Blunt, Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. His pants are simple and narrow and reach down to his hard leather shoes. As the battle continued through the day, a rumor grew that Harold had died or fled the field, I forget which. Our wardrobes are influenced by our age, geography, culture, hobbies, and a million other aspects of our worlds. Or is it really important for a reader to know the specific pattern? What is a good way to do Show not tell in a first person POV state? 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. Subtle clothing changes can signal character development quite effectively in some scenarios. For example, a shy person will often wear 'regular' clothing, clothing that isn't too bright or outgoing in both design and colors. PsstDoes Your Character Have a Secret? You dont need it to sign up. Here are a few different types: We mentioned gambesons above. That also will help readers really experience things through their eyes. Compare this, then, to Dickens description of Gradgrinds wife in the following chapter (Gradgrinds wealthy but poverty-claiming friend has just told Mrs. Gradgrind he was born in a ditch): Mrs. Gradgrind, a little, thin, white, pink-eyed bundle of shawls, of surpassing feebleness, mental and bodily; who was always taking physic without any effect, and who, whenever she showed a symptom of coming to life, was invariably stunned by some weighty piece of fact tumbling on her; Mrs. Gradgrind hoped it was a dry ditch? 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. or the world theyre desperately resisting. We even have the technology to create clothing without seems. Or are you writing a spy character who dons Lululemon to infiltrate an upscale yoga studio? But there is so much more to the experience of clothing than that. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. Stylish: Elegant and sophisticated clothing to grab attention. He's had over a dozen short stories published in various magazines and journals, with one adapted for BBC radio. When heated, steel turns from yellow, to brown, to blue, to red. Here are five examples: 1. Something like this: As you can see, a knights armor is made up of a lot of different pieces. Excuse the on hold background music. Clothes that are suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions. Besides knowing who we design for we also have to know what the rules for designing are within the universe of our characters. Whether its a matter of indulgence or survival, feeling good is a deeply relatable goal. If you write historical fiction, youre probably way ahead of me. If your character comes home and immediately sheds three layers of down and fleece, Im going to assume theyre not in San Antonio, Texas. Copyright 2023 Richie Billing | Fantasy Writer. You can also fulfil (or contradict) impressions your characters (or readers) form based on appearances. Thanks Benjamin! New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. With all that armor, its often assumed the medieval knight was immobile. I tend to avoid describing clothing. Leather could be stitched into coats, or added to mail to provide added protection. The details create an authentic sense of a prominentcardinals dressin the 1500s. - 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. So why not join the gang? - Christine, on How to describe clothing in a story (with examples), 8 story hook examples (how to grab attention), Story structure examples: How to create payoffs for readers, How to describe to immerse readers (complete guide), How to write deep POV: 8 tips and examples, 9 exposition examples: How to write clear introductions, How to make a plot captivating: 7 strategies, Writing great characters: 5 lessons from modern novels. Am I trying to blow the interview? Theyre just too important defensively. Wearing a suit of armor was like being in your own private world. Well cover everything from helmets and plate armor to chainmail. 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. 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. Consider whether your characters attire might serve as a symbol, highlight a theme, or represent a conflict. And here are some great concepts for female fantasy armor. The fact Gem goes with jeans and a tee could suggest that she trusts her aunts advice. His writing offers a masterclass in how to describe clothing in stories. If it fits your universe it usually works, so don't be afraid of doing something different. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. Not a Dabble user? Delighted to hear youre finding this useful. That cloth ribbon tied around their waist? 