#girls ski jackets can be found at sporting goods stores

[fanatic-kay]

Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover

Pairings: Pre-romantic Prinxiety, brothers!analogicality Word Count: 1535 Rating: General Audiences Summary: Roman works at the Disney store when a shady looking person walks in.

Read on AO3 Here!

Roman Prince loved his job. Sure, the work of retail could be especially tedious at times, but at the end of the day, it was worth it. As long as he could see the young children coming in, eyes full of stars, as they tried to comprehend the overload of Disney paraphernalia staring back at them. How they would jump up and down, tugging at their parent’s sleeve before running towards something that caught their attention. How their older siblings, usually teenagers, would pretend to act cool or annoyed since they were ‘too old for this stuff’, but even they would let their inner child shine through as they perused through the racks. Sometimes they even got adults, never letting the Disney spirit die, excited to shop for themselves. No matter how old you got, everyone could relate to the excitement Disney lit in your soul. Well… almost everyone.

It was his turn to stock shelves, not that Roman minded. He was mostly left to his own devices, singing along with the music playing overhead, but sometimes a lost child or confused parent would ask him for the location of specific items.

“Thank you!” A charming young girl gushed at him as he handed her something from the top shelf.

“Of course, princess! Have a magical day!” Roman smiled, waving goodbye. He turned to return to his work, and that’s when he saw him.

Really, Roman wasn’t sure how he didn’t notice him walk in. The boy stood out like a sore thumb. Between all of the colors and happiness, he seemed to exude angst, wearing all black, like some sort of… emo nightmare. It was a punk, bad boy look. He would’ve been described as attractive by some. Roman couldn’t help but be suspicious, watching the other’s moves like a hawk. He knows he shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, Beauty and the Beast taught him that, but something about him was giving Roman a feeling he couldn’t quite shake.

He subtly watched him look around as if he were searching for something. He picked up a Lion King t-shirt, surveying it before placing it back down. His eyes, a deep brown, almost black, scanned his surroundings. His hair was dyed purple, and an eyebrow piercing glinted in the store lighting. Paired with his ripped black skinny jeans, studded leather jacket, and steel-toed combat boots, he seemed to be the depiction of ‘troublemaker’. Maybe he was trying to steal something? There was no other obvious explanation to his shifty demeanor.

Roman tried to focus back on his task while glancing at the hypothetical thief every few seconds. However, he must’ve not been as observant as he thought, as he nearly jumped out of his skin when someone cleared their throat behind him. He bit back a string of profanities when he realized it was the boy he had been watching earlier.

He mustered up his customer service smile, the one he used when he was dealing with a dragon witch of a Karen that demanded to speak with his manager, and in his best false cheer said, “Hello! Do you need any help?”

The emo raised an eyebrow unimpressed, “No, I just wanted to get your attention for the hell of it,” he snarked.

Roman immediately dropped the niceties. “You know, Hot Topic is just three stores down,” he gave him a once over, “they’re probably a bit more your style.”

“I have eyes, I can see where I am,” the other shot back. “I was just wondering if you had any Black Cauldron merch in here.”

Roman blinked, trying to process his question for a count of three before shaking his head slowly, “No, we don’t.”

He scoffed, “Figures, it’s one of the most underrated Disney movies of all time, even if it is the best.”

“Yeah,” Roman nods, “it’s a shame it doesn’t have a bigger fanbase.”

Out of nowhere, two boys, twins, Roman realized, sporting matching glasses, appeared. One attacked the emo’s middle and the other let out a long, sufferable sigh at the action. He took that as his cue to resume his restocking, involuntarily listening in to their conversation.

“Virgie! Look! I found the Winnie the Pooh stuffie! And Lo-Lo got a Baymax one!” one exclaimed. He was the complete opposite of his- older brother, presumably- dressed in a soft, pastel sweatshirt and a knee-length skirt. He pushed the stuffed bear up for him to see.

“Virgil can see that, Pat,” his twin stated. Despite the fact of being so little, he wore a collared shirt and blue necktie, like a mini businessman, though there was a light of excitement in his eyes too as he hugged his own plushie.

Virgil laughed lightly, “Patton’s just excited, let him be, Logan,” he ruffled Patton’s hair as he continued. “And it’s great, Pat. Are you both happy with what you found?” The twins nodded enthusiastically.

“Did you find what you wanted?” Lo asked, both looking up at their brother with large, expecting eyes.

“Uh, no, no Black Cauldron stuff here,” he replied, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Patton’s shoulders slumped, “No Gurgi or Hen Wen?” he asked, sounding so upset, as if he was the one who longed for the merch instead of his brother.

Roman felt his heart drop, he did take this job to see the smiles of kids- and the discounted Disney items- but mostly the smiles.

“It’s alright, kid,” Virgil gave him a half-hearted smile. “I’ll just get something else. Maybe a Nightmare Before Christmas poster.” Patton, however, seemed unconvinced.

Roman could sense Virgil’s gaze on the wall of posters behind him. He subtly tried to follow his gaze and saw it land on the matching posters of Jack Skellington and Sally. They were limited edition, Virgil obviously had good taste. All of the posters were almost sold out, the shelf where they had been, empty. Roman had managed to nab the last one, placing it in one of his boxes to purchase once he got off of work. Was it fair? Not really. But he had wanted them really bad! They would look perfect on his wall!

Virgil chuckled humorlessly to himself, patting the space where the item would have been. “Or not.” Patton looked as if he was about to cry, clinging to Virgil’s legs. Even Logan looked mildly upset by the outcome.

At that moment, Roman realized he had royally messed up. Virgil wasn’t trying to cause trouble. He, like most everyone else, grew up with Disney and was sharing the magic with his younger brothers. He should’ve known better than to judge him by appearance. Disney was never wrong in their teachings. He made the split-second decision to help make the twins smile, and perhaps even give a proper apology to Virgil.

“I’d hate to interrupt,” Roman started, ignoring the questioning look Virgil sent him, as he crouched down to address Patton. “But did you say you liked Gurgi?”

Patton looked at him with his big sad eyes, sniffling before nodding.

“Well, we don’t have any Gurgi plushies, but,” Roman pretended to tap his chin thoughtfully before brightening as if an idea had struck him. He searched through one of the boxes he had still yet to stock, and in his, rusty, but decent Gurgi impression he said, “Munchings and crunchings in here somewhere.” This got a small giggle out of Patton, even his twin seemed to brighten at the quote. They both tried to peer over Roman’s shoulder to see what he was getting, but he blocked the view.

He grabbed the poster he had put away for safekeeping. He supposed there would always be new posters he could buy later on. He dramatically turned on his heel in his crouched position. He pulled the rolled tube into view as if he were unsheathing a sword and held it out to the twins with both hands.

Patton gasped in delight before looking down a bit confused, his enthusiasm ever-present. Logan, however, smiled in recognition. “Virge, it’s the poster!”

Roman looked up to meet Virgil’s eyes with a small smile, standing up and offering it to him. “Lucky for you, it's the last one. Worthy for a dark and stormy knight like yourself.”

Virgil’s gaze softened considerably at Roman though he rolled his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips. “If I’m the knight who’s the prince?”

He opened his mouth to speak, about to gesture to the twins when Patton beat him to it. “He is, silly!”

Virgil and Roman both widened their eyes, fighting blushes, realizing the implications of the statement. Virgil wouldn’t meet Roman’s eyes as the employee tried to remedy the situation. “I- I mean, I won’t deny that I’m a prince, but I was talking about you little princes right in front of me.”

Patton and Logan both grinned at that, as Virgil cleared his throat. “We should get going, Mom will be calling soon,” he said, rounding up his brothers and pushing them to the direction of the checkout lines. He looked over his shoulder, sending Roman a crooked smirk. “Thanks for the posters, Princey.”

Roman swore his heart skipped a beat. “You’re welcome.”

Taglist: @starry-knight-skies @space-captain-lars @viana-dascolli @wistful-wish

[asarahworld-writes]

A ZOMBIES Christmas

AO3

Snow was gently falling from the grey skies in Seabrook as school let out for the winter holiday.  Well, almost.  There was, after all, the football game that afternoon.  Zed Necrodopolous, the charming star fullback of the Mighty Shrimp’s football team, was currently attempting too understand why his girlfriend’s parents wanted him to attend their Christmas dinner.

“Our revolution was the cheer competition,” he tried joking, but Addison wasn’t having any of it.

“Zed, this is important.  Christmas has always been a time for my family to kind of… regroup. And this year, everyone’s going to be a little more honest.”

Everyone.

“Everyone?”

Addison grimaced.  “My parents, of course.  Bucky and my aunt and uncle.  Nana and Grandad.  And… us.”

“You’re not going to put your wig back on because your grandparents are coming, are you?”  Zed lazily twirled a stray lock of white hair around his finger.

“The next time I wear a wig, it’ll be because I want to have a specific colour hair and not to hide my own colour,” Addison said firmly.  “And now that I have a, quote-unquote, serious boyfriend, my family wants to meet him.”

“They don’t know I’m a zombie,” Zed said flatly. It wasn’t a question.

“Well, my parents do.  And, obviously, Bucky has always known.  I would assume his parents have found out by now.”

“And your grandparents?”

“Zed, you’re what’s important to me.  It’s not like you personally ate Grandad’s ear.”  Addison lightly punched her boyfriend’s shoulder.  “I mean, we can and will leave if they say anything.  Let them talk if they wanna, but we don’t have to stay and listen,” she said softly.

“Addy,” Zed said uselessly.

“Christmas is for family and, and just spending time with the people who you supposedly love.  They want to meet you, Zed.”

“Should I dig out the pink suit again?”  Zed joked.

Addison looked her boyfriend over suggestively. “That was a pretty good look on you.”

“Only pretty good?”  Zed clutched at his chest dramatically.  “Ouch.”

“Oh come on, Zed,” Addison giggled, “you know exactly what I meant.  But Christmas happens to be the one day of the year when we trade pink for red.”

“Okay.  Met your parents.  That wasn’t so bad.  Now I’m just meeting the rest of your family,” Zed smirked, nearly hiding his nervousness.

“I’m going to do a bit of shopping.  Maybe you’ll get a new Christmas present out of all this.  And maybe, since I’m choosing all the presents this year, you’ll get a new…something out of it.”  Addison began making a mental list of everything Zed would need for the dinner. Dress pants and a jacket were a must. Shirt and tie.  Dress shoes.

With a start, Addison realized they were at her house. “Coming in?”

“Nah, I’ve got to get Zoey.  Eliza’s been watching her while I’ve walked you home the past few weeks.  Uh, it’s been really nice being able to do that, though.  We needed this.”

Addison smiled.  “I liked it, too.  Say hi to Zoey and Puppy for me.”

“You know I never pass up the opportunity to deliver a message from my favourite cheerleader,” he winked.

Addison rolled her eyes.  “Seriously?”  Zed smirked, easily pressing a kiss to the top of his girlfriend’s head.  “I gotta get Zoey.”

The next day, Addison met Bree at the Seabrook Mall.  “Let me get this straight.  You’re buying your zombie boyfriend a suit so he can go with you to Christmas dinner with your extended family, who don’t know you’re dating a zombie, who don’t know you stopped wearing your wig, who you only see once a year?”

“Yeah,” Addison said happily.

Bree exhaled.  “Addy… good luck.  How are you going to buy him a suit, anyway?”

“It’s not like I don’t know how tall he is, Bree.” At her friend’s unimpressed look, Addison continued: “Well, I’m 5’4.  And I’m up to his shoulder, so… he’s not more than a foot taller than me…”  Addison started to wonder if she actually knew how tall her boyfriend was.

“He’s 6’1,” a bored voice said from behind them.

“What are you doing here?”  Addison asked, a hint of concern nearly hidden in her voice.

Eliza shrugged.  “Was walking around Seabrook.  Figured with the barrier gone, Zombies have as much right to be in public space as humans.”

“E, that’s not at all what I meant.  I just thought with it being the first day of vacation that you guys would be… I don’t know what I thought.  I’m sorry.”

