Civil vestments of Themiclesia

Civil uniforms of Themiclesia have been worn by civil servants and members of certain institutions as symbols of public power and distinction. Lay persons may also wear them in some contexts to express affiliation or support for the state or its institutions.

Hats

Like other Meng people, Themiclesians did not cut their hear but tied it together in various ways, usually on top or the side of their heads. While the reluctance to cut hair was philosophized as respect for the physical form created by one's parents, scholars generally think this was not the original motivation. Since at least the bronze age, pictorial evidence suggests that adults usually concealed their tied hair in some way, giving rise to headwear. Examples of early headwear are usually jade tubes, postulated worn as a tiara around the hair. Later examples include a hole by which a long pin could penetrate the tied hair and secure the headwear.

l′ong-l′in-korh

The l′ong-l′in-korh (通天冠) was introduced some time in the 1st c. BCE in imitation of the Meng crown. It originated as a strip of leather covering the hair bun, which also gave rise to the tsjinh-ging-korh (below). The two ends of the strip were fastened to a circlet that encircled the hair bun. The strip was subsequently stiffened with ribbing of metal wire.   The l′ong-l′in-korh differs from the tsjinh-ging-korh in shape of the arches; in the former, it forms a rectangle in profile, while in the latter it forms a box shape. During the Hexarchy, this hat was the preserve of the king of Tsjinh.

tsjinh-gin-korh

The tsjinh-gin-korh (進賢冠) was introduced in the Pjang state at an uncertain date but was later adopted in all five states of the Hexarchy. The ``tsjinh-ging-korh`` differs from the ``l’ong-l’in-korh`` in that the arches does not curve in the shape of the letter R but connects directly to the rear end of the circlet behind the hair bun. The number of arches indicate the seniority of the wearer. Ordinary public officials wear one broad arch, while senior officials of the 2,000-bushel rank wear two parallel arches.  Peers, ordinary or titular, wear three arches. The ``l’ong-l’in-korh`` also had three arches.

Modern court dress

Until 1975, Themiclesian nationals appearing at the royal court were required to be in court dress, when the Progressives abolished these rules believing they impeded the public from court ceremonies.

Casaterran forms of dress were accepted for nationals in 1827, traditionally attributed to the trend-setting sartorial flare of the Lord of Ran. The government revised attire rules aiming both to align the Themiclesian court with Casaterran ones and to preserve native affinity. New rules were promulgated by the Cabinet Office in 1841, 1850, 1871, and 1922, by which point it was no longer strictly enforced. After Emperor Hên' came to the throne, his regent Empress Dowager Gwidh forbade further changes to the court attire. While Gwidh died in 1955, subsequent prime ministers were eager to use the antiquated courtly attire to appease traditionalists even pushing progressive agenda. Though now it is no longer necessary to adhere to sartorial rules visiting the royal court, many voluntarily do so, and attire is commercially offered for hire.

Men

In 1827, it was ordered courtiers might wear Casaterran clothes if they also wore a traditional outer-robe (表, prjaw) over them. While Casaterran clothes were much lighter and more mobile than traditional robes, adopters were few and far-between, since courtiers had servants to carry their trains and assist them up carriages and steps; however, amongst the royal retainers, adoption was more enthusiastic. This hybrid attire became mainstream in the 1830s as more households in Kien-k'ang started wearing Western attire. In 1841, Emperor Ng'jarh also permitted courtiers to eschew the outer-robe in non-ceremonial occasions, where badges of rank and honour were not requisite.

While it was not so regulated, formal attire was always worn where full court dress was traditional, which meant a top hat, black tailcoat, and white waistcoat, shirt, cravat, and trousers. Conflict between traditional and Casaterran formality was fortuitously averted since formal Themiclesian activities occurred in the morning, while formal Casaterran occasions, after dark. Additionally, the wearing of a Themiclesian robe over formal Casaterran garments gave the impression that the domestic formality was superior to the introduced one.

In 1850, the forms and occasions of Western dress were reformed at court to meet contemporary Casaterran standards. Men were permitted to wear black or near-black tailcoats for all occasions that formerly demanded full-dress robes and frock coats for other activities at court. It seems for solemn occasions, the traditional robes were still more popular, at least earlier in the reign of Emperor Tjang (1857 – 64). The 1850s saw the tailcoat phased out for day wear in Casaterra, but it was retained in this context as late as 1871 in Themiclesia. That year, the court adopted the frock coat for all daytime activities and reserved the tailcoat for evenings; correspondingly, this was also when state banquets shifted from breakfasts to dinners.

In the 1860s, black became the dominant colour of both tail and frock coats, and waistcoats shed their ornamentation for a more reserved aesthetic, under the influence of Tyrannian Queen Catherine's court. It became awkward for military officers to wear colourful insignia on their tail and frock coats, outdressing government ministers and the sovereign; as a result, military coats also darkened and lost their embellishments. By 1870, military dress coats differed from civilian coats only in cut and buttoning, the former usually double-breasted and closed.

The frock coat remained the morning court dress for the remainder of the 19th century and the 20th. During the 19th, frock coats were informally mandatory at meetings of the House of Commons, since the legislature was technically meeting under royal command and exercising royal powers, but peers sitting in the House of Lords wore tailcoats as late as 1870, since it was felt to be in the immediate presence of the throne, even if unoccupied.

See also

• Themiclesia