Clothing

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Basic Set

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High-Tech

Clothing is often the only barrier between an adventurer and frostbite, sunburn, heat stroke, or even death...not to mention social calamities. The clothes in this section are described generically, to make them useful in any setting. Specific styles are intentionally given short shrift – even a brief survey would fill the entire book! Such concerns are left to the GM. Any good reference work on historical fashions will offer a wealth of inspirational descriptions and illustrations.

Note that Styling often applies to clothing, and that clothes come in all the usual quality levels. Assume LC4 except where noted.

Clothing Types

These notes elaborate on the Clothing rules from Basic Set (above). Weights assume TL7 garments; to adjust weight for other TLs, see Clothing Materials and Technology. The complete outfits below include the cost of appropriate footwear but not its weight; see Footwear for that.

Summer Clothes

This is lightweight clothing – perhaps a thin, white Arabian thobe; ao ba ba, the black pajamas of Vietnam's Mekong Delta region; or swim trunks and a t-shirt. It's light, comfortable, and cool. In hot weather, loose clothes allow air to circulate and cool the body. They aren't always white; traditional black Bedouin robes absorb more sunlight than white garments, but this actually increases sweat evaporation by drawing more air through the cloth, so they feel cooler. If robes aren't de rigueur in the campaign's desert climes, lightweight clothing such as pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and a broad hat will prevent sunburn. Cost is 10% of cost of living; weight is 1 lb.

Ordinary Clothes

This is typical work wear or everyday dress for a temperate climate: military uniform, shirt and trousers, t-shirt and bib overalls, etc. Even this much clothing may increase FP costs in hot climates, as described under Fighting a Battle. Cost is 20% of cost of living; weight is 2 lbs.

Winter Clothes

This is outdoor clothing for colder climes. It may be as simple as a jacket or a coat over ordinary clothes (above), or as specialized as insulated coveralls. In freezing temperatures, it allows a HT roll at no penalty to avoid FP loss. For an outfit to count as winter clothes, it must protect the whole body against heat loss – particularly feet, hands, head, and neck (e.g., waterproof boots, gloves, a warm hat, and a scarf). If there are missing items, the GM may penalize HT rolls with the -1 per item recommended on equipment modifiers. Cost is 30% of cost of living; weight is 4 lbs.

Arctic Clothes

This is an outfit similar to winter clothes (above), but with multiple layers and a water- and windproof exterior to help retain body heat and protect against biting arctic winds. Through TL6, furs, oilcloth, and greased wool or felt are common; at TL7-8, lighter materials appear. All such clothing gives +5 to HT rolls to avoid FP or HP loss due to freezing temperatures. As with winter clothing, if crucial items – gloves, hat, etc. – are missing, the outfit loses much of its effectiveness. When necessary, the wearer can remove a few layers to allow arctic clothing to act as winter or ordinary clothes. Cost is 50% of cost of living; weight is 15 lbs.

Formal Wear

Top hat and tuxedo, waistcoat and kilt, sequined evening gown and Pierre Cardin handbag...these are clothes for stepping out in. Fashion dictates the exact style and cut that's "in," but one thing is for certain: it isn't cheap. Cost starts at 40% of cost of living; weight is 2 lbs.

High-Fashion Attire

This represents ridiculously luxurious materials crafted by the world's top designers, with glitz and glam to the hilt. Many high-fashion designs disregard the normal conventions of dress and decorum; some seem to defy the laws of physics. The chichi fabrics are equally outrageous: lace tatted by blind nuns, Andean vicuña cashmere, hand-woven Thai silks, etc. Of course, the price for an original Oscar de la Renta or Jean-Paul Gaultier is astronomical. Cost starts at 100% of cost of living for Status 2 or above; weight is 1-4 lbs.

Clothing Accessories

Trimmings help complete any outfit. Attention to such details is crucial when stepping out in high society! For men, sleeve garters adjust the one-size-fits-all sleeves of TL5 shirts. Cufflinks are another important accessory – required for TL5 and often TL6 shirts, which lack cuff buttons, and stylish even today. During all of TL5-8, a necktie or a cravat adds color and distinction to a shirt. Well into TL7, hat, handkerchief, and pocketknife are also considered part of any respectable gent's ensemble. For women, hosiery is a top priority through TL5-8. This includes leg garters in the days before nylon pantyhose, which stays up on its own (TL7). Trends in hats, gloves, handbags, and so on fluctuate annually. Veils are common in many times and places – for modesty, mystique, or protection from sunlight, dust, and insects.

Characters start with accessories appropriate to their Status. Bought separately, such items cost 1% of cost of living per "outfit." Weight is negligible.

Special Clothing

Certain "extras" can add functionality and/or flair to any of the outfits above.

Hat (TL5)

Historically, man has worn many types of head coverings. Materials include wool (often felt), cotton, and leather. Styles, too, are highly variable – baseball caps, cowboy hats, derbies, fedoras, watch caps, and so on. Hats prevent sunburn, retain body heat, and/or keep rain out of the wearer's face. They can be decorative or utilitarian, distinctive or ubiquitous (perhaps even helping someone blend into the crowd). Prices run from around 1% of cost of living for cloth caps to 10% of cost of living for leather or felt hats. Weight is negligible for most cloth; 0.5-1 lb. for leather or felt.

