7856/Wardrobe is ready for you, Miss Kelley

Wardrobe is ready for you, Miss Kelley
Date of Scene:	12 June 2019
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Carrie Kelley seeks out Janet van Dyne for a long-overdue fashion consult.
Cast of Characters:	Carrie Kelley, Wasp (van Dyne)

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Carrie Kelley has posed:
The charity ball where Bruce Wayne had introduced Carrie to Janet had been awhile ago. Even Kitty had come to visit long before she had reached out to express interest in doing the same. Of course, with Summer in full swing, that made any woman want to seek out fashionable things, right? Carrie was still tense and nervous as she makes her way to the fashionistas' offices though as she feels completely drab in her usual, every day wear which was a far sight from the golden gown she'd worn that night. In fact she only wore a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and sandals on her feet. Suitable for the warmth, not so much for looking as if she belonged to the same world that the Waynes and Van Dynes did.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
Janet's main offices occupy a five-story building in the Fashion district, one that takes up a fair amount of the block it's on. It's a curious blend of modern architecture and sensible turn of the centry designs, with lots of glass and steel blending harmoniously with decades of wear and tear on New York stone facades.
     It takes a little time to get past the receptionist at the front desk, and then a woman comes out of an elevator to escort Carrie up to the fifth floor. The elevators *ding* and she steps into a small receptionist office space, with large bay windows and a pair of double doors. A corny handmade sign hangs on the door, askew, and reads 'The Boss is IN'. The receptionist knocks twice, sticks her head into the room, and beckons Carrie to enter.

It's an enormous suite, maybe a repurposed industry floor of some kind. Lots of exposed steel and stone and pips overhead. The right half of the room-- white. Gold and aquamarine accents, but white. White tile floor, walls, file cabinets. Even her giant wooden desk is a matching color. It's a little block of sensory exclusion. A heavy, floor-to-ceiling curtain is suspended overhead on invisible tracks and blocks off a larger part of the room from view.

Janet gets up from her desk and beams a smile when Carrie shows up. She's in an a-frame sundress in white, with a spiralling sunspray of asymmetrical bold red stripes starting on her left hip. Even the cute bow at the small of her back shares the pattern. The sleeveless dress is modestly hemmed with a flat neckline, though her peach-pink stilettos keep it from looking overly demure.

"Carrie! You have such *great* timing," Janet tells the girl, and offers her a squeeze of the hands. "C'mon in, have a seat!" she says and tugs her towards a little seating area with a low sofa and two chairs facing a table. Comfortably appointed, leaving no one squared up facing each other or sitting in low and hard chairs. "Can I offer you a drink? Coffee, tea? Mimosas?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley finds herself staring openly at the decor of the room that she's ushered into with her head tipping back to take in the full expanse of it. Somehow the white made it seem even larger than it actually was, which was really saying something to begin with. As soon as Janet greets her she shakes her head quickly a single time to gather her thoughts properly. Instead she grins toward the woman and squeezes her hands in turn.

"Thank you for having me over. I hope it's no problem... If you're busy I can always reschedule. I mean, you're the one doing me the favor, really." Even if whatever might come from today would be on the Wayne account per Bruce that wasn't how Carrie was brought up.

Moving toward the seats offered she sinks down into one careful to keep her knees together so she doesn't show off anything she shouldn't. It didn't really matter with shorts but it was habit none the less. The offer of drinks gets a broad grin. "Much as I'd love to try a mimosa, I'm not quite that old yet. If you have iced tea I'd love that. Sweet or not, I'm not picky."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"If it was a problem, I would have told you to reschedule," Janet assures Carrie. "That's why I've got assistants and dayplanners. But, you've got good timing, and so here we are."

She pages her assistant, who pops around the corner so fast she must have been waiting for exactly that signal. "Iced tea, unsweetened, and bring a serviette," Janet prompts the woman. "Some snacky foods, too," she adds.

Janet settles in her seat and crosses her legs at the knee, fingers wrapped daintily over her kneecap. "We'll do mimosas another day," she promises Carrie. "It's only illegal if you get caught." She flashes a grin and a wink-- Janet's definitely a professional delinquent. "So refresh my memory, it's been a few weeks. What were you needing for a wardrobe?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley grins at the suggestion of the drinks with a soft chuckle. "I'll hold you to that some time," she teases lightly as she finally starts to relax. At least up until the question comes about clothes. Her hand lifts to tuck her hair behind her ear, the length a mix of the coppery red she always had and some hint of washing-out brown that looked as if it was dyed in not so long ago.

