Mary Grows Up Ch 03

Tom and Mary continued to date and continued to suffer from a lack of privacy. They were generally limited to a brief kissing session in the front seat of his small car while leaning over the center console.

Each of them lived in dorm suites on their college campus. Their suite mates always seemed to be home and even though each occupant had a private bedroom one couldn’t enter or exit without everyone knowing. Mary was too embarrassed to walk past the others with Tom to go into his or her bedroom as the others would all assume the two were having sex or make snide remarks if they didn’t.

The summer break was fast approaching. Tom said he was planning to rent a studio apartment in the town near the campus as he’d been offered a summer internship with a professor. That would give them the privacy they sought.

Mary had applied for a job in the library. It wouldn’t pay very well so she’d probably need to stay in campus housing with roommates. She really needed a second job.

When the semester was nearly over a friend told Mary about a hostess job opening in a swank restaurant in town. Mary applied and was interviewed by a large man who could have been cast in the movies as an Irish gangster. During her interview she learned that she would be expected to dress well. The manager clarified that “well” meant “classy sexy”.

He added that some women would call it sexist but the restaurant’s clientele was virtually all wealthy couples. They would enjoy their meal more if the hostess was an attractive young woman dressed in cocktail wear rather than a middle-aged man like himself. She would be expected to smile and take pride in the restaurant and in herself. She was prohibited from dating or having intimate contact with any of the staff or clientele- in other words the job was not sleazy.

In fact, it was a very responsible position. She would need to memorize the menu and have a general knowledge of how the items were prepared. She’d have to learn similar details about the specials each night. She would be generally responsible for the diner’s satisfaction. If she saw a problem in the dining room it would be her responsibility to get it resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

To assure she represented the restaurant well, it had an arrangement with a local dress shop that would provide five or six cocktail dresses for Mary’s use. The restaurant would cover the cost. Mary could wear other similar clothes if she wanted but those would be subject to the manager’s approval and would be at her cost.

Mary could wear shoes of her choosing but with nothing less than a 3-inch heel.

The manager further explained the tasks involved in the hostess position, the shifts that Mary would work and given a tour. She was told that if she did her job well the restaurant would love for her to continue working during the next school year. Mary was offered the job and she took it. Her start date was during her spring exam period but she only had two final exams so the timing was okay.

It seemed like the perfect compliment to her part-time library job. The summer library job was only about 20 hours a week so it really wouldn’t give her enough money to save for the expenses of the school year. She thought she could handle both jobs. Her prospective social life would suffer but she really had no choice. The manager called the dress shop and set up an appointment for Mary to be fitted for the hostess dresses.

At the dress shop Mary was concerned by how short the proposed dresses were when she saw them on a rack. She was even more concerned when the saleswoman, Nancy, asked her bra size, disappeared and returned with a black push-up bra in her size. In response to her confused facial expression, it was explained that each of the dresses was intended to show attractive mounds of breast above the neckline. Mary blushed and wondered if she’d lose the job due to her modest chest.

Nancy told Mary to change into the push-up bra while she went for something else. Mary did as instructed although she had definite misgivings about the job’s requirements. The bra fit and Mary was relieved that the style did seem intended to lift the breasts rather than push them together. Her breasts created soft pillow-like mounds above the bra. Somehow that seemed more formal and less sexual than cleavage.

The woman returned with two more dresses and some type of undergarment that seemed to have laces dangling from it. It took Mary a moment but she then realized the garment must be a corset. She’d never seen one except in some Victorian period movies. Mary was too shocked to say anything.

Nancy made a quick visual inspection of Mary in the new bra and mumbled her approval. She added that most women found that a thong was the only style of panty that wouldn’t show panty lines. The underwear was not supplied; that would be left for Mary.

As she spoke Nancy took one of the dresses off its hanger and brought it to Mary to try on. When Mary had slipped into the dress Nancy zipped up the long rear zipper and then stood back to assess the overall look. Mary could feel the dress embrace her as the zipper closed; it was certainly form fitting.

