The landladys dress highlights, by contrast, the downward spiral of Katerinas fortunes, and she responds to the landladys prideful clothing with her own wounded pride: Look at her, shes making round eyes, she feels that we are talking about her and cant understand. Or they could be frantically running errands in leggings and a t-shirt. (Hopefully, I dont really know your life, so maybe not. One specific form of descriptive writing that particularly affects setting and characterization is the portrayal of characters' clothing. Coats of plated armor soon came about, which consisted of a series of plates linked on top of one another. But they werent administrators. At a quarter to six, Gem pulled off the low-cut top Emma had wolf-whistled and clappedat when theyd met for their usual weekend catch-up. In Gabriel Garcia Marquezs Love in the Time of Cholera (1985), we learn of a doctors status through his being the only person at an event who is not smartly dressed: Although it was not customary for invitations to request special attire, least of all for a luncheon in the country, the women wore evening gowns and precious jewels and most of the men were dressed in dinner jackets with black ties, and some even wore frock coats. 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. It's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. But it makes a good story. Now, for the feedbackit depends what POV you're writing in. You could even move the buttons to the side and have it close diagonally instead. Love this topic!! Community . 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. From lowly serfs to great warriors, all could wear and fight effectively in chainmail. Maybe theyre hoping to impress the cool kids or please their parents. But I find looking back in time to the likes of the medieval period can provide some wonderful and unique ideas. Think touchable fabrics and the light scent of lavender soap. 04. Just click the button below to find out more. The reader does not need the full outfit in one go. The fact that Our imaginations can do a surprising amount with just a few key details. Dragon scales, fiery furs and feathers and other elements can quickly turn a standard item into a fantasy one. Make sure you know whats hot and whats not in your specific setting, as well as what specific words the locals would use. It was my understanding that they quenched in oil, not water. You may have imagined a man in an expensive suit or a woman in designer clothes. Lots of gear would have been looted. Cookie Notice 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. Clothes can betray our greatest joys and our deepest insecurities. The good news is that attire is not only important, its also kind of fun when you start digging into it. A possible source of conflict for a story, perhaps! Here are some classic characteristics you can draw out through clothing description. Ha-ha! Particularly in genres such as historical fiction and fantasy, clothing can help to create other worlds (or a long gone era of our own). 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 Characters wear more than just clothes. 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. Changes in characters clothing can help revealcharacter development. How to Describe Clothing in Writing Without Boring Everybody Jeans and a tee it was. Whether its a matter of indulgence or survival, feeling good is a deeply relatable goal. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. Expensive indeed, and heavystronger horses had to be bred to handle the weight. Leather could be stitched into coats, or added to mail to provide added protection. 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. Fashionably elegant and sophisticated. What Clothes Say About Your Characters - The Write Practice 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. Every time we got separated in a public space, I discovered myself in a sea of mature women with the same haircut and pastel tops. That would depend on a few things. Arrows will bounce off steel crafted in such a wayunless from close range, as we discussed last week. The fact the clothes seem to stand by themselves indicates just how heavy they are with jewels and embroidery. I would be great to expand it with armor from other areas, Samurai armor, for example. Do not describe a character's clothing except as that point of view character would do so. Let it hang diagonally across their chest and over their shoulder instead. - "Digital look". A four-layer, bubble-gum pink taffeta skirt. Improve this answer. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. However, you can tell your reader interesting things through a mismatch: A wealthy character might show off their expensive clothing. Clothes can betray our greatest joys and our deepest insecurities. Besides, these are all just guidelines meant to spark some inspiration in you. It can be as simple as making a dress shorter, a jacket longer or sleeves wider and longer. Our wardrobes are influenced by our age, geography, culture, hobbies, and a million other aspects of our worlds. This includes things like a pilots uniform, a tiara, or a Pink Ladies jacket. The fact Gem goes with jeans and a tee could suggest that she trusts her aunts advice. Strips of leather were boiled in water, though some sources record oil and wax being used, and even animal urine. See how Dickens contrasts the fact-obsessed, overbearingteacher Thomas Gradgrind and his wifes personalities through (among other details) their clothing description. They can tell us what era they live in, and even a persons current state of mind or intent. Who is your character at the beginning of the story, and how can you dress them to establish their normal? In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. 