Middle Earth Ranger Forum

I like Darnokthemage's take on this - viewtopic.php?t=4337 - but I was also impressed with the depiction of Laketown and it's inhabitants in The Desolation Of Smaug. Perhaps not exactly as envisaged in the book, but I liked the parallels with Novgorod/Lagoda and the Viking/Rus influenced clothing, bar Stephen Fry's more outrageous costumes. But bar the Guards, we only seem to see the extremes of society represented.
Being well inland, I imagine the climate around the Long Lake and eastward being somewhat like perhaps our Poland and Eastern Europe? Warm summers but harsh winters? With (slightly) more affluent merchants and ship owners dressing something like these guys - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXdgwVBniME ?
Oh...also take a look at Bilbo's last costume when he's returning home. Looks to be a lot of dwarvish/eastern influence there. Maybe some inspiration for Iodo ?
Edited to add images of Bilbo...

...and a Rus style "fighting" kaftan.

Late reply:

yes, I love what Bilbo is wearing when he returns to the shire, I'm unsure if this is intended to be lake-town or Dwarven (possibly a bit of both) but the cloak looks like it could be a ruana, unsure? but I always imagined clothing in that region to be partly dwarven inspired because of the nature of the trading, and while this isn't book accurate (just my headcanon) I always pictured Dale to be a colourful place, kind of viking-ish aesthetic with lot's of rich fabrics, after all it is wealthy and prosperous because of the loot from the mountain

For Dale, Picture: an Arabian market town full of vibrant colors - crossed with a viking castle in a cold climate - crossed with grand stone architecture

folks here will probably disagree tho

I think we only really see two levels of Laketown society represented because there are only two, The Master (and I presume a few other families which we don't meet) and Everyone Else (the guards are EE's given, or more probably stopped out of their wages for, uniforms).

Bilbo's kit as shown does look to me like a Laketown boys coat (sleeves are too long due to different proportions)held closed by an overlong Dwarven belt (if Humans are a wedge and Elves are slender then Dwarves are built like anvils ) and a Erebor cloak and pin (designed for someone not much taller but with far wider shoulders) worn over very ragged Hobbit trousers.... Love the waterman's gloves, fingerless and knitted in a course heavy wool (or maybe string its that chunky).

I'd go with Poland/ Eastern Europe for climate, so the strong 'Rus' look to the clothing is right in my mind anyway.

For Dale after the Reclamation of Erebor (I can't find any mention of what the Dwarves called the time of Smaug's Fall, the BoFA and the crowning of Dain Ironfoot as King-under-the-Mountain.... Any ideas ??) I see the same styles in fancier cloth with more colours and decorations...... This last more as embroidery (or painted/printed for the lower income bracket) rather then tablet-woven edging (thats more Rohan ).
And 'Bling' loads of bling, after all the best way to say "Deal with me, I'm successful" is to wear your fortune.... Plus you have a good quantity of portable wealth with you should some disaster happen, like a firedrake torches the place.

Wargear should be quite Dwarvish looking, with modifications for the different physiques (longer shields, narrower swords, lighter axes) and cultural weapons such as Crowbill hammer, fishing glave or trident and of course the longbow.

Darnokthemage's versions for me are pretty close to perfect. He's combined the text and the Professors own drawings to create colourful and vibrant depictions with strong historical emphasis. I especially like his armoured ones where they aren't wearing uniform clothes or gear.

Take those, smatter them with fantastical themed accessories (dragon painted shields, dwarven belt buckles) and you'd be closer to the Professors vision than most of us can hope to get without drawings!