A Chance to Show His Quality...

Since this all STARTED with Faramir, I might as well post the pictures with his quote as well.

Edited, of course.

Faramir's gown by Angelique

As stated, this is Faramir's gown. The overdress is barely visible, and tends to meld with the robe - but it is all there. At the least, you can see the colouring and the style. The underdress can be worn alone, of course, and would be well suited for a spring or summer day.



Eowyn's Gown by Angelique

Eowyn's gown - it REALLY should be darker. However, I lost my coloured pencils and had to do this in crayon. Which never cooperates on the best of days.... So, just imagine the blue a midnight blue, and the red much much darker - and it will be perfect! Again, at least you can see the style.

Ellessar Gown by Angelique

And the Ellessar Gown. Faramir's is still my favourite, but this comes a close second currently. And the colours are perfect too!!

Can I just say that I ADORE gowns? The richer the material, the more I love it.

Also, the more expensive it is. Now THAT is rather discouraging.......

I also find it somewhat amusing that I have about eight posts in drafts - that it wil be at least a week before anyone sees these.....

Bealocwelm Hafað Fela Feorhcynna Forð Onsended...

"Bealocwelm hafað fela feorhcynna forð onsended..."
'Baleful death hath many of my living kin sent forth...'

Nope. No one would EVER want to recreate this hairstyle. Never. Ever. We couldn't have had her walk away from the camera ONCE.

That is an interesting question though - they save the costumes, why do they not have instructions for the hairstyles? Because there are many that it would be helpful to at least have brushing out instructions or whatnot....

I'm actually surprised this hairstyle still worked.

I'd figured it out a year or so agao, when I adapted most of the hairstyles from Lord of the Rings to my own fashion. Well, most of the main ones - my hair was never naturally wavy and I flat out refuse to cut it. Traumatising. Majorly.

Anyway! The last time I did this hairstyle, my hair was long and completely uncut - all one length. Since then, I've rounded off the edges and cut it a few inches shorter in the front to accomodate longer lasting pincurls - but somehow, this still held and worked. Some of this might be attributed to the current waning pincurl set I still have in my hair (after....eight days now? I love pincurls.) since it helps my hair keep its place, but even so.

I should say that before I go into this, that it works much better for people with longer hair than I. It would probably work even better on someone that has thick or medium and slightly wavy hair. As it is, my hair is medium and completely straight and...not the best for this. And, as I said, shorter too. Sadly.....

Interestingly enough, it's almost like her hairstyle at the funeral and the one in the Hall are two different hairstyles with a similar base. Granted, given the time Rohan is shaped after, hairpins and holding...products are hardly going to be common or existing, so the back likely fell down - but for whatever reason, it looks like she has LESS hair to work with in the Hall than she did in the Funeral.

I don't know why - they might not have even been on the same day and continuity can't be perfect and I'm just nitpicking. I am working from about four good pictures and my limited abilities to coerce hair into cooperating with me.

Although, if you look at her side in the hall (all pictures here are from the Hall save the final one) and compare it to the side at the funeral, the funeral's is more....shaped while the Hall's looks like it was haphazardly pinned up.

This isn't mine and I've no idea who drew or made it, but I used it because it clarifies the pattern in the hair. It looks more like a three-strand braid rather than a rope braid, but for my hair the three-strand braid would not work as well.

Although, perhaps, one day I will try it........ But not this day!

Anyway.

While the original hairstyle features her circlet, it's really not strictly necessary. As long as the rolls are not made too tightly and are pinned up, then it works quite well without it or any sort of stand in.

First, part your hair in the middle. And brush it out completely, but part your hair in the middle.

From the part, brush the hair slightly forward toward the face. Not completely - just angled a little bit. If you are using a circlet or something to stand in for it, now is when to put it on. It is not set straight on the head, but rather at an angle - the back rests loswer on the head than the front.

First, I can't draw.

Second, I don't use pictures of myself.

Third, this is the set up for the front of the hair.

Start by taking a thin half-inch of hair from the front of the head, the purple section. Twist it loosely up and back over the circlet. Add a bit more hair to it and continue twisting back. Continue adding and twisting the hair loosely back  until all hair to the very back of the ear is gathered up. Secure this twist right on the circlet or right above it. Now, gather an half-inch more of hair behond the hair and brush it up to meet the twisted hair. Divide this in half and rope braid it.

Repeat with the other side of hair.

When you rope braid it, do it as close to the end as possible, and cross the two braids over in the back of the head atop the circlet.

Again - i don't draw. But, this is the back of the head.

The blue lines are the rope braids that continue on from the twists from the face. They continue on from that and circle inward around each other.

Divide the remaining hair in the back into two sides and rope braid each side to the end - the orange and red-purple lines. They can be circled inward as much times as possible.

Use as many hairpins as necessary to secure the hairstyle and hairspray at your discretion. make certain that all loose ends are tucked beneath the rest.

If one does use a circlet or a ribbon for one, it is easy enough to push the foundation up atop the head as more of a headband than a diadem.

The title of this piece comes from Beowulf, but it ALSO comes from Eowyn's mourning song. I'm rather curious to know if the line just happened to fit, or if they took the line first and then wrote the rest around it.....

And is she wearing a hood?  Interesting.....

Onen i-Estel Edain, Not All Those Who Wander are Lost

 

The men were still and silent,

The women bowed their heads -

The children were not moving,

Huddled in their beds.

Darkness filled the whole world,

The day would never rise -

Greed corrupted power

And truth gave way to lies.

 

The world was still and silent,

All creatures bowed their heads -

The waters were not moving,

For all things were dead.

Poison filled the whole world,

The day would never rise -

There was no one to answer

The people's broken cries.

 

The hope was still and silent,

The weary bowed their heads -

Despair was all-engulfing,

Following every tread.

Sorrow filled the whole world,

The day would never rise -

Hope came again to mankind

And the sun once more would rise.

 

So this got out of hand rapidly.

 

How did this even begin? There was something about Boromir's Lament, and then I started reading Faramir again, and the reread Web of Treason and Time to Reap and then wanted a Citadel guard uniform and.....  It just went downhill from there, didn't it....

 

Well, this is likely going to go on for a little bit. There are a LOT of characters I can do this for and quite a bit of styles to adapt. My apologies to the Reader.....

 

This is - in the situation where the opening picture did not clue you in - Aragorn's gown. Except, because that just sounds horribly weird, it's Ellessar's gown. Which fits better because it is inspired by and made for the Elfstone.

 

This whole thing started because I have a green stone on a delicate silver chain that I named the Ellessar - and I got thinking about how I'd make a gown for Aragorn.....  As I said: this got out of hand.

 

As far as I know, the Elfstone is not shown in any of the books, and I've really not studied the books recently to tell you if there's a description. That being said, the picture on the right looks well enough for me.

 

It's not ACTUALLY featured in the design, but given that it is the original inspiration I thought it should be SOMEWHERE.

 

 

 

The picture on the left is the actual inspiration for the gown. I'll probably play with it later and see if I can make it...more green - but for now, it works.

 

That is the character of Aragorn that I am portraying: the King, the Ranger, the warrior, the leader, the Dunadain..... An old, regal, yet simple man.

 

I probably failed miserably - but! These are for women! And from High Fantasy! I'm allowed to make them a LOT more feminine....

 I also took a lot of inspiration for this from Arwen and the Eldar.

Sensibly, given he was raised in Rivendell.....

By the way, what IS Arwen's mourning veil made of? It's so pliable, and yet still sheer.....

I want one.

Basically, I want to live in Middle Earth. Or any other Fantasy world.

Why can't I?

Reality is dull....





Anyway!

I also took a lot of inspiration from the Argonath - from their robes and whatnot.

Inspiration for the neckline and decorations came from Aragorn himself - from the garments he wore for the Council of Elrond.

Which is a gorgeous costume, really.

Yes, I say that about most of Lord of the Rings costumery.

Is that a word?



So there's the inspiration.

Really, after Faramir, everything's so simple.....  It's diconcerting.....

Construction at least I know.

This gown I had already basically planned out, and THEN I began documenting it. So.....it's different.

The Ellessar Gown is inspired as much by the Thirties formal wear as it is by Aragorn.

The dress on the left here is perfect if it were solid satin, and if the neckline were high. And if it had sleeves - but we'll leave that for the moment.

The dress on the right is also excellent. Excluding the pleats or seams on the front of the skirt, and the sort of cape hanging behind, that would be what the front view is.

The rest of the gown comes almost straight from Aragorn's Council garments.

The neckline is EXACTLY the same.

The sleeves for this outfit are fitted, and are made of two parts: the sleeve of the main dress which ends at the elbow, and the sleeve of the underdress which ends at the wrist.

Now! On to construction.

These posts just do NOT cooperate with me....

They are too long, or too short, or all over the place......  I don't know why I do this.

I'd say that we're going to start from the top, but I've already posted Aragorn's Council picture here TWICE, and it hasn't changed, so....  We'll skip the picture this time.

The high collar itself is black velvet. The undershirt, or underdress - if you look closely, there's the embroidered collar, and further down there's a deep v-neck and then the velvet turns darker. Well, the lighter velvet would be the undershirt in white satin. The gown itself is simple, emrald green satin.

this satin is definitely NOT matte, although some weight is still necessary.

The overdress' sleeve ends at the elbow and is trimmed with black velvet. The underdress' sleeve ends at the wrist and is cuffed with black velvet overlaid with silver lace.

The v-neck is also trimmed in silver lace.

The white undress' sleeves are also overlaid with a delicate green lace, and the white satin at the neckline is overlaid with a white lace.

Lastly, the sheer black robe that hangs from the shoulders of the gown is made of a layer of sheer black cloth, and the same green lace lain over the sleeves.

Fear No Darkness, Shieldmaiden of Rohan

Question not your station,

Hold your head up high.

For you it is to smile,

To comfort with each lie.

You are the one who watches,

Who prays for safe return.

Who will guard the homegates

If you leave them to burn?

 

Speak not against your portion,
Hold your head up high.
For you it is to shelter,
To watch while others die.
You are the one that's weeping,
The one that mourns the lost.
Who will sing for the buried
If you go to pay the cost?

 

Answer not for action,
Hold your head up high.
For you it is to live on,
To never even try.
You are the one that's silent,
You bear your own regrets.
Who will recall your service?
The good all men forget.

 

 

Yeah.... Anyway! If I make anything for Faramir, Eowyn's half invariably follows shortly after.

 

Buess what? The Reader gets to be subject to another long, rambling, picture-filled post that's absolutely useless to everyone else!!

 

This is for Eowyn and Theoden mostly, although Rohan sort of got mixed in as well. Not nearly to the extent it was for Faramir though.  This is basically just Eowyn and Theoden.

Alright then! To begin with inspiration! Let's start with the obvious, shall we?

 

This is actually the main inspiration. The colours, the theme, the style.... Basically everything comes from this picture.

 

I did say Theoden had his part too.....  It's hardly my fault she has very. brown. costumes.

 

Except for the Victory Gown, and I couldn't find any good pictures from the film of it.

 

 

 

 

 theodred's Funeral is the other major inspiration.

I ADORE her costume in that scene. Just ignore it's a funeral, alright? She's sad at basically any point.

But the colours! And the hair! And the fashion! And! And!

Funeral Gown

For the longest time, due to the design of the collars, I actually thought that her Funeral Gown and her Green Gown were actually one and the same - thankfully not, because I don't like the Green gown and this looks much better!

So! Two main points of inspiration.

On a side not, I really do love her hairstyle in that scene. And it is almost ridiculously easy to do if you know rope braids. Well, more or less. Those worked best - I couldn't find a picture for the back of her head so I made most of it up based off of Celtic knots.

I love research.

That being said! Back to clothing design.

 The picture on the left is just because she DOES wear the red - and I think the belt came in later.....  I'm not that good of an artist, so....

the picture on the right, however, is what I want the gown to basically be. Except, with a little more colour given that it's a royal gown and not a mourning gown. But, stately - like that.

 And the source of the majority of the embroidery and trim on the gown, as well as the skirt design.


Alright! Inspiration done.

It's really a lot more straightforward than Faramir's Gown was - at least there are better full-length pictures available for Rohan's characters.

The majority of the shape and style does come from Eowyn's funeral gown. The main difference is that the robe is done away with, and there is a visible underskirt. Other than that, and the colours, it's much the same.

The skirt is the same as the one on this orange - red dress over on the left. In fact, if the bodice had a high neckline - a high collar - it would look exactly the same. The underskirt is a dark red, and the overdress midnight blue.

 The dress has a train much like Eowyn's white dress. Just barely there.



 The sleeves are fitted down to the wrists - no bag sleeves. They look nice, they just never turn out well.

No.....

And I ran out of room here too - I'll ramble about sleeves later. Below this mess.




This on the left is the collar.  It will probably be made in a very, very dark red.

Underneath, wrapping around the collar in much the same way the green does in the faery dress below, is a sheer red material that will cross over the arms (basically just like the faery dress) and fall to a robe in the back.


















I did say that picture did a lot.

The v-neck, embroidered collar will be just the same on the gown. It will barely peek out below the crocheted collar, but still.

The cuffs of the sleeves will also be the same, although more fitted. A little above the elbows, there is another band of embroidery, but the sleeves remain fitted.

The embroidery along the edges of the overskirt will ALSO be incorporated. The waist is cinched with a dark red belt.

Alright then! Almost done!

isn't this fun? I think so.

Now, from the top again.

You've seen the collar before, and it would probably be in dark red. Perhaps in a dark gold - but not that close to my face. I look terrible then. Dark blue or even black would also work depending on the depth of the blue velvet.

The overdress and the sleeves will all be made of dark blue velvet. A heavy material, but still rich.

The underskirt and the material beneath the embroidered cuffs and collars and waists is dark red velvet. Again, heavy.

I had thought about brocade, but I didn't want this to be Tudorian. That's just....almost, but still so far off. Velvet works better.


Well, that's about all of the cloths! No, wait - the cloak, or robe. The ornamental whatever you want to call it.


It's organza again - it's the only sheer cloth I know that's somewhat durable and yet still easily bends and folds. Simply sheer cloth tends to be.....ick. Stiff and unravels SO quickly.




The edge of the sheer robe will be covered with the lace below. That lace - or at least that pattern of embroidery - is going to reach a foot up on the skirt of the underskirt.









This next part is rather....confusing?

Rohan is based on Old England. More or less. The embroidery especially reflects this.

This is the embroidery around the wrist cuff of the sleeve. The large part will be on the outside of the cuff, facing away from the body; and the slender parts will fasten underneath. It's not like Theoden's, but it's more feminine and this is INSPIRED by anyway. It looks better.

 

This is the bottom of the embroidered v-neck on the overdress' bodice. It's also basically the only visible part. How it continues up from there is...undecided and probably would be a mixture of the other samples.

 



This is the basic embroidery or trim at the waistline of the overdress, and around the edge hem of the overdress.

This is the lace that will trim the edge of the collar - I'll slightly adapt the pattern, likely.

And this is the embroidery that will go around the upper arm of the sleeve.