Eliza rolled her eyes.  “That has got to be the lamest coverup I’ve ever heard.  Let’s just say I was feeling adventurous.  Why do you want to get Zed a suit?  He already… acquired that pink one for you.”

“He didn’t tell you?”  Addison said with surprise.  “My family invited him to Christmas dinner this year.”

“That was… nice of them,” Eliza said cautiously.

“Yeah.  Anyway, my family’s pretty formal during the holiday and there’s a ‘dress code’ for dinner.”

Thirty minutes later, the girls walked out of the local department store, Addison carrying a bagged suit over her shoulder, Eliza holding dress boots, and Bree had the relevant accessories.  “Oh my gosh, how on earth am I going to wrap this?”

“Addison, you’re overthinking this.  Honestly, he’ll be more confused if you just give it him like this.  Also, I need to be there when you do.  His face is going to be priceless,” Eliza laughed.

Dale arrived after a few minutes to drive them home, first dropping off Eliza in Zombietown.  “Hey, Dad, I haven’t quite finished my Christmas shopping.  Could you take me back to the mall?  I’ll be like, twenty minutes.  I just have one more thing to get.”

Most of Addison’s Christmas shopping had been easy and straightforward.  A pair of earrings for her mother, a tie clip for her father.  Engraved friendship bracelets for herself and Bree.  Even making Bucky’s cheer scrapbook had been something that she knew what she wanted to do.  And for the Necrodopolous family – Zed’s suit; pompoms, hair ribbons, athletic tape, a yoga mat, and a sports bag for Zoey (to go with, what in Addison’s opinion was nothing short of a Christmas miracle, Bucky’s offer of training the young Zombie in the new year); and for Zevon, well, she had simply told Zed to pick out whatever he wanted for his father and she would cover it.  For Bonzo, she had gotten several higher grade types of paper and other art supplies.  All that was left was Eliza and Addison had hoped that by bringing the Zombie with her that she would be able to find something that interested her. Just thinking about everything that she’d purchased made her grateful that she’d kept her tradition of saving her previous year’s Christmas present from her grandfather.

As soon as they were back at the mall, Addison knew exactly what to get her friend.  There was just one problem.

WHAT SIZE SHOE DOES ELIZA WEAR? -A

? HOW SHOULD I KNOW -Z

…SHE’S YOUR BEST FRIEND!! -A

…SO? -Z

…BREE WEARS SIZE 7 1/2 -A

…OK I GUESS I’LL JUST GO OVER. HEY ELIZA, WE’VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOREVER, WHAT SIZE SHOES DO YOU WEAR? -Z

I’M GOING TO GO WITH AN 8 -A

The shoes that Eliza had been looking at were sleek, black leather boots.  The store didn’t have an 8 in stock, but Addison decided to buy a size larger so that the other girl would be able to slip in orthopedic insoles, for which she purchased a gift card.  She left the store with a not-so-subtle hint that the recipient of the boots was to be a zombie and that she didn’t want her friend to not be able to switch sizes if needed.  Her shopping finished, Addison was ready to enjoy the rest of the holiday.

insp. by this prompt list, specifically #18

[gromvillage]

all even numbers. do it coward

oh for fuck’s sake let’s go bois

2. Are you outgoing or shy?

depends on my mood and the situation, i feel like i’ve been a lot quieter lately 

4. Are you easy to get along with?

i’d like to think so but i know that’s not completely true, i can be pretty stubborn about ideas i have in a group setting and always kinda take charge in situations

6. What kind of people are you attracted to?

people who care about me and respect me, people who are adventurous, literally anyone that can pick me up/is willing to carry me

8. Who from the opposite gender is on your mind?

this guy i’m into right now but shouldn’t be cause he’ll probably never be into me lmao

10. Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with?

ohhh i don’t remember. i feel like recently i haven’t really had any deep conversations with anyone sadly

12. What are your 5 favorite songs right now?

ohhh really into the kids see ghosts album, a bunch of hobo johnson’s stuff, grrrls by aviva (this isn’t five songs but,,,,suck it)

14. Do you believe in luck and miracles?

not really

16. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?

prolly not

18. Do you still talk to your first crush?

don’t remember who my first crush was but i know i don’t talk to them anymore thank you, i had horrible taste when i was younger

20. Do you like your neighbors?

yeah!! most of them are pretty cool and i’m fairly close with them! there are a few that i’m not huge on but that’s life

22. Where would you like to travel?

oh all kinds of places. i want to go to antartica and the himalayas and the andes and the atacama desert and colorado and the sierras and all america’s national parks and tons of places in europe and mongolia and so many other places

24. Favorite part of your daily routine?

at the end of the day i like decompressing in my room and i also really love my art classes!

26. What do you do when you wake up?

check my phone (sadly), watch the news for like ten minutes, shower, pack my lunch/make something for breakfast, go to school

28. Who are you most comfortable around?

my close friends, though recently i’ve struggled a lot with my thoughts on my relationships with those around me

30. Do you ever want to get married?

it’s not a top priority but i think if i found the right person maybe

32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with?

ohhh boi there are many options.....timothee chalamet, bella heathcote, cara delevingne, russel wilson, harry styles, anothony ramos, tons of mountain athletes

34. Do you play sports? What sports?

i don’t play sports per say but i do a lot of stuff outdoors!! hiking, backpacking, wakeboarding, skiing, that kinda stuff

36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them?

oh hell yeah have you even met me i am constantly liking people and not telling them

38. Describe your dream girl/guy?

ummm kind the same answer as 6 but like someone who would be goofy with me and go on adventures and listen to me ramble about random shit and not get mad with me when i struggle with my thoughts

40. What do you want to do after high school?

hopefully go to college out west (fuck the south) and then get a job doing something outdoorsy!!

