Description
More fashion designs from my Equestria dreamscape. Having completed the gowns for Applejack, Applebloom, Fluttershy, Carousel, Rainbow Dash, Zecora, Pinkie Pie and herself, link link Rarity had just three mares left before she could turn her attention to the stallions.
Twilight’s dress was an interesting combination of traditional and that season’s latest fashion out of Canterlot. While pleats and creases were the current rage in fashion circles, Twilight’s dress recalled design elements that very popular half a century ago when pre-unification neo-classical became all the rage. This fashion movement had been particularly strong with many of the unicorns in Canterlot.
Ponyville’s resident librarian’s gown closely followed the contours of her svelte figure with only a modest amount of pleating. In fact her gown more closely followed the design cues of RD’s and Zecora’s gowns. The main body of the gown was pale-mauve linen a couple shades lighter than her coat. A matching mauve saddle emblazoned with her cutie mark was something straight out of a Mane Austen novel.
A greatly exaggerated saddle blanket of similar mauve formed a secondary skirt to the ensemble. Both the blanket and the skirt had deep scalloping to their edges, and hemline of skirt was decorated with gold stars. Finishing out Twilight’s outfit were banquet slippers of blue satin that matched the deep Prussian blue of her mane. The slippers were accompanied by several matching smaller bows and a neck sash adorned with a gigantic bow fashioned to look like a flower.
Granny Smith presented Rarity with several challenges. First the elder matriarch of the Apple family didn’t think she needed any fancy new threads.
“I’ve got me one of those fancy, frilly dresses in a trunk up in the attic!” Said Granny. “I just need to find it and sew a button or two back on and I’m ready for this here hoedown!”
So after much rummaging, moving, coughing and disturbing of spiders in the attic of Sweet Apple Acres was this legendary trunk found opened. Rarity fears were quickly confirmed.
Fifty years ago this dress may have been fashionable at the local Grange picnic, but it would’ve never been considered presentable at such a formal function as the Royal Banquet. Also decades of hard work and raising a family had taken their toll on Granny’s figure. No amount of adjusting hemlines or letting out the waistline would make the dress wearable for Granny again. Besides, even with the liberal use of mothballs the local wildlife had nibbled, gnawed and borrowed various parts of the garment.
Only then did Granny reluctantly agree to let Rarity make her a new dress. Ponyville’s resident fashionista eventually settled on a design that was elegant enough for such a formal occasion while still agreeing with Granny’s sensibilities and figure. The main body of the dress was done in pale yellow-green silk. Contrasting the main dress was a cummerbund deep copper-brown satin and a large neck sash of matching satin the formed giant chrysanthemum-like bow. Finishing Granny’s ensemble were short, stiff spats of ivory linen.
Petina was a joy for Rarity since they see eye to eye on many things related to fashion, and Petina was willing to throw some of her own bits in to get what she wanted. Most important to Petina was the fact that she wanted to make a splash at the banquet. Yes both her and Carousel had perfectly fine gowns from our trip last year to the Canterlot Music Festival, link but both Petina and Rarity were horrified by my suggestion that she should wear the same gown again.
“No, no!” Exclaimed Petina. “For such an important and profitable event I simple must put my best hoof forward. Besides undoubtedly there will be mares at the banquet that also attended symphony last year and they would immediately recognize the gown. To be seen in the same gown at such formal gathering would greatly compromise my stature that evening. Besides the older gown is really more autumn than spring wear.”
When I said I could not tell what made one gown autumn wear and the other spring the two mares politely patted me on the head and told me to just trust me on this one, and maybe I should go sit down and let the mares go about their business.
The main body of Petina’s dress and boots was of shimmering white-silver satin. Trimming both the dress and the boots were bands of pale gold satin that were embroidered with Petina’s cutie-mark which is a dollar sign. The boots went up most of her front legs. On either of her shoulders were bows of tourmaline green satin. A necklace of gold and tourmaline beads with large pendant of white opal incised with Petina’s cutie-mark and inlayed with gold wire finished her ensemble.
Next up were the stallions. To be continued.
Comments: 34
Orca19904 [2013-12-26 08:11:48 +0000 UTC]
Speaking of your MLP dreamscape, do they celebrate Christmas or a similar analogue, or is Heart's Warming Eve the closest they have to it in that world?
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Baron-Engel In reply to Orca19904 [2013-12-26 15:39:19 +0000 UTC]
Hearth's Warming Eve is their equivalent of Christmas. They do have News Years and some communities celebrate more local winter festivals like Lantern Day.
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Halpthiuian [2013-12-23 18:26:07 +0000 UTC]
WOW!!! You know somepony's got talent when they can make Granny look that good!
