Vanity by the numbers

Two mama stories:  

Yesterday, I had a mother of the groom bring a dress over for a consult.  She had "ordered a 12" but she swore it was "more like an 11."   However, "I'm usually a 16, but thought I could make it to at least a 14" by the time this wedding came along.  She wanted to know if putting a corset back into the dress was a) a possibility; and b) if it would look good.

I have time this week (thank you, summer!) so yes, it's a possibility, but to be perfectly honest, any corseting below the waistline would look like she bought a dress that was too small and was trying to make do.  She agreed, and I have never been so happy to see someone head off into the sunset with her feet firmly planted in reality.

The worst client I've ever had was a mother of the bride who I'm sure has not been ever told no in her life.  I always find it so strange when I meet someone who is old enough to be my mother has the maturity level of someone in middle school.  Perhaps it speaks volumes about my state of mind that I equate immaturity with spoiled, but this woman seemed to encompass both traits.

"I'm a size 18 on top and a size 12 on the bottom, so I ordered a 14."  This math does not equate.   I explained everything I could do to make it fit better, and suggested that she perhaps re-evaluate her choice.  "I'm a 12, so a 14 should certainly fit."

So after approximately 24 hours of work,  6 (yes, that's right, SIX as opposed to 2 - 3) appointments,  she sat in my office crying because I had ruined her dress, ruined the wedding, and ruined any chance for her to have a decent picture of her and her daughter on her wedding day. (On a redeeming note, her daughter also brought me her dress and wished me luck dealing with her mom.)

Altering clothing does not equal plastic surgery.  If you have little chicken wing folds on your armpits and you have not purchased a dress to cover that, I can't fix it.  I can't magically make more fabric appear.

To hell with sizes.  Buy what fits--and when in doubt, but a size larger.

Hiatus, Day 1

Ahh, my first day of summer hiatus from the university.  A date with a hammock, a margarita, and Vogue magazine, right?  Not this time.  Here are some stats from Day 1.

Start time:  6:40 a.m.

Break (ironically, to go to work at the university):  11:30 - 1:30

End time:  After my 7 pm appointment gets here....eventually.  This one is not so good at being on time.  

Total Appointments:  5

Drop offs:  4

Pickup:  1 (I hope---that's what my 7 pm...should she choose to show up...will be...)

Full dresses altered:  3

Partial alterations:  1

Number of new appointments set up:  3

Broken needles:  2

Trips to Hancock Fabrics:  1

Number of times I swept the floor:  6

Number of times I washed my hands:  25ish

Number of times I swore at my machine: 14,340

Podcasts listened to:  8 (3 episodes of Planet Money, 1 episode of the Motley Fool, 1 episode of Michael Feldman's Wad'ya know, 1 episode of This American Life, 2 episodes of A Prairie Home Companion)

Tips to the mailbox:  3 (it's a good distraction)

Margaritas desired:  35

Margaritas drank:  0 

Cups of coffee drank:  8

Total level of crazy on a scale of 1 - 10:  5

Not too shabby for day 1.

The real question, however, is how the #%(*&! I manage this during the school year.  Wow.   

"By Appointment Only"

 I realize I bring this on myself.

Today has been a challenge.  At the beginning of my day, my schedule was as follows:
12:15 Maids dress #1 drop off for alterations
1:00 Bridal gown drop off for pressing
6:00 Maids dress #2 drop off for alterations
6:30 Maids dress #3 check in fitting
7:00 Maids dress #4 pick up

What actually happened:
12:15 Canceled at last minute
1:00  Rescheduled for pickup at alternate location at 3:00, then for a later drop off at 5:30, and arrived smack in the middle of my 6:00 fitting that arrived 15 minutes late
6:30 Texts to say she can't come until 7:30
My 7:00 is still holding strong...

I realize I bring this on myself.  Someday, when I win the lotto, quit my day job, and procure an office outside my home, I'll switch to a system where I have set drop in hours.  A girl can dream...

Caring and Sharing

“How long have you been engaged?”  is a very typical question that began a very typical fitting.  Sometimes the answer you get is a nothing more than a business-like statement of fact.  Sometimes, though, you find this connection with a bride that leads her to answer more fully.  If you’re lucky, you get a glimpse into a slice of life that you’ve never even imagined. Last Tuesday, I got lucky.

“We’ve been engaged for 3 years.  We were supposed to be married last September, but postponed the wedding  because of my brother’s passing.”  She continued on to tell me the story of her brother who had died after a long battle with cancer.  The story itself was sad, but what struck me was the information she shared about his care during the last stages of his life. 

She described how difficult it was for him to get end of life care here in the valley.  When he was in the Bay area, he was able to get the care he needed relatively nearby.  But as his time here on earth got shorter, he had to travel farther and farther to get the care he needed.  How awful to have such little time left and have to spend it in the car, traveling up and down the dusty, dry, unscenic 99.  

Most of this conversation came out when I asked her what degree she is persuing.  She hopes to use her sociology degree to begin a non-profit that will improve end of life care for cancer patients and to alleviate some of the burden of travel during those last painful months.   Her ability to so calmly and clearly state her goals and story was inspiring.   

I woke up the next morning still enamored with her story.  I admire her her dedication to this mission, openess, and gentle, clear style of communication uplifting.  (Ironically, these are some of the same traits that make her an ideal client.)

Her dress was beautiful.  It was a ruched through the bodice which pleated down into a very graceful bubble skirt.  The trumpet style is being changed into more of a mermaid look, and a strap that is akin to a cascade of flowers will fall over one shoulder and gracefully fade in to the bodice.  How exciting to meet a bride who can envision what a dress with good bones can look like with a bit of restyling.  It is a refreshing change of pace, and I’m thrilled to see what the dress will ultimately become. 

Mostly, I am grateful to make something beautiful for someone with such a beautiful heart.

Yes I Cannabis!

This economy sucks.  


Oversharing comes with the territory.  There is something about being in a fitting and half naked in the presence of a stranger that makes people spill it.  

A bride arrived at my home tonight with her wedding dress, and as I was lacing her up she started telling me about how her family was struggling.  She and her fiancé have 4 kids and have both been laid off in the last year.   She then told me the story of how their family has been essentially saved by the the private bakery she and her husband run.


I'm thinking "Sexy cakes!  How nice!"


Nope.  Cannibus cakes. She went on talking about her suppliers and some past activities than I am not very comfortable knowing.  Her story was very touching, but I wish she would have chosen a different stopping place---like perhaps while my mind was filled with visions of cakes found only at a bachelorette party.  


Somedays, I'm not the quickest on the upswing. 

Thank you to our troops

I am in tears. 

When the news that Osama Bin Laden broke this week, I was very glad to hear that an enemy of this country had finally been removed as a threat.  The reality of the situation had not really set in until this morning. 

I had a woman come by for a fitting for a bridesmaid dress for her sister's wedding.  She was profusely apologetic for arriving 10 minutes late because she was on the phone with her husband for the first time in 2 weeks.  Her husband is deployed and is on the ship that transported Bin Laden's body to his burial at sea.  She said it was so terrifying being cut off from communication like that and not being told the reason until after the fact. 

I cannot imagine having to constantly deal with situations over which you have no control and still maintaining such a sweet smile. I am blown away by her strenght and kind demeanor, and am so thankful that this latest unknown situation in her life has passed. 

What a sacrifice that our military members and their families make every single day.  I admire your strength.  Thank you, and God bless.