Fashionable: Clothes representing a current style in fashion. Thanks, Teresa, and for sharing that great example from the stage. Finally there's all the little things that can make an outfit look more futuristic. The more you know about real clothing and armor, the more tools in your bag of tricks for describing awesome fantasy pieces. The fact that If Im wearing lipstick with no plans of going out, one of two things is happening: Im in a great mood or Im feeling like I have zero control over my life and failure is inevitable. Although such armor exists in fantasy worlds, its important to understand how things work in the real world, even at a basic level. PsstDoes Your Character Have a Secret? is because we get stuck on what things look like. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e7bbcc198c936bc1af3fbda128514c44fcfc10f0513ea31cad7c21ae61ba0ab0.jpg. If its 1st person you'll describe things from the POV of your character, and I find that that's different than if you're in, for example, 3rd person. (Has denim been invented yet? And its in designs that you can really go wild with your own fantasy armor. So its unsurprising to see soldiers wielding swords and axes and shooting bows. This includes things like a pilots uniform, a tiara, or a Pink Ladies jacket. Each suit was tailored to the individual. 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. Get an image of a blank shirt and simply draw the lines on it, it'll form a great base to work with. - Taboos and nudity. - Make things look glossy, smooth and clean. But it provided an odd sense of security. Love this topic!! The padded material could absorb blows from blunt weapons and provided some protection from cuts, but against well-forged weapons they were useless. 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 battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. Any suggestions on how to properly do this? 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 Clothes that are suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions. Using a squared, pixelated look or circuitry patterns usually works great too, which can even be combined with layered clothing to create the circuitry feel. However, you can tell your reader interesting things through a mismatch: A wealthy character might show off their expensive clothing. I tried to add as much variety as possible, but without turning the whole description into a mess. A few easy changes are to make one side longer than the other, so basically creating a diagonal cut instead of the standard horizontal one. It's also an indirect way to describe their physical appearance by examining how the clothes fit them. Id be willing to bet each of these items immediately brought to mind a semi-clear character. It really doesnt take much. Community . Theyre probably less concerned with how they look (unless they want to look intimidating) and more concerned with things like survival or victory. Fancy dresses. How to design clothes with a sci-fi feel | Creative Bloq 50+ Fashion Terms: Fundamental Words Related to Style Clothing creation guide - Roll for Fantasy Its hard to really appreciate just how sickeningly awful medieval warfare would have been. Heres a video showing the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of leather armor against arrows. What would high stakes clothing look like in your story? Clothing description also presents an opportunity to play with different points of view. Make it mandatory to hold up a piece of clothing. Think the previously mentioned Fifth Element and Hunger Games clothing versus Star Trek, Star Wars and so on clothing. Do they strive to be humble before their god or do they want to spend this one and only life as their bold, ostentatious selves? Thank you for reading our blog! Heres a cool video on making leather fantasy armor by YouTuber, Prince Armory. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. 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. 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. You walk down the usual street and suddenly some old memory hits you. 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. Maybe a bracelet represents a character's relationship to her mother. Of course there are more ways to alter historic designs and the middle ages aren't the only period to draw inspiration from. Just click this link and dont even think about touching your wallet. Here are a few different types: We mentioned gambesons above. Compare this, then, to Dickens description of Gradgrinds wife in the following chapter (Gradgrinds wealthy but poverty-claiming friend has just told Mrs. Gradgrind he was born in a ditch): Mrs. Gradgrind, a little, thin, white, pink-eyed bundle of shawls, of surpassing feebleness, mental and bodily; who was always taking physic without any effect, and who, whenever she showed a symptom of coming to life, was invariably stunned by some weighty piece of fact tumbling on her; Mrs. Gradgrind hoped it was a dry ditch? Clothing is one of the easiest and most immediate ways to establish an historical setting. In other words take what exists and apply it differently. It can be as simple as making a dress shorter, a jacket longer or sleeves wider and longer. Will using real-world cultural vocabulary in a fantasy setting Required fields are marked *. What are the rules of your characters world? A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. If done right you could even use these elements alone with clothing of today to sell a futuristic look. The tragedy of Azincourt, for example, occurred because of a poorly-chosen battleground that had flooded. There's also the element of technology that has to be taken into account. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. In reality, a medieval lord could pretty much do what they liked. So sometimes all it takes to create futuristic clothing is to take a trend that has passed, alter it slightly and you're done. The description will describe a lot of clothing pieces, some of which you may not need depending on where your character lives. 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. So as a way of trying to control them and their behaviour, the code of chivalry and honour was introduced. Only the most sophisticated, Dr. Urbino among them, wore their ordinary clothes. Without decriptions of the clothing it's a bit boring, the novel becomes a list of people the reader can't imagine doing things. Figurative language . But that doesn't mean you can't deviate from these guidelines completely and do whatever you wish. 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. Copyright 2023 Richie Billing | Fantasy Writer. Nov 28, 2022 - Explore Anung V's board "Character description" on Pinterest. So Id say in films its more for cinematic effect and also for clarity so the viewer can see whos doing what. Now, if you write historical fiction, its important to research the clothing of your chosen era. Or is it really important for a reader to know the specific pattern? The fantasy genre borrows an awful lot from medieval history. In pre-thermometer times this was difficult as you can imagine, so instead, armorers observed the colour of the heated steel. These images all go a lot further than white socks, green dress, and most of them dont require a lot of extra words. At the end of the day, they were professional slayers, swords for hire. 