Messing About in Boats

Suddenly, she shook her head, as if she had been hypnotized. She vigorously towelled off the rest of her body, pulled her t-shirt nightie over her head, turned off the bathroom light and in a few seconds had crawled into bed, doused the light and relaxed into sleep.

Her phone beeped an SMS as she drove to college the next morning. "Party at my place straight after classes, come as you are, Sally xxxooo". Caroline looked down at herself as she drove. "Come as you are," she thought, as she surveyed yet another symphony in beige, and recalled the last time she had seen the three girls together in the late afternoon. "I'm going to stand out, but for all the wrong reasons," she mused. Of course, she could make an excuse and not go, but that would seem ungracious. No, she thought, I will go, but I'll see if I can get off class a bit earlier and buy something a bit more suitable. Despite her wardrobe-full of expensive clothes, she was strangely excited by the prospect.

And, as the day crawled on, and the party, and her spot shopping trip got closer, Caroline's excitement level continued to rise. By the time she had looked at her watch every couple of minutes through her last tutorial and thrown her books in the back seat of the car and driven out of the parking station, she could hardly wait a minute longer. Although she hadn't thought much about what she was going to buy and wear, the prospect of purchasing something outside her normal safe parameters, and wearing it in front of these brassy yet beautiful new friends was almost as exciting as the actual act. She was a beautiful girl, with a beautiful body, and she wondered as she parked at the shopping centre why she had never thought to accentuate that beauty. As she walked briskly into the top level of the centre, where the usual high-class shops which were her normal places of business, she shot a text back to Sally to confirm she was indeed coming to the party. The sea of classic-cut slacks and pleated skirts and expensive jackets failed to beckon from the windows, as they usually would have. Caroline was on a mission; charting new seas. She laughed to herself at the nautical metaphor.

She went down one level; down to where the lower-budget shops were, and where she never shopped. Where to start? She did a quick lap of the shops, scanning the window displays before stepping inside a small fashion shop.

Expecting to have to search around in such a shop, Caroline was pleasantly surprised when a young lady accosted her and asked if she needed any help. The shop assistant would only have been 18 years old, but had the self-assured poise of a woman some years older. She was, however, dressed as Caroline was used to seeing 18 year-olds dressed; she was wearing a long t-shirt type top, down to almost her knees, and clingy tight, and black tights which ended just below her calves, emphasising her small gold anklet dangling above a pair of 4" heels. Her makeup was just a little over-done, and her lipstick perhaps a shade too red, but her mane of natural blonde hair cascading over her shoulders immediately drew attention away from this. Unlike many 18 year-olds, Caroline thought, she was bright, cheery and the possessor of a genuinely radiant smile.

"I'm going to a party with some girls I've just met at uni, and I need something a bit more 'party' than this", Caroline offered, gesturing at her skirt and blouse.

"I've got just the thing", the bright-young-thing offered. "Just in this week we have some lovely flowery sun-dresses, perfect for early evening parties". Taking Caroline's hand she led her to the rack at the front of the store. "Aren't these fabulous? You have a perfect figure, and gorgeous skin, you'll look just divine in one of these."

Caroline's excitement at this whole venture had been growing, and the friendly manner of the sales-girl was only helping, but when she picked up off the rack a dress in her size, she was seized with doubt. It barely seemed to have any material in it at all; it was too low in the bodice, and certainly shorter than anything she owned, and perhaps had ever worn. She held it up against her body, clasping the waist close to her body.

Miss bright-young-thing's eyes widened. "Wow," she gushed, "that's just you!!" Caroline hesitated. "You must try it on, please?", the young lady urged. Caroline weighed it up; she had bought garments many times this value without trying them on; why would she bother with this dress, which she was really only buying on a whim anyway? But, why not? "Sure, I'd love to", she found herself saying.

