"Only a fool buys a woman clothed." Magicians of Gor page 76.

"Many Gorean women, in their haughtiness and pride, do not choose to have their features exposed to the common view. They are too fine and noble to be looked upon by the casual rabble. Similarly the robes of concealment worn by many Gorean women are doubtless dictated by the same sentiments. On the other hand veiling is a not impractical modesty in a culture in where capture, and the chain and the whip are not unknown. One not regarded as inconsiderable, is that it is supposed to provide something of a protection against abduction and predation. Who would wish to risk his life, it is said, to carry off a woman who might, when roped to a tree and stripped, turn out to be as ugly as a tharlarion?" Rogue of Gor page 41

• Common Women~~several layers of thick, opaque cloth; warn with opaque nylons and gloves; no part of the wearer's body is visible; may wear slippers or even close-fitting boots beneath her robes; careful about wearing wristlets, bangles of precious metal, close fitting necklaces and especially ornamental "chokers".. thought by many to be an ornamental derivative of the collar and slave-bracelets of a kajira; under no circumstances is anything worn around the left ankle known as the "slave ankle"~~
  
  QUOTE: "I wondered what she might look like in a collar. I knew, of course, what she looked like naked, for I was her silk slave. Free women think as little of concealing their bodies from their silks slaves as the women of Earth would before their pet dogs." Fighting Slave of Gor page 180.
  
  "Her Robes of concealment were splattered with mud and marsh water, and in several places the heavy brocade had stiffened and cracked....The Robes of Concealment, in function, resemble the garments of Muslim women on my own planet, though they are undoubtedly more intricate and cumbersome. Normally, of men, only a father and a husband may look upon the woman unveiled." Tarnsman of Gor page 87.
  
  "She slipped softly from her slippers....Her hands went to the stiff, high brocaded collar of her robes, the robes of concealment, to the numerous eyes and hooks there, holding it tightly, protectively, about her throat, up high under her chin..... In a few moments she had parted her robes, and slipped them, first the street robe, that stiff, ornate fabric, and then the house robe, scarcely less inflexible and forbidding, from her small, soft shoulders. Clad now only in a silken sliplike undergarment, she then looked at me. " Mercenaries of Gor page 9.
  
  "Eta, from behind me, pinned the first of five veils about my face. It was light, and shimmering, of white silk, almost transparent. Then, one after the other, she added the freedom veil, or veil of the citizeness, the pride veil, the house veil, and street veil. Each of these is heavier and more opaque than the one which lies within. the street veil, worn publicly, is extremely bulky, quite heavy and completely opaque; not even the lineaments of the nose and cheeks are discernible when it is worn; the house veil is worn indoors when there are those present who are not of the household, as in conversing with or entertaining associates of one's companion. Veils are worn in various numbers and combinations by Gorean free women, this tending to vary by preference and caste. Many low class Gorean women own only a single veil which must do for all purposes. Not all high-caste women wear a large number of veils. A free woman, publicly, will commonly wear, one or two veils; a frequent combination is the light veil, or last veil, and the house or street veil. Rich, vain women of high caste may wear ostentatiously as many as nine or ten veils. In certain cities, in connection with the free companionship, the betrothed or pledged beauty may wear eight veils, several of which are ritualistically removed during various phases of the ceremony of companionship; the final veils, and robes, of course, are removed in private by the male who, following their removal, arms interlocked with the girl, drinks with her the wine of the companionship, after which he completes the ceremony. This sort, of thing, however, varies considerably from city to city. In some cities the girl is unveiled, though not disrobed, of course, during the public ceremony. The friends of the male may then express their pleasure and joy in her beauty, and their celebration of the good fortunes of their friend. The veil, it might be noted, is not legally imperative for a free woman; it is rather a matter of modesty and custom. Some low-class, uncompanioned, free girls do not wear veils. Similarly certain bold free women neglect the veil. Neglect of the veil is not a crime in Gorean cities, though in some it is deemed a brazen and scandalous omission. Slave girls may or may not be veiled, this depending on the will of their master. Most slave girls are not permitted to veil themselves. Indeed, not only are they refused the dignity of the veil, but commonly they are placed in brief, exciting slave livery and may not even bind their hair." Slave Girl of Gor pages 106-7
  
  "I rejoiced that in at least one city on Gor the free women were not expected to wear the Robes of Concealment, confine their activities largely to their own quarters, and speak only to their blood relatives and, eventually, the Free Companion." Outlaw of Gor page 49.
  