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. It makes for a more entertaining read. - 'Stealth'. Thanks, Teresa, and for sharing that great example from the stage. The answer can guide you towards certain fashion trends to inspire your characters wardrobe. To make it futuristic you could change where the buttons are, they're normally quite low and form a v-neck line when buttoned up, how about moving them to the top and creating an upside down V shape at the bottom. Lets take a look at how clothing description indicates your characters identity, goals, and culture. Now, for the feedbackit depends what POV you're writing in. Mail was lightweight and flexible. Helmets were arguably the most distinctive feature of an armored knight. Be specific and accurate. Play with the question of presentation and power! Read these tips on how (and why) to describe clothes with examples from well-known novels: 1: Use clothing to show status and position 2: Build (or thwart) character expectations with clothing descriptions 3: Describe clothing to contrast characters' personalities 4: Show clothing to avoid over-relying on telling Is your character trying to attract positive attention? 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. Sci-fi and fantasy don't necessarily have to be futuristic and historic respectively, but they're commonly associated as such, so for the sake of simplicity that's what I'm going with for the purposes of this guide. The fact that Ill add it to my to do list . Its something readers definitely appreciate, which I found with Pariahs Lament. Ive always wondered that too! But thats the case wherever you go. Give your wealthy character a pair of Louboutins and dress your non-wealthy characters in hand-me-downs. A band t-shirt. In other words take what exists and apply it differently. - Change lengths. In this section, Ive included some more guides on creating fantasy armor designs that you may find useful. The fact the clothes seem to stand by themselves indicates just how heavy they are with jewels and embroidery. Sweaters or jumpers? - Use lines to break up a piece of clothing and create a kind of mosaic. My story feels like its set more in medieval times, but I don't want my characters running around in full out tunics and. But if you do want some guidelines, inspiration or just help this guide'll hopefully provide it. Odds are, youve got a character who dresses to stay alive. Also try searching cool fantasy armor, or epic fantasy armor. "Garb" or "dress" (without an article) is a rather drab abstract noun for what a person is wearing. The time period of your story. What would you think about a wealthy character who looked as though he shopped at thrift stores? - Use nudity. Adorable. The clothing itself can be just standard medieval gear, but with these elements they immediately look (wood) elvish. Sneak around? Or they could be frantically running errands in leggings and a t-shirt. The train hums and throbs in place as people rush to pile in.. and our Any suggestions on how to properly do this? Further reading How To Write Fight Scenes. I really loved this article, but I have one question, it was very helpful. More on that in a bit. A common (wood) elvish theme is to have lots of green tints, flowery elements and intricate embroidery. Choose A Chapter The Fantasy Genre And Medieval Armor Chain Mail Plated Armor Helmets Other Types Of Armor The Medieval Knight Heating to the perfect temperature was key. Ideas are forever being shared and discussed. By playing around with this you quickly create very subtle, but more unique fantasy-themed items. William the Conquerors society was shaped with war in mind. You really can tell a lot about a person by what they wear, or what they dont wear. It doesn't exclude those that don't know what a qipao is, nor break immersion for those who do. (Has denim been invented yet? This can be a very effective way if your universe is based on an existing culture. I'll make a separate point for sci-fi/futuristic clothing and fantasy/historic clothing. 80s-inspired. 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. Its because concrete details are incredibly effective in communicating abstract concepts. You may have seen steelworkers doing this after forging the likes of blades and horseshoes. As a result, feudal England became rife with young murderous men. Finally there's all the little things that can make an outfit look more futuristic. 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. To add to the previous mosaic part stealth technology can provide great patterns. The final design with all its layers will often hide elements of the clothing that a client may want to see later. Advertisements. )Secrets might not be something youve specifically thought about when youre drafting a story. Like Marquez, compare and contrast characters clothes to reveal important details about their social status or position. I dont mean camisoles and cardigans. - Taboos and nudity. Those outfits can become iconic. Never hose for men and probably never puffy breeches. Chapters 1 and 2 were pretty decent and I started chapter 4 with him dressing for the party. The more people that join this thriving group the better it becomes. What would high stakes clothing look like in your story? Like all forms of exposition, your goal is to deliver this information without pulling the reader out of the story. Some materials are used more than others, some colors are more desirable than others and some accessories are more desirable than others and these all changed throughout time.