of fashion

Julius Welkes Fashion Designer at Little Black Dress { member of harbour pointe }

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under the weather  ||  open

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chaikanon‌:

what a dreadfully dreary day. as another earthshaking clap of thunder boomed outside, the ferocious pounding of rain - harder even than just mere moments before - against the solid glass of the store’s windows, she was once again immensely glad that she was here inside the safety of the shop instead of out in the storm. 

it had already began to drizzle as she finished her shift at the cafe earlier. still, she considered herself pretty lucky : while the rain had certainly worsened by the time she reached the little black dress, it looked like she had just happened to miss the worst of the storm. thank goodness. 

unfortunately, judging by the drenched clothes and pale faces of many of the other patrons and employees inside, it seemed that others weren’t so lucky. an attractive man - a staff member, she presumed - had just approached her when another roll of thunder roared, eliciting a shriek from his lips. he had startled her, sure - even she had jumped a bit at the sudden scream - but judging from the uneasy look on his face, it was clear that he was the one who had been most affected. oh dear.

she offers him a patient smile.

‘ please, don’t worry about it. quite a storm, no? are you all right? ’

⌜♥⌟  Julius responds with a weary smile and a shake of the head. “You just-- you don’t get a lot of warning, you know?” The sudden, loud noises-- they have been the bane of his existence for fucking years... decades, now, God I’m so old. But simply saying he’s surprised by them is easier to explain.

“It’s honestly nothing, I’ll be alright once--” a flash of lightning outside, and Julius freezes, waiting for the harsh follow-up. He still shudders when it hits before pulling back to set the mannequin right once more and smooth down his shirt, check the bangles on his wrists, make sure he doesn’t look like an absolute mess.

“Once, uh... it settles down.”

The next smile is wider, an attempt to look more at ease that is really, really bad. “I meant to ask, are you just waiting out the storm? I-I won’t pressure you to buy anything, but I’m trying to be, uh... a help.” Some help he is, looking at the window every other minute. Where’d the charisma go, Jules?

[gemstudded-blog]

darling darling darling  ||  sabrina & julius

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darlingsdiamonds‌:

Customers were the lifeline of her business, but they were a pain in the neck at times, too. Clearly, that wasn’t something that Sabrina would ever admit aloud, but sadly, she often thought it. But it wasn’t based on hasty decisions. The only time she found herself thinking unpleasant thoughts was when a customer needlessly dragged her around the store asking for the impossible. Incredible discounts, impossible payment plans, and her least favorite, those who asked to see everything in the store, but bought nothing. And that was only because the time she wasted spent with them was misplaced when she could have been helping customers with settled requests.

Her father warned her about this.

And just when she thought there would be a break, she heard a voice. One she hadn’t heard often, but one that rang an oddly familiar bell. Julius? Perhaps a break wasn’t needed if there was someone vaguely familiar and friendly walking in.

“Hello, welcome to Darling’s Diamonds.”

She approached him with a smile, both as customer service and just to be friendly.

“Do you see something you like?”

⌜♥⌟  It’s a tad odd to see her, now that the last memory of her has her adorned in her... Sailor Moon costume, yes? But Julius can imagine she has the same idea, considering he’s in something much more colorful than the dreary attire he had donned for the party. Ah, wasn’t that a disappointment, he thinks, pursing his lips before she’s closer and actually asking something.

“Oh, I do! All of these are so lovely, it’s been so long since I’ve been in a jewelry store...” He gestures to a pair of earrings on display, something subtle but gorgeous all the same. He’s been feeling more masculine this season, but that doesn’t mean he has to file into the idiotic gender binaries of fashion. 

His mouth keeps running, though. “I really wanted to come see you, though, like I said I would. Terribly sorry it took so long, you would not believe the business that comes in when it gets cold. And I won’t take up all your time for nothing, believe me, I want to get something, but know that I didn’t come here entirely for your wares, because I wanted to make good on my word--”

[gemstudded-blog]

Activity 12/15/18

Failed

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people watching  ||  julius & sebastian

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runningonjavascript‌:

Strangers are scary.

Their loud, obnoxious, unpredictable, and sometimes even insist on making conversation with you. Seb has met far too many of those strangers since he started working here. While none of those instances have turned out catastrophic he just wants to take his smoke break in peace, damnit. 

So when he hears someone address him he wants to get pissy, his like the annoyed cat he is, and leave. But this man’s actually here for a purpose and not just to bug the shit out of him.

