen needlework. 6 to 14 sizes. Ensemble, $150 Th MHIon Im eommod, mid w'td rhftry in Di'ti 0v 0( Light BuckonMI Honiy tinnh Vint our ilori ooft of ot youf nmn Fu'mlUt Wrt hy Fwlluftd utnog.oniy S3 00. Carl Forsluncl (FttKtr Thtc toflt) -tiu' wc met when ynu buy one of their machines.

Take advantage of any such offer whether ynu know how to sew or not. Sewing on new fabrics with a new machine probably will require some relearnlng. Unfortunately, adapting an old machine to handle new fabrics is seldom possible. There are knit conversion kits, at about $25 for machines which already have a zigzag stitch. But if you have an old straight-stitch machine, no such conversion is possible.

You can try to adjust your sewing technique to the new fabrics. Try to hold the fabric taut as you guide it through. Make sure you have the right thread and tension. And don't lose patience if you have a few disasters. If possible, ask to have the machine you are purchasing set up In the store so you can practice on a few scraps of material and look for any problems.

You will have better luck straightening out any initial operation problems before you have paid for the machine and taken it from the store. Some manufacturers even provide a free sewing lesson The Sound Of Music LINCOLN, and older brothers and sisters can use music to help younger children learn basic skills, say extension specialists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. They recommend the sound of bells, voices, hollow blocks, drums and moving wheels as noises that intrigue most children and encourage them to do tricks and move rhythmically while listening. Continued From Page 1C dealer may sell machine for slightly less. you may find a model marked at the discretion of the store.

You can sometimes find Va bargain if you're willing to "shop around and compare. Once you've found a ma- chine that Is In your price have the machine demonstrated so you can listen for noise and vibration. You won't want to sit for several hours a machine that makes a lot of racket. Look at the speed control. 'Individual taste may vary 'vhere, but most people will find knee control easier to operate than a foot control.

When you consider price, make sure you inquire whether the con-; trol is extra. Also inquire about what is and what isn't covered in the guarantee. Most new models cover parts and labors for an initial guarantee period rang-V ing from 90 days to two years. But a service call to your home may be extra. St 1 Jaoobsoris INFORMATION CENTE 339-0472 MTUVTH lOSf WfOMT QMH.i STOSMOMJ SJS 8'OOCK) ucapw emBvousMss Gross Points Birmingham Dearborn Ann Arbor East Lansing Toledo Saginaw Jackson Battle Creek Grand Rapid! Mr 'Of Olhar Condition nmMitl Appomimtnti.