Echo Chronicles: Dressing the Collective
You know them when you see them.
They dress in white, in suits that look like molded plastic. Their faces are odd and alien: the eyes too large, the features assymetric. And they are bald, scalps smooth and shiny, eyebrows invisible.
Homelings. Lately, they are everywhere.
Homelings began in Home’s closed beta,
when buddy118 went to the Bowling Alley
and won the Echochrome Suit.
And buddy118 looked at the Echochrome Suit,
and saw that it was good,
and free, and had definite possibilities.
So buddy118 put on the Echochrome Suit,
and transmogrified himself into Mother,
the first of the Homelings.
–Homeling Assimilation speech
Since Home’s Closed Beta, the defining features of Homeling dress have been the plastic-like Echochrome Suit, and baldness. How did we get this way? Why not wear, say, the Saucer Pop helmet and the Salt Shooter pilot’s jacket? And why no hair? Why the apparent lockstep conformity?
Part of it is what biologists call the “founder effect”. If the first bird blown to an isolated island has long tail-feathers, and there are no competing birds, its descendants are likely to to sport the same plumage. “Founder effect” can also be seen in human culture — in things as diverse as the “qwerty” keyboard layout and pockets of Elizabethan English in Appalachia. When things work, and there is no good reason to change, they stay the same.
The early Homelings found something that worked. In the accelerated world of Home, where three years is an eternity, the ad hoc decisions of a bored beta tester (who had very few options available to him) have become a venerated tradition.
Besides being traditional, the Echochrome Suit has the distinct advantage of being free. The Collective recognizes that many of its members can’t spend much money on Home. And so we have ensured that the proper formal uniform for all ranks can be acquired without charge, all of its components either default or unlockable.
Although our basic costume is the Echochrome Suit, Homeling officers may choose to add the White Kimono Skirt, an unlockable item from Irem Square. Officers are also required to wear headsets, to symbolize their constant connection to the Collective; the free default earphones are perfectly acceptable for this purpose.
Other items, free or purchased, may be added to the basic outfit to make it uniquely individual. Males of Commander rank and higher may choose to wear the Pharaoh skirt instead of the Kimono. Generals have the special privilege of wearing black. Homelings of all ranks dress up Echochrome with accessories: fancy gloves and boots, but also Light Sabers, Tron Disks, and Cotton Swabs, Scorpion-stomping concrete shoes, and glowing eyes in many colors. New items are constantly being evaluated for inclusion in the official dress code.
The standardization of the dress code is possible because it springs from a single authority. The officer in charge of Homeling dress is the Cogniscienti (or Cogni), kozfear. She posts acceptable items for each rank on the Homeling website, Fluidic Space, and responds to requests and comments.
It should surprise no one that the dress code generates constant discussion, debate and even heated argument. Homelings are as eager as any other beings to present a unique, distinctive appearance. This has led to the adoption of two dress codes, the formal and the casual. The casual dress code, which is more tolerant of eccentric accessories, is acceptable for informal gatherings and parties. As the image to the left shows, the dress at Homeling parties can stray quite far from official regulations!
The formal dress code is used at formal events, such as the Command Central meeting shown at right, or when formal dress is requested by an officer. Violation of the formal dress code in circumstances that require it may provoke stern remarks from senior officers, and vocal disapproval from Homeling peers. It is a rare being who can withstand that kind of pressure to conform to the community standard.
You do not always have to use your Homeling avatar.
But there are two circumstances in which you MUST use it.
First, in formal Homeling events, such as this Assimilation.
Second, when four or more Homelings are gathered in a public space,
and someone calls for “Rule of Four”,
or Ro4 for short.
Then all present should “suit up” and represent the Collective.
– Homeling Assimilation speech
So why have a dress code? And why is it so important to the Homelings?
To be honest, the dress code is a major barrier to recruitment. Most Home users are proud of their avatars. They have spent a lot of time and money creating precisely the look they want. Why do we ask them to give that up, to join a social club?
The requirement of baldness is especially difficult for many recruits. Hair — its style and length and tidiness — conveys many social signals. The lack of hair also sends signals, many of which are distasteful. Homelings find themselves variously accused of being skinheads, cancer patients, or members of a cult.
The accusation of being a cult is the hardest to deflect, since it has some aspects of truth. When questioned about my appearance, I like to say that I think I look like a Buddhist nun dressed in PVC pipe. It’s my acknowledgement that there is, indeed, something monkish about us. However, Homelings have no unifying religious belief, and our ecstatic veneration of our founder, Mother, is largely an amusing convention. On the other hand, we are a closely-knit community with definite standards of proper behavior. By adopting Homeling dress, we affirm our respect for each other, and our shared ideals.
We also simply find it useful to be recognized. A group of twenty or more beings in similar costumes, standing in formation in a public space, is bound to attract attention. Conversations get started. And some, inevitably, result in Assimilations — new members added to the Collective. Our ability to attract attention and be recognized have helped make us the largest social group in Home.
You may not know if you are seeing a member of a “fam”. But you always recognize a uniformed Homeling.
Your uniform is glory.
It lets us recognize each other, and lets others recognize us.
It represents our mutual respect and our shared traditions.
Wear it with pride.
– Homeling Assimilation speech
Our Cogniscienti, kozfear, graciously consented to be interviewed for this article.
Kozfear, how did you come to be the Collective’s authority on dress code?
I came to be in charge of dress code, first of all, because the Homeling who used to oversee the matter left the Collective. Once it needed new direction, I believe I simply stated, “I’ll do it,” and GC [the Generals’ Council — sw] agreed. It’s often a very difficult position to be in, as others frequently disagree with me, but if we did not have one final authority on the issue, the very concept of a “Homeling look” would crumble, so I bear this responsibility very seriously, even though it has caused much personal conflict in the past. Part of my job as both the Homeling Cogni and a General for the Collective is to make sometimes unpopular and difficult decisions for the good of the whole, and helming decisions on Dress Code often falls under that category.
You often speak of maintaining the “Homeling Aesthetic”. How do you define that?
The Homeling Aesthetic is, by the nature of aesthetics, somewhat nebulous, but it is quite clear in my mind. I’ve watched and learned from many Homeling Elders, from Mother, from our history and our continuous growth, and that is the core of that vision. The foundation for all Homelings is Echochrome, furlessness, and uniqueness of features that, when combined, are undeniably Homeling. Adding to that look with other items is based on the feeling that it will contribute to the presence of Homelings without undermining the basics. Some key words I sometimes reflect upon are: technology; space-age; streamlined. We always wish to impart a united front with our aesthetic so that we are immediately recognizable as Homeling, even if all members in a gathering are wearing variations on the basic uniform.
How do you evaluate new items for inclusion in the dress code?
I constantly scour the new clothing releases for possible additions to the dress code, but all new additions must serve a purpose as well as maintain our aesthetic. Indeed, there are items I believe are very Homeling in their overall look and feel, but vary too greatly based on things like color or possible conflicts with other items that make them inapplicable. As elder members of the Collective can attest, the present Homeling Dress Code is the most liberal and varied in the history of the Collective, and I recognize the fun in adding new items with which to adorn oneself, but the bottom line is that Homelings are recognizable first and foremost by the power of our visual presence. All items under consideration for addition to the dress code must aid in this endeavor, not detract from it.
If I may add something further, beyond your questions, there are some points I find vital to comprehending what the dress code means and, perhaps more importantly, what it does not mean. Many possible recruits balk at the idea of wearing any kind of uniform. We’re often called “Clones.” And yes, the Homeling uniform does what a uniform should–present a united appearance that marks a group for who and what they are. But our uniform is much more than that. It is a symbol of mutual respect; a symbol of our origins, our long-standing traditions.
