Dress my heroine

[larryhammer]

[Poll #752341]
ETA: The dress must have a high back, to hide her wings as she passes for human.

ETA2: In response to a question, the fairy is used to passing among humans by hanging around the edges of school with a couple friends, but is being forced by the plot to socialize on a larger stage, as it were. One on one, she's bubbly and flaky; crowds make her nervous of messing up.

---L.

Comments

[stillnotbored.livejournal.com]

The little box wouldn't let me type everything.

An attached shawl or capelet that ended just above the elbows would help hide her wings as well.

Not that I know much about dresses. :] I own exactly zero.

[larryhammer]

That's a thought about a shawl. It wouldn't do alone, but it'd let the dress be not as wide in back.

---L.

[marith.livejournal.com]

I vote for pale green spangled with tawny gold down the bottom of the skirt, or as accents.

[larryhammer]

I thinking her date will give her a corsage that golden color, for her wrist.

---L.

[larryhammer]

I do wonder whether those of you voting for transparent gauze are imagining she'd be wearing underwear.

---L.

[janni.livejournal.com]

I assume that would be left as an exercise for the reader. And the other protagonist.

[larryhammer]

If the other protagonist sees her in that while we're in his POV, it would definitely no longer be an exercise for the reader.

---L.

[janni.livejournal.com]

I bet when she isn't trying to pass as human, she gets to wear all the transparent gauze she wants.

[larryhammer]

If this wasn't a YA, she would.

---L.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

You can't go wrong with that lovely modern fabric that's shimmery green from one angle and shimmery gold from another.

[larryhammer]

Ooo!

Do they make it in green that pale? I can only remember it in darker shades -- so that the saturations have contrast.

---L.

[hamadryad11.livejournal.com]

Yes, you can get shot silks in fairly pale colours. Generally they're brighter or darker, but I've seen some that are light enough to work for what you're describing.

It doesn't have to be a stiff taffeta either. I've seen some lovely soft ones, too. Soft and flowing but still opaque enough to hide her wings.

Although I'm not sure thin, soft fabrics will be enough to hide the shape of her wings. Do they add a lot of bulk?

[larryhammer]

That's good to know. Thanks.

They don't add much bunk when "folded" up by her magic, but they are noticible to the touch -- though possibly that's mostly where they are attached more than anything.

---L.

[branna.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid your fairy is going to have a lot of trouble finding a formal dress with a high, closed back---she's probably going to have to look in vintage shops to find something that would work, or do a backless dress and then create a matching or constrasting overjacket, shawl, or cape that she just doesn't take off. (Maybe do the dress in gold, and the jacket in the same green as her wings)?

How thick are her wings, too, when folded? She's a functional flier, right? But if she's passing among humans and going to Phys Ed, she presumably isn't hollow-boned like a bird. That must mean pretty large wingspan. Even high-backed formal dresses are close-fitting enough that I'd think things would get pretty bulky, from both her heavy shoulder and back muscles and the bulk of the wings themselves.

[larryhammer]

I'd forgotten about the muscles -- I even made a point of them, earlier. Hmm. The thickness of the wings isn't an issue -- the magic that lets her hide a five-foot wing-span under a t-shirt can take care of that. (I am, ah, Not Examining how it is she can actually fly with these things -- hollow bones wouldn't be enough, no.) Though the surface when they're hidden is probably not as smooth as skin. Hmm, again.

You may be right, she'll need a jacket or the like.

---L.

[branna.livejournal.com]

Hmm.

I'm wondering: why can the magic hide the very distinctive bulk of her five foot wing span if covered by a t-shirt, but can't simply hide them if they are bare?

If it is really a pure illusion of smooth cloth or skin, I'd think it should be able to do either. If it is just a nudge to convince the viewer that the awful bulky structure under her shirt is a scoliosis brace instead of wings, then I can see why covering material is required.

[larryhammer]

You have a point. I need to think about this.

---L.

[jillykat.livejournal.com]

And what about wearing a bra? Is she extremely small breasted? If not, then the bra is going to be pressing down on the hidden wings. I agree that you're going to have a hard time with the style. Hmmm. One of the vintage styles has a fairly fitted bodice, but the back has a loose swoop/cowl of material. Though, it tends to leave a "U" of bare skin in the center of the back, about six inches down from the base of the neck. That might work.

[larryhammer]

Very small breasts, yes. I think she finds a bra extremely uncomfortable over the wings.

You've got a point about her looking good in a flapper dress, even if she's short. If she wasn't hiding the wings. (I also like the Empire waist suggestions.)

---L.

site w/vintage dresses

[jillykat.livejournal.com]

Check out this site. It's worth going through all 17 pages of photographs, I see several dresses here that would be perfect for your pixie. My personal favorite is the second one down on page 3. The ivory flapper dress.

http://www.thefrock.com/FW_page1_main.html

Re: site w/vintage dresses

[larryhammer]

Some of those are sweet. Thanks.

---L.