Retail therapy

Going shopping with my girlfriend on a Saturday afternoon is not generally something that I look forward to. However, as it was the beginning of fall, the winter clothing collections were already being put in display. You see, I have a thing with thick long down coats, which this time of the year were appearing in stores. At least I could look at the displays as my girlfriend tries on top after top, asking for my opinion for each one, yet ignoring it every single time.
I was really surprised when upon entering the department store, Erin stopped in front of the coats section. She passed the more formal wool clothes, the fake fur coats, and ski jackets, going directly to display of long down coats.
I was ecstatic when I saw she was perusing the thicker long down coats. The type of coat that she would always, much to my chagrin,  refuse to get for herself, even for the most frigid days. They were not cute enough according to her.
One of the sales attendants approached us: "Erin, how are you? Great to see you. How can I help you today?" So Erin was such a regular that the sales attendant knew her on a first name basis... Not something that I would like to know about the girl I was soon  to propose.
"Hi Jackie, I'm looking for a long down coat. Something really warm for those cold windy days."
"Humm... Let me see."
I tried not to seem too eager as Jackie was shifting through the different coats.
"We have this maxi down puffy coat. It has a very elegant long length. It comes down just below your knees. Wear it with knee high boots and you'll be super cozy. It's very heavy weight, I would say it's the warmest coat we have in stock." It was truly something, long and thick, with a big hood. I tried to remain calm, but was already imagining Erin wearing such a nice thick coat.
"Humm, it does look nice and warm."
"Yes, the stretchy belt will show your silhouette. And the faux fur trim on the hood and the cuffs give it a very cozy feminine feeling." Jackie replied. The coat was definitely feminine. All of the hardware was gold toned, the zippers, the snaps, and also the metallic badge with the designers logo, sewn onto the upper sleeve. It also had epaulettes on the shoulders, giving it an air of military elegance.
"So what size do you need? Medium?"
"I think he's a large." What?
"Sure thing, I'll be right back."
I tried to mumble something, but didn't even know what to say.
"Don't give those eyes. I know what you like. I've seen you stare at the displays. I've seen you stare at women wearing coats like this. Plus you're always complaining how your legs get cold when waiting for the train or bus, and there are no long coats for men. I know you're too shy to get one yourself, but today I'm going to help you pick your long thick down coat."
Jacket arrived carrying the large brown feather and down garment. She opened the coat, and started sliding my arm into one of the sleeves. I immediately pulled away, mostly an involuntary reaction out of embarrassment.
Erin grabbed my arm and whispered into my ear.
"If you resist, you're going home alone. Understand?" Erin asked, with a dominant tone I had never heard in her voice. I nodded. Without releasing my arm, Erin proceeded to slip my other arm into the sleeve of the coat. Jackie took the zipper and closed it all the way up. The stand up collar was snug and cozy, reaching all the way to my chin. She fished closing the snaps on the placard covering the zipper, and buckling the belt. I was frozen. I could feel my face getting red. I wanted to run my hands over the thick quilting of the coat, but I restrained myself. The coat was form fitting, but my frame was slight enough that it wasn't too tight. Between my embarrassment and the heavy weight of the coat, I could tell it was extremely warm. Wearing a coat like this for the first time was quite an experience.
Erin asked me to turn around so that she could see how it fitted me.
"Just was I was looking for. But I'm sure you want to see for yourself." She grabbed my arm and dragged me in front of one of the mirrors. I kept my head down, trying to avoid eye contact with anybody saying.
"So what do you think?"
I looked in the mirror, but couldn't get my self to say anything. The coat was gorgeous, but the image looked bizarre to me.
"Come on, I'm pretty sure this is what you wanted. You can be more expressive. Now go ahead, run your hand and feel the material, feel how cozy and warm it is."
I tried to remain still, but the temptation soon became too much. It was warm and plush. A fantastic feeling, but still a mix of humiliation and excitement. I dared not look around, fearing people would be looking at me.
Erin came behind my back and put up my hood.
"Much better," she says. The hood was nice and thick, with the faux fur trim limiting my vision. I tried to move, feeling the weight of the huge coat, feeling the snugness of the down material against my arms. Feeling my legs trapped by the length of the coat.
Then Erin snapped her fingers in front of my face, and I came out of it.
"I guess that means a yes! I know you're enjoying the coat, but you'll have plenty of chances to wear it soon enough. Plus it's not cheap, so you better make good use of it. Let's go to the cashier." I took of the coat, which is not as simple given how long it was. I looked around and saw that nobody was staring, at least not currently. I wrapped the coat around my arm and headed to the checkout line. Walking out with coat neatly folded in a large shopping bag, I wondered if people knew what I had just bought. But more importantly, I wondered when Erin would have me wear it. I was sure this was only the beginning. But the beginning of what? But one thing was certain, I knew what Erin was getting for Christmas. After all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

A quick detour, and what this blog is about

What motivates me to write? I decided to start writing to keep a record of the things that interest me. Those things have changed through the ages, but the same themes keep recurring over and over.  Of course I also appreciate the opportunity of getting feedback regarding what I write.
So what interests me in general? For the most part I am attracted to confining clothing. Fashion that goes too far and restricts the wearer. Heavy coats that are cozy, but too tight, too heavy, or too voluminous. High heel boots that dictate the stance and stride of the wearer. Corsets, bustles, crinolines, heavy and cumbersome hats. A lot of these themes are particular to wintertime clothing, which tends to be more restrictive and onerous. But at the end, it's about the blurred line between fashion and bondage. And of course what motivates people into these kinds of fashion (willingly or unwillingly).
I'll keep posting as the inspiration surfaces, and hopefully some of you will enjoy some of my writings. I'll also try to find some more ways to advertise my stories and hopefully reach more people.

Deep freeze (part 7)

After an uncomfortable ride home in the tight and unforgiving straitsuit, I started to not fight the suit. There was nothing to gain, and I could do little more than squirm inside my tight bonds . Ela took me to my room, I was resigned to whatever fate may come my way. I imagined she would further tighten my already crushing sleeves. I even felt her grabbing the locked buckle that ensured my bondage, she was testing its tension. I just stood there, as still as possible. Suddenly I felt her lightly hugging me from behind.
"If you promise to behave, I'll let you change into your regular suit. I know you've been trough a lot. I still feel that your heavier suits do help to calm you down when you become agitated, but I really want you to feel as comfortable as possible. Tomorrow is the funeral, and if you promise to be good you won't be forced to wear the straitsuit." I nodded.
Getting released from the straitsuit was a great relief, but I knew that making the wrong move would soon get me locked in again.
"You can go to sleep wearing your inner suit. It will get cold tonight."
Funeral came and went like a whirlwind, for the most part I did not recognize the people that came to show their condolences, but it was nice to see my friends there. I assume most were dad's coworkers. 
Ela had me wear a new black winter outer suit that I didn't even know had been ordered for me. Despite its bulk, I was glad I was not locked in the straitsuit. I looked bad enough crying my eyes out. However, once we returned home, after the all of the fuzz had passed, it felt really quiet at home. I felt alone. I sat alone in my room. I called Jane, but really neither one of us had a lot to say. It was a short call. I called Leigh, and she was much more sympathetic, but couldn't bring up my spirits. Little by little I fell asleep. I had a restless asleep, waking up disoriented and crying. I started to panic. In no time at all Mary and Ela had me locked up in my straitsuit. Mary returned with my black cape, and started to put it around me, but Ela stopped her.
"She's had enough for one day. The straitsuit, as it is, should help her calm down."
I continued to cry, until I fell asleep again. When I woke up, and Ela was sitting in chair near my bed. I was dark, so I couldn't see well, but I imagined she was asleep. I was sweating, but otherwise not too uncomfortable. I shifted my weight around, as much as my down prison would permit, and quickly fell asleep again.
The next morning, Ela helped me out of my straitsuit, and into a regular suit. It was nice to be able to regain the use of my arms. I was served a light breakfast, and I realized I hadn't eaten since yesterday's breakfast before the funeral.
"My dear, I was so sorry we had to use the straitsuit last night, but we were afraid you would harm yourself. I'm here by your side, if you need to talk."
I wanted to talk, but didn't know what to say. I want to scream, but didn't have the strength. I wanted to kick off the cumbersome suit that was confining me, but I knew I would just end up in some thing worse. Without a word I went back to my room.  There lying in my room I caught a glance of a small booklet inside one of the massive garment bags that held my suits.

