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. This article has compiled 100 different words you can use to describe clothes, and below the main list of 100 words we've explained our reasoning for a lot of the top picks from that very list, for your personal enjoyment. Richie Billing writes fantasy fiction, historical fiction and stories of a darker nature. In a fantasy setting, you may be trying to conjure up a certain feel right off the bat based on how you describe a character's clothing (and the words you use to describe them). 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. Then this is their category. - Use nudity. You dont need it to sign up. Besides, these are all just guidelines meant to spark some inspiration in you. It makes for a more entertaining read. The appearance of armor was a big deal for knights. What backstory or character motivations could combinations of appearance and reality suggest? And as a reader, nothing bores me like an entire paragraph of detailed clothing description. But the biggest challenge can sometimes be simply making something look futuristic or historic fantasy-ish, which is the main focus of this guide. And if you were skilled at surviving and killing, it was a good way to make a living. Baggy. 2023 NOW NOVEL CC. Or is it really important for a reader to know the specific pattern? 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. or the world theyre desperately resisting. One does not refer to "a garb". If you want futuristic fantasy simply follow the sci-fi/futuristic tips more or mix and match both sides. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. 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 (Has denim been invented yet? If you look at popular works of fiction you'll find two trends, one is the simplistic and often tight-fit look and the other is the more over the top and extravagant look. Sweaters or jumpers? The fact Gem goes with jeans and a tee could suggest that she trusts her aunts advice. Lets take a look at some individual pieces of armor. It can genuinely be tough to come up with cool ideas for epic fantasy armor without drifting back to things that weve seen in the likes of Dungeons and Dragons, The Elder Scrolls and movies like Lord of the Rings. You suddenly know which details to include, which to leave out, and whether to call it a blood-red cloak or a goji berry wrap. First and foremost we need to know who we're designing for. Here are a few different types: We mentioned gambesons above. For a bigger image, just click on the link above. Plain: Ordinary clothes of one color like gray, beige, or black. 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. Theyll see it automatically. 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. Helmets were arguably the most distinctive feature of an armored knight. 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. For example, a shy person will often wear 'regular' clothing, clothing that isn't too bright or outgoing in both design and colors. 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. Advertisements. Think of other interesting combinations: A teacher who dresses provocatively; a beggar with an innate sense of style. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town. Blunt weapons were effective, causing haemorrhaging and concussion, so padded garments known as a doublet or gambeson were worn underneath to provide added protection. Theyre just too important defensively. But it provided an odd sense of security. The bully Gradgrind is the type whod wear a waistcoat concealing an eyeglass for catching people out. 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. What your character wears reveals where they come from, how they rank in society, how they want to be perceived, and even how they feel about themselves. - Taboos and nudity. If youre good at talking clothes, you can sit this one out. 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. Make sure you know whats hot and whats not in your specific setting, as well as what specific words the locals would use. 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. Ready to sketch vivid characters for your novel? Your articles are always very informative. I would be great to expand it with armor from other areas, Samurai armor, for example. I'm sort of into historical armor so would get a kick out of finding an excuse to talk about vambraces/rerebraces, spaulders, etc. A few small details of clothing may distinguish your characters from each other, highlighting their personalities. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. 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. 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. You can keep track of your characters signature style, upload photos, note how their style evolves, and keep these ideas right at your fingertips as you write. Not a Dabble user? Hi Paige, thank you (and thanks for your question). Clean, powerful strikes were needed to disable a foe wearing mail. So have fun with that. 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. I have a hard time describing my thoughts on content, but I really felt I should here. Stylish: Elegant and sophisticated clothing to grab attention. One reason clothing descriptions can start to feel like a tedious laundry list (see what I did there?) Helpful links to blog posts, articles, videos and guides are shared every day. But they werent administrators. The surrounding culture dictates what they cant wear if they want to be seen as free-thinking individuals. In Dostoyevskys Crime and Punishment, the poor, Tuberculosis-stricken Katerina Ivanovnas husband is trampled to death by a horse-drawn cart. If it fits your universe it usually works, so don't be afraid of doing something different. Clothing description in a story is useful because it often gives additional information about a character that you might otherwise tell. We naturally link clothing and identity, which is why wardrobe is such an effective tool for building a vivid character. This is a fun one. His writing offers a masterclass in how to describe clothing in stories. 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. As a result, feudal England became rife with young murderous men. 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? Thus his plain dress is, ironically, indicative of higher status. 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. These shallow details help us go pretty deep on character. That decorative belt? Those warriors came from the people who lived on the lands under the watch of the knights. 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 working essential details into the narrative at the moment when they are most relevant. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. A scarlet pantsuit. Use fashion and clothing history archives if necessary. Consider whether your characters attire might serve as a symbol, highlight a theme, or represent a conflict. Your main character just put on some makeup and changed into a fancy dress, complete with heels and a tiny handbag. Youre still not off the hook. 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. 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. I don't mean make your characters walk around naked, but exposing (or covering) body parts in ways we don't today helps make ordinary clothing look different, which in turn helps sell the idea of it being futuristic. You really can tell a lot about a person by what they wear, or what they dont wear. Think touchable fabrics and the light scent of lavender soap. Both can lose clout simply by the way their peers respond to their wardrobe choices. Pfoo, the owl! A possible source of conflict for a story, perhaps! Characters can also comment on or react to one anothers clothing, as long as the exchange reveals something about the world or relationship. You can try all Dabbles premium features for free for fourteen days. Maybe a bit of both. - Change lengths. But even regular elements can help with this. From lowly serfs to great warriors, all could wear and fight effectively in chainmail. Now, for the feedbackit depends what POV you're writing in. At least in most cases. Do all your characters embrace it? Military service was always well-rewarded and violence applauded. I never thought of there being a uniform for Midwestern ladyness. is because we get stuck on what things look like. Here, for example, Hilary Mantel describes a Cardinals residence being plundered by the Kings men in 1529 England, in her historical novel Wolf Hall. Like Dostoyevsky, think how something as small as a characters change of clothing can affecttheir own or others behaviour. Which brings me to my next point. One way is to avoid what we call filter words. Not really. 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. The line could be thin or thick, glowing, metallic-looking or just plain, padded or smooth, patterned, decorated or simply a seem. A knight, by definition, was a lord. PsstDoes Your Character Have a Secret? Who doesnt like being comfortable when killing? Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. It's easy to try this out too, at least the simple line version. Designing fantasy armor for your characters can be an awful lot of fun. 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. It's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. 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. Theyre probably less concerned with how they look (unless they want to look intimidating) and more concerned with things like survival or victory. You can also fulfil (or contradict) impressions your characters (or readers) form based on appearances. To navigate your way through this guide, just click the links below. This one is simple, right? You can quickly convey a number of things about your characters based on the clothing they wear. They're the Robin to your Batman, the Luigi to your Mario, the Samwise Gamgee to your Frodo Baggins. 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. What is the prevailing value in the society of your story? 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. Only the most sophisticated, Dr. Urbino among them, wore their ordinary clothes. 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? Who's your rebel, and how does their clothing reflect their defiant spirit? 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. They are more common around the chest and torso in Asian cultures though, so keep that in mind when adding diagonal lines. If your character comes home and immediately sheds three layers of down and fleece, Im going to assume theyre not in San Antonio, Texas. Copyright 2023 Richie Billing | Fantasy Writer. Do your main characters tend to steal the show in your novels? 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.
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