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[Sierra]

"I don't see why not," Lucie says, starting down the stairs. "It's over in Merchant. Short walk. Wanted to be in the center of things."

"I...am not used to wearing jewelry," she continues on reaching the street. "Anything I'm going to be wearing regular needs to be comfortable, but the banquet...well, these aren't my normal circles. We need to stand out, but not so much we look out of place. I am not sure what that calls for."

[Corwin]

"Come along, Val," Henrietta says, smiling at her dog. "We are going to visit Lucie's home!"

She falls in step with Lucie, nodding at her words. "Yes, yes, of course. But this is where, well, a certain paradox emerges. You see, the more expensive a dress is, the more you would stand out without the proper accessories to it. So if you want to get eased into the banquet scene, what you need to do is pay even more for your attire, and then you fit in so much you can stay in the background until such a time you are ready to make your move. It certainly cuts down on any awkwardness, I can tell you that!"

Henrietta smiles again, this time in remembrance. "Of course, there is also the part where you may wish to, you know, make a statement with your clothing. Like draws to like, and so if you are interested in forging contacts with merchants, appearing as one of them would go a long way towards that goal! It makes perfect sense, does it not? People who might be intimidated by nobility would feel quite right with someone they consider one of their own circle."

[Sierra]

Lucie rubs her forehead, sighs as they walk. "Why do people insist on making things like this so complicated? Do they not have enough to keep them busy?" She shakes her head at the foolishness of people with too much time and money on their hands.

"I most wish to engage...academics, clerics, magicians. Otherwise...I have patience for merchants and the like only insofar as they're useful."

[Corwin]

"We can look for some very high-quality robes for you, perhaps," Henrietta muses, looking Lucie over in contemplation. "I suppose it may cause you to fend off a charlatan or two, but we can make the image authentic enough to draw genuine interest of the sort you wish, I am most confident of that! Oh, we need to consider so much... do you intend to draw men in general? We will need to hunt for the right perfume, then! And a fabulous hair clip, most certainly--"

Henrietta sneaks a peak beneath Lucie's hood, and turns away to conceal a wince. "Although perhaps we could also style it differently? Seize the moment, I say, and in doing so, seize the advantage, as in battle! So many mages wear it loose or in a utilitarian ponytail, but we could do something unique with yours. Braid it, perhaps, or let it run in twin tails over your shoulders. Why, I believe that would be quite lovely!"

[Sierra]

"Men? It wasn't really what I had in mind." Lucie considers this for a moment. "One flashy, attention-getting dress, maybe? There might be a time it's useful to make that kind of impression. Otherwise, I'll defer to your expertise in what's likely to have me be taken seriously."

"We...don't really have to do anything elaborate with my hair, do we? I rather like it having a certain...presence," she adds, defending her standard style of having it be a looming, tumbledown mess inside her hood.

[Corwin]

"Not... have to, I suppose," Henrietta admits when pressed. "But you simply must look at your attire together. Everything must flow together, one into the other-- why don't we wait and see what hair style fits your dress of choice?"

Considering that thorny issue successfully deferred, Henrietta continues, "As far as first impressions go, Lucie, being taken seriously and attention-getting dresses are not quite in the same category, I must say. It is, well, I suppose it can be called a bad idea to try and combine the two. If you want to talk to new and interesting people and have them listen to you over admiring you then I again would suggest some robes. We can even, I think, adorn them in a way that looks flashy and interesting without being tasteless or tacky."

[Sierra]

"As I said, I'll defer to your experience in these matters. Mostly." Lucie waves one tattered sleeve as repeat demonstration of her own breadth of experience in the world of high fashion.

In time Lucie stops in front of handsome townhouse wedged into a busy Merchant street. Two floors, interiors mostly obscured by curtains inside the front windows. "Well, here we are. And as we're already in Merchant, it's likely a short walk to a dress shop...I haven't taken the time to look around yet, wouldn't know where to start." Lucie looks to Henrietta, apparently assuming the redhead's own taste in clothes suggests she must know all the stores in the city already.

