Lissuin Robe – 18 Spring Leaves  (Honey, does this robe make me look fat…?)

Lissuin Dress – 18 Spring Leaves

Lissuin Cloak – 15 Spring Leaves

Lissuin Hooded Cloak – 15 Spring Leaves

Lately my blog activity has slowed down to only a few posts this year. I am still playing Lotro, but not as actively as I used to, since I started a new business this year that takes up a lot of my time. Spending energy on real life activities always diminishes game time, and as a result the time I used to spend on outfitting and this blog is currently non-existent.

Most of you will have found their way to Lalia’s market by now. This little shop is a cosmetic lover’s dream come true, and should keep your wardrobes stocked for a good while. Lalia and Hymne have been good friends ever since she was rescued from that horrible prince in the Barrows. Lalia gave Hymne a cute little cloak at the time, and Hymne has been helping her to dress the mannequins in her new store. You can find many of the mannequin outfits showcased on this blog!

I am still very much looking forward to any future Festivals and I will do my best to keep documenting the cosmetics that appear there, but new outfits will only be posted occasionally.

Happy outfitting and thank you for continuing to follow this blog!

~Hymne

Players have addressed me with questions regarding the mannequin outfits which I would like to answer in this post, hoping to clarify some issues that players seem to be concerned about.

1. Why did the mannequin outfit prices go up from 20mc to 50mc?
Answer: my best guess is that the original price of 20mc was incorrect. Mannequin outfits used to cost 775TP before update 9, which is closer to 50mc than to 20mc. In my opinion, the price of 20mc for an entire outfit was too low compared to other outfits in the store.

2. Can I still buy the outfit that was on the mannequins before this update?
Answer: No you cannot. I have no idea how often or even if these outfits will rotate at all, but don’t expect it to return to the mannequins any time soon. However there are other ways to obtain the same pieces, so ask around on the cosmetics forum.

3. I want the Armour of the West set, can I buy it in the store?
Answer: Not currently, but perhaps some day the “of the West” armor sets will be sold in the store for a limited time just like the Rift and Helegrod sets are. However if you have enough medallions and can make it to Harndirion in Enedwaith (which is even possible as a chicken!), you can purchase the regular Lesser Armour of the West pieces from the vendor there and share them with your other characters through the wardrobe system. You DO NOT need to be the exact class nor a minimum level to buy these pieces, any character can purchase these.

4. Is Cosmetic Lotro the only one designing mannequin outfits?
Answer: Obviously not, as many sets that are on the mannequins are just the regular, pre-designed sets and some ensembles that were combined by the Turbine team. I have submitted a few outfits to Turbine, based on what players had asked for in the poll on this blog. My aim is to get as many rare, obsolete or hard to acquire items on there as possible, specifically the old PvMP items and unique cloaks. I have also suggested on several occasions to simply put the original complete armour sets on the mannequins, which I hope they will take to heart and do in the future.

5. Can I submit my own outfit for the mannequins?
Answer: I don’t see why not, but I have no idea if Turbine will accept such submissions. If you are interested in sending in your ideas, please contact a member of the community team through the forum.

I hope these answers are helpful, if you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask on the comment section of this post.
As for myself, I am very pleased with my new mannequin outfit, as I have obtained an obsolete Rune-keeper robe that is no longer available through any other means in game. This is true for all items in that particular outfit (displayed on a hobbit mannequin), which is a blend of Rune-keeper items and the very desirable Minstrel shoulders, so in my opinion well worth the purchase. I love to put thick robes on my super skinny Rune-keeper as it gives her a bit of shape and makes her look more normal. On top of that, the base color of this robe is a perfect match to the base color of the Rune-keeper steed caparison which is on sale this week.
I’m always happy to promote cosmetic and fluff items in the store as I’m always hoping that the revenue from those items keeps this game going, rather than items that improve your character or item stats. I’m really looking forward to loads of more fluff items coming our way with the 6th Anniversary festival that will start this week!
Just a friendly reminder to the rune-keepers: you can use ANY rune-satchel cosmetically, including those above your level, legendary and even unidentified, provided you have the Wardrobe feature and a free slot to put it in. So check the Auction House for something more attractive than the extremely dull level 85 ones that are around. I do not recommend buying the ones from the Lotro store as those cannot be dyed.

