If London had not won the bid to hold the 2012 Olympics, the Clarity boxy top collection would not exist.
This is the story of.
Oooow why not??
Our story begins with a problem....
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It's 2012. August. And one of the hottest evenings of the year.
BT London Live, will be live streaming Olympic Track + Field events in Victoria park, in just a few hours. Shantell will be attending.
But there is a serious problem in North London.
Shantell has nothing to wear.
Other than her very kool,straw trilby hat.
The trilby she could always count on to add just the right ounce of West Indian flare to anything she wore....
....Shantell still has nothing to wear to this night of pure thrills. Nothing comfortable for a warm summers evening of laying on the grass, watching two ginormous TV screens showing athletes from all over the world, fight for medal at the London Olympics. Nothing cute, nothing floaty, nothing loose enough for a night off repeated standing, cheering, sitting, dancing, eating Caribbean food, and whining to live steel pan music.
But, she does own the prettiest blue balconette bra, stitched with the prettiest red embroidered flowers. Bought from Benny D's in Wood Green. It doesn't even look like a normal bra....but more like a luxury cropped top. Made in ribbed jersey with 6 hooks running down the back , like a corset, to fasten everything together.
Some how, this flimsy bra has the power give boobs a light drizzle of Jessica Rabbit.
Shantell has always thought this bra was way to pretty, to be hidden under her tops.
Discouragingly, pushing hangers left and right, she suddenly remembers ,her tiny up-cylced denim mini skirt, she had made eons ago from old pair of jeans. She reaches into the top draw of her dresser, grabs the skirt and stares at it approvingly.
''This is a good start.'' she says to herself.
''Got hat, pretty bra, just need someting to pull all this cuteness together?''
Feeling re-energized from remembering the mini, she parts hangers with the spirit of a thousand runway models working their final fashion week of their career.
Suddenly she spots it. Her mom's striped jersey tee.
''ahhh, why do I keep forgetting to return this to mom?' she mutters to herself.
Soft, to the touch, with red and white stripes this relaxed fit jersey Shantell's has always appreciated how cozy she feels in this top. The blue printed image is only on the front. A girl and a sailor positioned side by side.
''Oooo this could work ya nuh''' she thinks to herself, removing the top from the hanger.
Slipping on all the players in this story...the pretty bra, tiny mini and now stepping into a pair of flip flops, Shantell stares at herself in her full length mirror.
Long and hard she looks at herself. Turning slowly,to the right, easing back to the left. Confining every angle. Disappointed she lets out s long heavy sigh.
''The colours are a yes...everyting coordinates nice''. ''The mini skirt, is short, hmmmn tight, but it will let my legs catch any lickle measly evening breeze London has to offer....hmmm but this neck doh??.''
The the tops coziness whilst all well and good, has a neckline that annoys the plantain out of her. A crew. Designed so close to the throat. So restricting.
Shantell takes a minute to imagine herself dealing with the neckline. She has a vision of herself yanking it the whole night.
But she did want it. It's nice and roomy. And she did always look so cute in it.
''the tee is almost perfect...with a few adjustments I could make it perfect...therefor I have too....where are myyyyyy??''
She reaches for her sewing bag.
Taking out a large heavy pair of sheers, two sharp blades twinkling in the light of the bedroom bulb, she positions the top on the lap.
She lowers her large sheers down to the crew neckline. Places the fabric carefully between the blades.
''I gotta cut this''.
Slowly, she squeezes the handles and makes the first incision, but then she stops.
Takes a moment.
Confirms.
''Yea I gotta cut this''
She moves the scissors around the neckline. It drops to the floor.
''Okay good. She tells herself. ''But the neck could be a little wider maybe?'' Lowering the blades she proceeds to take a little more fabric from the neck. Not quite satisfied, she take off more then a touch more.
Laying down the scissors, she picks up the top and pulls it on the assess her work.
Giddy with the result, still with fabric scissors in sight she surrenders to the luxury designer inside her.
''oh let me just go in, alter this top the way I want !!
She slips off the tee. Lay it on her bed. Folds it in half down the middle. Lines up all the sides and grasp the scissors once more.
Shantell goes in like Edward Scissor Hands when he cuts Joyce's hair the garden. Thrilling chaos.
Shantell snips off both sleeves in seconds.
Not stopping, she cut, cuts, cuts...fabric flying from armholes....cuts, cuts cuts. cuts. Its kinda erotic.
Finally retracts the sharp sheers.Tiny mountains of red and white jersey have formed about her feet. Grinning she lets out a little sequel.
''Yeeeeeah now that's what I'm talkin' bout''
she tells the girl reflecting back at her in the mirror.
Hair did, fully dressed ,legs all out, trilby slanted, waist cinched ....Shantell picks her bag, and leaves her home for an evening in Victoria Park, she will never forget.
Her now wide armed tee,proudly showing off the sides of her prettiest blue balconette bra, stitched with the prettiest red embroidered flowers. And when she moves just right, a bit of boobage in sight.
Happy, feeling cool, comfortable, sexy, and at ease,
she dances happily into the early hours of the morning.
A FEW DAYS LATER
Shantell sits on her bed, with her pattern cutting board laid out in front of her. Ready to create a collection of something beautiful. She reaches for the red and white stripped tee, which is airing on the door of her wardrobe.
''Okay, let's do this.'' she quietly whispers to herself.
She places her cutting board on he bed. Lays a large piece of cross and dot paper on her cutting board. Grabs her pencil, takes a breath and begins to trace round her moms red and white stripe jersey top. The blue printed image only on the front. A girl and a sailor positioned side by side ......