42. If your being extremely quiet what does it mean?

i’m either tired, pissed, sad, feeling left out, or a mix of all of em

44. Trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean?

ohhh tough but prolly go with space, there’s so much that we don’t know and also i wanna be weightless 

46. What are you paranoid about?

oh lots of things, my parents finding out i’m gay, being abandoned by those close to me, ending up with everyone hating me, good stuff like that

48. Have you ever been drunk?

nope, not into that kinda stuff

50. What was the colour of the last hoodie you wore?

maroon! i stay wearing that color

52. One thing you wish you could change about yourself?

i think that i’m insecure about a lot of things and internalize that insecurity and let it stew, which is unhealthy and leaves me constantly questioning the world and people around me

54. Favourite store?

really any outdoor store 

56. Favourite colour?

pretty partial to red but i also like kind of a forest green

58. Last thing you ate?

seasoned oyster crackers, those dudes slap

60. Ever won a competition? For what?

i came in third at our friendsgiving cook-off this past weekend?? i made bacon poptarts and it was cool to place cause i was competing against all adults who are pretty good cooks

62. Been arrested? For what?

negative ghostrider

64. Tell us the story of your first kiss?

pretty sure it was this dude in like second grade on the playground, which is hella lame

66. Do you like your tumblr friends more than your real friends?

the only real tumblr friends i have are people i know in real life so,,,,

68. Twitter or Tumblr?

tumblr, though i’ve thought about getting a twitter recently 

70. Names of your bestfriends?

wouldn’t you like to know weather boy

72. What colour are your towels?

i have some that are blue and some that are white

72. How many pillows do you sleep with?

one usually, but two if it’s sad boi hour

74. How many stuffed animals do you think you have?

oh i don’t know that i have any?? yeah don’t think i have any 

76. What colour is your underwear?

today it’s kinda that boring peach tan color

78. Favourite ice cream flavour?

really love chocolate raspberry but i also love pretty much all tillamook ice cream flavors

80. What colour pants?

today they’re a dark khaki 

82. Favourite movie?

maybe bill and ted’s excellent adventure?? they’re just out living life and aren’t super stressed about school (other than the part where it’s the whole plot) and also really dig their clothes

84. Mean Girls or 21 Jump Street?

haven’t seen either

86. Favourite character from Finding Nemo?

crush maybe? he’s just doing his thing and i dig it. also his voice is sick

88. Last person you talked to today?

@perpetualpatchwork!!

90. Name a person you love?

myself, sometimes

92. In a fight with someone?

at the moment no, though my brother and i argued a ton over thanksgiving break

94. How many sweaters/hoodies do you have?

ohhh lots probably close to like 10 or 15

96. Favourite actress?

don’t really have a favorite but  saoirse ronan is pretty cool

98. Do you tan a lot?

nah, i stay pretty pale throughout the summer though i do get nice freckles! 

100. How are you feeling?

tired and stressed at the moment, but aren’t we all

102. Do you regret anything from your past?

oh yeah there are quite a few things

104. Do you miss anyone from your past?

there were a couple people i was close to in elementary and middle school i would like to reconnect with 

106. Ever broken someone’s heart?

only my own

108. What should you be doing?

hella homework and getting ready for my scout meeting

110. Have you ever liked someone so much it hurt?

there have been a couple times,,,,

112. Who was the last person you cried in front of?

my mom a couple weeks ago

114. Have you ever been out of your province/state?

yep!! i have traveled the country quite a bit and was lucky enough to leave the country for the first time this summer!

116. Are you listening to music right now?

yeah, nirvana’s heart shaped box

118. Do you like Chinese food?

not hugely, i’d really like to try the authentic stuff though!

120. Are you afraid of the dark?

in some cases, mostly when i’m camping 

122. Is cheating ever okay?

negative ghostrider 

124. Do you believe in love at first sight?

how can you love someone you’ve never talked to?

126. Are you currently bored?

somewhat with my life, though there is so much i could do to try and improve it but i just don’t put in the effort and instead just complain 

128. Would you change your name?

not really?? i liked to think about other names i wanted as a kid (tori was a particularly embarrassing one) but i’m pretty happy with my name now

130. Do you like subway?

i have to admit yes, it slaps when you’re on a road trip and stop and get a sandwich and then find a park or overlook to eat it at

132. Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with?

this is the same as number 10???

134. Can you count to one million?

i’m sure i could because i know how numbers work but i don’t think i would ever want to

136. Do you sleep with your doors open or closed?

closed bruh gotta keep the monsters out

138. Curly or Straight hair?

oh it’s so freaking straight it doesn’t hold a curl at all

140. Summer or Winter?

winter, cause i can go skiing and sit by the fire and drink hot chocolate and cuddle up with blankets and wear jackets all the time

142. Favourite month?

big fan of december, though i like most of fall and the beginning of spring

144. Dark, milk or white chocolate?

dark or milk, white chocolate is the work of the devil

146. Was today a good day?

ehhh not great, we been out here struggling with a lot of stuff 

148. What’s your favourite quote?

i don’t know that i have a favorite but i like “be excellent to each other” from bill and ted’s excellent adventure, “anyone can cook” from ratatouille, and “the idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders” from edward abbey

150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page?

the book is my bullet journal and the first thing written on the page is monday from one of my weekly spreads, which isn’t a very exciting first line

[sundrenched-smilez]

odd numbers for the lesbian asks! (if it's too many just do every 4th one maybe?)

1. Femme or butch? 

for type, im vry easily wooed by butches tbh

as for myself, im genderfluid + heavily lean towards butch-ish for one gender + have been gettin more comf w that term for myself. the 3 genders i switch between, ive described as sharp, dainty and tired, for reason of not really being comf w gender labels aside from nonbinary. sharp/tired r kinda butchish, moreso sharp. like leather jackets, ripped jeans, dress pants/shirts, defs flannels (which r a given for any mood im in tbh) while tired is like mb softer, more focused on flannels + loose tank tops/shirts, shorts + certain skirts, comfy clothes, and the like   

ive found that i’m leaning more towards butch lately too, like i’ve been a lot more comfortable with pants and a nice top than i have w dresses or most skirts + im wondering if i was just hanging on to femininity for sake of society, so those r things 2 think abt. i still feel comf in them sometimes, but it’s getting much less often. gender’s weird, i still cant cling to one bc of how pressuring that is so genderfluidity is still smth for me + it shifting to different percentages is okay (im thinking out loud @ this point, but its helping so i hope its interesting to read)

