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.

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)

Nightshade

Many of my readers have noticed over the years how bright, colorful, and cheerful my outfits have been. I've always liked bold and brilliant purples, blues, greens, and reds. In fact, that's become a defining characteristic of Material Middle-earth. Unfortunately, that hasn't sat well with a multitude of readers. I've been getting messages complimenting me on what content is shared, but also requesting more natural and adventure-worthy outfits. I've also gotten a few rude messages that I will not repeat here. One went as far as to say I've made "outfits worthy of a carnival or circus." Of course, there have been other more modest reactions between those examples. And then there's the general pattern of comments on the official LOTRO forums' outfit thread.

I greatly appreciate my followers, both old and new. I always have and I always will. I've taken my incoming messages seriously, even if I've never gotten a response to my reply (and I have my suspicions about that...*coughjunkmailcough*). And I've also taken feedback and other criticisms to heart as well.

Winter's Wings

Another year has come and gone in LOTRO. The Yule Festival's here (running from December 12, 2019 to Janurary 8, 2020) and it's a time of year marked by mirth and warmth, celebration, charitable acts, and the comfort of friends and family. Keep an eye on global channels, the forums, and social media for special seasonal events! Secret Santas and kinship parties are very popular through New Years. This is when I temporarily slow down with Material Middle-earth, as there are a variety of events to enjoy!

With the start of Yule Festival, I also break out the cold weather outfits. This latest appearance uses two of the Ice Flower skins, available at Frostbluff for the first time. They're a delightful reskin, and a more universal one in my opinion, of the Fall Festival's Autumn Traveller cosmetics. With a larger variety of color, they boast a greater flexibility and are easier to mix with other sets. And this year, I made another warm and feathered appearance suited to adventuring in inclement and often snowy regions, drawing on skins from various regions of Middle-earth.

Visions Unseen

"And here in Rivendell there live still some of his chief foes: the Elven-wise, lords of the Eldar from beyond the furthest seas. They do not fear the Ringwraiths, for those who have dwelt in the Blessed Realm live at once in both worlds, and against both the Seen and the Unseen they have great power."

          ― The Fellowship of the Ring, "Many Meetings"

I've been reading the LOTR books again and this passage spoken by Gandalf caught my attention. It speaks of two worlds, the Seen (the one in which corporeal beings exist) and the Unseen (the one in which non-corporeal beings exist). Very few beings had the ability to cross between the realms--namely the Valar, Wizards (the Maiar), and the Elves who once lived in Valinor. The Ring-wraiths could also exist in both worlds simultaneously, though I'm not quite sure if the wraith-world they exist in qualifies as the Unseen. The One Ring also had the ability to draw the wearer into the wraith-world. At the very least, these realms were similar. And within the Unseen realms, the beings that freely walked them appeared differently. The spectral man-like forms of the Nazgul would be one example. The brilliant white aura manifesting itself around certain Elves like Glorfindel, which Frodo saw as he was succumbing to the Morgul-steel's curse, would be another. In Jackson's film interpretations, this aura also manifested itself around Arwen and Elrond. As interesting as this was, not much else is mentioned by Tolkien regarding the Unseen realm and it remains a largely speculative subject.

Barbed Executioner

The Barbed Executioner is one of my more interesting outfits. I figured I'd try pairing two distinctly different sets of armor skins and see what I could create. The "Mordor's Bane" and "Mordor's Vanguard" gear from the High-enchanter seldom gets used outside their own sets. Most of those pieces were darkly colored, covered in scales, rivets, shingled plates, and spikes, creating a unique aesthetic. And then there's the dwarven-themed cosmetics from U23, covered in celtic knot-like patterns and intricately weaved leather interlaced with detailed and highly decorated steel. It was a challenge attempting to mesh these styles together and, even though it's not the most realistic appearance, I was satisfied with the result.

Bow-master of the Dark Wood

Here's a blast from the past. I haven't seen this outfit since early 2012. While cleaning out my portable hard drive's picture folders, I stumbled upon this. I would have loved to upload the picture, but it's so small, grainy, and had such poor lighting that it wasn't worth it. Back then, I played LOTRO on a non-gaming college laptop, which seldom handled more than very low graphics. As a special treat, I've recreated it for this "vintage" entry with a period-appropriate Mirkwood background! It took a few days to determine what pieces and colors I'd actually used. And I've even enhanced it with cosmetic weapons.

Verdant Grace

Quite often I repurpose slotted or old outfits. A splash of a different color, the exchange of at least one piece...that's all it's taken to transform an old character appearances into something new, fresh, and exciting. I've always been surprised how a subtle change in color, either in tint, shade, or tone, has altered the concept and emotion of an outfit. For those that have regularly visited Material Middle-earth, this particular clothing combination should look familiar. It's mostly a recolor of Silvan Elegance, which was posted in February 2018, almost a year from today.

Garrison Commander

Can I say how much I've loved having Bullroarer? Whenever I've finished testing what I wanted to test, and after giving appropriate feedback of course, I like to indulge my outfitting urges. Thanks to the Eyes and Guard Tavern located in Archet and Thorin's Hall, many of LOTRO's currencies are infinite. I've created or transferred multiple characters and completed the dailies found in the Tavern to cap my commendations, stockpile mithril coins, or collect whatever else I've desired. I'd been waiting for an opportunity to create this outfit, one that complimented the Great Axe of the Khazad-dûm Vaults, a weapons periodically available in the LOTRO Store.

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!

Twilight Huntsman

Having spent enough time working on Mordor dailies, I've been able to acquire some of the latest crafted armor recipes. By all rights, I should have had them sooner, but if you know me I'm a much of a housing nut as I am a cosmetic blogger. I've lavishly spent the majority of my Silver Signets of the Thandrim on housing decorations in recent months and have been able to create a Mordor-themed house. Usually, it's the other way around, but I had enough outfits lined up that I could afford a change of pace, take a temporary respite from outfitting, and focus on the visual weapons guide.


