Yet surely these robes (and those of the Grey Robes) aren't just cookie cutter uniforms.
I'm just wondering what people do to add a personal touch to the robes of their mages.
For example, I could see Sylvan Mages wearing robes with Celtic designs on them, or Solamnic Auxiliary Mages wearing the insignia of the Solamnic orders.
What have you guys done?
He looked like a homeless vagabond usually and only wore a plain but "clean" one for conclaves. He believed it caused him to avoid a great deal more meaningless trouble than he might have expected.
Kelavas the Sorcerer Slayer- Kelvas was a Solamnic Auxillary and nobleman in addition to being the Grand Clerists' scribe. He wore robes that were three three layers with the front like a huge coat trimmed with white fox fur, the second underneath decorated in conjured gemstones, and third underneath covered in magical protections. A huge embroidered white moon was on the second robe over his 'heart' with the gods of good constellations enrcicled around it.
Leshra the Red Robe: Her red robes are probably better termed kimonos and usually designed to be form fitting and reveal a great deal. The word 'sexy' has always been best applied to them
Over the years the artwork I have seen and descriptions I have read of Order wizards has varied greatly.
For example, Dunbar Mastersmate, the late head of the White Robes didn't even wear a wizard costume at all. He was dressed like a sailor, the only mark of his Order affiliation being a white sash.
So I would expect that a wizard's choice of garb is reflective of their personality and culture. Clearly Sea Wizards dress like Mariners. Those that like a little more high-drama, like Raistlin, were full-cowled colored robes. Jenna's attire seems to vary by fashion trends and utility.
The color of the Order they belong to, being a badge of honor at having passed the Test, will be part of the outfit but may only be a small part, as Dunbar's sash was.
In the past, I have had a wizard that wore white breeches and tunic (looks rather like one of Mercedes Lackey's heralds) and another that wore a red cape over functional clothes.
Anyway here's a little peek at my horrible fashion sense:
Spellspun Magewise (*wink* at Kipper) - a kender white robe who wore purple robes, crimson gloves, a yellow sash, green boots, and a milk white tophat with a peacock feather on top of the top and a black scarf around the brim. Like our DM at the time said: "I don't know whether I should give his opponents bonuses for spotting him or penalties for the headaches he'll cause"
Harlan Björnreiser - red robed human renegade hunter who used primarily brown robes (no hat or other extras). Nobody expects the Spanish inqui...I mean nobody expects the 'monk' to be a renegade hunter (he said with a hopeful look at the DM).
Hassuharimalaralioniomaralakamiorata....umm...that's Hassu for short - a gnome who Tested positive (bad pun, I know) for the red robes and stuck with them. And then added a belt, vest and pointy hat, all of the black variety.
Durring an early adventure that took them a little too close to Sable's Swamp (this was post WoS) there was an incident with a Chuul... and an oportunistic gator that tried to take the dwarf that the Chuul failed to drag under... after killing the gator he decided to keep the hide and later had boots fashioned for himself.
Later he took the test... and I had decided that I was going to base the item of power he would get for passing the test on my great grandfather's old walking stick (cane). I substituted the oak cane with an ivory handle with mother of pearl cap for a darkwood cane with a handle carved from dragonfang with a mysterious gemed cap. Various powers it had.... but that's not the point.
He passed, became a Red Robe. He asked me if he could cusomize his robes... and I said "Of course..." Little did I know.
When I told him to describe himself to the rest of the party who were waiting for him. So he describes himself, with gator skin boots, a wide brimmed hat, shiney red robes... walking with a cane.
My jaw dropped as I realized I had unleased the first pimp wizard on Krynn.
Kaylana the Red Robe wore elegant red robes trimmed in gold with wide sleeves and slits to the sides of her legs to allow for horse-riding. Underneath she wore a black bodysuit and had sturdy brown leather boots and brown fingerless gloves for ease in spellcasting.
For some reason, anyone in my group who plays a White Robe almost always disdains wearing the traditional white robes because they feel it makes them look too much like a priest of a god of Light (which, in a sense, they are, but then these are wizards who contemptuously refer to clerics and druids as "spell-beggars" who are entirely clueless about the true nature of magic and spells).