Shoulders: Lesser Arrow of the West Shoulder Guards, white dye (Harndirion barter or mannequin cosmetic)
Chest: Cer. Robe of the Word-crafter, white dye (mannequin cosmetic)
Hands: Cer. Gloves of the Word-crafter, white dye (mannequin cosmetic)
Feet: Cer. Shoes of the Word-crafter, white dye (mannequin cosmetic)
Satchel: Master’s Rune-satchel of Dagor, white dye

The Lady of the Lake is the mysterious ruler of Avalon in the Arthurian legend. There are several related characters in the role which include giving King Arthur his sword Excalibur, enchanting Merlin, and raising Lancelot after the death of his father.
Nenuial or Lake Evendim to me is always reminiscent of Avalon somehow, even though it’s from a different world and a different legend.
Not motivated to do any raiding or end game content at the moment, I started a new character and thought she was perfect to model as the Lady of the Lake!

In Lotro fashion I often find that the rule “less is more” is true. There are many cool shoulders, cloaks and helmets to add to an outfit, but sometimes you just have to allow the simplicity of a gown speak for itself. This particular dress is only available at the reputation vendor in Thangulhad, and can be purchased at kindred standing with the Elves of Mirkwood. There is a long sleeved version available from the barter as well (which is also sold in the Lotro store), but the sleeveless version is more appropriate when going for a swim. I fell in love with the Barad Guldur runekeeper headpiece, and just these two simple pieces together made the perfect outfit for my Lady of Avalon.

Head: Runemaker’s Hat, sea blue dye (Classic vendor, Barad Guldur light armour Runekeeper)
Chest: Elegant Elven Dress, sea blue dye (Reputation vendor Thangulhad, Mirkwood)

So it’s Fashion Week, and I have the honor of hosting Coupon Codes for two free dye colors at the Lotro Store! You can find these codes in the left side bar of this blog. To help you get inspired I will post two outfits during Fashion Week using these colors as their main theme.
My favorite dye color is black. Black is always stylish and black evens out all wishy washy background colours that we sometimes find on armour, so it’s both beautiful and useful. Since it’s Fashion Week, looking fancy is way more important than the practical aspects of your outfit, so a huntress in a robe is just perfect for the occasion!

The hat and shoulders are part of the Ost Dunhoth Minstrel set, which can be bought with medallions at Harndirion or can be purchased as cosmetics from the Mannequins for the duration of this patch (10). If you are like me you probably received a load of Mithril Coins with the conversion of Festival Tickets and Travel Writs, so if you’re wondering what to do with those, grabbing some of those Mannequin sets might be a good idea.
I hope you all participate in the Fashion Screenshot Contest this week because I count on you to give us a really hard time judging all the entries for the Fashionista’s Choice Award!

Head: Voice of the West Hat, black dye (Ost Dunhoth Minstrel set or cosmetic)
Shoulders: Voice of the West Shoulders, orange dye (Ost Dunhoth Minstrel set or cosmetic)
Chest: Runemaker’s Armour, black dye (Barad Guldur Runekeeper’s set level 65, Classic Vendor)
Hands: Fingerless Gloves, black dye (Yule Festival cosmetic)
Feet: Reclaimed Nobleman’s Shoes, black dye (Great River quest reward, light)
Back: Fancy Quiver, black dye (Trestlebridge outfitter cosmetic)

From March 11th to the 18th 2013 it’s Fashion Week in LOTRO!
Pull out your finest fabrics and make sure to participate in the various community and in-game events.

