Clothing descriptions

[thecoldembrace]

Descriptions of clothes has for as long as I can remember have been an eternal plague to me. I can describe warriors well enough, because well I know what they need. It is those out of armor that concerns me, and most importantly women. When I describe female clothing it always tends toward the dress or gown because I can't think what they should wear. I don't know fabrics, when and how to describe details associated on clothing.
My world is set in a high Renaissance period with elements of more ancient times. A lot of my story revolves around the class of the very rich and powerful, but I do have my less wealthy people who are central to the story.
If anyone could give me some insights on what I should aim to do, especially with women's clothing it would be an amazing help

-Cold

 

[JRFLynn]

I often feel the same way, I'm pretty clumsy when it comes to clothes. I tend to go all out when it does pop up in writing. If your period is Renaissance, men typically wore doublets and hose, the fashion allowed for puffy sleeves but there were trends that had "eyelets" in both the doublet and pants. They would often wear long robes over this ensemble as well, higher status men also wore short cloaks that cropped at the waist. Don't ask me why, not very practical. The merchant class and wealthy were much flashier. Give them hats with a plume, maybe shoes with bells, who knows. They were pretty crazy in the courts, that's where all the new fashions would pop up As for women of stature, they wore corset dresses and large hoop skirts--contraptions typically of wood. Go all out on the frills, lace, billowing fabric and the wonky hairdos. Even stick a stuffed ferret in there...okay, a bird or something.

If you're wondering when to describe dresses/garb, formal introductions are usually a good place, or maybe there's one person that stands out in particular. If it's a book about political intrigue than I think it's fine to focus on clothes description, as a lord and lady's dress is synonymous with their armor. Extravagance was a way to show their wealth and fashion sense (or intelligence, civility, etc)

For an everyday woman working in a tavern, she at least wore a skirt and blouse, maybe with a loose corset and a jumper over that. Wikipedia might help you too, or a quick search on the period's clothing. I wouldn't be too strict, try and have fun. Maybe you could make up some interesting trends to give it that fantasy flare?

Renaissance Italian Clothing And Fashion (Hope this helps, there's a transcript at the bottom)

 

[wordwalker]

One thing that might help, not about getting the raw data (because it sounds like you do need a lot) but about using it: when you're deciding when to describe how much clothing, think of how it affects the scene's plot or at least tells the character something at the moment.

Yes you could go on for lines about what each person wears, and what it's made up of or what steps are needed to put it on-- and sometimes you want to. But the points you most want to make are about when clothes make someone look richer, poorer, more out of date, more foreign, too military or too party-happy, or any other impression that changes (or foreshadows) how people are going to treat them as the scene goes on. That and when the clothes start physically slowing or tripping them and that affects the rest of it.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

I'm with Wordwalker. I only describe clothing with a detail or two (if even that much) and only if it adds an effect to character or story. I much prefer to describe these types of things minimally and let the reader fill in the finer details with their imaginations, from their experience.

Even with physical description, I tend to do the same. I might write about a character with oily black hair and a hook nose. The reader can color the rest in from that base. I believe description rendered in this way involves the reader more. It pulls them into the story because it becomes half my creation and half theirs. Their involvement of their experiences may make the image of a particular character type (like a sniveling and cunning coward, or a blustering bully) more real for them. This can enhance the story.

The same can be true of clothing. Do I need to know what the stitching of a bodice looks like? Maybe, if it says something about status, or perhaps it tells us something of character because our POV notices fine detail.

If you're really aiming to hand the reader deeper, and more complete, levels of description (which is a valid approach), there is at least one custom clothing designer on this site. I won't call them out, but I'm sure if you asked for help in the research forum, you'd likely get assistance.

 

[thecoldembrace]

Do you show differences in clothing?
I have four cultures clashing in my novel, Glassians.. semi-nomadic desert dwellers, the Ordainians the ruling human empire who are a mix of Norse and Roman, my Everholden peoples who resemble the Greeks, and my Trolls who are jungle dwellers with Aztec influences. Would a small description be sufficient in a room with all four cultures?

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

Do you show differences in clothing?

If it adds to the story or shows elements of character I likely would. Still, I'd probably describe major differences, not every minute detail.

 

[Rorick]

To reiterate Wordwalker and T.Allen.Smith, my approach tends to be to use as little as possible. An overall flavour suffices. Don't be afraid to let your reader do a little work, after all, the story will be living in their head, not yours.

If there's an absolute need to have something in - a hood to obscure the face, a pair of loose fitting trousers to fall down at an inopportune moment - then do it.

I try to stay light on character appearances too, especially for PoV characters. After all, if you're the narrator, you never think of yourself in those terms.