3. Plaid button-ups or leather jackets?

both, but primarily flannels/plaid buttion-ups

5. Describe your aesthetic

aaahh theres a lot of diff aesthetics i could go into, but i have a tag if ur interested in a visual representation? basically, cosy homes, forests, wooden steps and bridges, cats, girls/nbs, water, plants, and old video game stuff, and clouds/skies. i’m sure there’s more in there, but for a good rule of thumb !! as for like dressing aesthetic, i like to look rly gay + attractive and a lil showy? like my shorts r Short and i love crop tops + a lot of my shirts show my bra thru them, + i like showing it when i can, like sports bra + a tank top is a fav look of mine bc i can make it look like my bra is a trim on the shirt + it’s cute. i’ve been wearing dresses less often, but occasionally, i like to rock one. id love a pair of combat boots but i have like size 11/12 feet + most stores dont carry that size + im hesitant to buy some online. 

7. Favorite pair of shoes?

its rly hard to find any, i have like walmart converse knockoffs atm + theyre a beige/grey color im not that huge on, it kinda reminds me of sandalwood but depressed

9. Any haircut goals for the future? 

there was the undercut!! and i have that down now c: next step is to dye it blue and mb some purple. i wanna bleach it if i’m gonna dye it, but im hesitant to do that bc of how damaging it is, but since my hair’s been cut a cpl time almost all the color is out now, so i think itll b ok if i take good care of it. 

11. Describe the worst date you’ve been on

i went to a cafe w someone (i think they were nb but i cant remember, it was like 2 yrs ago about ) and they were impossible to talk to bc they just kept saying “im awkward sorry” @ everything and like any conversations i tried to maintain were all one-shot responses, and like that was a lil frustrating. like i dont hold it against them or anything, more in a sense of i was rly tryin 2 carry it and just couldnt 

13. If taken, talk about your girlfriend/wife!

whooh i wish i was taken, i need affection + to b cute w someone 

15. Describe your dream wedding

hmmmm i havent thought much about it !! i know when i was younger i wanted to wear a black wedding dress but now im thinkin mb a suit that switches to dress @ the bottom?? that could b cool. I’d be happy w anything tbh, if im getting married, i’d just b happy to be w my wife/spouse. mb somewhere in a forest or on a boat would b cool, defs lots of good food and colorful flowers. I’d like a lot of color, most weddings ive been to are just b/w and bland for my taste (they’ve also all been straight tho so theres that.) it’s kind of wild to think that i might b married someday, but it’d b rly nice. i just haven’t thought much abt the planning of one. it’d b rly gay tho, probs give out tiny gay flags at each seat, and the cake could b lesbian flag colors. im rly drawing a blank on this, but i know id want all my friends around the country + world to be there. 

17. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

i definitely want to live in a port town at some point !! idk where i’d like to settle down, ideally somewhere that doesnt get much hotter than 90 degrees + has lots of parks + is big enough for some events, like pride stuff, little festivals, a farmer’s market, and places to do things, such as a movie theater, bowling alley, mb an aquarium, if not one in a nearby town. hiking trails r also good. 

19. Favorite lesbian novel/story?

on a sunbeam!!! its a huge inspiration for me, and i love it so much. it always puts me in such a good mindset when i read it, and the artist is my age, so it makes me feel like I can also accomplish great things if i rly put my heart into it!! which is such a good feeling, and it has great representation + characters that i love, and its rly gay, and in space and theres ships shaped like fish + its gorgeous : D i could go on for hrs abt it + how important it is to me. theres an nb character too, and like the aspect of found families is one that rly hits home and it helped me get thru a rough time of my life + better accept myself as queer/gay. 

21. Favorite lesbian musician?

adult mom (tho i think they’re bi but still gay), or hayley kiyoko

23. Ever been assumed to be nothing more than a gal pal?

i think so, but i can’t place when, it’s been a bit. 

25. Be positive! What do you like most about being a lesbian?

talking abt being gay w other girls/nbs is lovely and cathartic, i never got to growing up bc i lived in a homophobic town + i was like dealing heavily with internalized homophobia and body/gender dysphoria so i was ace for a bit. talking more abt like sexual attraction + aesthetic attraction is new to me, and that’s been a process to get to, but it’s nice that I can now do so w/o being belittled or barraged by insult. i also just love the thought of being w someone, and daydreaming abt when that happens is really nice. also,, girls + nbs r a blessing and brighten my day and im so glad im attracted 2 them 

27. Turn ons?

absolutely communication, that’s a need. i had a bad experience w someone bc she wasn’t communicative at all, and failed to tell me that we weren’t dating despite us going on several dates + kissing??? like i wont go too into it, but hatchi matchi it was a mess. so yeah, communication, affection, and like reassurance that they actually want to be with me, and that my presence is wanted and enjoyed. I got a lot of “i dont care”s for answers last sort-of relationship, and that was rly discouraging. another turn on is for them to initiate talking and things, like holding hands or planning to hang out + such. consent is another big one. 

29. Do you usually ask other women out or do you wait for them to ask you?

i usually tend to ask them out, but im still dealing w internalized junk, so its difficult. i also havent any situations in which they liked me back, which is frustrating. like i got lead on earlier summer for abt a month until i asked what we were doing + didnt rly get an answer, and it was this whole mess. i generally try to make the first move tho, bc i know firsthand how difficult it is, but that being said, it’s still hard for me to know for sure if theyre interested + i dont wanna make things uncomf w them, so i’ll wait until i think there might b attraction. that being said, once that’s all out of the way, i like to consider myself a good flirt when im trying. 

