Is your character trying to attract positive attention? Meanwhile, the character who works two jobs while going to school full-time might scour the Goodwill rack for a designer tag to help them fit in at the same party. Most picture the knight when we talk about plated armorrigid tin men that can withstand all manner of blows. Get free books, an invite to my exclusive writing group, writing tools and guides and much more when you join my community. Clean, powerful strikes were needed to disable a foe wearing mail. When youre shopping for yourself, you know what you like but you dont know how to describe it. Your articles are always very informative. That fancy Ming dynasty dress looks completely different with exposed shoulders and that medieval set of pants look completely different if you turn them into shorts with exposed legs. Look at this picture, is it insane for an author to try to describe this on a character? Its fun to play with power in clothing, because it's a relative concept. In reality, a medieval lord could pretty much do what they liked. Beyond medieval Europe, you have the Far East, the Romans, Viking Before you know it youll have designed a full set of fantasy roman or viking armor. Strips of leather were boiled in water, though some sources record oil and wax being used, and even animal urine. Otherwise they wont take you seriously as an artist.. So here are some more ways to alter a design while sticking with familiarity and a more historic feel: It may be apocryphal, but Harold Godwinson is said to have done just that at the battle of Hastings in 1066. Dr. Urbino in Marquezs example above fits the latter category. The more outlandish the fantasy species your character is the more outlandish you can usually be with clothing, but familiarity is usually still a solid ground for a realistic feel, even if the universe and the creatures are completely unrealistic. My story feels like its set more in medieval times, but I don't want my characters running around in full out tunics and. Expensive indeed, and heavystronger horses had to be bred to handle the weight. Mail was lightweight and flexible. Okay, maybe not.Secrets in real life can be a little trickywe all have thembut they have a way of blowing up in our faces, depending on how big they are.Your characters are really no different. It was my understanding that they quenched in oil, not water. Dostoyevsky describes how Katerinas landlady, Amalia Ivanovna, dresses for the funeral: the table was properly laid at the time and fixed, and Amalia Ivanovna, feeling she had done her work well, had put on a black silk dress and a cap with new mourning ribbons and met the returning party with some pride. But it provided an odd sense of security. But the definition of sneaky depends on your characters situation. I didnt even know how to begin describing this piece of clothing. Examples of the latter are The Fifth Element and The Hunger Games. Maybe their goal is to entice a mate. Finally there's all the little things that can make an outfit look more futuristic. Another similar and perhaps way more popular example of this is Steampunk. Clothes can betray our greatest joys and our deepest insecurities. 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. But the biggest challenge can sometimes be simply making something look futuristic or historic fantasy-ish, which is the main focus of this guide. Think the previously mentioned Fifth Element and Hunger Games clothing versus Star Trek, Star Wars and so on clothing. This includes items like steel-toed boots, heavy denim, or tech-forward, snag-resistant superhero spandex. Follow edited Jun 17, 2020 at 9:43. Leonidas in 300, for instance, almost certainly wore a helmet in the battle with the Persians! Trendy: Modern, fashionable, and up-to-date outfits. 1. The fact Gem goes with jeans and a tee could suggest that she trusts her aunts advice. For instance, if I'm reading a story and the narrative mentions jeans right off, I'm thinking mid twentieth century or later (while dungarees would be late nineteenth . Just click the button below to find out more. Cookie Notice As time marched on, small plates of leather or iron were added to the mail to protect key areas, such as vital organs. A common (wood) elvish theme is to have lots of green tints, flowery elements and intricate embroidery. The easy way to describe the setting is when the characters interact with it, e.g. And if you dont write historical fiction? Stylish. Also, don't feel like you have to include every point I've made. You can weave clothing description into your process when using our story planner for writers. And medieval warfare was a bloody affair. (Hopefully, I dont really know your life, so maybe not. Not to pile on, but dont forget to make sure you know which materials wereand werentavailable in the world of your novel. 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. In 2021 his debut novel, Pariah's Lament, an epic fantasy, was published by Of Metal and Magic. Now, if you write historical fiction, its important to research the clothing of your chosen era. 