What's your standard outfit?

Fallen London
1

What do your characters wear when they’re not trying to boost a particular skill or make a BDR check? Do they dress for optimisation, characterisation, or just whatever looks most stylish or strange? Personally, I try to use equipment that fits my characters’ personalities, that more or less goes together, and that gives the biggest boosts to the stats I consider to be their primaries.

For instance, Sir Fred - being pretty much my avatar - wears the sort of clothes I like. So, he gets a Night-Trimmed Frock Coat, 'cause I think late-19th century frock coats are pretty much the best clothes ever made for the masculine form. A Devilish Fedora - I’m letting that stand in for any model of soft hat. Soft shoes, and plain Polythremean gloves - an emphasis overall on Persuasive, Watchful, Bizarre and Respectable, with Dangerous and Dreadful firmly in dump stat territory. POSI-equipment-wise, he goes for bohemian comforts, plus FrillyShirt as a Newspaper, because meta.

Reginald, Lord Hubris, meanwhile, is my Sherlock Holmes villain in the style of Grimesby Roylott or Colonel Sebastian Moran. Accordingly, he dresses to build up Dangerous, Shadowy and Dreaded behind a façade of Respectability. Accordingly, he wears a Distinguished Gentleman’s Outfit - anything less would be beneath his station; any more, too dandified for his tastes - and a Semiotic Monocle, Vakeskin Boots and Lenguals, and carries a Poison-tipped Umbrella. At a glance, the picture is of a country gentleman come up to town; up close, the details are menacing. His POSI gear reflects his deeper interests - a Gang of Hoodlums, a Formidable Gymnasium, and a stable of thoroughly bad-tempered horses.

Juniper, I won’t lie, is in no small part inspired by the film Hugo. Whatever social cachet she’s achieved as a novelty - a self-made, trick-performing orphan - she’s still something of a solitary outcast, and dresses with no concern for fashion. A Ratskin Suit and Spiderchitin Gloves serve for warmth and protection, while Kingscale Boots, a Ratwork Watch and Gloam-Foam serve her well in her increasingly esoteric runs through London’s shadows. In short, Watchful and Shadowy, with BDR roughly balanced. Her POSI equipment leans mechanical - a Telescope, a Tramp Steamer, a Velocipede - with her only social ties being fellow orphans and occasional larks with the younger Young Stags.

Esther is my newest character, and I haven’t finished constructing her yet, but her design is Persuasive and Dangerous, and that means a lady of advanced ideas and the skills to put them into practice. Her fashions are the finest and fiercest - a Parabola-Linen Frock and an Extraordinary Hat, Dancing Slippers, a Derringer and a Diamond Ring. Her POSI gear, when I get there, shall be similarly opulent and outré - a Salon, a Drinks Cabinet, a Yacht, and the Revolutionary Firebrand, when he becomes a Spouse option.

Howsabout you?

2

I don’t think I’ve thought my character through that thoroughly. I know her/my personality, but she has no official back story, as such. She’s merely a professional mischief maker, and appreciator of delights both intellectual and otherwise.
So an outfit that suits? Well, most things change, but my starveling stole will become a permanent addition except when I need high stats, and a devilish Fedora is so me. I mean her. HER.

3

[color=#009900](I am pleased to report that there is quite a striking addtional customisation option coming very soon indeed.)[/color][li]

4

Interesting question. Circe is a shadowy character and most of the time changes to suit whatever she is doing but thinking about what she would wear if she wasn’t doing that
Gloam foam; Strange shore Parabola Frock; Diamond Ring; Crooked Cross; Kingscale Boots and Laconic Prodigy. In the expanded inventory - Gang of Hoodlums, Ratwork Velocipede; Probably a Coincidence; Swift Zee Clipper and Young Stags. She does not have a spouse but would have a difficult time choosing if any of the Feast Companions became available. Any time in the last year it would have been the Hollow-Eyed Tragedian but the Cheery Man … oh my!