31. Talk about your interests or hobbies!

i have lots of interests!! im obsessed w steven universe, its my fav show (and if u ever have time, we should totally watch it together sometime, i rly think you’d love it, it’s super gay + heartwarming.) i really love playing music and learning new songs, which im rly great at memorizing. talking to friends + gettin 2 know them better is always nice and fun. i like to draw new things + see the different ways ppl draw, so seeing art on here is always fun for me. i’m also rly into polygon videos (it’s a youtube channel, not like videos abt polygon haha) and this podcast called the adventure zone. season one just ended, so i might start listening to another one called friends at the table. i rly wanna start a podcast w someone, but can never find anyone to start it with. idk what I’d talk abt but if i could find a partner for it, i think it’d be a lot of fun. mb smth abt games or books/queer representation in media. doing a dnd podcast would also b rly fun, but a lot of work + editing so mb later down the road !! im blanking on other interests atm, but animations and cartoons r lovely and i aim to make something in that field one day, if not just a comic.

my hobbies r mostlyyyy drawing, dnd things now every thursday, hanging w my friends, playing video games, sometimes writing (i rly wanna start a comic, and im tryin to get my butt into gear on it), goin to parks, listening to music, and goin 2 events w roe + cesar, two of my friends. sometimes ill play music!! i need to get more than the keyboard i’m lending, but i love performing. ill also watch leg birds on youtube, theyre a lesbian couple that plays gams + theyre rly sweet. 

33. Do you love easily or does it take time for you to warm up to someone?

its easy for me to love friends, doesnt usu take me more than a few months of knowing them if were talking a lot. as for falling in love, that takes me a lot longer. ive never rly been in love w someone. i thought i was once, but rly it was just my first gay experience w someone and i wanted it to be perfect so i projected a lot of things + made it better than it seemed to myself for the duration of it, which wasn’t healthy, so i wanna avoid doing that again, + take things slower next time. or at least for what they are. 

35. Ever fallen for a straight girl?

a few times, they were just crushes tho, so it wasnt too too bad

37. Favorite comfort food?

hot cocoa or tea. as for food food, i dont think i have one. mb french toast or cinnamon rolls. 

39. Vegetarian? Vegan? None of the above?

i used to be a vegetarian!! for like a yr, but it was difficult for me to eat and feel full, and i was pretty underweight, so i stopped. 

41. Early-riser or night-owl?

both, i tend to stay up, but getting up early can be nice if i dont have to do anything. like just gently waking + making some tea and a nice breakfast + sittin around for a bit. 

43. What is your Myers-Briggs type?

enfp-a 

45. At what age did you know you were a lesbian?

i think like 16-17? it took me a bit to get words for identity, like lesbian/nonbinary and the like, but i always knew, like id call myself an individual as opposed to gendered terms that i was referred to, and always felt rly yucky w deadname + the wrong pronouns

47. Are you crushing on anyone at the moment (celebrity or otherwise)?

ive got one crush atm !! and another person who seems nice, but i wanna hang out w before like thinking abt a crush (im poly, which perhaps goes w/o saying, but i always like to state it when talking abt these things, jic )

49. Talk about your dreams/aspirations for the future

i’d like a partner or two, to get some bongos- i got to play some a couple weeks ago, and it was the most fun i’ve had playing anything!! having smth with an instant response that i could make up rhythms with was really rewarding and so much fun. i know i want a cat at some point, to go on cute dates + cuddle and kiss a lot w someone, to visit my friends in other places, dye my hair, get a better job, to travel a bit, make a comic, go to college for animation and storyboarding, mb go to camp at some point, and I’d like to make some more friends here, i’m already making some, which i’m super happy about, but it’s always nice meeting new ppl 

thank u for asking!! this was relaxing + fun, and a lot of the topics were cathartic to talk about, and i needed it. so thanks for listening too kinda

also im queen of commas, i’ve discovered while typing this

[maeelizabethg]

Snowboarding at Beech Mountain

In early February, I drove from Atlanta to North Carolina to visit Beech Mountain Ski Resort with Zach and six of our friends. Based on my experience, I’m going to give you a few tips for food, lodging, your first time on the slopes, and how to dress accordingly. Spoiler alert, we had an incredible trip.

Lodging There are plenty of places to stay and several options to choose from : Bed and Breakfasts, hotels, property rentals, and so on. We used Beech Mountain Realty and Rentals and stayed in a dog-friendly house a little over a mile away from the resort. Regardless of how you book, if your main itinerary is to ski/snowboard, I would recommend you stay in a place that has walkable slope access. Our friends did this and we ended up using their house as home base because it was ridiculously easy to get to and from the slopes. In total, it was about a 45 second walk from the slopes to their house. This allowed for everyone in our group the ability to stop for a break, eat, etc on their own time without having to gather the whole crew to get in a car and coordinate leaving and coming back. If you take one piece of advice let it be this: stay slope side, especially if you’re with a group.

Food The mountain offers a decent amount of food options including pizza, Mexican food, BBQ, and so on. We did a mixture of eating out and cooking at the house, but I'll be honest I never found a breakfast place that I loved. I opted for eating at the house in the morning and grabbing straight espresso at the coffee shop located in the resort village - I think it was called Beech Mountain Cafe. If you need that caffeine kick, this is the only place that opens early and serves espresso drinks that I could find. Heads up though, they only make hot drinks (they literally don't have an ice machine) so if you're a year-round iced coffee lover you'll need to plan accordingly. However, if you are a late riser, I saw that Brick Oven Pizzeria has a coffee shop inside, but I asked and they don't open until 11am. Can you tell that finding strong coffee was very important to me?

Alright, on to lunch. So, if you're like me and want as much time on the slopes as possible, there is a cafeteria style place called The Lodge located at the resort that offers food and alcoholic beverages. It's your basic chicken tenders, fries, chips, burgers and such - but the convenience of just walking in with your big ole boots, covered in snow, and safely leaving your board/skis outside made it worth it. Also worth noting was Valle De Bravo which is a short drive from the resort and is where we stopped and ate as we left to go home. It was by far the most reasonably priced place so if you're on a budget (or not) and want some good Mexican food definitely hit this place up.

