A Fashionista is Born Part 1

A Fashionista Is Born Part 1 03/27/2023

Derick Sinclair

“Michael, I need some help today can you come into the store and help me? Three of my staffers took off to a yoga retreat!” said Suzette frantically into the phone.

“Yes mom, I can be there in about 45 minutes. Is that OK!” said Michael.

“Perfect, you don’t need to dress up today just get here and help me sort through the emails and DM’s, please. I’ll buy lunch!”

“Thank you, see you soon!”

Michael is a regular guy who is between jobs now. His mom, Suzette Larkin, is the head of a private clothing label. They make knockoff clothes for department stores locally as well as through internet sales around the world. There is no end to the challenges that the business provides Suzette and today her staff spontaneously decided to take a personal day. She has used her son Michael to bail her out of difficult situations and today she needs to get the electronic side of the business under control.

Michael is full of enthusiasm for anything electronic. He is skilled at nearly anything internet commerce based and has studied for years in every class he can get without officially going to college.

“Thank you for coming Michael. I have outlined the tasks that I need help with at the front desk. If you would be so kind as to stick to the order I outlined, that would be ideal. I think you can get most of it done in about an hour!”

“No problem. Is there anything that’s a wish I could help you with today beyond what is on the list!”

“You know me too well. Yes, if you would come and see me when you are caught up, I do have a special project for you and would love your help!”

The next hour Michael was full force into getting the emails and DM’s responded to. He had spent enough time in the store that he knew the standard responses to most questions. For the ones he didn’t, he responded, “thank you for your inquiry, and we are working on it diligently. We will get back to you later today with an answer. “ It covered nearly any case and at least let the customer know it is being worked on.

After finishing the catch-up Michael walked into his mom’s office to update her and let her know that there were 20 or so people who didn’t have answers to their questions. Happy to have the work caught up, Suzette looked at Michael with a sheepish look.

“Michael, I do have something that you can help me with. I know it is a bit out of your usual and you are free to say no, but it would help me out if you said yes!” she said in the most roundabout tone possible.

“OK, I give up what is it? I don’t do toilets or floors!”

“Oh, nothing like that. What I need you to do is to be my dress form for about an hour while I pin up a rush order for a client!”

“Dress form? You want me to be your live dress form and let you put an outfit together with me as the model!”

“Yes, that about sums it up. You would need to be in your basics and then I will put the garment together on you. Where you don’t measure up so to speak, I would put pads on you and then create the garment from there. You are nearly a perfect match for the client in size and I can do this quickly!”

OK, stop with the sales job. I will do it. So, you want me in my underwear and then you will build the outfit on me. Is that correct!”

“Yes, I’m sorry I know this is kind of demeaning for you. Girl clothes and all!”

“Mom, hush up. You have put more girly clothes on me over the years than most women. It’s not that big of a deal. Where do you want to do this!”

“Let’s go into the cutting room!”

The cutting room has one big table to cut the patterns for the clothing. Smaller tables that have grids on them to create patterns and do smaller projects are placed around the room. The sewing machines are in the corner and have tables on both sides to allow for large-scale sewing projects. The largest project has been a 40-foot train for a wedding gown. Today they will be using the elevated and adjustable platform to do the skirt length and side seams for the start of the outfit. Michael will be in his underwear until finished. Not usually an issue except…

“Mom, I didn’t put any underwear on today. I can do this commando or borrow something that would fit me!”

“Love you kiddo, but I don’t want to be looking at your bits all day. Here is a pair of panties that I made to go with the outfit. They should be fine – and you will love the smooth feel of satin. I have the smooth on the inside and did a lace top layer on the outside. They are to…

“Die for!” Michael interrupted.

“You know me too well grasshopper!” she said as she handed him the panties.

“Wow, these are nice. You should make more. They would sell out in no time.”

“You think so, what makes you think that!”

“OK not to be weird but they feel like butterfly wings. Ridiculously soft and comfortable. Like you are getting a hug. You should think about this. I would wear these any day!”