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Enter the Fashion Screenshot Contest
Participate in the Fashion Screenshot Contest! We’re looking for this year’s hottest styles and you won’t be judged solely by the Community Team. This contest features two special community awards – one handed out by the team of fashionistas: The Starry Mantle and Cosmetic Lotro, and the other by the community itself.
Participate in any of these categories:
* Most Fashionable Kinship *
* Fashion In Motion *
* Professionally Minded *
 * Formal Extravagance *
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Join the Community Events
Check your server for community events and participate in a fashionable way to win some Turbine Points or Cosmetics!
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Lotteries?
Be sure to check the lotteries frequently during Fashion Week! Most likely we will see some fashionable items included. Don’t forget to follow @LOTRO on Twitter just in case we’ll see some Fashion Flash Lotteries as well.
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Get a Free Dye
During the Fashion Week two Fashionista Blogs each offer coupon codes to get free dyes at the Lotro Store. Since Pink is still not in demand (despite Aegthil’s unrelenting efforts), my blog offers a free BLACK and GREY DYE!
To claim your free dyes:

Log into the LOTRO Store and find Black Dye and Grey Dye.

• Choose to either buy a single dye (not the stack!) or quick buy the standard dye.
• When prompted, insert the coupon codes
  BDYE13 for the black dye
  GYE13 for the grey dye
  Click APPLY COUPON.
  The price should set to zero after the coupon is applied.
• Checkout as normal. Zero points will be removed, and you’ll get the dye in your bag.
• The coupon codes expire in a month and can be used once per account.

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Check The Starry Mantle for more free dye colours!

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Have fun this week, and make sure you dress to impress!

Filed under: Contests, Latest news ]]> http://cosmeticlotro.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/fashion-week-2013/feed/ 1 fashion week 2012 cosmeticlotro fashion_week_header_en 32px-Black_Dye_(LOTRO_Store)-icon hymne_pic http://cosmeticlotro.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/spirited/ http://cosmeticlotro.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/spirited/#comments Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:34:09 +0000 Cosmetic Lotro http://cosmeticlotro.wordpress.com/?p=6477 ]]>

I was actually going to do a low-level outfit for my hobbit warden, until I saw this week’s sale being announced and noticed that the War-steed colour and equipment dyes are on sale! As you may know I find the base price of the war-steed cosmetic features way too high (especially since these prices are per character) and refuse to buy them at full price, so whenever they are on sale, I am interested. My lore-master’s steed got a colour make-over and a new combined outfit. For the outfit itself I used yellow dye which is one of the few free colours, but more important than equipment colours are the hide colours, as the dull default grey of the skin is just unbearable. Being able to change hide and mane colour of your steed makes a lot of difference to the visual enjoyment of the game.
I may purchase some accessories too later this week, if my TP funds allow me to.

Now something needs to be said about the Robe of Eomer that is used in this outfit. It is one of several crafted Tier 8 items that are affected by deformations. The severity of the deformation depends on the race and gender that you are using the item on. This Robe for example cannot be used on female elves for it makes their arms look like spaghetti and their chest like a deflated balloon. The same is true for the medium and heavy crafted chest pieces. Many of the Tier 8 items are terribly deformed on certain races. This robe has a slightly weird look on Race of Man females as well, the shoulders look too square for my taste, but that may just be the design of the robe itself and not a deformity. I have bugged the deformities in game and I know many other players have as well, but so far nothing has been changed about their appearance. It’s a real shame because of all armour pieces that came out of the Rohan expansion, the crafted pieces are the best looking, but unfortunately often unusable as cosmetics. Maybe if we continue to bug these items, some day they will be corrected.

Head: Quilted Hat, yellow dye (crafted Tier 2, light armour)
Chest: Spirited Assault Robe of Éomer, yellow dye (crafted Tier 8, light armour)
Hands: Fingerless Gloves, yellow dye (Yule Festival reward, cosmetic)
Feet: Potent Skirmish Boots of the Mark, white dye (crafted Tier 8, medium armour)

War-steed:
Lore-master’s Caparison – yellow
Lore-master’s Leggings – yellow
Hide – copper
Tail – flaxen chestnut
Accessory – Steed of Night
Light Saddle of the Wold