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Thejboy88 [2013-12-23 07:50:40 +0000 UTC]
Very nice. I think Twilight's is the best here.
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MountainLygon [2013-12-23 04:54:16 +0000 UTC]
Granny Smith, you are the picture of matriarchal elegance.
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Kelazi5 [2013-12-23 02:23:57 +0000 UTC]
It'll be interesting hearing how Rarity went about making a suit for Spike, since he has such an unconventional body type when compared to her normal pony customers.
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EarlMcClaw [2013-12-23 00:47:25 +0000 UTC]
The bows in front -- do nothing for me. (I note Petina's is much smaller.)
Are you ready for your fitting, Sky Brush?
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Baron-Engel In reply to EarlMcClaw [2013-12-23 01:38:42 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, myself, Big Mac and Spike have appointments with Rarity. Of course the mares want to be there to enjoy the moment.
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EarlMcClaw In reply to Baron-Engel [2013-12-23 02:22:20 +0000 UTC]
Spike to be fitted for a suit by Rarity? He'll be in seventh heaven!
I imagine Big Macintosh will have the same "*sigh* I suppose" attitude of Applejack.
Personally, I'd need a good reason before I distrust Rarity's fashion sense. Petina -- I'd suspect by default. (No offense meant, Petina. I just have a fair idea of your priorities.)
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Baron-Engel In reply to EarlMcClaw [2013-12-23 02:36:00 +0000 UTC]
I imagine Big Macintosh will have the same "*sigh* I suppose" attitude of Applejack.
It will create some interesting friction between AJ and Petina.
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EarlMcClaw In reply to Baron-Engel [2013-12-23 15:11:45 +0000 UTC]
Petina? Oh my...
For her, she already knows Sky Brush. Spike would probably be a curiosity at best. But Big Macintosh? And an opportunity to treat him as a dress-up doll? AJ would have her lowest opinions of Petina confirmed, I fear.
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Baron-Engel In reply to EarlMcClaw [2013-12-24 05:49:54 +0000 UTC]
It will result is some, uh, um increased friction between the two.
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EarlMcClaw In reply to Baron-Engel [2013-12-24 06:06:44 +0000 UTC]
Depending on the type of friction, I'm sure Petina would enjoy that. (Oh, I'm bad tonight.)
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Baron-Engel In reply to EarlMcClaw [2013-12-24 06:19:20 +0000 UTC]
Petina shoots you a 500watt smile. "Why McClaw what a wonderful idea! I knew there was a reason why I liked you, besides your singing voice."
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EarlMcClaw In reply to Baron-Engel [2013-12-26 15:58:57 +0000 UTC]
"You've never actually heard a griffin (or me, at least) sing, have you, Petina?"
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EarlMcClaw In reply to Baron-Engel [2013-12-24 17:08:22 +0000 UTC]
(Good thing the events have already happened, then.)
Singing voice? "YAWNK!" (Oh no, being a griffin has combined a cat-like yowl with a raptor's squawk! Has any nearby glass survived? Of course that also means being angry will combine an attack screech with a roar...)
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Uchihaninja [2013-12-23 00:45:33 +0000 UTC]
My! Twilight does dress up well, doesn't she? As does Petina, though we always knew that. As for Granny Smith, she looks every inch the matriarch of an affluent family. Lovely work all around.
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Baron-Engel In reply to Uchihaninja [2013-12-23 01:49:28 +0000 UTC]
Petina most certainly agrees with your assessment about Twilight, and thinks that her magic instructor could do so much more to enhance her appearance.
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EarlMcClaw In reply to Baron-Engel [2013-12-23 15:13:25 +0000 UTC]
Yet Petina and Twilight have vastly different opinions about what constitutes enhancing one's appearance. Run, Twilight! Run while you can!
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Baron-Engel In reply to EarlMcClaw [2013-12-23 17:33:28 +0000 UTC]
Petina makes a frowny face at you. "I was just implying that Twilight underestimates her looks as a mare, and by enhancing her appearance she can projected a better image of a professional, intelligent, attractive mare." Petina pauses and ponders for a moment. "Although Twi would look smoking hot in a corset with stockings! Ah to dream!"
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TCPolecat7 [2013-12-22 21:22:33 +0000 UTC]
Interesting designs. I do notice the ladies of the Apple Family have a similar theming to their dresses too, which I assume is intentional.
- Polecat
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Baron-Engel In reply to TCPolecat7 [2013-12-23 01:40:52 +0000 UTC]
Yeah Rarity designed a theme for all the mares of the Apple family.
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Baron-Engel In reply to TCPolecat7 [2013-12-23 17:25:04 +0000 UTC]
And it helps presents a unified image on the Apple family front.
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