Volume 2 Chapter 79 It Was Really Tough To Help A Girl Choose A Dress
So, the next day, Sunday, as promised, everyone is going to the mall to buy clothes.
Well, I already bought clothes for early summer and the rainy season before, but I haven't bought anything for the peak summer in July and August, so this might be just right.
This time, since there are a lot of us going shopping together, instead of meeting at the stations like Kenbune Funabashi or Tsunaduma, we're meeting at 10 AM in front of the bus stop at the mall.
Last time, when I went to the movies with Nakagaito, we met close to the mall, but that was after shopping with Yayoi-chan too.
There's a direct bus to the mall from the south exit of Kenbune Funabashi station, so I'll use that again this time.
If I catch the bus departing from Keisei Kenbune Funabashi at 9:30 AM, I'll arrive at my destination by 9:40 AM, which is perfect.
However, buses in this area only run about once an hour. To have more flexibility with my schedule, I could switch to the Keisei train line at Kenbune Funabashi Station. From there, I can take a train to Kenbune Funabashi Keiba Station, where there�s a shuttle bus available.
This option is more convenient, as the shuttle buses run every 15 to 20 minutes, making it easier to adjust my arrival time.
After about 10 minutes on the bus, I arrived at the mall, and while waiting at the bus stop, Saikachi-san got off the next bus that came.
Today, Saikachi-san looks fresh in a cute pastel blue dress.
"Good morning, Hata-kun!"
Saikachi-san greets me with a smile, so I smile back.
"Good morning, Saikachi-san. That dress is cute."
When I said that, Saikachi-san smiled and replied,
"Hehe, thank you!"
"And you're always here early, right?"
"Well, I'm not that early. Besides, Hata-kun is earlier than me."
"Yeah, I just got here too, but this is the only bus that comes at a good time directly from Kenbune Funabashi Station."
Then, 15 minutes earlier, Kokonoe-san, Shibata-san, and Kashiyama-san arrived one after another by bus.
Kashiyama-san was dressed casually in slip-on sneakers, a denim skirt, and a loose white top, while Kokonoe-san wore sneakers with denim shorts and a square-neck T-shirt.
Shibata-san had on loafers, a sleeveless knit top with a cardigan, and a mermaid skirt.
By the way, I was in my school uniform.
Since Yayoi-chan and Fumi-chan aren't here today, maybe I should let the store staff pick out clothes that would suit me.
Then Kashiyama-san smiled at Saikachi-san with a grin that was somewhere between a smile and a smirk.
"Wow, Saikachi-chan, you really put effort into your style! But with that outfit, won't it be hard to try things on? The concealed zipper in the back makes it pretty tricky to put on and take off."
Hearing that, Saikachi-san looked surprised, like she just realized something.
"Eh? Ah! That might be true!"
"Well, it would be nice if you were wearing a slip or a camisole underneath."
"Um, actually, I didn't wear any."
Then Kokonoe-san said.
"Then let's just buy a surip to match the dress."
Saikachi nodded with a wry smile.
"Ahaha, that's true.
As a guy, I have no idea, but it must be tough for girls to pick out stylish clothes and try them on while shopping."
"Well then, shall we go look at some clothes right away?"
When Kashiyama-san said that, Kokonoe-san added.
"Yes, that's right. Including akusesarii, it will take time, so let's hurry."
So, we all headed to a shop that sells dresses for formal occasions and matching bags.
"I'm, I'm starting to feel a bit nervous."
When Shibata-san said that, Saikachi-san nodded along and said.
"I'm nervous too. It's my first time wearing a dress."
I said to the two of them.
"Come on, it's not like you're choosing a wedding dress for a once-in-a-lifetime event or going to a big party. You shouldn't worry about what others think; just relax a bit, okay?"
When I said that, it seemed like their tension eased a little.
"You're right, maybe I don't need to think so seriously about it."
"It's just a garden party with family, after all."
When I said that, Kashiyama-san smiled and said.
"Oh, as expected of Hata-kun. Well, if it's Hata-kun cosplaying at Comiket, you should be fine."
"Well, that's a completely different story, though. I mean, unless a guy is really handsome, I don't think he'll get much attention for cosplay, right?"
"Well, I don't know about that."
Kashiyama-san finally smiles at my words.
"...I guess compared to cosplaying a character from Kimetsu in front of a big crowd, this doesn't seem like such a big deal."
Shibata-san says this with a smile, but I feel a bit complicated about it.
"Speaking of which, I need to start working on my cosplay outfit."
I don't think the Kimetsu cosplay is that difficult, though.
While I'm thinking about this, we arrive at a store that sells formal wear and party dresses.
I've been here once before, but I heard that ZARAZA also sells formal dresses. I guess you could say it's typical for an American brand.
It seems like most dresses are priced between 6,000 yen and 30,000 yen.
If it goes any higher, it's definitely for rental.
It's not something you wear every day.
"Okay, let's take a look."
So, the dress selection begins right away.
"For dresses to wear in this season, the fabric should be light and sheer, like organza or shifon. Soft woven materials are best. Of course, the characteristics change a bit depending on the materials used, and this time, we can't choose anything too expensive like seriku."
I nod while responding to Kokonoe-san's explanation.
"I see, I don't really understand."
"Both fabrics are made with fine threads of 50 count or more in a simple weave. However, organza has been treated with sulfur, which gives it a special sheer look.
