A warrior had to fight the enemy, and to fight his armor as well would be too distracting. "White tunics" have been worn from 2016 to a good forty thousand years ago. for any particular parts of an outfit. Dostoyevsky describes how Katerinas landlady, Amalia Ivanovna, dresses for the funeral: the table was properly laid at the time and fixed, and Amalia Ivanovna, feeling she had done her work well, had put on a black silk dress and a cap with new mourning ribbons and met the returning party with some pride. Youre still not off the hook. And if you want more, this documentary is excellent. The shrewd king essentially licensed out parcels of his land as rewards to his warriors in exchange for their military service. Your character might also have a job or hobby that requires protective clothing. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. This is less important for non-visual arts as clothing isn't always described in writing, but it can still be incredibly helpful to have a fully detailed character in your head or written down somewhere for reference and just to make everything feel more real and alive. Pingback: A fantasy writers guide to Castles and Keeps: part one Richie Billing. But that doesn't mean you can't deviate from these guidelines completely and do whatever you wish. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt. Youre working essential details into the narrative at the moment when they are most relevant. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 'There is a blog for every aspect of the writing journey.' Thanks Benjamin! Much of the clothing we wear today were either rare or completely nonexistent a hundred years ago. So sometimes all it takes to create futuristic clothing is to take a trend that has passed, alter it slightly and you're done. Changes in characters clothing can help revealcharacter development. 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. Get free books, an invite to my exclusive writing group, writing tools and guides and much more when you join my community. Smart: Neat and tidy clothes but not necessarily formal. Or it could be that they want to be charmed by their own image when they look in the mirror. Youll be blown away by the number of awesome things on there. 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. Those outfits can become iconic. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. We naturally link clothing and identity, which is why wardrobe is such an effective tool for building a vivid character. Through fashion terms you can understand the fundamentals of the fashion industry. Most picture the knight when we talk about plated armorrigid tin men that can withstand all manner of blows. One does not refer to "a garb". 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. 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 last minute change suggests an indecisive nature. And well dip back in time to look at medieval armor and how it was used and crafted. Most clothing throughout history consisted of longer pieces of fabric and with minimal tailoring and cuts. Cookie Notice That fancy Ming dynasty dress looks completely different with exposed shoulders and that medieval set of pants look completely different if you turn them into shorts with exposed legs. Maybe your character is snuggled up in their fleece pajamas while the blizzard rages outside. 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. 28 First of all, beautiful dress and mask! Heating to the perfect temperature was key. I didnt even know how to begin describing this piece of clothing. Another quick way of making standard clothing fantasy themed is by converting clothes form the relative future to one that could be created in whichever time period your universe falls under. Dragon scales, fiery furs and feathers and other elements can quickly turn a standard item into a fantasy one. The description will describe a lot of clothing pieces, some of which you may not need depending on where your character lives. Get an image of a blank shirt and simply draw the lines on it, it'll form a great base to work with. Is your central conflict a life-or-death situation? 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. Helpful links to blog posts, articles, videos and guides are shared every day. "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.". To create a more futuristic looking style an easy way of doing it is to incorporate technology into the clothing itself. Clean, powerful strikes were needed to disable a foe wearing mail. Id be willing to bet each of these items immediately brought to mind a semi-clear character. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. It may be apocryphal, but Harold Godwinson is said to have done just that at the battle of Hastings in 1066. Separate and enlarge it, turn down the Opacity of the layer . Good for the mobile knight. Achieving glory in battle was one way of earning a knighthood. A scarlet pantsuit. Describe these in passing to add visual colour and authenticity to your character descriptions. I'll make a separate point for sci-fi/futuristic clothing and fantasy/historic clothing. But your reader is going to picture something whether you guide them or not. 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. What I would like to ask is how you would go about describing very specific details on more complex clothing? Military service was always well-rewarded and violence applauded. If youre trying to learn how to describe clothing in writing, youre probably like me: Youve only pretended to know what organza is. Im writing a little in the Epic Fantasy genre and there were quite a few useful notes I wasnt aware of here. Stiff with embroidery, strewn with pearls, encrusted with gemstones, they seem to stand by themselves. So its unsurprising to see soldiers wielding swords and axes and shooting bows. Clothes that are loose and hanging in folds. But there is so much more to the experience of clothing than that. Make it mandatory to hold up a piece of clothing. Slog through another meaningless day in a world where nothing matters? One specific form of descriptive writing that particularly affects setting and characterization is the portrayal of characters' clothing. They work, they're safe and in many cases have become a standard. Clean, powerful strikes were needed to disable a foe wearing mail. What would you think about a wealthy character who looked as though he shopped at thrift stores? That decorative belt? 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. Community . 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. Lets talk about how to describe clothing in writing organically. In Dostoyevskys Crime and Punishment, the poor, Tuberculosis-stricken Katerina Ivanovnas husband is trampled to death by a horse-drawn cart. Clothes that are suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions. First and foremost, remember that clothing description is still storytelling. 