Chapter 10: How to Prepare?

“Such a whirlwind of a week,” Laura sighed. “What will I wear? How will I do my hair and makeup? I need help.”

Laura was a low maintenance kind of woman. She was a natural beauty with a white lightning streak of silver like a planned stripe through her platinum blond hair. The only time she got all dressed up with hair, makeup, and such was when she was performing.

Laura knew that a trip to the department store was necessary; all she needed was some money and the products, hair salon, and spa would be within her grasp.

A light bulb came on for Laura. “But I do have money. Luke’s liquor fund.” Every month she had to set aside $400, $100 a week, for Luke’s liquor. Beer and wine might be nice for some, but Luke preferred the hard stuff: vodka, gin, whiskey, mixers, and menthol cigarettes. He made Laura go, get, and pay for all of his alcohol although she did not usually drink except on rare social occasions, where she stuck with wine or beer.

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Armed with the resolve to be transformed, she put her trust in God and the sales clerks who were savvy about what was in style and what would look good on her. After that would come the spa and salon crew to put on the finishing touches. She felt she wanted to dress suitably for whatever the men had in mind in terms of a date with her. She was even going to treat herself to some nice lingerie, just in case, a welcome change from the granny panties and sports bras she was used to wearing.

She had no idea what they had in store for her date wise, but if she assessed the snippets of their demeanor and personality that she had been exposed to, her three date outfits would need to be: 1) demure yet practical for Alex; 2) A-list sexy, party-goer sexy, for Don; and 3) some kind of after five classic dress or gown for Ricky, suitable for after work social and business functions. She approached one of the store’s managers.

“Yes, ma’am. How can I help you?”

“I need help with three outfits for three different occasions,” Laura replied. “I have a. $400 budget to work with.”

“Great. Call me Lula. Tell me each occasion and I’ll see what I can do.”

Laura’s smile of relief broke the tension and the hunt for the three distinct ideal looks for her began. “I don’t know the specifics of the occasions yet, but I do know the personalities of the three men who invited me out.’

“Even better. This is going to be fun,” she giggled, rubbing her hands together as though about to cast a spell. Laura needed this lady and any magic she could make happen for her. She took a deep breath and prepared herself to lose control.

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Initially she believed that shopping for a date with Alex would be the easiest outfit to find and the least stressful date to prepare for. He was quiet and he was a gentleman. He hung out at the cafe dressed in dress casual attire. So she would follow his lead. “I need something that is casual for a woman, but not too casual, if that makes sense?”

Lula found Laura a long, carnation pink, button down dress with embroidered flowers and a lace collar. She also paired it with an ivory cashmere jewel neck cardigan sweater. If Laura had any doubts about Lula’s skills, this erased them completely. “I love it! I also love the sweater as being able to do double duty with my usual white top and black bottoms,” Laura exclaimed.

“Let’s see if we can disabuse you of that restricted fashion notion before we are done today?” Lula said encouragingly. “The color is good for you. It makes you look romantic and timeless. Next?”

“I also need something sexy for a party.”

“I have a crimson low cut, short slip dress,” Lula suggested. “Let me guess, you’re five foot ten with a curvy Coke bottle body and long legs. We’ll let the curves do the talking and I have some leopard print heels that will make all that red pop. With a flirty mascara for the eye and a nude lip gloss you’ll be hard to resist by even the most resolute of fine gentlemen.”

“I’ll be a knock out?”

“You already are and always have been. You just have to own it. Chin up, shoulders back and smile.”

Laura blushed almost the same color as the crimson dress.

“Last but not least...?” Lula progressed.

“I’m not sure about the last one. It will probably be a fancy cocktail party or business event.”

“Got it. We’ll go with a fish tail dress so everyone will have their eyes on you, but especially him. Work those curves since you’ve got ‘em,” Lula advised. “But, just in case it is conservative and after five, it will be two inches below the knee and a little black dress that you can wear for many events in the future.”

After Lula found her the perfect outfits, lingerie, shoes and accessories to suit the tastes of each of the three men and fit Laura in the most flattering way possible, she escorted her down to the spa and salon.

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Once below in the spa Laura engaged in a total pampering session. Facial, nails, mud bath, hot tub, sauna, deep tissue massage, sea weed wrap, hot stones, waxing and salon-styled hair. They did her hair in a chignon. She usually just wore it down and over one shoulder. She felt like a movie star.

Her shopping experience would end with a trip back upstairs to the cosmetics counter for a make-over and top it off by stopping by the perfume specialist after Laura was done with grooming. Her phone beeped while she was getting her make up done. “What if that is one of the men and they want to go out tonight?” she thought, almost losing her consumer therapy confidence.

She could hardly wait to get home, listen to the voice mail message and play dress up in her purchases for whomever her first date would be with and wherever he would choose to take her. Now she was ready for them, but were they ready for the new and improved her?