Next came the slip… a petti-slip to be exact. I made him give me a twirl before helping him into the dress. I took my time as I fastened the long row of buttons up his back. “Now you’ve got to promise me you’ll keep this dress on all afternoon.” I said.

“I’m not.” he grumped. “I’ll take it off as soon as I’m in my room and I’ll put my own clothes on.”

“I had a feeling you’d be thinking that.” I said. I guess he figured I was still fiddling with the buttons. He he was aware that i was stitching the top few together he’d have protested more.

“What’s that?” he whined as I wrapped a broad chiffon sash around his waist.

“It’s a sash.” I said as I tied it in an ornate bow at the small of his back. “Now keep still.” I instructed.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m stitching the bow to stop you from untying it… and if you can’t untie your sash, you can’t take your dress off.”

“It’s not my dress.”

“It is whilst you’re wearing it.” I said as I turned him to face me. “Now I’ll warn you David, if you take it off you’ll be sorry. If you damage it you’ll be sorry. If you disturb or disrupt your sister’s party in any way, you’ll be sorry.” I explained. “If you think otherwise, you’ll be sorry.” I added. “Do you understand?” I asked.

He hung his head, stuck out his lip and murmured “Yes.”

“Well I hope so.” I checked the time. “I’m going to tell Janet that you’ve gone out with your friends, so she won’t even know you’re here… so unless you want her to see you, you’ll be as quiet as a mouse won’t you?”

He hung his head and nodded.

I routed out a pair of Janet’s shoes which I guessed would fit him, and they did. “Come on… I’ll make you some lunch before Janet gets back.”

“I’m not hungry.” he sulked.

“Well I’ll make you a packed lunch, then you can eat it in your room when you are hungry.”

He looked up at me and forced a compliant smile through his frown. I could feel the fear radiate from him as I led him to his own bedroom. In retrospect, maybe I should have felt a little guilty as I basked in the warm glow of complete control, but that’s guilty pleasures for you. I’d only recently come across the concept of petticoating and although highly unusual, it’s a highly intriguing concept… put a boy in girl’s clothes is like putting them in a straight jacket… it renders them powerless and completely obedient.

He didn’t say a word when I gave him his packed lunch in one of his sister’s pink lunch boxes with a silhouette of a ballerina, and the words ‘love to dance’ in glittery italics on it. Adding insult to injury, I gave him a drink of juice in a pink Minnie Mouse beaker with a curly straw. He sat on his bed with his head hung low. “Now are you sure you’re going to be a good boy and stay in your room?”

“Yes.” he murmured.

“And you’re going to keep your dress on until I say you can take it off?” I asked as I looked him up and down. He screwed up his face and nodded. “Well I certainly hope so… otherwise you’ll be sorry.” I reminded him as I took hold of the door handle.

“What if I need the toilet?” he asked. I advised him to go before the girls arrive. “What if I need to go again?” he asked.

“You’ll have to either risk being spotted on the landing, or hold on ’til they’ve gone.”

“But what if I can’t hold on?” he whined.

“Shall I put you in a nappy?” I threatened. Not that I have any. The petticoating pamphlet does mention the benefits of diaper discipline, but since that’s generally reserved for bedtime I figured they wouldn’t be necessary. I threatened him further by suggesting I could borrow some nappies from a neighbour. He shook his head, I shut the door and returned downstairs to make the final preparations for the onslaught of girls.