That respite, unfortunately, wasn't much a of a respite after all. Mom had fallen and broken her ankle, which forced me to take a semi-hiatus from LOTRO until mid-May. I still logged in to screenshot a few weapons and at least say hello to my kinship, but I wasn't able to do much else while caring for her. Naturally, Stronghold of the North had just released just before her accident. I've been desperately trying to play catch up, focusing on content, while my blog quickly burned through everything I'd scheduled. I've gotten to a point where I've been able to shift my focus here again.

Legion of Thrang - Master of Shadow and Flame

You may have guessed it, based upon the title, that this outfit was inspired by Thrang, one of the major bosses from the Rift of Nûrz Ghâshu. That particular fight was isolated from the level 50 raid, made scalable, and was introduced as a temporary stand-alone instance for the duration of the Summer Festival this year. From the rewards, either by lucky drop or by spending ten vault tokens, you could collect your own two-handed Thrang's Sword, which features a tip that glows red-hot as if it were pulled from a forge. Whenever you land a blow with it, it sparks wildly, casting embers into the air. Also, the sword leaves behind a small stream of embers so long as it's visibly equipped.

Although this outfit doesn't feature the two-handed sword, it does showcase the one-handed version and Thrang's Bow, which can be acquired from the Armory of Thrang box at any time. This box is found, rarely, in Gorgoroth Lootboxes or at the Keeper of Mysteries vendor in Mordor for 900 Ashes of Enchantment. Eleven other selectable weapons can also be found in that box.

Springtime Merrymaker

Although the Spring Festival finished about a month ago, I've only just gotten to this outfit. I've had so much content scheduled since the beginning of March that it's overwhelming. Between my latest  project and the backlog of outfits, I've had to reorganize all of my scheduled posts. This is why you've been seeing new outfits approximately every other week and other content squeezed in between those outfits. I promised myself in September of 2015 that I wouldn't be publishing content weekly anymore to avoid burnout. Looks like I've broken that promise! (Broken promises/oaths tend not to end well in Tolkien's world. Oh dear...) However, I will admit that I've bitten off more than I can chew. I'll continue to work with what I've already added and go from there. Once I've finished posting my weapons collections, everything should go back to normal.

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!

Whispers of Yávië

Shortly after the Abyss of Mordath released, I decided to pick up my long retired Hunter. For four years, he'd been sitting at level 85, having never crossed the Entwade and into the Westemnet. When the class trait trees first dropped and the time consuming Epic Battles were the only way to obtain top tier jewellery, I was forced to heavily cut back on the number of active alts. Unfortunately, after those four years, I'd forgotten how to play my inactive classes. I was having a terrible time with my Hunter, which had been fundamentally altered by those trees, and decided it'd be easier to roll a new one. The class just wasn't what I remembered it to be.

Anyway, having made a new alt means (and you probably guessed it) having seven new outfit setups. I may or may not have filled all seven before I started Ered Luin quests!

His & Hers - An Ornate Yuletide

It's hard to believe another year has come and gone in LOTRO. And it's even more difficult to believe that I actually have a chance to upload some Yule outfits, let alone have a PC to upload them with (last year, I didn't have a working one)! I'll be keeping this post rather brief. As I'm finalizing this entry, and scheduling to auto-post while I'm working Saturday morning, I have a batch of mini oreo cheesecakes chilling in the fridge. Soon they'll be done, and then it's back to the kitchen for more baking! This will be my only chance to squeeze in some LOTRO time until after Christmas.

Idh Ryss en Belegaer

Seldom do I attempt to name anything in Sindarin. Why? Depending on what you're trying to say, the rules are quite complicated. You have to account for word origins, how each vowel changes when going from singular to plural, and special grammatical mutations. Of course, the name I had my heart set on involved quite a few special rules. "Idh Ryss en Belegaer" means "The Whispers of the Belegaer" (Idh Ryss (pl. the whispers--singular form being I Rhoss) + en (conj. of the) + Belegaer). Just in case you're wondering, Belegaer means great/mighty (beleg) sea (aear) and refers to the expansive sea west of Arda. Of course, I may have gotten my translation into Sindarin wrong. By no means do I declare myself an expert. My only guide, currently, is a small notebook that contains the Sindarin crash course my college Tolkien professor attempted to give ten years ago. If anyone can confirm or correct my attempt, please let me know!

Grammar lesson over! *wipes sweat from brow*

Tempered Pathfinder

Every now and then, I like to take a break from making those fancy, overly detailed, and sometimes complicated outfits. Much of LOTRO's gear is covered in large emblems, swirls, leaves, golden trims and accents, and intricate patterns. There is nothing more aggravating for me that having to coordinate racial motifs or making sure that high decorative skins can refer to each other. This week, I'll be sharing an outfit on the simpler side, one with armor skins that have a simple design and dye almost entirely one color. If anything, I used the studs on these pieces as a unifying motif.

Scaled Scourge

This week's entry began with an overwhelming question: "What cosmetics have I NOT used?" For starters, I've avoided most of the crafted gear after level 65. That's when gear skins started deforming the bodies of our characters. I also haven't put any of the Eastern Gondor gear to good use. I've been reluctant to use a good portion of the Helegrod and Rifts armor sets. I've often ignored the Draigoch sets, since I can rarely get them to mesh well with gear outside the sets. Suffice it to say, the list was extensive. It boils down to personal tastes, but those tastes, in retrospect, have been restrictive. Taking a chance, I settled for some pieces I've either rarely seen worn by anyone in LOTRO, on the cosmetics thread of the forums, or by fellow bloggers.