let's play dressup

[22:54] <Ikiryo> A few minutes have passed since the dramatic greeting, and most of the group of visitors have been ushered into the Wardrobe--with a look at the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling coverage of clothes, it's clear the room deserves the capital-W. It is meticulously ordered and sorted, though people quickly vanish into it's mammoth size...
[22:55] * Lily_Mardock shoots claire a grin and nods towards Ainlinn.  Moving to the other side, she takes one of Ainlinn's arms and looks at Claire.
[23:01] <Ikiryo> Ainlinn looks at Lily grabbing her arm "Huh?"
[23:01] * Claire clamps onto Ainlinn's other arm--doing her at least the favor of not pressing it into her cleavage. She grins right back at Lily.
[23:02] * Lily_Mardock marches Ainlinn off into the clothes with Claire's help
[23:03] <Lily_Mardock> "Come on!  This will be fun!"
[23:04] <Ikiryo> "Wait...what?" She pulls but she's not honestly a very strong person at the best of times and can't outdo both of them...
[23:05] <Lily_Mardock> "What do you want to try on, Claire?"
[23:05] <Claire> "I'm wearing what I think I'm going to keep. But really, I think Ainlinn would work best if they've got something here like what Altea had on last I saw her..."
[23:06] * Lily_Mardock is looking around, eyeing some of the more traditional clothing: elegant, but not impractical...then her eyes fall upon a massive ballroom gown with a long trail.
[23:06] <Ikiryo> "I don't need new fancy clothes!" Ainlinn protests.
[23:06] <Lily_Mardock> "Oooh, that would look good on you Ainlinn!"
[23:07] <Claire> "Yes, you do. It's polite for our hosts, especially since they *made all of these themselves*. Just for us." Her tone is firm. "I don't think you have to wear something super-frilly...unless Lily gets her way," she adds in a mutter, "...but maybe they've got something smarter for you. It won't hurt to look."
[23:11] <Ikiryo> "I can't fight or sneak in most of these outfits!" Ainlinn pulls at the arms, not very effectually.
[23:13] <Lily_Mardock> "Oh, you'd be suprised.  It's easy to avoid your guardians when you blend in."
[23:14] <Claire> "You probably could, more easily than you'd think. Just imagine the freedom of movement in a skirt."
[23:15] <Ikiryo> "And then if I jump anywhere...also, that skirt is longer than I am tall!"
[23:17] <Lily_Mardock> "We can modify it if you want...you know, the shorter we make it the more movement you'll have."
[23:17] * Lily_Mardock says innocently
[23:17] <Claire> "I bet it would make people's jaws drop if you wore it, though. Just give it a try," she urges. "You don't HAVE to wear it the whole time. This is the second thing I picked, after all, and it's pretty sensible." Pause. "Well. Sorta."
[23:18] <Ikiryo> She pauses. "...what sort of people?"
[23:20] <Lily_Mardock> "Trust me, you'll look great...."
[23:20] * Lily_Mardock finds a tape measure and starts measuring Ainlinn.
[23:20] * Claire grins, like a shark scenting blood. "Oh, probably...everyone. But probably the people who designed it, especially. After all, they didn't have you there to wear it as they were sewing it..."
[23:20] <Lily_Mardock> "Might have to tighen up the waist a bit...but that's easy enough..."
[23:24] <Ikiryo> "Well...umm...wait, what do you mean 'Tighten up the waist a bit?'"
[23:25] <Claire> "It means the waist for the dress was initially cut looser. There's less of you there than the designer anticipated."
[23:25] <Lily_Mardock> "It's a bit broad.  A dress like this has to fit right up against your skin.  That way it shows off your figure."
[23:26] * Lily_Mardock puts her hands on Ainlinn's waist to illustrate her point
[23:27] <Ikiryo> "...oh, I thought you meant like a corset or something..." She blushes "...you think people might think it looks good?"
[23:27] <Lily_Mardock> "Ew, no."
[23:27] * Lily_Mardock makes a face
[23:27] <Lily_Mardock> "The dress will look fine.  Corsets suck, though."
[23:27] * Lily_Mardock looks to Claire
[23:27] <Lily_Mardock> "Did you ever wear one?"
[23:28] <Claire> "Pfft no."
[23:28] <Lily_Mardock> "I had to once.  It was a period piece in a school play...took me two weeks to feel like I could breathe again."
[23:28] * Lily_Mardock begins looking over the dress.
[23:29] <Claire> "I did some stupid things to stay skinny enough to fit into dresses, though. I'm more glad for being here, and actually having to physically train."
[23:29] <Lily_Mardock> "Ainlinn, this is going to look great on you once it's fitted."