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. If your character comes home and immediately sheds three layers of down and fleece, Im going to assume theyre not in San Antonio, Texas. 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? They were warriors first and foremost. Its not an aspect of character design that bubbles up naturally from the depths of my creative soul. Dragon scales, fiery furs and feathers and other elements can quickly turn a standard item into a fantasy one. This is mostly something to keep in mind when designing for characters living in the future, but it could work for alternative historic universes as well. Your trust fund character might be completely confident showing up to a party in board shorts and flip-flops. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. (Huh.). Fashion trends come and go and they often return later, albeit in a slightly different form. Let it hang diagonally across their chest and over their shoulder instead. Lets talk about how to use clothing description as a storytelling tool, how to dress your character for their personality and setting, and how to make clothes interesting to anyone. Im writing a little in the Epic Fantasy genre and there were quite a few useful notes I wasnt aware of here. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. But it makes a good story. Some had pointed snouts, the purpose of which was to deflect arrows when walking into arrow storms. The more people that join this thriving group the better it becomes. 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. 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. Knights werent as immobile as people assum, though I can imagine in a quagmire itd be tricky to get up. Its because concrete details are incredibly effective in communicating abstract concepts. Stylish. She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. Clothing description is something I have to actively choose to create, too. - 'Stealth'. It doesn't exclude those that don't know what a qipao is, nor break immersion for those who do. Your email address will not be published. Just click the button below to find out more. Achieving glory in battle was one way of earning a knighthood. It took a while to get ready, with the help of somebody else needed, usually squires, who began with the feet and worked up from there. For more information, please see our Such simple things, but the clothes really helped show Jesus plight. Your character might also have a job or hobby that requires protective clothing. Great idea. - Convert future clothing to a historic version. Further reading How To Write Fight Scenes. Also, don't feel like you have to include every point I've made. 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. 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: These small but mighty players can add depth, complexity, and a fresh perspective to your plot. The Victorian author Charles Dickens is widely regarded as a master of characterization, for good reason. Hi Paige, thank you (and thanks for your question). Richard the Lionheart, for instance, was celebrated amongst his peers for his ability to chop his enemys skulls down to the teeth. 60s-inspired. The time period of your story. See how Dickens contrasts the fact-obsessed, overbearingteacher Thomas Gradgrind and his wifes personalities through (among other details) their clothing description. ), The geographical location of your story. "A dress" (or using "the" to refer to a particular "garment") means an item of clothing that is normally worn by women. Those of us who dont get all jazzed about writing clothing descriptions often fail to consider that a good wardrobe has layers. Sci-fi and fantasy don't necessarily have to be futuristic and historic respectively, but they're commonly associated as such, so for the sake of simplicity that's what I'm going with for the purposes of this guide. 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. If you want futuristic fantasy simply follow the sci-fi/futuristic tips more or mix and match both sides. Stiff with embroidery, strewn with pearls, encrusted with gemstones, they seem to stand by themselves. The unsung hero of so many stories. Pre-empt this by illustrating everything in layers and completing each layer of clothing. I thought if I did that at the beginning of a chapter it would be better but I worry it will turn readers off. Non-visual senses are big, too. Fashionably elegant and sophisticated. Yet Dr. Urbinos status as a respected doctor is earned he has nothing to prove by dressing smarter. As knights became fully armored, so did their mounts. Conveniently, a lot of high status positions come with outfits or accessories that telegraph a persons position in the hierarchy. Plain: Ordinary clothes of one color like gray, beige, or black. Leonidas in 300, for instance, almost certainly wore a helmet in the battle with the Persians! stylish, expensive clothing, yet not specific to a certain time or place. 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. Baggy. - 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. Maybe theyre hoping to impress the cool kids or please their parents. Think touchable fabrics and the light scent of lavender soap. 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. 160 Best Character description ideas | character description, fantasy 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? Through fashion terms you can understand the fundamentals of the fashion industry. Thanks, Sana. So we've covered ways to make clothing look both futuristic and historic, but these are all just guidelines and mostly based on what's been done before. But if you do want some guidelines, inspiration or just help this guide'll hopefully provide it. Do your characters care deeply about looking respectable, or are they more afraid of putting on airs? Which brings me to my next point. This is a fun one. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. Well come to this below. Troubles with Clothing in Fantasy + Some Ideas - Brielle Andela Only when youre keeping secrets in fiction, you can make them even darker and deeper than any you might ever have in real life. 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. Because it actually is possible. For example, a shy person will often wear 'regular' clothing, clothing that isn't too bright or outgoing in both design and colors. Join Kickstart your Novel and get professional feedback on your first three chapters and story synopsis, plus workbooks and videos. These shallow details help us go pretty deep on character. Or else that she feels shamed by her Aunt and thus decides to be good. One specific form of descriptive writing that particularly affects setting and characterization is the portrayal of characters' clothing. You really can tell a lot about a person by what they wear, or what they dont wear. Like Dostoyevsky, think how something as small as a characters change of clothing can affecttheir own or others behaviour. 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. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town. Similarly, find out (or, if youre creating a fantasy world, create) the garments your characters would wear in a particular time and place.