#merchant class

For example, Katniss and Prim call their mom, “mother” instead of something more common in the districts like “ma” or “mama”. And when Katniss got back from the 74th games, her mother stated that Katniss was “not old enough to have any boyfriend at all”, despite her being sixteen, which would make more sense if her own family was strict on celibacy when she was growing up. (Could’ve just been protectiveness but still) Her mother also taught her and Prim proper table manners, even scolding Katniss for eating her food too quickly, like she’ll “never see food again”. (thg, page 55)

It would also make sense that people who weren’t as wealthy would care less about being “proper”, or holding up to a certain standard of etiquette that wasn’t particularly helpful or useful. After all, who are they trying to impress? I doubt most of them cared what the Merchants thought of them, since they were already pretty racist as it was, and conforming to their own standards of politeness wouldn’t change their overall view of them as lesser human beings.

But to get to my point- I happened to be reading a very old collection of mysteries called "The curious casebook of Inspector Hanshichi". In them, a young Hanshichi is described as wearing a very bright red and yellow striped kimono that made him 'look like a merchant'. At the time I assumed this implied he was dressing a little flashily- I'm curious if I was right about that!

You most welcome :D

And the parallel you draw with Western men fashion is pretty accurate: we tend to think menswear was always pretty dull (arf modern business suits) when in fact this tendency is quite recent!

As to your question about fashionable Inspector Hanshichi (for those who don't know: hero of early 20thc detective novels with "supernatural" elements written by Kido Okamoto), I think you are right. The "look like a merchant" is probably a mix of:

He's dressing below/above is condition. I don't remember Hanshichi exact social status (is he a yoriki? a doushin?), but samurai class were supposed to dress differently from merchants for ex.

He dressing flashy - "nouveau rich" style. Merchant class was at the bottom of social order BUT hold in fact all financial power in Edo period. Some merchants tried to emulate samurai dress (=conservative), while others didn't hesitate to show their wealth and dictate new fashions.

Another class this week! This time it's the merchant! A combat lite class that focuses more on the roleplay aspect of D&D. Hope y’all enjoy!

[PDF]

[Dice Envy]

“Save The Merchant Class”

The young woman, top left, is dressed as a maidservant. She could also be a farmer's daughter, milk-maid, laundress, or any other woman who worked hard for her living. Because her work would likely involve physical labor, she's dressed for ease of motion as well as to keep cool. She's wearing a loose-fitting linen short gown over her linen shift and petticoat (skirt). A short gown is also an economical form of dress, with a simple construction that made a frugal use of fabric. Her apron is plain and her cap unadorned, and her only ornaments are the printed cotton cuffs on her jacket.  

The next young woman, middle left, [top right], is an assistant to a mantua maker (dressmaker). She's a skilled seamstress whose daily work won't require much physical labor, and will keep her indoors. Her trade also requires her to be more aware of fashion, both as a stylish representative of her shop and her mistress and to show her own skill with a needle. She wears boned stays (corset) to give her body the conical shape fashionable in the 18th c., and her striped cotton gown is trimmed with ruffles at the cuffs and neckline. Though she's not wearing hoops, the sides and back of her polonaise are looped up to give her skirts more volume. The gown is open in the front to display her pink linen petticoat, and over that she's tied a sheer linen apron, more for style than to offer any actual protection to her petticoat. Her cap is ruffled, with a silk ribbon bow, and the single most important mark of her dress would be the thimble on her finger.

While Maureen is tending to her mirror shop, Shaun makes out with a random elderly townie.  Who is she?  How do they know each other so well?  I have no idea.