5

John Vazquez basic piece of clothing is his Moderately Cooperative Clothes Colony. Most people find this extremely Bizarre, but he is no gentleman to worry about gossips, and he has trained this attire to stay silent when he speaks. When speaking in public, this suit is complemented by a Gentleman’s Hat, Dancemaster’s Dabs, Masterwork Dancing Slippers and a Brass Ring.
When researching, he would go for the more practical Luminous Neathglass Goggles, Avid Gloves, Mirror Polished Shoes and his Dilmun Club Lapel Badge.
To add to this Bizarre image, he normally travels in a Clay Sedan Chair.

6

Although he also works as an Correspondence academic and a master thief, my character prefers to walk the streets of London as an average Rat-catcher. I picture him sitting in a shipyard or in a pier in the Docks, sitting alone, cleaning his ship or relaxing with the workers. He dislikes the rather restrained life of a Significant Person and prefer the company of normal folk. A heated spar at the Gymnasium is better than tea in a known Salon.

A pirate hat is titled slightly to cover a (good) eye, partly to sympathize with his spider-plagued fellows and partly for preserving night vision for hunting and stealing. His Bloodstained suit has been with him for a long time and is as comfortable as a worn sweatshirt. Besides, it’s really inconvenient to spill blood or ooze in another piece of clothing. Spiderchitin gloves are not only great for protection against bites and stings but also handy for dealing with his zee-clipper’s dust and oil. Oddly, he’s always with a squad of Rattus Faber who are rather unafraid of the Ratting Piece slung on his back. If he feels like teaching, he’ll pull some of the latest revisions of the good word from his Clay Sedan (he prefers to walk with the Clay Men rather than ride the bumpy thing) and try to give his employees some proper education.
[li]

7

Helen is a Persuasive woman who is trying to be taken more seriously by people these days. Meaning when not in the Labyrinth or in the Quarter, she’s going to be found wearing a magnificent midnight-blue evening gown that matches with her lace gloves and dancing slippers. Always carrying around her bejeweled cane, investing in that Lapidary was definitely worth it!, to show off her ‘wealth’ in a sense. She doesn’t want her Bohemian companies, who she’s Closest To, to feel betrayed by her being so chummy with Society so she makes sure she wears a mask. A beguiling mask but a mask all the same. It’s kind of hard for her to maintain this secretiveness with how rabid her Appreciation Society can be from time to time.

Once upon a time she was very Persuasive when not wearing anything but her bonnet when traveling around Veilgarden. Caused a lot of scandal, yes, but those were the days.

8

Overcoat (possibly rat-skin, more likely neddy), Knife-and-Candler’s gloves, squeakless boots, a Devious Raven Adviser when he has a pet with him at all. We can’t find an option for &quotflatcap&quot, but if there were one, that’s what he’d be wearing for a hat. We imagine it’d have a similar description to the bowler.

At least, that’s what Mr. Ferenczy wears in my mind’s eye. In the game, we generally have him wear whatever has the best stat boosts for what we’re trying to do. We’re quite proud of our +40 to Shadowy. Preens
edited by Snowskeeper on 2/24/2014[li]
edited by Snowskeeper on 2/25/2014

9

Zeinka has a felt suit and a collection of dresses and what-not for being persuasive, but Zei is- through and through, pretty boring. Color is something she enjoys in her regular clothing, but that’s the only thing really outstanding about her regular attire. She may look like a jumbled mess, but she’s not going out- she’s choosing to be comfortable.[li]
She still wears her glad-rags from time to time, even though she has something better, and she’s more used to her rose mask at this point than even her bonnet.

10

The Fishy Investigator is hiding inside a Sumptuous Dandy’s Outfit, with Dancemaster’s Dabs and Masterwork Dancing Slippers, topped off with a Devilish Fedora. Likes to play around with a Key-to-the-Heart Dagger, because it’d be a shame to hide away such a finely crafted gift. Though sometimes the Bejewelled Cane comes out, as a protection from Orthographic Infection. Also parades a Pink-Painted Cat around during the Feast of the Rose, claiming it attracts bad luck to itself and therefore pulls it away from its owner. Calls it &quotPretty&quot for some reason.

