- Change lengths. I love the way clothes can describe a character. Vision in such helmets was extremely limited, but this was the cost of added protection. Is your central conflict a life-or-death situation? So this really reaffirmed that approach for me. Pingback: Fantasy Weapons - Medieval, Magic And Other Types - Richie Billing, Helping writers on their journey and readers find their next favourite story.. So why not join the gang? 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. Consider whether your characters attire might serve as a symbol, highlight a theme, or represent a conflict. The aim was not to cause any impediment to movement. 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. One specific form of descriptive writing that particularly affects setting and characterization is the portrayal of characters' clothing. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. The more people that join this thriving group the better it becomes. But as the show moved forward the suit got more ragged the jacket was open, then gone, the shirt cuffs undone, half the buttons undone and I think by the end when he was on the cross the shirt was gone. Glasses, headsets, lenses, jewelry, belts and so on can all help sell the futuristic look. 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? Its about building a life and a world, and that is something you can do. Wearing a suit of armor was like being in your own private world. But they werent administrators. Ready to sketch vivid characters for your novel? Heres how to describe clothing in writing to show your readers the world to which your character belongs. In a book, none of that is true. 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. An anxious college student buys a flower crown in the hopes of feeling young and free at Coachella. Maybe their goal is to entice a mate. Like Marquez, compare and contrast characters clothes to reveal important details about their social status or position. )Secrets might not be something youve specifically thought about when youre drafting a story. for any particular parts of an outfit. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. 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 Look how she sits with her mouth open! What exactly are you trying to communicate about the character, setting, or situation? His pants are simple and narrow and reach down to his hard leather shoes. Something like this: As you can see, a knights armor is made up of a lot of different pieces. I didnt even know how to begin describing this piece of clothing. Excuse the on hold background music. Blunt weapons were effective, causing haemorrhaging and concussion, so padded garments known as a doublet or gambeson were worn underneath to provide added protection. But you may run into difficulties when it comes to the practicalities. The eye slits were narrow to prevent all sizes of arrowheads from finding their way through. It's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. Pingback: The Life of the Medieval Lord - Richie Billing, Pingback: How To Create Your Very Own Living Breathing Fantasy World - Richie Billing, Pingback: Fantasy Races - The Ultimate Guide To Elves, Orcs and Dwarves | Richie Billing, Pingback: Killer Diseases of the Middle Ages | Richie Billing, Pingback: Medieval Cannons: The Essential Guide | Richie Billing, Pingback: On Writing: Fantasy Without Magic Of Metal and Magic Publishing, Pingback: The Lives Of Medieval Peasants - Richie Billing. A scarlet pantsuit. "White tunics" have been worn from 2016 to a good forty thousand years ago. Im writing a little in the Epic Fantasy genre and there were quite a few useful notes I wasnt aware of here. You can go for standard quasi medieval fantasy clothing. If there is one thing I hope you take from all of this, its that none of this is about describing what a character looks like. Thanks, Teresa, and for sharing that great example from the stage. Make it look very clean and smooth and it immediately feels more modern. Without decriptions of the clothing it's a bit boring, the novel becomes a list of people the reader can't imagine doing things. 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. Our characters are always (mostly!) The fact that Much of the clothing we wear today were either rare or completely nonexistent a hundred years ago. I thought if I did that at the beginning of a chapter it would be better but I worry it will turn readers off. I love to wear baggy trousers in summer. Now on the other end of the spectrum we have fantasy clothing and more history based clothing. Instead of saying, for example I saw that the station gate was coming down and the last train was about to leave, you could say The station gate is already screeching closed. Or they could be frantically running errands in leggings and a t-shirt. In this section, Ive included some more guides on creating fantasy armor designs that you may find useful. The reason we fuss over physical descriptions is not because its so important that the readers imagination gets it right. Only the most sophisticated, Dr. Urbino among them, wore their ordinary clothes. Thanks Chuck! Hi Paige, thank you (and thanks for your question). ), Your character and communitys financial resources. Since it's a friends' get-together, let's wear casual attire. Blunt, Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. Those warriors came from the people who lived on the lands under the watch of the knights. 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. Such coats were made from brass or iron, though steel was deemed best due to its toughness. Theyre probably less concerned with how they look (unless they want to look intimidating) and more concerned with things like survival or victory. I never thought of there being a uniform for Midwestern ladyness. That said, once you describe how a person dresses you shouldn't really keep doing it unless it is relevant to the plot. 1. Details about fit, cut, and material go a long way when describing the clothing of a character who longs to attract. Creating new clothing styles for fictional worlds can be a daunting task, there's just so much out there already and so many elements to play around with to create a fun and unique style, no matter whether the art form is visual or not. Clothing tells your reader a lot about your characters goals and motivations within a given scenario. Plain: Ordinary clothes of one color like gray, beige, or black. He is old but stylish. Characters can also comment on or react to one anothers clothing, as long as the exchange reveals something about the world or relationship. Maybe theyre wearing an article of clothing that once belonged to someone theyve lost. All this to say: there is substantial storytelling power in a coral Life is Good t-shirt. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. As the battle continued through the day, a rumor grew that Harold had died or fled the field, I forget which. Lets take a look at how clothing description indicates your characters identity, goals, and culture. What would you think about a wealthy character who looked as though he shopped at thrift stores? What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. Below, well take a look at the armor found in the fantasy genre, covering everything from chain mail to helmets. Another important function of clothing description in stories is to create an authentic sense of time and place. Advertisements. The changes and improvements made by technology will often create new trends or alter old ones to the point you may as well consider them a new one, so depending on the technology available in your fictional universe you may wish to create a completely new trend. Other elements you could include are mood-based changes (exists today), clothing that uses lights or glowing elements (exists today), clothing that can be repaired or changed on the go (exists today), smart technology woven into the fabric of clothing (exists today), changing colors (think chameleons) whenever you feel like it (exists today, kind of). Dr. Urbino in Marquezs example above fits the latter category. Theyll see it automatically. They are more common around the chest and torso in Asian cultures though, so keep that in mind when adding diagonal lines. Im struggling to properly figure out how to describe clothing for a fantasy setting Im trying to create. Or one who was forever wearing poorly-fitted clothing that appeared to be handed down from friends? And if you were skilled at surviving and killing, it was a good way to make a living. Discover an extensive list of terms you may want to know here. Coats of plated armor soon came about, which consisted of a series of plates linked on top of one another. 28 First of all, beautiful dress and mask! And what does she put that cap on for? Here are a few different types: We mentioned gambesons above. 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? This is a fun one. 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. 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. Follow edited Jun 17, 2020 at 9:43. 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. Ive always wondered that too! - 'Stealth'. 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. What I would like to ask is how you would go about describing very specific details on more complex clothing? Sometimes the simplest changes are enough to create something completely new and ideal for a particular universe. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. The appearance of armor was a big deal for knights. - Use lines to break up a piece of clothing and create a kind of mosaic. But if you do want some guidelines, inspiration or just help this guide'll hopefully provide it. But it can also be fun to play with the confidence and ease that comes with wealth. What the description shows is that many of the inviteesplay at status through fancy dress. Its a bit OCD of me. Choose A Chapter The Fantasy Genre And Medieval Armor Chain Mail Plated Armor Helmets Other Types Of Armor The Medieval Knight These images all go a lot further than white socks, green dress, and most of them dont require a lot of extra words. Your email address will not be published. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. Odds are, youve got a character who dresses to stay alive. However, you can show and imply a characters intention without spelling it out: Theyd agreed to meet downtown at six. Clothing description is something I have to actively choose to create, too. 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. Delighted to hear youre finding this useful. In other words, research. So Id say in films its more for cinematic effect and also for clarity so the viewer can see whos doing what. Sweaters or jumpers? Thus, "a dress" is inappropriate for a (male) prince, unless he is pretending to be a woman. Maybe theyre hoping to impress the cool kids or please their parents. This article was very helpfulcan you post some examples of showing versus telling when describing clothing? To illustrate this let's take a standard men's suit as an example. 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. One reason clothing descriptions can start to feel like a tedious laundry list (see what I did there?) Similar to how pixelated designs tend to look more futuristic so do designs full of geometrical shapes. Do they need a ghillie suit to blend into the natural environment? Clothing reflects the resources available in a specific time and place. Which is to say, if you write from the point of view of a character who thinks of clothing only in terms of the simplest descriptors, that's just fine. Of course there are more ways to alter historic designs and the middle ages aren't the only period to draw inspiration from. Reeking of piss on the battlefield was another weapon in the arsenal I suppose. 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. And right at the heart of it were the leaders of societythe medieval lords. 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. Our wardrobes are influenced by our age, geography, culture, hobbies, and a million other aspects of our worlds. Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. A few small details of clothing may distinguish your characters from each other, highlighting their personalities. Youll be blown away by the number of awesome things on there. 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. 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? When heated, steel turns from yellow, to brown, to blue, to red. Shoes made with bendable displays already exist, allowing you to change your shoe's design on the fly. But they are a common element used in fantasy clothing in all sorts of works of fiction. Youre already obsessing over hat styles and what the undergarment situation was at the time of your story. Lets delve further into these ideas about describing characters dress: Think of your characters clothing like an actors costume in a play. Lots of gear would have been looted. 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. I really loved this article, but I have one question, it was very helpful. Then this is their category. The image you create has to play a role in the narrative.Consider the character arc. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. I mentioned my online writing group at the beginning of this guide. I would be great to expand it with armor from other areas, Samurai armor, for example. Improve this answer. It doesn't exclude those that don't know what a qipao is, nor break immersion for those who do. One very important aspect of describing attire well is understanding why youre describing it in the first place. Whats the respected uniform, and does your character wear it? But even regular elements can help with this. Although such armor exists in fantasy worlds, its important to understand how things work in the real world, even at a basic level. It was pretty easy to make, though laborious, and easy to repair. The bully Gradgrind is the type whod wear a waistcoat concealing an eyeglass for catching people out. Share. What matters more to them: fashion or function? s a fantastic image that Thomas Feichtmeir, AKA Cyangmou has put together. First and foremost, remember that clothing description is still storytelling. Tell us how the wool of your protagonists sheath dress scratches the skin on the underside of her arm. What would high stakes clothing look like in your story? Or at least they know what century theyre in. Which brings me to my next point. Military service was always well-rewarded and violence applauded. Press J to jump to the feed. Stylish: Elegant and sophisticated clothing to grab attention. 