Orc haute couture

[alatar]

It's written that orcs were once elves, but perverted. These vile mockeries are beast-like, yet also a bit too much like us humans. Orcs aren't farmers or millers or poets, but warriors, thieves, defilers and spoilers. They don't make, but take.

Pretty counterculture.

So why did orcs feel the need to wear clothes (not armor)?

[Inziladun]

Just armour? That doesn't exactly conform to the body, I'm thinking. Even Morgoth and Sauron probably thought "Gah! I don't need to see that!" You guys find some clothes!

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by alatar

So why did orcs feel the need to wear clothes (not armor)?

Did they wear clothes? I've read no treatises on Orkish humility. In any case, they would be much more intimidating with Orc pork dangling forth.

[Inziladun]

Intimidating? Maybe. But keep in mind that Melkor and Sauron had other troops than Orcs. Having Orcs exposed could have a deleterious effect on fighting proficiency and focus.

EDIT- Also, just imagine the chafing if all they had was armour!

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Did they wear clothes?

They definitely did. Frodo disguised himself with orc-clothes in Mordor:

Originally Posted by LotR Book VI, The Tower of Cirith Ungol

There were long hairy breeches of some unclean beast-fell, and a tunic of dirty leather.

As for why they'd wear clothes, hm... sunburn protection?

EDIT: x-ed with Zil

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

They definitely did. Frodo disguised himself with orc-clothes in Mordor:

"There were long hairy breeches...."

But, but...ummm...those aren't breeches!

[alatar]

What I mean is that there is no biological or cultural reason that orcs need to wear clothing. We wear it for protection from the environment. Certain aboriginal tribes wear next to nothing; their children may have not so much as a stitch.

And orcs enjoy flouting convention, and what better way to differentiate themselves from 'those elves' (who create) than to not wear clothing?

Funny that most posters here think that orcs reproduce sexually, and that orcs might just be 'modest.' Who knew?

Anyway, I'm not even sure why elves wear clothing, but I think it's because Tolkien has elves being much like us, and as we wear clothes (especially if Middle Earth is in the northern hemisphere...).

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by alatar

What I mean is that there is no biological or cultural reason that orcs need to wear clothing. We wear it for protection from the environment. Certain aboriginal tribes wear next to nothing; their children may have not so much as a stitch.

And orcs enjoy flouting convention, and what better way to differentiate themselves from 'those elves' (who create) than to not wear clothing?

The environmental reason would stand then, I think. Angband was in a pretty cold location, and I doubt armour alone would have been much protection against that. Also, I was semi-serious about the chafing. Even the thin body-armour worn by today's police and military can cause problems if one fails to wear a t-shirt under it.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I think the "environmental protection" is an argument, even in the general sense that some clothing is better than no clothing when it comes to protection even from, say, thorny bushes. And the psychological effect, like what Zil said... and as it was also mentioned, at least since the invention of armor the clothes were a necessity. You can't really wear an armor on bare body (or you can, but that will effectively kill you).

Also, clothes can serve as distinguishing marks - "we are Cool Clan XY, wearing the symbol of a dragon on our chest", stuff like that. Also "I am the chieftain, I can wear the coolest and most intimidating armor of all; Elves, fear me; yes, it was me who killed your grandfather, surely you have heard the tales about the big Orc clad in big black-and-red-striped cloak, mwahaha".

And in the battle, generally, clothes also can be important for distinction, if they have the coat of arms (although everyone will most likely know which side the Orcs fight on, even without the coat of arms - but maybe when it comes to clash between two different Orc tribes... think of Gorbag's Dead-moon-symbol Morgul Orcs and Shagrat's Red Eye Orcs of Cirith Ungol).

EDIT: x-ed with Zil and alatar

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

But, but...ummm...those aren't breeches!

I prefer to think they are - can't see Sam and Frodo as little Buffalo Bills (not the western hero...)

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

I prefer to think they are - can't see Sam and Frodo as little Buffalo Bills (not the western hero...)

Well, the armies of brigands that troubled France throughout the 14th century were known as écorcheurs ('skinners' or 'flayers of dead bodies'), and they were very reminiscent of Orcs (or vice versa). so when Tolkien refers to "long hairy breeches of some unclean beast-fell", they could have very well come from Uncle Shagrat's leathery loins.