Clothing

**Clothing** and costuming furthers the layers of the narrative in several major ways. First, it helps to establish a unique look for each of the Seven Kingdoms and other regions of the world, hopefully making it easier for readers to distinguish between characters from the North, the Westerlands, or the Reach. Each of these unique fashions are also informed by the nature of each region, giving further visual detail about each of them, i.e. the North is cold but not very rich, so the Stark clothing style consists of heavy furs with little jewellery, while the Westerlands are very rich in precious metals, so the Lannister clothing style consists of more plate metal and jewellery.

Second, the costumes within the series are consciously intended to tell a narrative, and subtly reflect political allegiances. The ruling noble families are the trend-setters in each of the regions they rule over. There is no "unwritten rule" that all Westerlands characters dress like the Lannisters as a conceit of the series, as imposing a uniform on them. Rather, it is an *actual* rule at work within the story, that other Westerlands families self-consciously imitate the fashions set by the Lannisters, other noble families from the Reach try to imitate the fashions worn by the Tyrells, and so on. The ruling families from each region are the trendsetters, and their vassals all try to emulate them. To a lesser extent fashions also trickle down to the smallfolk (commoners) in each region, even down to the prostitutes. As Clapton described **the "trickle-down principle"**:

"The design of the nobles' clothes spirals outward; what they wear inspires the people around them, from the ladies-in-waiting to the household staff, on down to the peasants."
While the major ruling families of the Seven Kingdoms set the fashions that their own followers wear, the royal court at King's Landing is where rivalries are played out between political factions from the different kingdoms. Thus, characters who have great influence at the royal court will become popular trendsetters, resulting in minor lords, courtiers, and even handmaidens imitating their fashions. Conversely, as characters lose influence at the royal court, fewer courtiers will imitate their fashions (it's not that different from school rivalries between social cliques, with the most influential being the ones who ultimately set the fashions).

## Clothing

### Men

#### Smallclothes

Men’s smallclothes generally take the form of a pair of linen, cotton, or silk, tailored with comfort in mind. These braiscan vary in length, resembling modern men’s underwear or reaching down to the knees, depending on what else is being worn over them. Commoners performing manual labour might strip down to their shirts and breeches (thus favouring the longer variety) for added comfort in the heat, and to protect their more valuable outer garments.

#### Shirts

After smallclothes, a man’s shirt is generally the second layer of their apparel. The shirt can be simple or complex in its tailoring, made of linen (for most), cotton, or silk. It will usually be long-sleeved, and is usually long enough to reach a few inches above the knees (or even longer). A shirt is kept plain, in regards to tailoring/materials, since this is a function-focused garment meant to protect the outerwear from perspiration and grime from the skin. As such, it and the smallclothes are usually the only garments that will be frequently and thoroughly washed.

#### Leggings

Leggings are essentially heavy-duty stockings which cover almost the entire leg. They can be worn in place of breeches, or in addition to them (especially in cold weather). When worn in place of breeches, as outerwear, they are affixed to one’s smallclothes for support. Leggings are ideal for those wearing longer tunics and/or robes, as breeches may prove encumbering and unneeded. They may also be desired by commoners, who can remove them easily for manual labour.

#### Breeches

Distinguished from smallclothes. Outerwear breeches my come in a variety of styles, trims, materials, etc. They can be worn in place of leggings, or in addition to them (especially in cold weather). Breeches are generally preferred when wearing short tunics, or no tunic, as leggings may not provide enough coverage/protection without a long garment.

#### Tunic

The tunic is a universal garment for men, often acting as the base layer of one’s proper ‘outfit’. A tunic may be long (reaching to the ankles, even) or short (only a few inches below the waste). Tunics, like shirts, are generally long-sleeved (bare arms aren’t very dignified, and while you can roll up your sleeves in summer, you can’t grow them out in winter). While a tunic is very common, it may be skipped, in which case the man’s shirt acts as outerwear (but with a jerkin or surcoat still over it). Keep in mind that this style would require a man to be wearing breeches to tuck his shirt into, and would be considered quite informal.

NOTE: A long tunic (reaching past the knees) can also be referred to as a "cotte", like the simple style of women's gown. The garments are essentially the same, with the woman's cotte being longer (ankle-length, roughly).