Ms. Brightwood's professional advice to guardians of young ladies regarding the proper application of the helpless suit regime.
The suit is designed to protect the trainee, whether a young girl or a proper lady. This protection is on a physical level, due to the materials that will shield the trainee from the harsh elements. However, the suit also has a powerful and vital mental element, which helps protect the trainee from unladylike behaviors, instilling a sense of modesty and submission  and preventing undue physical activity. In order to ensure proper protection, the suit must be applied appropriately, all day, every day.
The prospect of wearing a strict helpless suit year in and year out will seem daunting to most girls, no matter how well the benefits of the regime have been advocated. Therefore consistency is of outmost importance. Ideally the girl will be kept in a suit constantly , day and night, day in and day out. Undoubtedly, the young lady will find this restricting and irksome, and will try to rebel. Constant wear will allow the wearer to get used to the suit and in no time will be become resigned and stop rebelling. In order to allow proper constant wear, it's important ensure that the girl has the appropriate wardrobe of suits for the different situations she will encounter. As a minimum, this wardrobe must contain:
Two regular day suits, to be worn regularly during the temperate months of the year.
Two under suits. To be worn during winter under a winner over suit. During the cold nights of winter the under suits can be used during sleep.
One winter over suit, to be worn during colder days.
Two sleep suits, to be worn during sleep during the temperate months.
One correction suit, even for ladies exhibiting willingness to submit to the regime imposed on them.
One formal suit, for special occasions.
Additional suits are appropriate depending on the social commitments of the lady. All suits must be fabricated according to the regulations of the Ministry of Modesty. Trainees and their guardians risk penalties if a trainee is found by the Modesty Police without a Ministry approved suit. Similar penalties exist for cases in which the suit is not properly applied. Proper discipline is, therefore, a matter of law.
Guardians must ensure that the suit is properly applied at all time.  All zippers in modern suits are designed to automatically lock once they reach their fully engaged position, providing great convenience in enforcing the regime. Once locked, only the key holder can grant respite to the lady contained in the suit.
It must be insisted the hoods be worn whenever outside. Indoor hood wearing is left to the discretion of the guardians, as the added nuisance might encourage submissiveness, and prove to be beneficial in the discipline regime. The added heat and more limited sight will certainly help prevent any physical activity inappropriate for a lady.
Now let's examine the reactions of the young lady once first placed in a helpless suit. Once the suit has been properly applied, the trainee will be limited by the design and cut of the suit. All regulation helpless suits are cut close to the body, so that the lady can't move independently of her garment. The sleeves of the suit are cut so that arms can't be lifted above the shoulders. Therefore ladies need the help of their guardians of servants to reach high places. All suits have integrated gloves (or mittens in more severe cases). These gloves cannot be removed, and reduce the fine motor skills of the wearer, preventing activities unbecoming of the lady. Also, the skirt of all the suits is snug enough around the legs to prevent unladylike long steps. Some suits might provide a walking slit that can be unzipped (with the proper key) to ease the restriction. 
The suit has not only a physical effect on the trainee, but also a psychological one. Therefore there will be reaction to these effects. She will resent her loss of freedom. The fact that the garment she is wearing is out of her control will cause resentment in all but the submissive girls. The loss of control and having to rely on others for even basic activities will have an unsettling effect on the trainee. The fact that here she can't remove her garments on her own whim, will intensify some of her negative feelings. Her boots will seem tighter, her heels more  pronounced, her arms more encumbered, and her apron more binding. She will sometimes feel the suit to be unbearable, despite fitting perfectly to her measurements. Even the most disciplined trainee will hold some level of resentment to the restrictions imposed by the suit.
Ladies subjected to a suit wearing regime might at times become restless in their suits and the accompanying restrictions of dressing like a lady, and plead, sometimes in cunning ways, for some respite from the suit. Guardians must refuse any such requests, and remember that the best way quell this restlessness is to adhere to the daily routine already established. The suit itself will soon instill a sense a submission, after which the lady will accept her fate, and any rebellious outbursts will cease. Soon after, the lady will become dependent on her suit, and feel incomplete without a well fitting suit. At that point the lady will eagerly request to be locked onto her suit, willing to submit to the inhering restrictions, in order to feel properly attired. The suit will become an irksome and restrictive necessity. Even after the urge to gain a little release by undoing a snap or lowering a zipper has subsided, it is imperative to still maintain the regime of locking all zippers and other fasteners.
In practical terms, the suit should always be completely closed, using the provided zippers.
While suits daily suits are designed to be as to not cause undue discomfort while  accomplishing the desired effects, the same cannot be said about correction garments. Correction garments are created with the purpose of preventing unladylike behavior. This can be achieved can be achieved in two main ways:
By actually imposing the garment when an offense has occurred, therefore deterring future occurrences.
By instilling the fear of a possible punishment, therefore preventing offenses.
It's vital to keep a clean separation between daily wear and correction garments. The correction garment should never be imposed without a clear violation, and as such any transgressions should be duly followed by the corresponding correction. The proper and strict application of correction garments, with all the burden it imposes on wearer, will be enough to subdue even the most headstrong trainee. The initial fear of having a correction garment fitted will undoubtedly lead to fits of hysteria and crying. The lady under correction will plead to correct any undue behavior in order to secure quicker release. This must be avoided in all circumstances. All corrections, regardless of how harsh, must be carried out to terms. Guardians must remember that while the lady in the correction suit might not be entirely comfortable, she is not in any sort of agonizing pain.  
For more information see the brochure "Ms Brightwood's complete line of corrective apparel for young ladies".

This regime is a privilege, afforded to only a select number of girls, and the subject must be taught to appreciate and embrace this practice. It must be emphasized that the slight discomfort endured while wearing a suit better prepares the lady for her duties in society, and will get her in short notice the proper respect for the authorities in her life. The final result will be a charming, disciplined, compliant, and demure lady that will be a credit to her guardian.

Deep freeze (part 6)

... part 5
After waiting half an hour or more in the lobby of the shop, Ms. Brightwood finally emerged from the back office and excused herself
"Ashley, I'm so sorry. My most sincere condolences. I'm so sorry for the delay, we have been rushing as much as possible" She hugged me, and while I didn't doubt her sincerity, the whole scene felt unsettling. Mary helped me stand, as I was still encumbered by the heavy winter suit and the suffocatingly tight cape, plus I was also feeling a bit sore from having spent the night restrained in the heavy winter suit and the tight cape.
I was led into one of the back fitting rooms and my cape and winter suit removed. I was left wearing only my inner suit. I thought it was weird how good it felt to be only wearing my inner suit, even thought it covered me from head to toe. Would I ever get used to the sweltering encumbrance of my suits? Any way, I knew my respite would last very little. A big black mess was brought out by one of the attendants. I watched as the garment was untangled in front of me. I imagined what it was, but I was still in denial. Once the abomination was wide open I was forced inside its confines. First my feet were placed in the integrated boots, which felt similar to my winter suit. My arms were slid inside the sleeves, and they quickly began pulling the suit over my shoulders. My arms, encased in the relatively thin inner suit, slid easily into the thick suit, however a quirky feeling that the sleeves were too long confirmed my dreadful suspicion. I felt as if the sleeves went on and on forever. No mitten or any indication that these were the sleeves of a regular suit. Instinctively I started to try to grab through the thick material. A desperate and useless reflex to try to regain some of the mobility I felt was slipping away from me as they started to close the suit around me. I looked down and the straps dangling from the super long sleeves made it evident. they were locking me up in a straitsuit! The sleeves were not only thickly padded, but much stiffer than my regular winter suit. Even though it looked similar, this suit was built significantly different than the winter suit I had been wearing when I came in. It seemed to have an extra inner layer that made it stiffer. I could barely flex my fingers, and couldn't grab anything. Even if the zipper in my suit didn't lock, I was sure I would be unable to undo it by myself. The suit felt more constrained, leaving me no wiggle room inside to try to pull out my arms.
They began to cross my arms over my chest, just below my budding breasts. I saw that one of the straps had a complicated buckle, the other was a simple strap with metal eyelets. The straps where threaded through loops of fabric at the sides of my suit. Then I felt how the two straps were joined behind my back. I could instantly feel how constraining the suit was. I couldn't even struggle by moving my arms up and down due to side loops. And they hadn't even tightened the straps.
I just stood there, feeling defeated, even though I didn't have the strength to resist as they were locking me in. This was far from a regular article of clothing that you wear. The straitsuit is something you are put into and trapped inside.
"This is going to feel a bit tight." The assistant whispered in my ear, and I began to shiver in fear. The assistant pushed my elbows together, as Ms. Brightwood pulled the slack on the straps. My arms felt crushed against my chest. They waited until I exhaled, and pulled again.
"We're almost there." I began to cry.
They waited until I exhaled again, and pulled again and took the last bit of slack from my arms.
How much tighter could they make it?
"This should do for know," Ms. Brightwood declared, and I felt a faint relief. But it was tight. I heard a strong click. I was locked in, with no hope of release except by the key holder.
"Let her recover a bit, I'll look over her." The assistant exited the room and I was left with Ms. Brightwood. I was a mess. Crying behind my inner suit. My sobbing muffled by layer after layer. My arms pinned behind my back. Then Ms. Brightwood started talking...

