Clergy robes

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Clergy Robes are Currently Conspicuously Missing from my Gear at the Moment... I Really Need to Have that rectified by the Time KSG rolls around...<Smirk>...

[qoSagh]

I was actually trying to find a good pic of one I thought would be a blast to make, it was basically a black academic robe with a wide Klingon collar/shoulders and then the notch for a clerical collar. Remember it.....from the Simpson's?

Seriously, my current vestments amount to a sleeveless cloak, much like a battle cloak, in black with red lining and lapels. My medals are hanging on the red lapels which run the entire height. The problem is the cloak was designed for a different character who had earned a great deal many more medals than qoSagh. So I have been working on a new cloak, that will look allot more vestment like.

Since none of this has to do with pants, I guess I will stop here.

[KAllen]

One of my shipmates was raised on Boreth, even though his position is fighter pilot, he wears the priest robes.  Basically he used a "frier tuck" type costume w/out the flaps on the shoulders.  He used a basic black scarf w/ truck floor mats cut and highlighted attached to the top to give a really cool design.  He also has a chain mail tunic type thing w/ the Klingon symbol attached.  I believe he uses a large black rope for a belt.

I think we have pix of him on our website www.geocities.com/henry_cook under the "wedding" pix.  I know I have pix of him, but not on my comp.

[qoSagh]

One direction I am going in with my new design is a lot more generic. My current robe is very individual with various medals hanging off of the front. The new design is going to be the same black and red design, with gold trim and a few individual touches. The general idea is that in keeping with the role play of the qaptaQ being a large organization within our Most Glorious Empire, there would be rules governing what vestments are worn, and when they are worn.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

So are You Talking about a "Generic" Base robe, Which Could then Have Different "Mantles/Collars" that Could be Worn over it for Different Purposes, Ranks etc?

[qoSagh]

I hadn't thought about rank variations. I was thinking more about a generic robe for meycha, since we only have one rank within the Priesthood. I was just thinking of making one that wasn't so dependant of personal touches. If I took all of the medals (which are really beragha's not qoSagh's anyway) it would be very plain looking. The new one will be very ornate before any personal touches are added.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Roger that... I Am Hoping to Have a Suitably "Klingon" Looking Garment that Also Does Not Require Massive Additional Oramentation...

[Kaz Son of Maktan]

Greetings Abbot.  If I may suggest...I saw I gospel musical for Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday over a month ago, and I found one of the characters in it quite inspiring, among many ways, in regards to klingon attire. Well, the gentleman had your basic black, poofy gospel choir robe with big sleeves that pleated in wide wrist cuffs- I couldn't help but see the klingon in them -furry arms, bracers et al.  He then had a long, rectangular reverend's stole whose two parts were sewn at a right angle at the top of his back and each end draped over the shoulders down to mid-thigh.  The stole was simple yet was made with ornate fabric.  For a military chaplain, a stole and collar markings would be understated yet powerful symbols of faith and would be well-suited for a holy man in the field. Qapla'!
   

[qoSagh]

I have thought of stoles before, although to get a somewhat less obvious look, I have thought of different ways they would hang. One was a "Y" shaped idea that would go over both shoulders and meet in the back, but in the front would meet at chest level and have a single hanging piece in the center instead of two separate halves.

Another idea I have is based on the American system of doctoral ranks used by many colleges. Three horizontal velvet stripes on the sleeve are the sign of a doctor. Black is the most common seen, in that it is the color of a Doctor of Law, so many Judges have the stripes. But White is the color given to Doctor of Divinity. I have given some thought to working three white stripes into the fur sleeves of a set of battle armor. I haven't gone too far with that idea yet.

[Kaz Son of Maktan]

Wow! A wonderful idea!  That reminds me of Lady Sirella of the House of Martok. I was watching the DS9 episode just recenlty, and what stood out to me, aside from her headdress, was the large "stripe" of material over her arm fur.  I hope you can post a link to any pictures you may have to share once they're done. Qapla'!

[qoSagh]

those are just ideas now. I do not know what shape if any they will ever take. I am currently working on a spec for a new robe, but it is being specifically designed to go over any garment. I do want to get armor but I want to go with something that will stand out. One think I have always wanted was to do the fur sleeves in a different color than black, which might interfere with the white stripes, depending on what color I choose. A great deal depends on if I have it made locally or go with one of the various internet costumers. Since the robe is pretty much a cover all, I will probably not use the stole. I have thought of sash belts to denote different ranks within the order, since those could be worn over any type of uniform.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

I Had Considered the "Stripes" on the Fur idea too, (Ours Would be Green for our Particular Order), but I was Concerned that they might be taken as an Homage to "Civil war era, Enlisted Rank Insignia"...

As to the Robes, I have Checked a few Sites online that Have "Quire" as well as Academic and Other Religious Robes, Mantles and Vestments... Most Have Crosses, or other Christian Symbols on them, or Are in Colors that are Inappropriate to Our Needs...