"I know Mr. Wayne wanted me to have a few dresses for social occasions, so there's that. As for the rest... I'm not really sure. I don't really have much of a sense of style myself I'm afraid. Costuming never was my strong point in theater. But," she adds taking a deep breath and flashing Janet a nervous smile. "I guess some things appropriate for working for the Waynes, too. Maybe a suit of some kind or... I'm not sure, Ms. Van Dyne. Business casual attire?"

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"Everyone's got their own strengths," Janet reassures Carrie. "Don't stress about that one bit." Her assistant wheels in a little serving tray and sets a carafe of iced tea out, along with some carrots, celery, and some other finger-foods. Nothing that leaves juices, stains, or crumbs, notably.

Janet reaches for a baby carrot and nibbles on it a few times. "Mm. So some theory of fashion," she says, shifting in her seat. She folds one leg under her to sit on it, half-kneeling on the chair. "In a professional environment, you're going to want to dress relatively modestly. Long skirts, dresses, clothing that fits well without being tight. You want to show the silhouette, hide the skin. When you start getting into the formal side of things-- y'know, balls, galas, that sort of thing-- the dynamic changes. The amount of skin you show is inversely proportional to your age. We're expected to dress up, show some cleavage, work it a bit."

"Now, knowing what the expectations are, you can start subverting them. I'm gonna stick Carol Danvers in a tux and tails at some point just because I can, because she'll look amazing without needing to flash her sternum at everyone. Does that give you kind of an idea of a starting point?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley listens as things are explained. The distraction of the snacks and drinks does lure her into pouring a glass of iced tea before settling back to listen further. The way Janet sat so relaxed does help some of the tension in her shoulders ease as well. "That makes sense. An given Mr. Wayne's reputation as a playboy, I'd like to avoid giving the wrong idea regarding work." Plus she was way too young for him. Right? Right.

Mention of Carol in a tux earns a smile of amusement from her as well. "Oh I could see her pulling that off, but I don't quite think I could. I'm no where near as buff as she is." As if to prove her point she flexes an arm to show off her miniscule muscle---wait. Shoot. She actually had some definition there. Not weight lifter level but she wasn't bad for a theater teacher. "Besides. I *am* a woman. I'd like to kind of feel like one once in awhile too. But," she adds hastily, "I'm completely open to your ideas. You're the expert here."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"Hey, I said I'd put *Carol* in a tux," Janet observes, dryly. "I love me my skirts and my cute shoes and puttin' the girls out once in a while." She grabs her chest. "Boom!" she exclaims, and then laughs at her own corny humor.

She's doing what she can to maintain that comfortable and easy presence in the room.

"Okay. So for the daily wear, we want to go 'cute, but modest'," Janet says, and reaches for a notepad and pencil. A sharp eye will note there are no pens in the room except for a single one in a pen holder on her desk. "We'll open a credit line for you at the retail outlet on 5th Avenue. You've got that cute punky look, and you're a drama teacher, right? So I want you to explore breaking the molds a little. You're expected to dress unexpectedly. You can keep it real modest, of course, while you're sorting it out. The tailors at the retail store can help you. Drama and fashion, honey, they go hand in hand. You need to think about-- think about it not like, wearing *clothes*, but wearing a *costume*," she suggests. "What would the character that IS Carrie Kelly wear to teach classes?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
There was a question. Carrie opens her mouth, then shuts it, as she contemplates. "Depends. If we're doing a theme class I wear a costume related to it. Older times, magical, things like that. Otherwise usually just comfortable, relaxed clothing that are easy to move around in and change out of if needed. Plus easy to work in," she adds with a chuckle. "I tend to wear my nicer items when I'm teaching Damian because I feel it's expected, but for my other students it's just t-shirt and sweat pants."

Smiling at Janet she nods in agreement. "I like cute though. I'll see what I can come up with. Since Mr. Wayne has graciously offered... I feel guilty, but at the same time, I can see why he'd want me to have a certain standard of how I present myself around him and his family."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"Tell you what, let's start with 'elegant and cute', and go from there," Janet offers. "Much as I'd love to stick you in a cockatoo headdress and have you run around in tights teaching Shakespeare, it's maybe not what Bruce's expecting."

