Which was, indeed, a little weird straight off! Think of other interesting combinations: A teacher who dresses provocatively; a beggar with an innate sense of style. To add to the previous mosaic part stealth technology can provide great patterns. ^.^ Youre more than welcome to join us and wed love to have you on board. Both can lose clout simply by the way their peers respond to their wardrobe choices. 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. An owl in new ribbons, ha-ha-ha! An owl, a real owl! A possible source of conflict for a story, perhaps! They could withstand high-velocity strikes from a javelin or lance, driven home by somebody charging forwards on horseback. True, it all depends on your purpose. 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. Blunt weapons were effective, causing haemorrhaging and concussion, so padded garments known as a doublet or gambeson were worn underneath to provide added protection. Chausses / Chauces (15th century) Pantaloons; padded hosen for the legs, often worn under chainmail or plate armor. The bully Gradgrind is the type whod wear a waistcoat concealing an eyeglass for catching people out. A band t-shirt. Costume is a large part of a character. But thats the case wherever you go. Because it actually is possible. Never hose for men and probably never puffy breeches. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. It illustrates brilliantly the differences between fantasy armor and the boring armor of reality, in this case, Gothic armor. - Geometry. But let's take a step back and look at what kind of clothing is usually associated with futuristic settings. The novels protagonist Rodion gives Katerina the last of his money to host a funeral. Well, mostly. Good for the mobile knight. Does your character need to hide? We see the contrast between the characters friends reaction and the advisory words of Gems aunt. The line could be thin or thick, glowing, metallic-looking or just plain, padded or smooth, patterned, decorated or simply a seem. Look how she sits with her mouth open! And here are some great concepts for female fantasy armor. Pingback: A fantasy writers guide to Castles and Keeps: part one Richie Billing. Heating to the perfect temperature was key. It's also an indirect way to describe their physical appearance by examining how the clothes fit them. What I would like to ask is how you would go about describing very specific details on more complex clothing? Do they need a ghillie suit to blend into the natural environment? What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. 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. Imagine your own armored knights storming through the battlefield like iron giants. Clothes that are loose and hanging in folds. What would you think about a wealthy character who looked as though he shopped at thrift stores? One character might demonstrate their power by showing up to prom in a designer gown. I second the idea of describing the reactions of the characters to the city. Arrows will bounce off steel crafted in such a wayunless from close range, as we discussed, We mentioned gambesons above. Clothing reflects the resources available in a specific time and place. Dr. Urbino in Marquezs example above fits the latter category. Subtle clothing changes can signal character development quite effectively in some scenarios. They can be important too.If you want to breathe life into your stories, it's time to give tertiary characters a little love. Not all trends return and fashion isn't perfectly cyclical. Some helmets had chain attached which hung around and protected the neck, called an aventail, and most were padded inside, for added comfort. Its all in the craft.Its good that youre here to learn how to describe clothing in writing, because its a powerful tool. Discover an extensive list of terms you may want to know here. Or is it really important for a reader to know the specific pattern? Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. Your article is really great. Describe these in passing to add visual colour and authenticity to your character descriptions. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e7bbcc198c936bc1af3fbda128514c44fcfc10f0513ea31cad7c21ae61ba0ab0.jpg. (Cough-cough-cough.) By playing around with this you quickly create very subtle, but more unique fantasy-themed items. Trendy: Modern, fashionable, and up-to-date outfits. But there is so much more to the experience of clothing than that. These shallow details help us go pretty deep on character. No problem! The padded material could absorb blows from blunt weapons and provided some protection from cuts, but against well-forged weapons they were useless. 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. One way is to avoid what we call filter words. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. This article was very helpfulcan you post some examples of showing versus telling when describing clothing? - 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. So Id say in films its more for cinematic effect and also for clarity so the viewer can see whos doing what. Your main character just put on some makeup and changed into a fancy dress, complete with heels and a tiny handbag. Continued successes could see knights rise higher up the ranks. I sincerely hope youve found some inspiration for your fantasy medieval armor. Stockings, long gloves, scarves or separate layers of clothing make a huge difference. Lets delve further into these ideas about describing characters dress: Think of your characters clothing like an actors costume in a play. [Find more articles on character description in our complete guide to character creation.]. 04. 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. Now add a thick, layered scarf or attach a hood to this tunic and you're already well on your way to a customized look. Clean, powerful strikes were needed to disable a foe wearing mail. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. Most picture the knight when we talk about plated armorrigid tin men that can withstand all manner of blows. Those warriors came from the people who lived on the lands under the watch of the knights. The important thing to remember is to remain in the character's point of view. You can go for standard quasi medieval fantasy clothing. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. Lets talk about how to use clothing description as a storytelling tool, how to dress your character for their personality and setting, and how to make clothes interesting to anyone. But it can also be fun to play with the confidence and ease that comes with wealth. Give your wealthy character a pair of Louboutins and dress your non-wealthy characters in hand-me-downs. In other words: To describe a fantasy world, use either neutral terms, or made up words. See how Dickens contrasts the fact-obsessed, overbearingteacher Thomas Gradgrind and his wifes personalities through (among other details) their clothing description. I never thought of there being a uniform for Midwestern ladyness. ), Your character and communitys financial resources. They're the Robin to your Batman, the Luigi to your Mario, the Samwise Gamgee to your Frodo Baggins. Hi Paige, thank you (and thanks for your question). Black and white usually does the trick as well. It may be apocryphal, but Harold Godwinson is said to have done just that at the battle of Hastings in 1066. You could even move the buttons to the side and have it close diagonally instead. You can quickly convey a number of things about your characters based on the clothing they wear. One specific form of descriptive writing that particularly affects setting and characterization is the portrayal of characters' clothing. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. Think armor, bulletproof vests, and bandoliers. Figurative language . Besides knowing who we design for we also have to know what the rules for designing are within the universe of our characters. It's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. But they werent administrators. It gives you an idea of the capabilities that armor can have. Another type of cheap armor, one up from gambesons, was boiled leather, also known as cuir bouilli. Try some colour. Dragon scales, fiery furs and feathers and other elements can quickly turn a standard item into a fantasy one. A pair of starched Wranglers. Characters can also comment on or react to one anothers clothing, as long as the exchange reveals something about the world or relationship. Or one who was forever wearing poorly-fitted clothing that appeared to be handed down from friends? You may have seen steelworkers doing this after forging the likes of blades and horseshoes. 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. Heres a cool video on making leather fantasy armor by YouTuber, Prince Armory. As well see below, medieval armor developed through necessitypeople needed to protect themselves from those wicked blades and needle-sharp darts. 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. 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. But status can be communicated in more subtle ways, too. This pride, though justifiable, displeased Katerina Ivanovna for some reason. I once wrote about imbuing everyday objects with meaning because talisman create great opportunities for symbolism! Ideas are forever being shared and discussed. Share. Not a Dabble user? First and foremost, remember that clothing description is still storytelling. This includes items like steel-toed boots, heavy denim, or tech-forward, snag-resistant superhero spandex. But you may run into difficulties when it comes to the practicalities. An anxious college student buys a flower crown in the hopes of feeling young and free at Coachella. In 2021 his debut novel, Pariah's Lament, an epic fantasy, was published by Of Metal and Magic. Play with the question of presentation and power! ), The geographical location of your story. 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? 1. It's what we're slowly doing today. 2023 NOW NOVEL CC. Details about fit, cut, and material go a long way when describing the clothing of a character who longs to attract. ). Maybe a bit of both. - Mix cultures. Also try searching cool fantasy armor, or epic fantasy armor. As I write this, I am wearing jeans that are too big, a gray t-shirt I inherited from a former roommate, and a pilled hoodie from a lighting vendor that works with my friends husbands company. She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. Or they could be frantically running errands in leggings and a t-shirt. 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). 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. 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. One does not refer to "a garb". Sneak around? It doesn't exclude those that don't know what a qipao is, nor break immersion for those who do. 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. Whereas a more confident or attention seeking person might seek out the edges of what's socially acceptable more or just wear more stylish and potentially more colorful or flamboyant clothing. What would high stakes clothing look like in your story? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts 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. Theyre the kind of thing that often happen organically, but you can actually make use of character secrets to make your stories better. For a bigger image, just click on the link above. Our characters are always (mostly!) Although such armor exists in fantasy worlds, its important to understand how things work in the real world, even at a basic level. Make them earn any sightof skin, Aunt P always said. Coats of plated armor soon came about, which consisted of a series of plates linked on top of one another. Clothing description is something I have to actively choose to create, too. For example, a shy person will often wear 'regular' clothing, clothing that isn't too bright or outgoing in both design and colors. Excuse the on hold background music. In my case my character is new in town and this description of clothing doesnt come until hes getting ready for the party in chapter 4 and its in the context of getting dressed, there are reasons behind it, the party is a very big deal for him getting his foot in the door with other teens in town and he wants to be impressive or maybe wants lot of attention with all the sparklies. Think of the process like dressing a doll: start at the beginning and up build the layers. I didnt even know how to begin describing this piece of clothing. The clothing itself can be just standard medieval gear, but with these elements they immediately look (wood) elvish. - Furs and other animal parts: A quick and obvious way of making something look more fantasy-themed is by simply adding elements of fantasy creatures. Only the most powerful strikes could pierce such armor. Mail was particularly effective against glancing blows. Changes in characters clothing can help revealcharacter development. Great idea. Plain: Ordinary clothes of one color like gray, beige, or black. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. They're the ones who are always there to lend a helping hand, crack a joke, or provide some much-needed emotional relief.And let's be real, sometimes they dont go unsung. - 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). These are deep questions. Thanks Chuck! Both doublets and chain mail were worn in conjunction with plated armor for that added protection, particularly for areas plate could not cover, such as arms and the groin. Reeking of piss on the battlefield was another weapon in the arsenal I suppose. Here are some classic characteristics you can draw out through clothing description. Separate and enlarge it, turn down the Opacity of the layer . So let's delve deeper into the details of how to actually figure out what your character wears. If sturdy is a top consideration, your character might be expecting trouble or adventure. PsstDoes Your Character Have a Secret? - Use nudity. Help your readers feel the relaxed, organic cotton or the memory foam slipper, and theyll feel your characters priorities deep in their own souls. 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. Here are a few different types: We mentioned gambesons above. Lets take a look at how clothing description indicates your characters identity, goals, and culture. As far as guidelines go this is the first to be broken though, consider this one more of a starting point rather than something to necessarily end on. How to Give Your Characters Style: Describing Clothing in Writing Written by MasterClass Last updated: Aug 19, 2021 3 min read Creating vivid descriptions for a story or character is a mark of a great writer. Great article. 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. The train hums and throbs in place as people rush to pile in.. To navigate your way through this guide, just click the links below. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Amalias dress thus comes across as insensitive to her; malicious even. A warrior had to fight the enemy, and to fight his armor as well would be too distracting. 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? But that doesn't mean you can't deviate from these guidelines completely and do whatever you wish. If it fits your universe it usually works, so don't be afraid of doing something different. When heated, steel turns from yellow, to brown, to blue, to red. Another similar and perhaps way more popular example of this is Steampunk. Who's your rebel, and how does their clothing reflect their defiant spirit? Conveniently, a lot of high status positions come with outfits or accessories that telegraph a persons position in the hierarchy. Maybe theyre hoping to impress the cool kids or please their parents. Casual. 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.
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