Avernite Fashion
Doomed Wombat
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Avernite Fashion
In the Trust, there are two general stereotypes about Avernite dress.
The first is that all Avernites wear skin-tight bodysuits for reasons ranging from the practical to the absurd.
The second is that Avernites wear as many layers of body armour as they can possibly stack on top of one another, turning themselves into miniature battle tanks.
The truth is somewhat in the middle, much to the probable disappointment of many universities receiving Avernite exchange students.
The reason for the first stereotype is the infamous skinsuits, form-fitting, skin-tight attire that is the basic component of most Avernite dress. The reason for such revealing clothing is obvious to any Avernite, safety. After all Blink Spiders are small enough to teleport into the smallest folds or loose clothing. The obvious solution thus is to simply deny them the opportunity to do so, as the spiders cannot teleport into places they cannot physically fit. Their tight nature also helps show areas of concern, like buboes, boils, and other physical abnormalities ranging from implantation spiders to illness.
Most skinsuits are designed merely to cover all of the user's body sans head, which is protected through other means, although bushmen and caveneers are known to use head covering skin suits.
The suits are not especially protective on their own, but they are usually as well enforced as is practical, often to a similar level as flak armour and are filled with gadgets to deal with issues like overheating, sweat and other functions. The protection is especially important as to an Avernite being in just their Skinsuit is a sign of great trust, having stripped themselves down to the bare minimum of protection.
This has much deeper implications on the Avernite psyche than most are aware. Due to the constant danger Avernites face, especially from the blink spider, Avernites are in a near-constant state of fight or flight engrained into them from birth. Its why they are alive and their dozens of dead family and friends are not. Increasingly this has manifested as a psychological need to protect themselves, which armour fulfils well.
In this regard, the skinsuit, the lowest level of their protection, has roughly taken the place of the skin in the Avernite mindset, protecting their "weak" body. The end result is that culturally removing one's skinsuit save for cleaning, medical procedures and the is culturally abnormal, even when in places of great safety. To say nothing of the commonplace mental illnesses associated with protection and armour on Avernus.
In essence, the skinsuit has become the Avernite version of the nude...as nude as wearing effective flack armour at all times at least.
There are some (generally regarded as insane) parts of Avernite society, that view the excessive use of clothing as putting the knot around your neck, due to the false sense of security it can give you. They claim that being aware, fast and having someone at your back, is better than the vain illusion of protection clothes give you. Of course this is primarily the domain of bushmasters and cavers, those who most agree have long since taken leave of their sanity...
On top of the skinsuit goes layer upon layer of protection. On Avernus, one is considered a health hazard if they are out in public without at least a layer of carapace armour and with a well-maintained impaler weapon prominently displayed. Under the carapace tends to be layers of flack weave clothing that aims at almost mimicking clothing found on less aggressive planets. This image is somewhat damaged by the ammo pouches, knife holsters, and storage units integrated into them.
Off-world most Avernites will be given training to content themselves with their Skinsuits and protective clothing. Those who cannot be dissuaded and continue to wear their carapace are where the second stereotype comes from.
Probably adding to this are ceremonial weapons. Usually las pens or knives, most Avernites have at least four weapons that they invest their funds into customising so they can be worn prominently. This is both for formal (or off-world) occasions and as a distraction away from the rest of their hidden arsenal.
On Avernus, if one is able to afford it, wearing power armour is generally seen as a sign of immense wealth, skill and status. Most civilians cannot afford to maintain a suit on their own, so they are either supported by their communities or have passed the government tests to apply for subsidies. Either mark them as skilled warriors. Of course, they could be a Caver, in which case they are also quite terrifying.
It may be surprising, but the Avernite government has a great deal of influence in the clothing and fashion of its civilian population. Although there is obviously a coercive element to this, the nature of Avernus means that this is primarily benevolent, the government working with clothing manufacturers to speedily implement improvements in protection, subsidising the purchase of new clothes in the name of reducing casualties. This does lead to a trend in Avernite cloths towards the slightly utilitarian, prioritising function over form. However, a long part of Avernite fashion is the personalisation of one's own clothing.