  Haik
  
  QUOTE: "The haik, black, covers the woman from head to toe. At the eyes, there is a tiny bit of black lace, through which she may see. On her feet were soft, black, nonheeled slippers, with curled toes; They were decorated with a line of silver thread." Tribesmen of Gor page 44.
  
  "'I can still see your hair,' said Drusus Renclus. I drew the hood angrily even more closely about my features. Little more now could be seen of me, as is common with the robes of concealment, but a bit of the bridge of my nose and my eyes." Kajira of Gor page 99.
  
  Jewelry
  
  QUOTE: "..beads of chap wood, such as are cast about in festivals and carnivals, sometimes even being seized up secretly by free women who put them on before their mirrors, in secret, as though they might be slaves. In many cities, incidentally, a woman who is discovered doing such a thing maybe remanded to magistrates for impressment into bondage. There will be nothing inappropriate, even from the legal point of view, in their wearing such ornaments, assuming that they have their master's permission." Vagabonds of Gor page 69.
  
  Legs
  
  QUOTE: "Almost no free woman would bare her legs. They would not dare to do so. They would be horrified even to think of it. The scandal of such an act could ruin a reputation. It is said on Gor that any woman who bares her legs is a slave. Indeed, in some cities, a free woman who might be found with bared legs is taken in hand by magistrates, tried and sentenced to bondage." Mercenaries of Gor page 69.
  
  "' In Ar's Station,' he said, `as in Ar, robes of concealment, precisely, are not legally obligatory for free women, no more than the veil. Such things are a matter of custom. On the other hand, as you know, there are statutes prescribing certain standards of decorum for free women. For example, they may not appear naked in the streets, as may slaves. Indeed, a Free Woman who appears in public in violation of these standards of decorum, for example, with her arms or legs too much bared, may be made a slave.'" Renegades of Gor pages 367-8.
  
  Silk
  
  QUOTE: "..free women, incidentally, among the Wagon People are not permitted to wear silk; it is claimed by those of the Wagons, delightfully I think, that any woman who likes the feel of silk on her body is, in the secrecy of her heart and blood, a slave girl, whether or not some master has yet forced her to don the collar." Nomads of Gor page 58.
  
  Strays
  
  QUOTE: "They wore short tunics but they were not slaves. Goreans sometimes refer to such women as 'strays.' They are civic nuisances. They are occasionally rounded up, guardsmen appearing at opposite ends of an alley, trapping them, and collared. " Kajira of Gor page 139.
  
  Torvaldsland Women
  
  QUOTE: "The free woman was a tall woman, large. She wore a great cape of fur, of white sea-sleen, thrown back to reveal the whiteness of her arms. Her kirtle was of the finest wool of Ar, dyed scarlet, with black trimmings. She wore two broaches, both carved of the horn of a kaiiliauk, mounted in gold. At her waist she wore a jeweled scabbard, protruding from which I saw the ornamented, twisted blade of a Turian dagger; free women of Torvaldsland commonly carry a knife; at her belt too, hung her scissors, and a ring of many keys, indicating that her hall contained many chests or doors; her hair was worn high, wrapped about a comb, matching the broaches, of the horn of kaiiliauk ; the fact that her hair was worn dressed indicated that she stood in companionship; the number of her keys, together with the scissors, indicated that she was mistress of a great house. She had gray eyes; her hair was dark; her face was cold and harsh." Marauders of Gor page 156.
  
  Veils~~ may wear up to five separate veils simultaneously, each with a different purpose of concealment; range in function from thin, gauzy ones worn close to the skin to the heavily brocaded veils; five basic veils worn by freewomen in the order they are donned...
  
