Clothing Guide

[MotherloverSon]

Has anyone written a guide to clothing for story writers? I think we all know that people don't wear three-piece suits to clean out the garage or that people don't wear an old T-shirt and sweatpants to the board of directors meeting. But has anyone done a more in-depth guide to what characters might be wearing in a variety of situations? And how best to describe those clothes?

 

[TadOverdon]

Why doesn't looking around at the world work?

 

[MillieDynamite]

Has anyone written a guide to clothing for story writers? I think we all know that people don't wear three-piece suits to clean out the garage or that people don't wear an old T-shirt and sweatpants to the board of directors meeting. But has anyone done a more in-depth guide to what characters might be wearing in a variety of situations? And how best to describe those clothes?

If you write a story set in the 50s the mother always does house work in swank dress, high-heels, and pearls. The Dad wears a suite, even if he digs ditches for a living. Get with the program, bro, everyone knows that. Watch leave it to beaver and father knows best.

 

[DreamingOfMyEx]

And how best to describe those clothes?

This question deserves more serious consideration.

To answer, I have no idea, but in my feeble attempts to write stories one of my biggest impediments is my lack of knowledge of female clothing. I hear all sorts of terms thrown about regarding shoes, for instance. What's the difference between this type of shoe and that other type of shoe and are there specific circumstances or outfits that dictate wearing one rather than the other? Since I don't wear or shop for women's clothing I'm at a loss whenever I need to describe what a female character is wearing.

 

[NotWise]

This question deserves more serious consideration.

To answer, I have no idea, but in my feeble attempts to write stories one of my biggest impediments is my lack of knowledge of female clothing. I hear all sorts of terms thrown about regarding shoes, for instance. What's the difference between this type of shoe and that other type of shoe and are there specific circumstances or outfits that dictate wearing one rather than the other? Since I don't wear or shop for women's clothing I'm at a loss whenever I need to describe what a female character is wearing.

I often find myself researching women's clothing for specific scenes. I don't think there would be any way to assemble a useful guide. When in the fall are women supposed to stop wearing white? It's Labor Day in a lot of places, but here there's no such rule.

Even just within the US, the normal expectations vary from time to time and from place to place. I've served on boards where the usual dress was common work clothing. I was once told by a girl from northern Virginia that people from her neighborhood wouldn't be caught dead gardening in dungarees (blue jeans), but here they're acceptable pretty much anywhere you go.

 

[MillieDynamite]

if you are wanting fashionable clothing run a google image search and go the sites that come up. For lingerie do the same. for shoes boots likewise. But not sure you need that much detail.

Lingerie search, yields this. https://www.google.com/search?q=lin...HaXLALMQ_AUoAnoECAIQBA&biw=1920&bih=937&dpr=1

 

[Djmac1031]

I don't usually bother to write descriptive clothing unless it factors into the plot.

Not saying it's not important per say; if your character performs a certain job you may want to get what they're wearing correct. Or if you're painting a picture of your character to project them a certain way in the readers mind, clothing descriptions certainly help.

But if I have two characters just having a conversation, I'm really not all that worried about exactly what they're wearing.

 

[VermillionVenusian]

My targeted ads from Google are a mess due to all the research I've done. Real ignorant-sounding stuff has been searched.
What is the name for fake nails
What is the name of high heel shoes where the heel is connected to the toe part
Camisole vs negligee
Difference between eyeliner and mascara
Other name for push up bra
stockings vs leggings
and etc.

Basically, I just use Google as needed.

 

[PennameWombat]

Simple question, no simple answer.

What time frame? Antiquity in sub-Saharan Africa? Aristocratic families in the late Roman Republic? 14th century Florence as opposed to 14th century Ming Dynasty China? 1950s? 1970s? Last week in the Arts District, Los Angeles, on a Saturday night? At a royal reception in the 23rd century on Argle Bargle IV in the court of King Chop Your Head Off If You Don’t Wear Precisely Forty Square Inches of Green?

As an example. Here in Australia the ‘casual’ office took two decades longer to arrive than it did in the US. Even my first long stint here in 2011, the idea of ‘casual Friday’ wasn’t yet a thing in most offices I dealt with. Now, ten years later, it’s reasonably well established. But I still believe, when we were still going to offices, that the dress was more ‘traditional’ business (suits or at least jackets for men; skirts or dresses and heels for women.) But a story set at the same time, in the same kind of office, in the two countries, would have rather different details.