So when Ketani mentioned on Twitter last week that there was a new store exclusive Steed available in the Lotro store with actual silver colored armor, I knew my champion berserker would finally have his own “class steed”. I never bought him the champion steed because it’s just not my taste. I was always hoping for something more heavily armored, and it finally arrived! Just like any other store exclusive steed (or reputation steed for that matter), it comes with certain drawbacks. For starters it has an undyeable olive colored blanket . Now I know for a fact that every player who rides a war-steed and has ever purchased some gear color packs absolutely hates this. Just as much as undyeable parts of an outfit are an insult to a carefully color coordinated look. Well, maybe you can live with it if you adore olive, but… to me it’s an eyesore. However there are too many eyesores in the world of Lotro cosmetics to even bother anymore, so I got my steed and got him as close to looking good as I could. My champion has only limited access to war-steed colors as in my opinion they’re still way overpriced and I only bought him two packs when they were on sale last year.
The saddle that is included in this set looks really cool, however, it is as flawed as it is cool because when my champ sits on it, the high front part cuts through his abdomen. So I decided to use the regular black saddle and have him sit more comfortably.
Despite all these discouraging issues, he turned out looking great and I’m very happy with my purchase and pleased with the end result of his looks.
The Steed of the Khundolar is currently for sale for a limited time until February 28, 2013.

The outfit pieces that I used all come from the Steely Dawn Steam deal that was on a 50% sale last December. Minus the chest piece which is an Isengard quest reward that I still treasure as one of the better chest pieces in game. The matching detail is the color of the sleeves, which are an undyeable…. olive.

Head: Helm of the Steely Dawn, cannot be dyed
Shoulders: Shoulders of the Steely Dawn, cannot be dyed
Chest: Hyrde-Bréost, black dye (Isengard landscape quest reward, heavy armour)
Hands: Gauntletsof the Steely Dawn, cannot be dyed
Feet: Bootsof the Steely Dawn, cannot be dyed

War-steed:
Khundolar Halter – grey
Khundolar Caparison – grey
Khundolar Leggings – grey
Plain Black Saddle
Hide: grey
Tail: white

The Hermit stands for retreat, contemplation, solitude, reflection, wisdom, isolation and… well, a whole range of other meanings in that context. The wonderful but for beginning Tarot readers sometimes overwhelming issue with the Tarot is that all cards have multiple meanings. Most books or lists on the internet will give you a general meaning for a card, but its ultimate significance is influenced by its position in a spread and the intuitive interpretation of the Tarot reader. And even that is not the whole story of Tarot interpretation as symbolic correspondences, timing, the question of the querent, and many other things all subtly influence the exact meaning of a card. However, the basic meaning of The Hermit card refers to a period of reflection or retreat, necessary to “see the light”.

There are several stories, events and people in the Lord of the Rings that reflect the archetype of The Hermit. An archetype is not a person, though it can be expressed through a person or personality. An archetype is rather a pattern of human behavior, a general pattern of circumstances or a classic series of events.

A good example of the Hermit archetype expressed through a classic series of events is Gandalf’s period of silence and solitude after fighting the Balrog in Moria, where he basically “fights his own demons” in the darkness and passes through the doors of death. As a result he needs to retreat from all involvement in Middle-earth before he can be “born again” into the light. Gandalf is always enigmatic, and keeps his thoughts to himself, so he expresses the Hermit archetype through his personality as well. Other well known “Hermits” in Middle-earth are Tom Bombadil and Radagast and even Bilbo Baggins’ retreat to Rivendell can be regarded as a Hermit pattern.

It was not so easy getting my own Hermit to pose for this Tarot card, but I believe the image still reflects the Hermit well. With my virtual LOTRO Tarot Series I do not aim to represent any of Tolkien’s characters, nor parts of his stories necessarily, but rather use the game environment and outfit system to create an image that I think captures the symbolism, colors and meaning of that particular Tarot card.

For comparison, I added the images of three real Tarot cards. These Hermits are from the Radiant Waite Tarot, the Wildwood Tarot (which renamed the card The Hooded Man) and the Sharman-Caselli Tarot.

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