As with body armor, great efforts were made with the designs of helmets. But even regular elements can help with this. 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 . See how Dickens contrasts the fact-obsessed, overbearingteacher Thomas Gradgrind and his wifes personalities through (among other details) their clothing description. Pingback: The Life of the Medieval Lord - Richie Billing, Pingback: How To Create Your Very Own Living Breathing Fantasy World - Richie Billing, Pingback: Fantasy Races - The Ultimate Guide To Elves, Orcs and Dwarves | Richie Billing, Pingback: Killer Diseases of the Middle Ages | Richie Billing, Pingback: Medieval Cannons: The Essential Guide | Richie Billing, Pingback: On Writing: Fantasy Without Magic Of Metal and Magic Publishing, Pingback: The Lives Of Medieval Peasants - Richie Billing. Clothing creation guide - Roll for Fantasy ^.^ Katerina is affronted by Amalias fine dress because it is new and shows pride. show how hard is to escape in a narrow street. So why not join the gang? For a bigger image, just click on the link above. 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. There is simply more characterization, not only of Gem but the other characters, too. The train hums and throbs in place as people rush to pile in.. 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. In other words: To describe a fantasy world, use either neutral terms, or made up words. Here are a few different types: We mentioned gambesons above. But they werent administrators. What are the rules of your characters world? 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. Describing armor and clothing. : r/writing - reddit [Help] Coming up with Fantasy Outfits : r/fantasywriters - reddit Press J to jump to the feed. But the definition of sneaky depends on your characters situation. It illustrates brilliantly the differences between fantasy armor and the boring armor of reality, in this case, Gothic armor. See more ideas about fantasy clothing, anime outfits, character outfits. Lets take a look at how clothing description indicates your characters identity, goals, and culture. Excuse the on hold background music. Other clothing pieces could be various types of hats and scarves, (trench) coats and even something as simple as pockets or buttons used for fastening rather than as decoration to name just a few. Really like your article. There's also the element of technology that has to be taken into account. Another type of cheap armor, one up from gambesons, was boiled leather, also known as cuir bouilli. I thought if I did that at the beginning of a chapter it would be better but I worry it will turn readers off. A person who doesn't want to draw attention to themselves would dress completely differently today than they would even a few decades ago. 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. 100 Words to Describe Clothes - grammarhow.com One easy way of creating a more customized look is to simply use cultural elements in the standard clothing. Black and white usually does the trick as well. 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. 04. Lets take a look at some ways you can develop those unique ideas: In this section, well take a look at some cool pieces of knight armor in fantasy that people have designed over the years, to give you even more inspiration for your own designs. If it fits your universe it usually works, so don't be afraid of doing something different. How to describe clothing in a story: Creating characters To create a more futuristic looking style an easy way of doing it is to incorporate technology into the clothing itself. But the biggest challenge can sometimes be simply making something look futuristic or historic fantasy-ish, which is the main focus of this guide. That cloth ribbon tied around their waist? As a quick question, in film you see a lot of heroes and leaders not wearing helmets. (Find out more). In other words, research. 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.. Describe these in passing to add visual colour and authenticity to your character descriptions. It was pretty easy to make, though laborious, and easy to repair. Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. 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). Lets take a look at some individual pieces of armor. If all else fails use Google images and find some visual aids and inspiration sources, they can work wonders. 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. Youll be blown away by the number of awesome things on there. Do your main characters tend to steal the show in your novels? s a fantastic image that Thomas Feichtmeir, AKA Cyangmou has put together. The fantasy genre borrows an awful lot from medieval history. Which brings me to my next point. 50+ Fashion Terms: Fundamental Words Related to Style You suddenly know which details to include, which to leave out, and whether to call it a blood-red cloak or a goji berry wrap. Elsewhere, Mantels novel is full of descriptions of garments for specific, era-appropriate purposes: Riding cloaks, town coats, and other clothing people of means would have worn at this time. But Ive also noticed that artful clothing description does make a character, a setting, and even a moment more engaging. Like Marquez, compare and contrast characters clothes to reveal important details about their social status or position. Because like all other character details, its not enough to paint a picture. I have a hard time describing my thoughts on content, but I really felt I should here. 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. Some had pointed snouts, the purpose of which was to deflect arrows when walking into arrow storms. Character description may change over the course of a story to emphasize a characters arc. Love this topic!! This description generator will create a mostly random description of either a dress or a suit, fit for formal occasions and other fancy needs. Make it look very clean and smooth and it immediately feels more modern. Try some colour. Such simple things, but the clothes really helped show Jesus plight. Richie Billing writes fantasy fiction, historical fiction and stories of a darker nature. Much of the clothing we wear today were either rare or completely nonexistent a hundred years ago. Youre more than welcome to join us and wed love to have you on board. 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. Heating to the perfect temperature was key. Are they overalls or coveralls? is because we get stuck on what things look like. Theyre the lifeblood of any relationship. From lowly serfs to great warriors, all could wear and fight effectively in chainmail. The front part of helmets, or the visors, were there to raise or open so the wearer could breathe during taxing hand-to-hand combat or scan around the battlefield. So have fun with that. - Use lines to break up a piece of clothing and create a kind of mosaic. This idea of knights becoming lords was introduced in England by William the Conqueror. 