"Try not to fight the straitsuit. This suit not
only binds your body, but also your mind. The sooner you realize the limits of your bonds the sooner you'll start to relax. It will be much better after that. The less you struggle, the less confining it will feel."
I was just numb, standing in place without being able to move. My arms were held immobile in their puffy but tight sleeves. It felt cozy but claustrophobic at the same time.
"It pains to see you like this. You might think I'm a hypocrite, but believe it or not, working allows me a certain amount of freedom I wouldn't have otherwise. Ever since the ministry got involved in my business, the buyout we received was significant enough that we wouldn't have to worry about money. However I was still able to keep my position here. My husband was always kind of a dead beat, so he didn't mind the extra income I was bringing in. However he did take advantage of the guardianship law, and applied based on the fact that I already owned several suits. So it went through and he received the guardianship. That means I'm basically at his mercy. It might seem hypocritical, that I'm here complaining while at the same time creating restrictive suits for young ladies like you. But if I didn't some one else would. And I would spend most of my time in worst restraint than you can imagine. I already do so during the nights and weekends. My husband will lock me up in a winter suit like yours, then add a full length cape, even thicker than a winter suit. My cape has internal sleeves that lock my arms to my sides. By this stage I'm basically completely immobile. However, more often than not, he will also impose on me my mantle. Oh, how I regret that time when I designed and had that infernal garment made. And I did so out of my own will, way before the guardianship was awarded. Back then I still enjoyed the feeling, and always a wanton for extremes, thought that it might be something fun, something to play in. Something to relax in, during cold winter days. That was before the control was taken away from. Then I ended up in the same position as any girl, forced into the regime against their will. Ohhh the irony. Now a days I'm mostly resigned, and use my job to have a little bit of freedom, even if I work weaving the strings of my own misery. My husband says he has a couple of new ideas he wants me to design. I shiver just thinking how much more restriction I will be forced to endure. "
Ms. Brightwood put my hood up, which fortunately yielded no surprises, it was just as thick and burdensome as the one in my winter suit. She held me by the arm and led me outside where Ela and Mary where waiting for me. They already had large bag, which I preferred not to ask what it contained.
"She's ready to go. She's still getting used to it, but after a few hours the arm strap can be further tightened. Just make sure it's not too tight. If her arms are held fast around her torso and she can't wiggle her arms around, then the suit is properly adjusted."
Ela stepped up and examined my suit, front and back. She tugged at the strap, and tried to wiggle my arms. Ela seemed satisfied by my immobilization. She opened the bad that was resting by Mary's feet and removed a black cape.
"We also decided that you should have your own cape, so that Mary can have hers back."
Ela wrapped the cape around me, and put up both of my hoods. I can't say I felt more restricted, since the straitsuit didn't leave much room, but it was heavy, and I'm sure it would get hot. I felt like resting on a soft mattress, and being covered with soft pillows... and having an elephant sleeping on top of the pillows.
Ela grabbed my arm and led me towards the door.
"By the way, remember that her kick pleat is completely open. If fully closed, she won't be able to walk at all."
Then I knew how things could get worse.

Deep freeze (part 5)

The news came as a shock, even today I have trouble believing it happened to me. I was home one afternoon talking on the phone with Leigh (gossiping basically) when Ela came into my room and with a stern voice asked me to finish the call and sit down. I quickly hung up and sat down, from that moment on I knew the news were not good. A well dress man I had never seen came in the room.
He looked at me and slowly spoke. "Miss, I'm so sorry to inform you about the tragic..." I do not remember much more after. I fainted, and when I woke up I was lying on my bed. Ela was sitting by side. Father had been killed in a protest that had turned violent in one of his business trips to Africa. It wasn't unheard of, but it was something I never though would hit this close to my sheltered reality.
Ela started softly caressing my head. She started to say something to try comfort me, but I could only cry. I was despondent, and my sadness turned to hysterics. I don't remember exactly what happened next, but I do know I lost control and began wailing around. Ela tried to control me, but unable to control me, she summoned someone that had been waiting outside my room.  Between Ela and this young girl I had never seen, they were able to subdue me in my wild behavior, and wrapped me in the thick comforter of my bed to bring me under control. While Ela held me down, the new girl went out of the room, and came back with some large bundles, which I could not distinguish from where I was lying in my bed.
"Ashley, I can't even begin to understand the pain you're going through, but you need to calm down." As she kept talking and trying to soothe me, my crying subsided into a sob. They began to unwrap the thick down comforter from around me, and I began to feel a bit better. But in an instant I saw Ela and her helper girl spring to my side and in a flash grab me arms.
"This is for your own good," Ela said.
They quickly unlocked my brown day suit and expertly peeled it off me.
"Please cooperate, it'll be easier for all of us."
They extended the dreaded inner suit and slipped me into it without even lifting me from my bed. I started to panic and cry in hysteria as my face was stuffed inside the full face hood and the zipper was locked in the back.
The thick winter suit was next, and in no time I was locked tight inside. I could hardly move, but I tried to protest anyhow. Ela just pushed me hard into the bed, as the other girl wrapped something brown around my body. I felt a zipper close, and soon my arms were pinned to my side, and legs were tangled together under so many layers of thick padding. Yet another hood was placed over my head. This brought the hood of my winter suit even lower. I could bare see out of my hoods.
"Mary was kind enough to lend us this cape. It's a bit small for you but it will do for now. Now my dear, I need you to calm down." Ela left the room and came back with a cup of water.
"Drink a bit, tomorrow you will feel better. You need to rest, but I'll be your side."
I drank some of the water and tried to calm down. There was no point in fighting my confining clothing, it was too much and too tight. I wanted to claw and crawl my way out of my restraints, yet knowing that it was impossible brought me a bit of calm. Ela took the comforter and tucked me. I could hardly move without the comforter, but Ela was always thorough. She took a scarf and wrapped it around my faces, blinding me. In this state I sleep a bit, waking up crying several times. Every time Ela would start caressing me through the many layers I was wrapped in, until I fell sleep again. I can't say I slept comfortable trussed up as I was, but at least I slept.
The next morning things were a bit less foggy, but I was still in shock. The man who had visited us was one of father's managers. As a employee, father had a very significant life insurance policy, but since he died in the job I would be entitled to a partial pension. They will also take care of repatriating the body, as well as the funeral arrangements. As Ela was my guardian, she would handle most of the remaining issues, and would remain my guardian, paid by a trust set up by father's estate. Given the new situation, Ela had hired a new girl, Mary, to help her around the house and with me. Several men passed by the house the next day. There were lots of little details, most of which were handled by others, as I was still bound by the Guardianship Law. I just sat there, still crying, still in my winter suit. At one point I started to have another panic attack, so Ela instructed Mary to take back to my room. In my room Mary took the down cape and fastened it around me. It was hot and tight, but I knew there was no point in resisting. She left me alone to calm to down a bit.
Ela and Mary came into my room and without saying a word led me out to a waiting taxi. I had lost track of time, but it was already dark. I can't say I was surprised when we arrived at Ms. Brightwood's shop. An attendant welcomed and let us into the deserted showroom. She politely expressed her condolences and then disappeared out the back. I just waited in silence trying to control my sobbing, held mostly immobile under the tight undersuit, the super thick winter suit, and the too tight cape. I was sweating sealed in my sweltering clothing, but I knew that struggling would just make me hotter and more uncomfortable.  I preferred not to ask why we were there, but it did surprise me that it took a long time for Ms. Brightwood to see us.
... part 6

Deep freeze (part 4)

...part 3
My first winter suit left me terrified when I laid eyes on it for the first time. Ela took me  to the shops without telling me why, which increased my suspicion. By the time we got to the shop, suspicion was turning into dread. I was welcomed by Ms. Brightwood. She preferred fitting girls that were getting their first full winter suit. I had seen a few ladies on the streets wearing winter suits, but until now I never fully understood what that entailed.
The suit was composed of two parts. The first part was the inner suit, which functions as underwear. It was very plain, just plain nylon, covering from head to toe, including attached gloves and soft booties. It had a full face hood, having only two small slits for the eyes, two tiny holes for breathing, and a small round hole at the mouth, big enough to fit a straw but not much else. It had a rear entry zipper going from the crown of the head to the waist. Another zipper went around the crotch area. This zipper allowed the girl trapped inside to do her bodily functions without being released from her down prison. Both zippers locked in the back, using different keys. I was told to undress completely, even removing my bra and underwear, the inner suit is worn directly next to the skin. Ms. Brightwood started putting the horrible garment on me, first the legs, then the arms. By the time Ms. Brightwood started pushing my head into the full face hood, tears were running down my cheeks.
Ms. Brightwood tried to calm me. "My dear, try to calm down, it might not be pleasant in the beginning, but you will get used to it in time. We all do. Believe me, Ashley, I've worn one and it's not as bad as it seems."
I could only reply with my now muffled sobs. I looked at my self in the mirror, and I could hardly think that alien figure was me. I had been reduced to a shadow, encased in thick featureless down.
My vision was severely limited by the thin slits present in the mask. My hearing was limited. I could not touch or be touched. I could see the world through the eye slits, but I was in a different place, my own portable prison from which there is no way for me to escape. The inner suit was very snug, I could feel elastic around my chest, holding tight the integrated foam bra cups sewn into the suit.
"Do you want me to let you settle into your inner suit first? Or do you want to try your outer suit right now?"
The outer suit looked similar to my first regular suit, however in a dark brown color that Ela had chosen. However, as I expected, it was thicker, heavier, more intimidating. Was I going to be locked inside that? We'll, the answer was obvious. This is what I had "wanted", before I really knew what it was and how things would unravel.
It was obvious that Ms Brightwood was struggling to remove the suit from its bag. It was that heavy. Once the front zipper was opened, Ms Brightwood signaled me to come forward. She started easing my left foot into the outer suit, all the way into the integrated boot. The outer fabric of my under suit slid easily against the smooth lining of the outer suit. The integrated boots were significantly larger than the ones in my other suits, to account for the extra padding of the under suit's booties as opposed to bare skin. Walking in the suit proved to be quite challenging, due the increased width and weight of my new boots. Also, because of the thickness of the two suits, flexing my ankles and knees was harder, making me walk stiffly. I felt as if my feet were encased in concrete blocks! The apron of the suit was much longer than in my other suits reaching all the way down to my ankles. It also felt tighter, but that could have been just caused by the bulk of the three layers, the under suit, the pants off the outer suit, and the apron. At this point I was just glad that Ms. Brightwood left my kick pleat unzipped.
The outer suit was made of three layers. The outer layer is made of rough nylon material, water and wind proof, quilted with a thin layer of insulation. They innermost layer is made of soft silky material, also quilted with a thin layer of cotton batting. The purpose of the quilting of the outer and inner layers is not to provide warmth to the wearer, but rather to protect the middle layer, which is composed of very thick chambers of fabric filled with down. Instead of gloves, the outer suit had attached mittens. A heavy duty zipper at the cuff secured the sleeve of the suit, and ensured that I wouldn't be able to pull out my hands. Not that there was any wiggle room inside the suit, it was a snug fit. Between the gloves of my under suit and the outer mittens, my hands were mostly useless. But a true lady is expected to be helpless, so I shouldn't have been surprised.
Once the suit was fully zipped up around me, the feeling was overwhelming. I felt like I was in my own little world, behind a soft but thick wall. When I had seen ladies on the street wearing suits similar to the one I had on, I had thought that they were only using it to brave the extreme cold outside, but now I realized these suits were meant for long term wear. My mobility was severely limited. I could walk, but barely. The boots were so big, each step took a lot of concentration to lift up each boot and move it without hitting the opposite boot. The thickness of the layers also made the suit very confining, the inside soft, yet suffocatingly tight. The sleeves were stiff, and  I could barely move my arms. The fact that it was locked and I had no access to the key  made it feel worse. But thinking it through, even if I had the key, I doubt I would be able to manipulate it with my hands bound inside thick gloves AND mittens. And it was hot! I had just been trapped in the thing for a few minutes and could already feel the heat building in. And completely sealed in the suit except for five tiny holes in the full face hood, the heat had no where to go.
The extra thick hood had two flaps attached, that closed over my face. Once closed the flaps completely covered my mouth, and the hood was pulled down right to my eye brows, barely leaving my nose and eyes free. Of course my whole face was covered by the under suit. The hood itself was thicker than my other suits, probably a good two inches, leaving me with only a tunnel vision. Once the hood was in place, Ela fastened the three heavy duty snaps that held the hood in place. They were solidly locked in place. No respite for me without the key. A key I had never even seen, and surely was tucked away from my reach.
After we left, Ela decided it was a good time to go for a walk for me to get used to my suit. Window shopping, she said. However with my complete lack of peripheral vision I was barely able to see forward to not trip or run into something. With every step my discomfort grew. The weather was chilly out side, but I was still way over dressed and the heat was building up inside my suit. The stiffness of the boots made every step a monumental feat. The weight of my ensemble, coupled with the extra effort needed to move my arms, had my shoulders very sore. After twenty minutes we had just advanced three blocks, I was holding back my tears, sweltering under layers of thick down. Ela had a wide smile. She was enjoying this a lot more that I was.
It took us a good hour to get home. When I got home I was exhausted. Wearing the suit was oppressing, it was hot, tight, bulky, and stiff. I was relieved and surprised that Ela unlocked me shortly after reaching home, and allowed me to change into one of my regular suits. It was surprising how one of my regular suits now felt liberating compared to the winter suit. She took the suit away and I did not see it again for a few days. However, there was a question I couldn't get out of my mind: how much worse can this get?

Deep freeze (part 3)

... part 2
It was late October when Ministry of Modesty was able to pass the Guardianship Law. Most people had expected the law to pass due to the pressure of Prime Minister Lloyd. Even the Prime Minister's wife, Lady Lloyd was very active as a spokeswoman for the law. The law was stalled in Parliament by a few liberals, until a compromise was reached, scaling the reach of the law and to whom it applied. While originally expected to cover every non working woman, it was scaled down. It covered girls between 18 and 20 years of age, married or unmarried. It also covered any lady that on their own chooses to be bound by the Guardianship Law. Or at least any lady that had a guardian that could meet the economic requirements set forth in the law. Any lady covered by the lady became the ward of her guardian, with oversight from the Ministry. Such a lady also became  entitled to special protection by the government, effectively codified a higher class. Severe restrictions were placed upon ladies, including the need of constant supervision by her guardian, her guardian's help, or authorized government personnel from the Ministry. The lady was not allowed to work, or study further than secondary. Ladies are prohibited from having contact with unauthorized men. Most relevant to the Ministry of Modesty, all ladies under the law were required to wear appropriate helpless suits, when outside, as a security matter. The imposition of the suit indoors was left to the discretion of the guardian. The law was praised by some circles, as a way to protect vulnerable women in a new harsh environment. To its critics it was a way to  objectify women note that most manual labor had been automated. Proponents of the law saw that as a positive. When Lady Lloyd went on national TV to announce the law, I was impressed by her, she was so elegant, so eloquent. She had become the poster girl of the law. She was widely admired, and was thought to have significant influence in the Ministry. I still remember seeing her in that TV appearance, she looked so elegant in a very expensive looking suit. It was dark green, with a large white decoration on her right side, in the silhouette of a flower. It had integrated black leather gloves and boots. And her boots had very tall spike heels. Probably not very useful for walking in the snow, but perfect for a public appearance.
At my school, as expected in a somewhat high class private school for girls, it didn't take long for all the girls in my class to start complying with the law a wearing a suit. Soon the very loose dress code of the school turned into a uniform, at least for the girls in the oldest class. However, the extra work of helping girls wearing a suit quickly overwhelmed the current staff, and soon my class was packed by governesses that had been called in to help. They would escort the girls to special restrooms. They unlock the girls' suits at meal times if they are wearing suits that cover their mouths. They also help enforce the dress code and made sure no girl would tamper with her suit. All of these were clearly identified by the typical clothing worn by helpers, mainly long sleeved gray wool dresses. However, many were surprised to see Principal Behar arrive wearing a helpless suit the Monday after the approval of the law. She arrived together with two other ladies, also dressed in severe suits. Gossip on the hallways said that the two visitors were inspectors from the Ministry.
Most of the girls accepted the changes, although few were enthusiastic. Even Jane was hesitant. She had originally enjoyed the exclusivity if wearing a suit, but over night a horde of girls began wearing suits.
Others were not happy with the changes, but had no option other than submitting. Day by day I could see Leigh becoming more and more submissive. While at first I could see her trying to fight her suit, she was starting to accept the permanence of her situation, reinforced by the multitude of staff and helpers tending to her new status. That and the new law.
And what about me? My life didn't change significantly with the law, although I knew I was bound by it. Ela has been eager about the "suggestions" given by the Ministry of Modesty, but for the most part she had already imposed all them, with father's blessing, of course. I'm sure he was compensating for being away for so long, and wanted me to be "secure". I was dressed in helpless suit all day, everyday, no exceptions. During the week Ela would make me wear one my regular suits. However, during the weekends Ela would sometimes dress me with my white suit, since she said having my mouth covered forced me to cut down on unnecessary chatter, and help me concentrate on my school work. While lounging at home, Ela would normally close and lock the zipper of the kick pleat at the back of the apron, limiting the length of my stride to almost nothing. This was to teach me patience. A lady was not supposed to do anything, a lady was just supposed to "be", Ela would say to me. I was sure she liked it because it made me easier to control. Was I comfortable? Not at all, the suit feel incredibly restrictive when fully done, but I learned that the less I tried to move, the less I would be inconvenienced by the suit. Other times, especially on days that we went out of the house, she would dress me in my baby pink suit with the pompoms. While less restricting than my white suit, she knew the suit made me self conscious, but I would even venture to say she enjoyed seeing me like that. By this time I had already gotten used to the limitations of my suits, the limited mobility, the heat, and the bulk. Seeing all of the girls in my social circle in the same situation made it easier to bear.
As the weeks passed and the weather turned dead cold some of the girls began wearing an overcoat on top of their suits, however on the street I began seeing a trend in the suits worn by the ladies that I hadn't seen before. Or maybe I had seen it before, but did not pay close attention to it before I started wearing suits of my own. However it did bring me a feeling of anxiety and foreboding.
... part 4