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. Each suit was tailored to the individual. These detail could suggest that your character is miserly or down-to-earth despite their wealth. Dragon scales, fiery furs and feathers and other elements can quickly turn a standard item into a fantasy one. (Huh.). Fully geared up, you were a walking fortress. However, you can tell your reader interesting things through a mismatch: A wealthy character might show off their expensive clothing. 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. Not to mention the social status of a person. Ha-ha! Clothes that are suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions. 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. Only when youre keeping secrets in fiction, you can make them even darker and deeper than any you might ever have in real life. You can also check out some of my other guides too, like: If you have any questions about this guide on fantasy armor, please get in touch. This description generator will create a mostly random description of either a dress or a suit, fit for formal occasions and other fancy needs. Pingback: A fantasy writers guide to Castles and Keeps: part one Richie Billing. Id be willing to bet each of these items immediately brought to mind a semi-clear character. Now, if you write historical fiction, its important to research the clothing of your chosen era. Theyre the lifeblood of any relationship. 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. 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. The shrewd king essentially licensed out parcels of his land as rewards to his warriors in exchange for their military service. 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. To discover more awesome ideas, head over to Pinterest and just search for female fantasy armor. That would depend on a few things. But it makes a good story. 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. Required fields are marked *. But status can be communicated in more subtle ways, too. You can continue to alter it to add cultural elements, like the previously mentioned elvish elements or you could stick with this and keep it simple. Clothes that are loose and hanging in folds. 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. I tried to add as much variety as possible, but without turning the whole description into a mess. 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. Do your characters care deeply about looking respectable, or are they more afraid of putting on airs? We even have the technology to create clothing without seems. If all else fails use Google images and find some visual aids and inspiration sources, they can work wonders. But your reader is going to picture something whether you guide them or not. So sometimes all it takes to create futuristic clothing is to take a trend that has passed, alter it slightly and you're done. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town. Just click the button below to find out more. A scarf for example might be too hot for some areas, but it's obviously easy to leave those out. - Convert future clothing to a historic version. By playing around with this you quickly create very subtle, but more unique fantasy-themed items. The only cloak in the world made with silk spun by the cat-sized spiders that live in the forbidden mountains. And as a reader, nothing bores me like an entire paragraph of detailed clothing description. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. Think of the process like dressing a doll: start at the beginning and up build the layers. As soon as the actor enters stage right or left, we have an inkling of whether theyre a wealthy landowner or peasant, an elegant heiress or humble flower-seller. Obviously clothing is extremely varied, especially dresses. And ninety-nine percent of the clothing descriptions in your first draft are just jeans. I get it. 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). Join Kickstart your Novel and get professional feedback on your first three chapters and story synopsis, plus workbooks and videos. Most picture the knight when we talk about plated armorrigid tin men that can withstand all manner of blows. Clothing description in a story is useful because it often gives additional information about a character that you might otherwise tell. Only the most powerful strikes could pierce such armor. Or theyll be living off soda crackers and peanut butter for the next week because they drained their checking account for a suit to impress at their job interview. 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. I second the idea of describing the reactions of the characters to the city. 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. Thats a good example of using clothing to reinforce the narrative of a characters arc. 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. Adding these other bits of lesser-known fantasy armor to your stories can really add extra depth to your worldbuilding. Or else that she feels shamed by her Aunt and thus decides to be good. The pieces around the vital organsthe chest and headwere thicker and heavier than those on the arms and legs to try and reduce weight as much as possible. And if you need a place to organize your complex responses, I recommend Dabbles Character Notes feature. Sure, it helps your reader to know how you picture a character. Am I trying to blow the interview? Good for the mobile knight. The fact the clothes seem to stand by themselves indicates just how heavy they are with jewels and embroidery. You could introduce magical enchantments or ability-granting traits. Costume is a large part of a character. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. Your articles are always very informative. 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. Fashion trends come and go and they often return later, albeit in a slightly different form. Here are five examples: 1. No problem! If sturdy is a top consideration, your character might be expecting trouble or adventure. 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. The description will describe a lot of clothing pieces, some of which you may not need depending on where your character lives. Thanks I will be following your blog from now one I just came across it today. A jacket or coat of mail was usually worn with a hood, or coif, of the same material to protect the head and neck.