What the uniform does not do is remove a person’s individuality. Homelings are among the most unique, intelligent, creative, and interesting persons I have ever encountered, and I’m something of a well-traveled, educated, and strangely experienced person. But anyone who truly values their individuality should be fully aware that it is not encapsulated by a digital avatar. Homeling individuality is expressed via who we are, not what virtual items we wear. We thus get to know one another quite well, and Homelings exist very much like a large and extended family. I believe were it not for the singular look we maintain, in addition to the required inter-personal contact that look inspires, Homelings would not be the amazingly successful group it is today, and I am honored to the arbiter of our aesthetic frontier.
As kozfear stated, the Homeling dress code is an evolving document. As new items appear, the Cogni must decide whether they fit our needs. For instance, the Astronaut top was recently approved for female Commanders, as a parallel to certain kinds of male armor. Similarly, the Roman skirt was approved as a female counterpart to the Pharaoh’s skirt.
Sometimes decisions are difficult. One of the latest debates concerns the Jellyfish headgear from Hudson. An increasing number of Homelings are wearing it at public gatherings. We love it — it is free, and it is wonderfully alien.
On the other hand, the Jellyfish is classified as “headphones”, and replaces any other headphone being worn. This makes it a problem for Homeling officers, who are required to wear headphones at all times. The proper use of the Hudson Jellyfish is still being debated.
A future issue concerns black Echochrome, currently available in Home in Japan and Asia. We expect that someday this costume will appear in NA Home. When it does, how will the Homelings use it? It is a desirable and attractive suit, and, as Echochrome, it fits the Homeling aesthetic. However, it is black. And black costumes are reserved for Generals.
All we know at this point is that the matter will be ruled on and handled by the Cogni, in consultation with the entire Collective. We will retain the look that makes us unique in Home.
Though the details of that look will change, the Homelings as a whole will remain uniquely recognizable — diverse, yet unified by our shared tradition.
January 31st, 2011 by SealWyf | 18 comments
SealWyf is a museum database programmer by day, and an officer in the Homeling Collective by night. She has been active in online communities since before the Internet, and in console gaming since the PS1. In games, she prefers the beautiful and quirky, and anything with a strong storyline. She is utterly addicted to PlayStation Home.
Great article Seal. You answered a lot of questions that many people have about the Homelings including a few of mine.
Three cheers for Kozfear!!
Seal -- thank you for representing Homelings, and thanks for a grand article.
*hugs echosuit*
Personally have mixed feelings about the black Echochrome suit. Might be happier if it stays out of NA at this time
Well, you gotta admit phats looks great in it!
Of course!
Glorious article Seal! Thank you!!!
…I’m such a closet Homeling.
You KNOW, Norse, there are still five empty slots on MS 16. And plenty of ‘lings willing to help you shed that unseemly fur. Just saying…
Haha! Aside from the fact that HSM is a second full-time job for me, have you *seen* the fabulous 80’s hairiness in my headshot? They’d have to have a klenting machine powered by a Dyson Sphere to get that much fashion fail off.
Um… we has one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fn8BfOCN-8
Holy crap, you have a Dyson Sphere.
The editor: his royal hirsuteness!
Glorious article, Seal!
If I may add: although Echochrome looks blocky and plastic, it is quite comfy and breathes nicely. Additionally, the color keeps you cooler in the summer months.
The only thing I have ever found lacking about the Echo suit is the lack of zippers. While this can cause some stress and gnashing of teeth in a full blown potty emergency, its is a suitable price to pay for sporting the smartest and smexiest ensemble in Home.
*salutes*
Fashion fail? u make don johnson get teary-eyed about the hair he used 2 have.If its 80s its gotta b good right?lol.Someday the mullet will b cool again and we will b considered trendy and cutting edge,the 60s and 70s have already had their 2nd life so those glorious years of big hair will return,trust me on this,lol.
Glorious work, Seal.
Lorious G, even!
good job seal! glad to know that the homeling blog is being handled by a more than capable being!
I had a high standard to live up to. ::bows::