Room 218, Saturday Afternoon

[glacial_queen]

Room 218 looked like a whirlwind had visited, strewing clothing and make-up everywhere. Karla stood in the epicenter, looking almost shell-shocked. Most of the clothing was new and unworn, purchased at Pixie Dust a few weeks ago, and the make-up still had the plastic over it. Like Karla had the first clue about how to put on make-up.

After a frantic phone call to Emma, Karla could at least calm down a bit, knowing someone more competent than she at this stuff (namely, any female and a good half of the males) was coming to help. This was Karla's first official ball. Or dance. Or whatever. She'd been too young to attend any of the ones her parents had held, the coven wasn't exactly the ball-throwing type, and she'd boycotted anything her Hobart had hosted because, well, she hated him.

So rather than her usual routine of 'find something clean, brush hair, and be done with it,' Karla was waiting for Emma, about to have her first lesson in fashion. (The shopping trip hadn't counted. That was gathering the tools necessary to have this lesson.)

[For one, but open for anyone who wants to stop by beforehand.]

Comments

[icecoldfrost]

Emma carefully rapped on the door, her own dress draped over one arm, with a small makeup bag in her hands.

"Is it safe to come in?" she called, "Or am I going to get a bra flung at my head?"

[glacial_queen]

Since Karla did indeed have a bra in her hand, ready to fling at the wall, Emma's question made her flush. "I'm tossing it at the other wall," she called back. "It should be safe."

[icecoldfrost]

"Don't throw your undergarments, darling, unless you're taking them off," Emma scolded, coming in and firmly shutting the door behind her.

She glanced around the room, blinking a bit at the destruction wrought. "Right. I'm guessing you need help picking out a dress."

[glacial_queen]

"I need help with everything!" Karla was doing a credible imitation of someone standing around, looking helpless. A very credible imitation. "How do people DO this all the time? How do you know all this stuff?"

[icecoldfrost]

"I grew up with it," Emma reminded her, setting down her things on a clean surface before gently trying to steer Karla towards the bed. "Sit. One thing at a time."

"Now, do you have a date, or are you attending alone?"

[glacial_queen]

"A date?" Karla's eyes grew a little wider as she sat down. She hadn't even thought of that. "No, no date. It's okay if I go alone, right?"

[icecoldfrost]

"Of course. I'm going without an escort," she replied reassuringly. "It makes this easier, because we don't have to worry about you matching him."

"Is there a particular color you feel like wearing today? Or a style? Did you want to wear one of your gowns from home, or something from this place?"

[glacial_queen]

"Blue," Karla said immediately. Blue and silver were her prefered choice of color any time she had an option.

"Uhh...style? Nothing springs to mind." Other than 'dress.' That was about as far as she got. "And something from here. I'd rather blend in than stand out. And my Widow's Weeds aren't appropriate for a dance."

[icecoldfrost]

"Something blue and local," Emma echoed, looking around the room and starting to pick through options.

"It's easier to deal with if you break it down into steps. We find you a dress. Then you brush out your hair, and last is your make-up. Three little steps, and you'll be ready to make all the pretty boys and girls stare in envy."

[glacial_queen]

"Baby steps," Karla repeated. She could do that. Then the rest of Emma's words sunk in. "On no, I couldn't do that. Most everyone here is much prettier than I am."

Karla wasn't fishing for compliments, simply stating facts as she saw them. She wasn't used to thinking of herself either being pretty or wanting others to think she was pretty, either. And, for the most part, she didn't really care.

"Like you. You're beautiful," Karla said, admiringly.

[icecoldfrost]

"No, I'm confident," Emma corrected. "I am attractive, yes, but most of it is presentation."

"Act like you're the most beautiful woman in the world, and most people will believe it."

[glacial_queen]

Karla had no idea how to go about even pretending that. She'd spent far too long trying not to be found attractive by the males in Glacia. "Ummm...okay?" she said.

Rather than try to figure out how to act beautiful, Karla held up several dresses for Emma's approval. "Are any of these okay?"

