Chapter 9: Preparations

Kate took Amanda to the mall that evening; they needed to shop and time was limited, so they went to a couple of the big department stores and another specialty clothing store looking for a dress for the dance. Amanda hadn't been clothes shopping in quite a while and found this trip to be a very strange experience. She couldn't see the clothes, so she just felt them. The various kinds of fabric had distinctive odors too, some pleasant, some neutral, a few actually unpleasant. It was really strange going into a fitting room with her mom. She wondered what the store clerks and other shoppers thought about that.

She tried on four or five dresses, and with each one, Amanda ran her hands over her body, down her sides, and down her arms, trying to feel what she'd look like. One dress felt right. It was knee length, hung loosely, and was made of a crinkly sheer fabric over a more solid, satiny material. The top had spaghetti straps and was open to about midway between her breasts. It even had a little padding built in; she could feel that it would definitely show some cleavage

Her mom told her it was a dark bluish-green and the sheer fabric had a sparkly look that caught light and would look great while dancing. Its color went well with her hair, eyes, and skin color, and while not slinky tight, it clung to her closely enough to emphasize and complement her shape while still being loose enough to swirl as she moved.

For a special touch, they bought some pink satin bikini-style panties, and her mom joked that her date had better not find out anything about them. They were her secret and would make her feel sexy. She couldn't wear a bra with the straps and neck line on this dress, but she didn't need one anyway.

At the jewelry counter they found some silver dangly earrings that would also sparkle as she moved. She already had a silver necklace at home that would go well with the dress and earrings. At the makeup counter, they bought some lipstick that would complement Amanda's color and the dress. Next they picked out some black shoes with slight heels since none of her dressy shoes really fit anymore.

She hadn't paid much attention to her hair style over the last couple of years and would need to get her hair done for the dance. Her mom said she would make her an appointment for Saturday afternoon. She wouldn't get anything too special done; her dark hair hanging freely with a little natural curl at the ends would work perfectly with the dress. She needed a trim and style but nothing more.