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. Only in certain situations is a description even needed. If youre good at talking clothes, you can sit this one out. Examples of the prior are Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey and to some degree Star Wars and Tron. Dragon scales, fiery furs and feathers and other elements can quickly turn a standard item into a fantasy one. An anxious college student buys a flower crown in the hopes of feeling young and free at Coachella. 2012 - You could even move the buttons to the side and have it close diagonally instead. We even have the technology to create clothing without seems. 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. And of course, location provides a clue for what it takes to be comfortable in the world of your story. Given that I am writing alone in my apartment, you might rightfully conclude that my goal is to be comfortable. But they could also dress in modest, inexpensive-looking clothes. The fantasy genre borrows an awful lot from medieval history. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. Clothing tells your reader a lot about your characters goals and motivations within a given scenario. This usually involves dresses from some time pre-renaissance and a tunic or shirt paired with trousers for men and women who are doing warrior stuff. One character might demonstrate their power by showing up to prom in a designer gown. Pfoo, the owl! 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. The last minute change suggests an indecisive nature. Adding these other bits of lesser-known fantasy armor to your stories can really add extra depth to your worldbuilding. The front part of helmets, or the visors, were there to raise or open so the wearer could breathe during taxing hand-to-hand combat or scan around the battlefield. 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. Well come to this below. Even things like tattoos, hair colors, eye colors and so on can help with this. 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. Richie Billing writes fantasy fiction, historical fiction and stories of a darker nature. In a book, none of that is true. How to Analyze a Fashion Collection - Bloomsbury Fashion Central I sincerely hope youve found some inspiration for your fantasy medieval armor. From time to time we may use affiliate links to help with the costs of running the site. Richard the Lionheart, for instance, was celebrated amongst his peers for his ability to chop his enemys skulls down to the teeth. The good news is that attire is not only important, its also kind of fun when you start digging into it. Or is it really important for a reader to know the specific pattern? How to Give Your Characters Style: Describing Clothing in Writing 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. Dr. Urbino in Marquezs example above fits the latter category. Send private message Achievements: Need help with clothing description in Fantasy #1 I'm writing a Fantasy Novel in the middle ages, filled with swords and magic However, I realize I have trouble trying to convey how the characters look, like what the nobles' attire, the bandit's armor. Youre not infodumping. The description will describe a lot of clothing pieces, some of which you may not need depending on where your character lives. (Cough-cough-cough.) All this to say: there is substantial storytelling power in a coral Life is Good t-shirt. Is your central conflict a life-or-death situation? Like say a vest with mirrored sequins and rhinestones, but they all go in a pattern and you feel the need to describe the pattern line by line? Thank you for reading our blog! If your protagonist is donning a tri-cornered hat, loosening a corset, or strutting through town in a new toga, your reader has a good sense of time period. Its a bit OCD of me. Im writing a little in the Epic Fantasy genre and there were quite a few useful notes I wasnt aware of here. Mail was one of the first types of metal armor developed, arguably by the Celts, though other sources say its origins came from Eastern Europe. Does it Matter What Your Character Wears? - The Write Practice 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. Consider whether your characters attire might serve as a symbol, highlight a theme, or represent a conflict. You could introduce magical enchantments or ability-granting traits. Such simple things, but the clothes really helped show Jesus plight. Think touchable fabrics and the light scent of lavender soap. A coat of mail was a complex web of metal rings, each locked with an iron rivet. - 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. Plain: Ordinary clothes of one color like gray, beige, or black. Blades hacking, slicing and puncturing, cutting open gaping wounds and severing limbs and heads from bodies. I thought if I did that at the beginning of a chapter it would be better but I worry it will turn readers off. And well dip back in time to look at medieval armor and how it was used and crafted. One major element that makes creating more futuristic clothing easier is to make sure it doesn't look familiar, to make sure it doesn't look like something you'd come across today. For example, think about a wealthy person and how that person might dress. 70s-inspired. And lets not forget the trusty steed. Casual. They also wear talismans, jewelry, and other objects. Military service was always well-rewarded and violence applauded. Its hard to really appreciate just how sickeningly awful medieval warfare would have been. Smart: Neat and tidy clothes but not necessarily formal. 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. Get free books, an invite to my exclusive writing group, writing tools and guides and much more when you join my community. It's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. As a friend told me, Wear jeans and glasses and have a favorite pen. Thanks Liv, Im glad you found this helpful. Thanks I will be following your blog from now one I just came across it today. is because we get stuck on what things look like. Amalias dress thus comes across as insensitive to her; malicious even. Its fun to play with power in clothing, because it's a relative concept. Medieval clothing description generator - Fantasy name generators Clothing reflects the resources available in a specific time and place. Chest plates had grand etchings. How to design clothes with a sci-fi feel | Creative Bloq 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. Try some colour. Similar to how pixelated designs tend to look more futuristic so do designs full of geometrical shapes. If done right you could even use these elements alone with clothing of today to sell a futuristic look. For fantasy stories to be more believable, we need to understand how it interacts with our characters, especially if theyre enchanted. 