This summer, the company I work for is having a party. It’s the first time since before COVID that they have got us all together in one spot. It will be the first time I have met a great many of them.

I wasn’t sure about going. Sometimes large groups of people that I don’t know are testing and make me feel very anxious. I can get hyper-stimulated and my mouth rubs away from me. But I knew enough people that were going to feel that it would be worth while, so I decided that I would go and make the best of it.

My boss was similarly uncertain about going, but we were promised a relaxed atmosphere, so he decided to go too (I almost certainly would not be going if he wasn’t).

After we’d both agreed to go, the Big Boss announced that we should wear smart-casual (that’s Big Boss as in head of the company, not just my line manager), “think James Bond,” he said. When I think of James Bond there’s nothing casual about how he likes to dress.

Both my boss and I were filled with dread.

You know the best thing you can do, sometimes, when a rule appears that you just don’t feel comfortable with and doesn’t make sense?

Subvert it!

I’d seen a casual suit on Temu; pink, with shorts and short-sleeve jacket.

Excellent!

White shirt, pink bow tie, pink braces, white jazz hat, and my white Converse high-tops, which I’ll wear with pink laces.

Learning to tie the bow has been difficult and takes practice. They are bloody awkward to do, donchaknow?

One evening, I tried the whole get-up on to see how it looked: stunning!

To be sure, its not to everybody’s taste, but that’s hardly the point – and I’m not looking at picking up, just at being myself!

Then I thought “I bet my puppy hood would look cool in this!” So I popped it on.

Fuck yeah!

I ran downstairs to show my hubby.

He noticed that I’d got a semi! I hadn’t noticed, but yes, it was arousing!

He also got turned on by it!

We were both of us surprised!

I’ll not be wearing my puppy hood to the work’s do, but I will definitely roll the whole look out for Pride sometime!

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Competition Time: Name The Puppy

I realised while writing this that my puppy self doesn’t have a name yet! And that won’t do – every good pup deserves a name that captures their spirit.

Something joyful, maybe a bit cheeky, definitely pink-leaning, and with a wag in its tail. Bear in mind that this pup is a naughty pup and prefers to be naked – but if they can’t be, they’ll be subversive!

Got any ideas?

Send ‘em my way and help this dapper doggo find his name!