“Very nice,” Nancy said. “It fits you well. I don’t think any alterations are needed. Take a look in the mirror. Add your heels and that’s how Mr. Sullivan wants his hostesses to look.”

Mary looked into the large mirror and was surprised at the sophisticated woman she saw. Her breasts were enticingly displayed a little and gave the impression that they were larger than Mary knew them to be. The look was a little more than a tease but not a blatant flaunting of the wearer’s assets. While still unsettled, Mary decided she could dress this way for a job in a fancy restaurant; she wouldn’t call attention to her breasts like this in a lower class setting but in an upscale restaurant it seemed okay. If her employer required it, so be it.

“The blue dress is exactly the same so we don’t need to try that one. Let’s take this off and try the other black one. The second black and the one in deep green are from a different vendor and might be cut differently from what you have on.”

Mary struggled with the zipper but got the first dress off. The new black dress was presented and Mary slipped it over her head. Again, Nancy zipped it up and Mary felt it’s snug design. Nancy stood back to make an inspection- telling Mary to turn around slowly. “That fits even better. Perfect.” She gestured for Mary to look in the mirror.

Mary took a step or two forward and examined herself in the mirror. The dress obviously fit her well. She still couldn’t get used to seeing a quarter of her breasts being displayed but she had to admit that she looked classy which she assumed was what the boss wanted. She was too embarrassed to reveal her naive feelings about displaying her breasts so she simply agreed that the fit was very good.

“Alright. Since the second company’s dress seems to fit you so well, I’ll order you a dark green dress that’s the same as this one. I don’t have it in your size but it will be here in a day or two. Now take off that dress and the bra and we’ll check out the corset.

“The corset is to be worn with the more ornate long dress I just brought out. The owner will want you in this dress for their special wine dinners that they have once or twice a month. I’m told most of the customers get dressed up more formally for that dinner so the hostess does too. If you’re still employed when the second dinner is coming up, we’ll get you a virtually identical dress in a slightly different color.”

“Why does this one need a corset?”

“Between us, I doubt that it does but the owner tells me he wants his hostess in a corset so I do as he says. It definitely improves a woman’s posture- makes you move a little more formally and adds to your elegance factor, I guess.”

“Oh. I’ve never worn a corset. It seems very old fashioned.”

Nancy hesitated but then said, “To women, corsets can seem old fashioned and perhaps even misogynistic. Feminists say they should dress as they want and not to please or attract men. But frankly, I think most women would admit that they dress to appeal to men- emphasizing their feminine attributes. In any case, to a lot of men, corsets on their women play to their sexual fantasies. Not being a man, I don’t pretend to fully understand the appeal. I think corsets might be like subtle bondage. Many men think of a corseted woman as very sexy.”

“I guess I can understand that but I’ll be wearing it for work- not on a date.”

“That, I can’t explain. As I said, posture is better. One could speculate that the boss likes to fantasize about his attractive hostesses in corsetry but I certainly wouldn’t suggest that. I guess better posture leading to a more elegant carriage while serving the high-end diners is the most likely reason. In any case, the restaurant supplies one push-up bra and one corset. If you want more, the expense is yours.”

As she spoke Nancy positioned the corset- nestling it on the underside of Mary’s breasts. She told Mary to hold the front in place. Mary noted that the corset was crafted of black satin. It didn’t have actual bra-like cups but did flare out for the breasts. It seemed stiff-presumably due to hidden stays sewn into the fabric. The length appeared designed to reach from roughly one’s nipples to the start of the hips.

Nancy spent several minutes inserting the tips of laces in the numerous holes that ran up each half of the garment in the back. As she was lacing the corset, she explained the proper order of how the laces should be snugged and then pulled tighter.

Mary did her best to stand still and not get knocked off balance by the tugging on the laces. Mary got the sense that the corset was being pulled tight but not too tight. Glancing down, she saw that her breasts were effectively on a display shelf- bulging above the top of the corset just like she’d remembered from the movies. You might not call it cleavage but it was definitely breast flesh that Mary hadn’t exposed to anyone except Tom and then only when they’d ‘parked’ on a private lane.

