So, "Princess For Hire" seems to be doing well, no? Well, one thing I'm hoping to make a regular thing as I write this story is asking for reader input. While I know where it's going, there's still plenty of room to add in things people might be interested to see, and if it helps me flesh out the story a little more, well that's all the better!
So, to start with, I've got a couple of requests myself.
1) I want to see what people think the uniforms should look like, or what they think particular characters look like. I know how I think they look, but I'm always interested in seeing what my readers see when they read my stories.
2) This is more of a question specifically aimed at anyone who has had actual experience with private or all-boys schools. I never attended such a school, and while I can do all kinds of research, it won't give me the real "inside scoop" as it were on how the students themselves feel about a lot of things. So, does anyone have any suggestions of things I should watch out for or be aware of that basic research wouldn't turn up?
3) As much as I expect I'll come to regret this... costume suggestions. Yes, the Princesses will be dressing up for some events, so if anyone wants to request certain costumes or themes, let me know. Keep in mind that the themes need to be clean, though! Included in this is possible suggestions for school plays, which I was imagining would probably be done one every three months or so, for a total of three. I've already decided on one, but I would like to see what else people want to see.
Alright, so that was really THREE, whatever.
Any suggestions people have other than what I've asked for can be added here too! I'll be posting a blog like this from time to time as I think I need to, so there's always a chance that if something doesn't get used the first time it might work the next!
Melanie E.
Comments
Sugestions.
Seeing how it is loosely -- as in VERY loosely -- based on the manga/anime "Princess Princess." I was thinking most like school clubs have a faculty sponsor. why not have the sponsor be like Strawberry Eggs The male that had to dress as a woman to teach at the school. And have to dress like the princess when the go on there trips or the events they have to go to.
Not Quite Animal House but . . .
The cadet PX and the TV Room was always great social gathering places. The first during the day between classes or afterwards and the latter at night after your brain had been reduced to the consistence of melted cheese after studying.
We also had movies once a week, during which we had group participation, often times adding sound effects, lines we wish the actors had said or commenting on technical aspects. Unlike a movie theater where everyone is quiet, we were rather talkative and often lewd and crude. When cadets had dates in the student union watching a Saturday night movie, they tended to stay in the back and miss all the best parts of the movie.
Every so often we would cut loose and do things that were totally insane just to break the boredom. Open the fire hydrant in the courtyard and have a mudslide, blow up a urinal with a homemade bomb in the middle of the night, order a cadet rat to go up to the door of a brother rat and recite an outrageous comment about the guy's girl friend, make bazookas out of soda cans that could fire tennis balls across the courtyard at a brother rat's room, repel off a nearby cliff for fun, sneak out at night an paint an oversized cannon ball to look like something else like a soccer ball or a big yellow happy face, and any other number of things that bored kids do when they have reached the end of their academic teether.
Nancy Cole
"You may be what you resolve to be."
T.J. Jackson
Your kidding right?
Please tell me your joking ... I mean mudslides? Seriously? Bombs? What in the world kind of school was this, a zoo? Maybe I"m just weird but I was never that rowdy... and.. definitely no on the mudslides, it's so gross and ewww you'll get your clothes all dirty and stuff, and the bugs and just ewww mew... ewwww... please tell me they wont allow the princesses to do this? It wouldn't make sense for the school's pristine image. It would be funny I guess though... maybe? Maybe I'm just a fuddy duddy meow xD
I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Bisexual, transsexual, gamer girl, princess, furry that writes horror stories and proud ^^
I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Transgender, Gamer, Little, Princess, Therian and proud :D
Not Kidding in The Least
You would be surprised by what a bunch of young males all but locked away together and exposed to the pressure cooker of a first rate academic education will do to blow off some steam, bend the rules to the breaking point and have some fun.
As to the school's image, we always knew enough to keep our antics within the confines of the cadet barracks quad. The staff would officially frown on our outrageous behavior, but so long as it did not reflect adversely on the institute to the outside world or we didn't do serious harm to ourselves or institute property, a slap on the wrist was the worst we received when things went too far. God help the cadet, however, who did something in public that reflected badly on the institute or his fellow cadets. We cadets policed our own better than the Institute staff ever could.
No doubt the author will create a fictional institution that she is comfortable with and suits her story.
To the author - Have at it, dear girl, for I am enjoying what you have done. You did ask and I gave you the best, save of course for the night we got our drinking privilages or what happened when the upper classes finally recognized the rat, or freshman class. Those are the sort of experiences that have to be lived through in order to be believed and give legs to the old say, "Truth is stranger than fiction."
I hope she keeps up the good work.
Nancy Cole
"You may be what you resolve to be."
