It's 2012. August. And one of the hottest evenings of the year.

BT London Live, is streaming Olympic Track + Field events in Victoria park, in a few hours.

Other than her very kool,straw trilby hat.

The trilby she could always count on to add just the right douce 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 and floaty enough for a night off repeated standing, cheering, sitting, dancing, eating Caribbean food, and whining to live steel pan music.

 

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 to fasten at the back. Some how, this bra provides adequate support, the look of a sexy top all whilst keeping her boobs looking full and on point,.

Shantell has always thought her bra was way to pretty, to be hidden under a top.

Pushing hangers left and right, she suddenly remembers the tiny denim mini she made from an old pair of jeans, were sitting in her chest of draws.

''This is a good start.'' she says to herself.

She continues to push hangers frantically. Then she spots it....her mom's jersey tee. ''ha, I've got to return this to mom'' she thought.

Soft, to the touch, with red and white stripes. On the front, a blue print of a girl and a sailor. ''Oooo this could work''' she thought removing the top from the hanger.

Slipping on all the players in this story and stepping into a pair of flip flops, Shantell stared at herself in her full length mirror. After a long hard look,  she eventually lets out a disappointed sigh and says to herself,

''The colours are a yes...everything coordinates''. ''The mini skirt, is short, hmmmn  tight, but it will let my legs catch any lickle measly evening breeze ....hmmm but this top doh??.''

The top didn't feel quite right on her body. More specificity, the neckline. Crew, close to the throat, restricting. Shantell imagined  herself yanking it the whole night. Complain and regretting.

But she wanted to wear it. It was nice and roomy. And she did look cute. 

The tee was almost perfect.

There was only one solution..

Reaching for her fabric scissors....

''I gotta cut this''. she said lowering the sheers.

she began to cutting...

First she cut round the neckline....removing it completely.

''Maybe a the neck could be a little wider?'' she told herself, taking a little more from the neck, then more. 

Laying down the scissors, she tried on the top. 

Giddy with the result, still with fabric scissors in sight,

''oh let me just go in, alter this top the way I want !!

She slipped off the tee. Laid it on her bed, folded it  half down the middle. Lined up all the sides and grasped the scissors, and went in like Edward was calling out with instructions.

In seconds both sleeves ....gone.

Not stopping there she keeps cutting, cutting, cutting...more fabric away from the armholes.

Soon there are tiny mountains of red and white jersey about her feet.. Grinning she lets out a little sqeel. ''Yeeeeeah now that's what I'm talkin' bout'' she told the girl in the mirror.

Hair did, fully dressed ,legs all out, trilby slanted, waist sinched ....Shantell leaves her home for an evening in Victoria Park, she willnever forget.

Her wide armed tee, now 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 boob too.

Happy, feeling cool, comfortable, sexy, and at ease,

she dances happily into the early hours of the morning. 

Fast forward 3 days. Shantell sits on her bed, with her pattern cutting board laid out in front of her. Ready to create 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. 

Spreading out on the top, on her cutting board, she begins to tracing round the shape.....