Feast your eyes on Skyrim’s iteration of the hot TALON CRAZE! Early in the fifth Elder Scrolls installment you will likely encounter and come to possess the Golden Claw key. I have an unfortunate anecdote from the eponymous quest, it was the moment that really drove home realization that my Toshiba is not up to snuff for delivering Skyrim graphics.

There I was, sneaking through caves and rummaging to my heart’s content, when I came upon a mysterious doorway. I could see a grand room beyond but, while there were no visible objects barring my passage, for some reason my character could not pass through. After searching in vain for a secret latch or trigger that might allow me to cross the EMPTY SPACE THRESHOLD confounding my entry, I begrudgingly sought answers via the Internet.

Major buzzkill when I discovered (while watching a walkthrough) that the doorway was blocked by cobwebs – COBWEBS WHICH COULD NOT BE RENDERED DUE TO MY PITIFUL GRAPHICS SETTINGS. What do you mean these dungeons are littered in webby delights from centuries-long spider inhabitants?! My treks have been pristiiine, each table and chest unmarred by the test of time. Cut to me whacking through the imaginary barricade of spiderwebs and completing said quest, but not before binge-downloading mods to curtail my system’s inadequacies.

Here’s an excerpt from my secret diary to show you what healthy coping looks like: “I’ll unleash a catastrophic barrage of web patterns across every scrap of Tamriel! No surface will appear sans tangled gossamer scatterings! Every creature will quiver with fear of my sticky woven vengeance…”

The obscured point to my rampage is that talons sure are neat and – spiderwebs be damned! – after playing the Golden Claw Quest you will probably consider donning a Pamela Love cuff, or at least drool over the abundant talon bedecked offerings on Etsy. Meanwhile, I will languish here for all eternity, eyes glazed over in response to beholding the wonderous cloaking moment that happened during the “Wrath of the Gods” episode of Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Brace yourself for TALON CLASPS.

I don’t think I need to tell you how epic and badass that is. So, what have we learned? Skyrim breaks my heart on the daily. Talons are awesome. Gouge a path into the wet dreams of fantasy lovers the world over by rocking some fowl fetters. (Or dragon shackles, as the case may be.)

I feel confident asserting moss as the Next Big Thing in fashion. Much like the popularity of talons will usher the dawn of harpies as our new It girls, mossy adornment is a logical next step on the way to proliferation of nymph style icons.

Move over hipster darlings, plantlife accessories lap at the heels of fashion gods more rousingly than your irony ever could, and in the current haze of nature obsession they’re primed for explosion.

Drink in this moss ring and moss-ridden notebook for example. Still not convinced? Pfft, bonus evidence of a plantlife accessorizing win:

Bam. Prove me wrong.

The next fantasy element may not be significant to anyone else, as I have an inexplicable fascination for sleeve deets, but ribbon-wrapped sleeves are a thing. My fav killer of this trend is Robin Hood, from the concluded BBC show.

Oof, those gauzy knit fabric wraps hurt so good! If you want to see real development of costume design vision, watch the BBC Robin Hood. It is hilarious and sweet to witness the experimental choices made along the way to honing Frances Tempest’s ultimate sartorial representations of the Nottingham crowd.

Back to ribboned sleeves – you may remember a beloved Galactic Senator who pulled them off enviably. More recently Pam demonstrated a tamer version on True Blood, which is easy inspiration if subtlety’s your thing.

This is the simplest element to scrounge! Last week I cut up a blue velvet leotard to make into a travel chessboard (the other squares are a siq silver snakeskin print) and now I have excess strips to splay knotted around my wrists. I’d also be partial to some light green ribbon action. Holla!

Surely you’ve seen fantasy heroes shoot arrows masterfully. Precision! Style! Safe distance! Arrows save the day. We already fawned over one Robin Hood, do I need to point out any more variants? Dare I even mention Katniss? Rawr.

Anyway, now they can be hair accessories too. I think I’m into this, but then I’m a sucker for arrow imagery most days. On the other hand I might feel like a schmuck wearing arrows in my bun when there are actual skilled archers in the midst. (Safe to say anyone who’s ever played an RPG can appreciate that “dagger technique.” Swoons all around!) I am not a frog princess after all.

