Additional Garlean Fashion Inspiration

[SannaR]

The adventurer's plate when you go into a dungeon/trial makes it stand out even more than before. That's how.

But how else will they be able to rp as an 80s aerobics instructor if they're not wearing those bottoms? Also I think I find a lot more frogs n chickens in those than cats in those bottoms.

[Kes13a]

But how else will they be able to rp as an 80s aerobics instructor if they're not wearing those bottoms? Also I think I find a lot more frogs n chickens in those than cats in those bottoms.

I dont notice the bottoms as much as males in those hideous boots. but I guess bois will be bois...

[Midareyukki]

*cough* I'm from EU but ok lmao

tbf tho I'm not going around calling people Nazis just for wanting Garlean gear.

All I'm saying is that, to me, they are written with tropes, events and symbols that fascist regimes used. Whether that actually should be a reason to bar people from wearing this is entirely debateable.

[Absimiliard]

*cough* I'm from EU but ok lmao

tbf tho I'm not going around calling people Nazis just for wanting something about it

All I'm saying is that, to me, they are written with tropes, events and symbols that fascist regimes used. Whether that actually should be a reason to bar people from wearing this is entirely debateable.

If you look back, Eorzea's history is arguably even worse than Garlemald's. They have engaged in basically every abominable act known to man, including slavery and genocide. The Garleans at least had a combination of being gaslit by their own government and some weird immortal guy that hated them from the start calling the shots to explain some of their actions. The Eorzeans did it just because "muh superiority," and they're still doing some of it behind the scenes. Garlemald, meanwhile, is now doing none of that anymore due to a combination of their oppressive government (that, I'll note, oppressed them too) being dismantled and a giant chunk of their already tiny population getting annihilated.

Now, having said that, let's take a look at Eorzean military uniforms. You may notice several of those outfits do include emblems that look suspiciously like those used by certain real life uh... well, for TOS adherence purposes, we'll say less than kind world governments/militaries. I've yet to see anyone argue against those uniforms. Garlean uniforms, on the other hand, vary in what emblems they carry. Some, like most models of their powered armor, often don't have anything at all along those lines. Others bear symbols with little to no resemblance of anything real.

So, I ask, is allowing Garlean uniforms really any worse than letting people poke about in the many Eorzean uniforms? Particularly now, with the few surviving Garleans working so hard to go in a very different direction from the previous regime as they rebuild.

[Midareyukki]

If you look back, Eorzea's history is arguably even worse than Garlemald's. They have engaged in basically every abominable act known to man, including slavery and genocide. The Garleans at least had a combination of being gaslit by their own government and some weird immortal guy that hated them from the start calling the shots to explain some of their actions.

Now, having said that, let's take a look at Eorzean military uniforms. You may notice several of those outfits do include emblems that look suspiciously like those used by certain real life uh... well, for TOS adherence purposes, we'll say less than kind world governments/militaries. I've yet to see anyone argue against those uniforms.

Yeah I know. I'm pretty sure I wrote a while back that "I'm not perfect". I know darn well there's worse out there, and I'm very likely cherrypicking. Hell, we have Bozjan Resistance outfits. Until the Misija thing happened, how many do you think would have been A-OK with them just reinstating the chaste system had Bajsaljen said "Yo, I made a constitution based on Garlean life. Not everything they did was terrible, we did kinda need an update".

The one thing I might argue is that "Okay, sure, Eorzea was worse in terms of actions. But that's not how they're currently written, and the impact they have nowadays affects a specific group (cough, biased) rather than "anyone and everyone that doesn't have a third eye"."
As in, yes, Eorzea literally has been doing this for years to the Beast Tribes, and that's just current Eorzea. You have the former city states who literally wiped eachother out before any of the current civilizations happened.
However they are not the ones written like WW2 Fascists. Garleans are. Garleans are the ones using WW2 iconography, narratives, events, everything. Eorzea is obviously not good either, but they're not the ones written that way.
That's what I'm getting at. When I say "they are written with tropes", I mean it. Eorzeans and even Domans have their issues, yes, but they aren't the ones being written in this one specific way. Garleans are, and to me it's made very clear that that's how they're meant to be evoked.

