Eoin Fashion

Overview

Fashion within Eoion has changed over the centuries, but certain motifs have remained. Sleeves, layers, hair ornaments, hair styling, and other such things have been used in different ways as indicators of status, wealth, occupation, marital status, and more. Below are more detailed explanations of current trends among Eoin people. The subtle variations in meaning and use are more often found within the empire's aristocracy as they are able to afford the myriad of differing items necessary for full style communication.

Clothing

In general, Eoin people tend to show their wealth and status through the number of layers they wear, the length of the garment, the length of the sleeves, and the motifs used for each.

Colors

The color of a garment is usually used to signify a particular emotion. Overall, pale colors are associated with the upper class as they are not engaged in the more hands-on work that would dirty such garments. Pale blue, red, pink, yellow, purple, and white are all popular colors. In recent years, gradients of color have surged in popularity due to the difficulty in achieving a smooth gradient. Nobility and royalty in particular have taken to wearing a white gradient that fades into another color. White to purple is especially popular with the royals as these are the two colors most closely associated with them and the nation as a whole.

• Meanings of colors: white (authority, status, wealth), green (peace, stability, health), purple (freedom from evil, Bolu , bravery), blue (calmness, flow, dominance), yellow/gold (prosperity, love, respect), orange (passion, change, friendship), red (vigor, military success, trust), black/grey (elegance, contemplation, loyalty/service), brown (determination, resilience, medicine)

Layers

At their innermost, Eoins will wear one robe with the right side folded over the left. Pants will be seen under this in the lower classes, but the robe and pants are counted together as one layer as they complete a full outfit. Two robes and pants are two layers and tend to come in the merchant classes, with length becoming a more important factor than layer number in determining status. In the aristocracy and high nobility, three or four layers are seen and pants are slowly phased out as the length reaches the floor. Five layers tend to be reserved for formal occasions and only seen with the high nobility. Only the royals wear six layers at once and this is only during the most traditional and formal of events.

Length

The standard length of clothing is from the hips and downward. Lower classes have their garments at the waist or just past it to maintain decency. As one moves up in rank, the length increases. Merchants of varying degrees of wealth will have their robes between the waist and knees. Once one enters the aristocracy, the knees signify the lowest rank. Most nobles wear robes between the knees and the floor. Not tripping is a skill taught early among the highest classes, particularly when long robes are combined with many layers.

Sleeves

The size and shape of sleeves denote a great deal about the status and occupation of the wearer. Slaves wear robes which are completely sleeveless no matter their secondary occupation or training. The poor will wear short sleeves in the warm months and long sleeves tight to the arm during cold weather. Merchants, if they wear two layers, will often wear either a long sleeved tunic, reaching about three quarters down the arm, under a shorter sleeved one, often between the mid-upper arm and elbow. Within the aristocracy, sleeves become longer until they reach just past the fingertips when the arms are laid at their sides. This length is generally only see in the very high levels of the aristocracy and the royal family. Coupled with several layers, these are the most formal types of attire.
A special type of outfit consists of dropping sleeves that come together at the hands in a border. These are reserved for doctors.

Motifs

Commonly, motifs are seen in embroidery, which is the purview of the upper classes. In general, they are divided into three themes: animals, nature, and others.
First, various animals hold particular meanings. At the top are the Tsirin. Only the baejan is allowed to wear clothing depicting the full tsirin. The tsudaeba is permitted to wear the tail as tails symbolize balance and support, the primary jobs of the tsudaeba. Claws are reserved for decorated military officials. Eyes are granted to nobility who have provided excellent service to the empire. The number of claws and eyes dictates rank and prestige, with more meaning a greater amount. However, the opposite is true for the tsudaeba. One tail denotes the first, and therefore primary, spouse. More tails denotes lower ranking spouses, although this system has seldom been used.
Other popular animals include owls (vision, forbearance), lizards (renewal, luck), fish (serenity), butterflies (magic) and birds (purity, life).
Nature motifs include various types of flowers. Chrysanthemums (love), tulips (happiness), lilies (peace), and roses (strength) are the most popular. The color of each flower adds to the meaning based on the colors detailed above. Clouds are also a popular decoration, generally associated with magic and spirituality, although this is not a hard rule and many simply like the pattern. Trees are sometimes shown when a scene is depicted, such as around a building or on a series of mountains.
Other motifs are architecture, usually a stylized version of some famous building or architectural style from history. Swirling patterns are also popular and often imitate the rings and braiding seen in the Eoin hairstyles discussed below.

