New blog about LOTRO cosmetics - volume IV

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I'm proud to present a new LOTRO outfitting blog, Plate Metal Jacket and its very talented owner, Argendauss. After two very successful outfit posts here on LOTRO Fashion, he's decided it's time to have his own blog - his collection of battle outfits is astonishing!

"The blog's focus is aimed at the niche of LOTRO cosmetics that I enjoy the most, which is battle ready-outfits. No dresses, unless they're made of chain-mail or something," Argendauss said. I'd like to add that most of the outfit are really different from what can be usually seen on established LOTRO outfitting blogs, as they are made from man's perspective and that assures great uniqueness. I admire this guy's eye for detail and perfect taste for combining pieces :) I hope you'll enjoy his blog as I do!

Apprentice of the lore

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{[["☆","★"]]}

Ladriell, Cenlieg's apprentice, has been riding through Forochel for two days already. Her master sent poor gal to search for their fellowship to the west, where Cenlieg's raven has headed before he got stuck in wargs' den. Luckily, Ladriell found them just before the sun set, as they settled in Pynti-peldot for the night. The fellowship has entered heavy snow storm the day before, so their advance has been slow and painful.

Her friends welcomed her, but she knew there's more danger that she must face alone - master Cenlieg is a wise, but old lore-master. Hence he stayed in Kauppa-kohta, waiting for his apprentice, whom he considered dear as own daughter. She ate fine deer with their fellows and set off for a journey back, to accompany Cenlieg. No night is dark enough for Ladriell to ride through, if her dear teacher's life is endangered!

It's really hard to compete with Hymne's matching outfit for the Steed of the Lore-master - her color match is unbeatable! I also bought the mount last week when it came out (it will be available in store until August 16th) and started building an outfit around it - but damn, the blanket color is really hard to achieve with dyes. However, I love the other details - maps and scrolls are just perfect for my Eriador Cartographile :)

After a while I surrendered trying to get a perfect match and started composing something which I simply liked both matched to the horse and alone. In the end I settled for this robe, as its small details match other small details of the horse - the sleeves, the sienna patches... and thanks to metallic details, it adds a little fierceness to the whole composition (as the steed itself is very feminine and gentle).  Although some people call this robe a bath gown :), I really like it and the patterns on it.

I've always considered Forochel one of the most beautiful areas in LOTRO, but I don't think I've ever appreciated the sunset and dusk there. Today, while taking screenshots of the outfit, I managed to catch a glimpse of the wonderful lilac shadows on the land, and I felt like in paradise. I hope that it helped to underline the outfit's color scheme and derive attention away from the not-so-matching color of the robe and the horse :)

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simply rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Ceremonial Wandering Bard's Robe, navy dye (Skirmish cosmetics vendor - Rift light)
Head: Hat of the Learned Master, sienna dye (Ettenmoors Lore-master trader; shares similar appearance with Stone-reader's Hat)
Shoulders: Ceremonial Shoulders of the North Star, Evendim blue dye (Skirmish cosmetics vendor - Rift heavy)
Hands: Traveller's Road-worn Bracers, sienna dye (Dunland quest)
Feet: Embroidered Shoes of the Dunland Healer, sienna dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Map-maker's Travel Pack, umber dye (Skirmish vendor; also available from Store)

Mount: Steed of the Lore-master (Store)

Cluck cluck

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Everyone in the Shire has already headed for the Farmer's Faire. The biggest happening of the season excites all hobbits, because they can either sell or buy the best food available and please their stomachs to the greatest extent! Freyjuska has also been looking forward to the Faire all year long, not only to fill her belly, but also to sell eggs from her own hens.

Wearing her best dress, elegant town hat and signature cloak, Freyjuska gathered the best of the best eggs she could find in the coop and set off for the Bywater market. Her pony Dandelion was running fast like the wind, but careful, not allowing even a single egg to be smashed. The more they sell, the more treats they will be able to buy, and Dandy knows Freyjuska won't forget about her belly as well and get her the sweetest carrots. Let them come!

I did it! The famed Cloak of the Cluck is finally mine! I've wanted it for years now, but never got enough patience to finish all the Flying the Coop quests. Today, I've heard my kin is organizing a chicken run tomorrow (when I'm unfortunately away) and along with Farmer's Faire spirit all around me it boosted my will to finally finish the series.

I was missing four of the Flying the Coop quests: Evendim, Bree-land, North-downs and Trollshaws. The first three were easy as pie, but the Trollshaws were a real torture. I failed it 5 times (3 of which I even had escort) and successfully completed it on 6th attempt, thanking heavens for the perfect guide I found on the forums (I highly recommend reading it before trying Trollshaws run for the first time!).

Although I completed the quest solo in the end, I'd like to thank all the guys who have made getting the cloak possible (thanks to them I had fun and didn't lose faith):

Bobojsza - for shooting my way to the Aurochs Yearling near Esteldin
Danariel - for responding to my maddened clucking under the High Moor and accompanying me up 'till death tore us apart :)
Fardor - for willing to escort me up the High Moor twice, trying to invent tactics to avoid stealth lynxes and cheering me up when I got munched again

Thanks guys!