We only tried two places for dinner and I recommend them both. Brick Oven Pizzeria is a cool and casual little place that also has the previously mentioned coffee bar inside and a small arcade geared towards kids. The serving sizes are generous, the food is good, and they have PLENTY of desserts to pick from (I got a cookie the size of my face). Lastly, my favorite place of all was Beech Mountain Grille. It's considered casual upscale dining and the food is amazing. It's perfect for large groups, the service was spot on, and the menu was the most extensive that I found. These two places are only about a half mile from the resort and as I didn't do any night riding, it was nice to shower and go out to eat after a long day of snowboarding.

When it comes to alcohol there is no short supply at Beech Mountain Resort. They have a brewery in the resort village called Beech Mountain Brewing Company who put on cool events like "Girl Scout Cookie and Beer Pairing" nights and have live music. During the day you can take the ski lift to the very top and grab a drink from the 5506' Skybar, but you have to be able to ski down from the top so choose wisely.

Rentals You can rent everything from snowboards, ski gear, boots, helmets (highly recommend), bibs (which are your waterproof pants and you will want these), waterproof jackets (also highly recommended), and lockers to store your stuff.

First time on the slopes? Besides lift tickets and gear, I HIGHLY recommend lessons at Beech Mountain Resort. They offer lessons several times a day and keep the groups small. We each got personal attention and the guy who taught us was a really good instructor. I’ve been snowboarding once before and didn’t take a lesson which resulted in a full day of falling. Believe me when I say that a GOOD lesson makes a MASSIVE difference. I went from being terrible and having no coordination to snowboarding from the very top - all in one day! Total game-changer. I still suck at getting off the lift, but hey, can't have it all.

Clothing Proper clothing is arguably one of the most important things that you need to have on the slopes. In my opinion, it can make or break your experience because if you're cold and wet you're probably not going to have the most enjoyable time. At the very least, you need: - waterproof bibs or pants - a waterproof jacket - waterproof gloves - tall warm socks - ski goggles - a moisture wicking base layer Depending on how cold it is, you'll want to add layers such as: - a beanie or warm headband that covers your ears - scarf, neck gaiter or balaclava - glove liners to make your fingers even warmer - another jacket or sweater - leggings under your bibs The first day I snowboarded it was 14 degrees and snowing. I wore a beanie under my helmet, goggles, an Under Armor long sleeve base layer, a lightweight insulated jacket, a waterproof snow jacket, a Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf (I forgot my Buff so opted for this and it worked great), Lululemon Fast and Free tights, waterproof snow bibs, thick knee high socks, snow boots, and waterproof gloves.

The temperature shot up by the third day and at the hottest point I was only in a casual sweater, bibs, socks, boots, helmet, and gloves. It made for quite the look. Oh, speaking of look. If you're wondering what people wear - literally anything goes. I saw people in t-shirts, crazy outfits, and even someone shirtless at one point. So dress in whatever makes you feel comfortable, but you know, keep it waterproof so you aren't soaking wet from falling in the snow.

Lastly, see the yellow ski suit in the top photo? Yeah, don't wear that. I found that places like ASOS will list items as "ski" but it's definitely all for the looks and isn't actually meant to be skied in. I would recommend sticking to trusted snow sports shops and always look for the word "waterproof." I've said it a bunch already, but trust me you don't want to be wet and cold - not worth it. Real ski jackets and pants/bibs are expensive, so if you can't afford to get your own just rent them from the resort, borrow from a friend, or buy second hand.

Tip: There is ski shop in the resort village. You can literally ski up to it, it's so close. They sell helmets, boards, goggles, skis, clothings, layers - you name it. I ended up grabbing my own helmet and an ear warmer headband.

Miscellaneous things worth nothing Although I didn't do these things so I can't elaborate on them, the resort does have ice skating and tubing at an extra cost; a terrain park if you're, you know, talented like that; and a children's nursery. We had such a fun time that two of my friends, who were brand new to snowboarding, ended up buying their own boards! We will be back next year that’s for sure!

This trip was kindly gifted to me, but my experience and opinions are always my own. I take a lot of pride in only recommending places and products that I TRULY love.

[theglobetrottergp-blog]

Skiing has long since been on the bucket list. However, I wasn’t really planning a trip to the mountains anytime soon when I made a spontaneous decision after too many glasses of wine to book a VERY last minute trip Skiing. By last minute, I mean we booked Friday and left on Sunday! So it was a mad rush trying to get all my ski gear. I didn’t even know where to start! I mean what do you even WEAR skiing for the first time?! So after learning the hard way and buying WAY too much gear that I didn’t even use, I decided to create this checklist of skiing essentials for beginners.

Please pin me!

So the first lesson is you will pack too much. You never use anywhere near as many clothes as you think you will so empty that suitcase by half and you’ll be about right! I am a ‘what if’ girl. I like to pack for all eventualities so I often end up with 3 times as much as I need for trips. But if I were to go skiing again, I would definitely take a lot less! My friend only took hand luggage and STILL had too much! So use the list of skiing essentials for beginners and you will save yourself time, space and money! I will also tell you what to wear skiing for your first time so you can own those slopes!

This post does contain affiliate links. This just means that if you were to purchase any of the ski equipment I’ve linked to, I would receive a small commission at no cost to yourself. This helps towards the costs of running this website.

Where to buy your ski gear?

You do not need designer ski wear for your first time on the slopes! Until you know whether you love skiing enough to go back again, you will want to hunt out the ski bargains. No point spending a fortune on the top skiing gear only for it to sit at the back of your wardrobe gathering dust year after year!

So firstly, ask about amongst your friends and find out what you can borrow! I was lucky that a friend of mine Pip, from the fabulous www.pipandthecity.com, helped me out by loaning me goggles and gloves when the ones I ordered on Amazon didn’t arrive in time. Kind of ironically due to excessive snow in the U.K before I left preventing next-day delivery!

Freak snowstorms aside, Amazon is a great place to get your kit and often you can get next day delivery with Prime. Useful if your holiday is as last minute as mine was!

Click here to find your skiing essentials on Amazon!

Check out local bargain sports clothes centres such as Sports Direct or GoOutdoors. If you know well in advance you are planning a ski trip then the best time to buy your gear will be about March time when the ski season is coming to an end.

How many layers do I need?

