Who: Elsa and Rarity When: Before Elsa does her first weather report (Mid-December 2013) Where: Mall What: Helping out the clueless weather girl Rating/Warning: Low/None Status: Complete
Elsa wasn’t new to shopping, of course she wasn’t, but she was new to shopping for television. Did you need to avoid certain colors? Were patterns a good or bad idea? All that kind of thing. She didn’t really know and she was doing her first show tomorrow.
Realising she was getting nowhere she stopped an assistant rushing past, “Oh excuse me, could you possibly help me?”
The assistant gave a small tight smile, “Oh I’m sorry but we’re a bit busy today. Short staffed you know how it is. I’m sure whatever you pick will be lovely” she added before rushing of.
“Right of course” Elsa said before sighing, “I hate shopping”
Rachel was nearby, and couldn’t help but overhear the conversation that happened between the very blonde young woman and the sales associate. She frowned, and stepped over. “...I don’t work here, but can I help?”
Elsa looked up and smiled politely, "Oh well I don't want to be a bother though you obviously know a lot more about fashion than I do" she gestured to the woman’s lovely outfit as an example.
Rachel gave a little laugh and shrugged her shoulders. “I do study. And I make a lot of my own clothes. I’m a designer. But I can help you find something.” She offered up. “What are you looking for?”
"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry if I should recognise you. I don't really keep up with fashion trends and things like that. "Well if you're sure you don't mind. I'm looking for an outfit that won't break the camera, I'm recording a weather forecast tomorrow" she explained.
Rachel laughed again. “Oh, no Darling, you wouldn’t recognise me. A lot of fashion designers keep out of the pictures themselves.” Anyway, she wasn’t that big. Yet. Maybe some day she would be. But right now she was simply selling on Etsy to pass the time.
“Oh goodness, you’re going to be on television?? That’s wonderful! I can definitely help you choose something. It needs to be smart, plain, no stripes or patterns. A pantsuit would probably work well--they’d take you more seriously. But with a low-cut blouse. Don’t want to look like a prude. This way.” She took hold of the woman’s arm, gently, and led her through the store to the women’s suits.
“Oh right okay, well I’m glad I’m not insulting you or anything” Elsa smiled kindly, “And at least when you do become a household name I’ll be able to claim some knowledge”
Elsa was kind of swept away by what the woman was saying and followed her lead, “I’d rather not be on the television but it just got too frustrating that they didn’t know what they were actually talking about. I’m a meteorologist you see” she explained, “so my clothing choice tends to be more focused on what the weather will be like than what is fashionable”
“Wait, you have to wear… clothes that are appropriate for the weather?” Rachel asked. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that. Anyway, these suits are perfect. Business men and women wear them during all the different seasons. It’s going to be rainy, right? That’s what I’ve heard, anyway. No one will take you seriously if you’re wearing a rain slicker and boots. But this is a beautiful tweed suit, and it would be lovely in the rain.” She said, turning around and holding up the beautiful, grey suit to the other woman’s body.
“Oh no” Elsa laughed, “I mean currently that’s how I dress if it’s cold I’ll wear a sweater, warm a dress, that kind of thing. I’ve never had to choose clothes for how they’ll look on television or to impress or anything. I don’t need to coordinate with the forecast I’m giving, that would be very strange”
“Ohh!” Rachel gave a laugh, reaching forward to jovially touch the other woman’s arm. “I’m sorry. I misunderstood.” She grinned. “That would be strange. But here, let’s try this cut on you. They have it in charcoal, pale grey, and brown. Really good, strong, business-like colors. No prints or pinstripes on the telly, that’s for sure. I’ll find you a blouse to go underneath. What’s your size?”
“That’s okay. I didn’t explain properly” Elsa replied easily, relaxing in this woman’s friendly company. “Oh right okay. Yes, no print. I did wonder about that” she admitted before telling the woman her size and following her around the store as she gathered more clothes.
Rachel loved shopping. She could be a personal shopper. Or better yet, she should open her own boutique! Where smart, sophisticated women could go to order haute couture clothes, and still look sexy.
She gathered up a handful of outfits for the other woman to try on, then headed to the dressing room. “Here, I’ll wait for you outside.” She said, then gave a bright smile and moved to sit in the ‘boyfriend chair.’
