Designing your personal Cinderhillian wardrobe

Colours

The colours Cinderhillians use are warm, broken and natural,such as red, yellow, ochre, warm browns, pale yellow and burnt sienna. Surprising colours like indigo blue can be used for small details. You shouldn't combine colours that are too far from each other on the chromatic circle. For example red-green is not a good combination, whereas yellow-red, blue-red or purple-orange all are.

Materials

• Cotton is good for all purposes, linen and hemp for most, if woven suitably.
• Wool is an excellent material if thin or thick and felted. It isn't suitable for trousers but recommended for coats and hihatins.
• Silk is good if woven coarsely, shinier fabrics should be avoided. Silk is mostly used for details and decorations.
• Leather is best suited for bags and shoes.
• Velvet should only be used in decorations and even then only in pieces no bigger than a hand.
• You shouldn't use synthetic materials, satin weave, fur lining or fur decorations, metal buckles or similar items and plastic buttons (you can make beautiful button from amber jewellery or braided cord)

Decorations and embroidery

Cinderhillian clothes are usually carefully made and well maintained. The dragon religion that fills the life of Cinderhill affects also the clothing and decorations of the villagers. The decorations should be religious but they can be supplemented with geometrical designs. Quilting and applications are popular. All kinds of handmade braids and ribbons also suit the Cinderhillian culture well.

Effort and thought should be put into details. Trimmings, fastenings and hems should be beautifully made or decorated. There are no special wardrobes for celebrations, the only difference between everyday and festive apparel is the belt. You should make one richly decorated for formal occasions and one plainer for ordinary use.

Everyone in the village has a long ritual wrapping which is decorated more and more as the individual ascends in religious life.

Basic rules

• Religion and the dragon should be visible in everything
• Cinderhillians do not use jewellery as such. You can use stones as buttons, but no necklaces or other jewellery.

Never use

• black
• velvet or shiny materials except in small details
• ready-made ribbons

Extra value from

• applications and quilted decorations
• authentic-looking patina and wear (items should look used)
• patches and mending in socks and clothing
• two belts (one for ordinary use and one for celebrations)
• a ritual long wrap.