RANSVESTIA

came through to meet me, I introduced myself as the person who had called an hour earlier and said I would like to browse. She told me to make myself at home and returned to her customer.

Well! there they were, all those lovely girdles and bras, in bridal white, feminine pink, flesh-beige, melodramatic black; and oh! those pretty french knickers with lacy flared legs and chemises to match, slips, nighties, peignoirs, garter belts, fishnet stockings, and heavenly dream-stuff of all kinds. I didn't experience the slightest embarrass- ment about handling these exotic fripperies, and after a while she called over to ask how I was making out. Shortly afterwards her customer left, and she came over to assist me.

"What length of skirt do you wear?" she asked. "Do you wear the new longer length?" "No," I said, "as a matter of fact my wardrobe is two to three years old, and before I buy any newer outer garments I would like to get fixed up with a proper foundation. At present I wear size sixteen, but I thought that a waist-cincher might make it possible for me to get into a size fourteen. What do you think?"

"What is your waist measurement?" she said; and on my replying that it was 30 she said that would be right for a size 16 skirt. "Now, what size bra do you wear?" "Well," I said, "I can wear either a 36 or 38, with B cup, but the 38 is quite roomy and the 36 just a little tight." "Very well," she said, "try to stay with a 36 bra with A or B cup. Now, I haven't got any waist cinchers at present, but I am ordering some from Germany, as they are a much better quality than those made over here. I will get you a waist-cincher to reduce your waist by two inches."

I chose a platinum-grey satin nightdress, floor-length, with straight- cut skirt, with pink embroidery on the bodice. I pointed out that a regular bra would hardly do with that, and asked if she had any strapless. To be sure she had, and she came up with a creation in flesh-pink which is the sweetest little bra I possess. Size 36A, with three pads in each cup, it gives a sweetly feminine contour to the bosom underneath the nightie, and although at present there are no nipples, I am given to understand that the bra manufacturers are taking steps to rectify the omission. It's nice to have something cooking!

Three or four weeks later I called to pick up my waist-cincher,