Masterji had a twinkle in his eye but I was perplexed.

“How can this be Masterji? We took this lady’s measurements just yesterday and today her dress is tight around the stomach by a whole inch and a half! How did we go so wrong? ”

The earlier day, I’d received a frantic call from a lady who needed an ensemble for a wedding the next day. I had agreed against my better judgement. It was Wedding Season and I was already tearing my hair out. I had my own share of Bridezillas to deal with but I said yes to her!! And now we had a problem I could do without. On top of that, I had a client on the verge of hysteria.

Drawing me to one side, I got a one-minute Master Class from my real teacher. “Kuchh nahi Madamji! Aisa hai ke when you slip the measuring tape around her waist, the lady will hold her breath and pull her stomach in! All you do is while you measure her, gupshup kariye.. laugh.. gossip and within a few seconds, she will breathe out. That’s when you take her measurement. You’ll never go wrong!” 

– As narrated to Neelu Joglekar