#### Doublet

A doublet is an alternative to the tunic, that seems to be worn in Westeros and by young men in some of the Free Cities (namely Braavos and possibly Pentos). It is a short coat usually made of heavier materials like wool, velvet or leather. This is due to its origins as a piece of clothing worn under plate armor. It is usually worn with breeches because of its lack of serious coverage beyond the waistline. A doublet seems to be a garment associated mostly with young fighting men, it seems unlikely that a lord or king would wear a doublet, unless as part of their battle attire.

#### Surcoat

A surcoat is an outer garment that can be worn over a man’s tunic (or shirt, if not wearing a tunic). A surcoat may be sleeved or sleeveless, and of varying lengths, though it is usually long, or as long as the tunic worn under it. Surcoats are made of heavier, more durable material most of the time, such as leather or wool.

#### Jerkin

A jerkin is an outer garment that can be worn over a man’s tunic (or shirt, if not wearing a tunic), and may be worn over a surcoat as well. Jerkins are usually made of leather, but we can presume that other hardy materials are used in their construction too.

#### Robes

Long sleeved, generally, and ankle-length. May be worn closed, depending on the style. Men wearing robes will usually prefer leggings and long tunics beneath, though some robes may replace the roll of a tunic. Robes are usually the most comfortable kind of outerwear, and will be preferred by those who spend most of their time in castles, or in very hot climates where you don’t want things to ‘cling’ too much. This makes them the preferred outerwear of most Dornish nobles.

#### Cloak/Mantle

Whenever a man is outdoors, or in a relatively formal setting (with maybe Dorne and Essosi cultures being an exception) he will almost always be wearing a cloak or mantle. These can be heavy or light in their materials, depending on climate, and are often richly embroidered with a man’s colours, and possibly their sigil. The style in most cultures is for men (especially lords) to have broad, dignified shoulders, and a cloak adds to that aesthetic where simply wearing a tunic/surcoat/jerkin does little to help it.

### Women

#### Smallclothes

Women’s smallclothes can be very similar to men’s though, this is not usually the case on the west of the Narrow Sea. Women may wear a breast-covering/binding if they are nursing, wearing clothing that calls for one, or to give the appearance of a smaller bust.

##### Shift

The shift is the female equivalent of a man’s shirt. It will almost always be ankle-length, though some may only fall to the knees. It is usually long-sleeved, but may be sleeveless (especially with gowns that leave exposed arms, shoulders, cleavage, etc). This garment has a number of names (‘undersilk’ another term), but ‘shift’ is universal. It resembles the modern concept of a nightgown, being essentially a long, loose gown without a waist seam. A shift is kept plain, in regards to tailoring/materials, since this is a function-focused garment meant to protect the outerwear from perspiration and grime from the skin. As such, it and the smallclothes are usually the only garments that will be frequently and thoroughly washed.

##### Underskirt

An ‘underskirt’ may be worn as an alternative to a shift, or in addition to one. This is a knee- or ankle-length skirt that hangs off the waist, rather than a full-body garment. An underskirt may be worn with gowns that a full shift would interfere with (such as Qartheen gowns, where one breast is exposed). It may also be preferred in Dorne and certain Free Cities, where a full shift may clash with the lighter, airier fashions of outerwear. An underskirt may be worn in addition to a shift as well, providing an extra layer for modesty or protection from the elements. Wearing an underskirt (and not a shift) would probably call for an additional breast-covering garment, since most gowns are either made of strong materials that would irritate sensitive skin, or thin materials that would prove overly ‘revealing’.

#### Stockings

Women have the benefit of long skirts, so their stockings aren’t as heavy-duty as men’s leggings. They also vary in length, ranging from knee-high to the full length of the leg. Keep in mind that in medieval Europe, and presumably in the majority of Westerosi cultures, bare legs are not considered appropriate for a woman, especially if she’s of the nobility.

#### Breeches

From time to time, women may find themselves wearing breeches. This is usually for practical purposes (wearing armour, riding a horse, etc) though some cultures, such as the Dothraki, consider this normal. Note that women who opt for breeches will usually still have some kind of covering (gown, long tunic, etc) over them, as showing the full contour of a woman’s legs is improper in most cultures. Wearing breeches as outerwear should be rare.

#### Gown

Westerosi gowns can be thought of as fitting into one of two categories; kirtles and cottes. These terms are somewhat anachronistic (though ‘kirtle’ is used most), since they are both synonyms for ‘gown’. However, since the entire medieval era is bridged together, we must distinguish between the earlier and later styles of women’s gown. The ‘kirtle and cotte’ distinctions are just for the sake of this guide. Both styles can be referred to as ‘gowns’.

