Elves: The Costumes of Middle Earth

[@kathryngliot7147]

I think it's impossible to beat Thranduil's eyebrows in combination with the spikey crown, so his costume has gotta be my favorite of the elves. I also really love how they imply the history of his character through his costume without slowing down the movie with a short history lesson on him

[@kathleenhensley5951]

I think I'd have to say Arwen's wedding dress... it is such an unusual color. (Celadon green?) what I loved about the dresses was it implied that the elves didn't mind spending years weaving and beading their clothes. (Galadriel was a weaver) I think if some magic transported me to middle earth I'd beg to see the workshops and looms of the elves. I would definitely learn something.

[@AnnaSirena69]

I think it's not wedding dress, but a "coronation dress" she wore for Aragorn's coronation. Wedding would be after that as a different event.

[@Thraim.]

Thranduil's elven superpower is to never have bed-hair.

[@HamnimationStudios]

That's a general elf superpower(lucky them)🥲

[@deborah.r.g3379]

I'm also glad that you included Thranduil in this costume episode 💛 As lovely as all of the elven aesthetic is, his style of clothing and motion has always fascinated me the most 💫

[@fantastiv]

I also really love Arwens chase costume!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

That one is fabulous!

[@banananer16]

@@Jess_of_the_Shire I adore that costume too! In the Design Team commentary for the Fellowship of the Ring Extended DVD, Ngila Dickson said that in the process of designing Arwen's riding costume, the goal was to tell the audience that Arwen had a great deal of empathy for the mortal world and a foot in both realms, so to speak. The fabrics, colors, and sleeves all have elegant elven designs with naturalistic motifs, but the riding outfit is still extremely practical and grounded in the world of Men, rather than an otherworldly, ethereal Elven gown. You see this same design philosophy in her burgundy "battle dress" that she wore at Helm's Deep (unfortunately, these scenes were all cut from the final film) and the extremely intricate "battle braids" that she wore (google "Arwen braids" and you should be able to find that hairstyle). At every moment the costumers sought to tell us about Arwen's character and motives through her clothes: she is immortal but loves both a mortal man and the world of Middle-Earth. She exhibits ethereal grace and holds important status as the daughter of Elrond and granddaughter of Galadriel, but she is powerful in her own right and chooses practical clothes for any combative tasks at hand. The depth of storytelling through the work of Ngila and her team was nothing short of genius.

[@camille_la_chenille]

I will be extremely basic but my favourite elvish costumes are Arwen's. I am deeply in love with the luxurious velvets and embroidery she wears, making every one of her movments ripple through the whole gown like water. Her blue and red gown is number one in my list of dream cosplays, and the purple cloak she wears when she rides to the grey havens and has her vision of the future is close behind. I dream to be able to recreate one of her costumes one day but I am extremely intimidated and very broke at the moment so it will remain a dream for the forseeable future.

[@cristianefumegalli]

My language is portuguese, but I'll write english (sorry the gramatical's errors). Your video are perfect. This help to show to new generation how terrible is the costume of Amazon's TV show... The Tolkien's/Peter Jackson's elves are wonderful and I see the actor Hugo Weaving like Elrond and scream: Oh my God! He was fantastic! It's because the actor isn't so good look, however Elrond is totally handsome, in your age group, of course. The Thranduil's costume is more beautyful, but I love Elrond becouse I understand clothing style difference (age 32's Lee Peace, 51's Hugo Weaving; impossible see with the same eyes). Elrond from TV show is affeminate and Elrond from book/movies has a intense male energy. I'm forty years old woman and sometimes I need to remind my husband to dress himself better...

[@SandraOrtmann1976]

Elrond's costum design was really beautiful and elegant, but in my mind, Thranduil beats him. Nobody can surpass him in fabulousness, elegance and sass.

[@cristianefumegalli]

My mother language isn't english, but I'll try write. Elrond and Thranduil are wonderful. I think Galadriel is very jealous because I don't see Celeborn with a very special figurine :)

[@zacharybond23]

Elrond looks as though he would be a joy to lounge with and learn from, whereas Thranduil commands respect.

[@MarinaMontserrat]

​@@zacharybond23well, the 2 actors have different eyebrows shape and Thranduil's are better 😅

[@Ofthewoods1973]

You know Tolkien has taken over your life when you buy elf ears so you can feel Legolas...

[@leohwaffles2628]

We need elf ears in our lives

[@allisongliot]

Please do a part two for this one! I’d love to hear you go deep into more of the costumes!

[@stjoanofarc94]

Hello amazing Pauline sister

[@ItsJohnMarstonMicuh]

these are the type of videos I love! The costumes in these movies are unreal and we can still learn things about costuming from these movies years later. great job!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Thanks so much!!