[icecoldfrost]

Emma tapped her fingers against her lips thoughtfully as she considered the parade of outfits.

"The second one or the last one," she decided, moving to grab her own dress and start changing. It would be easier if they both got ready at the same time, which was why she'd brought her supplies. "Either one would be perfectly acceptable."

[glacial_queen]

"I like the second one," Karla decided. Then grinned. She'd made a decision. Yes!

"Uhhh, I think I have a pair of dressy black shoes and dressy silver ones. Hmmm..." Karla moved several piles of clothing to try to unearth her dress shoes. They both had a moderate heel, but nothing outrageous. Karla liked staying upright, thankyouverymuch.

"Aha!" Victorious, Karla held up toe different shoes. "I think the silver will go, don't you?" she asked hopefully.

[icecoldfrost]

"Next up, shoe shopping," Emma announced, wagging a finger at Karla. "Silver will go fine, yes, but you need more than two pairs of pretty shoes!"

Something in a shocking red, maybe. A navy blue, a teal, a dress sandal...

[glacial_queen]

Karla probably should have known better, but asked, "Aren't two enough? The more I have, the longer it'll take me to decide which one I should wear!"

[icecoldfrost]

"Two are most assuredly not enough," Emma replied as she shimmied into her dress. "You can change up the same outfit over and over with a different pair of shoes and a different necklace, and then no one realizes you wore that same pantsuit last week. Accessories make our clothes go the extra mile."

[glacial_queen]

"Oh. I guess so," Karla said in the dubious tones of one unconvinced, but willing to defer to the judgment of the more knowledgeable party.

She grabbed her dress and stood behind the open closet door to change. Unlike Emma, she still had underthings to put on, including the fancy bra she'd tosses against the wall.

"So...thoughts about my hair? And face-paint. There's plenty if you don't have some."

[icecoldfrost]

Emma lacked anything remotely resembling modesty. Spending any amount of time listening to Hank talk biology and physiology had rendered the human body rather neutral to Emma.

"You could just brush it and leave it down, if you don't think it will get in the way," she mused. "Otherwise I can try and pin it up for you. And we'll keep your make-up light, there's no reason to paint you up like a clown."

[glacial_queen]

Riiiight. They called it make-up here. Karla forgot that sometime.

"Sorry, make-up. We just call it paint back home. This has different connotations then?" Karla piled her hair on top of her head, then frowned. "Down is better, I think. But is there anyway we can make it look...not like it always does when it's down?"

For the record, Karla's hairstyling products are limited to a comb, a brush, and a few elastics.

[icecoldfrost]

"Paint is thick. As if you were an actress on the stage, and people needed to see you in the balcony," Emma replied. "We've got a lovely summer night, and if we made you up that much, you'd wilt in the heat."

She wandered over to finger Karla's hair, looking at it thoughtfully. "I don't see why not. A twist of the curling iron and one spritz of hair spray, and you should be set. Loose and natural-ish will look nice with your dress."

[glacial_queen]

"Oh, okay," Karla said. She pointed to the pile of cosmetics on her bed, some of which should never be allowed on someone as fair as Karla. "I got a lot of things, since I didn't know what I'd need."

"How are we going to use a curling iron? We don't have anything hot enough to heat it on," she said, looking around her room as if a fireplace might have appeared within the last few seconds without her noticing.

Of course, in this mess, it could have.

[icecoldfrost]

"Next time, we do this in my room," she sighed, going over to her bag to pull out a curling iron. "Where are your electric outlets in here, darling? The white rectangles set into the wall near the floor."

[glacial_queen]

"There's one over here, by the bed," Karla said meekly. She called the clothes over to her so Emma could reach it freely. "Maybe next time I won't be flailing around so much."

Ha. Hope springs ever eternal.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah had wandered downstairs in her dress (http://www2.victoriassecret.com/images/prodpri2/V284302.jpg), but was un-make-up'd, hair still down, and was still barefoot, clutching black, white, and silver heeled sandals in her hands as she knocked. "Karla? You in?"

