HOLLIS OVERSEE, WALLFLOWER
β I became good at pretending. I became so good that after a while the lines blurredΒ between my truth and fiction. And sometimes, when I did a really good job of pretending, I even fooled myself.Β β
playlist / pinterest
AESTHETICSΒ
Hollis is an avid makeup wearer. He is no beauty guru but you will always catch him wearing eyeliner and dark eyeshadow (bright colors and glitter are for special occasions only) Think of him as a chic Jack Sparrow. It looks smudged but it takes time to perfect that look. Back home there isnβt a lot of vegetation so Hollis enjoys incorporating flowers and nature into his designs and his personal style. He can be seen wearing bright colors, though his fashion sense is not as costume-y as what the Capitol is used to he does tend to dress in a way that gets people to look at him. Skirts, dresses, jumpsuits, he doesnβt care as long as the clothes are telling a story.
He keeps his curly hair long and has a beard he tends to decorate if the outfit calls for it. REF
influences: Prince, Harry Styles, Cody Fern, Givenchy, Versace, John Galliano
( please bear with me since the gifs i will be using wonβt reflect this and iβm very upset! )
BACKGROUND TW: death & bullying
Youβve always known what privilege is.
Your life on Eight was not perfect, but you had it much better than the other kids you went to school with. They made sure you knew that.Β
You lost your father at a young age, but your mother was a hard worker, so she made up for it. Every day after school you would find her at her little shop turning scraps and trash into beautiful garments that kept both of you fed and clothed. That was supposed to be it. You were a kid, maybe thatβs why you didnβt understand. All you saw were pretty colors.
Those were the happiest days of your life. Even with your father gone, you cherish the memories of your mother teaching you the proper way to handle a needle deeply. Life was easy, simple. The pretty colors filled your days. It didnβt matter that no one wanted to play with you because at least you had her.Β Then the Capitol found you.
Well, they found your mother. You just came in a package deal.Β
You were so young you didnβt understand why her creations were so loved, why people seemed to fawn over every new piece sheβd exhibit by the shopβs window. All you saw were colors, the textures.Β Your motherβs excitement confused you as well, because why would someone want to leave home? What about your fatherβs grave? You didnβt want to leave, but you loved your mother and you were barely eleven so you didnβt exactly have a choice.Β
You thought things would be different at the Capitol. The kids back home didnβt like you because you were lucky to be in a better position than them. Maybe now that your mother was part of the big leagues things would change. You never expected to be rejected again, this time because of where you came from. You begged to be able to return home, but your mother was on cloud nine and had stopped listening a long time ago.
Your only friends were the sewing kit you got when you were ten. You still have it, though it hasnβt been used for years. Itβs a nice reminder of life back at Eight.
Even as you grew up and your mother and her shop became a staple of the Capitol, kids didnβt really pay attention to you. Maybe part of it was your fault too. You were quiet, preferring to observe them in an attempt to imitate them in hopes theyβd accept you one day. That didnβt exactly happen, but it gave you something to do when you werenβt busy working for your mother.
Things started looking up when mother met Freesia. Sheβd stop by the shop every day, your mother the reason why she was there. Despite that, the woman would almost bring you a small gift. Sweets, drawings youβd later use to create a new outfit. Freesia knew that you were lonely and did their best to help with that. When she married your mother, you were the happiest youβd ever been.Β
Everything was perfect, but as you grew up, you noticed how the differences between your mother and her new wife were starting to affect their marriage.Β
Your mother seemed to be determined to forget all about her life back on Eight. In a way, you understood. She would go on and on about how wonderful life was in the Capitol, how they had blessed you with a chance to be someone else, someone better. And they saved you from the games too, which she would be eternally grateful for. As for you, even as an adult that is a source of guilt you canβt seem to shake off, especially now that you work for the very same terror you managed to avoid.
Freesia was the opposite. You didnβt notice it at first. Itβs not until you grew up that you began to learn more about their beliefs. Every year during the games, Freesiaβs usual jovial mood would change. Sheβd spend time alone in their studio, never telling anyone what they were working on. It frustrated your mother and there was nothing you could do except listen to her ranting.
When you were asked to join the games as a stylist, your mother was ecstatic. Freesia was the opposite. They werenβt upset but you could tell they were worried for you. That was what got her to open up to you and reveal what they really thought about your adoptive home. Then everything clicked.
The fights, the secrets. Your mother refusing to talk to the few friends Freesia had. It was almost ironic. There you were, living with with a Capitol born woman from a good family that rejected her own history and condemned their home, and a mother born on Eight that was desperate to forget her past and pretend the Capitol had always been her home. You moved soon after.
You still talk to both, of course. Despite her many flaws you love your mother, and Freesia is your biggest support system. She is good at helping you remain humble now that your budding fame as a stylist is keeping you busy. And maybe there is more to that. Maybe one in a while she shares her opinions with you and has managed to influence your thoughts. Not that youβd reveal what you really think.Β
With the climate being so heavy in Panem and people growing restless, you know itβs vital for you to follow your motherβs example and live your life pretending you finally feel like you belong. The Capitol seems to still have the upper hand, so you are in their corner, though Freesiaβs arguments are good enough to make you consider leaning towards the other side.
Did the bullying leave a lasting effect on you? You want to say no, but youβd be kidding yourself. When people ask why youβre so quiet your only reply is to shrug and offer them a charming smile along with a compliment that will divert the conversation away from you. You mostly keep to yourself now that youβre older. Itβs much easier than attempting to navigate the tempestuous waters of the Capitol, especially when you know how many enemies your stepmother has. So you keep your head down; learn and observe. You speak when spoken to, never allow yourself to say anything remotely controversial that could put your family at risk.
Youβre a hard worker still, which has earned you enough leverage to be able to still have a place in high society. Youβre not a top dog, but your talent cannot be ignored. Could you be bigger? Absolutely, but youβre content with what you have. You know very well what comes with notoriety and fear what could happen if people were to start looking into your personal life.Β
But, what scares you the most is the possibility of people seeing whatβs behind your politeness, of ever finding out the inner turmoil you live with because you donβt know where you really belong. Or that youβre starting to agree more with Freesia than with your own mother.
