Typical Island Clothing

Ista's tropical climate creates a greater demand for light fabrics such as linen, sisal and cotton, than the heavier knits and hides that are common throughout the rest of Pern. While manual labor necessitates functional clothing, personal tastes still vary greatly and almost everyone is in possession of some quality items for festive or formal affairs. It is personal preference whether one deals with the heat and humidity by utilizing light layers to wick moisture away from the skin or by leaving skin exposed to the air and the sun as well. As such, tunics with long sleeves are as common as those without and can be made in a wealth of designs. The same goes for trousers of light linen and shorts. Among women, sundresses and sarongs are equally popular, as well as tanks and halter tops. Many individuals also own shorts or binikis for swimming.

Materials

Linen
Linen is the most popular, most affordable and most durable fabric available at Ista Weyr. Made on looms from flax fibers, it can be spun to fine threads suitable for lace and elegant garments and can also be made into more rugged, everyday wear--everything from pants and jackets to undergarmets. Occuring in shades of ivory, tan and gray, most linen comes in its natural colors, particularly that which the Weyr supplies to it residents, but for a few extra marks it can be dyed and patterned to a whole range of hues.

Sisal
Unlike the coarse rope of Terran sisal, Pern's sisal creates a fabric like silk. Sisal has a recognizable luster and is often reserved for Gather wear or accents such as scarves. Sisal is most often seen in embroidery and damasks where the glossy thread lends particular depth. While sisal is a desirable and somewhat expensive fabric, much of the fibers are produced on Ista Island itself, making the material locally popular and slightly more affordable.

Cotton
As with linen, cotton is versatile in use. It is, however, less durable than linen and needs to be replaced more frequently. This, combined with greater difficulties in cultivation, make it more expensive, particularly over time. Still, cotton is unmatched in terms of softness and absorbancy and muslin, poplin and organdy are all light, desirable fabrics for Ista's climate.

Colors

Most favored at Ista are bright colors, inspired largely by the brilliant shades of tropical flora. However, the more pure the shade of dye, the more expensive it is and thus such colors are often incorporated as accents by those without the marks to spare. The cheapest fabrics would be undyed, coming in shades of off-white, tan or gray. Pale or pastel colors are generally quite affordable. Despite the slight increase in cost, vibrant red, orange and purple are popular colors. While black is relatively common for leather, it is a difficult shade to produce in fabric and is the most expensive color to procure. White fabric generally discolors easily and frequent washing or sun-bleaching can mean the fabric wears out more quickly and needs to be replaced.

Outerwear and Shoes

While Ista has little use for thick insulating coats, the wet weather does encourage the use of rain slickers and ponchos made of waxed fabric to repell water. Hats of similiar construction are equally common. All riders have a complete set of flying leathers, often more than one, but these garmets are rarely worn outside of threadfall, drills, or visits to cooler climates. Despite Ista's tropical warmth, the steadiness of the temperature may mean that only a few degrees' drop could give native Istans a chill and it is not unusual to see a light, knit shawl about a woman's bare shoulders in the evening.

Though it is not at all unusual to see barefeet anywhere in the Weyr, the most popular footwear on the island are sandals of all sorts and shapes. The can be made from leather or fiber, plain or fancy. Most riders have leather boots to go with their riding gear and many workers around the Weyr, stablehands for example, own leather work boots for protection. In women's shoes, the beaches make heels difficult and wedges, giving greater stability, are more popular.

Jewelry and Accesories

As leather is not a particularly common material in Ista's humid climate, many residents may use braided cloth of scarves as belts and some Istans even use strings of small shells to wrap around their waists. Shells are a particularly popular accessory as jewelry, readily available and often self-fashioned. Bone and wood are also common and for a few extra marks, metals and precious stones are available as well.