I Did Find a Pattern For some very "Generic" Monk and Crusader Kinds of Robes, and we will Probably Start with Those... I Want to Do Something "Distinct" with the Mantle, if we Go that Route...

[qoSagh]

The Academic Robes might be OK, but I think they would lack the Klingon feel. Perhaps you can find the patterns for similar robes and make them out of vinyl or fur or something metallic to make them appear more Klingon. I remember seeing a cloak in one of the Star Trek comics, that I think was a light green body, with a grey mantle that looked like the shoulders of standard battle armor.

As for the stripes, if they are horizontal with points at both ends like the collegate ones are they shouldn't look too much like the oversized chevrons and slashes used on uniforms from the war between the states. However not being accomplished at sewing, I do not know how hard it would be to do stripes like that, on fur.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

The Academic Robes might be OK, but I think they would lack the Klingon feel. Perhaps you can find the patterns for similar robes and make them out of vinyl or fur or something metallic to make them appear more Klingon. I remember seeing a cloak in one of the Star Trek comics, that I think was a light green body, with a grey mantle that looked like the shoulders of standard battle armor.

As for the stripes, if they are horizontal with points at both ends like the collegate ones are they shouldn't look too much like the oversized chevrons and slashes used on uniforms from the war between the states. However not being accomplished at sewing, I do not know how hard it would be to do stripes like that, on fur.

We are Definitely Not Going with Academic Robes, The Pattern we Found is Much Closer to What One Might Imagine or Describe as a "Friar Tuck" Kind of Thing... Which will be Made with Klingon Colors, and Likely Some "Klingon" Textures (Vinyl, Fur etc)...

Ironically, One of My Favorite "Looks" in Sci-Fi terms is actually the Robes and Uniforms Worn by the Orangutan "Priests" in the Original Planet of the Apes Movies... Those had a Kewl Looking Vinyl "Chest-plate", and I Think may have had "Bands" around the Arms as well...

Which Brings up a Possible Solution for the Horizontal Line you are Talking About, Which would maybe be to Sew them onto some "Stretchy" Material, and Wear them like a Brassard?

[qoSagh]

If one combines elements from a standard Monk's Robe, with elements from the "Ape Cape" ( I had to call it that) I think one would come pretty close to the Original Battle Cloak worn by Kruge.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Any Pictures of this "Ape Cape"... Or are you Talking about the Same thing I am...<Chuckle>... And actually Do You have any "Full" Pictures of Kruges Command Robes?

[qoSagh]

I was calling the Orangutan's Vestments an Ape Cape.

[qarSuv]

How about watching "Rightful Heir" and taking a lot of snapshots, then talking with a costumer/tailor?

[Abbot Nej vIt]

How about watching "Rightful Heir" and taking a lot of snapshots, then talking with a costumer/tailor?

Most "Professional" costumers and tailors want a pattern to work from and we do not have one. Also in the case of the Library we are of a different order than the monks we saw in TNG, so we can get away with some variation.

The final robes look pretty Klingon and are quite nice. Comfy too.

All of that said, if we had access to the TNG patterns early on we would likely have gone with those, possibly just in a different color, but as stated we did not, and I do not know anyone who makes patterns from photos. I'm sure that there are folks out there who do mind you, but I do not know any of them. None of our local tailors wanted to work without one.

maj! {Good}...

[Khartan]

I realize that this is an old post, but I was wondering if anyone was still looking for info on Klingon Clergy robes.  I had one made based on the outfits warn by Divok and Torin in TNG: Rightful Heir, and with some reference to Sirella in DS9: You are Cordially Invited (which has some similarities).  If anyone's interested, I could share pictures and might be able to find out from my costumer what pattern she used.

[qoSagh]

I am always interested in what other orders are wearing. I would like to see what you came up with, although mine will be different because they will be specific to my order.

I have the basic concept worked out for my new vestments, however never made them because I haven't had many opportunities to wear the Klingon uniform in the past few years. It will look basically similar to my current ones with a couple of additions. I have also been collecting Klingon patches for several years and will probably put those on the facing material. Some of my collection turn out to be house related so I will not use them. Others are commercially available generic looking ones and will likely get used.

I am still going with the black and red, but am thinking of having a friend make the robe from scratch so I can select fabric. My current thought is to use something quilted for the red facing and something fairly heavy for the black body. I think that those will contrast nicely with the gold trim that I will be using that will be somewhat reminiscent of the cloak worn by the chancellor but will definitely not have sleeves. The overall look will be an ornate looking battle cloak, that will be worn over whatever clothing I am wearing that day, much like the academic robes more popular in the U.K.

My general rule of thumb is also that the robes will not just be vestments worn for ceremonies, but also a sort of Class A kind of thing, any time when it is important to show rank and position in a formal way.

[Khartan]

Right now, the only pic I have is this one from the Klingon Wedding at Cyphan 2011. 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3226175006975&l=367775cbcf

I will get some better pictures taken and posted here soon.