“Oh,” well that wasn’t expected, his lighter must have fallen out of his pocket “Uh, thanks.” The lighter is snagged all too quickly and shoved back into his pocket. 

⌜♥⌟  The deadpan tone in this one’s voice is hilarious. It sounds like he’s been practicing that thing for years, to the point where it’s almost astonishingly apathetic. Julius just smiles more, even as the lighter’s snatched out of his hands. It’s more like he’s cornered an angry cat instead of tried to help a fellow human being.

Which obviously means that he wants to continue to prod. We won’t lie and say he’s a saint.

“You’re very welcome,” he says, stopping himself from using one of his signature dears or darlings if only because he’s pretty sure saying such will get him slashed. “Are you okay? You left in quite a hurry.” Enough to drop a beloved lighter-- beloved, Julius assumes, because he had snagged it so easily from a stranger’s hand. “One would think you saw a ghost.”

[gemstudded-blog]

under the weather  ||  open

⌜♥⌟  Julius isn’t scared of many things, alright?

It’s just... one of his fears is a natural phenomenon which royally fucks him over, especially when he’s working and a storm rolls in to town out of the fucking blue. It was clear this morning! And now the sky outside is dark, lightning flashing and wind picking up to a whistle at some points. Absolutely terrifying.

Julius is an adult, alright? But he’s still scared of sudden loud noises, and of the flashes that accompany them like harbingers of despair. He’s been trying to keep it cool through the sudden storm, but with the incoming rush of people seeking shelter from the rain and the storm itself, he’s failing spectacularly.

He’s in the middle of asking someone if they’re here for business at the Little Black Dress, if they want to buy something or they just need to wait out the storm, before another clap of thunder hits, and he’s left jumping with a slight screech, gravitating towards the patron on instinct and swerves at the last minute, nearly taking out a mannequin.

Oh, how he wishes he could go to the back, but he wouldn’t be a very good host then, would he?

“Oh, God, darling I’m sorry, it’s just--” He waves his hands with a chuckle bordering on nervous. “Been a while since I’ve seen a storm.” Been even longer since he’s had to see it through the huge fucking windows in the front of this beloved store.

[occasionalrpmemes]

sentence starters: tmrhsthr

(things my roommate has said to his rats)

“No. Absolutely not. You cross that line, and we’re done.”

“You know this is the opposite of a good thing.”

“Do NOT give me that look.”

“You think you’re so cute. Oh, you think you’re SO cute.”

“You’re feeling adventurous today, aren’t you?”

“Avocado. Avocado. Avocaaaaado.”

“Do not be a vampire. Do NOT be a vampire.”

“Do you know what time it is? It’s not time for this. That’s what time it is.”

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you.”

“Be nice. You can be nice for once, can’t you?”

“Sometimes you do good things! This is not one of those times.”

“You are so smart and so soft.”

“I am putting you in time out because you need to understand the consequences of your actions.”

“I value you in my life, but you can be so much to deal with.”

“When you bit my face- that hurt my feelings.”

“Are you aware of how rude you’re being right now?”

“This is just unreasonable. Please come down.”

“I’ll be waiting here whenever you decide to come out from under the couch.”

“You can be very sweet when you want to be.”

[gemstudded-blog]

people watching  ||  julius & sebastian

⌜♥⌟  Strangers are beautiful.

Julius enjoys people-watching, even if it’s just from walking on the street. The mannerisms of others, how they look at their phones with a smile or a furrowed brow or a grimace, how they hold themselves... Call him nosy, but he enjoys trying to dissect these things and appreciate people for who they are. Some act like no one is watching, truly. Others seem on-edge at all times.

There are patterns that one learns to recognize, and what those patterns stick to gives him a look into regular character. Such as a slouching masculine figure hiding behind their hair, missing a good couple inches from their height with how far forward their shoulders curve. 

A dislike for being seen, avoiding attention and drawing it with just how forward they are about it. They get up from one of the chairs and slouch off to the back as the usual rush of others enters the ground floor of the building. Julius checks the time on his phone and shrugs. He’s got half his break left, why not? He doesn’t have to sit in the lounge area forever.

And the stranger left a lighter on the chair. They’re heading to the back-- a smoke break? He pushes himself to his feet and snatches the lighter before following them out back, to the small courtyard.

“Excuse me, you left this?”

