Hobart and Tzipora are off to Japan

Tzipora here is wearing a simplified form of Vekllei’s national dress, which plays fast and loose with lace and showcases some of Vekllei’s more decadent iconography. Long gi (decorative quarter-pleats you’ve seen around) accompany sun petticoats, or Vekllei lace aprons. Flowers take the place of astrology or the Zodiac in Vekllei, and so they often accompany spiritual runes (in upotenne, or religious script) about the girl. Other aspects are just as unique, but not nearly as noticeable. The loose style of shirt, folded at the elbow, is a deliberate imitation of Vekllei agricultural fashion, and three-fold socks and soft felt or leather shoes are worn by women of many ages and professions. Much like her ecology, Vekllei is also culturally atomised, and in her isolation has developed subtle variations of what might otherwise be dismissed as plain clothing items. Every part of her outfit has heritage and symbolism, often barely detectable to a foreigner.

Hi everyone,

4 hours from now I’m off to Japan again. The last time I was in Japan (August 2019) left me inspired and enthusiastic. While I was there I started work on this subreddit. What a good time it’s been.

1.2k subscribers later, and I’m off again. It’s been a hectic week. I’m still unpacking into my new house. The house is quite nice. I’m hoping to return to my roots somewhat, featuring different folks around Vekllei in a rougher concept style. Hopefully, I’ll find the time to stick to the semidaily illustration routine, instead of the 4-5 days I’ve been operating on for the last month or so.

I’d like to invite anyone interested to the Vekllei Discord, which has blossomed into really great little community full of art and fashion and photography and all sorts of things. It’s much better than the r/worldbuilding Discord.

I’m hoping to do a drawing a day while I’m over there; the one time a year I acknowledge without caveats the Japanese influence on this worldbuilding project.

Best,

Hobart