{ network / all-purpose post } [slightly backdated]

[mayoralty]

[The notice goes up in the journals early Monday afternoon. Carol's learned that things can change quickly on the boat, and announcing far in advance doesn't really do you much good. Especially considering the rooms can change and the formal wear stores you need to make sure people are ready might not be there on the day in question.

Regardless, when she sees the stores there, she makes the announcement, writing neatly and carefully into the journal:]

Masquerade Ball

Hosted in the Main Ballroom on Friday, August 29th at 7 p.m.

Formal dress attire is required. All inquiries may be directed to Carol Lockwood.

[And that is that. There are several formal wear "stores" on the upper deck of the boat for all your fancy ball needs. This post can be used to talk to Carol, or to organize your dates, or to go clothes shopping - knock yourself out!]

[OOC: IF YOU WOULD LIKE CAROL, PUT HER NAME IN THE SUBJECT LINE. Otherwise, use this post to do your thing. =D]

Comments

[outgunned]

[ The clothing store itself really is rather spectacular. Mary Jane purses her lips as she contemplates the dress styles, before she turns to Cora with a critical eye. ] We might want to consider a hair up-do, too. You've got such a pretty face. Might as well flaunt it. [ Already her mind is running with a hundred possibilities. ]

[impetere]

[ .... Did she just call her pretty?]

Uh. Thank you?

[outgunned]

[ ...Yes? ]

Anytime! Don't tell me no one's ever pointed it out before.

[impetere]

I haven't really spent a lot of time around people.

[Or it hasn't been relevant. She knows she's attractive in an abstract sort of way, but direct compliments? Not so much.]

[outgunned]

[ Mary Jane, on the other hand, is nothing if not direct. ]

You didn't live in a cupboard under the stairs most of your life, did you? [ 'Cause Harry Potter did, and it did not do any favors to his social life. ]

[impetere]

[Shockingly, Cora has actually read Harry Potter. She looks amused.]

No, not exactly. I just was on my own a lot.

[outgunned]

I know how that goes. [ She does, in her own way. Then again, Mary Jane having to fend for herself was largely due to her own decisions. After her mother died, she couldn't stay in Queens. Not with her father, and not saddled with her sister's baby with no hope of ever leaving. But it wouldn't do to linger on those things. Her uncharacteristically poignant moment soon shifts into a bright smile. ]

But they do say there's always a first for everything. [ Mary Jane lifts several different dresses for Cora to try, pointing to the dressing room. ] Shall we?

[impetere]

[Cora takes a deep breath before nodding in agreement and following her lead. Without a word, she takes the dresses from her and shuts the door. It isn't until she's started getting undressed that she actually speaks.]

Do you go to stuff like this a lot?

[outgunned]

[ MJ smirks softly as she looks through the racks for a dress of her own now. ]

More like I pretend to go to stuff like this a lot. [ She'll play people that have much more glamorous lives than she does, or just much more glamorous wardrobe. She was recently Satine for a Broadway play. She was the understudy for most of it, but thankfully, the lead got sick, and well. She's super proud of that, okay. ] I'm an actress, and that means a lot of fittings.

[impetere]

[Her clothes are folded and placed to the side, before she pulls one of the dresses off the hanger and starts to step into it.]

You're not one of those actresses that goes to premieres and stuff?

[outgunned]

I'm not there yet. [ mary jane sighs, but she doesn't sound discouraged. the acting business is a tough one. ] But I'll get there. Maybe I could pull something off here if I find enough of a crowd. [ she can't be the only one to have artistic aspirations here. hrmm.

cora, you don't know it, but you're helping her come up with something brilliant. ]

[impetere]

[Is she? She didn't do it on purpose, but hey, maybe it'll be good.]

There's probably a theater or something behind one of the doors.

[Look at her, still helping.]

[outgunned]

Interesting. [ steepling her fingers now. ] I'll look into it after the ball. I wouldn't want to steal this Carol Lockwood's thunder.

[impetere]

[She nods a bit in agreement, before finally wrestling her way into the dress and starting at it in the mirror. She looks ... like a girl. Not like herself and she isn't sure if that's a good or bad thing.]

I'm not sure about this.

[outgunned]

There's only one way to know for sure. [ mary jane cranes her neck a bit. ] Get your cute butt out here so I can see.

[impetere]

[She huffs a bit before picking up the edges of the black dress so that they didn't drag and making her way out the door. She doesn't go far, stopping as soon as she's in Mary Jane's line of vision, and after that gives a bit of a shrug.]

Well?

[outgunned]

[ this squee, cora, is a squee of approval. ] You look amazing! What aren't you sure of? [ don't be downplaying how good you look, cora. mary jane will not allow it. ]

[impetere]

[Amazing? Really? She turns to face the big mirror at the other end of the hall with a frown.]

I'm not really sure if it's me?

[outgunned]

[ mary jane purses her lips, since that's a valid critique. ] Hmm, well. There are a few more you can try on but what's important is you feel comfortable wearing them. Otherwise it shows, y'know?

[impetere]

[She gives a bit of a shrug.]

I'm not sure I'd be comfortable in any of them. I've never really had anything this fancy before.

[outgunned]

Then you'll have to take my word for it. [ mary jane places her hands on cora's shoulders, only to lead her to the full-length mirror. ] You? Look like a million bucks.

[impetere]

[She smiles a bit as she stands in front of the mirror, and as she does her body turns a bit to get a better look, the material swirling around her legs. At least it's black. She could work with black.]

Okay.