  
  • The Last Veil: innermost; under the veil of the citizens; very sheer; also known as the "privacy veil" or "modesty veil"; is worn in all places except within the private chambers
    
    
  • The Veil of the Citizeness: second; under the pride veil and over the last veil; worn when leaving Her chambers for any reason; right to wear this veil at all times is guaranteed upon attaining their majority and pledging citizenship; stripping this veil from a citizen of your own Home Stone is considered a violation of basic Gorean law
    
    
  • The Pride Veil: third; under the house veil and over the veil of the citizens; worn in her house; completely opaque; provides true concealment of features
    
    
  • The House Veil: next-to-last; when in the company of men not family; over the pride veil and under the street veil when leaving the house
    
    
  • The Street Veil: outermost; over the house veil when leaving the house; heavy, fitted face-covering of thick brocaded or quilted cloth; equipped with numerous pins and fastening devices~~
    
    
  QUOTE: "..Freewomen, drinking, commonly lift their veil, or veils with the left hand. Low-caste free women, if veiled, usually do the same. Sometimes, however, particularly in the public, they will drink through their veil or veils. Sometimes, of course, free women drink unveiled, even with guests. Much depends on how well the individuals are known and who is present. In their homes, of course, with only members of their families present, or servants and slaves, most free women do not veil themselves, even those of high caste." Fighting Slave of Gor page 276.
  
  "Veils are worn in various numbers and combinations by Gorean free women, this tending to vary by preference and caste. Many low class Gorean women own only a single veil which must do for all purposes. Not all high-caste women wear a large number of veils. A free woman, publicly, will commonly wear, one or two veils; a frequent combination is the light veil, or last veil, and the house or street veil. Rich, vain women of high caste may wear ostentatiously as many as nine or ten veils. In certain cities, the connection with the free companionship, the betrothed or pledged beauty may wear eight veils, several of which are ritualistically removed during various phases of the ceremony of companionship; the final veils, and robes, of course, are removed in private by the male who, following their removal, arms interlocked with the girl, drinks with her the wine of companionship, after which he completes the ceremony." Slave Girl of Gor page 106.
  
  "In the northern villages, and in the forest towns, and northward on the coast, the women do not veil themselves, as is common in the cities of the south." Marauders of Gor page 25.
  
  "Veils are worn in various numbers and combinations by Gorean free women, this tending to vary by preference and caste. Many low-class Gorean women own only a single veil which must do for all purposes. The veil, it might be noted, is not legally imperative for a free woman; it is rather a matter of modesty and custom. Some low-class, uncompanioned, free girls do not wear veils. Similarly certain bold free women neglect the veil. Neglect of the veil is not a crime in Gorean cities, though in some it is deemed a brazen and scandalous omission." Slave Girl of Gor page 107.
  
  " In some cities an unveiled free woman is susceptible to being taken into custody by guardsmen, veiled, by force if necessary, and publicly conducted back to her home... Repeated offenses in such a city usually result in the enslavement of the female. " Players of Gor page 125.
  
  
• Wagon Women~~dresses are made from tanned skin of the bosk
  
  QUOTE: "Tuchuk women, unveiled, in their long leather dresses, long hair bound in braids, tended cooking pots hung on tem-wood tri-pods over dung fires. These women were unscarred, but like the bosk themselves, each wore a nose ring. That of the animals is heavy and of gold, that of the women also of gold but tiny and fine, not unlike the wedding rings of my old world." Nomads of Gor page 27.
  
  " It was apparently a free woman of the Alars, only she was not dressed as were the other women of the camp, in their coarse, heavy, ankle-length woolen dresses. She wore rather the garmenture of a male, the furs and leather. At her belt there was even a knife." Mercenaries of Gor page 53.
  
  " Free women , incidentally, among the Wagon Peoples are not permitted to wear silk: it is claimed by those of the Wagons, delightfully I think, that any women who loves the feel of silk on her body is, in the secrecy of her heart and blood , a slave girl, whether or not some master has yet forced her to don the collar." Nomads of Gor page 58.
  
  "She refused to wear the cumbersome Robes of Concealment traditionally expected of the free woman. She still wore the brief, exciting leather of a Tuchuk wagon girl and, when striding the high bridges, her hair in the wind, she attracted much attention, not only, obviously, from the men, but from women, both slave and free." Assassins of Gor page 74.
  
