[tawnycatz]

Ulavakh clothing varies wildly. For them, it is primarily a form of identification and self-expression, and each individual ulavakh can look wildly different from another. However, there is a marked preference for sharp edges, triangles, and 'flowy' items, as well as red dyes and colors that contrast against the body.

This is not only for decoration, but also a strange practicality when out and about. From a purely human perspective, it would seem that the entire specie suffers from prosopagnosia (face blindness), though this isn't exactly true. In terms of evolution, the "vakh" genus was largely asocial, with the ulavakh (or, at least, their most recent extinct ancestor) being the odd ones out. They also have no typical markings and only have scales in a relatively small possibility of colors, few distinguishing features between individuals save for minor ones like horn shape (and that is largely regional), and ulavakh are incapable of making nuanced expressions in the way humans can.

These combine into the simple fact that ulavakh are not good at identifying individuals without help. This was not a problem many years ago; there were even fewer of them then than now. If you leave the group to go out hunting and come back to ulavakh in the same place you left, you can assume it's your friends!

Nowadays, however, there are more ulavakh and communities tend to be larger. Travelers or nomad communities are not rare. It's crucial for ulavakh to be able to tell each other apart at a glance. Defining features like scars may make this easier, but not every ulavakh will have those. If there's a thousand sandy-colored ulavakh in a single town, how do you tell them apart?

The solution: clothing (or more accurately, accessories). These have become the main method for identification. These "going out into town" looks do not frequently change once they are made -- it's how they recognize each other!

Small communities are often low on supplies (in comparison to other groups, at least) and go for simple forms. There's no need for anything fancy; strips of hide, basilisk feather-scales, etc tend to be popular, as they are simple and plentiful. Dyes are rare -- making them could use up precious other resources. Accessories cannot be too elaborate, as most individuals do any and all work, and need to be ready to deal with any situations that arise -- having an outfit for work and "out on the town" just isn't practical.

This is an effective method for small groups. In a cluster of twenty ulavakh, the odds of two individuals having a strip of sun basilisk hide or two leg banners is simply unlikely.

Large communities get more elaborate, as there are a variety of jobs any ulavakh can take on, some not requiring intensive work. This allows more possibilities, as outfits need not be entirely practical, and ulavakh not expecting to hunt or do heavy work can cover their chest-gill-breathing-things without concern about oxygen intake.

With ready access to materials and dyes, ulavakh go wild. The examples here are tame and "standard," but it's not uncommon for individuals to create elaborate designs. A growing trend is one where they mimic other beasts; an example being a cloak of basilisk feathers with a hood and metal 'beak' to look like one. A second trend involves their arms -- which most ulavakh do not actually use anyway -- being heavily adorned, covering the limbs with a great amount of jewlery and fabric so that they are almost winglike.

They also tend to have 'identification badges,' shapes used by families, groups, or regions to recognize each other. This generally consists of a structure of both metal and feathers; how one implements this motif into their outfit varies by ulavakh. The colors of the feathers are generally unimportant as long as they are the right size and arrangement. Not all members have or wear them, but it's another barrier against mis-identification; it's especially important if an individual recently changed what they wear when going out!

This is for individual expression, yes, but also practicality. A single sun basilisk strip isn't enough for identification; it's simple, and at any time one of the hundreds or thousands of others in the city could do the same thing, and now you're just going to be confused with each other. More stuff means less chance of accidents like that happening.

During Senur, most accessories are dropped in favor of paint dyes and banners -- hunting with a bunch of stuff on you is impractical, after all. Plus it's a cultural thing.

Those seeking to join competitions will put a painted banner of their team (be it one created during Senur, a region, family, or whatever) somewhere on them where it is impossible to miss. Body paint is up to the individual ulavakh, though most tend to stick to team colors. Teams can consist of only a handful of ulavakh to several hundred.

Identification during this time can be difficult, as the majority of ulavakh gather with only paint patterns -- no banners. This is not a concern. It's a coming together, all regions and communities gathered together with a singular goal. Picking out friends is not important, as everyone is treated as a friend for the duration of the event.