She was almost propelled into the change-room as the bright-young-thing seemed more anxious even that she to see what the dress looked like. Caroline unzipped her skirt and let it fall to the floor of the cubicle, and then undid the buttons of her blouse, and shrugged it down her arms, swivelling round and hanging it on the hook on the back of the door. As she did she looked at herself again, this time in her simple, white cotton underwear. She picked up the dress and pulled it on over her head, tugging it downwards over her hips and wiggling her body till it sat where it was supposed to. She surveyed the result in the mirror; the sales-girl was right, it fitted her perfectly. The thin straps over her shoulders didn't seem to have any adjustment, but the straight top edge of the bodice only gave a hint of the beginning of her cleavage. Her legs felt very different to how they felt when they were safely encased in her slacks, but the mirror said that she did, indeed, have great legs, and the dress emphasised this without being too short, she thought. She drew a deep breath and stepped out of the cubicle. Not that she needed any affirmation, but she couldn't help asking, "Well, what do you think?"

The sales-girl's eyes widened. "Wow, again", she gasped, "It's just about perfect!" Caroline twirled around twice to allow full scrutiny of the dress, and her. The young lady seemed genuinely impressed; this was good. But the dress was brief, by Caroline's standards. She felt the girls eyes on her shoulders and her legs; she could see it far better in its overall effect than Caroline could in a mirror in a cramped change-room. What did it really look like? And what did she mean by 'just about perfect?

"What do you mean, 'just about perfect', Caroline asked before she could stop the words escaping?

"Well, it fits you just right everywhere", she started, "and you have gorgeous legs so the length isn't a problem." Caroline leaned forward slightly and pressed the hem of the dress against her legs; it was more than 100cms above her knees; when she stood up straight it was probably a little more. She doubted that she had ever worn a dress that short, even when she was a little girl. She blushed slightly as the young lady went on. "But", she said, "bra straps are so out is year.."

Caroline's hand went to her shoulder. The straps of the dress were only 15mms wide, no more, and while her bra straps were not that much wider, they were wide enough to show. Caroline's quizzical look encouraged the young lady to continue. "Coloured bras are all the rage, either the same colour as the top, or dress, or a contrasting colour, but last season the fashion was wider straps to show off the colour. Seems that this year the idea is to hide them again. Anyway", she slowed as she went on, lightly touching Caroline's forearm, "Your bra really doesn't suit the dress; I hope you don't mind me saying, but I would love you to look absolutely perfect in it".

Caroline ran her hand across the front of her dress, feeling the material of her undergarment through the dress and defensively thinking about how much her unfashionable bra had cost her. There was no denying it was plain, although it was expensive. This process was supposed to be quick and involve little thought, she mused. Just buy a dress for this party and get out, had been the plan. She hadn't really bargained on the shopping trip becoming so complicated, even though there was an undoubted pleasure in being the centre of this young lady's attention. Pushing the boundaries of her ideas and tastes in clothing was not really on her agenda, although it was plainly on the younger woman's!

"What do you recommend, then?", Caroline asked, almost afraid of what the answer might be.

"Well, we're only a dress shop, but I think you should go to the lingerie shop a few doors down and buy a pretty bra, perhaps in a rose or dark pink to match the flowers in dress, and with a nice uplift so your breasts really fill out the top of the dress", she said, quickly, and then bit her lip momentarily, as if feeling that she had said too much, been too familiar.

Despite the pressure of time, Caroline was warming to this sincere young girl, and to the whole process of making a big change to her appearance, even if only for one party. This time it was she who touched the other woman's arm as she said, "That's probably a good idea, but the party starts in an hour, and I haven't got time to go shopping for underwear right now." It was already understood between them that she was buying the dress, the young lady noted to herself.

She took Caroline's hand and turned her half around, looking at the back and the profile of the dress as she turned her again to face her. As she did she brushed her hand lightly across Caroline's breasts, causing her to flinch, although not pull away. "If I had breasts as beautiful as yours, I wouldn't wear a bra at all", she suggested.

Caroline shook her head. The only time she did not wear a bra was in the shower and in bed.

Then again, she thought as soon as she had finished thinking that, she never wore a bra under the singlet tops she wore, wore out and threw out while working on the shipyard floors. She smiled as she thought of the many appreciative glances she had received from her fellow workers as she leaned forward over some structure or other that she was building. She was the boss's daughter, and the men knew the limits that imposed, but they couldn't help looking as her body blossomed into womanhood and its beauty increased with each passing year. She'd never thought of her not wearing a bra as a sexual gesture, just a practical one, but now, as this young lady was suggesting that she go to a party in a dress shorter and more revealing that anything she had ever worn, the idea of not wearing a bra as well assumed just such a dimension.