A **cotte** gown is a simple garment that is similar in concept to a tunic. It can simply be pulled over the head, which is allowed for by the wide opening at the top, which is secured shut by a broach or since pair of laces in order to form a neckline. The cotte gown is long sleeved and ankle-length, and requires a shift or underskirt beneath it. This can also be referred to as a ‘simple gown’. It is likely favoured in Dorne, since it can be made light, loose, and airy. Since they lack a bodice, these gowns are usually paired with a belt or sash/girdle at the waist, to give definition to the woman’s figure. It tends to be more favoured amongst the smallfolk, as it is easier to make and does not waste material.

A **kirtle** gown consists of three main parts. Skirt, bodice, and sleeves. The skirt is always ankle-length, with very few exceptions. The bodice covers the torso, and is permanently attached to the skirt. It can be high- or low-cut, form-fitting (loosely or tightly), and closed by laces or buttons on the front, back, or sides of the bodice. Sleeves are always long, and are often detachable from the rest of the gown, allowing interchanging of styles or simply exposing the sleeves of one’s shift. This is the more fashionable style of gown in Westeros, especially amongst nobility in the courts of the south. Gowns in the styles of the Free Cities (especially Lys and Volantis) may be sleeveless, light garments that do not require a full shift underneath. Certain Westerosi fashions may be similar, particularly Dornish gowns. Keep in mind, however, that less coverage isn't always desirable in an arid climate like Dorne. They likely favour cotte-style gowns made of light materials, which provide coverage against the sun and dust without being too stuffy.

#### Surcoat

A woman's surcoat is often the primary outer/formal wear of their overall outfit. It may by sleeveless, or feature sleeves of varying lengths. It might act to complement the gown being worn, or overshadow it. In any case, women (throughout most of Westeros, aside from maybe some parts of Dorne) will usually wear a surcoat as part of their formal wear, or might wear one as part of their everyday attire. A surcoat is usually made of heavier materials than a cotte or kirtle, and is often decorated ornately with embroidering, jewels, and fur.

#### Robes

Long sleeved, generally, and ankle-length. May be worn closed, depending on the style. Men wearing robes will usually prefer leggings and long tunics beneath, though some robes may replace the roll of a tunic. Robes are usually the most comfortable kind of outerwear, and will be preferred by those who spend most of their time in castles, or in very hot climates where you don’t want things to ‘cling’ too much. This makes them the preferred outerwear of most Dornish nobles.

#### Mantle/Cloak

Whenever a man is outdoors, or in a relatively formal setting (with maybe Dorne and Essosi cultures being an exception) he will almost always be wearing a cloak or mantle. These can be heavy or light in their materials, depending on climate, and are often richly embroidered with a man’s colours, and possibly their sigil. The style in most cultures is for men (especially lords) to have broad, dignified shoulders, and a cloak adds to that aesthetic where simply wearing a tunic/surcoat/jerkin does little to help it.

## The Seven Kingdoms

The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros were united into a single political realm by Aegon's Conquest (except for Dorne), a century and a half before the events of *Clash of Crowns*. The entire geographic region south of the Wall is still colloquially referred to as "the Seven Kingdoms", even though they are no longer seven independent realms.

The Targaryen kings also established two new administrative regions in their realm: the Riverlands – which for thousands of years was a contested borderland that frequently changed hands between neighbouring kingdoms – and the Crownlands, which was carved out of neighbouring kingdoms and ruled directly from the new capital city of King's Landing. Therefore, the "Seven Kingdoms" actually contains eight administrative regions.

The lands beyond the Wall are the only region where particular distinction is made between "Westeros" the continent and "the Seven Kingdoms" as a political entity: Those lands are physically part of the former, but do not fall under the jurisdiction of the latter.

Regardless of their shifting borders and changing names, the Seven Kingdoms contain a wide array of environments, which is often reflected through their clothing. Ranging from the snows of the North to the sandy deserts of Dorne in the south, from the fertile lands of the Reach to the soaring peaks of the Vale, each region has its own unique costumes and fashion styles, as well as certain sub-groups within the larger regions.