Hair Styles

Braids are by far the most popular way for Eoins to style their hair. The number, size, and intricacy of the braided patterns, like much of the rest of their fashion, are shorthand for wealth and status.

• Thick single straight braids- often used by lower classes as a way to keep hair out of the face while also maintaining a sense of pride in one's appearance. These are often unadorned. When a single straight braid contains rings or other ornaments, they show some class.
• Slim single straight braids- these are generally party of a larger hairstyle worn by nobility. They tend to be adorned in some way or woven into one another to create larger patterns. A person wearing only slim straight braids would be considered lower in terms of nobility, but still as having status
• Woven slim braids- depending on the pattern, these can be used as everyday wear for nobility or high fashion for mid-range aristocrats. The amount and type of ornamentation come into play here. Braids woven in a simple pattern around one another are the easiest to achieve. As one moves higher in social ranking, the weaving tends to cross the head and make several turns between each other
• Braids following the shape of the head rathe than hanging are more antiquated and considered old fashioned. Many paintings, drawings, and sculptures of famous Eoins have their hair this way and those of high noble birth will sometimes do their hair like this during extremely traditional or formal events, but it is not required.

Buns are used in conjunction with braids. They are often made of smaller braids and used to make the hair look fuller. Buns tend to be worn by lower nobility or those who keep their hair shorter. Long hair is considered a sign of status and class, with the highest nobility having hair often to their waist and below. The ability to maintain such hair is highly important to them.
Looping patterns can be used by any class. When the loops are made of interwoven braids, they show status. Six loops are common to show patriotism (four for the four conquered kingdoms and two for Eoion itself). Less than six is common among lower classes as they cannot afford the services of skilled stylists. Nobility often have many small loops rather than larger ones to incorporate more intricacy into the pattern.

Hair Ornaments

Many different hair ornaments are seen within Eoin culture. A description of each type and their use follows. The materials used for each are determiners of wealth and status. Higher ranking men and women will use more expensive materials to show off their wealth. Gold and diamonds are the most popular, with amethyst following as a close second. Silver and copper are seen more as small highlights among the upper classes rather than being used for the main body as these metals are seen as less fashionable. All types may have dangling pieces made from metal threads and containing jewels. These are almost exclusively decorative. On an Eoin's birthday, they generally wear the hair ornament made during their Ceremony of Becoming a Citizen, although some choose to wear it more often.

Combs

These are generally used by older people as they are less finicky than clips and not as heavy as crowns. Most are decorated with patterns of flowers made from jewels in a metal setting. The type and amount of jewels and metal is dependent on the wealth of the individual. Combs in the same design on the sides of the head often indicate an affinity for a particular magic. Only aliq-esh would wear differing ones, although they would have the same design, just using different colors. Younger people tend to only use one colored comb to show their essence affinity, or, in the case of aliq-esh, a single comb in two colors.

Sticks

Eoins often wear multiple sticks in their hair, usually pointing upward. Very traditional people will wear them facing downward, although this style has fallen out of fashion. The most common end of a stick is a sphere shape. Colors often follow the meanings, but can also be dictated by personal preference. Darker colors are sometimes used to contrast with the lighter ones seen in most clothing styles. Gold or silver inlay is also common.

Clips

The colors and jewels in clips have meaning based on colors and materials, such as diamonds and gold for the most wealthy. Intricate clips are popular for the children of the aristocracy due to the security they provide and the shorter hair seen on most children. Placement of clips is highly important. A single clip worn on the right side, depicting a flower, is worn on those who are looking for a romantic partner. Two clips of the same animal signify one is married. Worn at the top of the head, a clip showing an owl denotes a job in government service. Clips showing clouds or patterns are used to indicate wealth, but do not have a meaning in and of themselves.