[23:29] * Claire lets go of Ainlinn's arm. "Take a look at what else has your name on it. You might actually find something that catches your eye even more."
[23:30] * Lily_Mardock pouts a bit, but nods
[23:31] <Ikiryo> "Well...I don't really know fashion...what do you think...people...would like?"
[23:32] <Lily_Mardock> "Well...really, you shouldn't be wearing it for someone else, y'know?  You should wear it for you, because if you feel good, that'll show, and then other people will think you look good.  Because you do, but it's because you're happy.  Because you think you look good."
[23:32] * Lily_Mardock nods sagely
[23:32] <Claire> "It's up to them...but mostly it's up to you. Confidence goes a long way to making you look good." She lowers her voice, looking around conspiratorially. "Could you imagine, like, Tazzari wearing something like this dress?" she asks quietly, gesturing to herself.
[23:34] <Claire> "I love the girl but she needs a backbone when people talk to her."
[23:34] <Ikiryo> She narrows her eyes at Lily "That wasn't what I was talking about. I don't know fashion...at ALL."
[23:34] <Lily_Mardock> "oh!  Well watch me!"
[23:35] * Lily_Mardock takes off into the dresses and begins looking for ones with her name tag.  Some she rejects, others she considers for a moment before noting for later.  All of them, she explains her choices.
[23:36] <Lily_Mardock> "This is too low cut for me.  This one's push-up, but it's made for a smaller bust.  It'd just look tacky on me.  I've got a really slender figure, so things that drape around it are good.  If you're more hourglass-y, you want something that accentuates the hourglass shape."
[23:37] <Ikiryo> Ainlinn glowers at Lily. "...I can't win, can I? I don't want to wear a dress, you pick things for me...I DO want to wear a dress, you won't." She huffs. "I want to..." She pauses "I have reasons I want to look good."
[23:38] * Lily_Mardock stops and turns to Ainlinn, suddenly serious.
[23:38] <Claire> "For you, Ainlinn...you'll want colors that make your hair or eyes stand out. Usually toned-down versions of the opposite color, if I'm remembering my art stuff. So let's you and me look at what's got your name on it, while Lily browses hers, and we'll pick a few for you to try on, okay? And I'll tell you if I think it looks like it'll knock someone's socks off."
[23:39] <Lily_Mardock> "Me too." She says, looking Ainlinn right in the eyes.  "And I think that the first dress would make you look spectacular."
[23:42] <Ikiryo> Ainlinn blushes and nods
[23:43] * Claire moves the big gown to the end of a rack. "Alright. First one, then. Now let's see what else might be here for you."
[23:44] * Lily_Mardock suddenly focuses on something past Ainlinn's ear and walks over.  It's a yukata, made of a light blue-white fabric...but the entire thing is embroidered spectacularily with vivid red flowers.
[23:46] <Lily_Mardock> "Oooh...this is..."
[23:51] <Ikiryo> "...a dress?" Ainlinn clearly knows her stuff.
[23:52] <Lily_Mardock> "Pretty..."
[23:52] <Lily_Mardock> "I think I'm going to try this on when it's my turn."
[23:53] <Claire> "There's more than one changing room, Lily...you can try it now. Come show us when you're ready."
[23:54] <Lily_Mardock> "Will you be ok without me?"
[23:54] <Lily_Mardock> "I hate to abandon my friends in their time of need."
[23:54] * Lily_Mardock smiles
[23:54] * Claire laughs. "You're hardly abandoning us. Go get changed, silly~"
[23:55] <Ikiryo> "...we are harldy friends either." Ainlinn stares at the floor.
[23:56] <Claire> "Yes we are, stop that." She swats Ainlinn's arm gently. "You know we'd all love to be. Now help me look. Even if you don't know anything about fashion, *some*thing should still pop out at you."
[23:56] * Lily_Mardock walks over to Ainlinn and hugs her
[23:57] <Lily_Mardock> "Group friendship hug!"
[23:58] <Ikiryo> Ainlinn flails
[23:58] * Claire chuckles.
[23:58] * Lily_Mardock whispers something to Ainlinn
[00:00] <Ikiryo> Ainlinn flails more.
[00:01] * Lily_Mardock releases Lily and runs off to get changed, leaving her alone with Claire.
[00:02] <Lily_Mardock> (releases Ainlinn)
[00:03] * Claire pats Ainlinn on the shoulder. "Alright. Let's see what we've got here."