She bites her pencil eraser and narrows her eyes at Carrie with a flickering up-and-down, putting mental measurements in place. "You're what, like a hundred and ten? Hundred and five pounds?" Janet asks. "Little taller than me, though, I mean tall enough to can get away with playing with some horizontal dimensions. I think for teaching attire, stick to earth tones. I can see you rocking like... a cute tan pencil skirt, brown boots, maybe a black blouse with cuffed sleeves. Really easy to pull together. You've got legs like a giraffe, too, so I'm thinking you want... oh, knee-length skirts and calf-high boots, that'd be a great look. You can wear trousers but you want to match them with booties or pumps with a heel or hidden wedge, and I think try wearing them a little higher, like--" she shifts awkwardly in the chair to bridge out, and holds her hand at her hipbones, then lifts it up to her navel and under her ribs. "You wanna think about breaking your outline up into thirds, as a rule of thumb. If you go with jeans, then go with low riders and match them with a loose blouse or something." She writes this down as she goes, then looks to Carrie thoughtfully. "Yeah, earth tones, with some reds and yellows for accents. Now, for *formal* wear, we'll come up with something special. When's the next event, what're you gonna be doing? Charity? Opera? Wedding?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley contemplates the suggestions with a slow nod. She could already see it in her mind's eye as Janet describes it, and a slow smile spreads over her face. "Oh, could I try those English riding boots? They look cute but somehow seem a bit more formal and elegant than cowboy boots or something." It's an idea at least, and she could see it working with a tan skirt. Her finger taps against her lip as she contemplates.

"Ah, that I'm not sure on yet. Damian's abroad for the Summer so I don't think I'll be doing much unless there's a charity I can help out with. Likely that's what it'll be though. The Waynes do seem to be very involved with such things after all, and I don't mind helping out either."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"Oh, god, I -- yes, I'm sorry," Janet says, shaking her head. "Of course I meant riding boots. Cowgirl boots are... that's for like, booty scootin' at the country club, and I do not scoot my booty anywhere that smells like cows."

"Anyway. Formal events," she says, sucking her teeth. "Okay, level with me, are you like... /involved/ with any of those boys?" she asks, wiggling the pencil at her. "Because if I put you in a backless evening gown and you show up as like, their 'drama teacher', people are gonna think you're a prostitute or something."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley turns a nice level shade of pink only for her head to drop down into her hand a moment. "No, I'm not. I've... ugh. I've got a crush on one but he is not interested and I am trying not to be a complete dork around him. Kitty's the only one dating one of them," she assures as she looks up again with hands lifting in a helpless shrug as she laughs. "I'm okay avoiding the wrong ideas. As it was that last dress I wore was from a production of The King and I but I figured it was fancy enough... I probably looked ridiculous," she mumbles as she laughs again nervously.

"Really, I can't thank you enough for all this help. I really do appreciate it. I think Mr. Wayne saw how uncomfortable I was and that's why he offered to send me to you."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"I literally cannot tell them apart, it's just nothing but chiseled asses and lantern jawlines," Janet tells Carrie. Twisting the knife just a little because Carrie's blushing *adorkably*. She quickly laughs and reaches over to offer Carrie a reassuring squeeze of the hand.

"I'm sorry, that was awful of me. Which one? You can tell me, I won't dish," she promises. "I mean, is it Bruce? I know he's only like in his mid-thirties, but. /Total/ DILF material, right?" she mutters, conspiratorial. "Daddy as hell. What's the oldest one's name... Richard, right? Is it him?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley gets a deer in the headlight expession that really did work with her complexion well. Red cheeked, green eyes wide, she just stares at Janet forgetting to breath a moment. It's let out in a laugh when she does stop the teasing, and she dips her head to run a hand back through her hair again. "For being an adopted family they really do all look so much alike, don't they?" She adds with a laugh. "Oh god no not Mr. Wayne. He's all relaxed in public but seriously if it weren't for that butler of his? I think he'd be completely helpless. I saw him stare at a coffee machine for five minutes once trying to figure out what the filter was for."

She ducks her head with a sheepish grin at that admission, "Don't tell anyone that. He's really smart about business, but basic stuff is just..." She shakes her head with a little sigh. "It's kind of cute I guess, if you like the helpless sort." Ah, but then... Richard is mentioned and she goes red all over again.