[Corwin]

"As a matter of fact," Henrietta muses, looking at the nearby street names to orient herself, "I have purchased a very nice dress here some time ago to pick me up." Her face falls. "I really needed it after being trapped underground with zombies and diseases and large, incredibly hostile crabs."

It shouldn't take her too long to start leading Lucie to a good store.

[Ebiris]

It's a short walk up Wall Street and into Sunset District before Henrietta turns off onto Dusk Street between the city gates and the park. Here a tailors is found, under a sign reading Jaurant Fashion. In the window are a couple of dresses and accessories, favouring furs and deep layers as the season begins to turn towards Winter. A bell rings upon entering and two figures are seen, a slim and haughty looking man with black hair in a long pony-tail wearing an understated but well-fitting suit of black with green and silver highlights, and a teenage girl with long unbound brown hair wearing a simple long-skirted brown dress.

The man looks up from where he's poring over a large sheaf of paper with some sort of clothing design and smiles silkily, "Customers, welcome! I'm Mr Jaurant... and ah, Miss Ul'Copt, it's a pleasure to see you once more. I trust the dress was satisfactory? Won't you introduce me to your friend?" he invites, gracefully walking over. The girl looks up and smiles briefly before focusing back on her needlework.

[Corwin]

"Ah, thank you," Henrietta responds, smiling back at the tailor. "It made me very happy. I did not have a chance to wear it to a formal occasion yet because I was out of town, but my chance should be coming up in a manner of days." Gesturing at her side, she continues smoothly, "This is Lucie Dolan. I told her we would find her something that goes with a dignified scholar look. Styled much like robes, perhaps? With the focus on furs the coming season, it should not be too hard, I hope. And while we are browsing, perhaps I should look for something to pamper myself again."

They did, after all, once more battle against disease and against unspeakable horrors given cannibalistic mutant form.

[Ebiris]

"Of course," the tailor turns to Lucie, "Why don't we step through to the fitting room and I can take your measurements first, then we can discuss styles? Salli, do help Miss Ul'Copt if she requires anything," he adds to his apprentice, gesturing for Lucie to follow him behind a curtain at the back, while the younger girl looks up and nods perkily.

[Sierra]

Lucie follows (alone, thanks!) She's never had clothes fitted specifically for her before, and can only hope the mysterious measuring process is not an elaborate one.

[Ebiris]

In the front room Salli hums and stitches, leaving Henrietta to her own devices. Meanwhile Lucie is taken back into the fitting room, racks of garments on one of the walls and a table covered in an unfinished but shockingly cut gown of white and pale blue. Inviting her up onto a stool, the tailor uses a measuring tape on numerous parts of Lucie's body in a way that would surely be highly rude if done in public, but he's professional and polite throughout, deft fingers not lingering anywhere. Scribbling her measurements down, he nods approvingly while leading Lucie back out, "Many woman would be envious of such measurements, Miss Dolan. I'd dearly love to make a dress that could properly frame them, but perhaps in Summer? 'Tis the season for robes, it's true. I think cool colours would suit you best - I recently got a good deal on some pinnacle wolf fur that would make a good drape over your shoulders. Exquisitely soft, and guaranteed to keep you warm," he enthuses.

[Corwin]

Henrietta follows Lucie with her eyes until she disappears behind the curtain, before redirecting her attention to Salli. She already has a lovely dress that helps turn her into a rose of red and black, not to mention a properly-won, expensive dress that should make most women her age green with envy. But something is still missing....

"Something for a formal occasion, I think," she voices. "And let's go with a strapless dress made for the summer season. The event would be indoors so it should not be cold, and it might allow me to look daring without crossing that line into inappropriateness. Do you think I would look good in green, or should I aim for red once more?"

[Ebiris]

Mr Jaurant lights up upon hearing Henrietta's words. "Ah, I still have your measurements Miss Ul'Copt, so another dress would be no trouble. With your colouring, red or green are both excellent fits - I would suggest green this once, if only to vary your wardrobe. Perhaps Tanagran velvet with a vine motif? I did something similar for Lady Arabani recently and she adored it, but with your figure I'm sure you could carry it with a little more panache. Something low cut, bringing to mind leafs or petals accentuating your endowments?"