[00:06] <Claire> After a couple of minutes of exploration, she's already pulled four or five options off to go with the super-fancy gown Lily had first spotted. The first is a racey red, slightly brighter than her hair, with a halter top that would leave her shoulders bare. It wraps tightly around her torso before dropping from an empire waist, and the skirt seems pulled up short in front, at around her knees, while it falls to the floor in the back and angles
[00:06] <Claire> >and angles along the sides to match the two levels.
[00:08] <Claire> It's aggressively styled and flouncy enough to let her have her full range of motion.
[00:09] <Ikiryo> Ainlinn looks at it...and goes nearly as red as the dress itself.
[00:09] <Claire> The second one she chose is a pretty par-for-the-course little black dress. Claire is amused at its presence, given the other range of styles here, but figures why not.
[00:12] <Ikiryo> "I...well...umm..." Ainlinn is just sort of staring at the dresses.
[00:12] <Claire> The third is almost as over-the-top as what Yvenne had worn to meet them earlier. Almost as formal as the ball gown Lily had indicated for her, it has a high neck, a long-sleeved bodice that would leave no curve untouched, and a flared skirt that reaches almost to her ankles. The entire thing is a soft, almost pearlescent silver, and the bodice has tracery embroidered in fancy patterns.
[00:13] <Claire> It even looks ribbed for support--though Claire has no doubt that the construction would leave the wearer plenty of room to breathe. And, she mentions in a smug whisper to Ainlinn, plenty of places to hide knives.
[00:14] <Claire> The other two are more of the same, though one is in a kind of forest-green color, while the other has a shorter skirt (to her knees), no sleeves, and is dark, dark blue.
[00:14] <Ikiryo> "I...I don't need help hiding knives...I...my real device does it." She blushes and clamps a hand over her own mouth.
[00:15] * Claire giggles. "Any of them look like you'd want to try them first? I can keep looking~ Unless you want to help with that, too."
[00:17] <Ikiryo> "Yes, trying on dress!" She nods, blatently changing the subject from what she just said.
[00:18] <Claire> "Okay. Take which one you want first, and I'll bring the rest. And if you want some help with getting them on just ask."
[00:19] <Ikiryo> "Umm...which one do you think would get the most...attention?"
[00:21] <Claire> "That would depend on what kind of attention, but...I'd say either the gown, the red one, or the silver one. It's hard to guess without you in them first, but I think those would work best on you."
[00:24] <Ikiryo> "Well...umm...I mean..." She trails off, blushing and goes and grabs the red one "Umm...can you find shoes for them...please?"
[00:24] <Claire> "I can and I will. And like I said--if you want some help, please don't be afraid to ask."
[00:26] <Ikiryo> She nods and heads off towards the changing rooms.
[00:29] * Claire heads off to the shoes in the other part of the room after a moment. [Lily, are you doing okay?]
[00:32] <Lily_Mardock> [Just fine.  Why, do you need something?  I'm almost done here.]
[00:32] <Claire> [Just checking in. I'm looking for shoes. D'you want me to find some for you?]
[00:33] <Lily_Mardock> [I found some on the way here.  They're looking good so far.
[00:36] <Ikiryo> [From: Ainlinn - There is a lot...less...of this dress than I thought there was...]
[00:36] <Claire> [That's a good thing, Ainlinn. But if it makes you too uncomfortable you don't have to. I would like to see you in it, though.]
[00:37] <Claire> She sends Lily an OK message before tutting over the racks and racks of shoes before finally selecting a few pairs to bring back.
[00:38] <Ikiryo> [From: Ainlinn - I...I can handle it.]
[00:39] * Claire is just all smiles.
[00:41] <Ikiryo> Ainlinn eventually makes her way out of the changing room, bright red. The outfit...fits her perfectly, pulling tight where it should and hanging loose where it should...
[00:43] <Ikiryo> She looks very, very embarrassed.
[00:43] * Claire makes a noise of glee, clapping her hands a couple of times while making a circuit around her blushing squadmate. "It's so *perfect*," she gushes. "Here, here here. Shoes. Try them on. Ainlinn you'll turn heads for *sure*."
[00:44] * Lily_Mardock emerges looking elegant in the yukata, but the illusion of regality is lost when she similarily gushes over Ainlinn's outfit
[00:45] <Claire> "Lilyyyyyy! You look like such a princess~ Oh I'm jealous of both of you."
[00:47] <Ikiryo> Ainlinn looks at the shoes. "Heels?" She chews her lip.
[00:53] <Claire> "They're short ones. And I *know* you've got good balance already. You'll get used to them in no time."
[00:54] <Ikiryo> She sighs and nods, talking them in hand and slipping them on. "Do I...umm...do I look good?"
[00:55] * Lily_Mardock nods wordlessly