T.J. Jackson
On topic
Some of the outfits we're outlandish but I'd LOVE to see the Princesses in Sweet Lolita, or Elegant Gothic Lolita, I bet they'd look Adorable! :D
I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Bisexual, transsexual, gamer girl, princess, furry that writes horror stories and proud ^^
I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Transgender, Gamer, Little, Princess, Therian and proud :D
Ditto!
Ditto! :)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
To add a couple to the ones Nancy supplied
To add a couple to the ones Nancy supplied:
Wadding up sheets of newspaper and stuffing them through the open transom light (window, fanlight) over a professor's office door, so that when he came in on Monday his office was filled almost to the ceiling.
Turning on all the water faucets full blast in every bathroom, then with military precision, simultaneously flushing all the toilets, to see if the incoming water main would implode.
Kris
Kris
{I leave a trail of Kudos as I browse the site. Be careful where you step!}
School Uniforms
Call me a traditionalist, but I favor the typical girl’s school uniforms, practical ones.
Plaid skirt, full or pleated
While blouse
Floppy sailor type girl’s tie
Knee socks for class, tights for social functions
Penny loafers for class, low heeled court shoes for social functions
School blazer
In the Catholic school in the town I grew up in, the length of a girl’s skirt was determined by having its hem touch the floor when she was kneeling. Later this was adjusted to accommodate the styles of the day by raising it one inch from the floor.
Base color I prefer if Maroon or forest green. Navy blue and plain grey skirts are so over done in my opinion.
The military tartan of the Black Watch is a good choice for a skirt.
Nancy Cole
www.nancycole.org
"You may be what you resolve to be."
T.J. Jackson
Only because you asked....
....from the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. The girl all the way to the right is Pamela Franklin, Jenny in the movie. My favorite all-time girls' school outfit worn by my favorite all-time school girl. I was a freshman in college, and I saw her and fell in love with her....as a model for the girl I wanted to be. She was beautiful and smart, two things I wished I were but feared I would never become. *sigh*
Con grande amore e di affetto, Andrea Lena
Love, Andrea Lena
One thing to bear in mind
is that a 'good' school doesn't always mean a good education, neither did it seem to matter how much was paid.
I wasn't 'allowed' to learn simply because the disruptive (violent, abusive) elements ruled with brutality, enforced with something sharp or heavy. Teachers either feared that they could become a target, or were ineffectual at dealing with the overt bullying that took place. There were several paedophiles on the staff, and the head teacher had a tendency to shoot first and ask questions afterwards.
I don't doubt that both the boys' and girls' schools (which were adjacent) had similar issues.
Susie
Suggestions
In the UK, the traditional girls' school uniform would be something like this:
Black shoes, black tights, white blouse, charcoal skirt, jumper (for cold weather) and blazer, school tie.
Not so much used nowadays, but in the past the pinafore dress was fairly common, and for private / independent schools the straw boater.
Of course, if you really wanted to torture them, how about the uniform of an independent day school near where I used to live (images nabbed from their own website):
Unsurprisingly, the blazer design is satirically nicknamed "The deck chair" - here's a rough ASCII depiction of the stripe layout:
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Events:
Cheerleaders - not only the uniform but the routines
Ballet - again, learn the dance as well as wear the outfit
As for drama productions:
Romeo and Juliet (or anything Shakespeare based - the irony being that in the bard's day, all roles would have been played by males anyway!)
Twelfth Night (boy dressing as a girl dressing as a boy)
Pirates of Penzance (especially as unlike the manga / anime, there are a dozen or so Princesses from across the year spectrum)
Mikado ("Three little maids are we!")
Something manga / anime based (especially as the Head's a fan of the genre - would it be too corny to do something based on PP?)
-oOo-
On a more technical note, since some Princesses are able to continue working (and presumably pass as female) throughout school, I assume it has relevant psychiatric and endocrinological medical staff...
EAFOAB Episode Summaries
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Answers
1. Certainly when I was in an (admittedly English) high school in the late 80's the uniforms tended to be on a single colour theme. i.e. Coloured blazer, matching colour jumper, school colour striped tie (boys and girls), white shirt/blouse, black trousers/skirt. For the story...I guess the traditional plaid look or something a bit more preppy.
2. Harder question to answer given the aims of the princess programme are of course to tackle these very sorts of behaviour. I had the misfortune to attend an all-boys high school. The experience was one of it being quite predatory. The big kids picked on the small kids, sporting prowess prized over academic achievement. And god help you if you were different as the pressure to conform the groups norms is very strong! You've already alluded in the story to one element, which was that any female mannerisms were basically interpreted as being gay. Fortunately your characters have the Protectors.
Oh, and smelly gym socks.
3. School plays for an all boys school... well, assuming you have the princesses in the girls parts - taming of the shrew, romeo and julliet, grease or my fair lady (if you want to go for a musical) or for more elaborate costumes something by Gilbert and Sullivan? As for costume choices, well to take the princess principle it has to be very girly.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."