### The North

The North has been ruled by House Stark for thousands of years, stretching back before written history and into legend. The North is the coldest of the Seven Kingdoms; the harsh years-long winters that plague Westeros are felt most keenly here, and snow can fall in the North even during the summer. It is also the only region of the Seven Kingdoms with a hostile land border, with wildling raids often coming south of the Wall. Combined with a lack of any significant material wealth, life in the North can often boil down to a basic struggle for survival. As a result, Northerners tend to be very dour in nature, and this is visible in their clothing.

Northmen mostly wear clothing in shades of blue, grey, and occasionally black; murky colours for a winter climate. They also wear heavy furs to keep out the cold, but few precious metals or jewellery, viewing elaborate decoration as ostentatious and unnecessary. Most soldiers cannot afford metal plate armour except for helmets, and rely more on chainmail and studded leather. Northern women are focused on practicality, and generally wear their hair long to retain heat (they wouldn't have an upswept hairstyle the way Johanna Dondarrion of the Reach does; their ears would get cold). Northern noblewomen often cannot afford expensive jewellery, but still have dignity and make a concerted effort to wear attractive fashions. Therefore, they compensate for this lack of jewellery with elaborate embroidery.

Because Northerners are largely descended from the First Men and most still worship the Old Gods of the Forest, the *Seven-Pointed Star* symbol used by the Faith of the Seven is rarely seen on Northern clothing and equipment. Even Northern Heraldry is intentionally much simpler than most designs from southern Westeros (heraldic designs are specifically connected to chivalry, which belongs to the Faith of the Seven).

#### House Stark

The clothing worn by House Stark follows the standard Northern aesthetic, but with a few twists. Since the Starks are a warm and close-knit family unit, they wear friendlier, softer shades of blue and grey. Their outfits also include some warm murky browns, to match the colour of the animal furs they wear.

Individual members of House Stark also have unique touches to their clothing, which may reflect something about their personality and/or the larger narrative in which the garments appear. As the only daughter and of a Great House, Torrha is highly skilled at sewing and embroidery and makes a particular effort to wear stylish clothing.

#### Crannogmen/House Reed

The crannogmen inhabit the swamps of the Neck- the southernmost part of the North, which borders the Riverlands. They are ruled by House Reed and serve as loyal vassals to the Starks. The crannogmen are so-called because they live atop artificial floating islands made out of logs, known as crannogs. Dwellings built of thatch and woven reeds sit atop the crannogs, and cluster into small villages deep within the swamps.

The crannogmen are something of a unique hybrid culture between typical Northerners and the kingdoms of southern Westeros. While they are largely descended from the First Men, as most Northerners are, they branched off from their cousins many centuries ago, and their homeland has forced them to adopt a very different lifestyle: The climate of the Neck is not cold and desolate like most of the North, but instead is very humid, swampy, and overgrown with plants, fish, and game. The crannogmen do not march troops into open battle, and if their land is invaded they simply relocate their crannogs deeper into the swamps. They will then use guerrilla tactics, weapons such as darts, arrows and spears (often coated in poison), and their superior knowledge of the difficult terrain to bleed the invaders through attrition.

Crannogmen such as Theo and Raya Reed mostly wear simple animal skins taken from game they've hunted in the swamps. Because they rely on ambushing invaders, rather than attacking them head-on, their clothing features muted shades of green, grey, and brown to blend in with their environment. Crannogmen wear all-green clothing (even their boots), the better to camouflage themselves in the swamps of the Neck. This aids in their favoured tactics of sneaking up on enemies without being noticed, peppering them with poison-tipped arrows, then melting back into the swamp before their enemies can react. While it isn't clear if Raya Reed is typical of female crannogmen, she is described as dressing no different from a boy, so women may have no distinct clothing style (and clearly they join their men on guerrilla raids). The crannogmen do have access to iron weapons but, similar to the Dornishmen, they tend to forego heavy steel armour in favour of speed and mobility, so what little metal armour they might wear is made of lighter bronze. More often they wear leather armour or no armour at all, and carry leather shields. Apart from their bows and poisoned arrows, crannogmen fight with the same tools they use to hunt wild game; three-pronged spears used for hunting frogs, and even nets.

### The Westerlands

In contrast to the North, the Westerlands (ruled by House Lannister) is the richest of the Seven Kingdoms, due to its gold and silver mines. As a result, soldiers from the Westerlands can afford full plate armour, including helmets with complex movable visors and shoulder guards with articulated lames (overlapping layers) that allow for greater movement while still providing protection. Apparently to distinguish Westerlands armour from the "classic" European-style designs seen in the Reach or the Vale, the armour carries a strong Japanese influence.

