As strange as it may sound it's true. I purchased a set of buns or "custom derriere enhancement undergarments" in a back alley. The story starts like this: On a dark and rainy night a lonely crossdresser slowly approached the even darker alley entrance. No, that isn’t it at all, I'm just teasing you. The real story goes like this: A number of years ago, when I was at a California Dreamin’ Convention, I met Ms. Espy Lopez and had a chance to examine her custom derriere enhancement undergarments. At that time Espy was manufacturing the Veronica, which is a hip and rear enhancing garment. At time I could only admire the garment but I wasn’t ready or able to purchase the girdle like undergarment. Through the years I have considered the purchase of some buns, since as Espy is so willing to point out, "feminine proportions are that hips and shoulders are almost the same width." In watching women and noticing the draping of my own clothing, I’ve observed that the male form just does not have the same hips and rear as the female form.

I’ve tried different garments that promise to add the desired hips and rear padding that is necessary to bring my narrow hips to the correct dimensions. Everything that I tried on, such as a padded girdle from "Fredricks", added padding that didn’t conform to my natural shape and ended up looking more like bumpers and lumps of foam rubber. There just wasn’t any attempt to make them flow smoothly into the natural bodyline. So I waited, and waited.

As the years passed I kept my eye on Espy and her "custom derriere enhancement undergarments". Starting with the original garment, which is now called Veronica I she added a longer version, Veronica II and a breast-enhancing garment, Diva. The Diva is designed to take all the loose side and chest tissue and create a temporary cleavage. Espy has established a web site called "Classic Curves", where I would drop in occasionally, just to look and dream about the day when I would be able to by my own set of "buns".

The time finally arrived where all the pieces came together, I was going to be making a trip to California, with enough advanced notice that I could order my own Veronica. Using the order form off of the Classic Curves web site, I carefully took my measurements and faxed my order for a Veronica I to Espy. Espy was nice enough to e-mail me back that my order had been received and that my undergarment would be ready to pick up on the day desired. No problem, right? Wrong!

As the day of my flight to Los Angeles approached I realized that I didn’t have directions or even the address on where I could pick up my buns. I tried to e-mail Espy, but didn’t get a response, I called the phone number 310-549-8787, but I only got the answering machine. (Espy is only there to answer the phone in the evening). I finally sent a fax, to confirm the time and date that I would pick up the undergarment.

Upon arrival at LAX, I called Espy and got her in person. Getting directions wasn’t a problem, but I was in for a bit of a drive as Espy lives near the Long Beach area. After getting my rental car, I hit the freeway and headed south. The traffic that Espy had feared never materialized and I made the trip in near record time. Could it be that after all these years I was a little anxious about picking up my new set of buns. Espy had given me detailed directions to her house, finishing with, "just pull around to the back alley and bang on the garage door, as that’s where her workshop is located." Everything went great, the directions were easy to follow, right up to the point where I tried to find the house, and NO SUCH HOUSE NUMBER EXISTED.

Now I had to find a pay phone and call Espy, one more time. It turned out that I had reversed the two middle numbers. A short drive and a few minutes, and my rental car was parked at Espy’s door, her garage door, in the alley and I was finally going to get my Veronica . ...get my own buns. Hips and rear, that would finally allow my clothes to fit, as they should. Espy had instructed me to bring a skirt, pantyhose and heels, so I could try on my Veronica and get a true feeling and appreciation for it. This request didn’t present any problem, as I was on my way to visit my sister, where I would dress only as Vicki for the next three days. So the suitcase in the rental car only contained Vicki’s clothing, the only things that could be considered drab attire was what I was wearing and that was a silk shirt like blouse and a pair of slacks with shoes that were more of a pair of flats.

After giving Espy a hug, she presented me with a tissue paper wrapped garment and stepped back to await my smiles as I slowly opened the package. The undergarment was girdle like, with two large circular pads (the padding was almost like two baby moon hubcaps, one to cover both hip and rear cheek). Espy wouldn’t let me try on the garment until after I had read the directions that came with it. Under Espy’s close supervision I slipped the garment on, and suddenly I had hips. not just lumpy padding. My skirt fit with a proper flair and now hung properly. When walking in my heels I had a new bounce and swing in my step.

As I pranced and danced around Espy’s workshop, we had a chance to talk. The reason that she hadn’t answered my e-mail was that her computer had blown the hard disk and was in for repair. It wasn’t that she was ignoring me. Espy explained that she had gotten started in the business of “custom hip, derriere & bust enhancement undergarments” after she had trying to make her own and then finally mail ordering a set of hip padding from a New York retailer, only to receive a sheet of foam rubber and a set of instructions. The current Veronica’s are the results of a lot of trial and errors, but all this work by Espy has resulted in a well fitting, custom made garment, that should last for quite awhile with proper care. I slipped out of my skirt, leaving the Veronica on and slipped into my slacks. The Veronica felt so good and the slacks fit so well, I decided to leave my heels on too for the drive to my sisters house. After giving Espy a parting hug, it was into the car and out of the alley where I had bought my buns.

My sister has known about my dressing as Vicki for several years now, and when we get together we have a lot of fun going out as sisters. As soon as I let her know that I was coming out, she started to plan our weekend. Before I arrived she had already informed me that we were going shopping on Friday and Saturday, and we had invitations to two different parties. So in packing I knew that I needed daytime clothes for going to the shops and out to lunch and also party dresses for the evening, with shoes for walking and dancing. What a fun weekend we had planned.