This article is about the hairstyle popular in the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. For the similar hairstyle used in the Water Tribes, see warrior's wolf tail.

A top-knot is a common hairstyle worn by people in the World of Avatar, more commonly by those in the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation.^[1]

Earth Kingdom Edit

Many male Earth Kingdom citizens wear top-knots, most commonly in the countryside or small towns. In Omashu, they wear small green turbans,^[2] while in Ba Sing Se, they generally don queues. Top-knots in the Earth Kingdom are generally much larger than those worn in the Fire Nation, and they are typically worn with an unadorned green metal ring. The exceptions are the generals of the Earth Kingdom, who wear highly decorated clothing to show their position and have large elaborate top-knot rings.^[3]

Fire Nation Edit

In the Fire Nation, top-knots are generally smaller and thinner than their Earth Kingdom counterparts, and are worn by almost all men from every class, although the styles of the top-knots may vary from class to class. The Fire Nation lower and middle class citizens appear to wear plain top-knots, tied with a little red material or with a tiny flame decorative piece on top; nobles and other important people may have more decorative pieces. The two most recognizable pieces are the ones used by the Crown Prince and the Fire Lord, both of which require a top-knot in order to be worn.

The top-knot is a sign of honor in the Fire Nation. After becoming fugitives of the Fire Nation, Zuko and Iroh cut off their top-knots and threw them into a creek to symbolize their rejection of their homeland and the beginning of their true exile.^[4] However, Iroh readopted his trademark top-knot since his escape from prison. The firebending master Jeong Jeong also once donned a top-knot, as shown on his wanted poster.^[5]

Trivia Edit

• A top-knot in Japanese culture acts as a chonmage; it is said to assist the samurai in keeping his helmet in place.
• The cutting off of a person's top-knot was a significant event in traditional Japanese culture. Voluntary removal of one's top-knot, as performed by Zuko and Iroh, was considered a renouncement of title, social status, and pride.
• Hairstyle as a node of hair was traditional in China during the reign of the Manchus.

References Edit

See also Edit

• Fashion in the World of Avatar
• Headpiece

External links Edit

• Chonmage
• Queue