The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky Page A

feel like an overstuffed Italian
     sausage. Anna ignored her subject’s cries of pain and laced the bustier so tightly Louise thought one of her ribs must have
     broken.
    Glancing down, Louise realized that H&M was knocking off the same look one hundred years later (but a little less painfully)!
     It was interesting to see how the designs she thought were modern were actually variations on older pieces. On closer examination,
     she realized the delicate mother-of-pearl buttons and lace trim were unique to this piece andcouldn’t be mass-produced by any retail chain. She felt a little sad that the intricacies and specialness of the piece had
     somehow been lost over the years.
    Anna helped her into the beautiful violet chiffon tea gown Louise had seen earlier in the steamer trunk. It was accentuated
     with a spray of hand-sewn grass green and raspberry pink silk flowers that were so delicate they looked like they could only
     have been stitched by a doll’s hands.
    “Oh my God, it’s a Lucile,” Louise whispered loudly while reading the pale green tag with black script lettering. “And it’s
     in perfect condition.”
    “It better be,” Anna replied, smoothing the wrinkles out of the fabric with her hands. “You paid a pretty pound for it last
     week.”
    “Oh right, it’s new,” Louise clarified quickly, realizing that in 1912 this would not be vintage.
    “She’ll be thrilled to see you wearing it. You look absolutely radiant in her designs.”
    “When I see her?” Louise asked, confused. “You mean Lucile is on this ship, too?”
    “Yes, don’t you remember? Lady Duff-Gordon and Sir Cosmo are both on board. They are traveling to New York to open her first
     American Lucile shop,” Anna answered patiently, as though she was speaking to a slow five-year-old.
    To her surprise, the dress fit Louise perfectly. It was like itwas custom-made especially for her. “That is so cool,” she breathed, excited.



“Would you like me to warm the dress up for you?” Anna asked as she extended her arm, confused.
    “No, I just meant this is really nice. This will be classic.” Louise carefully chose her words. “We should take care of this
     one.” She ran her hands reverently over the delicate, sheer fabric. She had just seen a mesmerizing retrospective exhibit
     of Lucile designs at the Met Costume Institute in New York City. Each dress was so uniquely and beautifully crafted and painstakingly
     sewn, Louise thought she could still feel the love and emotion that went into each piece, even after all of those years.
    “Yes, ma’am.” Anna nodded, giving Louise a curious look and handing her a matching purple silk shawl. “You should take a wrap
     as well; the air is quite brisk.”
    Louise was spritzed with some musky French perfume, powdered, and adjusted and, eventually, she was ready to go. She didn’t
     have to lift a finger; it was like being sent through a car wash.

Anna and Louise stepped out into the carpeted hallway. It looked like they were staying in a fancy hotel. The ivory-colored
     inlaid walls were lined with shiny brass light fixtures and sconces.
    “Should we buy a ticket for the swimming pool?” Anna asked excitedly.
    After experiencing exactly how unbelievably long it took for Miss Baxter to get dressed, Louise wasn’t quite as psyched about
     jumping into a pool. For the first time in her life, she had turned into one of those girls who didn’t want to get her hair
     wet.
    “How about a stroll on the upper deck instead?” Anna suggested quickly, sensing Louise’s lack of enthusiasm.
    “Perfect,” Louise piped up, relieved.
    Anna led her down the hall to an old-fashioned elevatorthat was operated by a mustached man in a White Star uniform. “Where to, ladies?” he asked jovially.
    “The upper deck, please,” Louise replied confidently, feeling fancy and sophisticated in her new dress.
    They had elevators one hundred years ago? This boat was more amazing than any modern cruise