"Will you pop back into the change-room and take your bra off, and come out and let me see what the dress looks like?" Caroline thought of the girls who were probably already gathering at Sally's place, dressed in who could imagine what. "Sure, let's see," she replied, and before she had a chance to change her mind, she took the few steps back to the cubicle, lifted the dress off her body and reached behind her and unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the floor. As she caught sight of her breasts in the mirror, she remembered her private show in the bathroom the night before, and with a buzz now of excitement, not anxiety, she pulled the dress back over her head and smoothed it down over her body. She surveyed the result; the girl was right. Her beautiful breasts didn't need support, at least in this dress, and there was no doubt that her shoulders being bare of any material save for the straps of the dress accentuated their creamy perfection and energy.

She stepped out of the cubicle and almost fell over the sales-girl, who was standing right outside the inward-opening door. The two women momentarily tangled, out of balance, before they both reached out a hand to steady themselves, Caroline grasping the girl's shoulder, she Caroline's waist. Despite the accidental intimacy of the moment, the girl seemed not to be embarrassed, and Caroline was surprised to realise that she, too, was not flustered by such an unusual contact. They both stepped back.

"Wow, again", she exclaimed. "See, I told you so.." She took Caroline's hand and again twirled her around, surveying the sight. "Come and look in the big mirror". She led Caroline to a large full-length mirror on the side wall of the shop, set in such a position as to enable a full view of what was being tried on, as much as possible as if someone else was observing. Caroline felt the soft material of the dress rubbing her nipples as she turned this way and that. They began to harden, and she blushed, hoping that it would not noticed. But the young lady had noticed. Caroline bit the bullet. "See, that's why I really should wear a bra with this dress," she cried, defensively. "On the contrary, my dear", the girl confidently and almost evilly replied, "That's why you shouldn't".

Caroline suddenly looked at her watch; time had flown, and she still had to get back to Sally's place, and not be too late. "What's your name?", the young lady asked. "Caroline". "I'm Michelle". The two ladies smiled; a new level of friendship had been established.

"Would you like me to wrap the dress up for you", Michelle asked. "No", Caroline replied, "The party starts any old tick, I'm going to wear it." "Well can I make one more suggestion, then, and I hope you won't think I'm being too presumptuous?" "Sure", Caroline responded. "Take a minute and go to the lingerie shop and buy yourself a pretty, sexy pair of panties. It would be a pity to wear such a perfect dress with your ordinary underwear, don't you agree?"

The older girl handed over her credit card and nodded silently. Michelle beamed, partly out of relief that her forwardness had not been offensive, and partly out of shared enjoyment. "I wish I could see the faces of the girls at the party when you walk in with this on", she went on. "You'll be the star of the night". "Well, hardly, you don't know what some of these girls are like; this looks positively tame compared to what they wear to uni, let alone to a party", Caroline cautioned. "Well, maybe, but I wish I was going too so I could spend the night looking at you..." she cautiously added. Michelle quickly finished the transaction and scurried to the change-room to retrieve Caroline's clothes. She folded the garments and slid them into store bag and handed them across the counter. "Thank you for choosing to shop here, and I hope I see you again. Enjoy the party. And don't wimp out on the panties, you know you want to." Caroline shook her head in amusement, not refusal, and reached her hand across the counter and squeezed Michelle's hand. "I won't, I promise. You've made me feel like a giddy school-girl, thank you..". "As she walked away Michelle raised her voice; "And shoes, get some hot shoes, next to the lingerie shop".

Caroline rolled her eyes and laughed. "By the time I finish shopping for this party it will be over", she shot back over her shoulder.

Time was really rushing on; she hadn't planned on spending half that time buying a dress, but the whole experience had been such a pleasure she had been reluctant for it to end. And now she had promised to buy some panties, and Michelle's last word about shoes certainly did add another level to the whole adventure. "I may well be right", she thought, "By the time I finish shopping for this party it will be half over". In a moment, however, that thought was put out of her mind as she walked into the lingerie shop. The dress swished against her legs and another bright young thing behind the counter looked up and smiled at what she saw. "Good afternoon, can I help you?", she asked. "Yes, I've just bought this dress and the girl who sold it to me said I needed to get some panties to go with it". Caroline didn't know why she told this girl the whole story, but somehow it had just come out. "I bet that was Michelle?", the girl asked. "Er, yes, it was, how did you know that?" she asked. "She's a devil, that Michelle, I'll have to start giving her a commission. She sells lovely dresses and always recommends the ladies come here and buy pretty things to wear under them. I can see why she did that with you, too, that dress fits you like a charm", she gushed. Caroline blushed; "Thank you, I have never had a dress like this before". "I hope you don't mind me saying, but it takes a real girl to wear a dress like that without a bra", the girl went on. Caroline blushed again; "Is it that obvious?". "Sure it is, no straps, but it looks just sensational, I wish I could pull off something like that. Anyway, panties", she hurried on. Caroline looked again at her watch; she was not going to have the time, as much as she now might have liked to, to make this a big production. "I'm in a hurry, sorry, what would go with this dress?".

The shop assistant came round to the front of the counter and reached past Caroline to a rack just behind her. "These would be perfect, nude colour and soft edges so it doesn't show through the dress". She held up a tiny pair of briefs, soft and shiny, with no seams or elastic at the waist or round the legs. Caroline looked again at her watch, and at the panties and decided that although they were made of half the amount of material of her usual underwear, they would do. "I've got to go straight to a party; can I put these on here?" she asked as she handed over her card. "Sure, change rooms are at the back". Caroline rushed to the rear of the store and through a curtain into the cubicle. She lifted her skirt and shimmied her way out of her panties and pulled the new, tiny scrap of material up over her thighs and around her arse. She ran her hands over them as she felt how much, or really, how little, of her body they actually covered. But as she smoothed down the skirt she nodded in approval as it fell perfectly from the waist to the hem. Her other panties had by no means been obvious under it, but with these one might almost think she was wearing nothing at all. She walked back to the counter. The young lady was still standing in front of it, and before she could stop her she ran her hand down Caroline's back, from the top edge of the dress to just below her arse, and smiled. "Now that is one wicked pair of panties," she grinned, "It feels like you're wearing nothing at all, doesn't it?" "It sure does", she admitted. "I have to go, thanks for your help", she said as she picked up the receipt and crumpled her other panties into her handbag. "My pleasure, girl, you knock them dead at that party. I hope someone gets to take them off you, lucky girl, or guy. Oh, and don't forget, shoes!" she laughed. "Do you people tag-team sell, by any chance?" Caroline asked, smiling. "Hell yes," the girl replied, "But we don't often get to sell to a classy chick like you. Thanks for shopping here, and you make sure you come back, you'd look better in my stuff than the models in the catalogues".

Time now had gone, and in her usual regulated world, she would have returned to the car and made it to her appointment with minutes to spare. But Caroline was buzzing with excitement. She had been pampered by Michelle in the dress shop, and been so drawn into her way of thinking about clothes that she was now wearing a short summery dress with no bra. She had been flattered and fondled by the girl in the lingerie shop, and was now wearing a pair of tiny sexy panties, and thinking about going back, as she had been invited. She caught sight of herself in the window of the next shop. Both the girls were absolutely right; if she was going to wear this dress, it needed shoes. She swung into the next shoe shop she saw. Again as with the dress shop and the lingerie shop the dazzling range of choice on display immediately created confusion, but even before she was accosted by a young gentleman in a suit, she spied a pair of fine pink high heels on a rack at the back of the store, and headed towards them. She picked them up and looked at them closely as he arrived at her side. "Madam has great taste", he began. Flattery will get you everywhere, she thought as she flashed him a big smile. She was going to have to hurry, but she was still going to enjoy the moment. "Thank you, Brian", she replied, as she read his small name-tag. "May I try these on?" "Of course, madam, please sit down here", he motioned to a plush chair with a foot-stool in front of it.