#fancy lady dwarf? the bigger the skirt the better

[hallothere]

13, 16, and 20? (I'm just trying to get you to post pics of outfits, lol, maybe tips for dressing dwarves)

13. Any idea how many alts you have?

UhhhHHhh maybe 25? 12 on Crickhollow, assorted on like 7 other servers. I've been more active on Landroval recently, but Crick is still home sweet home

16. Do you have a favorite race to play? Favorite combos of race and class?

You know, I'm most partial to Standard Dwarves, but by pure numbers I have the most Men alts. I don't know why. I feel like Dwarf Guard also is so fun. So stereotypical (for lotro) but so, so nice

20. Do you spend a lot of time on cosmetics- outfits, weapons, housing, pets? Do you have any favorites?

Oh you know I do. And since you asked so nicely, I'll give you a dwarf fashion show as well as tips? I guess? on Choosing Dwarf Looks TM

Before I begin, remember to think about the beards! If the collar of your shirt is its' strongest point, maybe save it for someone with a short beard.

I'm going to start with the highlight:

Now, this is a Curator piece, but there's a very close match in Erebor or Ered Mithrin somewhere and it's going to do great to illustrate my thesis (which I'll get to in a second)

Here we have Ruutbier and Throwan showing off the versatility of this piece. You can go from cozy winter adventurer to spring flinger to mysterious Anorien traveler all with one shirt. Now, I like my Dwarves in some sort of hood item, but as you can see there's a lot of range even there. It's classy, it's timeless, it dyes very well.

But! It's not the only thing you can use (even though it's 6/8ths of Throwan's wardrobe)

This is my central point: because of the way Dwarves are modeled, you're going to be able to get your results by paying attention to how the waistline of the shirt is modeled. The different waistlines are usually a big hint in how the chestpiece will look!

Say you want something like my Grey Mountains Elite fit here? That's a hefty but streamlined dwarf. Centerline simple waist and no skirt/volume in the legs. Add bulk to the shoulders and you're looking at a hammer shape. De-emphasize them with a shawl and there's a sturdy fellow who looks quite hug-able. Your options are limitless and a lot of them are greatly impacted by the breadbasket.

Cases in point:

A Round Dwarf, Perfectly Circular:

Throwan is modeling Identical accessories but look! A busy (read: modeled vs. textured) waistline gives us a rounder look. The first chestpiece is the Remmo light armor, which looks relatively uninteresting on Elves and Men. See how those belts, buckles, and bags change the look of the whole thing!

Tasteful Tapering:

Here we have 3 very different looks (in Light, Medium, and Heavy) demonstrating the effect you can get with a centerline waist and a very minimal belt. The wide Dwarf-stance gives it an almost hourglass look, but can be emphasized or de-emphasized by shoulders and boots. (note: heavy modeling on the calf parts of your boots will really shine! if they're not scrunched to oblivion)

A Wide-Sweeping Statement

Back to Throwan! We're in identical accessories again to show off the different ways a skirt will sit. Robes with centerline, well-defined but simple waistlines will flow nicely (left) and not give your Dwarf an ill-fitted look. Non-robes with greater-than-knee-length elements will become tea length easily on your Dwarf (center). But this one still gives a little flourish at the hem and maintains a round look. Dresses are hit or miss (right). I think this one works because the greatest emphasis on this model across races is the skirt instead of the chest. It sweeps out wider than Throwan's excessive shoulder pads and bounces back from the odd effect created by a center-ribcage waistline.

Interesting Results:

These three are examples of things I didn't expect out of a chestpiece. The Dwarf-make jacket (left) looks meh on Men/Elves but manages to pull off both the Round and Visible Chest Design looks on a Dwarf, so, a win. The Breastplate of the Honed Blade (heavy Pelennor, center) has a lot of emphasis in the chest but still manages a sturdy look with a visible White Tree Motif past the beard. A rare find!

I don't know what's happening with the Sunflower Dress (right). The waist is on the ribcage but it also acknowledges the waist on the model. I personally don't love it.

So yeah! The waistline of your chestpiece determines the whole look 9/10 times because Dwarf Model. Go find those Shapes! Get your Dwarf Runway Ready!