If you stopped to think about it, you may even notice yourself imagining things as specific as age, hobbies, and ambitions. And well dip back in time to look at medieval armor and how it was used and crafted. So this really reaffirmed that approach for me. 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. Normally I dont dress characters with such complex clothing that takes more than a few sentences to describe but the vest was inspired by a picture I saw and it took at least a paragraph to describe. 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. Our wardrobes are influenced by our age, geography, culture, hobbies, and a million other aspects of our worlds. You may have imagined a man in an expensive suit or a woman in designer clothes. Well cover everything from helmets and plate armor to chainmail. Fashionable: Clothes representing a current style in fashion. Choose A Chapter The Fantasy Genre And Medieval Armor Chain Mail Plated Armor Helmets Other Types Of Armor The Medieval Knight Much of the clothing we wear today were either rare or completely nonexistent a hundred years ago. - 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. is because we get stuck on what things look like. And if you need a place to organize your complex responses, I recommend Dabbles Character Notes feature. Armor, therefore, wasnt that heavya full suit weighed approximately 50 pounds, which is around 3 to 4 stone. Another similar and perhaps way more popular example of this is Steampunk. This description generator will create a mostly random description of either a dress or a suit, fit for formal occasions and other fancy needs. Wearing a suit of armor was like being in your own private world. The image you create has to play a role in the narrative.Consider the character arc. They give you the chance to offer comic relief, a dash of wisdom, and just some good old fashioned friendship., Sidekick characters. Also bear in mind that not all clothing descriptions have to be presented as She put on x or He was wearing y. You can draw your readers attention to an item of clothing by having your character draw on their jeans or fiddle with their collar. You walk down the usual street and suddenly some old memory hits you. Smart: Neat and tidy clothes but not necessarily formal. It may be apocryphal, but Harold Godwinson is said to have done just that at the battle of Hastings in 1066. The aim was not to cause any impediment to movement. Using this site means trees will be planted. The shrewd king essentially licensed out parcels of his land as rewards to his warriors in exchange for their military service. show how hard is to escape in a narrow street. This article has compiled 100 different words you can use to describe clothes, and below the main list of 100 words we've explained our reasoning for a lot of the top picks from that very list, for your personal enjoyment. This pride, though justifiable, displeased Katerina Ivanovna for some reason. It took leaving the Midwest to recognize it. Do not describe a character's clothing except as that point of view character would do so. But you may run into difficulties when it comes to the practicalities. Another important function of clothing description in stories is to create an authentic sense of time and place. Sneak around? 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. Jeans and a tee it was. The aim is to arm you with what you need to enrich your tales with brilliant detail. Not to pile on, but dont forget to make sure you know which materials wereand werentavailable in the world of your novel. Play with the question of presentation and power! Its all in the craft.Its good that youre here to learn how to describe clothing in writing, because its a powerful tool. 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. As with body armor, great efforts were made with the designs of helmets. 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. But Ive also noticed that artful clothing description does make a character, a setting, and even a moment more engaging. Give your wealthy character a pair of Louboutins and dress your non-wealthy characters in hand-me-downs. But if you do want some guidelines, inspiration or just help this guide'll hopefully provide it. These detail could suggest that your character is miserly or down-to-earth despite their wealth. "A dress" (or using "the" to refer to a particular "garment") means an item of clothing that is normally worn by women. Consider this example from Hard Times. If sturdy is a top consideration, your character might be expecting trouble or adventure. Such coats were made from brass or iron, though steel was deemed best due to its toughness. Youre already obsessing over hat styles and what the undergarment situation was at the time of your story. There's also the element of technology that has to be taken into account. Only when youre keeping secrets in fiction, you can make them even darker and deeper than any you might ever have in real life. One reason clothing descriptions can start to feel like a tedious laundry list (see what I did there?) Which was, indeed, a little weird straight off! If your character comes home and immediately sheds three layers of down and fleece, Im going to assume theyre not in San Antonio, Texas. In other words: To describe a fantasy world, use either neutral terms, or made up words. (Huh.). And if you were skilled at surviving and killing, it was a good way to make a living. We therefore see in the fantasy genre characters equipped with grand helmets and beautiful pieces of plate armor. 1. Your email address will not be published. They mixed more traditional Asian styles with the more Western Industrial Revolution period styles. Adding these other bits of lesser-known fantasy armor to your stories can really add extra depth to your worldbuilding. These elements are very important when taking into account the previous point. (Hopefully, I dont really know your life, so maybe not. To discover more awesome ideas, head over to Pinterest and just search for female fantasy armor. Do they strive to be humble before their god or do they want to spend this one and only life as their bold, ostentatious selves? Because like all other character details, its not enough to paint a picture. Costume is a large part of a character. - 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. Imagine your own armored knights storming through the battlefield like iron giants. Only in certain situations is a description even needed. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. Not to mention the social status of a person. For example, fur usually wasn't used as a piece of decoration for clothing and if used at all was often worn around the neck and shoulders or underneath other (often hide) clothing to keep warm. Sometimes the simplest changes are enough to create something completely new and ideal for a particular universe. A possible source of conflict for a story, perhaps! For more information, please see our Youre working essential details into the narrative at the moment when they are most relevant. The complete opposite is true for fantasy and historic clothing. One specific form of descriptive writing that particularly affects setting and characterization is the portrayal of characters' clothing. Stylish: Elegant and sophisticated clothing to grab attention. The more people that join this thriving group the better it becomes. Ive always wondered that too! I dont mean camisoles and cardigans. And when Mother Nature gets involved, even the best suit of armor can have problems. 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. The answer can guide you towards certain fashion trends to inspire your characters wardrobe. 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. Lots of gear would have been looted. In pre-thermometer times this was difficult as you can imagine, so instead, armorers observed the colour of the heated steel. 2023 NOW NOVEL CC. 2012 - Would the fashion designers in your fantasy novel make use of dragon scales? If it fits your universe it usually works, so don't be afraid of doing something different. Glasses, headsets, lenses, jewelry, belts and so on can all help sell the futuristic look. It would have been extremely warm too. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. Improve this answer. (Where do they buy their clothes? 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. Impoverished with children to care for, she uses her last money to give her husband a dignified funeral. Either way, their goal is to be desirable, whatever desirable means in this situation. He is old but stylish. The Victorian author Charles Dickens is widely regarded as a master of characterization, for good reason. Character description may change over the course of a story to emphasize a characters arc. Baggy. In other words, research. That decorative belt? These aren't the only elements either, pretty much every part of clothing changes with the times and depend heavily upon what's fashionable at the time. The eye slits were narrow to prevent all sizes of arrowheads from finding their way through. That cloth ribbon tied around their waist? Pingback: Fantasy Weapons - Medieval, Magic And Other Types - Richie Billing, Helping writers on their journey and readers find their next favourite story.. Military service was always well-rewarded and violence applauded. Chapters 1 and 2 were pretty decent and I started chapter 4 with him dressing for the party. Here are five examples: 1. Consider whether your characters attire might serve as a symbol, highlight a theme, or represent a conflict. In other words take what exists and apply it differently. - 'Stealth'. Without decriptions of the clothing it's a bit boring, the novel becomes a list of people the reader can't imagine doing things. Required fields are marked *. Affordable . Examples of the prior are Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey and to some degree Star Wars and Tron. The unsung hero of so many stories. - 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). Because it actually is possible. Just click the button below to find out more. Its something readers definitely appreciate, which I found with Pariahs Lament. Trendy: Modern, fashionable, and up-to-date outfits. Examples of the latter are The Fifth Element and The Hunger Games. Casual. - Use nudity. 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. I love the way clothes can describe a character. 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. From lowly serfs to great warriors, all could wear and fight effectively in chainmail. Really like your article. The senses were deadened: sight limited, sound muffled, breathing stifled (depending on the type of helmet). Maybe their goal is to entice a mate. Okay, maybe not.Secrets in real life can be a little trickywe all have thembut they have a way of blowing up in our faces, depending on how big they are.Your characters are really no different. A velvet scrunchie. Characters can also comment on or react to one anothers clothing, as long as the exchange reveals something about the world or relationship. 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? Thank you for sharing this valuable information. He took off his helmet and a Norman archer made a lucky shot that put out Harolds eye and ended the battle.It should be noted that, with the helmets of the time, it wasnt necessary for Harold to take off his helmet, either to be seen or to get his eye shot out. What I would like to ask is how you would go about describing very specific details on more complex clothing? Which brings me to my next point. 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. Similarly, find out (or, if youre creating a fantasy world, create) the garments your characters would wear in a particular time and place. A warrior had to fight the enemy, and to fight his armor as well would be too distracting. In reality, a medieval lord could pretty much do what they liked. Make it mandatory to hold up a piece of clothing. Any suggestions on how to properly do 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. You can even use different pieces of clothing to cover up body parts differently. Game of Thrones/A Song Of Ice And Fire is one series that wonderfully explores fantasy armor and weapons. 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.
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