  "Tuchuk women, unveiled, in their long leather dresses, long hair bound in braids, tended cooking pots hung on tem-wood tripods over dung fires. These women were unscarred, but like the bosk themselves, each wore a nose ring." Nomads of Gor page 27
  
  
• Wealthy Women~~in high cities the robes are elaborate and follow the current fashion; cut and fashioned in countless styles according to the whims and desires of the wearer and the restrictions imposed by local sumptuary laws; usually a shaped and fitted brocade gown with an ankle-length hem and a high collar reaching below the chin.. covered by a loose fitting robe to further conceal the lines and shape of her body.. a quilted or brocade headpiece, similar to the Arab kafiyeh, is pinned or buttoned to cover the head and drapes to the shoulders. various veils attached over the wearer's face with pins and ties..ornate platform shoes increasing height by ten inches.. much jewelry, consisting of brooches, medallions and chains of office and rank, rings and armlets~~
  
  QUOTE: "Many Gorean women, in their haughtiness and pride, do not choose to have their features exposed to the common view. They are too fine and noble to be looked upon by the casual rabble. Similarly the robes of concealment worn by many Gorean women are doubtless dictated by the same sentiments. On the other hand veiling is not an impractical modesty in a culture where capture, and the chain, and the whip are not unknown. One not regarded as inconsiderable, is that it is supposed to provide something of a protection against abduction and predation. Who would wish to risk his life, it is said, to carry off a woman who might, when roped to a tree and stripped, turn out to be as ugly as a thalarion?" Rogue of Gor page 41.
  
  "She wore black and silver, a full, ankle-length gown of rich, black velvet, with silver belts, or straps, that crossed over her breasts, and tied about her waist. From it, by strings, hung a silver purse, that seemed weighty. Her blond hair was lifted from the sides and back of her head by a comb of bone and leather, like an inverted isosceles triangle, the comb fastened by a tiny black ribbon about her neck, and another such ribbon about her forehead. Her cloak, of black fur, from the black sea sleen, glossy and deep, swirled to her ankles. It was fastened at the left shoulder by a large circular brooch of silver, probably from Tharna." Marauders of Gor page 35.
  
  "She wore a full, beige skirt, the hem of which fell to within some six inches of the ground, and slim, high, black-leather boots, a beige blouse, and a beige jacket, belted, which fell to her thighs; too, she wore a loose hood, attached to the jacket by hooks, of matching beige material, and an opaque veil, also of beige material. Such garments, far less formal than the common attire of the Gorean free woman, are sometimes worn by rich women in the supervision and inspection of certain sorts of holdings, such as orchards, fields, ranches and vineyards. They constitute, for such women, so to speak, a habit for work." Fighting Slave of Gor page 232
  
  

ADDITIONAL QUOTES:

"'If you are free,' said one of them, 'you should be ashamed of yourself being seen on the bridges so clad.' 'Well,' said Elizabeth, 'if you like walking around wrapped up in blankets, you are free to do so.' 'Shameless!' cried the free girl. ' 'You probably have ugly legs,' said Elizabeth. 'I do not!' retorted the girl. 'Don't choke on your veil,' advised Elizabeth. 'I am really beautiful!' cried the free girl. 'I doubt it,' said Elizabeth. 'I am!' she cried. 'Well then,' said Elizabeth, 'what are you ashamed of?' Then Elizabeth strode to her and, to the girl's horror, on one of the public high bridges, face-stripped her. The girl screamed but no one came to her aid, and Elizabeth spun her about, peeling off layers of Robes of Concealment until, in a heavy pile of silk, brocade, satin and starched muslin the girl stood in a sleeveless, rather brief orange tunic, attractive, of a sort sometimes worn by free women in the privacy of their own quarters." Assassin of Gor page 74.

"Virginia was clad in garments cut from the beautiful, many colored robes of concealment of the free woman. But, proud of her beauty and glorious in her joy, she had boldly shortened the garments almost to the length of slave livery, and a light, diaphanous orange veil loosely held her hair and lay about her throat. She wore the robes of concealment in a way as not to conceal but enhance her great loveliness. She had discovered herself and her beauty on this harsh world, and was as proud of her body as the most brazen of slave girls, and would not permit its being shut away from the wind and the sunlight. The garments suggested the slave girl and yet insisted, almost demurely, on the reserve, the pride and dignity of the free woman. The combination was devastating, tormentingly attractive, an achievement so tantalizing and astoundingly exciting that I would not be surprised if it were adopted throughout Ar by the city's free women, rebellious, proud of their bodies, at last determined to throw off centuries of restriction, of confinement and sequestration, at last determined to stand forth as individuals, female individuals, sensuous as slave girls but yet rich in their own persons, intelligent, bold, beautiful, free." Assassin of Gor page 408.



This page was last modified on the 31st of January 2002