Intimate Apparel

Main characters

Ester- A middle age lower class black woman who makes clothes for a living for the upper class white women.

What I know?

 “Intimate Apparel” is about Ester who one day receives a letter from George. She cannot read or write so she has a friend help her read and write back to the man. They continue to write back and forth and while doing this Ester falls in love with him. When he finishes working in Jamaica he goes to Ester to marry her and live with her. While there Ester makes him extremely nice clothes to help him find work. She also makes him a very nice and expensive smoking jacket. George continues to go out late at night and spend Esters money that she has been saving to open up a beauty salon. One night George takes the money and says that he is going to invest it into a business to make them rich. After George leaves with the money Ester goes to see her best friend who works as an “entertainer” when she gets there she is wearing the smoking jacket that Ester made for George. When Ester tells him she says that he is supposed to be on his way over. Once he gets there Ester begs her not to answer the door. In the end of the story Ester ends up going back to George even though he had been cheating on her and he spent all the money.

What can you imagine that is not specifically outlined?

I imagine that while Ester’s best friend was hooking up with George she knew that it was Ester’s husband. I also imagine that the fabric guy was very attracted with Ester and he wanted to be with her. They were often flirting with each other and very awkward around each other because of their attraction with each other.

What do I think/feel about what I read?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The only thing I didn’t like was the ending. I thought honestly her leaving him and going to the be with the fabric salesman would have made a lot better story. Emotionally I got attached to Ester and I wanted her to be strong and stand up for herself. To tell him she was taking it and wasn’t going to continue to live that way.

I want to learn more about what happens next. Does George continue in his ways and continue to cheat on George? I also want to know if Ester’s best friend continues to see George even though she knows it’s George. The last thing I would want to know is what happens to the fabric salesman? Does he end up going through with his arranged marriage?

Experience/relating:

Although I wasn’t married, I have had experience with a guy cheating on me after I have spent a lot of money on. Unlike Ester I did end up leaving him for what he was doing. I decided that I deserved more than that, and that I was not going to take it. I have also had a friend betray me with one of my ex’s before and in the end I did forgive her, but it did take a lot of work.