For example, most habs tend to have a colour scheme that is associated with them, with clothing being dyed that colour at least in part, parts of clothing from family or close friends are patched in, mementoes, weaves and souvenirs commemorating events in life are common. This customisation extends to armour as well, with most carapace armour being lavishly decorated and painted by skilled artisans. Whilst religious iconography is common, increasingly so is approximations of the various psycic runes like banishment and warding. These don't do anything (as far as we can tell), but when's that stopped humans from believing that they do?
Clothing styles obviously vary depending on the location of the individual (warmer for northern regions, cooler or hot etc.) This is in addition to an array of headgear, usually in the form of reinforced helmets and goggles containing the standard-issue heads up display system. Even off-world Avernites have a tendency to keep their heads covered, whenever they can.
Headgear also lends itself well to customisation with there being almost a competition to create the most extravagant, but functional hats, with everything from feathers to bells featured prominently, in dozens of styles.
For older Avernites or those that frequent the wilds, trophy clothing is also common. In simple form this can be summed up as the practice of going out, finding a monster, killing it and turning it into some piece of clothing. What that is varies, though often they go towards enhancing their headgear. Combine this with the toughness of Avernite creatures these are usually practical additions and testaments of skill.
A more recent trend in Avernite fashion is the adoption of a final layer of clothing over the top of the carapace armour, usually some kind of cloth like a cape or poncho. This practice has slowly been adopted from the bushmen, who sow packets of irritants (or in more extreme cases/cavers grenades) into the fibres. This allows an engaged Avernite to throw the cloak at an enemy, hopefully distracting them. In the process the equipment of the Avernite is concealed, restricting the ability of cultists and the more intelligent wildlife to plan for various scenarios. Due to their role and universal itchiness the phrase "stealing a bushman's cloak" is rapidly becoming synonymous with a bad idea, alongside pissing on a tiger.
Due to their numbers, Avernite psykers are growing into their own small niches in the fashion market for their unique needs. The issue often is ensuring the distinction between a psyker and a regular civilian, with robes being the most common way of doing so. An Avernite psyker will often have much the same garb as their regular comrades, but over the entire assortment will be flowing robes, adorned with very real runes of power.
================================================================================================================
We've imagined it long enough, figured I'd try to codify it.
Credit to @Malevolo and @random_npc
@Durin
In the Trust, there are two general stereotypes about Avernite dress.
The first is that all Avernites wear skin-tight bodysuits for reasons ranging from the practical to the absurd.
The second is that Avernites wear as many layers of body armour as they can possibly stack on top of one another, turning themselves into miniature battle tanks.
The truth is somewhat in the middle, much to the probable disappointment of many universities receiving Avernite exchange students.
The reason for the first stereotype is the infamous skinsuits, form-fitting, skin-tight attire that is the basic component of most Avernite dress. The reason for such revealing clothing is obvious to any Avernite, safety. After all Blink Spiders are small enough to teleport into the smallest folds or loose clothing. The obvious solution thus is to simply deny them the opportunity to do so, as the spiders cannot teleport into places they cannot physically fit. Their tight nature also helps show areas of concern, like buboes, boils, and other physical abnormalities ranging from implantation spiders to illness.
Most skinsuits are designed merely to cover all of the user's body sans head, which is protected through other means, although bushmen and caveneers are known to use head covering skin suits.
The suits are not especially protective on their own, but they are usually as well enforced as is practical, often to a similar level as flak armour and are filled with gadgets to deal with issues like overheating, sweat and other functions. The protection is especially important as to an Avernite being in just their Skinsuit is a sign of great trust, having stripped themselves down to the bare minimum of protection.
This has much deeper implications on the Avernite psyche than most are aware. Due to the constant danger Avernites face, especially from the blink spider, Avernites are in a near-constant state of fight or flight engrained into them from birth. Its why they are alive and their dozens of dead family and friends are not. Increasingly this has manifested as a psychological need to protect themselves, which armour fulfils well.
In this regard, the skinsuit, the lowest level of their protection, has roughly taken the place of the skin in the Avernite mindset, protecting their "weak" body. The end result is that culturally removing one's skinsuit save for cleaning, medical procedures and the is culturally abnormal, even when in places of great safety. To say nothing of the commonplace mental illnesses associated with protection and armour on Avernus.
In essence, the skinsuit has become the Avernite version of the nude...as nude as wearing effective flack armour at all times at least.