Crowns

Seen mostly in the upper classes during extremely formal occaisions, only the baejan and tsudaeba's crowns have significance. Crowns used for fashion are often more akin to headbands with intricate metal and jewel designs. Smaller crowns may be confused with clips or combs, but are generally taller. Domed crowns are also common. Dangling pieces hanging from the main body tend to shield the face or sides of the head. The highest classes will often wear crowns that have their family crest on them in some way. Birds and butterflies are the most popular motifs seen in crowns, along with lizard tails and claws along the borders.

Forehead Pieces

Differentiating crowns from forehead pieces is the fact that crowns often either sit at the top of the head or frame it from one side to the other. Forehead pieces wrap around the front of the head and sometimes tie at the back if they are made predominantly of ribbon. If not, they will often have comb-like attachments to allow them to hook onto the sides of the head. Small jewel beads often hang from the center and are framed by threads of gold, copper, or silver. Thin forehead pieces with orange jewels are worn predominantly by those attempting to appear seductive. Pearls and braided thread show high status. Those composed of ribbon are generally worn by the less wealthy, although the rich will sometimes add ribbons as secondary decorations to the pieces.

Rings

These are a relatively new trend in Eoin fashion. Hair beads have been popular since the time of the first kingdom and are still worn, particularly by the high nobility and royals. Gold or silver rings are woven into the braids as an extra touch of sophistication. The number and size of the rings is often irrelevant, although there is a growing association of large rings with gaudiness and many smaller rings with refinement.

Body Jewelry

Most Eoins will wear some sort of jewelry on their bodies. The nobility do so daily with several pieces while the middle and lower classes tend toward one or two at a time.

Necklaces

The most common daily wear necklaces are those worn by married couples. On it hangs the ring they gave one another on their wedding day. These are worn daily. Unmarried persons who are searching for romantic partners may a simple gold chain without a ring to show their interest. Other necklace styles include ribbon chokers and looped metal pieces. Hanging jewels are common as well, along with strands similar to those found on crowns or sticks, although shorter. Necklaces that bend out rather than hanging straight down have come into fashion in the last fifty years as well. Styles are generally based on personal taste, but gold or silver accompanied by hanging jewels is popular, especially with nobility who can afford such pieces. Necklaces made entirely from jewels are seen as unpatriotic given Eoion's history of precious metal mining.

Earrings

Due to the long hair styles of Eoins, large earrings are unpopular. Instead, they tend to wear ear cuffs or earrings with short dangles. The ornate ear cuffs can have ornamentation that keeps the hair back or shows through it. These can be large as they will not become tangled. Small earrings are often silver, gold, or copper chains with a single jewel or two pearls at the end.

Bracelets

These are often worn regardless of sleeve length or number. They are often the most personal parts of the daily jewelry, aside from hair ornaments. Current trends favor flat gold or silver bands that swirl up the forearm. Along with this, mother of pearl and moonstones have grown fashionable. Number of bracelets has no meaning. It is ornateness and material that determines the wealth and class of the person wearing them. 

Rings

While the marriage ring is only worn around the neck, other rings are worn on the fingers. Diamonds, topaz, sapphires, and such are popular. The color meanings are the same as listed elsewhere. Small designs carved into the rings are important as well. The more intricate such designs are, the more status the person is said to have. Most famously, the symbol of the royal family is a ring with a tsirin carved into it. 

Make up

Every day make up is similar for men and women. The mouth and eyes are accentuated, often using dark colors as a contrast to the light clothing. Small jewels are sometimes pressed to the face as well, particularly at the corners of the eyes and just under the mouth. These often correspond to whatever essence the person is attuned to, if any. If they are not, then it can be a fashion choice, but is only then used on one eye. Eyeshadow is minimal as is blush.