Deep freeze (part 2)

... part 1

During the walk home I felt like a real lady, dressed to the nines and being eyed by strangers in the street. It wasn't cold outside, but it was still nice to feel all toasty inside my suit. With the integrated boots and gloves there was no place for a cold draft to get in. However, by the time I got home, comfortably warm had turned into stuffy. I was glad when Ela unlocked my suit and allowed me put on my regular clothes. Ela cleaned the suit, and hanged it next to my desk.
The next day, a Friday, I was so proud of wearing my new helpless suit to school. As the first girl in my class wearing a suit, I was happy with the attention I was getting, feeling like a lady, and even getting a special treatment from the school staff. Some of my friends were very we enthusiastic, and maybe even a bit jealous. Other girls, the more independent ones looked at me with almost a hint of contempt. There was certainly a stigma attached to wearing a suit. By some it was considered lady like and glamorous, by others it was considered subservient and elitist. Of my two closest friends Jane was very enthusiastic, and would ask me questions and keenly examine my suit up close. Jane couldn't wait to get her own, and as she told us, had been pestering her father for one. On the other hand Leigh started treating me with contempt as soon she saw me with my suit. She claimed we were going back hundreds of years, when men would control women's lives by any means possible, including the way they dressed.


Father was now more and more absent, traveling to Africa on business for long stretches of time. During the first trip father was away for more than a week, Ela encouraged me to wear the suit for the whole school week, from Monday to Friday. I was really proud of dressing like a lady, but it was beginning to feel more and more stifling every day. The lack of touch, the fact that the sleeves were set just so that raising my arms above my shoulders wasn't possible. Even the heels, which I loved wearing in the beginning, and are actually quite low by any standard, were beginning to tire my feet by the end of the week. It was one thing to wear heels for a night out, another to wear them daily and have your feet all day in the same immobile position, even if the boots were thickly padded. By Saturday I was glad to go back to my jeans, a sweater, and a thin indoor jacket. Father returned home on Tuesday night, and I wasted no time on talking to him on my displeasure of being forced by Ela to wear the suit all school week. He promised to talk to her. Imagine my surprise when on Wednesday morning I was approached by Ela carrying the suit. However, even before I could begin to protest, she explained, "your father spoke to me regarding your hesitation about wearing the suit. I explained to him that this is something temporary, and is greatly outweighed by the benefits of you wearing it, specially now that he is away from you as much. He feels it's safer if you wear it, and so do I. We did agree however that just one suit is not enough, so this afternoon after school we're going to go and get you fitted for two more suits. Now hurry up, we have to get you ready for school."
I came out of my room wearing the suit, defeat showing in my face. Father barely looked up from his news paper, "have a nice day at school, Ashley. Good luck at your fitting. Pick something pretty." I did not bother to respond, and just buried my face in the thick collar and hood.
That after noon, the fitting at Ms. Brightwood's started as I would have expected. Ela unlocked my suit and Jessica, one of Ms. Brightwood's assistant took me to the back to measure me. However, when  I came out of the fitting room, it was obviuos that things were different than the first time I had been at Ms. Brightwood's.
"Thanks,. Ms. Brightwood, we will stop by friday to pick up the suits. We appreciate your willingness to rush our order." Ela was basically done. So much for me picking something "pretty".


"So, what did 'I' pick? Mind telling me?"
"Ohh dear, don't make such a fuss, Ashley. Your father gave me free reign to pick what I deemed appropriate for your protection. You better behave, or we'll have to work on that attitude."


By friday my new suits were ready, and we went to pick them up.
The first suit, was basically a copy of my first suit, just in a dark brown color as opposed to black. The second suit that was brought out was a soft baby pink. I was appalled since it looked like it was for a little girl, it had fur trim around the hood, sleeves, and the top of the attached boots. It also had two big fur pompoms hanging from the hood. Ela was quite excited about the suit, "you'll look so cute wearing this one! It'll be perfect for your weekends." Jessica, the assistant helped me try on both suits, but then replaced them in their garment bags.
I was a bit surprised when a third suit was brought out. This last suit they brought out on was white, with gold toned hardware. As opposed to the other two suits, Ms. Brightwood herself fitted me. It had more zippers than my first suit. It had zippers on the sleeves, which Ms. Brightwood closed after pushing my hands into the gloves. With the zippers closed, the suit was snug on my wrists and forearms, and I would be unable to pull my hands out of the gloves. Another zipper allowed closing the kick pleat on the back of the apron of the suit. Ms. Brightwood dully noted that these zippers were locking, no surprises there... The suits had a zipper that reached much higher, just short of my nose. A side effect of this is that to fully zip the suit, I had to have the thick hood pulled up, as it was a snug fit. Once zipped up, only my eyes and nose were exposed. The thick hood severely limited my vision, and made it impossible to look to my side without turning my body. If tried to turn only my head, my face just got buried into thick padding of the hood. I had seen ladies wearing suits like this on the street, but I always thought they only wore it outside when cold. I was realizing that wearing a suit full time could prove to be quite irksome and stifling. I was finally dressed back in my regular black suit for our walk home. The suits were so bulky that would be delivered home.
During the weekend Ela "encouraged" me to wear the white suit. This included wearing the hood permanently, as it was the only way it could be worn to close the main zipper. I spent the whole weekend, suffocated by the collar of my suit. For the most part it was bearable, and I spent my weekend doing my usual activities, working on school tasks, texting with my friends and watching TV. While very irksome, I was finally getting used to wearing a suit! The biggest hassle was during meal times, as Ela had to unlock the suit to enable me to eat. Despite this she insisted it was good for me to get used to it.
I was actually glad once Monday came around and I was dressed again in my "regular" suits.
At school I was surprised to see Leigh wearing a suit. She did not seem very happy but for the most part stayed away from me. She mentioned that her father had ordered the suits a week, but she was dreading getting them. Once they finally arrived on Saturday she threw a tantrum, but ended being disciplined and wearing a suit throughout the weekend. She said her father had ordered three suits, and due to her tantrum, decided that she would start wearing a suit full time, without any time getting used to them.  Jane started paying more attention to Leigh, showing an almost fascination with her suit. Jane would "hug" Leigh, but it was mostly an excuse to run her hands up and down Leigh's suit. Jane was, in a somewhat perverse way, enjoying Leigh's predicament. I was also intrigued by the novelty. Her suit was similar to mine, in a dark green. However, the outer fabric of her suit seemed thicker, rougher. It also had thicker fur around the hood and the sleeves. Ever since I had started wearing suits, I started paying closer attention to the ladies wearing them, and two the suits themselves. Leigh's suit looked warmer than my suits, and it clearly looked like she hadn't gotten used to being locked in her suit. She looked distressed, pulling and tugging, trying to adjust her suit. I did not envy her.
The same week that Leigh got her suit, Jane announced proudly that her suits had been ordered, she was glowing with happiness and would talk nothing else. Next Monday Jane made her big appearance, wearing a very elegant suit in a deep burgundy color, with the integrated gloves and boots in black. It had gold colored zippers, including in the sleeves and in the kick pleat of the apron. She looked taller, and confessed that she had begged her father to allow her to get 3.5 inch heels. She said that she was still getting used to the high heels, and that here feet were sore, but it made her look more elegant. I felt a bit of jealousy, and asked her where she had ordered the suit from. She told me that it was from Ms. Brightwood's store, so I thought that such a color would be nice for a suit of my own.
Weeks passed and more girls in my class started wearing suits. This shouldn't have come as surprise, since it was an all female private school, and the practice was becoming more and more accepted in those social circles. However, no one seemed as excited about stepping into ladyhood as Jane. You could see it in her face how she enjoyed cuddling her face in the thick collar and hood of her suit. She was constantly smoothing the fabric of her suit. I don't know how much she was "feeling" given that her hands were completely covered in thick gloves, but she definitely enjoying it. Needless to say she was wearing one of her suits every day. So all three of us, Jane, Leigh, and myself entered the world of ladyhood, albeit with very different levels of enthusiasm.