My Australian wife was always a bit… oh, annoyed, in Portland, OR. We went to see Luciano Pavarotti. She was aghast at people in jeans, the few in ‘tracky dacks’ (sweatpants) almost gave her a coronary. Nice ones, but, still… And other people in formal gowns and tuxedos. It’s also the case that ‘high visibility’ clothing needs to be worn under many more circumstances in Australia than in the US.

Google is your friend. Google Images is definitely your friend. Search for the sorts of events you’re describing. Facebook, Instagram, etc., will also have pictures. Shutterstock is another, they deal in ‘typical’ images. I’ve used Google quite often, as well as more specific sites such as Victoria’s Secret and such, to get descriptions of the various styles of bras and other underwear. Same with hair styles.

As another poster suggested, avoid it when you can. But, if you’re going to, Google is your friend (or DuckDuckGo or whatever. Except… not Bing. For the love of all that is decent in this world, not Bing!) Also, read books, stories, etc., set where you want. Maybe they did the research for you.

And you can find general historical guides online that cover things like clothing and sociology through the centuries for many societies.

 

[HeyAll]

That's a great point and I'd love to read a Literotica How-To about it.

I often have to rely on google searches.

 

[LAHomedog]

Has anyone written a guide to clothing for story writers? I think we all know that people don't wear three-piece suits to clean out the garage or that people don't wear an old T-shirt and sweatpants to the board of directors meeting. But has anyone done a more in-depth guide to what characters might be wearing in a variety of situations? And how best to describe those clothes?

I honestly don't know how that could be done. Every character is different and you are discussing centuries of clothing from all over the world. People spend four years in college studying costume design history -- which is studying real clothing that people wore throughout history -- and have degrees in it. Some go on to have great careers as costume designers or members of the fashion industry. After all, "The Devil Wears Prada."

Someone talked about researching their characters clothing online earlier. I do that all the time. Even if you don't mention how your character is dressed -- (and I, BTW, always mention it because I believe strongly that what a person wears is very revealing of who they are) -- I think it is hugely important that you know in your mind's eye what your characters are wearing.

For example, women accessorize in 1,000s of ways (I'm not talking clothes, I'm talking accessories). Most men only have their glasses, their watch, their belt, their shoes and their car. I suppose some jewelry.

I have a diamond earring in my left ear and have for 30 years. That is a true story and if I used myself as a character in one of my stories I would include that detail because it is very revealing of who I am. Another example, I also own a very nice Hugo Boss tux. When I walk into a room for an event as a middle age man in my tux wearing a diamond earring it changes things. That's important in a story.

Two more things:

1. The taking off of clothing or the not taking off of clothing is a very important aspect of sex and I believe an important detail to erotica.

2. I can easily imagine a comedy scene with Cary Grant, or someone like that, cleaning out their garage in a suit and tie.

The truth is there are no hard and fast rules on this. The clothes make the man... and the woman too.

 

[StrangeLife]

I used a Lit guide to cup sizes once in order to get my boob-facts straight. It was pretty comprehensive, competently written and very helpful.

I suppose that counts as "clothing"...

 

[ScrappyPaperDoodler]

Pinterest is the way to go. I’ve got so many boards chock-full of women’s clothing it’s not even funny.

 

[oggbashan]

This might help:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histo...especially as humans migrated to new climates.

I have a small collection of historical Fashion books, mainly ending in the 1940s including how to make appropriate theatrical clothing that looks right on stage but isn't as accurate (or delicate) as the original survivors.

 

[SimonDoom]

I searched briefly for a good online source and didn't find one.

There are analogous guides for writers on other topics. For instance, you can buy books on police procedure for authors, which are useful for writing crime fiction. But I couldn't find anything on clothing (my search was very short).

I'm sure Bramblethorn could find something within a minute or so.

