Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Leotard Lady

I’ve been wondering of late whether I’d finally got used to here; had I become jaded and inured to delights of Bangkok?

And then… last week I got an email informing me that ‘the leotard lady’ will be in the gym at school on x date between these times. The letter invited parents to come along.

Crikey; this could mean anything in Bangkok. I thought for a minute about what this ‘leotard lady’ might be doing and then I realise it probably won’t have anything to do with ping pong balls, will it? Not if it’s in school?

I read further down the email, and all was explained.

So yesterday, I went to school to meet the leotard lady. I bumped into my friend’s husband and told him why I was in school. “Really? Bespoke leotards?” He said.

‘The Leotard Lady’ was sitting on one of the benches at the edge of the gymnasium. She spoke no English. She had a pile of leotard catalogues and a bag full of stretchy, glitzy lycra type material.

I had a little worry (as is my way) that this was an outrageous thing to let Daughter do – made to measure leotards? Will she ever recover from such extravagance? Then I heard the price (it was fair.) I thought about the cheap ones we’d bought here that had fallen apart after a few washes. And I considered the outrageous expense of the ones I’d seen on the internet when I’d gone looking for better quality leotards than the ones we'd got here.

Daughter and I rummaged around the swatches and we picked out a dazzling array of ‘see me, here I come’ twinkly fabrics and two leotard designs with ‘go faster’ stripes on them.

In two weeks the leotard lady will be back to deliver the garments. I can hardly wait.

12 comments:

Queenie said...

Sounds fabulous. I remember loving my lurid orange leotard when I was 7 or 8 years old. Might there be photos? (Not of Daughter, obv - just the garments.)

Chris Stovell said...

Phew! I'm glad the Leotard Lady wasn't quite as exciting as you first thought. Made-to-measure leotard sounds amazing - bet your daughter will be pleaed.

Sue Guiney said...

What a riot! Who knew?

Denise said...

What a great idea. Leotards came in boring black when I was at school, and I would have gone crazy for a bit of glitz!

S is having similar thoughts at the moment about whether he wants to go for a made to measure suit. Some of the Hong Kong tailors are touring the UK regularly now, charging little more than their shops back home. He's worried he'd also be spoilt for life by them!

Elizabeth Bramwell said...

HI there! Thaks for the add and for following The Literary Project.

Bangkok sounds like an interesting place to live. Alas, I live in Hull, where not much of interest happens, and the Leotard Lady would probably turn out to be some chav selling dance school knock-offs down Walton Street Market.

Jenny Beattie said...

Ooh, Queenie, photographs would be fun.

Chris, the ones on the internet were SO expensive. These are not quite half the price!

Sue, that's the madness that is Bangkok.

Denise, I guess it is a bit spoiling but the shops are full of clothes for tiny, skinny, short Thai people: so unfair. S should definitely go for it.

Gemma, thanks for coming by too. I used to live in Hull! I was a student there. The leotard lady could've been a Thai chav for all I know... Do we even have them?

Liane Spicer said...

Now you've got me wondering about the significance of those ping pong balls...

HelenMWalters said...

I remember when I was at school we all went to see a lady who made bespoke all in one body suits (cat suits?) like a leotard but with arms and legs. They were amazing colours.

Jenny Beattie said...

Liane, oh my, I can't tell you here... my stats are already a bit filthy! Google PPB and Thailand or Bangkok! Only if you're brave enough; remember once it's in your head, it's always in your head.

Helen, OMG, bespoke cat suits, really? Cat suits ought to be outlawed by the fashion police, honest.

Jen said...

Here I am in snowy Sussex, designing in my mind my fantasy leotard instead of writing. Crumbs, how stretchy and sparkly it is... and now to envisage myself wearing such lycra loveliness... oh. OH. Abort order. ABORT ORDER.

Flowerpot said...

I love the idea of a leotard lady. She should be in a novel!

Lane Mathias said...

Before I put my specs on I read this as Leopard Lady. Highly confusing but all's clear now:-)

Did you order one in orange?:-)