... part 3

Deep freeze (part 1)

Prologue 

The global cooling scare had mostly died off. No catastrophic ice age wiped human civilization, even if the average temperatures had plunged by around 30 degrees Fahrenheit .  But the effects on society were to remain. The lowered temperatures had caused a flood of refugees from northern and southern areas to the more temperate equatorial areas. These countries, already dealing with their own internal problems due to lack of infrastructure to deal with the climate change, were overwhelmed with the shift in migration patterns. Millions of northern Europeans were crossing the Mediterranean to reach northern Africa. Similar patterns were seen elsewhere. In the Americas, coyotes were now trafficking into Mexico. The waves of refugees led to a mushrooming of shanty towns around the larger equatorial urban areas, leading to social unrest and ultra nationalist calls. Mexico City was the first to impose martial law to control the migrant population of American and Canadian citizens, heightening tensions with U.S., and leading to military clashes in what was dubbed Rio Grande War. Yet the economic decline in both countries prevented a full blown war.
In Europe things were no better. Russia and the Scandinavian countries became barren wastelands, inhabited by a few survivalists. North African countries declared a non incursion zone around the coast of Africa, which soon led to skirmishes for control of the Mediterranean. Meanwhile refugee camps grew along the southern coasts of Spain, France, Italy and the Balkans.
Other areas fared better in the midst of crisis. England saw a significant population decrease, but was able to retain its industrial output, and was even able to increase it through the use of automated robots and computer systems. Coupled with the protection provided by its island geography (and it's sizable Royal Navy), the United Kingdom became one of the leading powers in the new convoluted world. London was the hub of this British Renascence, a city were a select elite (and their servants) lived a life of privileged calm under strict security. And it's in this metropolis where our story begins.

Part one

Today was the day I was getting my first helpless suit, a special day for any girl, as it signaled the blooming of a lady. I was excited to say the least. The suits were made just like all encompassing puffer coats. Quilted in small sections, each section filled with down. The suits were designed to keep the wearer warm, and were worn exclusively by women, since it was widely believed that females were more susceptible to the colder temperatures. While early on during the scare some suits were also quilted with synthetic fibers, now a days only natural down was used. Getting into a suit was a fairly easy affair. Getting out, not so much.

I walked into Ms. Brightwood's stored with Ela, my governess. Ever since mother passed away, father insisted that she accompany me to all such endeavors, for me to have some female influence. We were greeted by Ms. Brightwood herself, as she always liked to take care of first time customers. She was a very elegant lady, dressed herself in a brown helpless suit. She led me to the back fitting room, where my suit was already hanging, still covered by a garment bag. One of Ms. Brightwood's assistants entered the fitting room, she was dressed in a typical servant uniform dress, similar to Ela's, a long plain woolen dress in dark gray, with a high neck and long sleeves. The assistant stripped me down to my under wear, and took away my regular clothes. It was early fall, so I was just wearing jeans, a thin turtleneck sweater, and light down jacket.
The suit was in black, very classic, with gold toned hardware. In a single piece it combined a long hooded coat, reaching below the knees, with quilted pants. I had seen plenty of ladies in the street wearing similar suits, however, looking at "my" first suit, it looked thicker, heavier, a bit intimidating. As usual with all suits, integrated boots and gloves completed the suit. The integrated boots were done in same quilted material, and sported a small yet smart wedge heel, 2.5 inches. The insides of the shoe portion were thickly padded, both the sole and the inside of the vamp. All suits had what was called an apron, the long part of the integrated coat, hanging below the waist and reaching below the knees. The apron was fully fully closed with the front zipper, but had a kick pleat on the back to allow walking. Elastic sections around the waist and a belt gave the otherwise puffy garment a feminine shape. Of course the belt had another purpose.
As I was helped into the suit I could feel the smooth lining caressing my skin. The quality of the luxurious workmanship was evident, the fit was surprisingly comfortable and flattering. It was like a soft and warm hug. My feet felt warm and cuddled inside of the thickly padded boots. No more cold feet for me! Ms. Brightwood started zipping up my suit and snapping the flap into place, my hands were pushed into the integrated gloves. Finally, the thick puffy neck of the suit closed, with a muted but ominous click.
"There you are, you look like a real lady. All locked up and ready to go. I'll give the keys to your governess," said Ms. Brightwood. "...Hold on... I almost forgot to do up your belt. You have such a nice waist you almost don't need the belt... But I can't let you go around all loose, can I?" A quick tug of the belt and another click and I was really in my first suit. The belt did give the suit a nice silhouette, but it felt a bit overkill. The belt itself was at least there inches wide and the buckle was quite heavy. The belt was wrapped in scrunched fabric, like belts of some regular coats. However, unlike those belts, this one had no elasticity whatsoever. And while it wasn't tight, I couldn't but feel it was a bit too snug.
Ms. Brightwood led me outside, where Ela was waiting.
"You look great my dear. Ms. Brightwood, would you mind putting up her hood?" Ela ask after seeing me emerge from the fitting room in my suit.
"It's a bit warm today..."
"I just think she should start getting used to it..."

... part 2

Going for a walk (part 5)

... part 4

I was so anxious about catching the train that I had forgotten about my poor feet, but after a couple of blocks the pain came back with a vengeance. My discomfort increased with every step. I tried to lower the collar of my suit to allow me to breath a bit easier, but it was a very tight fit. My whole body was drenched in sweat. My shoulders were cramped from the weight and restriction of the suit, the sleeves were set in such a way I couldn't raise my arms. I couldn't really move my arms much at all the way they were confined in the suit. My neck was stiff from having my head held by the massive collar of the suit. Even my hands were cramped. The suit had no pockets, so i to hold on tightly to the train ticket. And with the thick stiff mittens it was even harder. I was feeling miserable. The initial excitement had long faded. Maybe that's what Sheila wants? Teach me a lesson and make me hate wearing thick down clothes? Thousands of things come through my mind as I raced to the station. Or at least as I hobbled as fast as my feet could take. Will I catch the train? What time is it? What if I don't?


My tortured feet were on fire as I reached the station. I looked at one of the wall clocks: 8:33! I made it. I sat down in one of the farthest benches and tried to avoid the peering gazes of bored commuters walking past me. At least I had avoided human contact so far. That was until a middle aged lady sat next to me. She was nicely dressed, in a classic camel colored wool coat and hat. I would have moved, but my feet would not budge. Or maybe at that time I was just so broken I just didn't care.
"Oh boy, you sure look like you're warm! They say it's going to get chilly tonight."
I just mumbled, not sure what to say, but she just kept on talking. "That's such a flashy color, but still pretty. You must like standing out!"
I was mortified. "My wife picked it up for me."
"Oh your wife must be worried you might be cold tonight, so thoughtful..." I just grinned under my hood. "Men can sometimes be so headstrong and not dress appropriately for the weather. I'm glad your wife has taken it to make sure her husband is dressed warmly. And you seem to like it, which is always good! That thick hood will make sure you don't get a bad cold, and I love how your mittens are attached. No excuses to wear your warm mittens!" I was so embarrassed I couldn't say anything. And maybe it was good I didn't say anything. "Well young man, my train is here. Have a good evening, enjoy." I looked around and saw the west bound train. I was waiting for the eastbound, so I was glad to wrap up the conversation with the curious lady.
A few minutes later I saw my train arrive. I was hoping that the train would be empty, but I was wrong. Luckily I was able to find an empty discreet seat. I took my seat and stared at the night. When the ticket collector asked for my ticket I tried to look away, but I could still see his puzzled expression. But as he moved on, I tried to focus on my current situation. My feet not feeling as painful, after I had rested them a bit. However my boots were still pinching my toes, and the steep angle at which my feet were held was very tiring. I tried to bend over to remove my boots, but that quickly proved futile. The bulk of the suit, and the relative confinement of the train seat made it impossible to even reach my boots. And even if I had been able to reach them, I was sure I didn't have the dexterity to unbuckle them. Despite my wishful thinking, my feet were trapped in their high heeled prisons for the foreseeable future. I moved up to try to undo my hood, but that also proved difficult. The sleeves of my suit were so stiff that I could raise my arms at the shoulders. I could bend my elbows a little, but it was struggle to reach the top of my collar. I desperately wanted some relief from the heat, but it was obvious that the suit was designed to prevent the wearer from taking it off by himself. Sheila was probably betting that I wouldn't stomach the embarrassment of asking a stranger for help in removing even my hood. And she was probably right.
An older teenage girl sat in the seat next to me, she immediately looked at me with a scowl. She looked around for other available seats, but figured there were none and settled down with her headphones. So much for even attempting to ask someone for help. As the train approached my destination it began to empty. My stop was the second to last, and when it arrived I quickly made my way to the ticket validator and quickly stepped out of the train. I looked for the bus stop for route 72 I was relieved that there was none waiting for the bus...

Epilogue

He was hard to miss, even from a distance. The hot pink really did the trick. He was still wearing this suit in all its glory, the hood fully done and everything. It was fun seeing teeter towards the bus stop in his wedge boots. I guess he didn't get used to them in his walk, and is bound to wear them again in the future for more practice. He looked stiff and tired. That expression soon turned to agitation. He was looking back and forth, at the sign posted near the bus stop and at big wall clock back in the train terminal. It was safe to say he had realized that the last 72 bus had departed at 8pm.
He was most likely feeling desperate and alone, thinking he had no way of contacting me. He didn't imagine that I had installed a GPS transmitter, courtesy of one of geeks in my office's IT department. I was so small, it was hidden inside of the wedge heel of one of his boots.
I let wallow in his dire situation for a good ten minutes, which I'm sure felt like hours for him. I finally turned on the engine and started to drive towards the bus stop, but not before taking out the big leather cuffs I had brought, among other necessary things. As they say: you can never be too careful. This was the end of his walk, but the weekend was only starting.

