Nortish dress codes

Nortan clothing, or Nortch clothing refers to the modern and traditional clothing attire worn in Great Nortend, not just in Nortend. Nortan clothing is generally quite similar to Western clothing; however, it is a distinct variety and retains a unique appearance.

Court Dress

Court dress is the most formal dress code and is appropriate at royal, state and official occasions such as royal courts, levées, balls, ceremonies, investitures, coronations, funerals and religious services, government and diplomatic occasions, as well as at the ceremonies of municipal, legal, academic and other 'dress' corporations.

It consists of dress blue day 'velvet' suit and dress blue evening 'cloth' suit. Both are in the form of tailcoats worn with white bowed tie, bands or jabot and stiff bosom shirt, with waistcoat, breeches, stockings and buckled shoes, the main differences being that the velvet day dress is trimmed with silk velvet and has silver buttons, whereas the cloth suit is trimmed with silk grosgrain with gilt buttons.

Wigs are often worn by officials, such as legal and municipal officers. Gowns and robes are also often worn depending on the occasion.

Court Livery

Court livery is the cloth suit worn by male members of the Royal household, the Royal Army, the Navy Royal, the Civil Service and the Diplomatic Services on occasions demanding court dress. The various classes or ranks are denoted by increasing quantities of gold and silver embroidery, and in the case of military uniforms, by rank insignia. Court livery is also worn by male domestic servants. Court livery is often very brightly and gaily coloured, such as dress blue (civil and diplomatic services, Royal Army and Navy Royal) or scarlet (Royal household and some Royal Army).

Full Dress

Full dress is worn on formal non-state occasions which do not demand court dress. It is often worn at sittings of Parliament, weddings, funerals, christenings, feast day religious services, dinners at restaurants, operas, concerts, balls and the like. Many people wear full dress regularly at dinner, often on Sunday dinners.

It consists of a dark grey or dress blue frock coat and a dress blue evening dress coat. The frock coat is a plain knee-length cutaway coat with tails, similar to a morning coat, whereas the dress coat is an evening tailcoat with silk grosgrain facings, as worn in 'white tie' dress. Both are worn with a stiff bosom shirt and detachable standing collar (either winged or straight) and detachable single cuffs.

The frock coat is worn with a tailed tie, pastel waistcoat, grey striped or chequered trousers, and black boots. The dress coat is worn with a white bowed tie, white waistcoat, plain or striped dress blue trousers with a double stripe of silk ribbon, and black shoes.

Liveried servants wear full dress in the form of a evening dress coat with striped waistcoats, both in varied colours and with white bow ties.

Undress

Morning dress & Dinner dress.

Informal dress

A typical clerk in a winter flannel suit.

Informal dress consists of day town dress and evening lounge dress.

Town dress is worn in 'town' and in the country on more formal occasions such as at church, luncheons &c. It consists of matching woollen coat, waistcoat and trousers, usually worn with a turned collar and tailed tie.

Lounge dress consist of a casual 'smoking' jacket and dinner trousers, usually worn with a soft shirt and bowed tie.

Country dress

A country labouress in traditional habit.

Typical male country dress.

The costumes worn in the countryside of rural Great Nortend varies greatly between localities and employment in details, but generally they are of the same basic design. Both the labouring classes and the gentle classes wear similar clothing in the country, although materials, quality, trimming and cost differ. It is also often worn when travelling, exercising or playing sports.

A linen shirt, or chemise is worn as the under garment. Men will wear long underlinens covering the legs, and the shirt has a soft collar attached with buttons which often closed with a woollen necktie. Women wear a pair of minimally boned bodices or fully boned stays over the chemise to support the chest depending on occupation.

Men typically wear "knees" with thick woollen stockings with garters over their underlinens, held up by braces. Knees are similar to knickerbockers or plus-fours and are usually in browns, dark blues or greens. Women wear a number of petticoats, usually two or three, over their chemise and bodice. These are usually around ankle length, although they tend to be around mid-calf length in the North. Over the petticoats a long skirt is worn. Usually skirts are at the natural waist, and are in a durable woollen fabric. Woollen stockings are worn with garters.

Over the shirt, men wear a woollen coat which is sually 'sack like' and single breasted with notched labels. It does not always match the knees and often has a contrasting collar in a corduroy or felt. A waistcoat or jumper may be worn under the coat. Women over their chemise and bodice wear a short-gown with collar, often an apron, and a shawl over the shoulders and fastened at the front.

A woollen flat cap, a felted bonnet or felt hat in subdued colours is worn by men. A linen cap, which covers the hair, and a woollen or felt bonnet or hat thereover is worn by women. In summer, a straw hat may be worn instead by both sexes. For footwear, leather boots or wooden soled clogs with leather uppers are worn by all, although men typically use laces and women buckles.