So yes, Eorzeans do have specific emblems and motifs that can be taken that way. But that's not the reading the story is trying to make of them. Garlemald, on the other hand? That's entirely written that way. Clearly someone in the writing team WANTED people to make that connection, or at least drew enough parallels for it to be seen as anything but. Eorzea is given nuance and such. You can argue "those are excuses", but when it comes to the writing, it does make a difference. Perhaps Eorzeans should be taken in the same light, but Garleans will always be more immediate because of how they're written. I think it's on purpose. That's my reading of it.

As for why we don't have Eorzean uniforms being contested, I don't have a straight answer. The only answer I can give is the one I mentioned above, and I'm not gonna fight anyone over it o: I'm not an expert on this. I'm biased. I very much drew that parallel because it was easier for me to do so. I admit: I'm not perfect. But neither are you guys, and even I, who is not perfect, can understand people who want that gear. Because, again, some people DO want to roleplay as a Garlean!

And mind you, unlike what many people might think and what True-to-Caesar quoted from Rehayem, no it doesn't mean that people who want to rp as Garleans are neonazis or that they're in danger of being converted into them. I do not agree with that stance. I do understand the fear that it might draw the attention of unsavoury people, but I don't think anyone who makes such a character or wears such a glam is a fascist just for liking the look or the lore.

Shameless edit lmao, read his entry below.

I have a post limit issue right now so .w. kek

But to add to what you said, especially at the end... People need to also know the history that came AFTER WW2 in Europe. Especially in terms of improvements and restoration of bridges. As well as symbols being cleansed.

There are groups making an effort to clear the appropriation of viking iconography and culture from Fascist appropriation. They were used for the sake of propaganda, as the fascists believed that evoking the "strong conqueror" culture of the vikings would make people think themselves as "great descendents of the Germanic people". So stuff like the Sowilo rune, which didn't mean much outside superstition, became a symbol of oppression.
And now there are efforts to restore it.

And I'm sure Garlemald will also have those efforts.
I harp on the Bozjan Gunblade vs Garlean Gunblade... but what if Garlemald now seeks to respect Bozjan culture and work with the nation? Surely, they'll appreciate the culture a bit more and both can learn off of eachother, as they've developped two distinct styles and technologies. Slowly eroding away the bad image the Gunblade would invoke.

[Absimiliard]

I mean, you're pretty spot on with the Eorzean writing vs Garlean writing. Personally, I think it's pretty messed up. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. The fact the narrative just conveniently directs itself away from the messed up stuff Eorzea is still happily indulging in sends a message too, and that message isn't great.

I'd also tend to agree with the themes employed with Garlemald. It's obvious they were written to evoke certain imagery and historical events, but the game also goes out of its way to differentiate the Garleans from those things as well, by dedicating small but none the less significant portions of any part of the narrative involving dealing with them to showing some good parts of their society. For every oppressive or racist overseer, there would always be another that gave everyone the same fair and equitable treatment. I believe the purpose of these details was to avoid the Garleans being seen in the same light as a certain demographic from WW2 that liked to keep their knees locked while marching in formation.

The Garlean Empire is dead. All that's left to pick up the pieces are the same sad, desperate people the regime once kept in check with a thorough regiment of gaslighting, propaganda, and threats. As the narrative surrounding them changes, I believe people's views on what the Garlean style of dress stands for (and indeed, the Garleans themselves) should change. We've been shown clearly now how the majority of the (surviving) population wasn't onboard with what their government got up to anyway. Now they've little choice but to form a new government.

[CerusSerenade]

Since this topic was about Military glamor, the best you'll get is the Maelstrom GC gear.