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. Youre working essential details into the narrative at the moment when they are most relevant. Really like your article. Earlier I mentioned how it's important to try and keep a feel of unfamiliarity to futuristic clothing. 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. And well dip back in time to look at medieval armor and how it was used and crafted. Discover an extensive list of terms you may want to know here. One easy way of creating a more customized look is to simply use cultural elements in the standard clothing. 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. These aren't the only elements either, pretty much every part of clothing changes with the times and depend heavily upon what's fashionable at the time. 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. The fantasy genre borrows an awful lot from medieval history. An anxious college student buys a flower crown in the hopes of feeling young and free at Coachella. With historical fiction one interesting aspect is to bring back the reader to that time period. Or else that she feels shamed by her Aunt and thus decides to be good. (Has denim been invented yet? Also, don't feel like you have to include every point I've made. How to Describe Clothing in a Story (with Examples) | Now Novel 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. Because it actually is possible. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. As time marched on, small plates of leather or iron were added to the mail to protect key areas, such as vital organs. They're the Robin to your Batman, the Luigi to your Mario, the Samwise Gamgee to your Frodo Baggins. Showing what your characters are wearing can be a great way to show your readers what they might be up to that day without having to actually narrate anything. In 2021 his debut novel, Pariah's Lament, an epic fantasy, was published by Of Metal and Magic. Lets take a look at some ways you can develop those unique ideas: In this section, well take a look at some cool pieces of knight armor in fantasy that people have designed over the years, to give you even more inspiration for your own designs. I'll allow my fangirl side to shine for a second and use the Legend of Korra as an example of how mixing styles can work amazingly well. They also wear talismans, jewelry, and other objects. 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. Make it look very clean and smooth and it immediately feels more modern. Blades hacking, slicing and puncturing, cutting open gaping wounds and severing limbs and heads from bodies. If you tell your readers about Nanettes light pink cardigan and string of pearls, you dont have to say much about the shoes and skirt and silk blouse. So have fun with that. Theyre just too important defensively. For example, think about a wealthy person and how that person might dress. Impoverished with children to care for, she uses her last money to give her husband a dignified funeral. 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. But they could also dress in modest, inexpensive-looking clothes. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. His writing offers a masterclass in how to describe clothing in stories. - 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). Richie also runs The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed, a podcast devoted to helping writers improve their craft. Something like this: As you can see, a knights armor is made up of a lot of different pieces. Theyre the lifeblood of any relationship. Required fields are marked *. 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 if you want more, this documentary is excellent. The easy way to describe the setting is when the characters interact with it, e.g. If your character comes home and immediately sheds three layers of down and fleece, Im going to assume theyre not in San Antonio, Texas. "A dress" (or using "the" to refer to a particular "garment") means an item of clothing that is normally worn by women. Is your character trying to attract positive attention? 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. It's what we're slowly doing today. Maybe your character is snuggled up in their fleece pajamas while the blizzard rages outside. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. What is a good way to do Show not tell in a first person POV state? This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. ^.^ Slog through another meaningless day in a world where nothing matters? 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. Obviously clothing is extremely varied, especially dresses. How to Give Your Characters Style: Describing Clothing in Writing Creative Words to Describe Outfit & Clothing - INK Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. And as a reader, nothing bores me like an entire paragraph of detailed clothing description. A man's padded undercoat worn under a doublet and over a shirt; a woman's (often padded) under-tunic or the skirt of her riding habit. And what weve covered here today is only just the tip of the iceberg. A velvet scrunchie. Clothing description is something I have to actively choose to create, too. Thank you for reading our blog! Mail was particularly effective against glancing blows. 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. Youre still not off the hook. 