Sometimes they're more interesting and lovable than the main characters themselves and end up stealing the show., Secrets. The only cloak in the world made with silk spun by the cat-sized spiders that live in the forbidden mountains. Pfoo, the owl! Consider whether your characters attire might serve as a symbol, highlight a theme, or represent a conflict. Clothing description is something I have to actively choose to create, too. 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. 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. 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. And as a reader, nothing bores me like an entire paragraph of detailed clothing description. Each suit was tailored to the individual. This pride, though justifiable, displeased Katerina Ivanovna for some reason. You may have imagined a man in an expensive suit or a woman in designer clothes. By playing around with this you quickly create very subtle, but more unique fantasy-themed items. Even the non-conformists are influenced by societal norms. Im struggling to properly figure out how to describe clothing for a fantasy setting Im trying to create. Heres a video showing the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of leather armor against arrows. 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. Its because concrete details are incredibly effective in communicating abstract concepts. Clothes can betray our greatest joys and our deepest insecurities. 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. 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? 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. Clothes that are loose and hanging in folds. Youre already obsessing over hat styles and what the undergarment situation was at the time of your story. Hi Paige, thank you (and thanks for your question). 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. Describe these in passing to add visual colour and authenticity to your character descriptions. Would the fashion designers in your fantasy novel make use of dragon scales? 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. 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 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. 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. Achieving glory in battle was one way of earning a knighthood. As well see below, medieval armor developed through necessitypeople needed to protect themselves from those wicked blades and needle-sharp darts. Theyre the lifeblood of any relationship. A few small details of clothing may distinguish your characters from each other, highlighting their personalities. But it makes a good story. An owl, a real owl! ). The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. To create a more futuristic looking style an easy way of doing it is to incorporate technology into the clothing itself. Use fashion and clothing history archives if necessary. Heres how to describe clothing in writing to show your readers the world to which your character belongs. 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. The reader does not need the full outfit in one go. Just click this link and dont even think about touching your wallet. What exactly are you trying to communicate about the character, setting, or situation? 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. Now on the other end of the spectrum we have fantasy clothing and more history based clothing. 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? Hello, I am attempting to write my first fantasy novel (and my first novel), and I'm having difficulty visualizing what kind of clothes my characters should be wearing. An anxious college student buys a flower crown in the hopes of feeling young and free at Coachella. They work, they're safe and in many cases have become a standard. To navigate your way through this guide, just click the links below. When youre shopping for yourself, you know what you like but you dont know how to describe it. 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. Military service was always well-rewarded and violence applauded. They can be important too.If you want to breathe life into your stories, it's time to give tertiary characters a little love. ), Your character and communitys financial resources. Further reading How To Write Fight Scenes. How long do they need their clothes to last? You can immediately show a character is wealthy with descriptions of fine clothing. Helmets were arguably the most distinctive feature of an armored knight. 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. Very informative. Mail was particularly effective against glancing blows. And lets not forget the trusty steed. See more ideas about character description, fantasy fashion, fantasy clothing. The train hums and throbs in place as people rush to pile in.. 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. Get free books, an invite to my exclusive writing group, writing tools and guides and much more when you join my community. 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. Think of the process like dressing a doll: start at the beginning and up build the layers. And here are some great concepts for female fantasy armor. In a book, none of that is true. Or is it really important for a reader to know the specific pattern? Im writing a little in the Epic Fantasy genre and there were quite a few useful notes I wasnt aware of here. Clothing reflects the resources available in a specific time and place. - Use nudity. Baggy. Pre-empt this by illustrating everything in layers and completing each layer of clothing. Are they overalls or coveralls? What backstory or character motivations could combinations of appearance and reality suggest? 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. 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. 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. Subtle clothing changes can signal character development quite effectively in some scenarios. "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.". 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. Make it mandatory to hold up a piece of clothing. The appearance of armor was a big deal for knights. On the other hand you may wish to add layers for the same purpose. Mantel creates a vivid sense of the wealth that the church amassed in these times. What also worries me is that in Chapter 3 I used a lot of descriptions of the house, like the main characters room and then I had him go to various other rooms, looked at pictures of his family he has yet to meet so chapter 3 had the least story development or social scenes but the ones it had were good ones and I ended it with a scene that creates more development and story hype. You can try all Dabbles premium features for free for fourteen days. So Id say in films its more for cinematic effect and also for clarity so the viewer can see whos doing what. 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. Now, if you write historical fiction, its important to research the clothing of your chosen era. Its a good time. Then this is their category. 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. The fantasy genre borrows an awful lot from medieval history. That's why it's valuable to learn these terms. Which was, indeed, a little weird straight off! Maybe your character is snuggled up in their fleece pajamas while the blizzard rages outside. For example, think about a wealthy person and how that person might dress. The easy way to describe the setting is when the characters interact with it, e.g. And its in designs that you can really go wild with your own fantasy armor. More on that in a bit. Strips of leather were boiled in water, though some sources record oil and wax being used, and even animal urine. Great idea. Thats a good example of using clothing to reinforce the narrative of a characters arc. Your email address will not be published. The Victorian author Charles Dickens is widely regarded as a master of characterization, for good reason. What does your character wear to feel safer in their world or in their own skin? 