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. Lets take a look at how clothing description indicates your characters identity, goals, and culture. The senses were deadened: sight limited, sound muffled, breathing stifled (depending on the type of helmet). And what weve covered here today is only just the tip of the iceberg. They're the Robin to your Batman, the Luigi to your Mario, the Samwise Gamgee to your Frodo Baggins. Think of other interesting combinations: A teacher who dresses provocatively; a beggar with an innate sense of style. How do they change, and how does their clothing reflect that change? We therefore see in the fantasy genre characters equipped with grand helmets and beautiful pieces of plate armor. In this scene, Gradgrind returns home to find his children playing outside: A space of stunted grass and dry rubbish being between him and the young rabble, he took his eyeglass out of his waistcoat to look for any child he knew by name, and might order off. I'm sort of into historical armor so would get a kick out of finding an excuse to talk about vambraces/rerebraces, spaulders, etc. 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. 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. These were worn on their own by those wanting greater speed and flexibility, but also by those unable to afford stronger armor. Affordable . Knights werent as immobile as people assum, though I can imagine in a quagmire itd be tricky to get up. 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. Or one who was forever wearing poorly-fitted clothing that appeared to be handed down from friends? That's why it's valuable to learn these terms. Its okay if Todds checks his designer watch three pages after you mention his silk tie. Your article is really great. And of course, location provides a clue for what it takes to be comfortable in the world of your story. What exactly are you trying to communicate about the character, setting, or situation? And what does she put that cap on for? Characters wear more than just clothes. [Find more articles on character description in our complete guide to character creation.]. - 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. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. That works. Look at this picture, is it insane for an author to try to describe this on a character? ), The geographical location of your story. Clothing description is something I have to actively choose to create, too. Now this won't work for every piece of clothing of course, not everything has buttons or edges that allow for simple changes we don't already use today, so here are a few ways that are commonly used to make things look more futuristic: One easy way of creating a more customized look is to simply use cultural elements in the standard clothing. Use the Character section of the Idea Finder to develop quick story ideas and flesh out your storys cast. Chausses / Chauces (15th century) Pantaloons; padded hosen for the legs, often worn under chainmail or plate armor. Whats the respected uniform, and does your character wear it? So as a way of trying to control them and their behaviour, the code of chivalry and honour was introduced. And ninety-nine percent of the clothing descriptions in your first draft are just jeans. I get it. 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. The jacket has a narrow, rectangular neckline which reveals part of the fancy shirt worn below it and is worn with a light rope belt, which is held together by a simple knot. Not to pile on, but dont forget to make sure you know which materials wereand werentavailable in the world of your novel. Theyre the lifeblood of any relationship. Trendy: Modern, fashionable, and up-to-date outfits. 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. 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? Some wore a trapper a covering of full chain mailand down the line, some horses even had their own plated armor. 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. A person who doesn't want to draw attention to themselves would dress completely differently today than they would even a few decades ago. 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 . The fact the clothes seem to stand by themselves indicates just how heavy they are with jewels and embroidery. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. (Hopefully, I dont really know your life, so maybe not. 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 may have imagined a man in an expensive suit or a woman in designer clothes. 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. 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. Make sure you know whats hot and whats not in your specific setting, as well as what specific words the locals would use. The details create an authentic sense of a prominentcardinals dressin the 1500s. Clothes can betray our greatest joys and our deepest insecurities. You can go for standard quasi medieval fantasy clothing. Its something readers definitely appreciate, which I found with Pariahs Lament. Not a Dabble user? Odds are, youve got a character who dresses to stay alive. By using fur for decoration you quickly create fictional pieces in no time. Any suggestions on how to properly do this? At the end of the day, they were professional slayers, swords for hire. So have fun with that. And if you dont write historical fiction? The tragedy of Azincourt, for example, occurred because of a poorly-chosen battleground that had flooded. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. But even regular elements can help with this. 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. This is a fun one. Clothing reflects the resources available in a specific time and place. 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. 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. So we've covered ways to make clothing look both futuristic and historic, but these are all just guidelines and mostly based on what's been done before. The fact Gem goes with jeans and a tee could suggest that she trusts her aunts advice. 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. What would high stakes clothing look like in your story? Thanks Liv, Im glad you found this helpful. Expensive indeed, and heavystronger horses had to be bred to handle the weight. PsstDoes Your Character Have a Secret? In other words, research. One reason clothing descriptions can start to feel like a tedious laundry list (see what I did there?) As such, the contemporary tales that have followed, like Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Dungeons and Dragons and everything in between, have paid homage to that era. They were warriors first and foremost. 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.