Monika: Since your makeovers include a photo shoot, do you design the makeup and outfits with the camera in mind, already imagining the backdrop, the lighting, and how it will all come together?
Beth: Yes, I specifically do makeup and outfits with photography in mind. In particular, I use matte foundation to reduce the risk of hot spots on the face. For wardrobing, a lot more outfits can work in photos than in real life since you don’t have to show the entire outfit.
Monika: You also organize outings and other trans-friendly events. Could you share some examples of these gatherings and what they typically include?
Beth: I offer total makeovers and photo shoots with an accompanied outing as one of my client experiences. We often go out to restaurants, nail salons, LGBTQ+ venues, shopping malls, or tourist sites like museums, while some prefer to go for a walk on the paved nature trail nearby.
I organize larger events with the DC Regional Trans Ladies Meetup group, such as our soirees. A themed event, we meet for dinner and drinks and hang out in a mainstream restaurant and bar. We often have thirty or more trans women, crossdressers, and their partners join us at the soirees.
Monika: What emotions do you see surface when clients catch that first magical glimpse of themselves in flawless makeup and a stunning outfit? Do the reactions lean more toward tears of joy, radiant smiles, or a mix of both?
Beth: The raw emotions are pretty wild! I see shock and bewilderment as they realize they can actually look like the woman they have dreamed of. I see overwhelming joy when clients attempt to hold back tears and need a couple of minutes alone to process their emotions. Others get huge smiles on their faces and start strutting and posing without prompting.
Monika: Have you ever had moments when the result of a makeover went far beyond your original plan and expectations? If so, what was the magic touch that made it happen?
Beth: Yes! I met my wife, Giselle Donnelly, by doing her makeup in 2013 for a tgirlnation event! She was still part-time and just starting to go out in public en femme. During the makeover, I was impressed with her background as the editor-in-chief of the Army Times (the Navy Times was popular at Nuke School) and her general openness in conversation. She bought me drinks that night at tgirlnation, and we stayed in touch.
Later that year, we really hit it off at a social event I organized, and we’ve been together as a couple ever since! We have been married for eight years now. She transitioned and started living full-time as a trans woman in October 2018. I love her so much, and I cherish spending time with her.
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"I met my wife, Giselle Donnelly, by doing her makeup in 2013 for a tgirlnation event!" |
Monika: Have any of your makeovers been a turning point for clients, helping them realize they were ready to transition from crossdressing to living fully as a transgender woman?
Beth: Absolutely! I have many clients who decided to transition after receiving makeovers and going out en femme. Some of these women knew they were trans when they came to me, while others figured it out through the experience of going out and presenting as a woman.
Monika: Do you still keep in touch with them?
Beth: I do! I keep in touch with many of them. Some of them still attend our DC Trans Ladies Meetup events. I’m also Facebook friends with many of them. Others are personal friends, and we get together one-on-one for bike rides, coffee, or lunch.
Monika: I’ve noticed that some of your clients, like Stacie Stevens, proudly share their makeover photos on social media. How does it feel for you to see your work and their confidence out there for the world to see?
Beth: I love seeing clients feel confident and affirmed including when they post photos on social media. For many clients, social media is one of the main places outside of my studio where they can feel free to make friends and community presenting as a woman. I love that the photos we take together can unlock so many experiences and friendships.
Monika: Although you’re a cisgender woman, you’re deeply connected to the trans community. What aspects of the community have surprised you the most when you compared real-life experiences to the way the media often portrays us?
Beth: I actually met transgender women and crossdressers in person and started my makeover business before I ever saw depictions of trans-women or crossdressers in the media. Some of my clients and friends mentioned how trans-women were a punchline in films, but I hadn’t seen those at that point. While watching British detective shows with my wife, I saw what my friend was talking about.
Until about 2018, if a trans person, crossdresser, or someone else from the LGBT community was introduced, they were either the villain or had committed an adjacent crime. Only in more recent years have LGBTQ people represented detectives, upstanding citizens, and developed characters in the shows we watched. There’s one long-running British detective show that I only tried two episodes of because it had managed to marginalize gay men, drag queens, and crossdressers in two out of two episodes. That’s unsat and not representative of the people that I know, love, and respect.
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| "I love seeing clients feel confident and affirmed including when they post photos on social media." |
Monika: How did your family react when you started your makeover studio and built such close ties with the trans community?
Beth: My family had mixed reactions. My sisters are supportive. One sister, Dorothy, was so supportive that she made clip-on earrings for my makeover studio when I was getting started. My parents didn’t want to hear any details about me working with trans-women so we have more of a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” relationship in that respect.
Monika: How do you see the future of your studio and your work? Are there any exciting dreams or projects on the horizon?
Beth: I plan to continue to have a home-based studio in Takoma Park, Maryland, where I work directly with all clients without any employees. I like the personalized experience I can create for each person. My dream is to keep providing makeover services for the next 25 years.
Monika: In your services, what moments or experiences give you the deepest pleasure and happiness?
Beth: I love when I see a breakthrough moment in a client. For some, that might be getting a makeover and then going out in public with me, realizing that people in the DC Metro area will generally treat them with dignity and respect. That can be life-altering for so many people, regardless of whether they plan to transition. This unlocks social circles and experiences they may have dreamed of for years.
For others, that breakthrough moment might be realizing they are “trans enough to transition” as a result of a makeover and outing experience. While transition can be truly challenging, most of the clients who have transitioned have been much happier living as themselves.
Monika: Beth, it has been such a joy and privilege to chat with you today. Thank you for sharing your story, your artistry, and your sparkle with me and with everyone who will read this interview.
END OF PART 2
All photos: courtesy of Elizabeth “Beth” Taylor.
© 2025 - Monika Kowalska
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