Katerina is affronted by Amalias fine dress because it is new and shows pride. Clothing description also presents an opportunity to play with different points of view. Arrows will bounce off steel crafted in such a wayunless from close range, as we discussed, We mentioned gambesons above. I didnt even know how to begin describing this piece of clothing. You find that its about more than throwing out fashion terms and listing articles of clothing. All cultures have dress codes to some degree, some more so than others and some more stricter than others, but every culture has a range of styles that would be considered normal, 'out there' and unacceptable to most. Thanks, Teresa, and for sharing that great example from the stage. Look at this picture, is it insane for an author to try to describe this on a character? You can go for standard quasi medieval fantasy clothing. A four-layer, bubble-gum pink taffeta skirt. Glasses, headsets, lenses, jewelry, belts and so on can all help sell the futuristic look. 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. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. - Diagonal lines: Diagonal lines aren't all that common in historic clothing and they usually only came in the form of neck lines, the edges of unbuttoned jackets or from large pieces of fabric being held up (think ancient Rome). The unsung hero of so many stories. 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. The time period of your story. Youre working essential details into the narrative at the moment when they are most relevant. This can be a very effective way if your universe is based on an existing culture. A velvet scrunchie. - Gadgets, hair styles and accessories. Who's your rebel, and how does their clothing reflect their defiant spirit? Baggy jeans. He is old but stylish. On the other hand you may wish to add layers for the same purpose. That was the theory. 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. Expensive indeed, and heavystronger horses had to be bred to handle the weight. It really doesnt take much. The padded material could absorb blows from blunt, A Guide To Writing Stories That Genuinely Helps, "Helped me land my first book deal" - Jack Shannon, Author, Get More Writing Support From Fellow Fantasy Writers, A complete guide to worldbuilding, with a template. The more people that join this thriving group the better it becomes. 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. If youre good at talking clothes, you can sit this one out. Be specific and accurate. Does your character need to hide? I dont mean camisoles and cardigans. That works. One character might demonstrate their power by showing up to prom in a designer gown. Wearing a suit of armor was like being in your own private world. So have fun with that. But even regular elements can help with this. ). 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. Now, for the feedbackit depends what POV you're writing in. - 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. When heated, steel turns from yellow, to brown, to blue, to red. 2012 - This article was very helpfulcan you post some examples of showing versus telling when describing clothing? Not really. I love the way clothes can describe a character. Without decriptions of the clothing it's a bit boring, the novel becomes a list of people the reader can't imagine doing things. 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. 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's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. You walk down the usual street and suddenly some old memory hits you. But status can be communicated in more subtle ways, 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. These detail could suggest that your character is miserly or down-to-earth despite their wealth. Select the most striking details and move on. Maybe theyre hoping to impress the cool kids or please their parents. Never hose for men and probably never puffy breeches. Make sure you know whats hot and whats not in your specific setting, as well as what specific words the locals would use. Of course there are more ways to alter historic designs and the middle ages aren't the only period to draw inspiration from. 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. Just click the button below to find out more. Game of Thrones/A Song Of Ice And Fire is one series that wonderfully explores fantasy armor and weapons. ^.^ If you write historical fiction, youre probably way ahead of me. We'll 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. Im struggling to properly figure out how to describe clothing for a fantasy setting Im trying to create. But let's take a step back and look at what kind of clothing is usually associated with futuristic settings. That decorative belt? The Victorian author Charles Dickens is widely regarded as a master of characterization, for good reason. The surrounding culture dictates what they cant wear if they want to be seen as free-thinking individuals. Or else that she feels shamed by her Aunt and thus decides to be good. To discover more awesome ideas, head over to Pinterest and just search for female fantasy armor. 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. Advertisements. 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. The appearance of armor was a big deal for knights. A knight, by definition, was a lord. A jacket or coat of mail was usually worn with a hood, or coif, of the same material to protect the head and neck. 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. In other words take what exists and apply it differently. Any suggestions on how to properly do this? I mentioned my online writing group at the beginning of this guide. 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). Casual. What is the prevailing value in the society of your story? Its okay if Todds checks his designer watch three pages after you mention his silk tie. I would be great to expand it with armor from other areas, Samurai armor, for example. Another type of cheap armor, one up from gambesons, was boiled leather, also known as cuir bouilli. (Huh.). Or is it really important for a reader to know the specific pattern? 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. Odds are, youve got a character who dresses to stay alive. 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. Using this site means trees will be planted. These are usually a little trickier to do well as they can look familiar quickly, but it's a usually a good element to have at your disposal. Great article. For example, headphones aren't really a piece of clothing, but they definitely affect our style. The aim was not to cause any impediment to movement. Privacy Policy. They can tell us what era they live in, and even a persons current state of mind or intent. Theyre the lifeblood of any relationship. Were trying to avoid, Isabell gazed out the window, and by the way, she was wearing a white terry cloth robe.. By using fur for decoration you quickly create fictional pieces in no time. 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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. A band t-shirt. One easy way of creating a more customized look is to simply use cultural elements in the standard clothing. 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. They're the Robin to your Batman, the Luigi to your Mario, the Samwise Gamgee to your Frodo Baggins. Earlier I mentioned how it's important to try and keep a feel of unfamiliarity to futuristic clothing. If you arent keeping at least a few secrets from your friends and loved ones, are you really living? Clothes can betray our greatest joys and our deepest insecurities. This includes things like a pilots uniform, a tiara, or a Pink Ladies jacket. In this section, Ive included some more guides on creating fantasy armor designs that you may find useful. I second the idea of describing the reactions of the characters to the city. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. 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. Sometimes the simplest changes are enough to create something completely new and ideal for a particular universe. For fantasy stories to be more believable, we need to understand how it interacts with our characters, especially if theyre enchanted. 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. Chest plates had grand etchings. What is a good way to do Show not tell in a first person POV state? Think noble King Arthur and his knights of the roundtable. Adding them with intention can help increase tension, make twists hit that much harder, and keep your reader engaged., How to Describe Clothing in Writing Without Boring Everybody, Tertiary Characters: Giving Your Background Players Life, Sidekicks: The Loyal Companion Your Hero Needs. Pre-empt this by illustrating everything in layers and completing each layer of clothing. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. First and foremost, remember that clothing description is still storytelling. Like Marquez, compare and contrast characters clothes to reveal important details about their social status or position. For example, think about a wealthy person and how that person might dress. Dr. Urbino in Marquezs example above fits the latter category. You can also fulfil (or contradict) impressions your characters (or readers) form based on appearances. Ive always wondered that too! Obviously clothing is extremely varied, especially dresses. That cloth ribbon tied around their waist? Smart: Neat and tidy clothes but not necessarily formal. These elements are very important when taking into account the previous point. Use your first-person narrators senses sight, hearing, touch, etc. So let's delve deeper into the details of how to actually figure out what your character wears. Id be willing to bet each of these items immediately brought to mind a semi-clear character. I sincerely hope youve found some inspiration for your fantasy medieval armor. I'll make a separate point for sci-fi/futuristic clothing and fantasy/historic clothing. And what weve covered here today is only just the tip of the iceberg. They are more common around the chest and torso in Asian cultures though, so keep that in mind when adding diagonal lines. Examples of the prior are Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey and to some degree Star Wars and Tron. "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.". Our imaginations can do a surprising amount with just a few key details. I saw Jesus Christ Superstar a long time ago and Jesus was in a sharp black suit. Character description may change over the course of a story to emphasize a characters arc. Or they could be frantically running errands in leggings and a t-shirt. As well see below, one of the best things about using medieval armor in a fantasy story is the freedom to elevate it in some way. 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. 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. Besides, these are all just guidelines meant to spark some inspiration in you. 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..
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