Going for a walk (part 4)

...part 3

I started walking, very stiffly as you could imagine. Luckily the weather had cooled, so I felt a bit less out of place. It hadn't started snowing yet, but at least it was officially winter. Or at least that's what I tried to tell myself. The truth is that the suit was anything but ordinary. It was extreme, and I was stuck in it until I got home. At least it was dark. I started walking again, figuring it would take me a bit longer, since Sheila had dropped me off at the far end of the park. I started crossing the park, but soon realized that I was too unstable on my new boots to manage walking on the uneven terrain. The heels didn't look like anything extreme, sensible wedge heels with plenty of traction to walk on snow and ice. However, walking in my boots, the heels felt too high and too narrow. I hoped that I would soon get used to them. I backtracked and started to take the long route, the side walk going around the park. I was already getting overheated, and had barely started walking!

Walking on stable hard ground was easier on my balance, but it wasn't easy. The hood of the suit left only a tiny tunnel to look out from. It was hard to look where I was stepping, and with the huge boots, placing every step took concentration. I tried to adjust the hood and collar, but it was tight, and with my hands trapped in the thick mittens I was feeling helpless.  The feeling of having each of my fingers trapped individually in tight thick down padding was intense, but now it was getting intensely frustrating and irksome. My skin was starting to perspire, and was clinging to the snug fitting lining of the suit.

Halfway home my feet were in horrible discomfort. The boots were too high, keeping my feet arched and stiff, they were also much bigger than anything I had ever worn, which made walking even harder. The padding between my legs was so thick that it made walking harder, as it pushed my legs apart. And then, there was the sound! The suit was loud, the rustling sound was constant, no matter how I moved. And since the same shiny material covered my whole body, just standing still made the suit rustle with a muffled crackling sound. While walking it was loud enough that I could hear it ever over the sound of passing cars. It was a sound I had always enjoyed, yet now it felt overwhelming.

As I was getting closer to home I could think of nothing more than taking of these hateful uncomfortable boots and finally relaxing my sore foot. You would understand my surprise and frustration when I saw the note on the front door.

I hope you enjoyed your walk in your new suit. I have planned a quick weekend getaway, and hope you can join me. I was going to wait for you, but I figured you will like to enjoy your nice warm down suit a bit longer. Attached you will find a train ticket for Wooddale. Then you need to take bus route 72. Make sure you get the bus transfer ticket in the train. Get off at the stop in Red St. I will be waiting for you there. Hurry up, it would be a shame for you to miss the train!

Looking forward to a fun weekend with you. Kisses, Sheila.

I panicked. I doubled checked, the front door was locked. I was locked out, no id, no money. Only with a train ticket to who knows where!
Then it dawned on me, I still had to walk to the train station. The ticket was for 8:45 pm. It was a almost two miles, and I didn't even know what time it was. I grabbed the ticket and Sheila's note and got on my way. My walk was far from over.

... part 5

Going for a walk (part 3)

...part 2

I was surprised when I arrived home to see Sheila's car on the drive way. She usually worked later than I did, the truth being that she was primary bread winner in the family, and had an executive position at a local pharma company that often required her to work late. My surprise turned to shock when I entered the living room. In the floor, there is a huge hot pink shiny mass. It's spread out to reveal it's true shape. As a matter of fact, it seemed that it would hold its shape even if it were standing. It was the most intimidating down suit I had ever seen in person. I had seen similar suits online, but seeing it in front of me was something else. It was so puffy it appeared that there was someone inside. The whole garment looked like it was a single piece from the hood, the mittens, and booties. The suit would completely cover the wearer, leaving only the face exposed. It was a suit for extreme cold weather, more Artic expedition than regular winter in the city.
"So, do you like your surprise?" Sheila asked, as she walked onto the living room. "It wasn't cheap, so I would hope you will enjoy it.'
I knew such suits were not cheap, I also knew that it wasn't something you could pick at a random sporting goods store. Sheila must have had it custom made. I had no idea we could have afforded something like that, but Sheila normally kept our finances, so I assumed yes.
The suit was a bright hot pink, nothing like the dull baby pink of my wife's coat. The inside had a silky lining, in a contrasting purple color. The hood had a thick fur ruff. A long zip ran the front of the suit, and there was a belt at the waist. Other than that the suit was very plain, no pockets, no decorations of any kind. However, just because of the color and the huge size of the suit, anyone wearing it would attract plenty of attention. I started shivering thinking about was coming next. Shivering with excitement, fear, and anxiety. I'm sure Sheila could tell how I was feeling.
"Go on, undress yourself. I want you to try your new suit." She leaned into my ear and whispered. "I'm sure you also want to. But remember we're doing this on my terms." She smirked as I reacted to her words.
I stripped down to my under wear, but Sheila was having none of it. "Completely!" She commanded me. I coyly complied, and started approaching the suit. Where do you even start when putting on something as big?
Sheila was clearly enjoying controlling me, and at this point she had her cell phone out, snapping not pictures as I started to unzip the suit.
"Go on, I'm sure even you can figure out how to put it on. One leg, then the other. We don't have all day."
I started to slip my leg into suit, enjoying the feel of the silky lining against my skin. The suit was so thickly filled with down that it was a tight fit. Sheila had clearly taken my measurements. After having both legs inside, I started to pull up the to part of the suit, and it was heavy!
"Do you like it? Over 6,000 grams of down insulation, over 8,000 grams total. Sealed seams, heavy duty nylon, the whole deal. Just like you like it, very warm. But I'm sure you'll find that out yourself"
She helped me get my hands into the very voluminous attached mittens, which has harder than it seemed. Even though they were mittens, there was a very snug individual space for every finger. The mittens were heavily constructed and thickly quilted, so it was hard to move my fingers once my hands were imprisoned inside. Even the divisions between the fingers was heavily padded with down. Once snuggled inside, my hands were slipping out without some serious pulling. Sheila then took pleasure in doing up the zipper. The zipper had a padded flap on the inside, to prevent the zipper from catching on anything. The attention to detail was amazing. The zipper reached high all the way to just under my nose. Once Sheila fully closed the zipper, the hood was forced over my head, almost covering my eyes. The feeling of being fully enclosed was exhilarating. Other that my eyes and nose, my body was completely covered by the thick suit. It was snug but not too tight. I couldn't move independently of the heavy suit.
"I had this built, so that once fully closed, it will cover your face, I know you can get shy."  She smirked again. She snapped the outer flap into place, hiding away the zipper. She also buckled the belt. I couldn't think of what use the belt could have, but I'm sure it was pointless to try to argue with her. I was wearing the suit and all attachments fully done up.
Looking in the mirror, I saw that in fact the hood did hide my face pretty well, only my eyes and nose were visible, and even then they were obscured by the bulky fur trim around the massive hood. Of course, it left me with only a very reduced tunnel vision. The hood was a good two inches thick, and with the the fur trim, I could barely look straight ahead.
I was still exploring and feeling the soft and silky inside the huge suit, when Sheila signaled to something I hadn't seen before. A pair of black boots stood next to where the suit had been. The boots where not as flashy as the suit, but they were still very noticeable. For one, they were huge, long, wide and high. They were also quite shiny, with fake patent leather panels and shiny nylon quilting. Each boot had a couple of metal buckles over the top of zippers, and some fake fur around the cuff of the boot and along two seams running down the shaft of the boot.
"Go on, put them on. I got them specially for you to wear over your suit. They were not easy to find."
I tried to bend down to pick one up, but realized how confining the suit was, and had to bend down at the knees to be able to reach then. I went over to the couch and sat down. I tried to put my foot into the right boot, but with my super thick mittens I just didn't have the fine motor skills. It didn't help that the overall bulk of suit didn't allow me to properly look at what I was doing.
Sheila giggled and kept snapping pictures with her cell phone as it took me five minutes to finally get my foot into the right foot. By then I was already starting to sweat. The boot reached almost to my knee, and was a snug fit throughout. The boots felt very comfy, my feet felt like cradled in soft warm pillows.  However, my feet were held in a pretty angled posture, as if wearing high heels! I looked at the other boot lying by my feet and realized that they had a pretty high wedge heel. Sheila realized what I was looking at.
"Yes, the heels on these boots are a couple of inches higher than the other boots you used to'borrow' from me... But it's only three and half inches or so. Lots of women wear heels like that or higher daily. You'll get used to them I'm sure. Now let me help you with the other one, it's taking you too long." She did the buckles of my boot, then proceeded to put the other boot on my left boot. I haphazardly stood up, trying to balance. It took me a while to get used to the new posture my boots imposed on me.  Sheila spun her finger around. I "modeled" my new suit to her morbid amusement. I always knew she was somewhat dominant, specially in her job, but until now she hadn't shown that side at home.
Sheila grabbed my arm and led me to her car in the driveway. I imagined "we" were going for a walk, just like last time.
I sat in the passenger seat, and Sheila buckled my seatbelt. I wasn't very aware of what was happening, being in my cocoon I felt isolated from the world. Sheila was driving, but I was just enjoying the feeling of the suit, testing it's confinements and how it restricted my movements. I was in my own little warm world. Sheila snapped me out of it by opening the passenger door.
"Get out!"
I tried to unbuckle the seat belt, but couldn't manage with my stiff mittens. Sheila reached over me and unbuckled it for me. I felt her linger for just a second over my down covered body. It was nice feeling her close. She smiled and helped me out. I looked around and realized we were at the same park she had left my behind the first time. But we were on the opposite corner. The far corner, if I were to walk back home.
Before I had regained my bearings, she was gone. Had she said anything? "Hurry up and get home" I think she said. I looked around, and then it felt real. I was really alone, in a park, dressed in hot pink from head to toe. It was time to start walking.

