The Cask of Manhasset { Ranpoe }

Uniform

It takes me a few minutes to adjust to the new sensation of the fabrics, so different from the soft ones I usually wear, with seams in all sorts of weird places, but the shirt and pants aren't nearly as uncomfortable as I expected. Still, the sleeves ride up whenever I lift my arms.

"Is that alright?" the lady asks as she places another pin in my too-long trousers.

"Yeah, can you do something about the shirt though?"

She smiles, nicer than most people about my complaints, I suspect she gets a lot of this given that she is a tailor in a school uniform shop. "What's wrong with it? Too tight? Loose?"

"Too tight, and itchy."

"Hmm, we'll get the next size up. Where is the fabric bothering you?"

"Where the seams are, and the buttons."

"Are the cuffs bothering you?"

"No, those are fine."

"Well, if you buy your shirts a little big then you can wear another shirt under it, even a long sleeve one. The shirts aren't as see-through as they look and they don't care about that thing so you shouldn't get a dress code violation for it."

"Thanks, you uniform ladies sure know all the tricks, huh?"

She laughs, "Sure do. You can put your trousers back on, we'll get some hemmed pairs ready for you and I'll be right back with some shirts, okay."

"Thanks," I remember to tell her as I close the curtains.

I take the pinned trousers off and slip back into my familiar ones, handing her the pinned ones through the tiny gap in the curtain.

The Manhasset Academy uniform is fairly simple:

White oxford shirts (short sleeves and long sleeved)

Black or Maroon ties (long, bow, and cross ties for all genders)

Maroon blazers okay anytime but mandatory for school events

Maroon or Black jumpers, sleeveless jumpers, and cardigans for regular wear

Maroon or Black slacks. (Maroon, Grey, Black, or Maroon and Black tartan pleated skirts \ optional for the girls)

White, Grey, or Black socks

Any shoes as long as they're closed-toed, have a heel no larger than one inch and are completely Brown or Black

Maroon or Black Capes and/or hats optional for the upperclassmen (Grades 11 and 12)

I'm in Grade 11, so I'm totally getting a cape.

-

I sit in one of the big comfy chairs kicking my feet, watching Elise and Kyu try on their uniforms. They aren't as sensitive as I am so their fitting takes much less time. Bored, I turn my attention to the other students from other schools trying on uniforms in the mirrors. Some are grey, some blue, some green.

Soon the uniform pieces we can take home now are in fancy bags with the store's and the school's logo on it and the pieces being altered are scheduled for pickup. Dad pays and then we're off. Today made living here more real. Before it felt like a vacation, and it sort of still feels like it but I guess it'll really hit me when I start school.

(A/N: this whole chapter was basically just to fill the time gap and explain the uniform. can you tell I'm really leaning into the dark, gothic theme here? lol)