lannisanta submitted:
asoiaf secret santa mini gift #1: a moodboard + mini meta on the fashion of joanna lannister! to lauren, with love, from lannisanta 🤶🏼
(note: obviously, being modern haute couture, these aren’t the sort of gowns joanna would favor in canon! i was just trying to capture a certain look, a certain mood, and incorporate as many details that i imagine would be present in her canon clothing as possible, which are listed a little later in this post.)
obviously, there are lots of parallels between the various regions of westeros and various regions in medieval europe. there are many excellent metas out there that are better than anything i could write on the topic! however, i also think it’s possible (and likely) that grrm was influenced, perhaps unknowingly, by living in the modern western world. specifically with regards to the westerlands, it’s interesting to note that grrm chose to create a region that is situated on the west coast of the continent, is rich in gold and features gold heavily in its history, experiences a mostly temperate climate as far as we ever hear in canon, and is known to be populated by wealthy, beautiful blondes. it seems to me that, whether he was conscious of the parallels he was drawing or not, the general vibe and aesthetic (and, yes, some stereotypes too!) of modern california (particularly southern california) influenced this region of westeros a little bit!
and that, in turn, has influenced the way i view the fashion of the westerlands – particularly that of the lannisters of casterly rock. it is no secret that the lannisters we meet in canon tend to favor expensive, high-quality, richly-detailed clothing, which fits in well with the idea of hollywood glamour and high fashion. but what about the lannisters we never got the chance to meet in canon? specifically, what about joanna?
well, i’m actually of two minds about the way joanna might have dressed. (i’ll be making a second moodboard for the second aesthetic, so keep an eye out for that!) the style that inspired this post is what i’m thinking of as “strong!joanna” – which isn’t to say that she was ever not strong, but that this aesthetic in particular highlights that quality specifically.
the hallmarks of this style, details which are present both in the canon fashions i imagine for joanna and the gowns in the moodboard, are things like incredibly rich jewel tones; luxe silky fabrics that allow for relatively unrestricted movement (compared to the styles favored in other areas) and flow with the body; strong neckline shapes, such as plunging v’s or angled squares; impactful shoulder details, such as puffed sleeves, capes, or jewels or embroidery focused in that area; flowing a-line skirts; and, of course, gold detailing and jewelry. often, long sleeves are featured, as well as belted silhouettes or those that are otherwise nipped in at the waist.
the overall effect is – well, strong! the silhouettes are largely fairly simple, made luxurious by the colors and fabrics they are presented in and their intricate detailing. no doubt joanna would have preferred her gowns to be immaculately well-tailored, perfectly suited to her body and hers alone. i like to imagine her (and cersei, and genna, and even myrcella) wearing lots of reds and golds, but i also think joanna would have favored oceanic tones – royal blue, emerald green, rich turquoise – that brought out the color of her eyes. between the silhouettes, colors, and focus on the shoulders and necklines of the gowns i imagine her favoring, i think joanna lannister would have looked absolutely exquisite in her clothing of choice.
i hope you enjoyed this little meta and matching moodboard! it isn’t meant to be taken too seriously – just a little jaunt through the swirl of color and fabric and aesthetic goodness that makes up the mind of your friendly neighborhood lannisanta! hopefully the details i mentioned make sense, and you can imagine them in canon fashions just as well as in the modern pictures i put together! and like i said – part two will be coming soon, with a whole other vibe that i could see joanna wearing equally well!
(the designers featured in the moodboard, clockwise from top left, are ulyana sergeenko, georges hobeika, tony ward, elie saab, alexander mcqueen, and ralph & russo!)
Oh, I love this, and I love the gowns you chose! THANK YOU! They’re so beautiful! Elie Saab is one of my favorites! Yes, everything makes excellent sense! and omg, did you know that when GRRM was in San Jose one year, he was comparing it to the westerlands? lol. So you and GRRM have got the same idea!