Middle-Earth Clothing - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Daisy Sandybanks · 07-02-2002, 05:59 PM

I was skimming through the appendixes of LotR along with the book too, and well, I realized, Tolkien dosn't mention Middle-Earth clothing that much, or at least in that much detail. I know clothing is not a big part in novels, and isn't too crucial to the story line, but what sort of clothing did the creatures of Middle-Earth wear? Elves? Dwarves? Orcs?
Let me note, that in seeing the movie, I did get a few idea's as to what they wore, but since fashion is not my main concern in life, I don't know a lot of clothing 'words', so to say.
Oh, and also, if its not too much trouble I would preferably like to know what types of clothing Hobbits wore.
Thank you all so much!

The Fifth · 07-02-2002, 08:25 PM

Well, hobbits tend to wear bright colors.. breeches, shirts, overcoats, etc. Elves.. well, they would wear something elegant that suits their persona. Dwarves, I expect them to wear things that are dirty and clunky, and Orcs, armor and rags.

Nevfeniel · 07-02-2002, 08:30 PM

Ooh, I'm wearing the perfect hobbit lass outfit right now! A pretty white skirt with a little blue flower pattern, and a shirt that has the little criss-cross ties on the front! And when I wear my Dr. Marten sandals, I feel exactly like a hobbit! Now, all I need to do is curl my hair and shrink. . .

The Fifth · 07-02-2002, 08:36 PM

You should start eating six meals a day, too, Nev.

Nevfeniel · 07-02-2002, 08:51 PM

Good point. Then I would look much more hobbit-ish. Seriously, I'm soo tiny for my age, the dermotologist (sp?) actually asked me how much I weigh because I'm so little! [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

NazgulNumber10 · 07-02-2002, 08:56 PM

oh yeah? im 14 5'2 and weigh 75 pounds!

Nevfeniel · 07-02-2002, 08:58 PM

Um, you should eat more, NN10. I'm the same age, same height and I weigh something like 94. Looks like you need the 6 meals a day more than I do.

NazgulNumber10 · 07-02-2002, 09:00 PM

i know. im thin and have a VERY VERY VERY fast metabolisom (sp?). and the ood thing is so many people are fat, maybe i just balance out the universe...

Raefindel · 07-02-2002, 09:16 PM

Hobbits are described as wearing chiefly green and yellow.

Belin · 07-03-2002, 01:45 AM

According to the beginning of The Hobbit, dwarves wear brightly colored hooded cloaks and tuck their beards into their belts.

As for what elves and such wear, I've been wondering about that myself. It probably varies from region from region and Age to Age.

--Belin Ibaimendi

07-05-2002, 01:11 PM

You know, I was just thinking about this... Elven cloaks were discribed as being light, kind of shimmery(I don't know fashion words either [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]) and warm, so for the movie I thought I'd be good to have some of that light, almost see through material that they use over dresses and shirts, in green because it easily blends into things.
Hobbits wear earthy bright colours like Daffodil yellow and grass green. Dwarves wear dark earthy colors except for their cloaks and Men wear... well, regular men's clothes. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Amanaduial the archer · 07-05-2002, 01:28 PM

I had a sort of idea somehow before the movie actually came out, cos i drew quite alot of doodles and sketches on and in my rough book, mainly of elves.

How do pounds measure up to stone? Cos yeah im real small as well at 13, 5ft and just under 5 stone. How does that measure up?

Aw! Nevfeniel the hobbit!

Remmirath · 07-05-2002, 02:18 PM

Hmm. Personally I don't think fashions would change very much, especially for Elves. (with the whole, immortal thing and all. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] They seem to always make beautiful things, so it wouldn't really matter, they would always look beautiful. Personally, I love how the hobbit's clothes were in the movies. I thought it was perfect, except they needed a bit brighter colors in their wardrobe. Dwarves, I could see having hideous fashion sense, very tacky. Hmm. Orcs would just be nasty, probably dark and dirty rags. As for Ents, well, they don't exactly need clothes, do they?

