Material Girl

A few years ago I met and befriended a seamstress.

For almost a year and a half she worked on various articles of clothing and did a few alterations for me.

However early last year we lost touch. She had to close her shop (thankfully she is still doing work out of her home.) and I got busy getting my transition going.

Not to mention I was working my cute little butt off at the end of last year.

(I don't care, I am going to say it is cute. Not that I get back there very often to look at it, but I get a lot of compliments on it so it must be. Even B has commented that I have a fantastic behind and still marvels that it is naturally mine.)

So sadly for a while I didn't see or talk to her much though we did play email or phone tag from time to time.

A few weeks ago I emailed her to see if she was still out there and doing seamstress work. She replied that she was and did. After a few back and forth exchanges, plus accounting for the holiday, we agreed to meet last night.

After I got home from work, ate, changed into just a tee some shorts and sandals. Unglued my hair, blew it out a bit and that was it. No makeup or anything else.

I pulled some things out of my closet that were not fitting right, though I could not find one dress that I thought I had set aside. I may have boxed it up.

Out the door I went.

Twenty minutes later I was at her door ringing her door bell.

Now remember, it has been about nineteen months since we last saw each other.

She opened the inside door and paused. I mean really paused. Then she said wow. After another moment things caught up to her and she jumped and opened the door.

She told me to 'come on in' took another moment then said this:

"Wow have you changed!"

"LOL! Good or bad?"

"Oh definitely good!"

With that she invited me downstairs to her work room. Where she sat me down and told me to spill.

I talked about what I had done since I last saw her. Noting that I continued to let my hair grow and that I had a little surgery earlier in the year. She asked me what and I explained what I had done. When I mentioned the forehead and hair line she told me it was the first thing she noticed(Finally, people often miss this but my forehead and hairline are far different then they were. I know I have seen the pictures.) and that she loved my hair.

We laughed and talked, I discussed the situation with my family. Mom is supportive, my brother is on the fence and my father refuses to see or talk to me. I told her what was up next and answered her questions regarding those things.

It was at she looked at me and said.

"Well Kelli, my honest opinion, you are a very attractive woman. You've come a long way and I can't wait to see you after the rest. You really have changed. Remembering you from before and see you here now relaxed and more yourself just tells me how right it is for you."

I smiled and told her thank you when she followed with this:

"You know I was thinking to myself before you got here 'how was he going to show up?'" (At this point I gave her a small look and she quickly amended herself) "Lol SHE! How was she going to show up." She looked at me one more time and said:

"Yep I am done calling you by that other name. I am just going to refer to you as Kelli now."

With that we went over the items I brought for alteration and started the process for a dress I saw once but is no longer available. Armed with a few pictures and ideas she is going to draw up the pattern tell me how much material and then I start hunting that down. Though she did give me a few really good places to go look and even one high end sewing store, where if I find something I like but not the right color to ask and see if they can order it. From there we get the material and she will make it.

After that and chatting for a bit we made our way upstairs. Where we discussing up and coming things along with asking me if I ever would consider being a model.

{I should point out that while being a very talented seamstress and was currently working on a wedding gown, her specialty is custom made corsets or dresses with corsets in them. While downstairs she showed me photos of a resent renaissance show she participated in with these beautiful period styled dresses with modern twists. Usually being the fabric and trim.}

I was totally flattered and said I would consider it. She got excited because she had some things that she needed a slightly taller girl for and with my figure I would look great in them. I laughed her off since I am only five foot seven. She shrugged me off and said that was perfect as I was a little above average without being really tall.

When we got outside she gave me a big huge and told me this:

"Kelli working on some of the things that I do, I meet all types of people. I just want to say again you are the first trans person I have ever met who, to me, really was a woman. You are going to do great! I love this version of you so much better than the other one."

Always unprompted, it is so nice to hear things like this. Even better it came from someone who me before a lot of changed happened.

She then gave me another big hug and sent me on my way.

With that I went home with a big smile for the rest of the night.