I was surprised by how hot I often got on the slopes. Some days I was warm even wearing one long sleeve t-shirt with my ski jacket open over the top! But then other days, it can be bitterly cold!

My best tip to make sure you are prepared for whatever the weather throws at you is to check the local snow report the day before. Check out the temperature, wind speed and if there will be snow or rain. In general, one long sleeve thermal base layer with leggings underneath your salopettes and ski jacket is often sufficient.

On colder days you will need to add a strappy top and a microfleece. If you are at very high altitude or skiing somewhere especially cold, you may want to pack an extra jumper and thermal leggings.

How can I be stylish on the slopes? 

Since often, you will go straight from skiing to the bars or apres ski, you may want to consider what you will beneath your ski jacket and salopettes to feel a little bit more stylish. I chose to wear gym style leggings with nice patterns and kept a pair of black will-go-with anything snow boots in my locker at the ski hire place. I could then leave my salopettes in my locker and team my colourful leggings with a warm jumper and I was ready to hit the pubs.

[amazon_link asins=’B074SHPLWS,B0721Q42K8,B071X92B6X’ template=’ProductGrid’ store=’theglobetro07-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d47b96c2-2618-11e8-ab51-63093bf66997′]

You can also choose colourful headbands which are functional, keep you warm, your hair under control and add a bit of snow-chic to your outfit! A colourful buff can also serve to keep your face warm and then be worn as a headband disguise birds-nest hair when you remove your helmet!

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As for your hair, you could always consider getting a keratin blow dry before you go on your ski holiday. I had one before my trip to South America and it was great to tame my frizzy knot-prone hair and lasted several months. Alas, I did not have time to do this again before this ski trip but I wish I did. It would have been great for preventing knotty messy helmet hair! Check out my article about Keratin blow dries as a hair travel solution! Otherwise, plaits are a good style for taming your hair on the slopes!

Any other top tips for skiing essentials for beginners?

Get a ski jacket that is just a little on the larger side. Mine fit well when the pockets were empty. However, you will end up stuffing your pockets with money, phones, snacks, gloves and anything else that you would usually carry in your bag! I ended up looking like the Michelin man most days!

[amazon_link asins=’B01KA93QMY,B075RWBCSW,B01N5EXMS6′ template=’ProductGrid’ store=’theglobetro07-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ac9e711b-261a-11e8-9279-03de84f117a7′]

Speaking of ski jackets make sure your jacket has lots of pockets! Also, many jackets have a small zip pocket on the left forearm. This is super useful as you can store your ski pass in there and the scanners can easily detect it without you having to go searching through your pockets every time you get in a ski lift!

You only need one pair of salopettes. They are expensive and there is really no need for more than one pair if you are skiing for one week or less. You will also be wearing leggings underneath!

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Make sure you get salopettes with braces! I found when I wasn’t wearing mine, my salopettes constantly felt like they were falling down! (Possibly partly as I accidentally bought men’s salopettes in my rush so they were big on the waist and tight on the hips! Schoolgirl error.)

Don’t forget sun cream for your face! A few of my friends learnt the hard way! Along with being painful and risking long-term damage, you will also end up with a spectacular ski goggle tan!

Ski boots are not the comfiest so pack plenty of blister plasters. I actually put these on the first day before I ski in places I expect the boots to rub. It worked – no blisters for me this time!

[amazon_link asins=’B074G5T7WF,B072Y13ZY5,B072JBLNX6′ template=’ProductGrid’ store=’theglobetro07-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’14a09d02-261c-11e8-94c4-1ddcf2729c68′]

Pack both goggles and sunglasses. Sunglasses are great for apres ski and on sunny days when you don’t want bulky goggles. But goggles are invaluable when it starts snowing to keep with snow and spray out of your eyes!

[amazon_link asins=’B014XKTAEY,B077GQQQPS,B003902EOS’ template=’ProductGrid’ store=’theglobetro07-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’2b041e3c-261c-11e8-a725-ada0c3955c4b’]

There is no need to buy your own skis, poles, boots or helmet unless you know you will be skiing more than once as they are easy to hire. However, if you have a GoPro, you may want to consider your own helmet as they don’t cost much more than hire helmets and you can mount a GoPro adapter to it to record some great videos!

[amazon_link asins=’B01K47RVUA,B01ED2TFRE,B01K47WHYK’ template=’ProductGrid’ store=’theglobetro07-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’4e6dd247-261c-11e8-9847-add483223a95′]

[amazon_link asins=’B01MU3M978′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’theglobetro07-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’54305dff-2613-11e8-8116-b59b7a8912bb’] Speaking of Go Pro’s, I definitely recommend them for any activity holidays! They record great quality videos and wide angle photos of the stunning scenery! The Hero 5 which I got, is even voice activated so you can start and stop recording video as you are hurtling down the slopes!

        Don’t forget a swimming cossie for spa days or even trips to local hot springs if you are lucky to be staying near some!

Make sure your gloves are waterproof. I learnt this the hard way after I decided to take some lighter fleece gloves after being sweltering the day before. It snowed hard, my gloves got soaked. My hands felt like they would never be warm again…

[amazon_link asins=’B0748GGWJ4,B06XT3473V,B0176DU8IC’ template=’ProductGrid’ store=’theglobetro07-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’66f3bfae-261c-11e8-bada-57d647a48f3c’]

Would you like a free printable ski holiday packing checklist?

To make packing for your first ski holiday a breeze, I have created a free printable checklist including all the skiing essentials for beginner skiers! From clothes to ski gear and accessories, I’ve got you covered!

To get your FREE printable skiing essentials for beginners checklist click right here!

Do you have any other tips or suggestions? Any questions I can help answer? I’d love to hear from you! I’d also be eternally grateful if you could share this post with your friends and family! Thanks, you’re the best!

Please pin me!

Please pin me!

Please pin me!

A packing list for beginner skiers. What to take, what NOT to take. How to pack light and stay stylish from the slopes to the apres ski..! Skiing has long since been on the bucket list. However, I wasn't really planning a trip to the mountains anytime soon when I made a spontaneous decision after too many glasses of wine to book a VERY last minute trip Skiing.