Elsa had never really had anybody to go shopping with before so she’d never quite understood the joy or excitement that could be had from it. And she truly didn’t have a clue about fashion, she wore what was comfortable and was lucky enough to have a very good figure.
“Okay, thank you” she said with a smile as she hurried to change into the first outfit, hoping she put things together properly. Changing she stepped from the cubicle, “Umm I think it’s okay?” she guessed.
Rach jumped up as soon as the other woman came out of the changing room. She reached up to brush some dust from the shoulders, and straighten a few wrinkles. “...it looks really good. I like this navy on you. It’s beautiful. And you can add a splash of color in the blouse, or just use white or cream.”
Elsa smiled, “Thank you” she replied, not used to compliments, “It’s a lot more comfortable than I thought it would be. I expected it to feel and look a little stuffy” she admitted.
“They do look stuffy sometimes,” Rachel said, giving a smile. “But these are nice. I forgot to ask your price range. But I think we can probably get you a few mix and match pieces, and save on it that way. Go on back in and try out the black pants and the blue blouse I grabbed for you. There’s a gorgeous sweater out here that would look absolutely marvelous with those.”
“Don’t worry about the cost” Elsa told her, “Whatever it comes to is fine. Mix and match sounds good though, as long as I can remember what mixes and matches of course” she added with a grin before nodding and turning to try on the outfit her new friend instructed her to.
“Well, you definitely look like you’d be beautiful in blues, greens and light purples. I’ll go find some colors I think will work for you.” Now that Rachel knew the other woman’s colors and size, she could find some really beautiful things. “Try on all of those, decide what you like best, and I’ll bring you more!”
“Thank you” Elsa called out from inside the changing room as she took off the outfit to put the next one on, “I’d have been completely lost without you. Truly” She couldn’t believe she’d been lucky enough to find such a lovely woman to help her out.
“Please! Don’t mention it. It’s truly my pleasure.” Rachel had another sweater for the other woman to try on, along with a couple of scarves and another blouse. “So.. you can mix and match these. Make a different outfit every time. Use whichever skirt or pants you see fit, and change up the tops.”
Elsa had stuck her head out to listen as Rachel gave her the advice, she nodded, “Okay I’ll try. I’ll have to get you to watch my forecasts then you can tell me how I’ve done” she smiled. “You really are amazing at this”
“Thanks!” Rachel said, beaming with pride. “I just adore fashion. I’ll help you shop any day of the week! And you’ll have to tell me what station you’re on so that I can tune in and see which outfits you pick to wear on the air!”
"It definitely shows, you have an eye for it" Elsa said, "oh absolutely, I'm on the Arendelle network so my forecasts will be shown across all their channels"
“Okay. I’ll keep an eye out.” Rachel smiled brightly. “Oh! I’m Rachel” She said, reaching a hand out to shake the other woman’s hand. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
Elsa held her own hand out, "I'm Elsa and it's been truly lovely to meet you. I've been really lucky to have met you"
“Hey, doing my best to help raise fashion awareness,” Rachel kidded, shaking Elsa’s hand. “And you’ve got a fan in me. Here.” She pulled one of her business cards, with her Etsy shop name and email address, out of her pocket. “If you ever need more advice… or just want to chat. Feel free to call.”
Laughing she shook Rachel's hand, "You've definitely raised my awareness" Taking the card she read it and smiled, "Oh I will. Thank you, I'll have to make you my official wardrobe adviser" she said, only half joking.
“Great! I love that idea.” Rachel said, beaming brightly. “All right, let me help you gather these things.” She said, and moved to help gather up the garments that Elsa liked so that she could pay for them and take them home with her.
"Me too" Elsa said with a soft smile, "Thank you, do you have time to let me buy you a coffee before you head off?" she asked as they moved towards the till where Elsa could pay.
“Let me take a rain check on that coffee.” Rachel replied, pulling out her phone to check the time. “I’m supposed to be meeting my fiance in a few minutes, and I haven’t done my own shopping! Though, I bet he’ll be thanking you for distracting me.” She added, giving a wink. “But call me, okay? We’ll hang out again soon.”
“Of course, sorry if I’ve kept you too long” she said, “But thank you and I’ll definitely call you soon. Have a lovely afternoon”