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. The appearance of armor was a big deal for knights. 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. Or one who was forever wearing poorly-fitted clothing that appeared to be handed down from friends? The reader does not need the full outfit in one go. Even the non-conformists are influenced by societal norms. You dont need it to sign up. Here are five examples: 1. 70s-inspired. Costume is a large part of a character. My story feels like its set more in medieval times, but I don't want my characters running around in full out tunics and. Who is your character at the beginning of the story, and how can you dress them to establish their normal? Mantel creates a vivid sense of the wealth that the church amassed in these times. 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. stylish, expensive clothing, yet not specific to a certain time or place. Using the work of Alexander McQueen, this unit guides students through the analysis of a fashion collection, introducing them to the critical language and methodologies needed to evaluate fashion design and runway presentation. I don't mean make your characters walk around naked, but exposing (or covering) body parts in ways we don't today helps make ordinary clothing look different, which in turn helps sell the idea of it being futuristic. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e7bbcc198c936bc1af3fbda128514c44fcfc10f0513ea31cad7c21ae61ba0ab0.jpg. Play with the question of presentation and power! Vision in such helmets was extremely limited, but this was the cost of added protection. What exactly are you trying to communicate about the character, setting, or situation? 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. But they could also dress in modest, inexpensive-looking clothes. Troubles with Clothing in Fantasy + Some Ideas - Brielle Andela document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 'There is a blog for every aspect of the writing journey.' A scarf for example might be too hot for some areas, but it's obviously easy to leave those out. 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. Only the most powerful strikes could pierce such armor. What would you think about a wealthy character who looked as though he shopped at thrift stores? You can also fulfil (or contradict) impressions your characters (or readers) form based on appearances. Coats of plated armor soon came about, which consisted of a series of plates linked on top of one another. Helmets were arguably the most distinctive feature of an armored knight. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. Some wore a trapper a covering of full chain mailand down the line, some horses even had their own plated armor. We see the contrast between the characters friends reaction and the advisory words of Gems aunt. And what weve covered here today is only just the tip of the iceberg. This article was very helpfulcan you post some examples of showing versus telling when describing clothing? Clothing description also presents an opportunity to play with different points of view. In a book, none of that is true. - Taboos and nudity. A man's padded undercoat worn under a doublet and over a shirt; a woman's (often padded) under-tunic or the skirt of her riding habit. Baggy. 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. Sure, it helps your reader to know how you picture a character. List of Medieval Clothing (91 terms!) - The Medieverse: Tim's Realistic How to Describe Clothes in English - ESL Advice But put me in a job interview wearing the same outfit, and youd probably start making new guesses about my intentions. Writing Tips on Describing Clothes - Pen and the Pad Understanding how to describe clothing in a story well will help you create fuller, richer character portraits. Your article is really great. I used to be under the mindset that describing attire was boring and it was better to let the reader fill in those details but especially with the novel Im working on now, I have used clothing to portray more about their character. Richie also runs The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed, a podcast devoted to helping writers improve their craft. Heres a cool video on making leather fantasy armor by YouTuber, Prince Armory. Privacy Policy. Only in certain situations is a description even needed. When heated, steel turns from yellow, to brown, to blue, to red. And well dip back in time to look at medieval armor and how it was used and crafted. We even have the technology to create clothing without seems. It may be apocryphal, but Harold Godwinson is said to have done just that at the battle of Hastings in 1066. The clothes a person wears tellsus many things: their status in life, for example, or their cultural affiliation or identity. That decorative belt? 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. Use your first-person narrators senses sight, hearing, touch, etc. You walk down the usual street and suddenly some old memory hits you. If sturdy is a top consideration, your character might be expecting trouble or adventure. Earlier I mentioned how it's important to try and keep a feel of unfamiliarity to futuristic clothing. 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. 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? Describing clothes : writing - reddit Do your characters care deeply about looking respectable, or are they more afraid of putting on airs? "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.". By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. I love the way clothes can describe a character. Heres a great visual guide on female fantasy armor by YouTuber Shadiversity. These small but mighty players can add depth, complexity, and a fresh perspective to your plot. 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. Theyll see it automatically. Mail was one of the first types of metal armor developed, arguably by the Celts, though other sources say its origins came from Eastern Europe. In other words take what exists and apply it differently. 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I never thought of there being a uniform for Midwestern ladyness. We naturally link clothing and identity, which is why wardrobe is such an effective tool for building a vivid character. Finally there's all the little things that can make an outfit look more futuristic. Who's your rebel, and how does their clothing reflect their defiant spirit? The last minute change suggests an indecisive nature. I sincerely hope youve found some inspiration for your fantasy medieval armor. As with mail, steel was the best material due to its hardness, which was obtained by heating the steel to extreme temperatures and then submerging it into cold water, a process known as quenching. They are more common around the chest and torso in Asian cultures though, so keep that in mind when adding diagonal lines. No problem! Wearing a suit of armor was like being in your own private world. 