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. Now on the other end of the spectrum we have fantasy clothing and more history based clothing. At the end of the day, they were professional slayers, swords for hire. Another might claim power by striding in wearing torn jeans and a tank top. Although such armor exists in fantasy worlds, its important to understand how things work in the real world, even at a basic level. These shallow details help us go pretty deep on character. Imagine your own armored knights storming through the battlefield like iron giants. Or it could be that they want to be charmed by their own image when they look in the mirror. So this really reaffirmed that approach for me. One very important aspect of describing attire well is understanding why youre describing it in the first place. 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. For example, fur usually wasn't used as a piece of decoration for clothing and if used at all was often worn around the neck and shoulders or underneath other (often hide) clothing to keep warm. Mantel creates a vivid sense of the wealth that the church amassed in these times. And its in designs that you can really go wild with your own fantasy armor. Not a Dabble user? For fantasy stories to be more believable, we need to understand how it interacts with our characters, especially if theyre enchanted. Fashionable: Clothes representing a current style in fashion. The answer to this question gives you a ton of clarity. 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. Just click this link and dont even think about touching your wallet. Clothing tells your reader a lot about your characters goals and motivations within a given scenario. (Huh.). Chest plates had grand etchings. Such simple things, but the clothes really helped show Jesus plight. Consider this example from Hard Times. - Break up clothing into more separate pieces and give them their own styles. In other words: To describe a fantasy world, use either neutral terms, or made up words. A knight, by definition, was a lord. Whereas a more confident or attention seeking person might seek out the edges of what's socially acceptable more or just wear more stylish and potentially more colorful or flamboyant clothing. Ragged clothing description generator - Fantasy name generators This can be a very effective way if your universe is based on an existing culture. You can quickly convey a number of things about your characters based on the clothing they wear. 100 Words to Describe Clothes - grammarhow.com All this to say: there is substantial storytelling power in a coral Life is Good t-shirt. Adding these other bits of lesser-known fantasy armor to your stories can really add extra depth to your worldbuilding. In a book, none of that is true. Because like all other character details, its not enough to paint a picture. We already have spray on clothing technology. Again, I don't mean make your character walk around naked, but add elements of covering up or exposing certain areas of the body. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. 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. How to design clothes with a sci-fi feel | Creative Bloq Now turn the edges a different color or make them light up and you immediately have a more futuristic looking suit. Never hose for men and probably never puffy breeches. How do they change, and how does their clothing reflect that change? 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. Clothes that are loose and hanging in folds. These images all go a lot further than white socks, green dress, and most of them dont require a lot of extra words. 60s-inspired. I can only imagine the pain of the chafing! The answer can guide you towards certain fashion trends to inspire your characters wardrobe. 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. It makes for a more entertaining read. We often express ourselves through our clothing, at least when we have the freedom to do so, so knowing who we're designing for is the first step in creating the perfect outfit for a character. 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. What would high stakes clothing look like in your story? Thanks Chuck! Very informative. By playing around with this you quickly create very subtle, but more unique fantasy-themed items. Wearing a suit of armor was like being in your own private world. Well also take a look at female fantasy armor and those used by, Mail was particularly effective against glancing blows. The geographical setting might suggest that your characters are expected to abide by strict rules for modesty or are celebrated for being wild and free. 2012 - The surrounding culture dictates what they cant wear if they want to be seen as free-thinking individuals. As with mail, steel was the best material due to its hardness, which was obtained by heating the steel to extreme temperatures and then submerging it into cold water, a process known as quenching. Follow edited Jun 17, 2020 at 9:43. True, it all depends on your purpose. Consider whether your characters attire might serve as a symbol, highlight a theme, or represent a conflict. Both doublets and chain mail were worn in conjunction with plated armor for that added protection, particularly for areas plate could not cover, such as arms and the groin. But Ive also noticed that artful clothing description does make a character, a setting, and even a moment more engaging. You can try all Dabbles premium features for free for fourteen days. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. With the major shapes in the thumbnails defined, choose the one that best exemplifies the feeling you're looking for. Finally there's the aspect of fashion to take into account. Is this purely for cinematic effect or would some leaders remove their helmets to show their faces to their soldiers? - Another way to use color is to make things seem like they're glowing even if they're not and to use gradients. Get it right, and you transport your readers to a vivid world. The last minute change suggests an indecisive nature. See more ideas about fantasy clothing, anime outfits, character outfits. Mention the familiar swooshing of the neighbors tracksuit as he runs by the house every morning or how the aunts jacket always smells like cold air and pine needles. Pauldrons, gauntlets, and even leg armor were fashioned into elaborate designs. In other words take what exists and apply it differently. 160 Best Character description ideas | character description, fantasy Share. 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. The same goes for other types of technology that could realistically be incorporated into the design of your character's clothing. As a friend told me, Wear jeans and glasses and have a favorite pen. 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. However, you can show and imply a characters intention without spelling it out: Theyd agreed to meet downtown at six. I didnt even know how to begin describing this piece of clothing. - 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. The appearance of armor was a big deal for knights. That also will help readers really experience things through their eyes. Be specific and accurate. Thanks Benjamin! To make it futuristic you could change where the buttons are, they're normally quite low and form a v-neck line when buttoned up, how about moving them to the top and creating an upside down V shape at the bottom. Would the fashion designers in your fantasy novel make use of dragon scales? Such coats were made from brass or iron, though steel was deemed best due to its toughness. 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. The image you create has to play a role in the narrative.Consider the character arc. Thats a good example of using clothing to reinforce the narrative of a characters arc. 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. 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). Even things like tattoos, hair colors, eye colors and so on can help with this. - Taboos and nudity. A band t-shirt. 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. Examples of the prior are Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey and to some degree Star Wars and Tron. Its something readers definitely appreciate, which I found with Pariahs Lament. The clothes a person wears tellsus many things: their status in life, for example, or their cultural affiliation or identity. Leonidas in 300, for instance, almost certainly wore a helmet in the battle with the Persians! In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. One way is to avoid what we call filter words. William the Conquerors society was shaped with war in mind. There's also the element of technology that has to be taken into account. Those warriors came from the people who lived on the lands under the watch of the knights. Which of these clothing types is your character most likely to reach for when starting their day? (Where do they buy their clothes? Thus his plain dress is, ironically, indicative of higher status. I have a hard time describing my thoughts on content, but I really felt I should here. Advertisements. Metallic works well too, but make sure any metal bits or metallic looking bits are smooth and clean looking too, otherwise it might look too historic. As far as guidelines go this is the first to be broken though, consider this one more of a starting point rather than something to necessarily end on. ), Your character and communitys financial resources. Only in certain situations is a description even needed. Continued successes could see knights rise higher up the ranks. 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. When you use clothing to define who your character is, remember that it can also clarify how they feel about themselves and how they fit into the world around them. But it provided an odd sense of security. Any suggestions on how to properly do this? Good for the mobile knight. If you stopped to think about it, you may even notice yourself imagining things as specific as age, hobbies, and ambitions. You dont need it to sign up. Stealthy clothes bring to mind burglars clad in black outfits and soft-soled sneakers. They mixed more traditional Asian styles with the more Western Industrial Revolution period styles. If youre good at talking clothes, you can sit this one out. By using fur for decoration you quickly create fictional pieces in no time. You could introduce magical enchantments or ability-granting traits. A coat of mail was a complex web of metal rings, each locked with an iron rivet. As with body armor, great efforts were made with the designs of helmets. A vintage polka dot dress with a sweetheart neckline. Not to mention the social status of a person. A person who doesn't want to draw attention to themselves would dress completely differently today than they would even a few decades ago. Youre already obsessing over hat styles and what the undergarment situation was at the time of your story. its obviously black with a centered zipper is easy but then the various pieces, the shapes, the colors, like two rows of this then a row of that, you get what I mean? 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. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. Think noble King Arthur and his knights of the roundtable. Describing clothes? : r/writing - reddit Katerina is affronted by Amalias fine dress because it is new and shows pride. What are some ways to describe a character's clothing? But status can be communicated in more subtle ways, too.
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