Nancy explained that the corset would require full re-lacing with each wearing since there was no front busk opening as some corset styles offered. She noted that this style gave a sleeker front body contour which was important under the dress. Unfortunately, the lacing couldn’t be easily done by the wearer working alone. She hoped Mary had a boyfriend or close girlfriend who would be available for the dressing and later undressing on the evenings of the formal dinners.

Mary blushed. She assumed one of her summer suite-mates would be available. She then visualized asking Tom to be her dresser and wondered about his reaction. Would he be scandalized or would he lust over the bondage and corsetry imagery? As she thought about Tom lacing her into the corset, she realized that she was getting aroused.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Nancy bringing the long dress over and her gesturing to Mary -guiding her to step into the dress which was partially pooled at her feet. As the woman lifted the dress Mary realized it was a long gown- something you’d see at a gala event like a formal dance. As the dress was positioned around her body and Nancy started closing the zipper, Mary realized the bottom of the dress was just a few inches above the floor and almost snug around her legs and up the waist. Perhaps more surprising was that the top of the dress barely covered the top edge of the corset. It left her upper chest, shoulders and arms uncovered.

Mary’s hands instinctively ran up and down her torso which confirmed that the dress fit her snugly everywhere. She tried to pull the dress up to cover more of her chest but it didn’t move. She felt compelled to move to the mirror. As she took her first step it was obvious that the dress restricted how far each leg could extend forwards or back. She wasn’t hobbled but her steps would be more measured than normal. There was a long slit up the left side through which her leg flashed a bit as she extended her left leg. Mary guessed that might seem elegant and sexy to some observers.

When she could see herself in the mirror, Mary was struck by the ornate nature of the dress. It could best be described as a ball gown but with a much slimmer skirt than that label usually suggests. Although it was all in one color, the dress had lots of fabric panels and ornamental stitching which created additional beauty, structure, and formality. Mary felt a bit like a young girl playing dress up but that thought was contradicted by the perfect fit. Of course, Mary also was struck by the fact that almost half of her breasts were displayed in mounded nakedness above the dress.

Her mother would classify the dress as sinful. In fact, she’d want to burn it if she were here. For herself, Mary didn’t think in terms of sinful clothing any longer. She was embarrassed at the thought of displaying herself but a part of her was delighted by how the dress made her chest look bigger than it really was. The woman in the mirror wasn’t busty but nor was she under-endowed. Most men would be delighted to stare at her and think of how she might look without the dress. Mary had never had that self-image. Being worthy of men’s somewhat lustful attention might be sinful but it was a true ego boost.

Nancy confirmed Mary’s opinion that the dress fit perfectly. She commented on how rare it was that several dresses fit a new hostess without any alterations at all. She helped Mary take off the dress and wrestled it into a garment bag. She then untied the knot in the corset laces and unlaced the garment.

The dresses and undergarments were too much for Mary to carry so it was arranged that she’d call her boyfriend and they’d return later in his car to pick up the new clothes.

Mary made the call and summarized her job interview and the required clothing to Tom. It would be an understatement to say he was intrigued. He had lots of questions about the dresses and, of course, about the special undergarments that were a job requirement. Mary was aroused by his interest and embarrassed as she tried to describe her new clothes.

As she spoke, she felt herself getting aroused and her descriptions turned to teasing. She tried not to exaggerate but lowered her voice a bit and tried to sound sexy as she outlined how tightly the dresses fit and how her chest was presented for male attention. She spoke of having to run out to buy her first thongs since panty lines would ruin the sexy line of the dresses as they hugged her hips. She could tell he was listening intently as she told him about the corset and how he might be enlisted during the summer for lacing and unlacing. She could visualize his cock hardening when she said she essentially a captive in the corset until someone released her.

