Simple Fashion - Robes, Pt. 2

When I was blogging prior to 2021, I was obsessed with filling every outfit slot. If something was missing, I felt naked or that an outfit felt incomplete despite it looking fully functional. Sometimes I had an actual theme for my character's appearance, but most of the time I shoehorned circlets (still obsessed to this day) and cloaks when they weren't actually necessary. Since my return, I've been leaning towards simpler outfits. This would be the third "Simple Fashion" entry in four months, as opposed to six entries between 2012 and 2021.

The downside to this particular posting category is that I burn through outfits at a rapid pace. Personally, as much as I've love making these, I've never felt the need to give each one their own blog entry with lengthy exposition or pictures from multiple angles. These outfits these have always been intended as quick ideas to inspire the community. 

Anyway, after ten and a half years, enjoy the second set of "Simple Fashion" robes!

Head: Fine Elven Circlet (Default, Anniversary Festival barter reward)

Shoulders: Disused Mantle of the Dunland Soothsayer (White, reward from the quest Mean, Old Big Bloodtusk)*

Chest: Robe of Leisure (Dark mossy green, LOTRO Store)

Feet: Westemnet Campaign Shoes of Fate (Dark mossy green, crafted from the Westemnet Campaign Shoes tailor recipe)

Ocean's Whisper

I apologize for the delay between blog entries. It took approximately three weeks in March to transfer from Gladden to Peregrin. And I've also been incredibly busy outside of LOTRO, including but no limited to, picking up a second job. I hope nobody thought I stepped down from blogging again. I haven't run out of outfits I'd like to share yet!

This week's elven outfit is inspired by a few things. The first being the shoreline. While Packing up my island kinhouse, I would often find myself staring, peacefully, at both the ocean horizon and the mainland. Second, the yearning to return to Valinor the elves experience, which I often equate to a beckoning whisper carried on the wind that only they can hear. Lastly, I had been skimming through the Tolkien Companion at the time, reading about Mithlond, Círdan, the Teleri, and the grey ships.

In the end, I find myself with what could be called an elven mariner's outfit. Wouldn't quite consider this my take on one of the Teleri. Just an ocean-inspired ensemble.

Simple Fashion - Dresses, Part 3

Honestly, I'm surprised that I never posted another installment for dresses before leaving in 2021, especially under the Simple Fashion tag. For those of you new to Material Middle-earth, my Simple Fashion category is designed for mostly minimalist outfits using as few cosmetics as possible. Most will use two or three pieces and, on the rare occasion, four. In addition to dresses, I've tackled hauberks, tunics, and robes. To find all of those easily, either click the Simple Fashion tag at the bottom of this entry or follow this convenient link here, covering everything created under this umbrella category over the years.

Without further ado, here are three dresses.

 

Head: Circlet of Fresh-picked Flowers (Turquoise, Farmers Faire barter reward)

Shoulders: Ascot Scarf  (White, Farmers Faire barter reward)

Chest: Picnic Dress (Turquoise, Summer Festival barter reward)

Springtime Symphony

Another year has come and go in LOTRO. Not only does the Spring Festival herald the return of warm weather and fragrant flowers, it also heralds the coming of both LOTRO's fourteenth and Material Middle-earth's ninth anniversaries. It's hard to believe both this game and blog has been running for that long. Time is incredibly short this month, and odds are I won't have my usual anniversary post. In lieu of that, I've put together three outfits, each of which use at least one bartered piece obtained from the Spring Festival. Some of the pieces seen here, like the Naruhel cosmetics, are new while others, like the Simbelmynë cosmetics, are nearly a decade old.

This first outfit used the newest addition to the Spring Festival vendors. Not only does it use the aforementioned Naruhel cosmetics, specifically the vines covering the arms and shoulders, it also uses a dress worn by Goldberry and the various River-maidens encountered throughout the story. Though not the most original skins in the game, in a sense because they're pre-existing assets, it's amazing that we've been seeing NPC clothing converted into player clothing (my fingers are crossed for Glathlírel's armor)! I hope the trend continues. Anyway, between the dress and vines, it was possible to create a nature-centric outfit combining the essences of earth and water. And the Groom's Myrtle Circlet was thrown in for good measure.

