Poseur #2: The Good, the Fab and the Ugly (27 page)

From the corner, Jake saluted, his brown eyes resting on Charlotte. She smiled, hoping her Chantecaille “radiance” rouge concealed the more honest blush underneath.
We’re just friends,
she scolded herself. (If only her damn, treacherous cheeks felt the same way.)

“Sorry, I forgot to call.” Janie glanced apologetically between her parents.

“That’s okay, sweetie,” her father agreeably replied, blithely unaware of the tension between her and her mother. Janie glanced her way — she was chatting to Charlotte, smiling her friendly mom smile — and sighed. Now that her friends were actually here, it wasn’t half as bad (aka they weren’t half as judgmental) as she imagined. If only her mother would glance her way — give her a small sign she forgave her — but she wouldn’t. Mrs. Farrish pretty much ignored her daughter like a thing rotting in the back of the fridge.

“So then” — Charlotte spread her tiny hands, drawing the focus of everyone present — “he handed Melissa his card.”

“I didn’t even look at first,” Melissa proudly informed the room.

“And apparently” — Charlotte paused for effect — “he’s Ted Pelligan.”

“Oh?” Mrs. Farrish bobbed her eyebrows, vaguely impressed. “That’s pretty cool.”

“Or is it?” Petra drummed her fingertips together, releasing an evil laugh.

“Petra has this theory he’s a pervert,” Charlotte explained, rolling her pretty pool-green eyes. She linked arms with Melissa and patted her hand. “But
we
prefer to think of him as an
esteemed businessman.
”

“Well, chances are he’s both,” Mrs. Farrish wryly rejoined, glancing at her daughter. She smiled. “So you want me to call this guy, is that it?”

Janie nodded. “Can you?”

Her mother smiled. “Alright,” she said, snapping her fingers. “I need a phone.”

In an instant, four compact phones appeared in eager, outstretched hands, ready for her disposal.

“Okay,”
she laughed, perusing her choices: a rhinestone encrusted Sidekick, a purple Nokia, an iPhone, and a somewhat scuffed black Samsung. “I think this one.” She accepted the Samsung, and smiled. Janie smiled back.

She’d chosen her phone.

Wedging into the corner of the slipcovered sofa, Mrs. Farrish smoothed the business card on her knee, squinted, and dialed. The four girls gathered around, cuticles between their teeth, anxious eyes fixed to her every move. She leaned back in her seat, looked up, and smiled.

“It’s ringing.”

November 1, 2:18 a.m.

Fellow Winstonians, Fashionistas, and Fabulazzi:

So sad we never got to reveal the Trick-or-Treater at TM, and also apologies for the drama yesterday—but no apologies for the drama right now! Hold up. Let me just get this out of my system. . . .

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH-HAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!

Ted Pelligan—yeah, you read that right!—wants to carry POSEUR’s premier couture handbag, the Trick-or-Treater!!!
For real, for real.
This is a chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity to learn the
ins
and
ins
of the fashion world. And no, that was
not
a typo. This is Ted
Pelligan
, you hear me? Everything is in, in, in. . . .

Teddy (he totally told us to call him that ya’ll) told us to keep our designs on the DL for now. But no worries. Before too long you’ll be able to see the Treater—and buy it—at his flagship store on Melrose.
If
you can find a parking spot!!

I just want y’all to know that we at POSEUR are truly humbled, and be sure to check in on MoonWalksOnMan.com whenever you can for all the DLs and the TMIs! We are going to
tear
some shizzle
up
.

Yours with a cherry on top,

Melissa, Janie, Charlotte, Petra

P.S. Thanks to the
fantabulous
Nikki Pellegrini, our recently hired intern (Venice, thank you for your time), a vandalized tag has been discovered and is in the process of being analyzed
right now.
So, whoever you are (and you know who you are), we’re a crucial step closer to the truth, and closing in fast.

Hope you got your black suede Salvatore Ferragamo Runway Sneakers on. . . .

In the words of Sylvia von Plath,

“Everything in life is wearable

if you have the outgoing guts to do it.”

So what are you going to wear, anyway?

You can be a Janie, a Charlotte, a Petra, or a Melissa . . . or even a crazy combination of all four. (Hm . . . are you a Janetralissalotte?)

Whatever you decide, turn the page and make their looks your own. New York City fashion label Compai shows you how. It’s easier than one, two, um . . . spree!

CHARLOTTE’S SLIP DRESS

You’ll need:

1 simple silk slip dress

1 velvet ribbon 59 in. long and

1 in. wide in contrasting color

1 velvet ribbon 118 in. long and

0.3 in. wide in contrasting color

3 lace butterflies or 4 other

“sew-on” appliqués of your

own choice; sewing supply

stores often have a broad

selection.

Needle and thread

1. Cut off shoulder straps from slip dress.

2. Stitch thin velvet ribbon around bottom trim of slip dress in two rows.

3. Cut wings from 1 butterfly and stitch them to the top of slip dress where shoulder straps were attached.

4. Replace shoulder straps with thin velvet ribbons;

measure proper length

using former shoulder straps.

5. Put your dress on to figure out where your waist is; mark with a pin on each side about 3.9 in. from side seam.

6. Cut thick velvet ribbon in half and stitch one ribbon end to each side where marked with pins.

7. Stitch one butterfly to each ribbon end and tie in front with a bow.

PETRA’S GYPSY BELT

You’ll need:

Thrift shop chain necklaces of various lengths

1 necklace with at least two larger pendants

An old pocket watch

Metal hoops of various sizes (hardware store)

1 necklace clasp

1 pair needle nose pliers

1 pair side cutting pliers

1. Carefully detach the pendants from necklace using cutting pliers.

2. Attach one of the pendants to a large hoop using needle nose pliers.

3. Attach a few inches of chain to the hoop, then a new hoop until you reach a desired length, about 2/3 of your hip measurements.

4. Cut a longer piece of chain and attach to the hoop closest to the pendant; attach the next hoop, creating a loop.