A velvet scrunchie. Are they overalls or coveralls? Use your first-person narrators senses sight, hearing, touch, etc. To navigate your way through this guide, just click the links below. is because we get stuck on what things look like. Never hose for men and probably never puffy breeches. Use the Character section of the Idea Finder to develop quick story ideas and flesh out your storys cast. Or theyll be living off soda crackers and peanut butter for the next week because they drained their checking account for a suit to impress at their job interview. Stealthy clothes bring to mind burglars clad in black outfits and soft-soled sneakers. Ideas are forever being shared and discussed. Theyre the kind of thing that often happen organically, but you can actually make use of character secrets to make your stories better. These small but mighty players can add depth, complexity, and a fresh perspective to your plot. If there is one thing I hope you take from all of this, its that none of this is about describing what a character looks like. Sweaters or jumpers? Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. This pride, though justifiable, displeased Katerina Ivanovna for some reason. 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. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. Select the most striking details and move on. Richie Billing writes fantasy fiction, historical fiction and stories of a darker nature. That works. As knights became fully armored, so did their mounts. Continued successes could see knights rise higher up the ranks. They looked something like this: One of the main defensive strengths of plated armor came from its curved design, which deflected both blades and arrows. You dont need it to sign up. That also will help readers really experience things through their eyes. What does your character wear to feel safer in their world or in their own skin? The geographical setting might suggest that your characters are expected to abide by strict rules for modesty or are celebrated for being wild and free. But they werent administrators. 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. Share. Not to mention the social status of a person. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. If you want futuristic fantasy simply follow the sci-fi/futuristic tips more or mix and match both sides. They can tell us what era they live in, and even a persons current state of mind or intent. Embarrassed by her own inability to dress in finery for the occasion (and by being upstaged), Katerina resorts to scathing mockery of Amalia. When heated, steel turns from yellow, to brown, to blue, to red. There is simply more characterization, not only of Gem but the other characters, too. What the description shows is that many of the inviteesplay at status through fancy dress. 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. Its a good time. Its about building a life and a world, and that is something you can do. Vision in such helmets was extremely limited, but this was the cost of added protection. Hi Paige, thank you (and thanks for your question). Coats of plated armor soon came about, which consisted of a series of plates linked on top of one another. 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 . Then this is their category. Glasses, headsets, lenses, jewelry, belts and so on can all help sell the futuristic look. Make them earn any sightof skin, Aunt P always said. 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. Compare this, then, to Dickens description of Gradgrinds wife in the following chapter (Gradgrinds wealthy but poverty-claiming friend has just told Mrs. Gradgrind he was born in a ditch): Mrs. Gradgrind, a little, thin, white, pink-eyed bundle of shawls, of surpassing feebleness, mental and bodily; who was always taking physic without any effect, and who, whenever she showed a symptom of coming to life, was invariably stunned by some weighty piece of fact tumbling on her; Mrs. Gradgrind hoped it was a dry ditch? 2023 NOW NOVEL CC. 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. Follow edited Jun 17, 2020 at 9:43. Vividly describing the colors of your character's clothing can enliven ordinary writing. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. 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. To create a more futuristic looking style an easy way of doing it is to incorporate technology into the clothing itself. Blunt, Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. 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). But it provided an odd sense of security. The rope belt is solely decorative and a status symbol. Most clothing throughout history consisted of longer pieces of fabric and with minimal tailoring and cuts. Changes in characters clothing can help revealcharacter development. The easy way to describe the setting is when the characters interact with it, e.g. Only the most powerful strikes could pierce such armor. I never thought of there being a uniform for Midwestern ladyness. Your articles are always very informative. 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. Whether its a beekeeping suit, climbing helmet, knee pads, or sun-protective fabric, what your character wears provides a clue about whats at stake in the coming scene. 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. 