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. Another might claim power by striding in wearing torn jeans and a tank top. Heres a superb glossary, with pictures, of all types of armor. Richie also runs The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed, a podcast devoted to helping writers improve their craft. I love to wear baggy trousers in summer. And of course, location provides a clue for what it takes to be comfortable in the world of your story. Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. And if you need a place to organize your complex responses, I recommend Dabbles Character Notes feature. Not really. Think the previously mentioned Fifth Element and Hunger Games clothing versus Star Trek, Star Wars and so on clothing. Both can lose clout simply by the way their peers respond to their wardrobe choices. It took leaving the Midwest to recognize it. In this section, Ive included some more guides on creating fantasy armor designs that you may find useful. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. Some had pointed snouts, the purpose of which was to deflect arrows when walking into arrow storms. Do your main characters tend to steal the show in your novels? That cloth ribbon tied around their waist? Odds are, youve got a character who dresses to stay alive. Cookie Notice Fashion trends come and go and they often return later, albeit in a slightly different form. A velvet scrunchie. The surrounding culture dictates what they cant wear if they want to be seen as free-thinking individuals. Your email address will not be published. One reason clothing descriptions can start to feel like a tedious laundry list (see what I did there?) We see the contrast between the characters friends reaction and the advisory words of Gems aunt. Again, I don't mean make your character walk around naked, but add elements of covering up or exposing certain areas of the body. 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. However, you can tell your reader interesting things through a mismatch: A wealthy character might show off their expensive clothing. The rope belt is solely decorative and a status symbol. 60s-inspired. Nudity was often either a complete taboo or just common place in many cultures throughout history, so by changing these taboos (and others) you immediately create a fictional piece. Required fields are marked *. Some wore a trapper a covering of full chain mailand down the line, some horses even had their own plated armor. First and foremost, remember that clothing description is still storytelling. (Cough-cough-cough.) Theyre probably less concerned with how they look (unless they want to look intimidating) and more concerned with things like survival or victory. For fantasy stories to be more believable, we need to understand how it interacts with our characters, especially if theyre enchanted. Also bear in mind that not all clothing descriptions have to be presented as She put on x or He was wearing y. You can draw your readers attention to an item of clothing by having your character draw on their jeans or fiddle with their collar. Because like all other character details, its not enough to paint a picture. For example, headphones aren't really a piece of clothing, but they definitely affect our style. We even have the technology to create clothing without seems. Our characters are always (mostly!) 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. 04. Richie Billing writes fantasy fiction, historical fiction and stories of a darker nature. How do they change, and how does their clothing reflect that change? But the definition of sneaky depends on your characters situation. These shallow details help us go pretty deep on character. Youre more than welcome to join us and wed love to have you on board. Affordable . or the world theyre desperately resisting. So as a way of trying to control them and their behaviour, the code of chivalry and honour was introduced. 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.. 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. Read these tips on how (and why) to describe clothes with examples from well-known novels: 1: Use clothing to show status and position 2: Build (or thwart) character expectations with clothing descriptions 3: Describe clothing to contrast characters' personalities 4: Show clothing to avoid over-relying on telling Clothing is one of the easiest and most immediate ways to establish an historical setting. The jacket has a narrow, rectangular neckline which reveals part of the fancy shirt worn below it and is worn with a light rope belt, which is held together by a simple knot. - Use lines to break up a piece of clothing and create a kind of mosaic. Trendy: Modern, fashionable, and up-to-date outfits. Nov 1, 2019 - Explore Arisa Nightingale's board "Male Fantasy Outfit Concepts & Designs", followed by 456 people on Pinterest. 80s-inspired. Leonidas in 300, for instance, almost certainly wore a helmet in the battle with the Persians! It may be apocryphal, but Harold Godwinson is said to have done just that at the battle of Hastings in 1066. They give you the chance to offer comic relief, a dash of wisdom, and just some good old fashioned friendship., Sidekick characters. Leather could be stitched into coats, or added to mail to provide added protection. You could introduce magical enchantments or ability-granting traits. Arrows will bounce off steel crafted in such a wayunless from close range, as we discussed last week. We already have spray on clothing technology. 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: You could even move the buttons to the side and have it close diagonally instead. What is a good way to do Show not tell in a first person POV state? They're the Robin to your Batman, the Luigi to your Mario, the Samwise Gamgee to your Frodo Baggins. If done right you could even use these elements alone with clothing of today to sell a futuristic look. Delighted to hear youre finding this useful. Its something readers definitely appreciate, which I found with Pariahs Lament. These images all go a lot further than white socks, green dress, and most of them dont require a lot of extra words. If all else fails use Google images and find some visual aids and inspiration sources, they can work wonders. Are the characters of your dystopian novel forced to make do with burlap and mud? Or they could be frantically running errands in leggings and a t-shirt. 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. Heating to the perfect temperature was key. Characters can also comment on or react to one anothers clothing, as long as the exchange reveals something about the world or relationship. Characters Wear More Than Just Clothes. Look at this picture, is it insane for an author to try to describe this on a character? Richard the Lionheart, for instance, was celebrated amongst his peers for his ability to chop his enemys skulls down to the teeth. Maybe a bit of both. "Garb" or "dress" (without an article) is a rather drab abstract noun for what a person is wearing. It's also an indirect way to describe their physical appearance by examining how the clothes fit them. The important thing to remember is to remain in the character's point of view. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town. Lets talk about how to describe clothing in writing organically. I once wrote about imbuing everyday objects with meaning because talisman create great opportunities for symbolism! 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). Borrowed armor wouldnt fit as well as a suit made for the wearer and wouldnt be as well balanced, so someone in borrowed armor would be more likely to have problems moving in his armor. Our wardrobes are influenced by our age, geography, culture, hobbies, and a million other aspects of our worlds. Blend in? Only the most powerful strikes could pierce such armor. Dostoyevsky describes how Katerinas landlady, Amalia Ivanovna, dresses for the funeral: the table was properly laid at the time and fixed, and Amalia Ivanovna, feeling she had done her work well, had put on a black silk dress and a cap with new mourning ribbons and met the returning party with some pride. Heres a great visual guide on female fantasy armor by YouTuber Shadiversity.
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