@runningonjavascript

[gemstudded-blog]

darling darling darling  ||  sabrina & julius

⌜♥⌟  It’s been a while since Julius treated himself to something pretty. Accessory-wise, at least. Diamonds are a rare but lovely treat, and he’s feeling the need for a simple necklace for the holidays. It’s not the holiday yet, but he can still treat himself, right? He’s got the money for it.

That, and he has business to attend to. Social business, sure, but business, and he’s got an apology to dish out to poor Sabrina. He told himself he’d come see her again, yet here he was, so much later walking in.

It’s alright, he won’t let himself be sheepish.

“Sabrina, darling? Oh, please tell me you’re in...” The last part is murmured to himself, the former being projected throughout the jewelry shop. If she isn’t, then he just called some needless attention to himself, which-- well, don’t misunderstand. Julius likes attention, but only when it’s good attention.

He finds his way to the counter, to the gorgeous displays, and studies the gems while he continues to murmur to himself. “Oooh, maybe I’ll get some earrings...”

@darlingsdiamonds

[gemstudded-blog]

Activity 11/17/18

Failed!

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an expected tryst  ||  wayne & julius

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summermemory‌:

Lovely manners and a better smile. Wayne really should get better accustomed to being the one flattered, but it embarrasses him nonetheless and makes his cheeks deepen a few more shades of red. If he keeps his eyes on the road, he finds it helps him better handle his nerves.

“I guess we’ll just have to see how late the night runs us, in that case.” He clears his throat. “I wouldn’t want to take you home and keep you from seeing your Noah.”

Turning through the streets, he bides his time with light conversation instead of getting into anything too far in depth. No, Wayne will save that for the actual meal, where he gets the chance to learn more about the person Julius is underneath the glitter and jewels. An even more sparkling personality, he’s sure.

“A cockatiel sounds like heaps of fun. They live for a really long time, too. I hear some of them even learn how to speak, but maybe that’s just a rumor. Birds aren’t really my strong suit.”

Wayne reaches over, a flippant, smooth motion he doesn’t think too much of. It’s reflexive, reaching out to place his hand over Julius’s while his other is steady on the wheel. “You’re surprisingly really, really right about that. Six dogs. Six horses, three cats, and some wildlife. I’ll introduce you to all of them sometime.” 

     ⌜♥⌟  Julius refrains from assuring Wayne that Noah is used to waiting a little longer for him to come home. He always comes home at some point during the night, it just might be later depending on how events... unfold. He always makes sure to give Noah plenty to entertain himself with until Julius can come back and whistle with him before he goes to bed.

     “My Noah doesn’t talk too much. They can, but some just don’t. Noah likes to sing and whistle, if he speaks then it’s a rare occurrence.” Which doesn’t bother Julius much. He loves his little darling no matter how he decides to vocalize.

     He’s taken off guard by the hand over his. With how Wayne’s been acting in their interactions, it probably means nothing. But it’s still nice. Lets Julius know that contact isn’t hated.

     ⌜♥⌟  “My, that’s a lot.” Fifteen animals, plus wildlife? “I’d love to meet them all, if they’ll have me.” Another means to talk to Wayne, if this ends well. “What are their names? I’m sure they’re all absolute wonders.” It fits that Wayne would have an actual family of animals. Julius doesn’t have nearly enough property for such a thing; Noah’s enough for him.

     But he’s interested in Wayne’s darlings, if only to see if the man interacts with them like Julius is picturing. That is to say: like a Disney character.

[gemstudded-blog]

Activity 11/3/18

Passed!

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an expected tryst  ||  wayne & julius

[gemstudded-blog]

summermemory‌:

Does he look like a gentleman? Wayne can’t say that’s what he was going for, but he can’t say it wasn’t. He just wanted to look relatively nice next to his date, and when Julius holds such an important position in the fashion industry, he’s almost certain the other man appreciates what attention he did pay toward his appearance– even if he’s suddenly aware of the blush in his cheeks when he pays him such a sweet return compliment.

“It was nothin’.” Wayne’s fingers run through his own blonde hair reflexively, playing off whatever embarrassment he feels over melting under his appreciation already. “Just maintainin’ my gentlemanly reputation. Don’t want to disappoint.”

That said, he’s the type to open the car door for him and let him settle in first, one small kind gesture after another before settling back into the driver’s seat. Even the radio is turned down to a respectful level so he can hear Julius’ voice over the sound of music, the slow songs he usually enjoys when he’s riding alone.