“OK, spin around let me see how they look!”

“They do have a sort of style to them, don’t they? Are your bits comfortable!”

“Yes, the gusset is wide enough to be comfortable and everything is in place”

“OK, then I will investigate what would be needed to do this as a product line. You can be the model for the print and internet brochures!”

“As good as these feel I am more than happy to do that”

The first fifteen minutes of the project were tedious, all the measurements need to be compared to the client.

“Michael, I need to lightly pad your chest and a little on the hips. Other than that, you are oddly enough the same shape as my client. You don’t look like a girl but according to the tape you must be!”

“Great. Mom, you always wanted a girl to dress up. Now you have one!”

“Do I. If you were my little girl, you could make a lot of money being involved in the pantie line,”

“So, it’s now a thing. What are you talking about a lot of money!”

“Well since it is your idea, I am thinking you create the marketing for the project, do all the media materials and I supply panties ready to ship!”

“I like the idea but why would I need to be a girl to make the money? I think they feel great and would sell to guys too!”

“You have been around here too long. Most guys wouldn’t be caught dead in those panties. You would need to serve a special market for guys who wear panties as well as the traditional women’s market. I think you could make this into something if you want to give it a try. I would love to work with you, Michelle!”

“I knew it. You had Michelle picked out as a name and did Michael as a fallback!”

“Not really, but it does work well. Panties by Michelle. I can see the label!”

“It does have a certain ring to it. OK, I’ll do it. I don’t have anything else cooking right now and could use some money. What do you think I need to do!”

“You need to hold still while I pin up the side seams on this skirt, so I don’t poke you. After we get done with this, we can go over some ideas at lunch. I think you can just work right into this new line. You should dress up for lunch as Michelle!”

The pin, markup, and sewing project for the client took about an hour. When it was done, Suzette would send it to her seamstress for final construction. She was a yoga retreater today and would get to it tomorrow.

“Michelle, I have an outfit that I think you would look good in. Stay here for a minute and let me gather up the pieces then we can go to lunch!”

Suzette left to search for the perfect lunch outfit for her new partner. She returned with an outfit, shoes, and a hat. All were in a fabric that easily cost $200 a yard and the seamstressing was impeccable. The hat, a big floppy brimmed black felt hat. The total look would get attention wherever worn.

“Wow, that is some outfit. So, this is what you want me to wear – for lunch!”

“Yes, it does have that sort of movie star, spy look to it doesn’t it? May even be a Coco Chanel knockoff. But I won’t tell. What it does is match your measurements nearly to perfection. The outfit was designed for a woman who was sporty and nearly flat as a board. She loved the exposure of skin that a deep V-neck creates in front. The hat is something that I made in a class once. I never wore it, but I think it works for you and this outfit. Try it on and let’s go get something to eat!”

“Oh, mom, this fits so nice. The feel of the fabric is like having nothing on at all. If this is what dressing like a girl is about, I am totally, 100%, on board!”

“Ok let me do something with your makeup and hair and we are out of here!”

The presentation that Michelle made at lunch was close to stopping traffic. Heads were turning as she walked down the street to the hotel restaurant. The look of being so dressed during the day was dazzling.

During lunch, the framework of the new panty line was worked out. Suzette felt so confident in its success she offered Michelle a $10,000 startup fee. He took the money saying he would not let her down and wanted to add to the line right away with outfits like the one he has on.

“Michelle, you realize that is a $5,000 outfit you have on!”

“No, but that does explain the custom feel. Hey, we are a knockoff shop. Let’s make this for a hundred twenty and sell it for $200. We will make a mint!”

“I had no idea you wanted to be in the fashion business. You are a natural!”

“I had no idea either. But If I get to wear clothes like this all the time. Say goodbye to Michael and hello to your daughter Michelle. I love this.

Panties by Michelle takes off and in the next episode, Michelle is challenged with how far she wants to take her transformation. Just when she thinks all is going well her father shows up with a bizarre twist.