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. 1. Richard the Lionheart, for instance, was celebrated amongst his peers for his ability to chop his enemys skulls down to the teeth. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. Theyre the kind of thing that often happen organically, but you can actually make use of character secrets to make your stories better. Its a good time. You can weave clothing description into your process when using our story planner for writers. Use fashion and clothing history archives if necessary. Make sure you know whats hot and whats not in your specific setting, as well as what specific words the locals would use. As a friend told me, Wear jeans and glasses and have a favorite pen. Ill add it to my to do list . We already have spray on clothing technology. I second the idea of describing the reactions of the characters to the city. Hello, I am attempting to write my first fantasy novel (and my first novel), and I'm having difficulty visualizing what kind of clothes my characters should be wearing. 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. When heated, steel turns from yellow, to brown, to blue, to red. I saw Jesus Christ Superstar a long time ago and Jesus was in a sharp black suit. Or is it really important for a reader to know the specific pattern? How to Describe Clothing in a Story (with Examples) | Now Novel Changes in characters clothing can help revealcharacter development. Whenever other races or species are involved, like elves and trolls, it's often best to give them clothing that differs from whatever humans (and other races) wear, even if those differences are subtle. Think noble King Arthur and his knights of the roundtable. - Use nudity. 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. Is this purely for cinematic effect or would some leaders remove their helmets to show their faces to their soldiers? Now turn the edges a different color or make them light up and you immediately have a more futuristic looking suit. Blades hacking, slicing and puncturing, cutting open gaping wounds and severing limbs and heads from bodies. Because it actually is possible. 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 were warriors first and foremost. Consider this example from Hard Times. Nylon and polyester fabrics weren't invented until almost the mid 20th century for example. The good news is that attire is not only important, its also kind of fun when you start digging into it. The novels protagonist Rodion gives Katerina the last of his money to host a funeral. Your articles are always very informative. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. Further reading How To Write Fight Scenes. One character might demonstrate their power by showing up to prom in a designer gown. 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. (Cough-cough-cough.) 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 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. Continued successes could see knights rise higher up the ranks. Glasses, headsets, lenses, jewelry, belts and so on can all help sell the futuristic look. Youre still not off the hook. Reddit - Dive into anything SHIRT AND PANTS | Fantasy-Writers.org and our This can be a very effective way if your universe is based on an existing culture. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town. You may have imagined a man in an expensive suit or a woman in designer clothes. Required fields are marked *. The tragedy of Azincourt, for example, occurred because of a poorly-chosen battleground that had flooded. Chapters 1 and 2 were pretty decent and I started chapter 4 with him dressing for the party. Delighted to hear youre finding this useful. Well come to this below. Like Dostoyevsky, think how something as small as a characters change of clothing can affecttheir own or others behaviour. An owl, a real owl! Thus his plain dress is, ironically, indicative of higher status. Details about fit, cut, and material go a long way when describing the clothing of a character who longs to attract. 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. Clothes can betray our greatest joys and our deepest insecurities. In one single piece of clothing description (a pink-eyed bundle of shawls), Dickens conveys how timid and ailing Mrs. Gradgrind is in contrast to her bullish, overbearing husband. Copyright 2023 Richie Billing | Fantasy Writer. Ideas are forever being shared and discussed. What is the prevailing value in the society of your story? Expensive indeed, and heavystronger horses had to be bred to handle the weight. I love to wear baggy trousers in summer. He's had over a dozen short stories published in various magazines and journals, with one adapted for BBC radio. Jeans and a tee it was. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. 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. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. One reason clothing descriptions can start to feel like a tedious laundry list (see what I did there?) Make them earn any sightof skin, Aunt P always said. Pfoo, the owl! Arrows will bounce off steel crafted in such a wayunless from close range, as we discussed, We mentioned gambesons above. Its not an aspect of character design that bubbles up naturally from the depths of my creative soul. 2023 NOW NOVEL CC. Leonidas in 300, for instance, almost certainly wore a helmet in the battle with the Persians! If youre good at talking clothes, you can sit this one out. In reality, a medieval lord could pretty much do what they liked. A lowly one at that, but one very much capable of climbing the ladder. You can immediately show a character is wealthy with descriptions of fine clothing. Stockings, long gloves, scarves or separate layers of clothing make a huge difference. Thats a good example of using clothing to reinforce the narrative of a characters arc. Whats the respected uniform, and does your character wear it? It gives you an idea of the capabilities that armor can have. So here are some more ways to alter a design while sticking with familiarity and a more historic feel: Think touchable fabrics and the light scent of lavender soap. 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. From time to time we may use affiliate links to help with the costs of running the site. It makes for a more entertaining read. What matters more to them: fashion or function? Plain: Ordinary clothes of one color like gray, beige, or black. 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.

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