I expect Goldberry would dress much like Elves, in light flowy clothing, and Tom Bombadil like hobbits.

Auriel Haevasawen · 07-06-2002, 10:07 AM

I remember that Legolas wore shoes on Carahdas (never can spell it) if that's any help. It isn't is it? Sorry. I wear elven dresses and they tend to be empire line and have long pointy sleves and a flowing skirt part. (oh empire line means gathered just below the bust) Not quite Peter Jackson's image but it's my interpretation of Tolkien, not his. Hobbits, bright greens and yellows in semi-Victorian style. Dwarves sort of Medieval with bright capuchon style hoods. Elves in anything, long flowing and comfortable if female and Robin Hood-like if not. Goldberry, a 17th century milkmaid, Tom Bombadil a medieval huntsman. Hmm, never use my imagination. It's a dangerous thing.

Amanaduial the archer · 07-08-2002, 02:48 PM

Robin Hood-ish? good way of describing it actually!
Empire line- "gathered below the bust". U mean like in the pride and predjusice film? Whered u get them all?

Owain son of Urien · 07-08-2002, 04:55 PM

Apart from the Hobbits, I've always tended to picture the characters in LOtR's dressed medieval style. Think Elizabeth Taylor and Robert Taylor in 'Ivanhoe'[a prettier film than Prince of Thieves]. Now though, Auriel has made me wonder. Empire style eh? Especially for the Elves? Think Gwyneth Paltrow in the film 'Emma'[mmmmm-delicious]. How's that for an image of Galadriel? [aaarrrggghhh cold water QUICKLY]

johnconor · 06-08-2009, 12:12 AM

The term Middle-earth is not, however, used in Tolkien's earliest writings about his created world: writings that date from the early 1920s and which were later published in The Book of Lost Tales (1983-4); nor is the term used in The Hobbit (1937).[8] Tolkien began to use the term "Middle-earth" in the latter part of the 1930s, in place of the earlier terms "Great Lands", "Outer Lands", and "Hither Lands" that he had used to describe this region in his stories.[8] The term Middle-earth appears in the drafts of The Lord of the Rings, and the first published appearance of the word "Middle-earth" in Tolkien's works is in the Prologue to that work: "...Hobbits had, in fact, lived quietly in Middle-earth for many long years before other folk even became aware of them.

Hookbill the Goomba · 06-08-2009, 04:14 AM

johnconor; if you are going to lift a mostly irrelevant article from wikipedia , make sure you take the footnote references out. It's just sloppy.

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 06-08-2009, 06:02 AM

That was a strange one.

I get the feeling that hats were far more frequent in Middle-earth than our modern world. Hats and facial hair.

They were simpler times; they were better times.

Mithalwen · 06-08-2009, 09:11 AM

But what became of the shapeless felt bag Sam used as a hat on departure from Bag End but which was never mentioned again? Lost on the road or on the downs?

Rumil · 06-08-2009, 12:56 PM

Nicely spotted Mith!

some other clothing-related odds and ends...

No shoes for hobbits, hairy feet mandatory (unless you believe Maril

), except for some of the Stoors that seem to have worn clogs or boots in marshy land.

The Guard at Minas Tirith wore surcoats over their armour.

Oh, and the Dwarven cloaks had detachable hoods (how does that work?)

The Shirrifs wore caps with feathers on.

Wood elves liked green, Lothlorien elves grey or white.

Cloaks seem popular - hobbits, dwarves, Aragorn, elves, Wizards, etc

Orc clothes were made of some unclean hairy beast-fell (reminded me of horribly scratchy camel-hair coats that were popular in the 70s)

Definitely agree with Eomer that practically everyone would wear a hat (when outside of course), after all 50 years ago in our reality practically everyone did too - little in the way of central heating, shopping malls, cars etc.

TheGreatElvenWarrior · 06-08-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumil

Oh, and the Dwarven cloaks had detachable hoods (how does that work?)

With zippers of course!

Anyway, I rather liked the clothing in the films because it made the Elves look angelic, the dwarves dirty, and the hobbits rustic.

I have a notion that elves would wear soft, thin fabrics like silk.