This makes organza thin but strong, with a nice crisp feel. Because it allows light to pass through, organza appears soft and has depth, making it popular for high-end items like doresu.
The sulfur finish is one type of processing method called 'gimasa processing,' which gives it a texture similar to asa.
Because of this, organza has firmness and body regardless of the material, and it looks voluminous. It uses fine threads, so it feels very smooth on the hada and is a very light fabric, making it perfect for natsu."
"I see, I don't understand at all."
When I replied like that, Kashiyama-san laughed and said.
"You can't just not know! If you're going to cosplay, you have to remember at least some types and features of fabrics."
"Well, that's true."
By the way, Saikachi-san and Shibata-san are smiling wryly, but I can't tell if they're laughing at me for not understanding or if they're confused about what Kokonoe-san is saying.
Then Kokonoe-san continues talking.
"Doresu colors should match the season. In haru and natsu, wear light or bright colors because of the colorful hana and green ki. If you sweat a lot and worry about stains, dark colors like navy or black are good choices, especially since natsu in Nippon can be hot. A pretty colored doresu can also make a woman�s kao look more utsukushii. If you�re concerned about sweat stains, wearing moisture-absorbing innerwear can help reduce their appearance."
"I see, I kind of understand this."
When I said that, Saikachi-san also added.
"If pretty colored dresses enhance the beauty around a woman's face, then I definitely want to go with that."
Kokonoe-san nodded and continued speaking.
"It's useful to have a shaworu that you can quickly throw on for sun protection. A doresu with sleeves that you can easily wear is also good."
"And there are about 8 types of silhouettes for party dresses. Fit & flare, balloon, A-line, I-line, X-line, empire, tight, and fish tail. For wedding dresses, princess line and mermaid line are popular silhouettes, but you usually don't wear those for party dresses; it's a matter of etiquette."
"I see, I don't understand."
When I replied like that, Kashiyama-san laughed and said,
"You should remember at least this much. When you get married in the future, you'll be in trouble if your bride asks you which design she should choose."
"Really? Is it a problem?"
"Probably."
Thinking about that makes being a guy seem easy.
So everyone kept going in and out of the fitting room with their innerwear, dresses, shawls, and boleros.
Then Saikachi-san came out of the fitting room wearing a dress.
"Um, how does this look?"
Saikachi-san was wearing a light pink balloon dress, with sleeves and a skirt that curved inward at the hem.
"Yeah, it's really cute."
When I said that, Saikachi-san blushed a little and replied,
"Hehe, I'm happy to hear that. Then I'll go with this one."
"Huh? I think it would be better to ask Kokonoe-san or Kashiyama-san if it suits the occasion more than asking me."
When I said that, Kokonoe-san, who was wearing a dress, laughed and said.
"That's okay! It's not such a formal place, so it's more tanoshii to choose what you like!"
Kokonoe-san wore a fresh yellow X-line dress that had volume around her chest and waist, with a slim waist that created a nice silhouette.
This type of silhouette is said to suggest a glamorous style, especially suited for women with larger busts and hips, and it really looks great on Kokonoe-san.
"As expected, Kokonoe-san is used to choosing dresses. You look really beautiful and it suits you!"
When I said that, Kokonoe-san smiled brightly.
"Hehe, arigatou! It's rare for Nihonjin like Eri and you to casually say things like that, so I'm really ureshii!"
Then Shibata-san, wearing a light green empire line dress, shyly asked me,
"Um, how do I look...?"
The empire line is similar to the A-line silhouette, also called tent line or pyramid line, where the overall shape gently flares out towards the hem of the skirt.
The empire line has a cut just below the bust, and from there, the skirt flows straight down.
"Yeah, that dress really suits you!
Your legs look long and slim too."
"Ah, thank you! But I'm a little embarrassed."
"Oh, sorry!"
The empire line looks better on petite and slender figures, which is the opposite of the X-line.
And Kashiyama-san also wore a beige "fit and flare" dress.
The top fits perfectly to the body, and the skirt is the type that flares out at the bottom. It's the most basic and beginner-friendly dress.
"It looks kind of like a wedding dress in beige, but I think it's pretty and suits you well."
"Oh, I'm glad to hear you say that."
After that, we spent a lot of time figuring out how to match shawls and boleros with the dress, but we finally finished choosing the dress.
Before I knew it, it was past 3 PM, so it really took a long time, but everyone seemed to be having fun, so that's good.
By the way, what I bought was a light navy summer jacket and summer knit, which I got advice on from Kashiyama-san.
"Wow, that really helped. I've never chosen clothes by myself before."
When I said that, Kashiyama-san made a thoughtful face.
"What have you done until now?"
"I had my mom, Yayoi-chan, and Fumi-chan choose for me. What's wrong with that?"
"Hmm, maybe you should try choosing for yourself this time. Or ask your classmates."
"That's true. I mean, I can't always meet Yayoi-chan and Fumi-chan, even if my mom is around."
Just then, Saikachi-san jumped in.
"Then, how about going shopping with me next time?"
"Yeah, that sounds good. I'll need autumn and winter clothes soon anyway, and if you're buying clothes, I'll help you choose too."
"Hehe, please do!"
So, that's how I managed to buy a dress for the garden party.
I haven't set a date yet, but it looks like I'm going shopping with Saikachi-san.
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