[glacial_queen]

"In here!" Karla called, voice muffled. She was standing in her closet, tossing yet still more clothing out of it. Poking her head out, "What's up, Dinah?" she asked. "Oh, your dress is lovely."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Thanks!" Dinah twirled, holding her sandals out to the sides. "You like it? I got it ages ago. Last time I went shopping in New Gotham. I had a pink one I liked too, but... it was a little too dressy for a first date." She looked around at all the clothing. "I wanted your opinion on shoes. You look like you have more to deal with than I do, though."

[glacial_queen]

"No, no, distract me!" Karla said, lunging out of the closet. "All I'm doing is panicking because I have no idea what I'm doing. Let me see your shoes?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Laughing, Dinah said, "There's no reason to panic, everybody wears different stuff, you know. It's nowhere near as formal as Prom is," then held out a pair of black heeled sandals (http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3022696/0~2376778~2372808~2372949~2377703?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=2377703&P=1), white (http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3022549/0~2376778~2372808~2372949~2377703?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=2377703&P=1), and silver (http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3033831/0~2376778~2372808~2372949~2377703?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=2377703&P=1). "Help me choose?" she said sheepishly.

[glacial_queen]

"This is my first dance ever. I want to make a good impression," Karla said. At least when she didn't want to hide and not have anyone look at her.

She examined Dinah's shoes. "Definitely not the white ones," she said. "Can you put on one silver and one black?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah giggled for a second, then caught Karla's meaning, and sat down to do so. "Sure. Do you have a date for the dance? Or are you going with friends?" she asked, fastening the strap on the silver ones. "I meant to talk to you about this after the fashion show, but then I just wanted to hide."

[glacial_queen]

"No date," Karla said. "I'm not really going with anyone. You?"

She examined Dinah's shoes critically, trying to determine which shoes complimented Dinah's dress better. They were both pretty. "I like the black ones," she announced.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Black it is," Dinah said, taking off the silver one, and smiling. "George. He was in my Fashion class, the guy with the glasses? You probably saw him at the show. I've gone to dances with Tony and with Jack Teague, but I'm hoping this'll be fun and not nervous-making."

[glacial_queen]

"Right! I remember him--he's the male you were with when I nearly choked to death on a pepper." Karla retained her suspicion of all things spicy. "He talked to you then. Good. I don't have to hex him now." She shot Dinah a teasing grin.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Noooo, you don't," Dinah said, laughing, then standing up and checking her feet. She gave Karla a considering look. "It can be fun to go alone to these things. More guys to dance with, and all."

[glacial_queen]

"Perhaps I'll just have a talk with him, then," Karla said, teasing grin growing wider.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Kaaaarla," Dinah warned. "Should I ask where Leda is? Or is not?"

[glacial_queen]

"I would never, I would never," Karla promised, grinning. Besides, warnings gave people an unfair advantage. She was much more likely to retaliate after he did something she would have warned him against.

"I'm not sure where Leda is," Karla said, shrugging. "She was ill, earlier this week, and is only just getting around again. I hope I'll see her at the dance, though."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"That's too bad. I hope she's feeling okay enough to hit the dance, then." Dinah cocked her head. "Things going okay there?"

[glacial_queen]

"I don't really know," Karla said. "We had a date and it was fun, and we've been chatty when we bump into one another, but it's only been a single date. I don't even know what that means, if it means anything at all." Karla shrugged.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah decided not to speculated, and instead said, "That you had a good time. So yeah. Maybe another date will happen, and that'll be fun too." She grinned. "Anyway. Thanks for the help with the shoes. Can I help with the clothes at all?" She gave the piles a dubious look. "Or are you just gonna narrow it down to a basic target first?"

[glacial_queen]

"We'll probably go out again," Karla said smiling shyly. "And you're welcome. Glad to help."

She cast a sheepish glance around her room. "I think I'm going to spend a few more minutes panicking, first. But thanks."