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simply rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Fine Short-sleeved Dress, turquoise dye (Anniversary gift box; long-sleeved version available for Mathom house reputation)
Head: Wide-brimmed Spring Hat, turquoise dye (Spring festival)
Back: Cloak of the Cluck, default dye (Flying the Coop quest series)
Hand: Basket of Colourful Eggs (Farmer's Faire festival)

Mount: Springtime Pony (Spring festival)

Housing items: 
Chicken Coop (Farmer's Faire festival)
Giant Pumpkin (Fall festival)

Emotes:
./point
./mood_happy
./mood_calm

Damn you, fresh savory mushroom soup!

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Had Wasabito known what rigmaroles await him after he agreed to help Daisy Sandyman, he would have never even come her way. He thought he would deliver a few pies here and there and get enough goods in return, and instead he has to chase for some stupid savory 'shroom soup now! He couldn't find it, so he set off to his old buddy Gerebert's house - they were apprentices of Shire's expert cook Mrs. Underhill together and Gerebert always had good eye on rare recipes.

However, Gerebert has gone amiss (as dear Esilia mentioned to everybody else but poor Wasabito) and his dump dark house was full of miserable trash, spiders, and for worse - rats! Several pests attacked him and he almost pooed his pants, but in the end he held it! "The recipe, finally!" Wasabito thought, and then found out it was a stupid journal! "Oh goodness," he cried, running out from the infested house to the fields around Tuckborough, thanking for the lantern he'd brought to show the way out. There he swore revenge to the pests and evil fellow who asked him for this useless soup. "He will get the good old mushroom & onions one, I bet he won't even tell the difference!" cursed Wasabito, shaking his fist towards the wind.

My last outfit before vacation was a well-armed hobbit lad, and today there's a hobbit lad again - but this time a plain fellow of Shire. He simply enjoys the Farmer's Faire, running from trouble to trouble (I've heard he recently decided to go to Maggot's farm to hunt some mushrooms, fool!). The faire's cosmetics are cute and very good looking especially on hobbits, so I wanted to make use of it.

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simply rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Farmer's Fancy Tunic and Trousers, gold dye (Farmer's Faire festival)
Head: Straw Hat, gold dye (Skirmish cosmetics vendor)
Shoulders: Ceremonial Spear-shaker's Shoulders, default dye (Skirmish cosmetics vendor - Helegrod medium)
Back: Cook's Trappings, gold dye (Store)

Emotes:
./cower
./shakefist
./mood_fearful

I'm back in summer mood :)

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{[["☆","★"]]}

Hi guys!

My three weeks off prolonged into twice as much - catching up with workload after my vacation (which I enjoyed to full extent - no internet access, no mobile signal :)) took quite some time, plus I enjoyed some lovely warm weather with some hiking and sunbathing. However, I'm more than happy to be back in business - I even found out there's new festival ongoing when I logged in!

So Freyjuska is now enjoying Farmer's Faire with her fellow hobbits and I'm starting to think of new outfits for you guys. I haven't even checked my mailbox yet, but I will soon prepare some lovely guest submissions to post (unfortunately some even from times before I left - shame on me!).

Looking forward to going through my fellow bloggers' posts and your comments!

Frey

See you in two weeks!

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I thought I'd be able to post some more outfit before my vacation, but I didn't manage it - I'm as disorganized as always :) I'm leaving for 2 weeks vacation tomorrow, so I'd like to ask you to bear with me and promise I'll bring you some pretty outfits after I return - you've sent me really amazing guest submissions which are sitting in my mailbox for now.

So, see you in July! :)

New blogs about LOTRO cosmetics - volume 3

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It's been a long time since I presented new LOTRO outfitting blogs (aside from tweeting a little here, a little there), which is shameful and I'd like to set this right! For instance, I realized I totally neglected launch of the Starry Mantle last November (I mean I didn't write about it - of course I've been totally hooked up on Starry from the beginning!). No more mistakes like this anymore! :))

Landroval Style has been up for a month and a half and already has a nice collection of good looking outfits. It presents blog owner's creations, as well as other Landroval players - I totally love the "Seen on the Streets" category, which is kind of Landroval fashion police. There are several other interesting series, such as Dress It Up challenges or Cloak of the Day - don't miss them!

I can't believe I missed Vogue of the Rings when it launched in last year's November (aye, that's the same month Starry Mantle launched - must have been very busy month for me :( ). It's run by Danica, whom you might remember by this outfit which ended up in TOP 9 in Yule Fashion Contest 2011 (under character's name Diamint). There's bountiful collection of outfits - please check them out and encourage the author to continue posting!

You might need Google Translate's help for this one, but Estel Fashion is certainly worth checking out. Blog started in December and is aimed at francophone community, but screenshots speak one united language anyway :)

An Unexpected Fashion Blog launched only last month and it already has a lot of inspirational posts. I particularly love a gypsy maiden, so wonderfully set within the scenery.

...and there are more! Many blogs have arisen from Newbie Blogger Initiative, which I was also part of as a mentor (only in the beginning of May though, work schedule came into my plans :( ). Some of these blogs only have a few posts at the moment, but watch them closely - there's inspiration in each and every post and who knows which of them will grow into established fashion blogs!

The Ivy

Moria Fashion (dwarven F2P outfits)

Material Middle-Earth

LOTRO Ladies Outfitter

Middle-Earth Mannequins

Lotro Cinna (which I love because of Hunger Games reference!)

Tip: I also updated my blogroll on the right side - check it out! I've separated outfitting blogs from other sites, so that it's easier to search among them.