I like the way you wrote this information. Pfoo, the owl! Or are you writing a spy character who dons Lululemon to infiltrate an upscale yoga studio? They can be important too.If you want to breathe life into your stories, it's time to give tertiary characters a little love. Further reading How To Write Fight Scenes. I saw Jesus Christ Superstar a long time ago and Jesus was in a sharp black suit. Through fashion terms you can understand the fundamentals of the fashion industry. They are more common around the chest and torso in Asian cultures though, so keep that in mind when adding diagonal lines. - Diagonal lines: Diagonal lines aren't all that common in historic clothing and they usually only came in the form of neck lines, the edges of unbuttoned jackets or from large pieces of fabric being held up (think ancient Rome). "A dress" (or using "the" to refer to a particular "garment") means an item of clothing that is normally worn by women. How to Give Your Characters Style: Describing Clothing in Writing Written by MasterClass Last updated: Aug 19, 2021 3 min read Creating vivid descriptions for a story or character is a mark of a great writer. Something like this: As you can see, a knights armor is made up of a lot of different pieces. In a book, none of that is true. Now, if you write historical fiction, its important to research the clothing of your chosen era. ), Your character and communitys financial resources. Slog through another meaningless day in a world where nothing matters? If Im wearing lipstick with no plans of going out, one of two things is happening: Im in a great mood or Im feeling like I have zero control over my life and failure is inevitable. Just click this link and dont even think about touching your wallet. How to describe clothing: 6 simple tips Use clothing to show status and position Build (or thwart) expectations using clothing descriptions Describe clothing to contrast character personalities Show clothing to avoid over-relying on telling Change clothing to highlight character development Use clothing details to create authentic setting Leather could be stitched into coats, or added to mail to provide added protection. In other words take what exists and apply it differently. Clothing description is something I have to actively choose to create, too. They mixed more traditional Asian styles with the more Western Industrial Revolution period styles. This article has compiled 100 different words you can use to describe clothes, and below the main list of 100 words we've explained our reasoning for a lot of the top picks from that very list, for your personal enjoyment. Because it actually is possible. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. These images all go a lot further than white socks, green dress, and most of them dont require a lot of extra words. In my case my character is new in town and this description of clothing doesnt come until hes getting ready for the party in chapter 4 and its in the context of getting dressed, there are reasons behind it, the party is a very big deal for him getting his foot in the door with other teens in town and he wants to be impressive or maybe wants lot of attention with all the sparklies. Only the most powerful strikes could pierce such armor. If all else fails use Google images and find some visual aids and inspiration sources, they can work wonders. (Has denim been invented yet? That said, once you describe how a person dresses you shouldn't really keep doing it unless it is relevant to the plot. Stealthy clothes bring to mind burglars clad in black outfits and soft-soled sneakers. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Here, for example, Hilary Mantel describes a Cardinals residence being plundered by the Kings men in 1529 England, in her historical novel Wolf Hall. - Change lengths. For example, think about a wealthy person and how that person might dress. Either way, their goal is to be desirable, whatever desirable means in this situation. Maybe their goal is to entice a mate. Lets talk about how to use clothing description as a storytelling tool, how to dress your character for their personality and setting, and how to make clothes interesting to anyone. This article was very helpfulcan you post some examples of showing versus telling when describing clothing? So its unsurprising to see soldiers wielding swords and axes and shooting bows. Great article. So here are some more ways to alter a design while sticking with familiarity and a more historic feel: It's part of culture, so it's definitely something to keep in mind since your fictional universes will have some form of culture as well. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. How do they change, and how does their clothing reflect that change? Mail was particularly effective against glancing blows. Similarly, find out (or, if youre creating a fantasy world, create) the garments your characters would wear in a particular time and place. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. These small but mighty players can add depth, complexity, and a fresh perspective to your plot. They should be doing that. Be specific and accurate. Not really. All of these advancements will become more and more common as time goes on, so it'd make sense for them to be part of our clothing in the future. Character description may change over the course of a story to emphasize a characters arc. Its all in the craft.Its good that youre here to learn how to describe clothing in writing, because its a powerful tool. How were women treated in the Middle Ages? stylish, expensive clothing, yet not specific to a certain time or place. Given that I am writing alone in my apartment, you might rightfully conclude that my goal is to be comfortable. The complete opposite is true for fantasy and historic clothing. Other clothing pieces could be various types of hats and scarves, (trench) coats and even something as simple as pockets or buttons used for fastening rather than as decoration to name just a few. Vividly describing the colors of your character's clothing can enliven ordinary writing. We therefore see in the fantasy genre characters equipped with grand helmets and beautiful pieces of plate armor. PsstDoes Your Character Have a Secret? He is old but stylish. As such, the contemporary tales that have followed, like Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Dungeons and Dragons and everything in between, have paid homage to that era. A vintage polka dot dress with a sweetheart neckline. In fact, you should be putting lots of thought and development into protagonists because thats who the story is about.But how much thought have you given to your tertiary characters? Fashion trends come and go and they often return later, albeit in a slightly different form. Privacy Policy. A few small details of clothing may distinguish your characters from each other, highlighting their personalities. - Make things look glossy, smooth and clean. Your character might also have a job or hobby that requires protective clothing. But even regular elements can help with this. Your article is really great. (Cough-cough-cough.) (Hopefully, I dont really know your life, so maybe not. Helmets were arguably the most distinctive feature of an armored knight. An anxious college student buys a flower crown in the hopes of feeling young and free at Coachella. Perhaps its because the genre was born out of stories that emerged from the Middle Ages like Beowulf and King Arthur (around the 10th-11th century). They can tell us what era they live in, and even a persons current state of mind or intent. Lots of gear would have been looted. Youre already obsessing over hat styles and what the undergarment situation was at the time of your story. To discover more awesome ideas, head over to Pinterest and just search for female fantasy armor. Maybe theyre wearing an article of clothing that once belonged to someone theyve lost. Mail was lightweight and flexible. Youre not infodumping. For example, a shy person will often wear 'regular' clothing, clothing that isn't too bright or outgoing in both design and colors. Some helmets had chain attached which hung around and protected the neck, called an aventail, and most were padded inside, for added comfort. Im struggling to properly figure out how to describe clothing for a fantasy setting Im trying to create. They were warriors first and foremost. Particularly in genres such as historical fiction and fantasy, clothing can help to create other worlds (or a long gone era of our own). Only the most sophisticated, Dr. Urbino among them, wore their ordinary clothes. for any particular parts of an outfit. In some cases because they simply didn't have the technology for it, in others because it was too expensive and/or time consuming for the average person. This can be a very effective way if your universe is based on an existing culture. Both can lose clout simply by the way their peers respond to their wardrobe choices. The padded material could absorb blows from blunt, A Guide To Writing Stories That Genuinely Helps, "Helped me land my first book deal" - Jack Shannon, Author, Get More Writing Support From Fellow Fantasy Writers, A complete guide to worldbuilding, with a template. I have a hard time describing my thoughts on content, but I really felt I should here. Nylon and polyester fabrics weren't invented until almost the mid 20th century for example. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e7bbcc198c936bc1af3fbda128514c44fcfc10f0513ea31cad7c21ae61ba0ab0.jpg. One character might demonstrate their power by showing up to prom in a designer gown. There's a few other elements to keep in mind as well, but in most cases it's best not to worry at all, let your imagination go wild and simply create and enjoy what you want to create. And here are some great concepts for female fantasy armor. My story feels like its set more in medieval times, but I don't want my characters running around in full out tunics and. The good news is that attire is not only important, its also kind of fun when you start digging into it. In a fantasy setting, you may be trying to conjure up a certain feel right off the bat based on how you describe a character's clothing (and the words you use to describe them). Using the work of Alexander McQueen, this unit guides students through the analysis of a fashion collection, introducing them to the critical language and methodologies needed to evaluate fashion design and runway