Love is in the Air Photo Album

Ah, Love is in the Air! Given that the last week of Lunar Festival and the first week of Love is in the Air always seem to overlap, I wonder what the Lunar Heralds think of the sudden explosion of nonsense around them. They’re too genteel to say anything, of course, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them quietly resent it.

This year for Valentine’s Day I surprised BTH by putting this picture up as the desktop wallpaper of his computer while he was at work.

Kamalia <3's her Bear.

To start off my Love is in the Air collection, let’s look at how to imitate the Crown Chemical Company NPCs.

On the left, the vendor is wearing the Embersilk or Felcloth Robe. There are precious few pink robes or dresses in the game; somewhat surprisingly, this is one of the less easily obtained ones. On the right, the quest giver is wearing the Red Dinner Suit with a Tuxedo Shirt and Journeyman Boots. In the middle, Kazuliza is wearing the Buccaneer’s Robe + Pink Mageweave Shirt combination suggested by Kirina with the Cloak of Courage, a Silverpine quest reward. I think I recall seeing an identical cloak somewhere in Northrend content, but I don’t remember exactly what it was.

The Crown Company Runner’s appearance is easily replicated with the grey quality Twill set, a pair of goggles, and your race’s “high ponytail” option (e.g., “chavvy” for Goblin women). Unfortunately, no square goggles are available in the game, so that will be your greatest point of difference with the NPC costume.

Much has already been written about the sartorial utility of those Lovely Dresses (for example, they look fabulous with filigreed shirts). The Dinner Suits are somewhat less useful because no-one really wants to be seen wearing their pyjamas in public. Still, with the addition of a White Linen or Tuxedo Shirt, matching shoes, and a hat (particularly for males, if desired for females), they can become more like 1970s Prom wear than sleeping clothes.

The Night Elf Mage starter shoes are a great match for the Blue Dinner Suit, though I’m not sure that they really lessen the pyjama image very well. An appropriate choice of hat would be the Arcane Cover or Mistscape Wizard Hat.
I hoped that this pink version of the Durable Robe (worn by the Dire Maul Lorekeepers and Aerith Primrose in Dalaran) would be the Night Elf Mage starter robe, but alas, level 1 Night Elf Mages wear a blue robe that is like the Sorcerer Robe, only with full-length instead of elbow-length sleeves.

With the Red Dinner Suit, try the Bard’s Boots or the Journeyman Boots worn by the Crown Chemical Co. representative. Your matching hat will be the Crimson Felt Hat or the Red Pointy Hat.
Kjersti is wielding an Unidentified Cooking Utensil as she flirts with this Mountaineer because she knows that the surest way to the heart of any Dwarf is through the stomach. Someday I will have to take her to the Deadmines to get Cookie’s Tenderizer for her to wield with it — assuming, that is, that the normal mode, low-level version still looks like a rolling pin, and not the scary spiky thing that is the level 85 heroic version!

The Purple Dinner Suit was trickier to find a good pair of shoes for, as the best options are the Vindicator Boots (shown) and Starfire Boots, which both require a 60+ character. A matching hat, on the other hand, is much easier to find — the Embroidered Hat and Violet Hat are both available from vendors.
This combination will let you look like the Steamwheedle Shysters.

One of my favorite new items when Love is the Air was revamped last year was the Lovely Rose. My Tauren, however, don’t particularly feel like they need a Forever Lovely Rose, and, alas, I haven’t gotten any other characters leveled up enough to try for one this year. All of my Blood Elves would love to have one, and Kymberlea would, too, because of the awesomeness that is Lorna Crowley. These screenshots are from last year, when a couple of my toons got the short-lived normal Lovely Rose tossed to them.

Beware the Valentine’s Day Bandit, stealer of hearts everywhere!


Haliscan set, Tuxedo Shirt, Captain Sanders’ Sash, Bard’s boots & gloves, Renzithen’s Dusty Cloak (quest, Ghostlands), Lovely Rose
I do love the Haliscan + Bard’s combination. I think this outfit would look positively swoony on a male character.

Another fun addition to Love is in the Air that began last year was the Love Boats in the canals of Darnassus, Stormwind, and Undercity.

Keriluna is wearing the Silver Dress Robes, a lovely white robe with trim that shades from gold at the neckline through pink to purple at the hems. It is available from robe vendors and requires level 45 to wear. The identical Scholarly Robes can be worn around level 20 but are soulbound. This robe is pretty enough that any accessories other than flowers would detract from rather than add to the outfit, and it would certainly be a relatively unique sight for a Love is in the Air date.

Kinevra is wearing her Crimson Tunic, Captain Sanders’ Sash, and the Colorful Kilt. As an alternative, with inverted colors, try the Interlaced Vest or the Crimson Silk Vest with the White Swashbuckler’s Shirt.

Kivrinne is wearing the Elegant Dress with the Lavender Mageweave Shirt. I thought about having her wear the White Traditional Hanbok because its pink and white color scheme fits perfectly with the holiday, but decided that the Elegant Dress was more fitting for the Miss Havisham sensibility of a lovelorn Forsaken.

When the Black Embersilk Gown first appeared on the PTR, it had the appearance of the Black Wedding Dress worn by various NPCs. I got all excited because that dress would be so perfect for a “Down With Love!” look during Love is in the Air, for wearing during Hallow’s End, and for RP funerals. The graphics were changed before Cataclysm went live, however, and while the new dress is very attractive and I do want to get my tailors leveled up enough to make it, I still want a Black Wedding Dress!

Speaking of the “Down with Love!” sentiment, between being a Grimtotem and a Death Knight, Kregga’s wardrobe naturally tends toward red and black. I didn’t get this post out for Valentine’s Day itself because she decided at the last minute that she needed a Sawbones Shirt for her Love is in the Air outfits this year and it took me a couple days of farming Scholomance to get it.

Red Pointy Hat, Darkcrest Breastplate, Goblin Girdle, Legguards of the Shattered Hand, Sawbones Shirt, red cloak
If you prefer to show a little midriff, use the Red Swashbuckler’s Shirt. Add the Darkcrest boots if you are not a Tauren, Draenei, or Worgen.

Andrethan’s Masterwork/Commander’s Armor, Inkling’s Leggings, Seaspeaker Mantle, Sawbones Shirt, Bloodscale belt boots and gloves
The steel and pink tones of the Seaspeaker Mantle tie together the pink of Andrethan’s Masterwork and the black of Inkling’s Leggings — two Outland quest rewards that are different colors of the same style family.
This outfit is what Kregga will spend the rest of the holiday wearing.

post 4.0.1 Orc/Troll level 1 Warlock robe, Sawbones Shirt, Bloodscale Belt, Suntouched Flowers
This outfit could be either pro- or anti-love. I originally imagined it with the Mystic Sarong, which looks like the skirt of this robe. With a different belt, such as the purple Revenant Girdle or red Commander’s Girdle, it could be worn at any time of year.

Sawbones Shirt, Black Mageweave Vest, Silver-Thread Sash, Haliscan Pantaloons, Suntouched Flowers
Although Kregga is the model, I imagine this outfit as being something for a male character to wear for a Love is in the Air date. I chose the Haliscan Pantaloons because the somewhat lighter color and the filigree on the sides complemented the Black Mageweave Vest more nicely than the solid black Tuxedo Pants. You’ll need some Dress Shoes to complete the picture if you’re not Tauren, Draenei, or Worgen.

I wish someone would send me flowers…
Bloodscale chestpiece, Sawbones Shirt, Goblin Girdle, Tuxedo Pants, Bard’s gloves and boots
This outfit is also really more suited to male characters.

Kregga was pretty grumpy about being my only plate-wearing character this turn of Love is in the Air — I deleted my other Death Knight, and my Warrior and my two Paladins are all still under level 40. She was terribly embarrassed when I made her wear this outfit with the actual Bloodscale pants last year. This year, I’ve replaced the scandalously revealing Bloodscale pants with the similarly styled, but fully-covering Conqueror’s pants… which are golden. SO not a Death Knight color! Kregga refused to wear this outfit until I decided to allow her to use the Barbershop show how it will look on my Tauren Paladin, Karelia, when I get her leveled up enough to wear all of these items.

Bloodscale chest belt boots and gloves, White Swashbuckler’s Shirt, Conqueror’s leggings
You could also use the Brigade Leggings, which offer the same coverage as the Conqueror’s leggings in a dusky mauveish sort of color.

Finally, a few Lovely Dress ideas not covered in the articles linked above (with pictures from last year) –

Lovely Dress with Pink Mageweave Shirt and Bloodscale Belt
Katelaira is also wearing the Red Pointy Hat and Zaxxis Gloves

Lovely Dress with color-swapped Filigreed Shirt
Keija is also wearing the pre-4.0.1 Human level 1 Warrior Recruit’s Pants — the yellow color of these pants, seen through the straps on the side of the dress, complements the black-and-gold filigree of the shirt cuffs delightfully well — and the Battered Jungle Hat. Kregga is also wearing the Bloodscale Belt and Whitemane’s Chapeau — the Crimson Felt Hat would be another great choice.

This holiday completes my set of holiday fashion posts — but of course I may continue to either amend the posts I’ve already made or make new ones as my inspiration and luck in obtaining items occurs.

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