Thus his plain dress is, ironically, indicative of higher status. Only when youre keeping secrets in fiction, you can make them even darker and deeper than any you might ever have in real life. show how hard is to escape in a narrow street. But you may run into difficulties when it comes to the practicalities. An owl, a real owl! However, you can show and imply a characters intention without spelling it out: Theyd agreed to meet downtown at six. s a fantastic image that Thomas Feichtmeir, AKA Cyangmou has put together. The reason we fuss over physical descriptions is not because its so important that the readers imagination gets it right. Characters Wear More Than Just Clothes. In pre-thermometer times this was difficult as you can imagine, so instead, armorers observed the colour of the heated steel. Give your wealthy character a pair of Louboutins and dress your non-wealthy characters in hand-me-downs. Whether its a matter of indulgence or survival, feeling good is a deeply relatable goal. First and foremost we need to know who we're designing for. Consider whether your characters attire might serve as a symbol, highlight a theme, or represent a conflict. A pair of starched Wranglers. 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. Fancy dresses. 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.. Lets talk about how to describe clothing in writing organically. Sometimes the simplest changes are enough to create something completely new and ideal for a particular universe. Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. Chain mail is a great piece of fantasy armor to use in your stories purely because of its flexibility. Which of these clothing types is your character most likely to reach for when starting their day? 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. It gives you an idea of the capabilities that armor can have. They give you the chance to offer comic relief, a dash of wisdom, and just some good old fashioned friendship., Sidekick characters. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. Or else that she feels shamed by her Aunt and thus decides to be good. Using this site means trees will be planted. Which was, indeed, a little weird straight off! 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. 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. Another benefit to chain mail, a point which can slip the mind of writers, is that it was cheap and efficient, able to accommodate different-sized warriors, unlike expensive plated armor. - Convert future clothing to a historic version. One specific form of descriptive writing that particularly affects setting and characterization is the portrayal of characters' clothing. 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. If a knight fell from a horse, he could quite easily pick himself up, not stuck on the ground like a tortoise knocked on its shell. 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. Like Dostoyevsky, think how something as small as a characters change of clothing can affecttheir own or others behaviour. A coat of mail was a complex web of metal rings, each locked with an iron rivet. ^.^ Do all your characters embrace it? A few small details of clothing may distinguish your characters from each other, highlighting their personalities. To illustrate this in a way we did with the futuristic shirt example let's take a standard medieval tunic and turn it into a fantasy-themed version. If it fits your universe it usually works, so don't be afraid of doing something different. He is old but stylish. Improve this answer. This can be a very effective way if your universe is based on an existing culture. Improving Google Rankings With Keywords And Content, Tips On How To Make An Essay More Engaging, A fantasy writers guide to weaponry Richie Billing, A fantasy writers guide to Castles and Keeps: part one Richie Billing, The Life of the Medieval Lord - Richie Billing, How To Create Your Very Own Living Breathing Fantasy World - Richie Billing, Fantasy Races - The Ultimate Guide To Elves, Orcs and Dwarves | Richie Billing, Killer Diseases of the Middle Ages | Richie Billing, Medieval Cannons: The Essential Guide | Richie Billing, On Writing: Fantasy Without Magic Of Metal and Magic Publishing, The Lives Of Medieval Peasants - Richie Billing, Fantasy Weapons - Medieval, Magic And Other Types - Richie Billing, Great Examples Of The 5 Senses In Writing, 5 Mistakes Men Can Make Writing Women Characters, The Power of Words: Essay Writing Techniques, Mastering Body Language With Former FBI Agent Joe Navarro, A Lawyer's Perspective On Writing Fantasy, Do you want to grow your mailing list, check out. Most picture the knight when we talk about plated armorrigid tin men that can withstand all manner of blows. or the world theyre desperately resisting. 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. Pre-empt this by illustrating everything in layers and completing each layer of clothing. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. Such simple things, but the clothes really helped show Jesus plight. Well also take a look at female fantasy armor and those used by knights, potential designs, and ways to help you find inspiration for creating your own. The more people that join this thriving group the better it becomes. How do they change, and how does their clothing reflect that change? 1. Separate and enlarge it, turn down the Opacity of the layer . Chest plates had grand etchings. We therefore see in the fantasy genre characters equipped with grand helmets and beautiful pieces of plate armor. That also will help readers really experience things through their eyes. Blunt, Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. Ready to sketch vivid characters for your novel? They work, they're safe and in many cases have become a standard. 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. Thanks Liv, Im glad you found this helpful. Now, if you write historical fiction, its important to research the clothing of your chosen era. Press J to jump to the feed. You can weave clothing description into your process when using our story planner for writers. This article was very helpfulcan you post some examples of showing versus telling when describing clothing? I have a hard time describing my thoughts on content, but I really felt I should here. "Garb" or "dress" (without an article) is a rather drab abstract noun for what a person is wearing. Mail was lightweight and flexible. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. Something like this: As you can see, a knights armor is made up of a lot of different pieces. The aim was not to cause any impediment to movement. - Gadgets, hair styles and accessories. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. The good news is that attire is not only important, its also kind of fun when you start digging into it. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Finally there's all the little things that can make an outfit look more futuristic. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. Think of the process like dressing a doll: start at the beginning and up build the layers. Look how she sits with her mouth open! Baggy jeans. Our imaginations can do a surprising amount with just a few key details. A vintage polka dot dress with a sweetheart neckline. The reader does not need the full outfit in one go. Lets delve further into these ideas about describing characters dress: Think of your characters clothing like an actors costume in a play. Great points. So below, well take a look at the relationship between the genre of fantasy and medieval armor. In some cases because they simply didn't have the technology for it, in others because it was too expensive and/or time consuming for the average person. Very informative. Its not an aspect of character design that bubbles up naturally from the depths of my creative soul. 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. 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. I love the way clothes can describe a character. Use your first-person narrators senses sight, hearing, touch, etc. - Use nudity. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. Even things like tattoos, hair colors, eye colors and so on can help with this. The only cloak in the world made with silk spun by the cat-sized spiders that live in the forbidden mountains. Now on the other end of the spectrum we have fantasy clothing and more history based clothing. stylish, expensive clothing, yet not specific to a certain time or place. And its in designs that you can really go wild with your own fantasy armor. Theyll see it automatically. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. Well come to this below. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. is because we get stuck on what things look like. 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. As time marched on, small plates of leather or iron were added to the mail to protect key areas, such as vital organs. Yet Dr. Urbinos status as a respected doctor is earned he has nothing to prove by dressing smarter. Particularly in genres such as historical fiction and fantasy, clothing can help to create other worlds (or a long gone era of our own). If youre good at talking clothes, you can sit this one out. So why not join the gang? Heres a cool video on making leather fantasy armor by YouTuber, Prince Armory. [Find more articles on character description in our complete guide to character creation.]. 2012 - Added on top of that the condition that they had to supply him with soldiers too. I dont mean camisoles and cardigans. You can try all Dabbles premium features for free for fourteen days. For instance, if I'm reading a story and the narrative mentions jeans right off, I'm thinking mid twentieth century or later (while dungarees would be late nineteenth . It took leaving the Midwest to recognize it. I thought if I did that at the beginning of a chapter it would be better but I worry it will turn readers off. In other words, research. Helpful links to blog posts, articles, videos and guides are shared every day. (Has denim been invented yet? There's also the element of technology that has to be taken into account. Details about fit, cut, and material go a long way when describing the clothing of a character who longs to attract. (Hopefully, I dont really know your life, so maybe not. Think noble King Arthur and his knights of the roundtable. 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. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. They can tell us what era they live in, and even a persons current state of mind or intent. In a book, none of that is true. Now, for the feedbackit depends what POV you're writing in. Coats of plated armor soon came about, which consisted of a series of plates linked on top of one another. And if you were skilled at surviving and killing, it was a good way to make a living. Some wore a trapper a covering of full chain mailand down the line, some horses even had their own plated armor. 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. There is simply more characterization, not only of Gem but the other characters, too. The clothing itself can be just standard medieval gear, but with these elements they immediately look (wood) elvish. The time period of your story. - As far as colors go they often seem to be either toned down or bright and happy (or even over the top), depending on the style. And here are some great concepts for female fantasy armor. As a result, feudal England became rife with young murderous men. Vision in such helmets was extremely limited, but this was the cost of added protection. Make it mandatory to hold up a piece of clothing. 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. Because it actually is possible. Excuse the on hold background music. I didnt even know how to begin describing this piece of clothing. It was my understanding that they quenched in oil, not water. They could withstand high-velocity strikes from a javelin or lance, driven home by somebody charging forwards on horseback. Allrightsreserved, create an authentic sense of time and place, Use fashion and clothing history archives, https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e7bbcc198c936bc1af3fbda128514c44fcfc10f0513ea31cad7c21ae61ba0ab0.jpg, 1: Use clothing to show status and position, 2: Build (or thwart) expectations using clothing descriptions, 3: Describe clothing to contrastcharacters personalities, 4: Show clothing to avoid over-relying on telling, 5: Change characters clothing to highlight character development, 6: Use clothing details to recreate authentic setting, 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. (Where do they buy their clothes? Are the characters of your dystopian novel forced to make do with burlap and mud? For example, think about a wealthy person and how that person might dress. Get it right, and you transport your readers to a vivid world. - 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. Its something readers definitely appreciate, which I found with Pariahs Lament. 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. So sometimes all it takes to create futuristic clothing is to take a trend that has passed, alter it slightly and you're done. What does your character wear to feel safer in their world or in their own skin? Choose A Chapter The Fantasy Genre And Medieval Armor Chain Mail Plated Armor Helmets Other Types Of Armor The Medieval Knight 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. 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. But the definition of sneaky depends on your characters situation. 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. With the major shapes in the thumbnails defined, choose the one that best exemplifies the feeling you're looking for. This includes items like steel-toed boots, heavy denim, or tech-forward, snag-resistant superhero spandex. What matters more to them: fashion or function? 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. It would have been extremely warm too. 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. In other words: To describe a fantasy world, use either neutral terms, or made up words. Not to pile on, but dont forget to make sure you know which materials wereand werentavailable in the world of your novel. A knight, by definition, was a lord. But I find looking back in time to the likes of the medieval period can provide some wonderful and unique ideas. A jacket or coat of mail was usually worn with a hood, or coif, of the same material to protect the head and neck. Heating to the perfect temperature was key. 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. Characters can also comment on or react to one anothers clothing, as long as the exchange reveals something about the world or relationship.