Long Coat (TL5)

This is a trench coat, duster, overcoat, or similar item that covers the torso and extends to the knees or below. It can easily conceal bulky items (+4 to Holdout) but may look out-of-place in certain settings. It can be bought as undercover clothing (below) to increase its Holdout bonus. A leather version (×5 cost, ×2 weight) gives DR 1. $50, 5 lbs.

Undercover Clothing (TL5)

Clothing designed to hide things gives a Holdout bonus, cumulative with that for a concealable holster. This may be accomplished through a special cut, hidden pockets and reinforcements, panels, etc. An outfit that gives +1 (quality) to Holdout has 5× its usual cost; +2 (quality) is 20× normal cost.

Wet-Weather Gear (TL5)

Rain and spray can greatly reduce the effectiveness of clothing in cold weather (see Cold). At TL5-6, wet-weather gear is a thick "gum" blanket or poncho; at TL7-8, it's a lightweight synthetic suit. Because of their bulk, ponchos and the like grant +4 to Holdout when trying to conceal gear on the body. Cost and weight are as for ordinary clothes of the appropriate TL.

Wicking Undergarment (TL8)

This special clothing was originally designed to be worn under body armor and later adapted for athletic use. Its fibers draw moisture away from the skin, helping keep the wearer dry and facilitating evaporative cooling. Gives +1 to all HT and HT-based rolls to avoid FP loss in hot weather (see Heat). $30, neg.

Clothing Materials and Technology

The materials and features available for clothing advance alongside the rest of technology. Still, many people at TL8 happily wear clothes that have changed little since TL6 – even if soldiers and athletes favor state-of-the-art outfits. High-Tech splits the difference and uses TL7 as its baseline.

Clothing Materials and Technology: TL5

At TL5, clothing is made from natural materials. Wool is a common choice in Europe and North America, but while sturdy, warm, and attractive, it is stifling in hot weather, absorbs and retains water (and dries slowly), and is difficult to keep clean. Cotton, breathable and lightweight, is popular in warmer areas. In colder climes, fur or fur-lined clothing is usual – fox, caribou, reindeer, bison, etc. Winter or arctic clothes made from fur are often heavy and cumbersome, but may provide DR 1 (GM's option).

Most waterproof clothing at TL5 is made of oilcloth: heavy canvas treated with oil and/or paraffin. At mid-TL5, an alternative is a stiff "gum" fabric painted with rubber. A rubberized coat is called a "slicker" – or sometimes a "Mackintosh," in honor of its inventor.

The principal fasteners at TL5 are buckles and buttons, although brass eyelets and hook-and-eye arrangements also see use. Easily lost buttons combined with easily soiled natural fabrics make it challenging to keep clothes serviceable and attractive. Housekeeping and Sewing are vital maintenance skills!

Clothing Materials and Technology: TL6

With TL6 come many improvements. The garment industry takes its first steps into the Plastic Age with Bakelite buttons, PVC-impregnated hats, and two light, comfortable, and attractive fabrics: rayon and nylon. Less obvious but no less important is the standardization of clothing sizes.

Two innovative fasteners appear at TL6: the metal snap and the awkwardly named "Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure." The latter becomes famous as the "zipper" after the B.F. Goodrich Co. uses it on its Zipper-brand galoshes. The zipper quickly spreads from the footwear business to the entire clothing industry. A more prosaic TL6 development is the belt loop. Previously, suspenders were the accessory of choice for holding up trousers, while a belt was considered a tool for carrying equipment. The famous miner's "waist overalls" sold by Levi Strauss didn’t incorporate belt loops until 1922.

Foul-weather gear improves during TL6, too. Quilted goose-down clothing – first sold as the Skyliner jacket by Seattle outfitter Eddie Bauer – reduces the bulk of arctic clothes. Vinyl-treated cloth makes a lightweight, if flimsy, waterproof overcoat.

Clothing Materials and Technology: TL7

Synthetic fabrics continue to play a major role at TL7, as acrylic, polyester, and Dacron usher in the age of wash-and-wear clothing. These materials require much less maintenance than wool and other natural textiles, yet can be just as attractive. The first generation of synthetic insulation emerges, too, in the form of Lycra (also called Spandex) and polypropylene. Hook-and-loop fasteners, such as the popular Velcro brand, are another TL7 creation.

Clothing Materials and Technology: TL8

At TL8, breathable, waterproof fabrics revolutionize active wear. Acrylic fleece and lightweight synthetic insulation dramatically reduce the weight and bulk of cold-weather clothing. Natural fibers meet synthetic treatments in the form of "microfiber": fabrics woven from threads a fraction the thickness of a human hair. The resulting clothing is water- and stain-resistant, attractive, and comfortable – it can handle the toughest punishment and still look good.

Clothing Technology Table

This table shows how the innovations in Clothing Materials and Technology affect the weight of the outfits under Clothing Types. Select the outfit's type and TL, and multiply its weight by the corresponding factor in the table; e.g., TL8 arctic clothes weigh 15 lbs. × 0.5 = 7.5 lbs.

Type	TL5	TL6	TL7	TL8
Any but Arctic	×2	×2	×1	×0.5
Arctic	×1.5	×1.25	×1	×0.5

Ultra-Tech

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