Sometimes Steffi
10-05-2008, 04:05 PM
I had such a great day last week that I just had to tell someone about it -- someone who would appreciate it.
Last year I won this beautiful fuchsia bride's maid dress with a mermaid train on eBay. Unfortunately, it was too small for me in the bodice. I couldn't fit into it even after putting on my tightest body shaper.
I was thinking about selling it, but it was too pretty to part with. So, I thought I'd try to find a tailor to let it out. I decided to wait until close to Halloween, so at least I would have a cover story.
However, it looks like it may even work out better than I could have hoped for.
I found this small tailor shop that was off the beaten path. I checked it out, and it appeared to offer more complex tailoring services than the repairs that you might get at your local dry cleaner. In addition, it looked safe, without a lot of traffic, and not a place where I’d meet anyone I knew. I brought the fuchsia gown to be altered, with the idea that I could always claim it was for Halloween if things got a little dicey.
I went to the tailor in full male mode. I arrived just as the tailor was finishing off with another customer. She asked me what I wanted, and I said I could wait until she finished with the existing customer. After the customer left, I brought out the gown and told her that it was too small and I was wondering if she could let it out. She looked at the seams and said there wasn’t enough extra material and that she would need to get more material. She asked me how much I needed it let out, and I said a couple of inches. She said that she could get some matching material and let out the sides.
Then I told her that the gown was for me, and asked if I could try it on so she could make sure how much it needed to be let out. So she led me to a dressing room, and I tried it on as I would be wearing it, with a stuffed bra. When I got out, she looked at the back of the gown, where she could clearly see the strap of the bra that I was wearing, and said that she would need to let it out 5 inches.
Then she surprised me. She asked if I wanted to buy a gown. She said that she had a gown to sell and she brought out a beautiful, heavily-beaded, long, red evening gown. I told her I’d like to try it on. As I was getting into the red qown, she said that she had more gowns and she burst into the dressing room with 4 more gowns. By this time I had stepped into the red gown, and she helped fasten the collar piece that I was having trouble reaching. I tried on two of the other gowns, a shorter red one and a two-piece purple one. I didn’t try on the other two, because I wasn’t that excited about the colors, but I think I’ll try them on when I go back to pick up my altered gown.
As a result, I left my original gown to be altered and bought the red beaded one that I tried on there. I spent more money on each gown than
I’ve ever spent on any femme clothing before, but, as they say, I’m worth it.
I guess it really is like everyone says. If you act nicely and confidently, and pay with green paper with pictures of dead presidents on it, people will treat you with respect.
Last year I won this beautiful fuchsia bride's maid dress with a mermaid train on eBay. Unfortunately, it was too small for me in the bodice. I couldn't fit into it even after putting on my tightest body shaper.
I was thinking about selling it, but it was too pretty to part with. So, I thought I'd try to find a tailor to let it out. I decided to wait until close to Halloween, so at least I would have a cover story.
However, it looks like it may even work out better than I could have hoped for.
I found this small tailor shop that was off the beaten path. I checked it out, and it appeared to offer more complex tailoring services than the repairs that you might get at your local dry cleaner. In addition, it looked safe, without a lot of traffic, and not a place where I’d meet anyone I knew. I brought the fuchsia gown to be altered, with the idea that I could always claim it was for Halloween if things got a little dicey.
I went to the tailor in full male mode. I arrived just as the tailor was finishing off with another customer. She asked me what I wanted, and I said I could wait until she finished with the existing customer. After the customer left, I brought out the gown and told her that it was too small and I was wondering if she could let it out. She looked at the seams and said there wasn’t enough extra material and that she would need to get more material. She asked me how much I needed it let out, and I said a couple of inches. She said that she could get some matching material and let out the sides.
Then I told her that the gown was for me, and asked if I could try it on so she could make sure how much it needed to be let out. So she led me to a dressing room, and I tried it on as I would be wearing it, with a stuffed bra. When I got out, she looked at the back of the gown, where she could clearly see the strap of the bra that I was wearing, and said that she would need to let it out 5 inches.
Then she surprised me. She asked if I wanted to buy a gown. She said that she had a gown to sell and she brought out a beautiful, heavily-beaded, long, red evening gown. I told her I’d like to try it on. As I was getting into the red qown, she said that she had more gowns and she burst into the dressing room with 4 more gowns. By this time I had stepped into the red gown, and she helped fasten the collar piece that I was having trouble reaching. I tried on two of the other gowns, a shorter red one and a two-piece purple one. I didn’t try on the other two, because I wasn’t that excited about the colors, but I think I’ll try them on when I go back to pick up my altered gown.
As a result, I left my original gown to be altered and bought the red beaded one that I tried on there. I spent more money on each gown than
I’ve ever spent on any femme clothing before, but, as they say, I’m worth it.
I guess it really is like everyone says. If you act nicely and confidently, and pay with green paper with pictures of dead presidents on it, people will treat you with respect.