Head: Groom's Myrtle Circlet (Autumn leaf, Midsummer Festival barter reward)

Shoulders: Naruhel's Shawl (Default, Spring Festival Festivity Token barter reward)

Back: Cloak of the Autumn Traveler (Rohan green, Fall Festival barter reward)

Chest: Short-sleeved Dress of the Spring Maid (Rohan green, Spring Festival barter reward)

Hands: Vines of Naruhel (Default, Spring Festival Festivity Token barter reward)

Rugged

 

It's been roughly three and a half years since the Mordor expansion's release. With it came the High Elf race, another class of elves hailing from Aman that had beheld the light of the Two Trees or elves with ancestors that had also seen that light. The High Elf saw major graphical improvements over the original Elf, both in facial features and hairstyles. And, as an added bonus, this racial variant had an exclusive Time-worn armor set granted to them at the intro's conclusion, determined by that character's armor class. Obtaining all three required having three new character slots or one slot and sufficient wardrobe space.

Frozen Elegance

 

Once again, the art department at Standing Stone Games delivered an impressive and equally beautiful collection of new Yule Festival cosmetics with a wintry gala theme. They've definitely captured the essence of winter in a elegant, yet cozy way. Gloredh, thankfully, over at Wandering Around Arda has provided the community with wonderful screenshots of the new items. The Yule Festival runs through January 5th, 2021 and there is plenty of time for earning the require barter tokens. 

The Gala-worthy Dress, featured here, was the most breathtaking piece. Not only does it have a gorgeous snowflake pattern and copper-toned holly leaves, it dyes brightly and is a sight to behold in any color! The other item that caught my attention was the Cloak of Flurries. It doesn't dye, but the delicate curtain of iridescent snowflakes more than compensates for that shortcoming. There aren't many iridescent skins in the game, most of them gated behind raids like Orthanc, Draigoch, and Anvil and the ever elusive Curator NPC, so don't miss this chance for a shiny reward!

Middle-earth Midsummer

Greetings! Between a lack of time, a serious burn out, and adjusting to a global pandemic, I've fallen behind in all of my MMOs, missing updates and events. I don't know when I'll be ready to return to online gaming, but I did have a chance to explore LOTRO's Midsummer Festival, which coincides with Aragorn and Arwen's wedding, for a single day. Between a generous Twitter follower and kinnies who sent me gift boxes and a brief time spent collecting tokens around Minas Tirith, I acquired the latest cosmetics.

Sadly, I don't and probably won't have the time for tinkering with the Groom's Tunic and the Bridal Veil. However, I did have the chance to make three new appearances with the festival's new dresses. Inspiration struck hard and fast, taking no more than an hour to build, dye, and take quick pictures. I loved how billowy these dresses were, especially on a human female!

I'm not sure when I'll have the opportunity to post new content again, but I hope you enjoy this latest entry!

Head: Circlet of Osgiliath's Fury (White, Osgiliath Dome Armour box from T2 Dome of Stars)**
Shoulders: Embroidered Mantle of the Pathfinder's Artifice (Ered luin blue, T11 Tailor recipe bartered from the Gorgoroth reputation vendor)
Chest: Arwen's Dinner Dress (Sea blue, Midsummer Festival token barter reward)

**This circlet skin can be obtained by any light armor class. Dome must be run on T2 at a minimum of level 50 and any boss can drop this box.

The Galadhrim Defender & Happy Anniversary

Happy 8th Anniversary to Material Middle-earth!

Every year I've reached this anniversary milestone, which officially falls on April 21st, I can't help but think "Has another year come and gone so quickly?" Having been blogging for LOTRO these past eight years, I'm surprised I haven't run out of content to publish between reviving old cosmetics and exploring the newest ones. I'm always finding rewarding things to do. Just in the past year, I've helped judge several cosmetic contests across several servers, I've even hosted my own with the help of Gladden's Rangers of the West, and I've also expanded the Cosmetic Weapons section to include a vast selection of shields. There have been other projects and events, too many to name in fact, but they've left me satisfied without feeling burned out, as they normally do. I've even rediscovered my love for raiding, which I haven't actively done since Riders of Rohan was the current expansion!

Eastemnet Steel

There are times that I put myself through the craziest things for an outfit, especially when it comes to choosing a screenshot location.Originally, I intended Forlaw to be my location, but that didn't work as planned for this little level 37 Warden. Imagine what it was like running through Enedwaith, Dunland to the Gap of Rohan, through the Westemnet, and almost all of the Eastemnet when everything had a substantially larger aggro radius, was mounted, and had the guaranteed ability to one-shot a character as low as this. With zero Mithiril Coins left, I had no choice.