Before acquiring a Bazaar Spire-Emporium, the Fishy Investigator did not dress like this at all. But times change, and what’s good for one type of business is bad for another. Oh, BDR? Yes, Very Bizarre, but no Rubbery Consort. Just a Master Jewel Thief. Because who doesn’t like diamonds?

11

At the beginning of my character’s career I went for a full Persuasive outfit, all made of low-level items because Echoes were scarce back then ^^

Currently I only use dedicated outfits when I’m after a repeatable action requiring a maxed out stat to get to 100% chance, while normally I try to keep all stats as high as possible, with Watchful always being the highest as it’s my pet Quality (though very recently this became much less necessary as I used the Extraordinary Mind option to raise it over the cap), at the same time being sylish enough (in comparison, my full Watchful regalia are just plain ugly XD ). Specifically:

HAT: Semiotic Monocle
CLOTHING: Strange-Shore Parabola Suit
GLOVES: Insatiable Glove
WEAPON: Tasselled Sword-Cane (this is my character’s favorite weapon since the very beginning and it stayed both for nostalgic reasons and because its Quality modifier blends well with the others. When I need a little Dangerous boost I sometimes substiute it with a Ratwork Derringer).
BOOTS: Kingscale Boots
COMPANION: Bifurcated Owl (it’s named Melchizedek and it’s TOO COOL _)
AFFILIATION: A Salon
TRANSPORTATION: Ratwork Velocipede
HOME COMFORT: Shrine to Saint Joshua
SHIP: Swift Zee-Clipper
SPOUSE: None (by design: my character has his reasons to stay uncommitted. I might change my mind in the future, but for now I like it this way ^^)
CLUB: The Parthenaeum
DESTINY: Gleam.

As a roleplay precisation, the Semiotic Monocle is usually kept safely tucked in a pocket of the coat and only used when needed. My character also usually wears a top hat and either an overcoat or a caped cloak over the suit.

(I like this already)

12

Oh, Tiger Keeper, with your customisation options, you’re really spoiling us!

And cheers very much, folks, for sharing your stories and outfits - fascinating stuff!

13

Since I started playing Roland as an RP character, his outfit has changed more than I thought, but less than you’d think. Roland is a fancy person who likes to dress nice and be fancy. So, his default outfit, in keeping with the gender expression-blending of London is his sumptuous dandy’s outfit, but with more traditionally feminine accents. So he wears a fecund amber tiara, a twelve-carat diamond ring, and his vakeskin boots are in a more feminine design. No high heels, though, because fighting in heels is silly. He also loves his spiked rosary, not just as a weapon, but as a gorgeous accessory that wards off nightmares. He also likes to paint his nails blue. He only recently started adding more feminine accents to his outfit, but it feels right to him, especially as he’s started exploring what he is gender-wise.

14

Mr Theodor E. Gylden most often wears a gentleman’s athletic support – discreet and firm, just like him – and a bowler that would be rakish were it not so unobtrusive. He carries a timepiece recognizable to those, shall we say, of the fold and the crook. His boots are said to be Vakeskin; his gloves are said to be fashioned from the hands of a Master Thief. But at a glance, he appears quite unassuming. He is accompanied by a laconic prodigy of his tutelage, named Mycena.

Sometimes, however, business needs to be taken care of. Then he dons armour of the Far Khanate, and daubs his face with gloam-foam. He carries a journal penned in the Iron Republic, and cross-references it often enough to be unnerving. His boots he exchanges for kingscale; his gloves for gauntlets, lovingly oiled to prevent clicks and creaks. And the owl at his shoulder – is it perhaps bifurcated? What he did he call it? Askalaphos? Unbeknownst to himself, Mr Gylden has become quite dreaded.

The musician Narciso Confortola (also called Narcisa) is more … fanciful. One evening she’ll wear a gown of exquisite ivory, with a tiara that glows – and gives everyone such lovely dreams! The next he’ll be in a suit of parabola-linen, with a fedora rumored to be the love-gift of a devil, and diamond winking from his ring finger. Then you’ll see her in a daring, corseted dress, a top hat with a fanged grin, gloves that bite, and strapped to her waist will be a drum whose beat is irresistible. His companions are ever-changing – a girl rumoured to be a daughter, a woman of clay and poetry, an albino rat as elegant as a silver screwdriver, and strapping diplomat from the Presbyterate. And the Rubbery Euphonium – he calls it Octavia. Well, we all have our quirks.[li]
edited by theodor_gylden on 2/25/2014

15

Augusta prefers attire that’s both stylish and practical. She is most often seen in her Parabola-Linen Suit, Kingscale Boots, and Semiotic Monocle. She accessorizes with her Dilmun Club badge or Spiked Rosary as the occasion demands. She loves taking strolls with her Bengal Tigress, or galloping through London on her Obdurate Stallion. (Her spouse, the Celebrated Artist’s Model, is apt to accompany her on their Thoroughly Cowed Pony, who is, they hope, somewhat less cowed after being rescued from its previous situation.) Her Swift Zee-Clipper is her pride and joy when it comes to research on the Unterzee, and when it’s time to relax, she enjoys a leisurely afternoon in her Voluminous Library.

16

The Hefty Blackmailer of course wears a bland suit that makes him easy to overlook. His business is conducted primarily by threat, innuendo, and incisiveness, instead of a more direct, ahem, brutality (as I’m sure we’d all like to avoid). This lends itself to a carrot-and stick approach, with his right hand in what could best be described as a gauntlet, and a conspicuous (and gaudy) brass ring on his left. Half-sinister is fitting in many ways. If one were to glance down, &quotgift from the Masters&quot would be the only explanation of the - stockings? on his feet.

There’s also the ill-tempered cat confidently draped over his shoulder. No explanation is forthcoming, only a slight narrowing of the eyes.
edited by Theus on 2/25/2014

17

The Prothean Noeologist likes it… neathy, and flamboyant. He has a real love for zir Sorrow Spider (and the new Shimmering Songster), polished Hushless Spidersilk Slippers and a Strange Shore Parabola Suite. HIs love for the Corrispondence is visible if you take a look to the Violant-ink filled poisoned pen and the Semiotic Monocle.

Since ze went to Polythreme, Lenguals are on hand. It is nice to have something to talk with. And to see other persons tremble a little while shaking hands!

18

I’ve happened, purely by chance, to assemble a sort of regular assemblage of clothing. My Neathglass Goggles and Academic Gown are, of course, invaluable for my work at the University, while my Insatiable Glove and Meticulously-Altered Stocking keep my extremities warm while also serving my needs for Watchfulness. My oft-companion the Affable Spy is not fond of my Ratting Piece nor my Profession, but she accepts the practicality of it.

19

I was tinkering with my usual bay of FL spreadsheets and things, and came up with these rather amusing calling cards representing my characters! Very simple little things, but they’re a nice way to enjoy Failbetter’s charming art. The three rows are standard equipment, POSI equipment, and those additional items or statuses which are fairly character-defining; from left to right, Destiny, POSI Specialisation, Closest To, Ambition, Tattoo, and Profession. You’ll note a certain degree of wishful thinking regarding potential future Spouses… and that I simply cannot decide on a four- or five-card lodging for Esther, the others having taken one each.

20

Sir Fred, those look great! (May I ask what tool you used to resize the portrait & lodgings?)

Rook is a bit of a dreamer and a dandy, so they usually wear their Strage-Shore Parabola Linens, paired with spotless gentleman’s gloves, riding boots, and cosmogone spectacles. They are quite proud of their association with the Dilmun Club, so they often wear their lapel badge. They also have been courting the Quiet Deviless, so she is often a companion on archaeological excursions and trips to the salon. Recently, Rook’s been showing off their tattoo of the Parabola (with cosmogone skies and viric fauna!) because they were lured to London by the shared dreams of the Neath.