Long ago, about seven years before
I set foot in a dance class, before I started sewing again, and when I was a
teeny 32 A, I took a job in retail. I
was desperate, because the economy decided it was a great time to have a
recession, right when I was just out of college.
I wound up working at the local
Leggett over the Holidays as a temporary clerk.
Because they were desperate, and because I seemed like I learned
quickly, they decided I would be a “floater.”
I would show up for work, and they would put me where they were
understaffed. The Holidays ended, but
the recession didn’t. Fortunately, they
let me stay.
So, I floated between departments
for a while. Then, Inventory time came
in the Lingerie department. Even the
regular staff hated this chore. The very
reason that made the department wonderful made Inventory horrible: We had a
wonderful Buyer who knew her Brands and ensured we had an inventory to fit
almost anyone.
This meant there were hundreds of
styles and over a thousand bras to sort and count.
Retentive, organized me loved
it! I volunteered to help there,
counting carefully and quickly learning how to read the style codes, how to
understand the sizes, and all of the Brands (at least ten) that we carried –
and that was just the bras.
When Inventory ended, they asked
me to stay. I wound up working there
about a year, earning my first TWO Professional certifications, from Bali AND
Playtex, and became a Certified Fitter.
I still have the measuring tape from Olga; but, the certificates stayed on the
walls after I left. I wish I had kept
them.
I learned a lot, not just about
Brands and fit, but also about the women who wear them. Even a few men, as I had the delicate honor
of helping a young, tentative drag queen try to find something in that
conservative store and conservative environment.
One of the things I learned is
that shopping for bras is one of the most painful, nerve-wracking things women
do. Many avoid it because they think it
is better to have a poor fit than to go through shopping again.
It is time to change that.
Come with me to understand that
garment you wear everyday. Let me help
you see what it is telling you about fit, and what to change to make it fit
better. We might even have some fun
along the way.
Will you join me?