The fact that all regular infantry troops of the Westerlands wear the same complex plate armour may serve two additional points - beyond simply showing that they can afford more armour than the other kingdoms: First, it gives them a much more uniform appearance, which simultaneously makes them look like a more disciplined army, and perhaps emphasizes the Lannisters’ near-tyrannical control over their vassals (in contrast, the Northmen and the Rivermen often have much more variation in their armour). A second point is that Westerlands infantry are almost always seen wearing their armour - even on guard duty or just sitting around in army camps. This may be a subtle reference to a note from the books, that Tywin frequently sends his army on forced marches, and wants them to be ready to march into battle at a moment's notice.
Westermen tunics have simple shoulders, and the sleeves are usually fitted and made of the same material as the main body of the garment.

Typically, dresses and gowns tend to have form-fitting sleeves and a symmetrical cut, as well as a separate front piece, shield-shaped and centered over the chest, which is laced up on both sides and results in a squared-off neckline.

However, there are some individuals, such as Liane Reyne, who have spent most of their life in King's Landing, and adopted dresses that are layered like armour, wrapped around a woman like a Japanese kimono. Liane's dresses also tend to have long billowing sleeves. Her style has some similarities with the Targaryen style, such as an overall Asian-inspired asymmetrical cut: For the Targaryens, this style accentuated how foreign they were to Westeros.

### The Reach

Second only to the Westerlands in wealth, the Reach - ruled for 150 years by House Tyrell - contains the most fertile land in Westeros. This agricultural bounty supports the largest population in the Seven Kingdoms, allowing the Tyrells to field immense armies of well-equipped soldiers. For many centuries, the Reach was also the cultural heartland of the Andals, who first arrived in Westeros roughly 6,000 years ago. The Faith of the Seven – an Andal import – is based in the largest city of the Reach, Oldtown. As such, chivalry and other knightly traditions are especially strong here. Knights in the Reach generally wear "classic" Western European-style armour, and are wealthy enough to full suits of steel plates. Depending on the wearer, this armour may be elaborately decorated with inlay and engraving.

#### House Tyrell

Alyssa Tyrell's clothes are meant to be made of thin and breathable silks, to reflect that the Reach has warmer climate than the Westerlands or King’s Landing (though not as hot as the deserts of Dorne). The other noblewomen and handmaidens from the Reach emulate Alyssa's style directly, though Alyssa's grandmother Elinor, as matriarch of the family, favours heavily embroidered jackets with embossed belts and subtly coloured full skirts, giving her a no-nonsense, business-like appearance. Elinor also wears a headdress to cover her hair, maintaining a further appearance of dignified age.

Noblemen from the Reach, such as Victor Tyrell or Rawen Hightower, seem to wear the opposite style of the Lannisters and their Westerlands vassals. The latter wear tunics with an asymmetric cut, so Tyrell men have a symmetrical cut to their tunics. Reachmen tunics have loose sleeves made of a lighter or different material. Instead of the sleeves integrating smoothly into the tunic, the shoulders end in a wide opening which the smaller sleeves exit from.

Each House is normally dressed in the colours of their sigil, which in the Tyrells’ case is green and gold. However, the Tyrells mostly wear teal instead of true green. The idea is that they are trying to appear gentle and not overtly threatening - even as they insinuate themselves into positions of power.

Armour from the Reach tends to have a classic Western European look to it. The first example seen is Victor’s very ornate (and expensive) tournament armour; a full suit of steel plate, dyed green with intricate gold engravings.

Tyrell helmets have a flower motif to their overall shape (recalling the house’s sigil of a golden rose), with large metal ridges shaped like rose petals ringing the "crown" of the head. The helmets also have cheek guards, which are an extension of the main body of the helmet (not a separate piece of metal like Lannister armor, which is more complex). The wealth of the Reach is second only to the Westerlands, so its noble houses are generally able to equip even their regular infantry with suits of plate armour. The military discipline of the Reach is also reflected in the fact that Tyrell soldiers, like the Lannister troops, all wear the same kind of armour.