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. There are some elements which are common among most works of fiction when it comes to clothing, with these elements in mind it becomes a lot easier to turn the clothing we wear today or wore throughout history into a futuristic or more fantasy oriented equivalent. The answer can guide you towards certain fashion trends to inspire your characters wardrobe. Conveniently, a lot of high status positions come with outfits or accessories that telegraph a persons position in the hierarchy. We all love a character with a cool set of fantasy armor: the baresark Rek from David Gemmells Legend with his enchanted coat of bronze, or Tomas from Raymond Feists Riftwar Cycle with his gleaming white dragon plate which gifted him incredible power. Some materials are used more than others, some colors are more desirable than others and some accessories are more desirable than others and these all changed throughout time. Were trying to avoid, Isabell gazed out the window, and by the way, she was wearing a white terry cloth robe.. Heres how to describe clothing in writing to show your readers the world to which your character belongs. Maybe theyre hoping to impress the cool kids or please their parents. One of the first things I learned when I moved to L.A. is that writers do not dress professionally for big meetings in Hollywood. The rope belt is solely decorative and a status symbol. This is less important for non-visual arts as clothing isn't always described in writing, but it can still be incredibly helpful to have a fully detailed character in your head or written down somewhere for reference and just to make everything feel more real and alive. Are the characters of your dystopian novel forced to make do with burlap and mud? As well see below, one of the best things about using medieval armor in a fantasy story is the freedom to elevate it in some way. Delighted to hear youre finding this useful. The appearance of armor was a big deal for knights. It's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. Lots of gear would have been looted. Make them earn any sightof skin, Aunt P always said. The time period of your story. Really, the topic of this article is not how to describe clothing in writing as much as it is how to tell a story with clothes. First and foremost we need to know who we're designing for. Required fields are marked *. They're the ones who are always there to lend a helping hand, crack a joke, or provide some much-needed emotional relief.And let's be real, sometimes they dont go unsung. Sweaters or jumpers? - 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). Ill add it to my to do list . For example, the corset wasn't popular until the 16th century and while earlier versions can be found incredibly early they weren't common place. Helmets were arguably the most distinctive feature of an armored knight. Shoes made with bendable displays already exist, allowing you to change your shoe's design on the fly. What would high stakes clothing look like in your story? Would the fashion designers in your fantasy novel make use of dragon scales? Fashionably elegant and sophisticated. Great article. In this scene, Gradgrind returns home to find his children playing outside: A space of stunted grass and dry rubbish being between him and the young rabble, he took his eyeglass out of his waistcoat to look for any child he knew by name, and might order off. Lets take a look at how clothing description indicates your characters identity, goals, and culture. Its hard to really appreciate just how sickeningly awful medieval warfare would have been. 28 First of all, beautiful dress and mask! Then this is their category. Maybe theyre wearing an article of clothing that once belonged to someone theyve lost. Thanks Benjamin! But they could also dress in modest, inexpensive-looking clothes. When shes not writing, Abi is most likely hiking, reading, or texting her mother pictures of her houseplants to ask why they look like that. Something like this: As you can see, a knights armor is made up of a lot of different pieces. The novels protagonist Rodion gives Katerina the last of his money to host a funeral. Hello, I am attempting to write my first fantasy novel (and my first novel), and I'm having difficulty visualizing what kind of clothes my characters should be wearing. In this section, Ive included some more guides on creating fantasy armor designs that you may find useful. Nudity was often either a complete taboo or just common place in many cultures throughout history, so by changing these taboos (and others) you immediately create a fictional piece. He's had over a dozen short stories published in various magazines and journals, with one adapted for BBC radio. We naturally link clothing and identity, which is why wardrobe is such an effective tool for building a vivid character. But I find looking back in time to the likes of the medieval period can provide some wonderful and unique ideas. 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 Besides, these are all just guidelines meant to spark some inspiration in you. As the battle continued through the day, a rumor grew that Harold had died or fled the field, I forget which. I thought if I did that at the beginning of a chapter it would be better but I worry it will turn readers off. Have fun with it. Heating to the perfect temperature was key. Chain mail is a great piece of fantasy armor to use in your stories purely because of its flexibility. If youre good at talking clothes, you can sit this one out. Of course there are more ways to alter historic designs and the middle ages aren't the only period to draw inspiration from. Do your main characters tend to steal the show in your novels? Note that with the camouflage patterns it's best to use this style, but make them less randomized to avoid the military look, unless that's what you're going for of course. One way is to avoid what we call filter words. This pride, though justifiable, displeased Katerina Ivanovna for some reason. Do not describe a character's clothing except as that point of view character would do so. Such simple things, but the clothes really helped show Jesus plight. Game of Thrones/A Song Of Ice And Fire is one series that wonderfully explores fantasy armor and weapons. But it makes a good story. Coats of plated armor soon came about, which consisted of a series of plates linked on top of one another. A warrior had to fight the enemy, and to fight his armor as well would be too distracting. Like all forms of exposition, your goal is to deliver this information without pulling the reader out of the story. Allrightsreserved, create an authentic sense of time and place, Use fashion and clothing history archives, https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e7bbcc198c936bc1af3fbda128514c44fcfc10f0513ea31cad7c21ae61ba0ab0.jpg, 1: Use clothing to show status and position, 2: Build (or thwart) expectations using clothing descriptions, 3: Describe clothing to contrastcharacters personalities, 4: Show clothing to avoid over-relying on telling, 5: Change characters clothing to highlight character development, 6: Use clothing details to recreate authentic setting, 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. - Break up clothing into more separate pieces and give them their own styles. What the description shows is that many of the inviteesplay at status through fancy dress. You dont need it to sign up. So below, well take a look at the relationship between the genre of fantasy and medieval armor. 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. Heres a superb glossary, with pictures, of all types of armor. Clothing description is something I have to actively choose to create, too. Thanks Chuck! Each lesson breaks down the analysis of one component of a fashion collection, progressing from a consideration of the designer's technique and influences to the . Its okay if Todds checks his designer watch three pages after you mention his silk tie. - "Digital look". Heres a video showing the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of leather armor against arrows. Earlier I mentioned how it's important to try and keep a feel of unfamiliarity to futuristic clothing. 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. The padded material could absorb blows from blunt weapons and provided some protection from cuts, but against well-forged weapons they were useless. They also wear talismans, jewelry, and other objects. - Christine, on How to describe clothing in a story (with examples), 8 story hook examples (how to grab attention), Story structure examples: How to create payoffs for readers, How to describe to immerse readers (complete guide), How to write deep POV: 8 tips and examples, 9 exposition examples: How to write clear introductions, How to make a plot captivating: 7 strategies, Writing great characters: 5 lessons from modern novels. And if you were skilled at surviving and killing, it was a good way to make a living. Thanks I will be following your blog from now one I just came across it today. A simple t-shirt could be cut diagonally in the front, give both shoulder parts a different style from the arms, elongate one side and so on. clothed and we should definitely be using them to portray our characters personalities. Odds are, youve got a character who dresses to stay alive. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. Reeking of piss on the battlefield was another weapon in the arsenal I suppose. Theyre just too important defensively. A lowly one at that, but one very much capable of climbing the ladder. But put me in a job interview wearing the same outfit, and youd probably start making new guesses about my intentions. With all that armor, its often assumed the medieval knight was immobile. An anxious college student buys a flower crown in the hopes of feeling young and free at Coachella. Ideas are forever being shared and discussed. Similar to how pixelated designs tend to look more futuristic so do designs full of geometrical shapes. We even have the technology to create clothing without seems. Not really. A simple t-shirt could be cut diagonally in the front, give both shoulder parts a different style from the arms, elongate one side and so on. Now this won't work for every piece of clothing of course, not everything has buttons or edges that allow for simple changes we don't already use today, so here are a few ways that are commonly used to make things look more futuristic: Chausses / Chauces (15th century) Pantaloons; padded hosen for the legs, often worn under chainmail or plate armor. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. And as a reader, nothing bores me like an entire paragraph of detailed clothing description. Fully geared up, you were a walking fortress. 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. Our characters are always (mostly!) Look how she sits with her mouth open! That was the theory. These small but mighty players can add depth, complexity, and a fresh perspective to your plot. I like the way you wrote this information. 60s-inspired. Whether its a matter of indulgence or survival, feeling good is a deeply relatable goal. Get it right, and you transport your readers to a vivid world. As I write this, I am wearing jeans that are too big, a gray t-shirt I inherited from a former roommate, and a pilled hoodie from a lighting vendor that works with my friends husbands company. Am I trying to blow the interview? To create a more futuristic looking style an easy way of doing it is to incorporate technology into the clothing itself. Its about building a life and a world, and that is something you can do. Fashionable: Clothes representing a current style in fashion. 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? Not all trends return and fashion isn't perfectly cyclical. 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Think noble King Arthur and his knights of the roundtable. Vividly describing the colors of your character's clothing can enliven ordinary writing. Blunt, Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. Press J to jump to the feed. For more information, please see our Without decriptions of the clothing it's a bit boring, the novel becomes a list of people the reader can't imagine doing things. What does your character wear to feel safer in their world or in their own skin? stylish, expensive clothing, yet not specific to a certain time or place. Think armor, bulletproof vests, and bandoliers. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. They could withstand high-velocity strikes from a javelin or lance, driven home by somebody charging forwards on horseback. And well dip back in time to look at medieval armor and how it was used and crafted. Continued successes could see knights rise higher up the ranks. Never hose for men and probably never puffy breeches. 2012 - 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. Adding these other bits of lesser-known fantasy armor to your stories can really add extra depth to your worldbuilding. 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. One easy way of creating a more customized look is to simply use cultural elements in the standard clothing. Another might claim power by striding in wearing torn jeans and a tank top. Each suit was tailored to the individual. But if you do want some guidelines, inspiration or just help this guide'll hopefully provide it. You could even move the buttons to the side and have it close diagonally instead. Your main character just put on some makeup and changed into a fancy dress, complete with heels and a tiny handbag. Think of other interesting combinations: A teacher who dresses provocatively; a beggar with an innate sense of style. In both of these it was mostly the rich who had the extravagant clothing, which brings back the earlier point of how culture influences what a character might wear. In a book, none of that is true. 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 give you the chance to offer comic relief, a dash of wisdom, and just some good old fashioned friendship., Sidekick characters. A person who doesn't want to draw attention to themselves would dress completely differently today than they would even a few decades ago. And of course, location provides a clue for what it takes to be comfortable in the world of your story. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. Some had pointed snouts, the purpose of which was to deflect arrows when walking into arrow storms. This description generator will create a mostly random description of either a dress or a suit, fit for formal occasions and other fancy needs. However, you can tell your reader interesting things through a mismatch: A wealthy character might show off their expensive clothing. Community . The final design with all its layers will often hide elements of the clothing that a client may want to see later. Does your character need to hide? But your reader is going to picture something whether you guide them or not. Embarrassed by her own inability to dress in finery for the occasion (and by being upstaged), Katerina resorts to scathing mockery of Amalia. The clothes a person wears tellsus many things: their status in life, for example, or their cultural affiliation or identity. 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? When describing clothing in writing, consider: You can also use this aspect of clothing description to paint a vivid picture of the world you imagined. In pre-thermometer times this was difficult as you can imagine, so instead, armorers observed the colour of the heated steel. I'll make a separate point for sci-fi/futuristic clothing and fantasy/historic clothing. Those warriors came from the people who lived on the lands under the watch of the knights. Pauldrons, gauntlets, and even leg armor were fashioned into elaborate designs. Since it's a friends' get-together, let's wear casual attire. A pair of starched Wranglers. Im writing a little in the Epic Fantasy genre and there were quite a few useful notes I wasnt aware of here. These images all go a lot further than white socks, green dress, and most of them dont require a lot of extra words. Describe these in passing to add visual colour and authenticity to your character descriptions. - Make things look glossy, smooth and clean. Baggy jeans. The jacket has a narrow, rectangular neckline which reveals part of the fancy shirt worn below it and is worn with a light rope belt, which is held together by a simple knot. Advertisements. You can use visual description to make a character more vivid in the readers minds eye. For example, headphones aren't really a piece of clothing, but they definitely affect our style. For example, if a character is going on a date, you could write: Gem wanted to look sexy for her date downtown (but not easy), so she changed into more comfortable clothes. From time to time we may use affiliate links to help with the costs of running the site. These detail could suggest that your character is miserly or down-to-earth despite their wealth. To navigate your way through this guide, just click the links below. Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. Richie Billing writes fantasy fiction, historical fiction and stories of a darker nature. Obviously clothing is extremely varied, especially dresses. Baggy. William the Conquerors society was shaped with war in mind. You can try all Dabbles premium features for free for fourteen days. (Where do they buy their clothes? How were women treated in the Middle Ages? I used to be under the mindset that describing attire was boring and it was better to let the reader fill in those details but especially with the novel Im working on now, I have used clothing to portray more about their character. "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.". Thank you for sharing this valuable information. 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. Now, for the feedbackit depends what POV you're writing in. That works. 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. Thus, "a dress" is inappropriate for a (male) prince, unless he is pretending to be a woman. But it can also be fun to play with the confidence and ease that comes with wealth. Not quite. Both can lose clout simply by the way their peers respond to their wardrobe choices. If you arent keeping at least a few secrets from your friends and loved ones, are you really living? 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.