Melissa McDonald - Seamstress Extraordinaire!

When I joined The Press in the mid-eighties my uniform was a plaid flannel shirt and jeans. My supervisor (One El), a striking redhead, thin as her dancer background, wore her hair in a cockscomb. She soon clued me that, as a Marketing Analyst, I needed to show a tad more originality in my attire.

Over the next four years, in addition to teaching me damn near everything I know about marketing, she taught me the enjoyment of self-expression through clothes. Although those days are long behind me, I've never lost that sense of fun.

Now, in my current lifestyle, it's rare when there's an occasion to "dress." But after being away from the city for several months I've lost enough weight to drop two pants sizes. This was enough to prompt buying new. However, the White boots I bought have larger-than-life soles and now, with the smaller pants sizes, I can't get them, the pants, on or off over them. This precipitated an unusual opportunity.

!!! ****  TMI WARNING **** !!!

I was intrigued when I met Paul Winer in Quartsite.  Revered as an icon of the nudist movement, he claims no such inclinations saying merely, "My skin is sensitive and I can't stand the feel of clothes." I found it fascinating (see video) that he'd capitalized on this by performing --  he was a night-club pianist -- mostly in Canada and Europe, nude. I'd never met anyone who felt as I and when I hike I usually, once beyond range of personal encounter, disrobe. And although I have all the time in the world, I still prefer to pull my pants off over my boots. Likewise when returning to "civilization."

The inconvenience was annoying enough to prompt a search for a seamstress. Being Lucky Herrmann, I found, in Nephi, Utah, Melissa McDonald, seamstress extraordinaire.

I explained what I needed adding that having grown up in Japan and Germany my aesthetic required something outside the usual khaki shorts and black t-shirt that's the uniform of the day.

This evoked a delightful and encouraging smile as she attested to her own belief that men should dress with more "flavor."

Fujifilm XP - Camera no good!

Not just a happy home-maker humming along, she is a professionally-trained patternmaker. God knows how she developed her aesthetic, but her husband teaches art at the three local schools. I commend her highly to those who might need alterations or even bespoke services. She can be reached at 435-868-7484.

Gussets - To enable removal without taking off boots

And for those who may be familiar with the childrens' story Fenwick's Suit, watch for the upcoming video of me "striking poses."