### The Riverlands

The Riverlands did not exist as a unified region until Aegon's Conquest 152 years ago. For millennia, this land was a border region continuously fought over by the surrounding kingdoms. As a result, the noble Houses of the Riverlands are very diverse, and there is no set "Riverlands style" when it comes to clothing. After Aegon Targaryen drove out the ironborn who ruled the region at the time of the Conquest, House Tully was appointed to rule the Riverlands under the Targaryen kings. D

Due to their position as an unwitting battleground, houses in the Riverlands are more conscious of the need to continually protect their borders than some other regions. Although they are broadly part of the same “southern” culture as the other regions south of the Neck, they are slightly less focused on the “courtly” aspects of that culture, and this practicality is reflected in their clothing.

#### House Tully

House Tully of Riverrun is not as wealthy as the Lannisters or the Tyrells, but they are still a Great House, and its members dress accordingly. As a result, their clothing tends to be simpler, without many bright colours. Tully dress often incorporates a fish motif, recalling their sigil of a trout. The fish motif is also visible in the armour worn by male members of the house, such as Garrett and Tristifer: They are armoured with chainmail hauberks and suits completely made of leather scales.

### The Stormlands

The Stormlands (ruled by House Baratheon) are the most heavily forested region of the Seven Kingdoms, and are continually battered by storms that blow across the Narrow Sea separating Westeros from the Free Cities (hence their name). They also lack significant material resources and, to some degree, natural defenses - they are better protected than the Riverlands, but less so than the Vale of Arryn. In order to survive, the Stormlands have become one of the most heavily militarized of the Seven Kingdoms, and some of the finest soldiers in Westeros have come from this region. As a result, Stormlander costumes are generally utilitarian. Helmets and armour of Baratheon soldiers are frequently decorated with small stag horns, representing the Baratheon sigil of a crowned black stag on a gold background.

The Stormlands are not quite as poor as the North, so their armour has a bit more shape to it, but usually lacks significant ornamentation. Stormlander knights are usually equipped with many plate armour parts and their helmets, while still a single-piece construction, include shaped brims and cheek guards, though they don't have the intricate movable visors of Lannister armour. Men from the Dornish Marches, however, seem to equip themselves differently than other Stormlanders; they wear long leather suits of ringmail, and occasionally some additional plate armour parts. Steel plate armour is more common among Stormlanders than Northerners, but is by no means universal.

Cassandra was raised in King's Landing, as the daughter of a prominent Lord. As such, she has grown up to be a very fashionably-dressed woman, and this was imparted on her children, most notably, Oraella. Durran is meant to dress quite well with large designs of antlers and stags, and while Arrec prefers quieter, more muted colours and a more plain design, he has very fine materials available, such as leather, silk and linen. This is in direct contrast to Ardan, who wears more layers of cheaper wools, denoting his position in the household.

### The Vale of Arryn

The Vale of Arryn (ruled by House Arryn) has a proud, arrogant aristocracy, who place a greater value on ancient Andal bloodines than any other region (though a few families, such as House Royce, are descended from the First Men). They are an impoverished aristocracy, however: the isolation of their mountains has allowed them to sit out major wars and maintain the purity of their bloodlines, but their mountains are not rich the way the mountains of the Westerlands are.

As a result their costumes look ornate, but faded and old. They tend to wear whites and blues (so faded that they appear practically green), from the colours of House Arryn's heraldry (a white falcon and moon on a blue background). Men tend to wear plain white surcoats over unadorned steel armour: they can’t afford the elaborate embellishments of Lannister or Tyrell knights. What Valemen infantry have been seen appear to wear a little more expensive plate armour than the Northern infantry (who only have chainmail and leather), but not as much as the Lannister or Tyrell infantry: basic Valemen infantry do have full metal breastplates, but don't also have metal armour covering their arms the way that Lannister and Tyrell infantry do. This is in keeping with the aesthetic that as a southern kingdom the Vale is generally a little wealthier than the North, but not as rich as the Westerlands or the Reach.

Valemen costumes tend to include long capes, visually evoking a falcon's wings, because House Arryn's sigil is a white falcon. Both aristocratic men and women in the Vale have long open sleeves, nearly capes, hanging from the shoulders (not the back of the neck) - again evoking a falcon's wings. These sleeves hang down below the arms, then loop back up to attach to brooches in the middle of the chest.

### Iron Islands

The Iron Islands (ruled by House Greyjoy) are cold, wind-swept rocks, and the ironborn spend much of their time on the windy decks of ships at sea. Thus their clothing focuses on protection from the wind, including not capes but full ponchos, coated in wax and fish oil to keep out the elements. The Iron Islands are also quite poor, so their common warriors cannot afford metal plate (though ironborn nobles that can afford armour plate wear it on their ships, unafraid of drowning at sea). They do wear metal breastplates, covered in leather, to keep it from rusting from the saltwater. The rest of their clothing has heavy rivets and metal studs, with heavy cloth padding underneath to absorb blows.

Kata Pyke dresses in the style of ironborn men, though her armour has been customized slightly to fit a woman's physique. Kata and Whalebane are very unique in ironborn culture, which usually frowns on female warriors.

Freya Greyjoy starts out wearing Targaryen-style gowns in *the Reign of Dragons*, because she has been living at the Red Keep for years, but after travelling back to her ancestral home on the Iron Islands, she comes under criticism for this.

The Drowned Men, the priests of the Drowned God worshiped by the ironborn, appear in tattered roughspun robes of mottled green, grey, and blue, the colours of the sea. Their robes are typically in a poor state of repair, damaged by their constant wandering along the shores and into saltwater waves. They decorate themselves only with whatever washes up out of the Drowned God's seas: seaweed, shells, driftwood, etc.

### Dorne

Dorne (ruled by House Martell) is very different from the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, and this is reflected in their clothing. It has a hot desert environment, or at best in Sunspear on the east coast a very arid Mediterranean climate. Therefore, unlike the highly constructed fashions of King's Landing, Dornishmen wear clothing that is more loose-fitted and open, allowing them to cool more easily. Both men and women have low necklines on their clothing. Women also have exposed arms or slit sleeves, (somewhat like the Tyrells in this respect, but Dorne is even hotter). The Dornishmen also have much more relaxed views about sexuality than the rest of Westeros: in many respects their clothing is more revealing simply due to living in a warmer climate, but they also find revealing clothing less scandalous than, for example, the Westermen or Valemen.

Dorne also has closer ties with the Free Cities, just east across the Narrow Sea, plus unique local dyes: therefore their clothing is more brightly coloured. They tend to favour orange, with yellow/gold and red highlights, reflecting the sigil of House Martell: a red sunburst pierced by a golden spear, on an orange field. In many ways the Dornishmen are the opposite opposite of the Northmen: in the North, the designs are meant to retain heat, in Dorne they are meant to shed heat; the North has dull blues to emphasize that they can't afford foreign dyes, while Dorne has easy access to bright colour dyes.

The Dornish do have access to steel plate but if they wore full heavy armour they would die of thirst in Dorne's desert sun. They prefer light armour made out of only bronze or leather, to allow for greater mobility in the harsh desert heat. Regular Dornish soldiers wear padded leather armour, embossed with an outer velvet coating (in contrast to the heavier metal plate worn by Lannister and Tyrell infantry). The velvet-covered armour of the Martell footsoldiers also has regularly spaced metal studs, each decorated like the sunburst sigil of House Martell.

Dornishmen often wear turbans when traveling through the hot countryside. This is not a deep-seated cultural institution and they don't wear them all the time. Turbans and head-scarves are a universal adaptation that many different real-life desert-dwelling cultures have independently adopted to avoid getting heat stroke. Even Crusader knights who settled in the Levant had to start wearing head-scarves to adapt to the hot local environment. Just as heavy furs need to be worn in cold, snowy environments, head-scarves and loose robes are the sensible clothing to wear in a hot desert.

Michele Clapton knew that the Dornish wouldn't start appearing until Season 4, but she decided in advance that their colour palette would consist of ochre yellow, oranges, and tans (given that the Martell sigil is a golden spear piercing a red sun on an orange background). Clapton then consciously avoided using those colours for other regions *throughout* the first three TV seasons, knowing that they were reserved for the later introduction of the Dornish.

Dornish clothing is heavily influenced by Southeast-Asian India, particularly the fabrics. Another example of the trickle-down principle of fashion, the Martell household servants that appear in the background can be seen to basically wear less expensive imitation versions of the fashions set by the ruling Martell family itself. Allyria Martell wears loose and long tunics, with deep V-cut necklines exposing much of her chest, to help radiate heat, and decorated with Martell sun sigils in gold. Her father, Prince Nymor, wears an even richer version of this style, resplendent in patterned silks and sashes, but with the same V-cut neckline. The male Martell household servants wear a simplified imitation of this style, with the same recognizably deep and open V-cut neckline, but made out of cheaper fabrics and without as much jewellery.

