post #1656640 post #1018318 post #1616041 post #2693177 post #1617930

Tribal, as a tag, is used to describe characters who have an aesthetic and/or outfit that implies belonging to a primitive hunter-gatherer society, or of a more developed agricultural civilization with Bronze Age or Iron Age level technology. A character doesn't need to be of an ancient society or of an actual tribe to fall under this tag, a character with a tribal look may inhabit a purely fantasy setting with any kind of technology or magic.

What exactly creates "tribal clothing" or a "tribal aesthetic" can vary, in anthropomorphic art "tribal" looking characters are usually a part of a fantasy world or non-specific culture inspired by real world tribal societies.

Ideally a character wearing the traditional clothing of a real world culture that is or was tribal should be tagged with that culture's name rather than "tribal".

"Tribal" Elements

• clothing is generally skimpy, outside of characters in very cold settings (who will wear layers of furs and animal pelts)
• loincloths are an extremely common unisex part of "tribal" outfits
• female characters are often shown wearing bandeau or some sort of cropped top or bra-like topwear
• male characters are overwhelmingly bare chested, but are sometimes depicted wearing loose topwear (often baring their midriff and/or chest), simple sleeveless shirts, tunics, vests etc.
• clothing may consist of furs, animal hide, feather, bone, beads, grass, gemstones, or handcrafted textiles
• "tribal" patterns on clothing

• items which are handcrafted from flint, bone, wood, stone or smelted metals
• weapons such as daggers, clubs, staffs, bows and arrows, and spears
• armour may be leather and/or feature metal plates
• use of primitive tools to hunt or live in a natural environment
• tribal markings — tattoos or bodypaint that fit this aesthetic

Related Tags

• These character archetypes often have a tribal aesthetic:
• barbarian
• caveman
• shaman
• warrior
• Specific tribal elements
• tribal markings
• tribal jewelry
• tribal armor

See Also

• medieval
• fantasy