Dragon Age: Inquisition, back when it was a new and upcoming title, milked a lot of excitement over its Orlesian setting. Books like The Masked Empire came out, showing much of Orlesian culture, politics, and, of course, fashion. Fashion is actually one detail of Orlais that has been known since Dragon Age: Origins. The dresses, masks, and luxurious absurdities were a big talking point and often shared when Orlais was ever mentioned.
Due to this, a lot of fans were actually quite disappointed in the fashion of Dragon Age: Inquisition. Some materials, such as plaideweave, became a meme for just how ugly they were. One part that was particularly sore for fans is when they actually got to go to a political ball at a palace. All but the Inquisitor and their inner circle dress up to the nines, with the Inquisitor and their people dressed in military wear that they dress in other parts of the game as well.
Fan Reactions To The Quest Outfits
Any Dragon Age fan looking into the Winter Palace will quickly dig up conversations on Reddit and other forums where players gather to discuss the disappointing attire, often asking for Dragon Age clothing mods. Lots of mods do exist, sporting gowns, dresses, outfit re-textures, and more. Outside the world of mods, a ton of fan art exists of what different characters would wear to the ball.
Morrigan's dress, which was used in Inquisition's trailers, was loved by the fan community, but it also made them more bitter that the Inquisition could not get interesting ball outfits as well. Some fans also added disappointment not just with how the Inquisition dressed, but with how all the Orlesian nobility dressed as well, with plain masks and only three outfits.
Aesthetics aside, fans also saw missed opportunities in the gameplay. Part of the Winter Palace questline was to gain court approval. This was gained through dialogue choices, how quickly one is absent from the public eye, and even what race they play as. Choosing an outfit could have influenced this mechanic. Fans also wished that fashion-forward characters like Vivienne or Leliana could have said something about the military garb they had to wear. Outfits would have been a chance for characters to really show more of their personality.
Why The Military Outfits Happened
The most likely answer to the lack of outfit choice in the Winter Palace is time and resources. The developers probably did not have enough time to make more outfits possible. It may have been on BioWare's radar, but ultimately never happened due to various constraints and it being low on the list of priorities.
Fans have filled in the blanks lore-wise as to why the Inquisition may not wear masks or fancy clothes to the ball. Ultimately, the Inquisition is a new military organization that wishes to earn respect from the nobility. Wearing military uniforms at a ball with a lot of important figures is a smart way for the Inquisition to root themselves as a serious military order. The colors themselves show a level of opulence, requiring dyes that would be seen as signs of wealth and power. However, even fans that enjoy this lore theory also admit that having a different outfit between the ranks of the Inquisition would have been interesting.
On the positive side, modders have really filled the fashion gap. Many have used re-textured mage robes to make elegant gowns while others have re-textured the military outfit to have different designs and colors. Some modders have even made actual ball gowns with a similar shape to the dresses Orlesian NPCs wear, so Dragon Age fans have plenty of fashion options after all.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is in development.