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. Impoverished with children to care for, she uses her last money to give her husband a dignified funeral. Those warriors came from the people who lived on the lands under the watch of the knights. As well see below, medieval armor developed through necessitypeople needed to protect themselves from those wicked blades and needle-sharp darts. It's easy to try this out too, at least the simple line version. Lets delve further into these ideas about describing characters dress: Think of your characters clothing like an actors costume in a play. What matters more to them: fashion or function? or the world theyre desperately resisting. Its because concrete details are incredibly effective in communicating abstract concepts. We naturally link clothing and identity, which is why wardrobe is such an effective tool for building a vivid character. Clothing is one of the easiest and most immediate ways to establish an historical setting. 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. Baggy. Youre still not off the hook. It makes for a more entertaining read. But status can be communicated in more subtle ways, too. Another similar and perhaps way more popular example of this is Steampunk. - Geometry. Maybe your character heads out on the town wearing a daring leopard print jumpsuit, only to have their best friend immediately ask where they got the kitty costume.. That works. The more people that join this thriving group the better it becomes. 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. Since it's a friends' get-together, let's wear casual attire. What exactly are you trying to communicate about the character, setting, or situation? If youre trying to learn how to describe clothing in writing, youre probably like me: Youve only pretended to know what organza is. - Break up clothing into more separate pieces and give them their own styles. A four-layer, bubble-gum pink taffeta skirt. Both can lose clout simply by the way their peers respond to their wardrobe choices. The novels protagonist Rodion gives Katerina the last of his money to host a funeral. "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.". Thanks Benjamin! But your reader is going to picture something whether you guide them or not. 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 your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. As for showing with clothing rather than telling, a writer could say, He was lazy and inattentive to his appearance about a character, or they could say his clothes always looked like hed just pulled them out of a pile in some corner of his bedroom and had thrown them on without a glance in the mirror. And medieval warfare was a bloody affair. Blend in? Most picture the knight when we talk about plated armorrigid tin men that can withstand all manner of blows. You can quickly convey a number of things about your characters based on the clothing they wear. But that doesn't mean you can't deviate from these guidelines completely and do whatever you wish. One does not refer to "a garb". If all else fails use Google images and find some visual aids and inspiration sources, they can work wonders. How to describe clothing in a story: Creating characters They were warriors first and foremost. As a quick question, in film you see a lot of heroes and leaders not wearing helmets. - Use lines to break up a piece of clothing and create a kind of mosaic. Mail was particularly effective against glancing blows. 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. You may have seen steelworkers doing this after forging the likes of blades and horseshoes. So why not join the gang? Another quick way of making standard clothing fantasy themed is by converting clothes form the relative future to one that could be created in whichever time period your universe falls under. As the battle continued through the day, a rumor grew that Harold had died or fled the field, I forget which. Pingback: A fantasy writers guide to Castles and Keeps: part one Richie Billing. 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. Obviously clothing is extremely varied, especially dresses. Love this topic!! 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. You can even use different pieces of clothing to cover up body parts differently. 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. Does your character need to hide? This is a fun one. Leather could be stitched into coats, or added to mail to provide added protection. These small but mighty players can add depth, complexity, and a fresh perspective to your plot. Those outfits can become iconic. For example, a shy person will often wear 'regular' clothing, clothing that isn't too bright or outgoing in both design and colors. Your main character just put on some makeup and changed into a fancy dress, complete with heels and a tiny handbag. I can only imagine the pain of the chafing! Much of the clothing we wear today were either rare or completely nonexistent a hundred years ago. Fashion trends come and go and they often return later, albeit in a slightly different form. 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. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. Characters wear more than just clothes. The fact that Yet Dr. Urbinos status as a respected doctor is earned he has nothing to prove by dressing smarter. So here are some more ways to alter a design while sticking with familiarity and a more historic feel: Like Borges would say, 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. Earlier I mentioned how it's important to try and keep a feel of unfamiliarity to futuristic clothing. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. Give your wealthy character a pair of Louboutins and dress your non-wealthy characters in hand-me-downs. [Help] Coming up with Fantasy Outfits : r/fantasywriters - reddit Vividly describing the colors of your character's clothing can enliven ordinary writing. Someone jumps down from a boundary wall wearing dark clothes and clutching a bag, that's enough of a clue they're a burglar, and if the protagonist now has to chase them then a description of the form those clothes take down to the buckles on the shoes is going to break the flow. Its okay if Todds checks his designer watch three pages after you mention his silk tie. This includes items like steel-toed boots, heavy denim, or tech-forward, snag-resistant superhero spandex. for any particular parts of an outfit. If you write historical fiction, youre probably way ahead of me. Even the non-conformists are influenced by societal norms. Continued successes could see knights rise higher up the ranks. Impress someone with my indifference? I mean what your character wears provides a clue to how they see themselves, how they want to be seen, and even how others see them. And what does she put that cap on for? Clothing description also presents an opportunity to play with different points of view. How to create a fantasy costume design | Creative Bloq One easy way of creating a more customized look is to simply use cultural elements in the standard clothing. I didnt even know how to begin describing this piece of clothing. How to Describe Clothing in a Story (with Examples) | Now Novel Sweaters or jumpers? When youre shopping for yourself, you know what you like but you dont know how to describe it. One reason clothing descriptions can start to feel like a tedious laundry list (see what I did there?) And if you need a place to organize your complex responses, I recommend Dabbles Character Notes feature. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. Thus, "a dress" is inappropriate for a (male) prince, unless he is pretending to be a woman. Thanks, Sana. And here are some great concepts for female fantasy armor. We'll also take a look at female fantasy armor and those used by knights, potential designs, and ways to help you find inspiration for creating your own. Do they need a ghillie suit to blend into the natural environment? 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). Make them earn any sightof skin, Aunt P always said. 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. 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. Embarrassed by her own inability to dress in finery for the occasion (and by being upstaged), Katerina resorts to scathing mockery of Amalia. Figurative language . You walk down the usual street and suddenly some old memory hits you. A scarlet pantsuit. A jacket or coat of mail was usually worn with a hood, or coif, of the same material to protect the head and neck. Like Marquez, compare and contrast characters clothes to reveal important details about their social status or position. 1. Similarly, show how different characters personalities are through apt clothing description. But you may run into difficulties when it comes to the practicalities. The appearance of armor was a big deal for knights. But for writers like me who get stuck in the white socks, green dress rut, heres a quick reminder: Details about fabric, fit, quality, and color are super effective when it comes to creating a sense of character, place, or moment. See how Dickens contrasts the fact-obsessed, overbearingteacher Thomas Gradgrind and his wifes personalities through (among other details) their clothing description. - Convert future clothing to a historic version. Not really. I tend to avoid describing clothing. William the Conquerors society was shaped with war in mind. Fashion photographer Bill Cunningham said, Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life. Try applying this philosophy to clothing descriptions in your writing and see what happens. Here are some classic characteristics you can draw out through clothing description. 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. Required fields are marked *. (Where do they buy their clothes? Trendy: Modern, fashionable, and up-to-date outfits. They could withstand high-velocity strikes from a javelin or lance, driven home by somebody charging forwards on horseback. The senses were deadened: sight limited, sound muffled, breathing stifled (depending on the type of helmet). 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. Hi Paige, thank you (and thanks for your question). A warrior had to fight the enemy, and to fight his armor as well would be too distracting. We have all sorts of headphone designs to reflect our clothing styles and just wearing or not wearing a headphone will completely change how a character is often perceived. Non-visual senses are big, too. You dont need it to sign up. I don't mean make your characters walk around naked, but exposing (or covering) body parts in ways we don't today helps make ordinary clothing look different, which in turn helps sell the idea of it being futuristic. You can keep track of your characters signature style, upload photos, note how their style evolves, and keep these ideas right at your fingertips as you write. Youll be blown away by the number of awesome things on there. Be specific and accurate. Maybe a bracelet represents a character's relationship to her mother. Mantel creates a vivid sense of the wealth that the church amassed in these times. Or they could be frantically running errands in leggings and a t-shirt. Also try searching cool fantasy armor, or epic fantasy armor. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. Excuse the on hold background music. The tragedy of Azincourt, for example, occurred because of a poorly-chosen battleground that had flooded. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. - Mix cultures. Although such armor exists in fantasy worlds, its important to understand how things work in the real world, even at a basic level. No problem! Then this is their category. If it fits your universe it usually works, so don't be afraid of doing something different. But there is so much more to the experience of clothing than that. What I would like to ask is how you would go about describing very specific details on more complex clothing? - Another way to use color is to make things seem like they're glowing even if they're not and to use gradients. Nov 1, 2019 - Explore Arisa Nightingale's board "Male Fantasy Outfit Concepts & Designs", followed by 456 people on Pinterest. 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 idea of knights becoming lords was introduced in England by William the Conqueror. 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). Clothing in fantasy novel | Absolute Write Water Cooler The reader does not need the full outfit in one go. It was my understanding that they quenched in oil, not water. Such coats were made from brass or iron, though steel was deemed best due to its toughness. Knights werent as immobile as people assum, though I can imagine in a quagmire itd be tricky to get up. It's what we're slowly doing today. Thus his plain dress is, ironically, indicative of higher status. Lets take a look at some individual pieces of armor. For example, a meticulously dressed character who is discovered in a disheveled and poorly dressed state. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. Stockings, long gloves, scarves or separate layers of clothing make a huge difference. stylish, expensive clothing, yet not specific to a certain time or place. So let's delve deeper into the details of how to actually figure out what your character wears. Also, don't feel like you have to include every point I've made. This is further influenced/confirmed by the show Forged in Fire where the judges were a half step from putting their heads in their hands when a smith put his hot blade in water instead of oil to cool it down. Blunt, Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. Will using real-world cultural vocabulary in a fantasy setting

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