[@sbskinner369]

Please keep this series going!! I am in trawled each time you make these costume videos. I also appreciate that you are not just like other Tolkien KZbinrs. The way that you come at things from a historical and literary perspective and looking at the little details is wonderfully refreshing.

[@axari]

Maybe you could take a look at / compare their lounging-at-home costumes vs their adventurer-action-hero costumes... Tauriel's costumes were more similar to Legolas' costumes (than Arwen's or Galadriel's), but is that because they are from the same place, or because we see them in similar situations? How do their action costumes compare to Arwen's (when she comes to Frodo's rescue) or Haldir's? My favourite costume was Arwen's shimmery dove grey cloak, and then her 'dying frock'.

[@martyadams3172]

I agree, and I'd also love a dissertation on the light armor of the elves, as seen in the Peter Jackson movies. Elrond's and Thranduil's, especially. So very different from the human's, dwarves and Orcs, but beautiful and flexible for the sword play. I also noticed that Thranduil's armor seemed to reflect the flexible Tauriel armor that was not used for her charactor, but in a much more masculine way

[@lathron4393]

Your videos are sooo good, thank you 😊 My favourite elven costume is Elronds, I love that way he wears his hair ( a man with butterflies in his hair, no one would try to mess with XD). I literally grow up with a boy who looks like Elrond and braided his hair exactly like him, so I might be a little influenced. But beside by that, he looks like a noble wise book worm.

[@fionnaitsradag5152]

The film version of Thranduil's style kind of reminds me of Jareth from Labyrinth--even though the clothes are very different. Similar vibe of careless elegance and arrogance.

[@Laurelin70]

Initially David Bowie was the actor PJ had in mind for Elrond.

[@j.s.c.4355]

Favorite costume for a fighter: Tariel. Favorite costume for nobility: Galadriel in the Hobbit

[@MrCarrotbadger]

Favourite elvish costumes? Battle of Helms deep and battle of the Last alliance! Where the art nouveau elements really shows and how the metal gleams in the night/dark. Please do a part two about this and Legolas. Great videos by the way!

[@Ofthewoods1973]

I'm currently trying to get inspo to re-create Thrands outfit lol. I love the flowing robes!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Oh that's a great idea! He's so stylish

[@kollibriterresonnenblume2314]

Good eye! Especially fun to see the differences in Gandalf's costume from grey to white.

[@johanjonasson4188]

Even though I don't like The Hobbit movies that much I love the design on costumes and armour.

[@Nienna_Asyare]

ooo the leaf mail reminds me of scale mail!

[@benbrown8258]

A truly stunning analysis. This video alone made me a subscriber.

[@MarekGabro]

Danke!

[@jonasholzer4422]

Loved the video. The fashion of these films is fabulous

[@davidbrewer9030]

A lot of the Elven look reminds me of Post-Raphaelite paintings.

[@ambitiouscabbage]

This video is amazing, so glad I found your channel! Instantly subscribed 💚

[@diegooland1261]

The clothes are amazing. And I'd watch Cate Blanchett in overalls and flip flops.

[@CAP198462]

Nice as the main characters were, I liked the armours from the prologue. Gil Galad and the plain old warrior armour was 😎.

[@andeeanko7079]

Excellent video (new subscriber here, and I'm bingeing on your videos. You are very engaging and eloquent). I share your passion for the costumes in the LOTR and Hobbit films. I love the background music, too ❤ Oh, and one of my favourite costumes is Arwen's gown and hairstyle in Aragorn's dream sequence.

[@malcolmhart5951]

If I ever get to make a Lord of the Rings movie, you're my pick for Arwen 🤗

[@icecappen]

Amazing video, the way you speak really captured my attention and I loved the entire costume analysis!

[@Ofthewoods1973]

Legolas wore leaf-mail in the hobbit...

[@stankybee]

Very thorough analysis on the topic. I really enjoyed it!

[@bryanmarini4525]

What a wonderful analysis! Always learning something new about Professor Tolkien and The LOTR Movie Trilogy! Just subscribed! 👍🏻

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@parttimehobbit >>> Great video.

[@walterl322]

I need those Lórien Paris hair products

[@Daniel_B_23]

This is really awesome!

[@rubysparks4915]

GoT had that aesthetic at first but towards the end when D&D no longer cared, the different kingdoms mashed together until you couldn’t tell the North from Kingslanding.

[@Neutral_Tired]

Thranduil reminds me a lot of Bowie's Goblin King, anyone else get that impression?