On my first attempt, I died just outside of Elthengles to a pair of wolves' pincer attack. I was very grateful to respawn in the Trollshaws, considering I'd be back in Sandson's Farm if it were a chicken session play. On my second attempt, I made it to the eastern border of Wildermore, but there were too many roaming ranged and mounted creatures. Instead, I backtracked a bit and safely made it to Harwick. Definitely better to settle for what I already had and not push my luck. I really wanted a snowy background for this!

Silver Dawn

This outfit was actually inspired by Hymne of Cosmetic LOTRO. Having seen her use the Jacket of the Wild Hills in this outfit, I felt the desire to do the same. Originally, I started with a similar color scheme as my base, keeping the jacket lórien gold to match the braided celtic knot pattern.  However, no matter what I did, I couldn't get anything to match the chest very well. Days of trying new skins, only to run into the same exact problem--serious clipping. Not just movement clipping, but stationary clipping. The Jacket of the Wilds is one of the bulkier pieces and doesn't exactly sit skin-tight on the body. It was so frustrating that I almost tossed in the proverbial towel and moved on.

Memories of the Last Alliance

It was exciting to come home on Wednesday evening and discover that The Minas Morgul expansion was available for pre-order. I wasn't expecting it so soon since the Vales of Anduin region hasn't been out very long! I did pre-order the expansion almost immediately that night, wanting to get my hands on all those new cosmetics, steeds, and the Stout-axe race. I'd known we'd be exploring the Morgul Vale, specifically, Minas Morgul itself, and I was hoping we'd be returning to explore other areas of Mordor, like Nurn (that gate in southeastern Talath Úrui was such a teaser!) It turns out that wasn't the case. After watching Friday's Q&A stream, I learned about "Mordor Beseiged," the other area mentioned on the expansion page.

As it was explained, we'll be playing a character living through the final year of the Second Age, specifically during the Siege of  Barad-dûr. If I understood MadeOfLions correctly, Mordor Besieged acts as a sort of session play styled zone, allowing us to retain our character's skill sets and appearances while experiencing someone else's narrative. Certainly an interesting way to tell the new story! Though specific details weren't revealed, I hope the Siege of Barad-dûr's addresses the end of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, the deaths of Anárion, Elendil, and Gil-galad, the temporary defeat of Sauron, Isildur's acquisition of the One Ring, and the numerous sorties between Sauron and the Alliance.

Ancient Master

My absolute favorite staff has always been the Staff of Storied Past. Although recently introduced through the LOTRO Store, this staff has been in the game's coding for years. Originally, it was called the Lore-master's Staff of the First Age (level 58). In my decade of playing LOTRO, I've never seen this staff drop. Nor have I seen any other First Age weaponry from level 53-58 drop. It's still a mystery, but I've never known the reason why these beautiful weapons weren't introduced into the loot pools. Luckily, the developers at SSG introduced some of those skins to the LOTRO Store as limited time items, appearing for approximately one week every couple of months. I purchased this staff on its initial release day.

Finally, I had the chance to make an outfit revolving around it. It was an interesting approach too!

Ward of the Mountains

As this was my second dwarf outfit, I thought I'd just dive in, not put too much thought into what pieces I would use, and follow my fashionable instincts. What resulted was a heavily armored dwarf  that was also armed to the teeth (lots of pointy weapons, too). The outfit itself does feel a bit cumbersome, but it works. The only thing I'm not particularly fond of is the hauberk-style heavy chest piece, the Reinforced Chestplate of the Adventurer. I'm not quite sure if it was that only the top half was plated or how flat and curveless it appears when donned by a stocky dwarf. Then again, I've been getting used to dwarven body structure these past couple months and the U23 skins have made it easier.

Winter's Plumage

This year's Yule Festival has been eagerly anticipated and welcomed with equal joy. Of all LOTRO's festivals, this is my absolute favorite. There's a large variety in the cosmetics offered (robes, cloaks, tunics, and dresses) through quests and vendors, as well as a multitude of titles, steeds, and a beautifully designed Yule portrait frame. Of course, I can't neglect mentioning the gorgeous belegaer blue dye! If you haven't seen the latest rewards, other than the robe pictured in this blog entry, I'd suggest checking out Wandering Around Arda's preview. If you're like me and have had little time to spare for LOTRO this holiday season, this link may help you make some time.

Simple Fashion - Hauberks, Part 2

The Simple Fashion series has returned this week with three classic hauberks. It's been years since I've seen these used in LOTRO. And it's been years since I've used these as well. Actually, I don't think I've ever used the Hauberk of Rhûn before. That particular cosmetic has collected dust since I purchased it back in 2012, not knowing what to do with it. I bought it with the intention of using it someday, but I'd never have expected it would take six years for that to happen!

Anyway, I've decided to keep this week's blog entry short and sweet. Enjoy the outfits below!

Anduin Spear-shaker

The biggest break I'd ever taken from LOTRO was started in 2014, when I was utterly disappointed with Helm's Deep. I clung to the game, making outfits. That's it...just outfits. When January 2015 arrived, I wrapped up my affairs, tired of waiting for LOTRO to turn itself around, shut down my blog, was gone by February, and intended never to return....but it didn't go as planned.

And I hadn't expected the chain events that led to this outfit's delay.

When I came back some eight months later, I was overwhelmed. There was so much to do to simply catch up. Eastern Gondor had been released and Minas Tirith was almost here. I spent most of 2016 getting myself from Snowbourn to the gates of Minas Tirith with three level capped characters. And don't get me started on imbued LIs--those weren't around when I'd left. Honestly, I could have gotten there faster if I hadn't stopped to make outfits along the way! I had to put all those new cosmetics, starting with Western Gondor's, to good use!

Alliance Vanguard

This was the first outfit I'd made for my High Elf Captain, Gwaimallin. Ironically, it's also the one that's taken me the longest to share. As much as I've loved the outfit itself, I've never been satisfied with the screenshot location. Honestly, it blended in with much more landscape and instanced scenery than anticipated. Each time, I'd get halfway through a photo session before scrapping it entirely. I told myself this would be the last attempt and that if I didn't share it soon, I should remove the outfit and not bother at all. I was glad to finally get this completed, and even though the screenshots aren't the best, I'm satisfied with the final product!

Simple Fashion - Dresses Pt. 2

Finally, I've gotten back to my Simple Fashion theme! It's only taken three and a half years. I've hinted it a couple of times between this blog, Facebook, and Twitter since last year, but I wasn't sure if I'd ever actively make any headway. "Simple Fashion," for those seeing this tag/theme for the first time, means precisely that. Three or four, max, pieces were used in each of these outfits. Also, these particular entries have served a secondary purpose in the past--which I hope will continue to hold true--and that's to revitalize cosmetics often forgotten, underutilized, or overlooked.

To see the work I've previously completed under this theme, click on the Simple Fashion tag at the bottom of the post or simply (no pun intended) click here.

Head: Fancy Plumed Hat (Ashenslades green, LOTRO Store)
Shoulders: Shoulders of the Eorlingas (Default, Rise of Isengard Heroic or Legendary edition pre-order bonus)
Chest: Farmer's Fancy Dress (Shire peach, Farmers Faire token reward)

Recollections of the Last Alliance & Happy Anniversary

It's difficult to believe that I tried retiring from cosmetic blogging for LOTRO three years ago. And it's even more difficult to believe, after all that work I'd put into what were supposed to be the final days of my blog, that I would miraculously return seven months later. I haven't regretted coming back. Even though the golden age of the outfitting community has long passed, I've done my best to keep Material Middle-earth running strong and continue creating fresh content. If it weren't for CosmeticLOTRO, The Starry Mantle, and LOTRO Fashion, the original pioneers of this niche community, my blog may have never existed. Speaking of which...

Happy Sixth Anniversary to Material Middle-earth! The official date is today, April 21st. If you asked me back in 2012 how long I expected to maintain this blog, I wouldn't have been able to guess. But it's been six years. Six years! "Retirement" and a multitude of PC hardware failures hasn't stopped me yet. Here's to another six...hopefully!

Silver Dawn

This outfit brought me back to 2011, when my Lore-master was capped at level 65. I had forgotten that this character once wore this. If it weren't for an old, low-quality picture found on my external hard drive, it would have never occurred to revive and update this set. With the new dyes and addition of cosmetic weapons, I was able to make it look more complete. This was one of my LM's first cosmetic sets. One that I had taken quite seriously, as I had to be a hardcore raider back then just for the weekly 1-in-12 chance at the elf-stone needed for the robe. Nowadays, DN can be soloed on some classes. Duoed on most, due to mechanics in the final fight.