Hobbits would wear bright colours, obviously, but the fabrics would be something comfortable bu not too expensive.

Orcs would wear whatever they could find!

Rumil · 06-08-2009, 03:13 PM

TGEW - zippers

makes me think the Dwarves liked their hoodies for suspicious lurking around shopping centres while not appearing on CCTV (Watchers??).

Hakon · 06-08-2009, 04:08 PM

I doubt they had zippers. It seems a little too advanced for the time when the story takes place. My guess is they tied the hoods onto the cloaks. The bottom of each hood had a string on each end and it tied to strings on the cloak.

07-02-2002, 05:59 PM	#1
Daisy Sandybanks Wight Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: California Posts: 101	Middle-Earth Clothing I was skimming through the appendixes of LotR along with the book too, and well, I realized, Tolkien dosn't mention Middle-Earth clothing that much, or at least in that much detail. I know clothing is not a big part in novels, and isn't too crucial to the story line, but what sort of clothing did the creatures of Middle-Earth wear? Elves? Dwarves? Orcs? Let me note, that in seeing the movie, I did get a few idea's as to what they wore, but since fashion is not my main concern in life, I don't know a lot of clothing 'words', so to say. Oh, and also, if its not too much trouble I would preferably like to know what types of clothing Hobbits wore. Thank you all so much! __________________ Knowlege is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil.

07-02-2002, 08:25 PM	#2
The Fifth Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: May 2002 Location: Mordor Posts: 427	Well, hobbits tend to wear bright colors.. breeches, shirts, overcoats, etc. Elves.. well, they would wear something elegant that suits their persona. Dwarves, I expect them to wear things that are dirty and clunky, and Orcs, armor and rags. __________________ - Ringwraith #5, Servant of the Eye

07-02-2002, 08:30 PM	#3
Nevfeniel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mithlond Posts: 783	Ooh, I'm wearing the perfect hobbit lass outfit right now! A pretty white skirt with a little blue flower pattern, and a shirt that has the little criss-cross ties on the front! And when I wear my Dr. Marten sandals, I feel exactly like a hobbit! Now, all I need to do is curl my hair and shrink. . . __________________ Consider the purr a variety of audible tranquilizer. [. . .] For a few of us, there is one more purr, a secret purr. When we combine our secret purrs, we produce the Purr of Power. And that is simply the amplified amity we feel as furred and purred beings.

07-02-2002, 08:36 PM	#4
The Fifth Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: May 2002 Location: Mordor Posts: 427	You should start eating six meals a day, too, Nev. __________________ - Ringwraith #5, Servant of the Eye

07-02-2002, 08:51 PM	#5
Nevfeniel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mithlond Posts: 783	Good point. Then I would look much more hobbit-ish. Seriously, I'm soo tiny for my age, the dermotologist (sp?) actually asked me how much I weigh because I'm so little! [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] __________________ Consider the purr a variety of audible tranquilizer. [. . .] For a few of us, there is one more purr, a secret purr. When we combine our secret purrs, we produce the Purr of Power. And that is simply the amplified amity we feel as furred and purred beings.

07-02-2002, 08:56 PM	#6
NazgulNumber10 Wight Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Lonely Mountain Posts: 116	oh yeah? im 14 5'2 and weigh 75 pounds! __________________ http://squee.netdrain.com/images/hnb/hnb10.jpg

07-02-2002, 08:58 PM	#7
Nevfeniel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mithlond Posts: 783	Um, you should eat more, NN10. I'm the same age, same height and I weigh something like 94. Looks like you need the 6 meals a day more than I do. __________________ Consider the purr a variety of audible tranquilizer. [. . .] For a few of us, there is one more purr, a secret purr. When we combine our secret purrs, we produce the Purr of Power. And that is simply the amplified amity we feel as furred and purred beings.