[@saddlerrye6725]

Exactly! Costume design is a part of worldbuilding. The costumes help the viewer place the characters in the world. A single group should wear similar style, so that whenever we see them on screen we instantly know where are they coming from. The Witcher Bloog Origin in particular was a travesty from a costuming standpoint, and I'm not even a professional! There was the vaguely medieval cosplay guys, the vaguely elven cosplay guys, the guy in the vaguely traditional Indian costume, the woman in the vaguely traditional Chinese costume, the guy with the vaguely Egyptian necklace, the Starbucks barista girl with a cloak and the Iris van Herpen knockoff princess. And all of it said literally nothing about the world or the characters. Sorry for the off-topic rant, but it was just so bad... -.-"

[@honeyblade110]

while elves in rings of power are easily mistaken for men.. they did so wrong 🥲

[@iNeverSimp]

Elrond's outfit looks like a Ming Dynasty hanfu.

[@derekkrumel1407]

it's been two years and I have to know if you've seen Priscilla Queen of the Desert yet bc Hugo Weaving can wear a dress like nobody's business that man's got pizazz

[@guyr3618]

Is it just me, or do the elf costumes (and maybe architecture, too?) also feature some Asian influences, in order to differentiate them from the mostly-European look of Middle Earth? I know that their swords (the "Lhang") were inspired by east-Asian weapons. I feel like their costumes feature some east-Asian elements too, though I don't know enough about costuming to say definitively.

[@MarinaMontserrat]

Came here to learn, looking for this Hanfu chinese influence in elf costumes 😊

[@MeitingLiu-p5j]

I think especially the collar and the buttons are definitely inspired by traditional Chinese clothes. But it seems no one has ever mentioned

[@aki-ox5yf]

I thought I was the only one who feels like the elfs will look fabulous in Chinese robes.i always imagine them in those clothes.

[@apocryph0n]

!! Where can I find out more about leaf mail? That’s so cool! I wanna make it…

[@cadian101st]

I have always kept the maxim of art nouveau elves and art deco dwarves, it fits too well

[@thaq8.2]

Aspestosis 3:35

[@PortCharmers]

5:33 you need to watch "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert".

[@derekkrumel1407]

that movie friggin rules.

[@beansnrice321]

What was the old insight, If it's art nouveau it's elven, If it's art deco it's dwarven?

[@thaq8.2]

Wheelburric 6:13

[@donovandelaney3171]

And she’s hot. Frodo had a crush on her.

[@Mark-ke1rj]

What did you think of the choice of the curved blades for the elven armies? I remember when the films first came out some people were unhappy with the choice, claiming that Tolkien had stated the Elven Warriors typically carried single edged straight blades, and occasionally leaf-shaped blades (like sting). I suppose the controversy is archaic these days, but were the elegant curved weapons a better choice in your opinion than the straight blades?

[@Kira-qc9lu]

7:34 I would buy it:)

[@ChetJang]

This was my point about Galadriel in "Rings of Power" vs Galadriel in LOTR. Cate Blanchett is a versatile actor with a wide range and portrayed grace and elegance. The actor who portrayed Galadriel in "Rings of Power" showed no grace or elegance. She had the acting range of a mannequin, not even thousands of years would change the essential person so much.

[@bsa45acp]

Another design element in the LOTR movie that has yet to have any KZbin commentary is the jewelry design of the crowns, tiaras, rings and such in the film versus the LOTR book. Though I find the design of the three Elvin Rings to be rather poor, the rest of the jewelry is magnificent. Hint, hint, hint...

[@lemon.socksss]

She literally looks related to Legolas..

[@gandalf4751]

The lord of the rings 😍😍😍😍😍

[@Evenstar9092]

It’s sad that there is such an enormous breadth of knowledge and understanding of lore, costuming, and storytelling…that is being outright ignored in favor of, whatever excuse for effort these shows are.

[@danacoleman4007]

Wow!

[@vitthalpatil1974]

I want to buy outfit of arwem for my little neace . She is 7 year old . So where should i buy this costume . Plz reply

[@marvalice3455]

You should learn to sow, or meet someone who already knows how

[@jasonknight8581]

I don't think i ever seen this one.

[@krisztinakecskes869]

That is sad Tauriels armor looked way better than what they did instead.

[@davidvansickle5850]

Be Elanor.

[@donovandelaney3171]

Dying the dress seems like cheating.

[@kevinsullivan3448]

Wow, the music in this video is loud to the point of being distracting.

[@Ithirahad]

I dunno, to me Thranduil's costume felt a bit tacky. The idea was good, and his crown and makeup turned out okay, but the execution and materials... EHHHHHHHhhhhhh.

[@martyadams3172]

???? I thought the brocades and satins were fabulous! Not sure what movie you were watching. Perhaps you are narrowing in on the armor in the Battle of the Five Armies? There are a few BTS on the development of the costumes, and you can see just how "not tacky" those costumes were. Not to mention what a clothes horse Lee Pace is. He could have been one of the worlds great male models.

[@swifty5804]

You are absolutely stunning