Posted By Elf at 2:05 PM - Sat Aug 11 2018
Oh? So will the stats be "hidden" then? I can't imagine that cloth would have the same protection as iron armour
They will definitely protect differently, but it isn't based on an item being "an armor item" or a "clothing item" - it's based on the materials used and the properties imparted the objects as they're crafted by the crafter.
So, in one sense we are "hiding" stats behind properties, because a "sharpened" sword will cut better or a "reinforced" blouse will rip less easily and thus protect some small amount more. However, those items still won't have stats in the traditional sense, even behind the scenes. A "sharpened" sword is not a sword with +2 sharp or something like that, it's a sword whose blade has been sharpened in a crafting process, giving it an edge and that edge allows it to cut more easily, which in turn means it will penetrate some armor more readily. The difference is either huge or very subtle, depending on your perspective of game balance. :)
But, for the purposes of fashion, what it means most is that you have reasons to find a good tailor even if you want a relatively "standard" cut, because in general you will get what you pay for: the skill and artistry of the tailor has mechanisms to show itself that impact the resulting item, first in the form of the properties I mentioned earlier, and secondly in the form of the embellishments they can add to customize the look of a basic pattern recipe.
Hope that helps! :)