Given that the genders are considered equal in Dorne, both of the Martell daughters are warriors, though focusing on different weapons and techniques. The eldest, Myria, favours a pair of daggers, and tends to dress more as a courtier, while the younger, Allyria, favours a longspear. This fits their roles, where Myria is proficient in spycraft, and Allyria takes after her father and uncle, Qyle, in warfare.

On more formal occasions, the girls wear finery more appropriate at court. Once again the spectrum exhibited in their everyday costumes due to their different personalities can be observed: Myria is the most refined and reserved, so she wears the same kind of Dornish noblewoman's gown of sheer silk in bright ochre colours. In contrast, Allyria outright wears men's clothing, a Dornish man's overcoat, with a low-cut shirt.

### The Crownlands

There are actually eight major regions in the "Seven Kingdoms": everything south of the Wall was actually divided into seven independent kingdoms at the time of Aegon's Conquest (hence the name). The Riverlands used to be a border region fought over and control by the other kingdoms: the Targaryen's separated it as a separate administrative unit on equal standing with the others, functionally making it the "eighth" kingdom. Lastly, the Targaryen's formed their own new administrative region, to support their new capital city, King's Landing, by carving territory out of the surrounding kingdoms. The Crownlands are therefore the youngest of the major regions in Westeros, only a century-and-a-half old, and as a result does not have much of a unique "cultural identity", so much as it is shaped by its distinction as the region containing the capital city. The Crownlands are directly ruled by the king on the Iron Throne, so for nearly three centuries they were ruled over by House Targaryen.

The lands which were later reorganized to form the Crownlands were loosely an extension of the Riverlands for millennia, though the entire region was conquered and held by the Stormlands for three hundred years. Three generations before the Targaryen Conquest, the Riverlands were in turn captured from the Storm Kings by the ironborn - who then pushed into the eastern parts (the future Crownlands) a generation later. The lightly populated parts of the Crownlands south of Blackwater Bay were actually still part of the Stormlands at the time of the Targaryen invasion, but the local Houses (Bar Emmon and Massey) had developed closer ties with the Targaryen's on Dragonstone and supported their invasion from the start.

The islands in Blackwater Bay were part of a small independent holding by the Targaryens on Dragonstone island, and their vassals on a few neighbouring islands. After the invasion they were considered part of the Crownlands as well. King's Landing is the capital city where fashion rivalries are played out between different factions at the royal court, such as the Reachman/Hightower faction, and the Riverman/Tully faction, each identified by their styles of dress.

House Targaryen itself did have its own unique clothing style: the main features of male Targaryen style are an asymmetric cut to the tunic; a high collar with heavy embroidery reminiscent of dragon-scales; and an armless outer coat with peaked shoulder cuffs, worn over a longer undercoat with close-fitting sleeves. Perhaps to highlight that the Targaryen's were "foreigners" from a different culture in the eastern continent before they invaded Westeros, the Targaryen clothing style seems vaguely inspired by East Asian fashions, with an asymmetric kimono-like cut to a male tunic - in contrast with the more classic Medieval European styles used for other regions of southern Westeros such as the Reach. Given that Northern Houses emulate the dress of House Stark of Winterfell, presumably Crownlands Houses *outside* of King's Landing itself would would also dress like their ruling House - House Targaryen.

Moreover, the Targaryen style incorporates two distinct layers of clothing: a main armless outer tunic, and an undercoat which forms the sleeves (which is a distinctly different colour from the overcoat) - this is also the style of Liane Reyne's costume, instead of the single-piece dress Torrha Stark wears. Liane's sleeves are a little loose and not form fitting. Moreover, Aerion wears his House sigil in the middle of his chest (indeed, it is meant to be *too* large, as he wants to assert his status); while more subdued than Aerion, Liane *also* has her House sigil displayed directly in the middle of the front of her bodice. Due to all of these factors, it seems Liane is emulating the fashionable Targaryen-style in the Red Keep.

Liane Reyne (and Freya Greyjoy) dressing in the old Targaryen style instead of their respective regional styles actually makes sense when their backgrounds are taken into context: Liane was raised in King's Landing when her father, Reynard, was Master of Coin. Freya Greyjoy was raised since she was a toddler as a ward (and hostage) of House Targaryen.