The Untamed costumes 18/?
Wen Chao's costumes 1: The red diamond-patterned robe (episodes 4, 7, 8, 10-13)
Let's continue this series with the first look into Wen Chao's wardrobe and this iconic set that is one of the most distinctive outfits in the Untamed. This is what Wen Chao wears when he stomps into the Cloud Recesses in episode 4 and continues to wear in all his appearances until he beats a hasty retreat from the Cave of the Xuanwu in episode 13. Ok, let's see!
This is a three-layered outfit by my reckoning:
The standard set of undergarments: the zhongyi (中衣) or zhongdan (中單) (the pants and the shirt), and the chang (裳) (a separate, typically pleated skirt).
The red, diamond-patterned robe as the middle layer.
The long black vest as the outer layer.
Let's look at the undergarments first, shall we?
The under shirt Wen Chao is wearing with this outfit is red, visible here at the collar.
As usual, decent, properly focused full body shots were hard to come by, but here it can be seen at least that the skirt of the undergarments is black, as part of it is visible just behind the drape of his right sleeve, where there are slits in his other layers. But then things get a bit murky. I think I can see a hint of red just above his shoes, and it might mean a couple of things: a) Wen Chao is wearing ankle-high shoes, not knee-high boots (like Lan Wangji, for example) and b) either his underpants are red (which would fit his shirt) or the red are his boot liners, in which case his underpants can be red or black. To quote my inner NHS: I don't know, I really don't know 😅.
I think this supports the idea of ankle-high shoes (and also that Wen Chao is rather rude). The material of the shoes looks like suede, and they are decorated with red flame embroidery.
Similar embroidery decorates the front of the vest. I have to say I'm not able to tell the material of the vest from the images: It looks like it could be thin leather, but thick satin would have a rather similar sheen, and would, perhaps, be more likely? The vest is quite open at the front, has sligthly broadened shoulders, a folded collar, and a diamond pattern.
This outfit comes with a full-length, black cape attached under the collar of the vest.
Another view of the cape. Here it is possible to see that the fabric has some kind of a texture, but it is not possible to see it properly.
The collar and the lapels of the vest have a black trimming that gets broader towards the hem. The diamond pattern is nicely visible here. Wen Chao wears black leather arm guards over the narrow sleeves of his under shirt. He also wears a wide, patterned black leather belt with a large buckle (it looks like the belt attaches at the front) in same metal as his hair piece... The metal looks like antique bronze.
Under the belt, Wen Chao wears a sash, tied so that one of the ends hangs down at the front, all the way to the hem of his robe. I first thought the hanging part was actually part of the belt, but if you look above the belt buckle in the above images, you can see the upper edge of the sash and how it has been folded down. Two different materials in the sash, most likely the same ones that have been used in the vest, but here without the diamond pattern.
Ok, phew! Finally on to the red robe! It has the very distinctive diamond pattern, about which I have earlier made an extra post. There is a rather cool detail in the fabric: on the outside, the pattern is lilac grey (mauve?) diamonds on the beautiful deep red, on the reverse side, the colours are reversed (it can be seen clearly on the inside of the sleeve below Wen Chao's right hand above, as well as in some of the other images). So I am inclined to call the fabric silk damask (a rather interesting article about the history of damask), but it could be some type of fabric i've never even heard of, of course 😁. The wide sleeves and the lapels of the robe have black trimmings.
So, a rather showy outfit that at least for me is the one that first comes to mind when thinking of Wen Chao's costumes. I have to admit that looking at these images now, it kind of reminds me of a giant 🍓. Perhaps not the image Wen Chao is aiming at... Although, perhaps Jiao Jiao loves strawberries 🤔.
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