Halar

A Halar (plural: Halarei) is a type of garment endemic to Eiria and Auria, representing a key piece of the national dress for both nations. It consists of a wrapped-front garment with a tailored upper section and a looser-fitting bottom section, usually secured by a belt called a jost. Halarei are typically worn with some kind of light undergarments (such as underwear, brassieres and/or shorts), and can be made to be layered with other halarei in order to account for different climate conditions. Halarei also have a foothold in nations that have large populations of the Eirian diaspora, including Eldid and Wosteaque.

An artistic rendition of a halar, including a vidukjost, rešerei and jostargasei.

History and Etymology

While it is difficult to pinpoint an exact date for the creation of a halar, the initial silhouette of the garment can be observed in historical remains dating back to the late 14th and early 15th centuries. These remains tend to emerge from what is today Nordjura, Jurmala and Murdarbe provinces, created from a merging of the techniques used by the Celotaji peoples to make outerwear with the textiles and styles of Tervali garments. The word Halar comes from the word “xalara/‘alara” a historical version of a northern Tervali dialect that means something akin to “covering” or “wrapping.”

Early halarei were mainly used by the working class in towns and settlements along the coast or rivers. The exact fabric and cut of early halarei varied wildly depending on the location of its manufacture, creating what fashion historian Aleks Aukulis described as a “culture of versatility” that lead to halarei being used for humid and frigid climates today. By the mid-16th century, the upper echelons of various regional monarchies and city-states had adopted stylized and adorned halarei as their default garment, a fact reflected in art preserved from the era.

As mass production techniques have become more advanced, halarei have become both cheaper and more common, although many brands have started to sell what are referred to as “suit-cut” halarei in order to appeal to foreign conventions around formalwear. However, there still exists a strong culture of handmade traditional halarei in both Eiria and Auria, with both top fashion houses and local specialty venders maintaining historical techniques in order to make halarei largely by hand.

Types of Halarei and Halar Accessories

Jost

A jost is a distinctive type of belt that ties halarei shut. Jostei come in two varieties: vidukjostei (a belt that ties to itself around the waist) and plečjostei (which can be threaded through a hook on the shoulder of a specially-made halar in order to tie at the shoulder). Vidukjostei are more common for everyday and formal wear, with plečjostei largely being relegated to military dress uniforms, historical re-enactments, and specific formal settings.

Ašadza

An ašadza is a variant of halar that features a hood (called an atan) and a matja cape that is usually worn for extremely formal or ceremonial occasions. Base textiles chosen for ašadzasei tend to be heavier, with lightweight adornments and appliqué work commonly applied onto this base layer.

White ašadzasei are a popular choice as a unisex wedding garment in Eiria and Auria, whereas black ašadzasei are frequently used for the despairing section of these nations’ funerals. Ašadzasei are also customarily worn by members of the Unitist clergy, with different colors and adornments signifying clerical rank.

Matja

A matja is a long, flowing cape that usually reaches down to the wearer’s lower ankle and drapes off of their shoulders. Matja are commonly made in both heavyweight fabrics (designed for winter in higher-altitude places) and lightweight versions (to keep out of the sun during the summertime and protect from mosquitoes). Matjasei can be hooked onto a halar via a clip or chain or sown into the garment itself, as is the case with ašadzasei.

Vinalar

A Vinalar is a type of lightweight, baggy halar that can be tied twice: Once around the waist (or shoulder) to secure the garment, and another time around the legs to restrict the movement of the halar’s fabric. Vinalarei were popularized by sailors on Eiria’s northern coast, who would put string through portions of their halarei in order to keep them secure in the winds of the Nereus Sea.

Leis Rešerei

Leis rešerei (literally “the leftovers/scraps”) are strips of cloth that are cut from leftover fabric from the cutting process, sometimes redyed or altered, and sewn onto the body of the fabric. Rešerei are most frequently seen on the sleeves and chest sections of halarei, as well as lining the external edges of pockets.

The practice of adding rešerei to halarei date back to an 18th century West Eirian/Aurian custom of adorning working-class garments with spare fabric in order to mimic an upper-class custom of layering halarei with slits to reveal each individual layer.

Jostarga

Jostarga(literally “belt-silver”) refers to a category of jewelry items designed to be attached to or hung from a jost. These can range from rings and charms that hook into the belt to traditional memorial pendants commemorating to even souvenir charms from the wearer’s favorite musical artists.

Etiquette

Halarei have different levels of formality, largely dependent on the fabric, cut, and level of decoration of the garment:

• The most formal halarei are worn at weddings, with dense and rich fabrics in vivid colorings being favored as commemorate the joyous occasion while sticking out from the married couple, who are traditionally dressed in white. Celebrations of an engagement or a new child may also merit this level of extravagantly decorated dress.

• The next level of formality would be for upscale or formal parties, for which layered or extensively decorated halarei with clean-cuts are typically encouraged.

• The third level of halar formality is for the elegant, but unadorned occasion, typically business meetings or funerals. These halarei are typically mono- or dichromatic, with little adornment (as adornment would either be considered distracting or disrespectful).

• The fourth level is a more casual type of halar, usually made out of more comfortable fabrics and typically less tailored to the individual. This type of halar ranges in decoration and style, and is typically used for everyday, public-facing purposes.

• The final level of halar formality is typically called the “majhalar,” or “home halar.” This type of halar is typically only worn by someone in their own home for sleep or relaxation, as it is very loose and made out of comfortable (if not formal) textiles.

Wearing no undergarments under a halar is a subject of frequent societal contention, but is typically permissible so long as the garment remains closed and tied tightly. Intentionally opening your halar and flashing your undergarments, while not explicitly illegal in either Eiria or Auria, is frowned upon.