Dear Miss MacDonald,

I was petticoated at the age of 11 by my older sister.

It was the mid 1970s, and like most boys I Iistened to a lot rock music, wore my hair down to my shoulders, and was very lazy. I was so lazy that my mother stopped giving me my allowance and gave my share to my 16 year old sister, because she was doing all the household chores. My sister was saving her money to go to beauty-cosmetics school.

Then one day my sister asked me if I wanted half of her allowance. She said all I had to do was sit and listen to rock music (as I always did after coming home from school), and she would practice her techniques of applying makeup. I said sure - it sounded like easy money and I wanted to buy some new albums. At that point my sister told me to go and take a shower, because she was not going to touch my dirty body and clothes.

While in the shower, she laid out a clean black sweater, jeans, panties and a training bra for me to put on. When I came out of the shower, I was shocked to see the panties and bra, and protested to my sister that I wanted my regular underwear. My sister said she wanted me to look and feel as much like a girl as possible, since it would help her in perfecting her makeup techniques.  If I wanted the money, I would put them on, otherwise the deal was off. So I put on the panties, jeans and sweater, but hid the bra in the bathroom.

When I came out of the bathroom my sister asked to see whether I was wearing the panties and bra. She was pleased that I had on the panties, but was mad about the bra. She ordered me to take off the sweater and get her the bra from the bathroom. I thought to myself: do I want those new record albums or not? Ultimately, I decided 'yes', and my sister slipped the bra straps over my arms and fastened it in the back.  Quickly I put on the black sweater to cover up the bra.

So with the rock music blaring away, my sister combed my wet hair away from face and secured it on each side with barrettes.  Then she plucked and shaped my eyebrows, and applied foundation, lipstick and mascara. I intended to wash off all the makeup before our mother came home, but she arrived home early that day. When she saw me she was a bit startled, but said it was nice to see my hair out of my eyes, and my face so clean. This was wonderful for me to hear since, with all my laziness, it had been a long time since I had heard any compliments from my mother.

In the weeks and months that followed, I became more comfortable with being made up and wearing girls' clothes. My sister and I became great friends, and I began helping her around the house doing the laundry, washing dishes and cooking dinner.

I also started reading some of my sister's fashion magazines and asking her how to achieve certain looks.  She  taught me how to apply my own makeup and to set my hair in rollers.   While I wore many of my sister's hand-me-down clothes, my mother bought me many of my own blouses, skirts and dresses, as well as fancy underwear.  She was so relieved that there was harmony in the house!

From that point forward, whenever our mother came in the door from being out, she would always greet us by asking, "How are my two girls?"

David

You sound like a real nuisance as a boy, and the popular music of the 1970s was awful. No wonder your sister decided on a bit of crafty petticoat discipline - and it sounds like it did the trick beautifully. I am certain that you can see now how it can bring harmony and peace to any household disturbed by selfish and unthinking male behaviour.

And the female fashions of the 1970s were still very pretty and feminine, and of course the bouffant hair styles, that people laugh at these days. You must have looked like a darling with your hair in soft bouncy curls, and wearing the fancy pretty undies and dresses that your mother bought for you. If you are reading 'Petticoat Discipline Monthly' you must be a convert.
Susan