 

[SimonDoom]

You might search on Amazon. I found this book on the changing fashions of women's dresses from the 16th through 20th centuries. The same author wrote a similar book about men's suits.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Dre...ter's+guide+to+clothing&qid=1634395624&sr=8-6

 

[gunhilltrain]

If you write a story set in the 50s the mother always does house work in swank dress, high-heels, and pearls. The Dad wears a suite, even if he digs ditches for a living. Get with the program, bro, everyone knows that. Watch leave it to beaver and father knows best.

I've seen photos of my family from that period (I was born in 1955) and, for the average working-class person, Leave It Beaver and Father Knows Best were at best approximations of what life was like. They were stereotyped TV shows, not documentaries. Yes, I get that you're being tongue-in-cheek.

 

[MillieDynamite]

My targeted ads from Google are a mess due to all the research I've done. Real ignorant-sounding stuff has been searched.
What is the name for fake nails
What is the name of high heel shoes where the heel is connected to the toe part
Camisole vs negligee
Difference between eyeliner and mascara
Other name for push up bra
stockings vs leggings
and etc.

Basically, I just use Google as needed.

A Camisole is Lingerie and negligee is sexy bedwear, which you could use a camisole as a part of bedtime attire. Eyeliner is a line between your eyelash and the rest of your eyelid to bring out contrast between your eye and lids. Mascara darkens (and presents your lashes as thicker and longer) you eyelashes. Wonder Bra's are push up bras, but it is a specific brand. When you have small ones, the push ups don't help me ;(

Question, why is the underside of boob more taboo than the top? It was asked by Gene Rodenberry of Network Sensor for an episode of star trek where a dress showed of the underside cleavage and not upper.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I've seen photos of my family from that period (I was born in 1955) and, for the average working-class person, Leave It Beaver and Father Knows Best were at best approximations of what life was like. They were stereotyped TV shows, not documentaries. Yes, I get that you're being tongue-in-cheek.

Ouch, I just bit my tongue. But the 50s lifestyle (a part of the BDSM community) is all about the stereotypes.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I used a Lit guide to cup sizes once in order to get my boob-facts straight. It was pretty comprehensive, competently written and very helpful.

I suppose that counts as "clothing"...

With all due respect, if you have to use cup-sizes in a description of a woman - well, who really cares? If you have to talk about her body, you can use much more generalized terms to do it.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Ouch, I just bit my tongue. But the 50s lifestyle (a part of the BDSM community) is all about the stereotypes.

I hope it doesn't hurt too much! Anyway, it strikes me that the 1950s was the most stereotyped decade of all time. The problem is that people start to, almost unconsciously, believe that it was true. The whole idea of that decades have a "personality" is one of those things that probably started with journalists looking for a short-cut in writing their stories (and with film and TV writers too), and it eventually spread to everyone else. I know I've done it myself.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I hope it doesn't hurt too much! Anyway, it strikes me that the 1950s was the most stereotyped decade of all time. The problem is that people start to, almost unconsciously, believe that it was true. The whole idea of that decades have a "personality" is one of those things that probably started with journalists looking for a short-cut in writing their stories (and with film and TV writers too), and it eventually spread to everyone else. I know I've done it myself.

No decade in the modern era is as it is remembered. Life wasn't good for everyone in the good-ole-days, people weren't all doing great in the 50s. Not everything in the 20s roared, not everyone was under hardship in the 30s, and not every American contributed to the war effort in the 40s.

Why would the 50s be any different?

 

[geronimo_appleby]

Has anyone written a guide to clothing for story writers? I think we all know that people don't wear three-piece suits to clean out the garage or that people don't wear an old T-shirt and sweatpants to the board of directors meeting. But has anyone done a more in-depth guide to what characters might be wearing in a variety of situations? And how best to describe those clothes?

depends on the character, their quirks, age, etc. don't think a guide is one size fits all, no pun.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Why doesn't looking around at the world work?

That's fine if the story is set in, say, the last five, maybe ten years at the most. Going back more than that and you have to rely on your own memory or, failing that, do some research. Even then, if one gets the physical details right, it gets difficult to depict how people actually thought and talked in those periods.

 

[oggbashan]

I have this book:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311574696962?hash=item488b4c9402:g:2sQAAOSwbkVaEsf3

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2sQAAOSwbkVaEsf3/s-l1600.jpg

I find it a useful guide to most periods up to the 1960s.