There are some (generally regarded as insane) parts of Avernite society, that view the excessive use of clothing as putting the knot around your neck, due to the false sense of security it can give you. They claim that being aware, fast and having someone at your back, is better than the vain illusion of protection clothes give you. Of course this is primarily the domain of bushmasters and cavers, those who most agree have long since taken leave of their sanity...
On top of the skinsuit goes layer upon layer of protection. On Avernus, one is considered a health hazard if they are out in public without at least a layer of carapace armour and with a well-maintained impaler weapon prominently displayed. Under the carapace tends to be layers of flack weave clothing that aims at almost mimicking clothing found on less aggressive planets. This image is somewhat damaged by the ammo pouches, knife holsters, and storage units integrated into them.
Off-world most Avernites will be given training to content themselves with their Skinsuits and protective clothing. Those who cannot be dissuaded and continue to wear their carapace are where the second stereotype comes from.
Probably adding to this are ceremonial weapons. Usually las pens or knives, most Avernites have at least four weapons that they invest their funds into customising so they can be worn prominently. This is both for formal (or off-world) occasions and as a distraction away from the rest of their hidden arsenal.
On Avernus, if one is able to afford it, wearing power armour is generally seen as a sign of immense wealth, skill and status. Most civilians cannot afford to maintain a suit on their own, so they are either supported by their communities or have passed the government tests to apply for subsidies. Either mark them as skilled warriors. Of course, they could be a Caver, in which case they are also quite terrifying.
It may be surprising, but the Avernite government has a great deal of influence in the clothing and fashion of its civilian population. Although there is obviously a coercive element to this, the nature of Avernus means that this is primarily benevolent, the government working with clothing manufacturers to speedily implement improvements in protection, subsidising the purchase of new clothes in the name of reducing casualties. This does lead to a trend in Avernite cloths towards the slightly utilitarian, prioritising function over form. However, a long part of Avernite fashion is the personalisation of one's own clothing.
For example, most habs tend to have a colour scheme that is associated with them, with clothing being dyed that colour at least in part, parts of clothing from family or close friends are patched in, mementoes, weaves and souvenirs commemorating events in life are common. This customisation extends to armour as well, with most carapace armour being lavishly decorated and painted by skilled artisans. Whilst religious iconography is common, increasingly so is approximations of the various psycic runes like banishment and warding. These don't do anything (as far as we can tell), but when's that stopped humans from believing that they do?
Clothing styles obviously vary depending on the location of the individual (warmer for northern regions, cooler or hot etc.) This is in addition to an array of headgear, usually in the form of reinforced helmets and goggles containing the standard-issue heads up display system. Even off-world Avernites have a tendency to keep their heads covered, whenever they can.
Headgear also lends itself well to customisation with there being almost a competition to create the most extravagant, but functional hats, with everything from feathers to bells featured prominently, in dozens of styles.
For older Avernites or those that frequent the wilds, trophy clothing is also common. In simple form this can be summed up as the practice of going out, finding a monster, killing it and turning it into some piece of clothing. What that is varies, though often they go towards enhancing their headgear. Combine this with the toughness of Avernite creatures these are usually practical additions and testaments of skill.
A more recent trend in Avernite fashion is the adoption of a final layer of clothing over the top of the carapace armour, usually some kind of cloth like a cape or poncho. This practice has slowly been adopted from the bushmen, who sow packets of irritants (or in more extreme cases/cavers grenades) into the fibres. This allows an engaged Avernite to throw the cloak at an enemy, hopefully distracting them. In the process the equipment of the Avernite is concealed, restricting the ability of cultists and the more intelligent wildlife to plan for various scenarios. Due to their role and universal itchiness the phrase "stealing a bushman's cloak" is rapidly becoming synonymous with a bad idea, alongside pissing on a tiger.
Due to their numbers, Avernite psykers are growing into their own small niches in the fashion market for their unique needs. The issue often is ensuring the distinction between a psyker and a regular civilian, with robes being the most common way of doing so. An Avernite psyker will often have much the same garb as their regular comrades, but over the entire assortment will be flowing robes, adorned with very real runes of power.
================================================================================================================
We've imagined it long enough, figured I'd try to codify it.
Credit to @Malevolo and @random_npc
@Durin
Last edited:
