But they could also dress in modest, inexpensive-looking clothes. If all else fails use Google images and find some visual aids and inspiration sources, they can work wonders.
Does it Matter What Your Character Wears? - The Write Practice ^.^ - Mix cultures. In other words: To describe a fantasy world, use either neutral terms, or made up words. Stockings, long gloves, scarves or separate layers of clothing make a huge difference. However, you can show and imply a characters intention without spelling it out: Theyd agreed to meet downtown at six. Its about building a life and a world, and that is something you can do. Blades hacking, slicing and puncturing, cutting open gaping wounds and severing limbs and heads from bodies. The first time I joined my family for our biannual Minnesota fishing trip after moving to L.A. from the Midwest, I found myself constantly losing my aunt and mother. How does their attire reflect what they want, what they fear, or where theyre going? Well cover everything from helmets and plate armor to chainmail. ), The geographical location of your story. Some wore a trapper a covering of full chain mailand down the line, some horses even had their own plated armor.
Need help with clothing description in Fantasy | Royal Road So Id say in films its more for cinematic effect and also for clarity so the viewer can see whos doing what. So why not join the gang? Since it's a friends' get-together, let's wear casual attire. You dont need it to sign up. 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. But Ive also noticed that artful clothing description does make a character, a setting, and even a moment more engaging. Jeans and a tee it was. An anxious college student buys a flower crown in the hopes of feeling young and free at Coachella. Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He is old but stylish. 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. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Clothes that are suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions. Yet Dr. Urbinos status as a respected doctor is earned he has nothing to prove by dressing smarter. Conveniently, a lot of high status positions come with outfits or accessories that telegraph a persons position in the hierarchy. s a fantastic image that Thomas Feichtmeir, AKA Cyangmou has put together. Who doesnt like being comfortable when killing? 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. As time marched on, small plates of leather or iron were added to the mail to protect key areas, such as vital organs. It was pretty easy to make, though laborious, and easy to repair. 60s-inspired. Why this arguably works better is the details of getting dressed tell us multiple details about Gem. Youll be blown away by the number of awesome things on there. And what weve covered here today is only just the tip of the iceberg. I second the idea of describing the reactions of the characters to the city. 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. Just click this link and dont even think about touching your wallet. Tell us how the wool of your protagonists sheath dress scratches the skin on the underside of her arm. In both of these it was mostly the rich who had the extravagant clothing, which brings back the earlier point of how culture influences what a character might wear. This article was very helpfulcan you post some examples of showing versus telling when describing clothing? Do they need a ghillie suit to blend into the natural environment? There's also the element of technology that has to be taken into account. Chain mail is a great piece of fantasy armor to use in your stories purely because of its flexibility. Clothing tells your reader a lot about your characters goals and motivations within a given scenario.
Looking for a word - prince's clothes - English Language Learners Stack Only the most sophisticated, Dr. Urbino among them, wore their ordinary clothes.
Nylon and polyester fabrics weren't invented until almost the mid 20th century for example. Improve this answer. But let's take a step back and look at what kind of clothing is usually associated with futuristic settings. Particularly in genres such as historical fiction and fantasy, clothing can help to create other worlds (or a long gone era of our own). Im writing a little in the Epic Fantasy genre and there were quite a few useful notes I wasnt aware of here. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 'There is a blog for every aspect of the writing journey.' Like Marquez, compare and contrast characters clothes to reveal important details about their social status or position. Coats of plated armor soon came about, which consisted of a series of plates linked on top of one another. Clothes can betray our greatest joys and our deepest insecurities. 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. Lets take a look at how clothing description indicates your characters identity, goals, and culture. Also try searching cool fantasy armor, or epic fantasy armor. 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). Or one who was forever wearing poorly-fitted clothing that appeared to be handed down from friends? 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. Youre working essential details into the narrative at the moment when they are most relevant. 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. But that doesn't mean you can't deviate from these guidelines completely and do whatever you wish. Whether its a matter of indulgence or survival, feeling good is a deeply relatable goal. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. Stiff with embroidery, strewn with pearls, encrusted with gemstones, they seem to stand by themselves. Have fun with it. Am I trying to blow the interview? These elements are very important when taking into account the previous point. Its something readers definitely appreciate, which I found with Pariahs Lament. Baggy jeans. I really loved this article, but I have one question, it was very helpful. Heres how to describe clothing in writing to show your readers the world to which your character belongs. I love the way clothes can describe a character. A four-layer, bubble-gum pink taffeta skirt. The more you know about real clothing and armor, the more tools in your bag of tricks for describing awesome fantasy pieces. 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 Dostoyevskys Crime and Punishment, the poor, Tuberculosis-stricken Katerina Ivanovnas husband is trampled to death by a horse-drawn cart. Ive always wondered that too! 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 Really, the topic of this article is not how to describe clothing in writing as much as it is how to tell a story with clothes. Maybe their goal is to entice a mate. Given that I am writing alone in my apartment, you might rightfully conclude that my goal is to be comfortable. 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? The senses were deadened: sight limited, sound muffled, breathing stifled (depending on the type of helmet).
Clothing in fantasy novel | Absolute Write Water Cooler Fashionable: Clothes representing a current style in fashion. show how hard is to escape in a narrow street. Not all trends return and fashion isn't perfectly cyclical. Subtle clothing changes can signal character development quite effectively in some scenarios. Its a bit OCD of me. Maybe a bit of both. See more ideas about fantasy clothing, anime outfits, character outfits. Use the Character section of the Idea Finder to develop quick story ideas and flesh out your storys cast. A pair of starched Wranglers. A vintage polka dot dress with a sweetheart neckline. 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. Get an image of a blank shirt and simply draw the lines on it, it'll form a great base to work with. Clothes that are loose and hanging in folds. Well, mostly. 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. Earlier I mentioned how it's important to try and keep a feel of unfamiliarity to futuristic clothing. Can you imagine tweaking this to make your own set of fantasy armor? It took leaving the Midwest to recognize it. 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. What the description shows is that many of the inviteesplay at status through fancy dress. Leonidas in 300, for instance, almost certainly wore a helmet in the battle with the Persians! What is the prevailing value in the society of your story? And if you need a place to organize your complex responses, I recommend Dabbles Character Notes feature.
[Help] Coming up with Fantasy Outfits : r/fantasywriters - reddit Finally there's all the little things that can make an outfit look more futuristic. Heating to the perfect temperature was key. Which brings me to my next point. 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. It's also an indirect way to describe their physical appearance by examining how the clothes fit them. The surrounding culture dictates what they cant wear if they want to be seen as free-thinking individuals. Use your first-person narrators senses sight, hearing, touch, etc. You can also fulfil (or contradict) impressions your characters (or readers) form based on appearances. Do your main characters tend to steal the show in your novels? Technology goes beyond simply what kind of clothes could be made though, it also relates to how technology is incorporated into style in general. Chest plates had grand etchings. Theyre just too important defensively. Our wardrobes are influenced by our age, geography, culture, hobbies, and a million other aspects of our worlds. In a book, none of that is true. An owl, a real owl! Arrows will bounce off steel crafted in such a wayunless from close range, as we discussed, We mentioned gambesons above. Make them earn any sightof skin, Aunt P always said. Blend in?
Ragged clothing description generator - Fantasy name generators Non-visual senses are big, too. Game of Thrones/A Song Of Ice And Fire is one series that wonderfully explores fantasy armor and weapons. In other words, research. When shes not writing, Abi is most likely hiking, reading, or texting her mother pictures of her houseplants to ask why they look like that. 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. So this really reaffirmed that approach for me. What I would like to ask is how you would go about describing very specific details on more complex clothing? Look how she sits with her mouth open! 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. Strips of leather were boiled in water, though some sources record oil and wax being used, and even animal urine. 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. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. It's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. That also will help readers really experience things through their eyes. If youre trying to learn how to describe clothing in writing, youre probably like me: Youve only pretended to know what organza is. 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. Well come to this below. It may be apocryphal, but Harold Godwinson is said to have done just that at the battle of Hastings in 1066. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. Do all your characters embrace it? You may have seen steelworkers doing this after forging the likes of blades and horseshoes. 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. Adding these other bits of lesser-known fantasy armor to your stories can really add extra depth to your worldbuilding. Think noble King Arthur and his knights of the roundtable. clothed and we should definitely be using them to portray our characters personalities. But they werent administrators. Its not an aspect of character design that bubbles up naturally from the depths of my creative soul. 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.
