We all love a character with a cool set of fantasy armor: the baresark Rek from David Gemmells Legend with his enchanted coat of bronze, or Tomas from Raymond Feists Riftwar Cycle with his gleaming white dragon plate which gifted him incredible power. A warrior had to fight the enemy, and to fight his armor as well would be too distracting. Describing armor and clothing. : r/writing - reddit Shoes made with bendable displays already exist, allowing you to change your shoe's design on the fly. 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. Make it mandatory to hold up a piece of clothing. 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. Its okay if Todds checks his designer watch three pages after you mention his silk tie. So here are some more ways to alter a design while sticking with familiarity and a more historic feel: Subtle clothing changes can signal character development quite effectively in some scenarios. Here, for example, Hilary Mantel describes a Cardinals residence being plundered by the Kings men in 1529 England, in her historical novel Wolf Hall. 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. That works. Most clothing throughout history consisted of longer pieces of fabric and with minimal tailoring and cuts. Finally there's the aspect of fashion to take into account. Very informative. In a book, none of that is true. Youre already obsessing over hat styles and what the undergarment situation was at the time of your story. Use fashion and clothing history archives if necessary. - Change lengths. Much of the clothing we wear today were either rare or completely nonexistent a hundred years ago. ^.^ The good news is that attire is not only important, its also kind of fun when you start digging into it. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. Do not describe a character's clothing except as that point of view character would do so. Id be willing to bet each of these items immediately brought to mind a semi-clear character. The answer can guide you towards certain fashion trends to inspire your characters wardrobe. Finally there's all the little things that can make an outfit look more futuristic. Your trust fund character might be completely confident showing up to a party in board shorts and flip-flops. This includes items like steel-toed boots, heavy denim, or tech-forward, snag-resistant superhero spandex. You really can tell a lot about a person by what they wear, or what they dont wear. As time marched on, small plates of leather or iron were added to the mail to protect key areas, such as vital organs. 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. Each lesson breaks down the analysis of one component of a fashion collection, progressing from a consideration of the designer's technique and influences to the . I like the way you wrote this information. You can immediately show a character is wealthy with descriptions of fine clothing. And if you want more, this documentary is excellent. One major element that makes creating more futuristic clothing easier is to make sure it doesn't look familiar, to make sure it doesn't look like something you'd come across today. As soon as the actor enters stage right or left, we have an inkling of whether theyre a wealthy landowner or peasant, an elegant heiress or humble flower-seller. 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. Any suggestions on how to properly do this? 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. It may be apocryphal, but Harold Godwinson is said to have done just that at the battle of Hastings in 1066. 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. Advertisements. We even have the technology to create clothing without seems. Im writing a little in the Epic Fantasy genre and there were quite a few useful notes I wasnt aware of here. The more outlandish the fantasy species your character is the more outlandish you can usually be with clothing, but familiarity is usually still a solid ground for a realistic feel, even if the universe and the creatures are completely unrealistic. Obviously clothing is extremely varied, especially dresses. Love this topic!! Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. What does your character wear to feel safer in their world or in their own skin? Each suit was tailored to the individual. and our Sneak around? Thanks, Teresa, and for sharing that great example from the stage. Knights were, indeed, hard to defeat in battle. A coat of mail was a complex web of metal rings, each locked with an iron rivet. Maybe theyre wearing an article of clothing that once belonged to someone theyve lost. Baggy. Follow edited Jun 17, 2020 at 9:43. The description will describe a lot of clothing pieces, some of which you may not need depending on where your character lives. Separate and enlarge it, turn down the Opacity of the layer . Metallic works well too, but make sure any metal bits or metallic looking bits are smooth and clean looking too, otherwise it might look too historic. Your main character just put on some makeup and changed into a fancy dress, complete with heels and a tiny handbag. Similarly, show how different characters personalities are through apt clothing description. If youre good at talking clothes, you can sit this one out. Describe these in passing to add visual colour and authenticity to your character descriptions. Jeans and a tee it was. It would have been extremely warm too. - Use lines to break up a piece of clothing and create a kind of mosaic. Ill add it to my to do list . What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. The image you create has to play a role in the narrative.Consider the character arc. That would depend on a few things. Clothes that are suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions. I mean what your character wears provides a clue to how they see themselves, how they want to be seen, and even how others see them. This is great! 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. He's had over a dozen short stories published in various magazines and journals, with one adapted for BBC radio. 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. Join Kickstart your Novel and get professional feedback on your first three chapters and story synopsis, plus workbooks and videos. Smart: Neat and tidy clothes but not necessarily formal. To discover more awesome ideas, head over to Pinterest and just search for female fantasy armor. What Clothes Say About Your Characters - The Write Practice Like Borges would say, Heres how to describe clothing in writing to show your readers the world to which your character belongs. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. Pingback: A fantasy writers guide to Castles and Keeps: part one Richie Billing. They're the Robin to your Batman, the Luigi to your Mario, the Samwise Gamgee to your Frodo Baggins. Its not an aspect of character design that bubbles up naturally from the depths of my creative soul. Struggling with describing clothes for a fantasy setting. : r/DnD - reddit Delighted to hear youre finding this useful. Helmets were arguably the most distinctive feature of an armored knight. Otherwise they wont take you seriously as an artist.. Heres a cool video on making leather fantasy armor by YouTuber, Prince Armory. Lets talk about how to describe clothing in writing organically. When heated, steel turns from yellow, to brown, to blue, to red. So have fun with that. It took leaving the Midwest to recognize it. This idea of knights becoming lords was introduced in England by William the Conqueror. Its about building a life and a world, and that is something you can do. Im struggling to properly figure out how to describe clothing for a fantasy setting Im trying to create. 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. You can quickly convey a number of things about your characters based on the clothing they wear. To add to the previous mosaic part stealth technology can provide great patterns. 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. They mixed more traditional Asian styles with the more Western Industrial Revolution period styles. How to describe clothing: 6 simple tips Use clothing to show status and position 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 Imagine your own armored knights storming through the battlefield like iron giants. 28 First of all, beautiful dress and mask! Characters wear more than just clothes. How to Analyze a Fashion Collection - Bloomsbury Fashion Central Hi Paige, thank you (and thanks for your question). The important thing to remember is to remain in the character's point of view. 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. Wearing a suit of armor was like being in your own private world. The same goes for other types of technology that could realistically be incorporated into the design of your character's clothing. 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. Blend in? But you may run into difficulties when it comes to the practicalities. Good for the mobile knight. Troubles with Clothing in Fantasy + Some Ideas - Brielle Andela The landladys dress highlights, by contrast, the downward spiral of Katerinas fortunes, and she responds to the landladys prideful clothing with her own wounded pride: Look at her, shes making round eyes, she feels that we are talking about her and cant understand. His writing offers a masterclass in how to describe clothing in stories. Your character might also have a job or hobby that requires protective clothing. You can even use different pieces of clothing to cover up body parts differently. 2023 NOW NOVEL CC. Its a bit OCD of me. - 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. And here are some great concepts for female fantasy armor. Have fun with it. - Convert future clothing to a historic version. And lets not forget the trusty steed. What are the rules of your characters world? How to Describe Clothing in Writing Without Boring Everybody What backstory or character motivations could combinations of appearance and reality suggest? Maybe theyre hoping to impress the cool kids or please their parents. Characters can also comment on or react to one anothers clothing, as long as the exchange reveals something about the world or relationship. Stealthy clothes bring to mind burglars clad in black outfits and soft-soled sneakers. Thanks Chuck! 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). The aim was not to cause any impediment to movement. 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. 1. Or it could be that they want to be charmed by their own image when they look in the mirror. One of the first things I learned when I moved to L.A. is that writers do not dress professionally for big meetings in Hollywood. Theyre just too important defensively. If all else fails use Google images and find some visual aids and inspiration sources, they can work wonders. Reeking of piss on the battlefield was another weapon in the arsenal I suppose. I'll make a separate point for sci-fi/futuristic clothing and fantasy/historic clothing. The line could be thin or thick, glowing, metallic-looking or just plain, padded or smooth, patterned, decorated or simply a seem. show how hard is to escape in a narrow street. Its all in the craft.Its good that youre here to learn how to describe clothing in writing, because its a powerful tool. I saw Jesus Christ Superstar a long time ago and Jesus was in a sharp black suit. s a fantastic image that Thomas Feichtmeir, AKA Cyangmou has put together. True, it all depends on your purpose. The clothing itself can be just standard medieval gear, but with these elements they immediately look (wood) elvish. Get free books, an invite to my exclusive writing group, writing tools and guides and much more when you join my community. Leather could be stitched into coats, or added to mail to provide added protection. How to Describe Clothing in a Story (with Examples) | Now Novel Well come to this below. Well cover everything from helmets and plate armor to chainmail. In most cases simply copying the style of whichever era you've based your story on is enough, but it can be fun to create your own styles and in some cases it'd make sense to have your own styles as well. Ragged clothing description generator - Fantasy name generators You can continue to alter it to add cultural elements, like the previously mentioned elvish elements or you could stick with this and keep it simple. And what does she put that cap on for? A velvet scrunchie. Sure, it helps your reader to know how you picture a character. Even the non-conformists are influenced by societal norms. - Another way to use color is to make things seem like they're glowing even if they're not and to use gradients. Cookie Notice You may have imagined a man in an expensive suit or a woman in designer clothes. The only cloak in the world made with silk spun by the cat-sized spiders that live in the forbidden mountains. It's something we have today as well, but they're oddly uncommon and work great for more futuristic looks. Will using real-world cultural vocabulary in a fantasy setting 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. I have a hard time describing my thoughts on content, but I really felt I should here. In other words: To describe a fantasy world, use either neutral terms, or made up words. We already have spray on clothing technology. This pride, though justifiable, displeased Katerina Ivanovna for some reason. We naturally link clothing and identity, which is why wardrobe is such an effective tool for building a vivid character. Heating to the perfect temperature was key. That cloth ribbon tied around their waist? Some helmets had chain attached which hung around and protected the neck, called an aventail, and most were padded inside, for added comfort. Great points. 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. Pauldrons, gauntlets, and even leg armor were fashioned into elaborate designs. As well see below, one of the best things about using medieval armor in a fantasy story is the freedom to elevate it in some way. Like Marquez, compare and contrast characters clothes to reveal important details about their social status or position.