They agreed that verbal descriptions weren’t adequate and that Mary would have to give him a fashion show in real life. Of course, their lack of privacy made that seem impossible. Mary hesitated but then felt she had a solution. She’d put on a co-ed fashion show in her dorm suite with Tom and her suite-mates. She’d be embarrassed but these were girls she’d lived with for a year. They’d be seeing her dressed for work most evenings so it was merely advancing the timeline. Even though she expected them to make jokes, they’d be a good audience for her to gain self- confidence. Tom’s presence would temper their comments and give him a PG-rated show.

Including her suite- mates would also let her use one them as the corset lacer. Doing this with a friend would help her become more comfortable with the notion of asking her summer roommates -with whom she wasn’t as close - for the same assistance. As she envisioned it, she’d model two of the less formal dresses without help. Then, she’d arrange to show off the gown. She’d ask Nan to do the first lacing of the corset in the privacy of her small bedroom. Nan could also assist with the gown even though Mary thought she could do it alone. She’d be fully dressed to show off in the common room with the other girls and Tom. If she felt comfortable enough, she might invite Tom into her bedroom to assist in the undressing; if not, she would rely on Nan.

Mary told her suite-mates about her summer job and showed off the dresses on hangers. She told them about the required lingerie and that she’d need help getting into and out of the corset. Finally, she detailed how she wanted to invite Tom for a fashion show the next evening and welcomed their participation as an audience.

The evening went as planned. There were lots of compliments on how she looked in the cocktail dresses and a few jokes about the job requiring specific lingerie. Nan had done a swift job of getting Mary into the corset and gown. Wearing the gown over the corset, wowed her audience. She did a small walk, twirl and return just like they do in a fashion show and gave the girls a chance to see the gown’s fine stitch work up close.

Mary had almost gathered enough courage to invite Tom into her bedroom to undress her but she was very nervous. Her conflicting thoughts were trampled when Sally said, “Okay, Mary, let’s get the gown off so we can all see the corset.”

Mary was taken aback by the comment and surprised that no one objected. On the contrary, she heard at least one feminine murmur of “Yes, let’s see.” Tom was silent but had a small smile that suggested he was also voting for the reveal.

Mary blushed but didn’t resist as Sally walked over and began unzipping the gown. In a few seconds the loosened gown was crumpling and about to slide down. Sally helped guide the garment and extended a hand for Mary to use for balance as she mindlessly stepped out of it.

The suite mates all made positive comments with a few suggestive ones mixed in. It seemed that her friends variously loved how she looked in the corset, were jealous of her slim body and were impressed by her boldness in agreeing to the job’s dress code. None of them had ever worn anything like a corset so Mary basked in being the adventurous one of the group. There was more than one compliment on how her breasts looked. Even though embarrassed, Mary enjoyed being admired.

She also enjoyed looking at Tom and seeing an obvious erection tenting his pants. While she wasn’t going to give up her virginity, she decided at that moment to invite him into her bedroom to “appreciate” her corseted body more privately. She couldn’t think of any words to give that invitation subtly so she merely extended her hand to him. When he was standing, she guided him toward her bedroom and simply announced, “Show’s over.” This prompted one or two of the young women to applaud and at least one to exclaim, “You go, girl.”

When they were in her room with the door closed, Tom grasped Mary’s corseted body and ran joist hands up and down the very firm garment. His mouth closed in on hers and he kissed her passionately. After a long kiss, he said, “You look and feel fantastic. I can’t get over how sexy you looked in the dress and then in the gown. Obviously, you’re even hotter in just the corset.”

“Thank you. I could see that your penis liked the corset. I’d guess my friends noticed your bulge as well.”

“I’m not apologizing for that. I’d be much more embarrassed if I hadn’t gotten hard.”

The couple kissed passionately for several minutes as Tom’s hands explored Mary’s body. He was clearly a fan of the corset but also spent a good amount of time grabbing her ass. At some point, when they broke a kiss he said, “I love how sexy your ass feels. The contrast between the rigid corset and the softness of your ass is incredible. Needless to say, your breasts look great. I’ve been holding back but my mouth is about to ravage them.”

“Oh my. I thought you might like the corset but I guess I didn’t anticipate how much. You can play for a little while but I’m sure my roomies are listening so let’s not get too carried away.”