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? It was pretty easy to make, though laborious, and easy to repair. Dragon scales, fiery furs and feathers and other elements can quickly turn a standard item into a fantasy one. Play with the question of presentation and power! Both can lose clout simply by the way their peers respond to their wardrobe choices. I once wrote about imbuing everyday objects with meaning because talisman create great opportunities for symbolism! In Dostoyevskys Crime and Punishment, the poor, Tuberculosis-stricken Katerina Ivanovnas husband is trampled to death by a horse-drawn cart. In 2021 his debut novel, Pariah's Lament, an epic fantasy, was published by Of Metal and Magic. Not quite. How do they change, and how does their clothing reflect that change? For more information, please see our Not to pile on, but dont forget to make sure you know which materials wereand werentavailable in the world of your novel. 1. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. 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. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. 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. If its 1st person you'll describe things from the POV of your character, and I find that that's different than if you're in, for example, 3rd person. Think touchable fabrics and the light scent of lavender soap. Another important function of clothing description in stories is to create an authentic sense of time and place. "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.". In other words, research. However, you can tell your reader interesting things through a mismatch: A wealthy character might show off their expensive clothing. 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. He is old but stylish. It may be apocryphal, but Harold Godwinson is said to have done just that at the battle of Hastings in 1066. It really doesnt take much. The aim was not to cause any impediment to movement. This idea of knights becoming lords was introduced in England by William the Conqueror. (Hopefully, I dont really know your life, so maybe not. When heated, steel turns from yellow, to brown, to blue, to red. The only cloak in the world made with silk spun by the cat-sized spiders that live in the forbidden mountains. The bully Gradgrind is the type whod wear a waistcoat concealing an eyeglass for catching people out. 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. Military service was always well-rewarded and violence applauded. In writing, the clothes kind of do make the (hu)man. Or they could be frantically running errands in leggings and a t-shirt. In this section, Ive included some more guides on creating fantasy armor designs that you may find useful. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. (Find out more). And if you were skilled at surviving and killing, it was a good way to make a living. I really loved this article, but I have one question, it was very helpful. From time to time we may use affiliate links to help with the costs of running the site. One very important aspect of describing attire well is understanding why youre describing it in the first place. You can weave clothing description into your process when using our story planner for writers. 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. If it fits your universe it usually works, so don't be afraid of doing something different. For example, headphones aren't really a piece of clothing, but they definitely affect our style. Even the non-conformists are influenced by societal norms. It would have been extremely warm too. - Use lines to break up a piece of clothing and create a kind of mosaic. And what weve covered here today is only just the tip of the iceberg. But let's take a step back and look at what kind of clothing is usually associated with futuristic settings. If sturdy is a top consideration, your character might be expecting trouble or adventure. As for showing with clothing rather than telling, a writer could say, He was lazy and inattentive to his appearance about a character, or they could say his clothes always looked like hed just pulled them out of a pile in some corner of his bedroom and had thrown them on without a glance in the mirror. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town. Clothing description in a story is useful because it often gives additional information about a character that you might otherwise tell. (Has denim been invented yet? Whether its a matter of indulgence or survival, feeling good is a deeply relatable goal. Cookie Notice "A dress" (or using "the" to refer to a particular "garment") means an item of clothing that is normally worn by women. So why not join the gang? These elements are very important when taking into account the previous point. I mentioned my online writing group at the beginning of this guide. 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. Casual. Maybe a bit of both. But there is so much more to the experience of clothing than that. Great points. 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.. Think of other interesting combinations: A teacher who dresses provocatively; a beggar with an innate sense of style. 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. Subtle clothing changes can signal character development quite effectively in some scenarios. Blades hacking, slicing and puncturing, cutting open gaping wounds and severing limbs and heads from bodies. 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. These are deep questions. The clothing itself can be just standard medieval gear, but with these elements they immediately look (wood) elvish. It's what we're slowly doing today. Delighted to hear youre finding this useful. Advertisements. 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. 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. Maybe theyre hoping to impress the cool kids or please their parents. Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. show how hard is to escape in a narrow street. In pre-thermometer times this was difficult as you can imagine, so instead, armorers observed the colour of the heated steel. 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?
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