How to Analyze a Fashion Collection - Bloomsbury Fashion Central 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. Even the non-conformists are influenced by societal norms.
SHIRT AND PANTS | Fantasy-Writers.org Advertisements. The fantasy genre borrows an awful lot from medieval history. 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. 2012 - To add to the previous mosaic part stealth technology can provide great patterns. 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). Dont worry, thats not a trick question. Examples of the latter are The Fifth Element and The Hunger Games. Such coats were made from brass or iron, though steel was deemed best due to its toughness. [Find more articles on character description in our complete guide to character creation.]. 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. Blunt, Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. If done right you could even use these elements alone with clothing of today to sell a futuristic look. Glasses, headsets, lenses, jewelry, belts and so on can all help sell the futuristic look. His pants are simple and narrow and reach down to his hard leather shoes. How do they change, and how does their clothing reflect that change? First and foremost we need to know who we're designing for. Not really. More on that in a bit. The Victorian author Charles Dickens is widely regarded as a master of characterization, for good reason. Chausses / Chauces (15th century) Pantaloons; padded hosen for the legs, often worn under chainmail or plate armor. All of these advancements will become more and more common as time goes on, so it'd make sense for them to be part of our clothing in the future. 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. It's easy to try this out too, at least the simple line version. (Find out more). Similarly, show how different characters personalities are through apt clothing description. Katerina is affronted by Amalias fine dress because it is new and shows pride. (Would people living in this area have access to leather goods? 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. One thing Ive always wondered is if someone wearing plate could fall down just right in a muddy battlefield, and get stuck there in the same way a large flat rock gets stuck laying in mud. Both can lose clout simply by the way their peers respond to their wardrobe choices. 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. Pauldrons, gauntlets, and even leg armor were fashioned into elaborate designs. Thus his plain dress is, ironically, indicative of higher status. (Has denim been invented yet? Most clothing throughout history consisted of longer pieces of fabric and with minimal tailoring and cuts. So sometimes all it takes to create futuristic clothing is to take a trend that has passed, alter it slightly and you're done. And above all, people share their writing, get feedback, build friendships and develop greater confidence not just in their writing, but in themselves too. Play with the question of presentation and power! Obviously clothing is extremely varied, especially dresses. This is great! Try some colour. I sincerely hope youve found some inspiration for your fantasy medieval armor. The easy way to describe the setting is when the characters interact with it, e.g. One of the first things I learned when I moved to L.A. is that writers do not dress professionally for big meetings in Hollywood. Designing fantasy armor for your characters can be an awful lot of fun. 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. 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. )Secrets might not be something youve specifically thought about when youre drafting a story. This may seem like a tricky thing to do as there's so much out there already, but it can often be as simple as simply changing a texture, the patterns used or the amount of fabric. But the biggest challenge can sometimes be simply making something look futuristic or historic fantasy-ish, which is the main focus of this guide. - "Digital look". True, it all depends on your purpose. Follow edited Jun 17, 2020 at 9:43.
160 Best Character description ideas | character description, fantasy 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. Now turn the edges a different color or make them light up and you immediately have a more futuristic looking suit. One does not refer to "a garb". 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. 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? Great article. Lets take a look at some individual pieces of armor. As knights became fully armored, so did their mounts. The bully Gradgrind is the type whod wear a waistcoat concealing an eyeglass for catching people out. Details about fit, cut, and material go a long way when describing the clothing of a character who longs to attract. Or are you writing a spy character who dons Lululemon to infiltrate an upscale yoga studio? Good for the mobile knight. 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. Because like all other character details, its not enough to paint a picture. Separate and enlarge it, turn down the Opacity of the layer . Consider this example from Hard Times. Sometimes they're more interesting and lovable than the main characters themselves and end up stealing the show., Secrets. Only when youre keeping secrets in fiction, you can make them even darker and deeper than any you might ever have in real life. Ready to sketch vivid characters for your novel? Either way, their goal is to be desirable, whatever desirable means in this situation. And right at the heart of it were the leaders of societythe medieval lords. I have a hard time describing my thoughts on content, but I really felt I should here. The line could be thin or thick, glowing, metallic-looking or just plain, padded or smooth, patterned, decorated or simply a seem. Changes in characters clothing can help revealcharacter development. What matters more to them: fashion or function?
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