Walking the streets in full on Padmé Amidala garb can be tight and all, but there are places and moments during which such dressing can inhibit the wearer (and those in the surrounding area, considering the girth of one’s bustle).

By slipping pieces that whisper decadence with their glistening intricacies and threaded details into otherwise casual ensembles we are able to reference characters, stories, and moods that add interest to the environment without screaming.

There is a degree of tact involved in pairing ornate with casual that makes pulling it off nonchalantly ultra satisfying.

Jackets are one of the most approachable pieces to use when integrating glitz and glam into daytime. Littered in embellishment, the pictured jacket is roughed up with some nondescript cutoffs and a loose knit. If you still feel too fancy, stick your paws in your pockets for extra edge à la Karen Blanchard.

Striking gems plus greaser-rolled-T equals a big yes. The lens is aimed directly at the flashy jewels, and yet (!!!!) doesn’t the subject look totally casual, almost as if she is oblivious to the ornamentation? Leandra Medine consistently mixes casual and ornate – perhaps such a move is inevitable when you wear so many layers every day.

Here Edward Teague demonstrates a coarser take on ornate threads. Pro tip: he probably used actual mud. Sure, the harder elements in this picture are a result of his swashbuckling lifestyle, but similar unkempt-fance is achievable without too much ruckus (unless you’re into that).

In this case, Sparrow represents the casual and Teague is a decadent flower of spiffiness.

In this picture Natalie Suarez looks like someone who I would listen to intently. I imagine her telling me stories about the future, which I’d go along with for the thrills of wonder and delight that stem from the telling and the hearing of prescient tales. This is what decadent-casual dressing evokes, moments of life that seem to flit in-between reality and fantasy.

When in doubt, don the most lavish robe possible, and spatter yourself in blood. Then stand in the corner looking mischievous, obvs.

(Gnnf, that background – are you dying? Field trip to whatever sumptuous alternate reality this fella hails from.)

These cards were pulled from the Hanson-Roberts deck, endeared to me since my first tarot exposure. Mary Hanson-Roberts’ passion for tarot shows in her thoughtful renditions of armory, gowns, ornamentation, and symbology. The four cards shown here are a good taste of how provoking her designs are (sartorially and sketch-wise).

XIII Death

Inarguably a powerful card to encounter, Death depicts an armored skeleton on horseback carrying a flowered black flag. Put simply, this card has to do with change and the process of letting go that must occur before new growth takes form. A child, a young woman, and a crowned man lay in Death’s midst to represent the multitude of those affected by change during life (hint: it’s everyone). Notable to me is the helmet’s pink plumage and the skully ornament on Death’s spaulder (I feel like that little guy has a story). Hanson-Roberts doesn’t shy away from color – purple skies support a glowing sun. Whether it is rising or setting depends, I suppose, on which leg of the journey you are experiencing.

VIII Strength

The lion and the lady! Tangerine skies and a rocky terrain border their calm embrace. Both lady and beast indicate comfort in one another’s presence through closed lids. Their union represents the harmony of reason and instinct. With gentle confidence the lady wins over the lion and unrestrained impulse becomes checked in the balance of high and low emotion. The trust between the pair symbolizes the ability to tap into our potentials and handle them. The lady’s threads are particularly memorable. Her shift is partially structured with ribbons tied across her sleeves, yet the overall appearance of the garment is unfinished and raw – her neck covered by a formless, lopsy collar. Most enviable are those red gloves, flecked at the cuffs with scales. Dewy gems the color of blood pricks adorn the lady’s chest.

Nine of Rods

Gird your dream. That’s what this hunky pacifist is telling me, beneath his layered assemblage of colors and medley of trims. The playfulness of his garb tempers the seriousness of his lesson. The rods are a-blossoming, as should your courage in the face of naysayers (even those with cherished faces, like your own). Echo his focus and swallow your self-doubt, oomph!

IX The Hermit

By inquiring into the cards at all, the querent and reader simultaneously personify the Hermit archetype, as they are both knowledge seekers. Atop icy mountains the Hermit reminds of our constant engagement in the process of learning. Often beckoned upon reclusive reflection or solitary wandering, the quest for understanding is ignited by curious impulses. The Hermit card embodies stimulation of the mind and demonstrates how wooden staffs can elevate your coolness. I love his white mane and the drape of the blue tumbling fabric which forms his robes. Note the on-trend gold tasseled belt and green accents.

Tarot is inescapably tangled up in thorny connotation, but if you’re able to get past the stigma, tarot cards offer a distinct activity of play. Whether or not the interaction is personally edifying tarot is rife with representations of human ethos that can arouse poignant reflection on human experience.

Don Quixote is a gentleman turned knight-errant. Amidst his normal life of respectability he became enraptured by books extolling the virtues of knighthood. Drunk on ideas of gallantry, he sets off on a reckless adventure characterized by love, valor, and hallucination (with all the pitfalls that such a combination commands). Devoting every act of bravery to his imagined ladylove Dulcinea, Don Quixote travels through Spain with his ragged horse and squire, fighting to correct wrongs of the world. Generally stirring up mayhem, he acquires a reputation for more than just chivalry after some knightly confrontations with sheep and windmills.

The hero of La Mancha flaunts a relentless thirst for adventure and an expansive imagination. He epitomizes fanciful dressing, and exemplifies the way one’s outlook and character can be affected by dress (in his case a haggard suit of armor does the trick). He is also a swell model for the argument of self-creation versus self-discovery.

Tatterhood is an unconventional princess. She confounds the expectations of her kingdom with unruly behavior – parading about loudly while riding her goat and wearing clothes of an unkempt nature and brandishing a wooden spoon, Tatterhood is always recognizable by the tattered hood which shelters her wild hair. Her lack of decorum is met with confusion, and Tatterhood receives acceptance from only one person in her life – her lovely twin sister Isabella. Despite the pressure from all around to act the part of a demure princess, Tatterhood is resolute in her decision to live authentically and spurn the rules of others.

When hobgoblins mount an attack against the castle Tatterhood bravely rides into battle to protect her family. Her sister’s head is stolen during the clamor, sparking Tatterhood’s journey for repossession. She outwits the hobgoblins and recaptures her sisters head, then sets out with Isabella to explore the world. Ultimately Tatterhood reveals a softer, more refined exterior on her own terms.

Note: Tatterhood would be a great poster child for the man-repelling movement, as she perpetually dresses for herself without consideration of how others desire her to appear.

Xena’s is a story of massive transformation from evil to good. Sickened by her past wickedness, she forges a path of redemption using her skills (which are obscene both in number and degree of impressiveness) to fight for and protect what is good. Traveling the world (as well as various underworlds, alternate universes, and additional planes of existence) with her sidekick Gabrielle, Xena puts her dark experience to use so that she might make amends.

Xena is the ultimate renaissance person – she does not dabble in trades and skill sets, she masters. Awe-inspiring as Xena’s abilities are, she also has flaws and a laundry list of bad habits to overcome on her journey to atonement.

Whether or not one agrees with her choices, it is irrefutable that Xena strives in every situation to act in adherence with her ideas of right and wrong. Her strong moral fiber is strengthened by the constant regret she feels over past mistakes, bolstering her character with the resolve to not make any more.

Also, she has a really cool warrior cry.

(As a bonus, here is a shot of Xena catching an arrow in her mouth. You’re welcome!)

In addition to the traits already celebrated, these three characters are also supremely creative – I cannot help but admire each one’s inventive embodiment of that quality.

Don Quixote with his topsy-turvy worldview, Tatterhood’s unapologetically deviant style of living, and Xena with her radical ingenuity in every task of problem solving.

It’s hard to determine which of these individuals take in their surroundings most creatively. An episode in which Xena uses seafood as weaponry comes to mind…

In different ways they each imbue their lands with magic and wonder, making the stories of their lives very special and uniquely inspiring.