07-02-2002, 09:00 PM	#8
NazgulNumber10 Wight Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Lonely Mountain Posts: 116	i know. im thin and have a VERY VERY VERY fast metabolisom (sp?). and the ood thing is so many people are fat, maybe i just balance out the universe... __________________ http://squee.netdrain.com/images/hnb/hnb10.jpg

07-02-2002, 09:16 PM	#9
Raefindel Sword of the Spirit Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,313	Hobbits are described as wearing chiefly green and yellow. __________________ Blessed be the Lord my Strength, Who trained my hands for war and my fingers to fight. Psallm 144:1

07-03-2002, 01:45 AM	#10
Belin Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: all the wide unfriendly pathways of the world Posts: 330	According to the beginning of The Hobbit, dwarves wear brightly colored hooded cloaks and tuck their beards into their belts. As for what elves and such wear, I've been wondering about that myself. It probably varies from region from region and Age to Age. --Belin Ibaimendi __________________ "I hate dignity," cried Scraps, kicking a pebble high in the air and then trying to catch it as it fell. "Half the fools and all the wise folks are dignified, and I'm neither the one nor the other." --L. Frank Baum

07-05-2002, 01:11 PM	#11
White Knight Guest Posts: n/a	You know, I was just thinking about this... Elven cloaks were discribed as being light, kind of shimmery(I don't know fashion words either [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]) and warm, so for the movie I thought I'd be good to have some of that light, almost see through material that they use over dresses and shirts, in green because it easily blends into things. Hobbits wear earthy bright colours like Daffodil yellow and grass green. Dwarves wear dark earthy colors except for their cloaks and Men wear... well, regular men's clothes. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

07-05-2002, 01:28 PM	#12
Amanaduial the archer Shadow of Starlight Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: dancing among the ledgerlines... Posts: 2,347	I had a sort of idea somehow before the movie actually came out, cos i drew quite alot of doodles and sketches on and in my rough book, mainly of elves. How do pounds measure up to stone? Cos yeah im real small as well at 13, 5ft and just under 5 stone. How does that measure up? Aw! Nevfeniel the hobbit! __________________ I am what I was, a harmless little devil

07-05-2002, 02:18 PM	#13
Remmirath Pile O'Bones Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Eldalonde on fair Westernesse Posts: 12	Hmm. Personally I don't think fashions would change very much, especially for Elves. (with the whole, immortal thing and all. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] They seem to always make beautiful things, so it wouldn't really matter, they would always look beautiful. Personally, I love how the hobbit's clothes were in the movies. I thought it was perfect, except they needed a bit brighter colors in their wardrobe. Dwarves, I could see having hideous fashion sense, very tacky. Hmm. Orcs would just be nasty, probably dark and dirty rags. As for Ents, well, they don't exactly need clothes, do they? I expect Goldberry would dress much like Elves, in light flowy clothing, and Tom Bombadil like hobbits. __________________ "From this point on, she whispered to him earlier, we will either find or lose our souls." The English Patient "But you ARE a person, and I can't say I'm fond of that" -Nny "Over the Moutains of the Moon, down the valley of the Shadow, Ride, boldly ride, the shade replied-if you seek for Eldorado!"-Edgar Allen Poe I am dearprudence64 on AOL. IM me.

07-06-2002, 10:07 AM	#14
Auriel Haevasawen Wight Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nowhere of importance Posts: 240	I remember that Legolas wore shoes on Carahdas (never can spell it) if that's any help. It isn't is it? Sorry. I wear elven dresses and they tend to be empire line and have long pointy sleves and a flowing skirt part. (oh empire line means gathered just below the bust) Not quite Peter Jackson's image but it's my interpretation of Tolkien, not his. Hobbits, bright greens and yellows in semi-Victorian style. Dwarves sort of Medieval with bright capuchon style hoods. Elves in anything, long flowing and comfortable if female and Robin Hood-like if not. Goldberry, a 17th century milkmaid, Tom Bombadil a medieval huntsman. Hmm, never use my imagination. It's a dangerous thing. __________________ Auriel

07-08-2002, 02:48 PM	#15
Amanaduial the archer Shadow of Starlight Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: dancing among the ledgerlines... Posts: 2,347	Robin Hood-ish? good way of describing it actually! Empire line- "gathered below the bust". U mean like in the pride and predjusice film? Whered u get them all? __________________ I am what I was, a harmless little devil

07-08-2002, 04:55 PM	#16
Owain son of Urien Pile O'Bones Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Glamorganshire, Wales Posts: 21	Apart from the Hobbits, I've always tended to picture the characters in LOtR's dressed medieval style. Think Elizabeth Taylor and Robert Taylor in 'Ivanhoe'[a prettier film than Prince of Thieves]. Now though, Auriel has made me wonder. Empire style eh? Especially for the Elves? Think Gwyneth Paltrow in the film 'Emma'[mmmmm-delicious]. How's that for an image of Galadriel? [aaarrrggghhh cold water QUICKLY]

06-08-2009, 12:12 AM	#17
johnconor Newly Deceased Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1	hello The term Middle-earth is not, however, used in Tolkien's earliest writings about his created world: writings that date from the early 1920s and which were later published in The Book of Lost Tales (1983-4); nor is the term used in The Hobbit (1937).[8] Tolkien began to use the term "Middle-earth" in the latter part of the 1930s, in place of the earlier terms "Great Lands", "Outer Lands", and "Hither Lands" that he had used to describe this region in his stories.[8] The term Middle-earth appears in the drafts of The Lord of the Rings, and the first published appearance of the word "Middle-earth" in Tolkien's works is in the Prologue to that work: "...Hobbits had, in fact, lived quietly in Middle-earth for many long years before other folk even became aware of them.

06-08-2009, 04:14 AM	#18
Hookbill the Goomba Alive without breath Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: On A Cold Wind To Valhalla Posts: 5,912	johnconor; if you are going to lift a mostly irrelevant article from wikipedia , make sure you take the footnote references out. It's just sloppy. __________________ I think that if you want facts, then The Downer Newspaper is probably the place to go. I know! I read it once. THE PHANTOM AND ALIEN: The Legend of the Golden Bus Ticket... Last edited by Hookbill the Goomba; 06-08-2009 at 04:30 AM.

06-08-2009, 06:02 AM	#19
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	That was a strange one. I get the feeling that hats were far more frequent in Middle-earth than our modern world. Hats and facial hair. They were simpler times; they were better times. __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

06-08-2009, 09:11 AM	#20
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,458	taking a pro-hat, anti-facial hair stance... But what became of the shapeless felt bag Sam used as a hat on departure from Bag End but which was never mentioned again? Lost on the road or on the downs?

06-08-2009, 12:56 PM	#21
Rumil Sage & Onions Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Britain Posts: 894	I'll get my coat Nicely spotted Mith! some other clothing-related odds and ends... No shoes for hobbits, hairy feet mandatory (unless you believe Maril ), except for some of the Stoors that seem to have worn clogs or boots in marshy land. The Guard at Minas Tirith wore surcoats over their armour. Oh, and the Dwarven cloaks had detachable hoods (how does that work?) The Shirrifs wore caps with feathers on. Wood elves liked green, Lothlorien elves grey or white. Cloaks seem popular - hobbits, dwarves, Aragorn, elves, Wizards, etc Orc clothes were made of some unclean hairy beast-fell (reminded me of horribly scratchy camel-hair coats that were popular in the 70s) Definitely agree with Eomer that practically everyone would wear a hat (when outside of course), after all 50 years ago in our reality practically everyone did too - little in the way of central heating, shopping malls, cars etc. __________________ Rumil of Coedhirion

06-08-2009, 03:13 PM	#23
Rumil Sage & Onions Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Britain Posts: 894	Zippedy doo dah TGEW - zippers makes me think the Dwarves liked their hoodies for suspicious lurking around shopping centres while not appearing on CCTV (Watchers??). __________________ Rumil of Coedhirion

06-08-2009, 04:08 PM	#24
Hakon Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Twilight Zone Posts: 736	I doubt they had zippers. It seems a little too advanced for the time when the story takes place. My guess is they tied the hoods onto the cloaks. The bottom of each hood had a string on each end and it tied to strings on the cloak. __________________ Medicine for the soul. ~Inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes