Look and feel new navarr
Overview
Navarr costumes are, above all, practical for moving around woodland or rough terrain- even the most settled Navarr will spend a good deal of their time in forests. Clothes won't ever be discarded will have been worn and worn and mended and worn- but don't feel you need to look scrappy.
Decoration is common- for someone on the move it means they can take art with them without adding weight to their pack. Thorns, leaves, flowers are all good. Things you find in forests.
The woodland and autumnal colour palette is very important for Navarr, bringing the nation's look together far more than anything else. Clothes are always in a woodland palette- predominantly brown and green with maybe accents of amber, blood-red and cream.
Basically, can you run and sneak around a forest in it for days at a time without standing out like a sore thumb or getting caught in something? If so, it's good Navarr kit.
Costume Fundamentals
Tunic and Trousers: The standard base layers of Navarr costume. Trousers can be of any style as long as they can be moved in easily, and tunics can lie anywhere from hip length to knee length, often belted in. Shirts are also popular as well as tunics, especially worn under wool or leather jerkins.
Dresses and skirts Some Navarr prefer to wear dresses or skirts- these will always be loose enough and short enough that they won't restrict movement, but not so voluminous that they might catch on something!
Outer Layers The typical outer layer for Navarr is a wool or leather jerkin, often sleeveless or with short sleeves to keep the arms free to move and fight. These are often decorated with embroidered or painted patterns of thorns, vines and trees. Cloaks are also worn especially in very cold weather, which will typically sit close around the shoulders but again, leave the arms free. Sometimes fur trimming is used on all of these garments.
Headgear Typical Navarr headgear is a hood, either lightweight fabric to keep the sun off in summer or heavier leather when waterproofing is needed or wool for the cold. WE NEED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HATS HERE.
Jewellery: Navarr jewellery is typically made of natural materials such as wood, bone, or even amber. Metal jewellery will typically be dull rather than shiny and cut gemstones are rare- the last thing you want is your sparkling brooch glinting in the light to give you away! Long pendants are common, often with symbolism important to individual characters such as runes, emblems for particular virtues or magical realms, or gifts given by loved ones. It is also common to decorate accessories such as scabbards and pouches- adornment that adds no extra weight to your travelling pack!
Layers: It is very common for Navarr costumes to come in layers, such that they can be piled on or taken off according to the weather. It is common for under layers to show from inside outer ones- for instance a long-sleeved tunic and a sleeveless leather jerkin and matching vambraces can be worn.
Footwear: Footwear should be chosen keeping in mind that most Navarr will walk around a lot, even those living in steadings. Plain suede boots (eg Minnetonka) are lovely if you can find them. A lot are sold with fringing that might look like poor stereotypes of native Americans- ideally this should be cut off! Plain walking boots or army surplus boots (brown rather than black if you have the choice) are a good solid option. Boot toppers and gaiters are very practical for Navarr, both to protect your feet and keep your trousers clean in the mud. Leg wraps are also great for this and can be made inexpensively from fabric offcuts. Tear, don't cut, and you'll find most fabric rips in a nice straight line for you and won't fray.
Accessories Belts, pouches and bags are very often carried by Navarr characters to store their worldly goods in as they walk around the Empire- or around Anvil. They will follow the same general guidelines as clothes- forest colours and hard wearing fabrics- and are a good option for adding personalised decoration to your costume.
Fabrics and Colour Palette
One of the most important parts of a Navarr costume is the colour palette (image from old page goes here!) Navarr clothes are always in forest colours, typically predominantly different shades of brown and green with accents of blood-reds, golds, ambers and creams. Fabrics are chosen to be hard wearing and not shiny, so under layers will typically be made of cotton and linen, with outer layers in wool and leather (or synthetic substitutes if necessary). Generally plain rather than patterned fabric is worn, and then decorated if the wearer so desires. Garments will be allowed to get old and worn, and carefully mended if torn, so artificially weathering your costume is an option- but remember that clothes are also carefully made to be hardwearing, so will always be hemmed and finished.
Variations
The territories of Navarr span the Empire from the cold pine forests of Hercynia, to the woods of Miaren, the temperate forests of Liathaven and Broceliande and the swampy bayous of Therunin. Hercynian characters might be more likely to have fur trim on their clothing to keep warm, whereas not getting wet is far more of a pressing concern to the inhabitants of Therunin, who may tuck their trousers into good boots and make sure to have a leather hood!
Tattoos, brands, and warpaint
War
Armour
I am so not qualified to write this
Weapons
Should be pretty copy-pastable from the old Look and Feel
Religion
Magic
Mage Armour
Mage Armour in Navarr will rarely look ostentatious, but will be clearly distinguishable. It is common to go for brighter colours than might be otherwise worn- though still nothing that would show you up when sneaking around a forest.
Children
Children will wear similar clothes to adults with garments being passed down as they are outworn [need to insert the children's costume boilerplate here]. Children's outfits will often be individualised with accessories such as belts and small trinkets as the same garment will be worn by multiple children over its lifetime.
Camps
- Set dressing to make camps look welcoming and friendly because HERE IS CIVILISATION, heads on spikes are for the battlefield and outer defences.
Similar Nations
- Hercynians might look like Steinr
- Marches
Less Appropriate
- Corsets worn as outerwear
- Things that look like Native American dress
- Full dress kilts!