"Richard. Dick. Yeah. That's him... He's so friendly, and he's a police officer too! Maybe it's the uniform."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"mmmmHMM," Janet agrees, emphatically. She leans back to dig a phone out of a cleverly concealed pocket in her dress, and unlocks it with a touch. Her finger swipes a few times and she flips it around to show a picture of Janet in an evening gown hugging Steve Rogers, in his military dress uniform. "I tell you, he looks good in the blue tighs, but there is just something about a man in dress mess."

"Anyway. Good on ya," Janet tells Carrie with an approving, cheeky grin. "I tell you what, let's do this. We'll come up with some stuff that's..." She drums her pencil against a cheek with a hollow drumming sound. "Something nice and modest, appropriate for hanging out with the Waynes. I'm thinking..."

"Red. Toga shoulder with just enough train to hit the ground, a little blousy in the chest and fitted through the waist. That's the sort of thing you can rock really comfortably, it'll look great, but then no one's thinking you're out trying to get seen."

Janet gives Carrie a knowing, sly look. "But that said, if you ever score some arm time with Dick, lemme know. I can come up with something that'll floor him, especially if all he's ever seen you in is work attire."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley leans forward a little bit to get a better look at Captain America in his uniform. THAT was unexpected, and she remains as red as before. "Wow. You scored there," she admits with a little giggle and a quick bobbing nod. "Oh, red would be nice. I usually do greens but that seems so overdone for a redhead. I mean it looks good but everyone just kind of *expects* it."

A quick sip of her iced tea is taken in a vain effort to help cool her cheeks down. "Oh... I doubt I will, but... If it ever changes I'll let you know," she assures with a broad grin. "If anything I'm probably mostly going to be going around helping to pitch the charity agenda. Though being friends with Kitty who is dating Jason... Kind of gives me a little leeway even if I am an employee, too. She told me she got some amazing outfits from you."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"Didn't I?" Janet agrees, and puts her phone back in the hidden pocket.

"Kitty's a doll, I adore her," Janet assures Carrie. "I think Jason had a stroke when he saw her in that outfit. That's the whole /point/, though, you just need to get that one day, that one date, and do something absolutely unexpected. Show up in something that blows his mind, get him talking about work, maybe, y'know, give him a little reason to feel protective or assertive, and he'll be /putty/. Guys are pretty easy to manipulate if you know how," she remarks casually. "Just gotta get that one perfect moment to flick the switch in their brains, and it's game over. Next thing you know it's pre-nups, trust funds, and vacations in Ibiza."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley breaks into a laugh at that only to shake her head quickly. "Oh god that makes it sound like I'm a gold digger. I just... He's someone I met and I didn't know who he was at first. Then turns out he's Damian's older brother." She chews on her lower lip with a little shake of her head. "I think he's married to his work though. So I'd like to just look good for me, and maybe find someone who I can get along with in that way." Lightly clearing her throat she shrugs. "Either way... I kind of want that moment too, at some point."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"It'll happen, sweetie," Janet assures Carrie, and reaches over to pat her hand encouragingly. "Took me /forever/ to get things figured out with Steve. I thought I was going to have to club him over the head or something to get his attention. I think I actually /did/ at some point," she admits.

"Just, y'know. Fortune favors the prepared," she reminds Carrie. "I'm not saying live your life on your phone waiting for him to text you back. Just, uh, if there's an opportune moment, go for it."

"And make sure you've got an outfit /ready/ for the occassion," she admonishes Carrie. "Never hurts to have a wardrobe pre-arranged for formal events."

"Anyway, I've got just the look for you for now," she assurs Carrie. "When do you need the gown by? The rest of it should mostly be in stock at the store, you can just go in and ask for the fitting team and they'll treat you like a princess."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley smiles at the reassurance offered by Janet. Her head ducks down again in a single nod as she just lets out a breath. "Yeah. I think I like that idea. Being prepared, just in case." The question of the gown earns a small shake of her head. "Oh, before the end of August would be fine, or September if that's too soon. I really don't see many events happening that require a formal dress until the weather starts to cool down."

Rising from her seat she sets her cup of iced tea aside, and reaches out to give Janet a hug if she allows it. She was really getting hooked on those from Kitty. "Thank you so much. I'll go check out the store and start looking into ideas. I can't wait to try some!" Releasing her hold she steps back and chuckles. "Thank you for your help and time, Janet. I should get going though if I want to take a look at the stores before heading back to Gotham."