Concept study for Elvish Fashion featuring the Original™ FinBrothers and their Mini Me
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Fëanor & Curufin: Splendor. They are wearing Noldor informal daywear inspired by Baroque/Rococo European Aristocracy (17th–18th century), especially the Sun King and the extravagant courts of Versailles. Opulent, luxurious robes with theatrical flair and shimmering footwear. Fëanor is wearing the dramatic gemstones that once belonged to Míriel.
Fingolfin & Turgon: Discipline. They are dressed in Vanyarin court fashion inspired by late Ming Dynasty China (17th century). I tried to portray the restrained elegance of high-ranking Ming officials and princes. Layered hanfu, structured silhouette, and minimal jewelry. Refined nobility rather than ostentatious wealth.
Finarfin & Finrod: Harmony. They are the most timeless here in my opinion. They are wearing Telerin outdoor fashion inspired by Ancient Mediterranean clothing (particularly Minoan and Classical Greece) mixed with Art Nouveau. Lots of drape and movement, sandals (because the Teleri love walking by the sea), gold jewelry, olive greens, laurel-style headpieces, wrapped waists. I tried to go 'less' historical noble and 'more' idealized gods.
Close-ups of my favorite details I'm forcing upon y'all
Do you truly think Fëanáro cares if you flee or fly? Beloved, sweet, hopeful husband, the perpetual youngest of sons: I tell you now the stolen ships will go to Beleriand whether you step foot on the deck or not. Flowers will bloom in the gardens of Tirion whether you sail oversea or not. Fëanáro and Nolofinwë will cross their swords nigh unto death even if you run your heart clear through with the blade. The eagle does not know that the fishermouse lines his nest with eagle-feathers each night, hoping beyond hope that its children will fly.
attempting to deal with ‘man what the fuck’ events in my life by semi-realistically sketching out a woman who just watched her kindred become the victims of the first large scale slaying only to watch her hubby and kiddos packing their bags to trot along after the guy who did it, and it looked pretty nice so here u must have it too ☠️ words from my ficlet.
I headcanon the Teleri have a yearly festival dedicated to the hatching of sea turtles. I will share longer thoughts later but in the meantime, here's a board <3
"Then the Noldor drew away their white ships and manned their oars as best they might, and rowed them north along the coast.
And Olwë called upon Ossë, but he came not, for it was not permitted by the Valar that the flight of the Noldor should be hindered by force. But Uinen wept for the mariners of the Teleri; and the sea rose in wrath against the slayers, so that many of the ships were wrecked and those in them drowned. Of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë more is told in that lament which is named Noldolantë, the Fall of the Noldor, that Maglor made ere he was lost.
Nonetheless the greater part of the Noldor escaped, and when the storm was past they held on their course, some by ship and some by land; but the way was long and ever more evil as they went forward."
The Silmarillion, chapter IX "Of the Flight of the Noldor"
Hiswiel Sareare, wife of Curufinwë, mother of Telperinquar
Hiswiel = Mist Grey (hiswa) Daughter of or Girl (iell)
Sareare = Pebble (sar) Sea (ear) Female (e)
Years of the Trees and Fourth age design! Thought for design, including Noldorin clothes↓
HC:
Her mother is Telerin, a silversmith, an honorable profession for the Teleri as well as the Noldor, which is where she gets her grey hair colour from, but she leans more towards her father´s Noldor side, who she learned glassmaking from. Her father was a lord in charge of the biggest glassmakign guild in Tirion, so she grew up in the court where she later met Curufinwë through one of Fëanáro´s messengers, who was commissioning glass for the construction of Formenos' great halls.
Having been drawn to Fëanáro´s many speeches before, she quickly became her father´s herald in Formenos, overseeing the glasswork and growing closer to the family, becomign a Fëanorian herself. After Formenos was finished, her and Curufinwë became inolved and married young, much alike to Nerdanel and Fëanáro themself, as Hiswiel also quickly becaome pregnent after their marrige.
She followed Curufinwë and his family at the flight of the Noldor, but when the first kinslaying happened, against her mother´s people, and at the beaches she grew up at when she was a child before moving to Tirion, she quickly left in the panic and took Telperinquar with her but was found by Curufinwë where they fought over what should happen.
When Mandos came saying his doom, she chose to follow Arafinwë, a man she had only seen in passing before, but was family, and Curufinwë said she could keep Telperinquar if he choose to stay with his mother, as Telperinquar is traumatized, I wonder why!, he doesn´t say anything, so Curufinwë tricks her into going back, believing Telperinquar is behind her as Tyelkormo takes her child without her knowledge as Curufinwë keeps her occupied.
After she realizes she has been tricked and the ships have sailed, Arafinwë takes her in, but they never grow close, and instead, she seeks out Nerdanel, ignoring her own parents trying to get in contact with her, and later, when Nerdanel moves back to Formenos, she goes with her, overseeing the glasswork again.
In the third age, when Telperinquar is reborn, he moves in with her for a short period before finding one of Fëanáro´s old houses in the wilderness to live in solitude, much to her disdain.
Clothes:
Years of The Trees:
The different groups of Valinor are more divided in culture and fashion in the years of the trees.
Already leaning more towards her Noldorin side, being a princess of the Noldor means she leaves many Telerin fashion trends behind, especially in her formal attire. She only wears them with family, but does, however, use many more pearls than are normal for the Noldor. Her biggest Telerin indicator is the hairnet with pearls, which is worn a lot by the Telerin, especially in Alqualondë and Tol Eressëa, but also the pearls being embroidered into the fabric instead of seperating textile and metal/jewel craft from each other.
Fourth Age:
The fashion between the different groups of people looks a lot more like each other due to the different groups mingling with each other more after the first age, and now works more like different governments coming together to make decisions instead of countries each making their own decisions.
The Noldorin part of her dress is the length and different coloured layers of the skirts, a white and red one, the yellow, and the grey, as well as her shirt´s collar cut and the opening in her outer shirt´s shoulders and of course the jewelry, exsept the choker that is a fast fashion trend for the Teleri since the years of the trees. The Telerin part is the shirt being a different colour from the outer skirt, and the floral embroidery on it.
*Her skin is paler here as the trees have fallen, so now there´s only the sun to give her UV, instead of a tree filled with small suns, she is also residing in Formenos instead of Tirion, like she did most of her life before the trees destruction.
