Re: Star Army Hat
Doshii: The first image looks similar to what I want but it has more of a straight shape whereas the coat I hat in mind as more of a flair at the base. The second one says "NMX" to me, because the NMX like a style of uniforms that are best described as "American Civil War meets Soviet Russia."
Missingno: I like those hats but I think the Ushaka may be the more practical because it has a very similar looking "flaps up" configuration but also the ability to put the ear covers down. As for the Elysian military, it was absorbed into the Star Army (and is now the Tenth and Eleventh Fleets) so they will probably we wearing Star Army hats too.
Despite lukewarm popularity, I still really like the sailor cap. It's is a historic hat worn by practically every major navy in the world until the "dixie cup" style took over. I like that we can put the ship names on it but it's not informal like a baseball hat would be, that it's easily stored because it's not rigid like the tricorne (I would never crush my personal tricornes, or fedoras for that matter) and it looks especially cute on female soldiers but also looks good on men due to its similarity to the beret or a floppy peaked cap without the brim.
The garrison hat looks good too but maybe we should reserve it for starfighter pilots or something. I dunno. It's not as "exotic" as the historic sailor cap because it's in modern use today (the modern feel is kind of Nepleslian territory I think, whereas Yamatai is more ecletic).
The ushanka is good stuff but I don't know it's suitable for the everyday. I'm thinking we'll use it in cold weather.
In summary:
- Probably going with the sailor cap and peacoat for normal outdoor wear
- Ushanka and thick fur coat for cold weather uniform (Snowy neko style)
Peacoat will probably be made of a lightweight material. The real heat insulation will be in the form of a removable liner. It is primarily decorative and anti-rain gear so it can have large shiny buttons. Rank pins worn on the breast for officers and WOs and rank patches on the upper arms for enlisted. Peacoat color will probably be black (though also considering blue-gray). Peacoat would be worn with duty uniforms (not working uniform). This would mean the dark coat would always be paired with light blue stockings or pants. Some changes may be made to standard issue to accomodate this.
The cap will be blue-gray with a black band. I have thought about making it colored by occupation or adding piping or a pin but I'm aiming for simplicity instead. Font will be Gill Sans MT and in gold (can be a less saturated gold perhaps) unless I come up with something better. Ships with Japanese names will have the actual Kanji or hiragana on the hats. Symbols are not allowed on the hat's name ribbon (do you guys think putting stuff on the top of hats at the unit commander's discretion should be allowed?).
The cold weather uniform will be an epic fur coat of some sort, the ushanka, and thick quilted pants with thick fur-lined boots. Because of the war and because it's fur it will probably be hard to come by--harder than the beaver skin tricorne was--so characters have to roleplay with their supply officer to get one.
Thoughts?
PS: Missing's Norse comment made me think of a ship full of soldier wearing horned viking helms, which was amusing.