“All night?” Julius probably doesn’t mean the statement literally, but Wayne quickly runs through a list of chores in his head he completed before he left this evening. “The pets are fed until tomorrow. I think I can spare a few hours if we run a little late.” However late that might be.

“How about that’s my first question?” Wayne asks as he pulls out of his driveway, directing course toward the venue of choice for tonight. “Do you have any animals, Julius?”

     ⌜♥⌟  “No need to worry about disappointing me. I hardly know what to expect from you except lovely manners and an even better smile.” Which is true. Julius doesn’t know too much about Wayne besides the fact that he’s a postal carrier, he’s handsome as hell, and he’s too polite for any one person to really be. (Not that Juli is complaining, of course.) That’ll hopefully be rectified tonight, because Wayne seems to be dead-set on just... talking.

     “Oh, then don’t let me keep you away from your darlings. I can say a lot in just a couple hours.” That’s fine, Julius can talk until he’s blue in the face if people let him. Even moreso, if he’s to talk about his beloved roommate.

     ⌜♥⌟  “I have a cockatiel, my precious Noah~. He’s been with me since I moved into my first apartment in college. That’d make him... well, age is a different question.” He hums, hands clasping together. “He likes head scritches and sings with me. I’ll show you pictures when you aren’t driving.” He has a whole album dedicated to the bird.

     “What pets do you have? I want to say you own at least five dogs.”

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pretty please  ||  julius & julia

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petshopbeauty‌:

“That would be amazing! I’m excited just thinking about it now~!”

Her attitude about it had completely changed by this point. Honestly, the more she thought about it, the more she knew that she needed it. And the only reason she was more inclined to the idea was the simple fact that it was Julius asking. Julia had a hard time saying no to him. He was one of her cutest friends and they got along too well for her to decline a weekend getaway together.

“Do you have any places in mind already?”

     ⌜♥⌟  Julius can’t help but think Wow, that was easy. Maybe she’s actually overworked, or maybe she’s learned her lesson from one too many postponed vacations. Either way, he’s excited for what’s to come-- a whole weekend of relaxation with a friend!

     Ooooh, it sounds like heaven.

     ⌜♥⌟  “We have the nail salon here, of course, but I’m sure I can find one of the spots out in the city for an actual spa day. Don’t you worry, I’ll handle all the details and get us the best treatment in the city! You just get back to me about your days free, and I’ll set up our weekend, yeah?” He hums, looking around at their surroundings. The store is good for her, yes-- it’s her passion. But everyone needs a break from work.

     “And get back to me on what else you want to do, okay? I don’t want to dictate all of our time together, no matter how bossy I am~...”

[gemstudded-blog]

28  ||  closed

     ⌜♥⌟  Birthdays stopped being new and exciting when the 21st passed. Now, here Julius is at 28 and sitting at home, drinking alone and resisting the urge to beg for attention. For once.

     He’s alone tonight, because he got Noah covered at his usual time and he’s not about to wake up his precious child for some birthday drinks. It’s 4AM, if his clock is right. Pretty late to be drinking (or early?) anyway, but he just allowed himself to step away from struggling to design. He called a “day off” for the wonderful celebration, but who knows if he’ll actually go out and do any of it when he’s probably got dark shadows under his eyes. 

     ⌜♥⌟  “’M not putting on a whole face of makeup to hide some bags today,” he mumbles, tracing around the lip of his drink with his finger. His other hand holds his head. Maybe he’ll try to go out with people tonight. He isn’t one to mention his birthday seriously, as he certainly doesn’t want to celebrate himself getting older, but some fun would be nice. But if he still looks like this when he wakes up... Another glance at the time, and he grimaces as he starts to clean up his set-up. “Right... Sleep first."

[peccari]

i love this beautiful man so much y’all don’t understand

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H A L L O W E E N   2 0 1 8   |   M O R T I C I A   A D D A M S

     ⌜♥⌟  Julius does a thrice-over in the mirror, making various poses and admiring the blood red of his nails, his lips... They compliment his eyes very well. “Wouldn’t you think?” he asks the bird hopping around on the vanity mirror. Noah only clicks his tongue at him, but that’s enough of an answer.

     Morticia Addams is a classic queen, and Jules is more than happy to honor her this Halloween. Besides, he looks fantastic. "Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc,” he tells his reflection, and quietly rejoices in the fact that he pronounced all of that right. This will be... fun.

[gemstudded-blog]

Activity 10/20/18

Passed!