This is great! The eye slits were narrow to prevent all sizes of arrowheads from finding their way through. It's also an indirect way to describe their physical appearance by examining how the clothes fit them.
Troubles with Clothing in Fantasy + Some Ideas - Brielle Andela 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 . Advertisements.
How to describe scenery ? : r/fantasywriters - reddit.com Vividly describing the colors of your character's clothing can enliven ordinary writing. Improve this answer. Which was, indeed, a little weird straight off! They're the Robin to your Batman, the Luigi to your Mario, the Samwise Gamgee to your Frodo Baggins. These are deep questions. I mentioned my online writing group at the beginning of this guide. Even things like tattoos, hair colors, eye colors and so on can help with this. Military service was always well-rewarded and violence applauded. From lowly serfs to great warriors, all could wear and fight effectively in chainmail. Vision in such helmets was extremely limited, but this was the cost of added protection. The only cloak in the world made with silk spun by the cat-sized spiders that live in the forbidden mountains. Shoes made with bendable displays already exist, allowing you to change your shoe's design on the fly. 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. That decorative belt? The easy way to describe the setting is when the characters interact with it, e.g. We naturally link clothing and identity, which is why wardrobe is such an effective tool for building a vivid character. 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. And medieval warfare was a bloody affair. The changes and improvements made by technology will often create new trends or alter old ones to the point you may as well consider them a new one, so depending on the technology available in your fictional universe you may wish to create a completely new trend. Use the Character section of the Idea Finder to develop quick story ideas and flesh out your storys cast. Not all trends return and fashion isn't perfectly cyclical. Sneak around? The reader does not need the full outfit in one go. Below, well take a look at the armor found in the fantasy genre, covering everything from chain mail to helmets. In the historical fiction books Ive read, none of the heroes took off their helmets unless they were knocked off, or bashed in. Both doublets and chain mail were worn in conjunction with plated armor for that added protection, particularly for areas plate could not cover, such as arms and the groin. See more ideas about character description, fantasy fashion, fantasy clothing. You can go for standard quasi medieval fantasy clothing. In 2021 his debut novel, Pariah's Lament, an epic fantasy, was published by Of Metal and Magic. 70s-inspired. Another might claim power by striding in wearing torn jeans and a tank top. Because like all other character details, its not enough to paint a picture.
Looking for a word - prince's clothes - English Language Learners Stack Is this purely for cinematic effect or would some leaders remove their helmets to show their faces to their soldiers? Pfoo, the owl! All this to say: there is substantial storytelling power in a coral Life is Good t-shirt. What the description shows is that many of the inviteesplay at status through fancy dress. Its not an aspect of character design that bubbles up naturally from the depths of my creative soul. For example, headphones aren't really a piece of clothing, but they definitely affect our style. You find that its about more than throwing out fashion terms and listing articles of clothing. 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. Earlier I mentioned how it's important to try and keep a feel of unfamiliarity to futuristic clothing. They should be doing that. Discover an extensive list of terms you may want to know here. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. Ha-ha! Plain: Ordinary clothes of one color like gray, beige, or black. So have fun with that. A warrior had to fight the enemy, and to fight his armor as well would be too distracting. They could withstand high-velocity strikes from a javelin or lance, driven home by somebody charging forwards on horseback. On the other hand you may wish to add layers for the same purpose. Some wore a trapper a covering of full chain mailand down the line, some horses even had their own plated armor. 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 To discover more awesome ideas, head over to Pinterest and just search for female fantasy armor. - Mix cultures. True, it all depends on your purpose. Heres a superb glossary, with pictures, of all types of armor. [Find more articles on character description in our complete guide to character creation.]. In pre-thermometer times this was difficult as you can imagine, so instead, armorers observed the colour of the heated steel. The clothing itself can be just standard medieval gear, but with these elements they immediately look (wood) elvish. Your email address will not be published. Lets take a look at how clothing description indicates your characters identity, goals, and culture. stylish, expensive clothing, yet not specific to a certain time or place. One reason clothing descriptions can start to feel like a tedious laundry list (see what I did there?) His writing offers a masterclass in how to describe clothing in stories. Baggy jeans. In this section, Ive included some more guides on creating fantasy armor designs that you may find useful. 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. In pre-thermometer times this was difficult as you can imagine, so instead, armorers observed the colour of the heated steel. 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. 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. 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. It's what we're slowly doing today. 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. Baggy. And lets not forget the trusty steed. Look how she sits with her mouth open! In a fantasy setting, you may be trying to conjure up a certain feel right off the bat based on how you describe a character's clothing (and the words you use to describe them). Sometimes the simplest changes are enough to create something completely new and ideal for a particular universe. Its all in the craft.Its good that youre here to learn how to describe clothing in writing, because its a powerful tool. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. 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. Do all your characters embrace it? A band t-shirt. Leather could be stitched into coats, or added to mail to provide added protection.
Reddit - Dive into anything 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. 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. Richie also runs The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed, a podcast devoted to helping writers improve their craft. And well dip back in time to look at medieval armor and how it was used and crafted. Obviously clothing is extremely varied, especially dresses. Details about fit, cut, and material go a long way when describing the clothing of a character who longs to attract. Consider this example from Hard Times. Although such armor exists in fantasy worlds, its important to understand how things work in the real world, even at a basic level. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. One does not refer to "a garb". This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth. Again, I don't mean make your character walk around naked, but add elements of covering up or exposing certain areas of the body. An owl, a real owl! She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. They also wear talismans, jewelry, and other objects. Similar to how pixelated designs tend to look more futuristic so do designs full of geometrical shapes. They can tell us what era they live in, and even a persons current state of mind or intent. Use your first-person narrators senses sight, hearing, touch, etc. Leonidas in 300, for instance, almost certainly wore a helmet in the battle with the Persians! This is often enough to make something look more futuristic, especially if used on something that looks glossy, shiny and/or smooth.
Writing Tips on Describing Clothes - Pen and the Pad Delighted to hear youre finding this useful. A velvet scrunchie. The shrewd king essentially licensed out parcels of his land as rewards to his warriors in exchange for their military service. And ninety-nine percent of the clothing descriptions in your first draft are just jeans. I get it. Perhaps its because the genre was born out of stories that emerged from the Middle Ages like Beowulf and King Arthur (around the 10th-11th century). You can keep track of your characters signature style, upload photos, note how their style evolves, and keep these ideas right at your fingertips as you write. What your character wears reveals where they come from, how they rank in society, how they want to be perceived, and even how they feel about themselves. Who is your character at the beginning of the story, and how can you dress them to establish their normal? Theyll see it automatically. Adorable. Are they overalls or coveralls? Or are you writing a spy character who dons Lululemon to infiltrate an upscale yoga studio? 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. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. It can be as simple as making a dress shorter, a jacket longer or sleeves wider and longer. Its a bit OCD of me. But even regular elements can help with this. As time marched on, small plates of leather or iron were added to the mail to protect key areas, such as vital organs. How long do they need their clothes to last? Theyre probably less concerned with how they look (unless they want to look intimidating) and more concerned with things like survival or victory. Be specific and accurate. In writing, the clothes kind of do make the (hu)man. Now on the other end of the spectrum we have fantasy clothing and more history based clothing.
Creative Words to Describe Outfit & Clothing - INK Think noble King Arthur and his knights of the roundtable.
Clothing in fantasy novel | Absolute Write Water Cooler