Writer's Plea for Help; need input from the ladies of the lounge!

[Gin&Tonics]

Hello esteemed ladies of the Lounge! I'm working on writing a story right now and I've reached a critical point in the tale where I'm out of my depth!

The chapter in question has the hero and the heroine being sent on an extravagant "day on the town" where they're fitted for new outfits at the poshest clothier in town and then treated to lunch at the swankiest bistro before their invited to their mysterious benefactor's mansion for dinner. This chapter is a pivotal one both in terms of the narrative and in terms of the relationship between the hero and the heroine. He's been in love with her for a long time, but she's only just started to realize his feelings and see him in a "different light". I feel that this chapter is going to be the start of a significant deepening of their relationship.

My problem is this; I don't have the foggiest notion of anything to do with ladies attire (not even the proper terminology!) and I want her outfits to be really spectacular. I immediately thought of the plethora of lovely and well heeled ladies on the lounge, and thought you all would be the perfect resource!

The setting of the story is an alternate world similar to 1920's earth, although fashions from the 20's, 30's or 40's would probably work fine for the purposes of this story. He's going to be fitted for a white tie ensemble as well as a nice three piece suit. She's going to be given some kind of very classy and elegant day outfit as well as an evening dress or gown that would be the counterpoint to his white tie. The season is winter, probably late January or early February, and it's fairly cold, but not snowing (they're in a desert region). I wanted her to have something very classy and alluring for both outfits, something that's really going to knock his socks off. For him, I was thinking a navy pinstripe 3 piece suit with peaked lapels, a white shirt with french cuffs, gold cufflinks, gold watch chain, red/blue/tan paisley tie with a complementary pocket square, and probably white/black spectators. He might have a red carnation or something as well.

She's normally a grease monkey mechanical engineer type, but she's going to be turned femme fatale! Here's how you can help me, ladies: pictures, catalog scans, whatever you have to give me a good visual sense of what might work for her, so I can describe it. Some explanation of the nomenclature would be awesome too.

Thanks in advance!

Gin&Tonics

 

[Shangas]

777 posts. Impressive

Whatever this story is, you better let me read it.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

777 posts. Impressive

Whatever this story is, you better let me read it.

Ha! I totally didn't notice that. I guess it's a good omen!

The story is a fan fiction based on the Fullmetal Alchemist anime and first movie, Conqueror of Shamballah. It's a minor alternate-universe I guess in that I modified one canon event to make the story possible. If you decide to read it, please comment! Anonymous reviews are enabled, so you don't need an account to review. It's possible to review each chapter separately.

The story can be found here:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7421489/1/Incomplete-Life

 

[Gin&Tonics]

bump.

Really? Nobody has anything to help me out? ;_;

 

[Grnidwitch]

My initial thoughts

G&T,

Make her day outfit a skirt suit. Lightweight wool, maybe dark grey She could wear either black or rich brown accessories. Gloves, hat, handbag and shoes would all match. Sh would of course be wearing red lipstick and the shade would depend on her hair color. Her hair would be softly waived, back behind one ear. Her hat would sit at an angle a little further back on her head.

Her evening outfit would be black velvet. Soft and flowing, bias cut to show off her figure but not too clingy. Deep "v" in the back, high in the front. Long sleeved and fitted from the elbow down, fuller at the upper arm. She'd be wearing rhinestones/diamonds. Earrings, not too big, multiple bracelets on her arms and a brooch at the base of the "v" in back. Small evening handbag, maybe satin. Her hair would be pinned up. No time to reset her hair for a different hair style. She'd just work with her day style but make it more dramatic for night. Maybe a gardenia or two pinned into her hair. A deeper red lipstick than for day with a bit more mascara for night.

To give you more of a visual: Kim Novak in Bell Book and Candle wears a deep wine colored dress similar to what I'm describing. Good suit looks can be found in the Thin Man movies. Myrna Loy had great style in those movies. Watch the later ones to get more of the 40's vibe. Any Lauren Bacall movies are great too. She had style and she was a real Dame.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Good luck with the book.

 

[lolly_loisides]

I can think of a couple of threads to get you started
30's wardrobe basics
1940's wardrobe essentials

 

[Gin&Tonics]

G&T,
Hope this gives you some ideas. Good luck with the book.

Wow, thank you for that magnificent description! This definitely helps. See? I probably wouldn't have even been conscious of half the things you mention. Google image search hopefully has some images of the movies you mentioned.

Thanks ladies! If anyone else has ideas to offer, keep em coming!

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Oh! I should have mentioned that she's a blonde with blue eyes and fair complexion. See? I'm so clueless when it comes to ladies attire; it wouldn't have even occurred to me that hair colour comes into play lol.