Image Analysis: Garqi Agricultural Academy

(image originally published in WotC’s Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds (2004), artwork by Langdon Foss.)

This image is a great ‘slice of life’ for children on an agricultural backwater—sort of a Star Wars Norman Rockwell scene: who hasn’t been a youngling ‘flying’ toy spaceships around while making PEW-PEW sounds? But what’s more important is how especially valuable this image is for the rare look it gives us at GFFA commoners’ fashion. Here are a few pertinent tidbits I’ve teased out:
-Although green is comparatively rare in GFFA clothing (Rebel A-wing pilots and Corran Horn of the NJO being notable exceptions), both boys wear the color.
-Note that both boys’ shirts/tunics have overlapped or asymmetrical closures; the foreground boy’s appears to be very much ao dai style, with the closure going under his armpit.
-Both tunics are collarless, but are edged with different shades, for some variation.
-Each tunic closes differently, with what are presumably snapped fastenings.
-Both tunics seem to have either elbow-length or long sleeves pushed up to the elbow, with open cuffs, presumably fastened somehow.
-The foreground boy wears a simple sash with ring buckle, appears to be knotted in the medieval ‘sword belt’ style
-Since the foreground boy wears only a light belt, he carries a shoulder bag for his necessary gear.

Hopefully this brief rundown has given an idea of the kinds of details that one should be on the lookout for in source images, which if applied judiciously will lend your own outfits a bit of realism (rather than slavish copying of on-screen ensembles). But remember–true authenticity comes only from wearing such clothes repeatedly in authentic situations!

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