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Post by Layne Razz on Sept 20, 2009 1:02:04 GMT -5
At the start of every term, Layne's mother sent her a few Galleons to do with as she pleased. This year, they would be going toward new clothes. As far as robes went, Layne was good. It was the weekend outfits that she lacked. She certainly wasn't going to go around socializing in her school robes. So, today she set aside for clothing purchases.
Diagon Alley was still a little unknown to Layne as she walked around, stopping only when she found a suitable store. She entered it and look around. The store had a good selection of normal clothes. She smiled and began to look around.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Sept 20, 2009 15:09:06 GMT -5
Markise might have slipped upstairs for a little while to see how Ariel was doing, but he heard the door chimes and didn't take long to appear. He was running his hand back through his hair as he reached the shop, pale blue eyes shining as they scanned for whoever had come in. It was impossible not to think of Ariel's progress right now, but his thoughts were his alone, so he didn't bother pushing them away.
His lips curved into a charismatic smile that was warm and inviting all the same, a smile he had perfected over the years, and one that only truly worked when he could summon up a genuinely good mood. It was effortless right now. "Can I help you?" he asked.
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Post by Layne Razz on Sept 20, 2009 15:16:14 GMT -5
Layne was looking at a great pair of dark wash jeans that were a good price and her size! It wasn't often she found pants that fit her, especially since she was so petite. She picked them off of the rack and into her pile of clothes to try on. This store had some great things! She was starting to wonder if the number of Galleons her mom gave her would be enough.
It was when she was starting to look in the shirt section she heard the voice. Looking up at the sound, slightly startled by it she said, "Oh. Hi. And, I'm just browsing. You've got some really awesome things here!"
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Post by Markise Sterling on Sept 20, 2009 15:33:35 GMT -5
Markise's smile eased a bit, though his eyes still glittered and likely would for a while. "I try," he said, approaching, since she hadn't dismissed him. "Everything here is individually chosen for style and quality, and if there's something you're looking for that isn't here, I can order it for you." There was more, far more, like having things fitted and tailored, and having things made, but Markise didn't want to overwhelm her and scare her off. He had few enough customers as it was, and besides, there were signs up.
"Here, I can take those," he offered, gesturing toward the pile of clothes she'd picked. He tried not to get too excited. Some girls tried on half the store and walked out with a tee shirt.
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Post by Layne Razz on Sept 20, 2009 15:45:19 GMT -5
This store seemed too good to be true to Layne. But then again, she hadn't even tried the clothes on yet so she couldn't say for sure. "Thanks," She said to the offer of him taking the clothes. Then she continued, "How long has this place been here? I don't remember seeing it year, unless I just passed by it accidently." Well, or that last year she didn't get out much, therefore never really getting to know Diagon Alley as well as she should have.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Sept 20, 2009 16:10:16 GMT -5
"It's been here since February," Markise answered, "but I had to close it over the summer." For my sanity! He'd needed to get out of Scotland, England, Europe, wherever you defined anyplace that had anything to do with Hogwarts. He'd needed to go back to New York, and the trip had been more than a renewal. His mind was back to thoughts that were better saved for another time.
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Post by Layne Razz on Sept 20, 2009 16:24:46 GMT -5
Layne nodded, "If I owned a shop, I'd close it for summer too. Summer's the time to have fun before school starts again. Or at least, that's what I think." She looked at him again, wondering if he still went to school. She had never seen him around Hogwarts before, but he looked about that age where you stop school or are in the last year or two.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Sept 20, 2009 16:29:56 GMT -5
Markise had kept well out of sight last year, partly because he wanted to, and partly because he'd been too depressed for several months to seek out social situations. Aside from his Friday night clubbing, but he tried desperately not to think about that, especially when he was on Diagon Alley. The only benefit, though he didn't particularly care, was that his grades had gone up, until those last couple months.
"I went home for the summer," he said, turning to bring the clothes to a dressing room. "I had to get a job, but I had some fun." And he'd hired back his very favorite employee. His only employee, but Ariel did the work of several people.
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Post by Layne Razz on Sept 20, 2009 16:43:57 GMT -5
Layne followed the guy to the dressing room, stopping ever few steps to look at another garment. As she picked another one up from the rack she eyed it and said, "So, which place do you call home?" She was trying to make small talk seeing as there weren't other people around. The thing she had picked up, she realized was a dress. It wasn't normally something she would have picked up, but she couldn't bring herself to put it down. It was a simple black dress with a white line down the middle. Figuring she had nothing to lose, she kept it in her hands
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Post by Markise Sterling on Sept 20, 2009 16:55:44 GMT -5
"New York City," Markise answered. "I'm going back next summer, but I don't think I'll stay. I've got friends I don't want to leave." Ariel in particular, and Ariel wouldn't be able to handle New York for more than a summer. He wasn't sure where they'd go when they graduated, and he refused to think they wouldn't go together. Neither of them talked like they would.
He glanced back as he started hanging things in the dressing rooms, tops on one hook, bottoms on another, and a third for anything else. His eyes flickered to the dress she was holding. "That'll look amazing on you," he said. She was slender enough to pull it off, and the center line would emphasize just enough to tease. "Do you have heels or boots?" he asked.
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Post by Layne Razz on Sept 20, 2009 17:09:23 GMT -5
"Thanks," Layne said looking at the dress again. "And not yet. Any suggestions for what I should pair with it?" He was from New York, and now she trusted him fully with the style! Almost everyone she had ever known from there, or had seen from there dressed with such a sophistacted and chic sense of style that only a New Yorker could have.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Sept 20, 2009 17:15:42 GMT -5
"It depends what you're going for," Markise said. "You look sweet enough that you could pull off heels without looking..." trashy, Markise's mind supplied, but finished with a more polite, "like you're trying too hard. Boots would work if you wanted to look more casual and less dinner date." He gave her a couple other suggestions as well, guessing by what she was wearing now how she might wear the dress. He loved fashion, and when he was working, he tried not to hide it.
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Post by Layne Razz on Sept 20, 2009 17:48:23 GMT -5
She liked the idea of the boots a lot. But with a dress like that, with the colors black and white, she could really play with color on the accessories. Sure she would have at least one pair of black shoes, but wouldn't red or a megenta heel look good too? Then she realized she hadn't even tried the dress on in the first place. "I guess, I better see if it fits first," She said with a smile. Once the guy was done hanging the things up, she couldn't wait to start seeing what fit and what didn't.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Sept 20, 2009 19:02:06 GMT -5
"I can take a hint," Markise teased lightly. His eyes flickered over the girl, mentally taking her measurements, then turned to leave her to it. "My name is Markise," he said as he left the dressing area. "If there's anything you need, let me know." In the meantime, he'd go find her some shoes. There was more to any outfit than clothes and shoes, but he didn't want her to feel pressured. Probably a terrible way to think in the retail business.
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Post by Layne Razz on Sept 20, 2009 19:11:42 GMT -5
Once Markise had left, Layne closed the door and decided the order on what she was going to try on. Looking at the dress, she wanted to save the best for last. So, she started with the dark wash jeans, then the other pants, then made her way through the tops. By the end of all that, she knew for sure she wanted three tops, two jeans, a skirt, and a jacket. Now it was time for the dress! She slipped it on, zipping up the zipper and hoping for the best. She turned to the mirror and was incredible happy! It looked great!
Knowing that there was a bigger mirror outside of the dressing room, she decided to see herself in those. The bigger mirrors often showed the different sides of the dress to help make sure it looked good in all angles. So, she ended up walking out of the dressing room and next to the mirror. She marveled at how well it fit, a better fit then almost all the other dresses she'd ever had. She stood on her toes for a second, trying to imagine the dress with heels of some sort. Yes, this dress was a total yes!
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