I noticed it's been a while since I posted anything related to Moonrise, so I thought I'd share my template for drawing background mares and a couple of costume designs. The clothing is based on the costumes shown in the episode Hearth's Warming Eve, but I'm trying to make them lighter and more decorative.

Most of the pre-Equestria ponies in Hearth's Warming Eve are wearing clothing of some sort. This could just be something done for the sake of making the play more entertaining, but I like to think that the ponies had starting wearing more clothing in this era due to the inclement weather. After Equestria was founded and the weather became warmer, perhaps they continued wearing clothing for the sake of tradition or culture. In my version of early Equestria, many ponies still wear clothing, but it's becoming more of a fashion statement rather than a means of keeping warm.

I have to admit (with a sheepish grin) that designing costumes for little ponies is a whole lot of fun.