‘The Hobbit’: What Does Thorin Wear to Distinguish Himself?

In the first chapter of The Hobbit, Tolkien describes Thorin’s importance, stating that he wore “a sky-blue one with a long silver tassel”. This was ultimately a distinction that also proved that he was an “enormously important dwarf“, which further positioned him within the narrative.

Tolkien was quite explicit as to Thorin’s wardrobe, which he used to distinguish himself from the other Dwarves that arrived a Bilbo’s house in the Shire. This is what he wrote in The Hobbit:

“‘At your service!’ said Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur standing in a row. Then they hung up two yellow hoods and a pale green one; and also a sky-blue one with a long silver tassel. This last belonged to Thorin, an enormously important dwarf, in fact no other than the great Thorin Oakenshield himself, who was not at all pleased at falling flat on Bilbo’s mat with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur on top of him. For one thing Bombur was immensely fat and heavy. Thorin indeed was very haughty, and said nothing about service; but poor Mr. Baggins said he was sorry so many times, that at last he grunted ‘pray don’t mention it,’ and stopped frowning.”

– The Hobbit, Chapter I, An Unexpected Party

So, as states, Thorin wore a a sky-blue hood with a long silver tassel and that is also the answer to the main question our article.