... part 4

Going for a walk (part 2)

...part 1

So there I was, in the park, dressed in pink winter clothes. Five miles away from home, and nothing in my pockets, no wallet, no cell phone. I really hoped I wouldn't be stopped by a police officer. After all, I was dressed in a very suspicious manner, given that it was early fall, and not that cold at all. I resignedly accepted my fate, after all, I had gotten myself into it. Giving an explanation would have been extremely awkward and embarrassing. I was dressed as I often fantasized, yet stuck im a situation I had no control over.
Looking around I was glad there was no one close by, although I could see some people in the distance, enjoying the last few days before winter came. I was glad there was none close by to stare at me in my current predicament, but I doubted I would be so lucky on my way home. I hadn't even started walking, and I was already feeling very hot. I took of my mittens and stuffed them in the pockets of my pink coat. I debated in my head whether to take off the scarf I had wrapped around my head, or take off the hood, but I decided I would deal with the warmth for the sake of a bit of anonymity. I couldn't remove the long pink coat I was wearing on top, since I knew the shorter jacket I had underneath couldn't cover my face enough, and I couldn't deal with the embarrassment of showing my face. I tried looking for a private place to be able to strip out of the jacket I was wearing underneath, but couldn't find any place that was sufficiently out of sight, and I dreaded being caught half dressed in my current situation, so I just decided to suck it up and try to get home as soon as possible.
I pulled down both of my hoods to cover as much of my face as possible and began walking. It was around 6pm, and many people were driving back home from work. I'm sure most were just minding their own business, but I couldn't help to think that they were staring at me.
I had barely walked two blocks when I could already feel the heat trapped inside, and the sweat starting to run down my back. The way home was through a suburban area, but houses were close together. I did pass several people, either jogging out walking their dogs. Some just continued along their way, but I could hear some of them slowing their pace, most likely to stare at the weird figure in thick pink winter clothes, walking around on a mild fall evening. I could feel people staring at me. I was just grateful that the hood of pink coat was large enough to conceal my face.
Halfway home, the heat was getting suffocating. The scarf made breathing difficult. My feet felt tired and heavy from being stuck in an arched position by the wedge of the boots I was wearing. The boots had felt cozy when I had put them on originally, but now they felt tight and narrow, and were beginning to pinch my toes. I wanted to strip out of everything I was wearing right there. Yet I knew that the only thing I could do was just keep walking and try to get home as soon as possible and get this done with.  My fantasy was turning into a nightmare.
By the time my house was on sight my feet were killing me, I was drenched in sweat, but I was just content that I was able to avoid contact with any person on my way back. I don't know exactly how long it took, but if felt like I was walking for hours.
As I finally stepped inside, Sheila was waiting patiently for me on the living room. She stepped up, and started examining the terrible shape I was in.
"Took you long enough. Did you enjoy your your walk? Humm... I see that you removed your mittens, were they not to your liking?"
"I... It was just too hot." I sighed.
"I thought you enjoyed stuff like this, why else would you through all the trouble of dressing like this at this time of the year? At least you kept both of your jackets on... And both hoods!"
I was was speechless. At that point I wanted nothing more than to strip all of the think layers that were suffocating me, and kick off Sheila's boots that were killing my feet and pinching my toes. Yet I dared no move as she kept examining.
"Well, that's enough for today, strip right here."
The relief of finally peeling off the sweaty jackets and ski pants, and removing the tight boots was not as rewarding rewarding with Sheila's intense stare. What else did she have in store for me? I just stood there, completely naked, tired and drenched in sweat.
"Ok, go take a shower, and remember that I still have those pictures, so ..." She looked at me with a smirk.
In the shower I was finally able to relax. Today's events had been very intense. And now what? What will Sheila do now? She had the pictures, and had she wanted to kick me out, she would have done so already.
When I stepped out of the shower, I noticed that the clothes I had worn were gone. I also noticed that one of the linen closets in the hallway was now locked with a heavy duty padlock.
I dared not ask, and in fact not a single word was uttered about the events of today, until three weeks later...

...part 3

Going for a walk (part 1)

I had just arrived home from work after a long day. I knew that my wife would not be home until late, so I had a little me time. What this really meant is that I could indulge in my personal fetish. I love feeling the warm embrace of winter clothes. The more layers the better, the more cumbersome and restrictive the better. It was early fall, and the weather was starting to cool, which always sparked my interest.
I stripped completely and began by putting a pair of ski pants, then I put on one of my wife's puffer jackets. It's white and short, reaching to just below the waist. It also has a nice hood. It was one of her favorites, her everyday goto coat, although a bit boring if I might say. Then I pulled on my wife's long pink coat. I bought it for her a couple years ago, a while she has worn it on a few occasions, I think I have gotten more use out of it than her. You see, we're close to the same size, allowing me to use some of her things, in secret of course. I'm sure that had something to when I picked it for her. Her pink coat had a nice full hood. It was very feminine with a fur trim on the hood and the sleeves. It was thick and warm, reaching below the knees. The lining was shiny and smooth, and it asks easily as I put it on. I buckled the belt in front, and started to run down my hands and feel the smooth material. The sleeves were a bit narrow, so it felt a bit confining once I had both jackets on, but that was part of the rush.
A bright flash brought me out of my little world.
"Well, well, well..." It was Sheila, my wife. She was standing in the doorway, snapping photos of me with her cell phone. "I can't say I'm surprised... I've suspected your little hobby for while"
"I can explain..."
"I'm sure you can, but why bother? It's pretty evident..."
I started to remove her coat, but she signaled me not to. Instead she handed me a pair of her mittens, that I had already picked out. They were white, with embroidered snowflakes. Simple, but still girly. Meanwhile she went to her closet returned with a pair of her snow boots, and a scarf.
"Go on, put them on..." Sheila said holding out the boots for me. "Unless you want me to embarrass you publicly by publishing the photos I have."
They were black, with a small wedge heel. Sheila knew I liked them, but she didn't wear them very often.
As I was putting then on, she kept snapping pictures of me.
Finally she handed me her scarf.
"We're going for a quick ride. I would recommend that you wrap the scarf around your face.  Unless you like your coat so much that you want to be seen in it outside... I would recommend that you put up your hood. Both of them actually... Wow, you really seem to be a glutton for punishment! "
"You can't make me go out wearing your clothes like this..."
"These are your clothes now," she interrupted. " I'm never wearing then again. And since they're yours and you like them so much, you are wearing them. Stop complaining or I'll take scarf back."
I followed Sheila into the garage, and got into the passenger seat. She started the engine, and began driving, looking at me every so often with a smirk on her face. About 10 minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot of park. It was already getting dark, so there were few cars in the lot.
"Ok this is it, we're going for walk."
"You want me to for a walk dressed like this?"
"Yes, and if I were you, I would pull up your hood. Unless you're feeling bold, of course. Now hurry, get out."
I sighed, pulled up the hood of my coat, actually both hoods, since I had two jackets on me, and I tightened the drawstrings of the outer hood to hide the fact that I had two jackets on at once. As I stepped out of the car, I was feeling very self conscious, I had never stepped out in public dressed like this, but as I was looking around to see if anybody was staring at me, I heard the door slam, and the automatic door locks engaged. I desperately tried to open it, but I knew it was futile.
Sheila smiled, and cracked open the passenger window.
"Well, enjoy the walk in your fancy shiny clothes."
"You want me to walk home like this? It's like 5 miles!"

"Well, you can ask somebody for a ride for all I care. Now start walking. See you at home."
As she drove away, I looked at myself, looking like the Michelin Man is ski pants, two hooded winter jackets, and mittens. I pulled down my hood, and began to walk home...

...part 2