presentation. What also worries me is that in Chapter 3 I used a lot of descriptions of the house, like the main characters room and then I had him go to various other rooms, looked at pictures of his family he has yet to meet so chapter 3 had the least story development or social scenes but the ones it had were good ones and I ended it with a scene that creates more development and story hype. - Gadgets, hair styles and accessories. The clothing itself can be just standard medieval gear, but with these elements they immediately look (wood) elvish. Were trying to avoid, Isabell gazed out the window, and by the way, she was wearing a white terry cloth robe.. Press J to jump to the feed. In writing, the clothes kind of do make the (hu)man. Thanks Liv, Im glad you found this helpful. That was the theory. Great idea. These shallow details help us go pretty deep on character. These detail could suggest that your character is miserly or down-to-earth despite their wealth. For more information, please see our Whether its a beekeeping suit, climbing helmet, knee pads, or sun-protective fabric, what your character wears provides a clue about whats at stake in the coming scene. Required fields are marked *. In this section, Ive included some more guides on creating fantasy armor designs that you may find useful. Or they could be frantically running errands in leggings and a t-shirt. Those warriors came from the people who lived on the lands under the watch of the knights. At least in most cases. You can immediately show a character is wealthy with descriptions of fine clothing. The fact that In most cases simply copying the style of whichever era you've based your story on is enough, but it can be fun to create your own styles and in some cases it'd make sense to have your own styles as well. A coat of mail was a complex web of metal rings, each locked with an iron rivet. Theyre the kind of thing that often happen organically, but you can actually make use of character secrets to make your stories better. With these two changes alone you already have an item that didn't exist in medieval times, but is familiar enough to work in a fantasy setting. Pingback: A fantasy writers guide to weaponry Richie Billing. Separate and enlarge it, turn down the Opacity of the layer . What your character wears reveals where they come from, how they rank in society, how they want to be perceived, and even how they feel about themselves. Such simple things, but the clothes really helped show Jesus plight. One way to deal with clothing is to not try to be unique. Your trust fund character might be completely confident showing up to a party in board shorts and flip-flops. Our characters are always (mostly!) He's had over a dozen short stories published in various magazines and journals, with one adapted for BBC radio. It's your creation, your imagination and your time you use and spend, so make sure you use and spend it on something you enjoy. Hopefully, you now have more wardrobe ideas for your characters than just red shirt, blue pants. But what about the process of actually sharing these details in your novel? Clothing description also presents an opportunity to play with different points of view. If you write historical fiction, youre probably way ahead of me. You walk down the usual street and suddenly some old memory hits you. 2023 NOW NOVEL CC. Also his mother was poor and anyone who knew that might wonder how he could afford such clothing so it hints at the actual story. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Nov 1, 2019 - Explore Arisa Nightingale's board "Male Fantasy Outfit Concepts & Designs", followed by 456 people on Pinterest. The answer to this question gives you a ton of clarity. Technology goes beyond simply what kind of clothes could be made though, it also relates to how technology is incorporated into style in general. In other words: To describe a fantasy world, use either neutral terms, or made up words. It would have been extremely warm too. His writing offers a masterclass in how to describe clothing in stories. But it provided an odd sense of security. To create a more futuristic looking style an easy way of doing it is to incorporate technology into the clothing itself. 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Scarves as we know them today weren't really a thing in the middle ages (they were way different) and hoods pretty much came in the form of chaperons and liripipes (Google for reference if needed), not as part of a piece of clothing. Of course there are more ways to alter historic designs and the middle ages aren't the only period to draw inspiration from. In visual mediums like TV or comics, cool outfits are on-screen the whole time, and they're the first and most obvious impression you'll get of the character, so they have a big impact on how the character is perceived. The first time I joined my family for our biannual Minnesota fishing trip after moving to L.A. from the Midwest, I found myself constantly losing my aunt and mother. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. The rope belt is solely decorative and a status symbol. That would depend on a few things. It's also an indirect way to describe their physical appearance by examining how the clothes fit them. Ive always wondered that too! You can also fulfil (or contradict) impressions your characters (or readers) form based on appearances. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. Amalias dress thus comes across as insensitive to her; malicious even. When youre shopping for yourself, you know what you like but you dont know how to describe it. Conveniently, a lot of high status positions come with outfits or accessories that telegraph a persons position in the hierarchy. Hi Paige, thank you (and thanks for your question). You may have imagined a man in an expensive suit or a woman in designer clothes. It's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. Your email address will not be published. And if you need a place to organize your complex responses, I recommend Dabbles Character Notes feature. Similar to how pixelated designs tend to look more futuristic so do designs full of geometrical shapes. The easy way to describe the setting is when the characters interact with it, e.g. We naturally link clothing and identity, which is why wardrobe is such an effective tool for building a vivid character. Thats a good example of using clothing to reinforce the narrative of a characters arc. And what does she put that cap on for? The eye slits were narrow to prevent all sizes of arrowheads from finding their way through. But that doesn't mean you can't deviate from these guidelines completely and do whatever you wish. Is your central conflict a life-or-death situation? The final design with all its layers will often hide elements of the clothing that a client may want to see later. Now add a thick, layered scarf or attach a hood to this tunic and you're already well on your way to a customized look. You can go for standard quasi medieval fantasy clothing. Excuse the on hold background music. Or one who was forever wearing poorly-fitted clothing that appeared to be handed down from friends? If you look at popular works of fiction you'll find two trends, one is the simplistic and often tight-fit look and the other is the more over the top and extravagant look. We even have the technology to create clothing without seems. Look at this picture, is it insane for an author to try to describe this on a character? He took off his helmet and a Norman archer made a lucky shot that put out Harolds eye and ended the battle.It should be noted that, with the helmets of the time, it wasnt necessary for Harold to take off his helmet, either to be seen or to get his eye shot out. Our imaginations can do a surprising amount with just a few key details. As with body armor, great efforts were made with the designs of helmets. Its not an aspect of character design that bubbles up naturally from the depths of my creative soul. Youll be blown away by the number of awesome things on there. What are the rules of your characters world? Non-visual senses are big, too. 2012 - Get it right, and you transport your readers to a vivid world. Let your mind fill in the details, always checking back in with your adjectives to make sure the concept is moving in the right direction. Sci-fi and fantasy don't necessarily have to be futuristic and historic respectively, but they're commonly associated as such, so for the sake of simplicity that's what I'm going with for the purposes of this guide. Also, don't feel like you have to include every point I've made. What would high stakes clothing look like in your story? In one single piece of clothing description (a pink-eyed bundle of shawls), Dickens conveys how timid and ailing Mrs. Gradgrind is in contrast to her bullish, overbearing husband. One easy way of creating a more customized look is to simply use cultural elements in the standard clothing. Well also take a look at female fantasy armor and those used by, Mail was particularly effective against glancing blows. Thanks I will be following your blog from now one I just came across it today. The train hums and throbs in place as people rush to pile in.. Instead of a nobleman being described as wearing red silk slippers, parachute pants, a bejeweled cloth belt, a flowing blouse and an ascot; you can simply describe him as wear very fancy and extravagant clothing befitting his high status in society. This includes things like a pilots uniform, a tiara, or a Pink Ladies jacket. - As far as colors go they often seem to be either toned down or bright and happy (or even over the top), depending on the style. Leonidas in 300, for instance, almost certainly wore a helmet in the battle with the Persians! - Use lines to break up a piece of clothing and create a kind of mosaic. I can only imagine the pain of the chafing! Wearing a suit of armor was like being in your own private world. - "Digital look". Do they strive to be humble before their god or do they want to spend this one and only life as their bold, ostentatious selves? The surrounding culture dictates what they cant wear if they want to be seen as free-thinking individuals. Which brings me to my next point. Also bear in mind that not all clothing descriptions have to be presented as She put on x or He was wearing y. You can draw your readers attention to an item of clothing by having your character draw on their jeans or fiddle with their collar. Arrows will bounce off steel crafted in such a wayunless from close range, as we discussed last week. Maybe your character is snuggled up in their fleece pajamas while the blizzard rages outside. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. They work, they're safe and in many cases have become a standard. Think noble King Arthur and his knights of the roundtable. Consider this example from Hard Times. The fantasy genre borrows an awful lot from medieval history. Vision in such helmets was extremely limited, but this was the cost of added protection. Subtle clothing changes can signal character development quite effectively in some scenarios. Not all trends return and fashion isn't perfectly cyclical. This idea of knights becoming lords was introduced in England by William the Conqueror. Think of other interesting combinations: A teacher who dresses provocatively; a beggar with an innate sense of style. Katerina is affronted by Amalias fine dress because it is new and shows pride. It can genuinely be tough to come up with cool ideas for epic fantasy armor without drifting back to things that weve seen in the likes of Dungeons and Dragons, The Elder Scrolls and movies like Lord of the Rings. Trendy: Modern, fashionable, and up-to-date outfits. Another similar and perhaps way more popular example of this is Steampunk. Here are a few different types: We mentioned gambesons above. How long do they need their clothes to last? A velvet scrunchie. Characters can also comment on or react to one anothers clothing, as long as the exchange reveals something about the world or relationship. Heres a great visual guide on female fantasy armor by YouTuber Shadiversity. Fully geared up, you were a walking fortress. Thanks Chuck! Use your first-person narrators senses sight, hearing, touch, etc. It can be as simple as making a dress shorter, a jacket longer or sleeves wider and longer. This is a heavy generalization of course and entirely based on Western culture of today, but these rules may not apply at all in a fictional universe, no matter if it's futuristic or based on a historic setting. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. A possible source of conflict for a story, perhaps! Can you imagine tweaking this to make your own set of fantasy armor? The bully Gradgrind is the type whod wear a waistcoat concealing an eyeglass for catching people out. One thing Ive always wondered is if someone wearing plate could fall down just right in a muddy battlefield, and get stuck there in the same way a large flat rock gets stuck laying in mud. Are they overalls or coveralls? - Furs and other animal parts: A quick and obvious way of making something look more fantasy-themed is by simply adding elements of fantasy creatures. But your reader is going to picture something whether you guide them or not. Adorable. Those of us who dont get all jazzed about writing clothing descriptions often fail to consider that a good wardrobe has layers. Try some colour. Normally I dont dress characters with such complex clothing that takes more than a few sentences to describe but the vest was inspired by a picture I saw and it took at least a paragraph to describe. This is great! Stiff with embroidery, strewn with pearls, encrusted with gemstones, they seem to stand by themselves. Like Borges would say, Some had pointed snouts, the purpose of which was to deflect arrows when walking into arrow storms. And if you were skilled at surviving and killing, it was a good way to make a living. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. Another benefit to chain mail, a point which can slip the mind of writers, is that it was cheap and efficient, able to accommodate different-sized warriors, unlike expensive plated armor. is because we get stuck on what things look like. Whenever other races or species are involved, like elves and trolls, it's often best to give them clothing that differs from whatever humans (and other races) wear, even if those differences are subtle. Stockings, long gloves, scarves or separate layers of clothing make a huge difference. First and foremost we need to know who we're designing for. Does your character need to hide? Would the fashion designers in your fantasy novel make use of dragon scales? Love this topic!! "He was wearing a spandex tank top" is an improvement from just mentioning that your character's wearing a shirt; but consider adding the element of color: "He was wearing a black-and-yellow-striped spandex tank top.". Its a good time. Sometimes the simplest changes are enough to create something completely new and ideal for a particular universe. Affordable . Before I delve into the more detailed aspects of creating clothing there's one final thing to keep in mind and that is that fashion repeats itself. Fancy dresses. You suddenly know which details to include, which to leave out, and whether to call it a blood-red cloak or a goji berry wrap. See how Dickens contrasts the fact-obsessed, overbearingteacher Thomas Gradgrind and his wifes personalities through (among other details) their clothing description. The same goes for other types of technology that could realistically be incorporated into the design of your character's clothing.
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