Fashionable, Designer Armor

Housed in the oh-so-elegant Neue Berg Palace, originally designed to be the new residence of the Hapsburg emperors, are the collections of Antique Music, Arms and Armor and the Ephesus Museum. Many of the items in the Collection of Arms and Armor were designed more for ceremonies than battle, according to the fashions of the day. If you click on the photos, you'll see beautiful designs and craftsmanship:

...including this bird-like helmet:

Horses were sometimes given their own sets of armor or, for jousting, these drapes, color-coordinated with their rider's outfit:

Armor for the entire family...

Note the dent in this one; it appears his armor may have saved him from great pain:

I was taken with the sleek lines of this outfit and can't help but wonder at how uncomfortable it might have been to breathe in it, especially in the summer.

This one looks rather space-age, doesn't it?

Someone spent a lot of time and effort determining and executing the colors and intricate details on this piece: