Accessories in Fantasy

Recently, one of my readers read the Fashion in Fantasy series on the blog last year and commented that something seemed to be missing. After a bit of thought, it came to me: I'd barely begun to scratch the surface of one of the most essential elements in a fantasy story--the accessories.

Don't look so surprised. After all, what self-respecting fantasy story doesn't contain at least one necklace-with-amazing-powers or a turban filled with a dark presence or a scarlet cloak rippling in the chill winter breeze? Clearly, in the realm of Faerie, even ordinary objects and accessories have the potential to become extraordinary. We, as fantasy writers and readers, should exploit that potential.

So let's explore accessories in fantasy in more depth. First, let's take a quick look at all sorts of objects and accessories, and, second, how you can use them in your story.

The types of accessories are virtually endless, but let me list some here to get you thinking. There is jewelry, from a necklace to a single gemstone or a golden ring. There is headwear, like crowns, tiaras, turbans, fedoras, and all sorts of hats. There are handbags (what self-respecting girl, after all, even in a fantasy world, wants to be without her trusty purse?). And, too, there are all sorts of shoes--glass slippers, seven-league boots, the latest chic Jimmy Choo heels.... It could be a rusty old key or broken eyeglasses or a small handmirror. There are lots more ideas--more may come to your mind as we continue. Above all, make sure that the accessories you choose are uniquely suited to the world of your story.

Next, let's think about the uses for these objects.

• Flair: Some objects may not have any fantastic powers but may simply add to their personality or their signature "flair." Examples: Little Red Riding Hood's red riding hood; Sherlock Holmes in his tweed suit with a magnifying glass
• Love: As a symbol of love and trust, accessories can be unparalleled. Even in the "real world" we use rings and jewels to convey how precious our loved ones are. Example: Aragorn and Arwen's jeweled necklace from Lord of the Rings
• Family Heirlooms: Again, as in the real world, the objects that have the most meaning to us are often the ones passed down from generation to generation. (Of course, such objects may very well have powers beyond simply surface value.) Using such objects would give a bit of the backstory behind your characters and what they value in their lives. Example: Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, inherited from his father
• Historical Item: This type of object can be used to expand your storyworld and give insights into the background of your tale. History is important because it affects the present. (This type of item can, of course, be combined with some sort of power as well.) Example: Aragorn's crown of Gondor from Lord of the Rings
• Contains a Secret Message: Such uses for accessories abound in many of the best stories. After all, who would think to look for a message in the engraving of great-grandaddy's spectacles or in Aunt Marge's scarf? Examples: Madame Defarge in Dickens' Tale of Two Cities was most adept at hiding information in her knitting; the broken eyeglasses in the first Transformers movie contained coordinates to a hidden object
• Contains Magical Powers: This, of course, is the quintessential use of an accessory in fantasy. Whether it confers invisibility, superspeed, control over the elements, or more, an object in a fantasy novel can be a great repository of magical power. Examples: seven-league boots; magic mirror
• Contains Evil or a Curse: This, too, is a common (but important) use of artifacts in fantasy. A curse can lie unsuspected in a normal-looking object, posing a threat to all who draw near. Or, worse, an object may contain an evil being that the hero must conquer. Examples: JK Rowling in the Harry Potter series has done an excellent job in hiding evil in the most unexpected places--under a turban, in the first book, and inside a cursed necklace in the sixth; Also, Frodo's ring contains a definite evil, I'd say.

As you can see, the use of accessories in fantasy is a crucial art to master, and one that gives fantasy writers many possible tools to help or hinder the heroes along their quests. Comment below and let me know if you remember any particular accessories from fantasy stories you've read, or if you have special accessories in your story that are meaningful in any way.

Top Blog Posts of 2012

The year 2012 is almost at an end--and what a year it has been! As we think over what this year has brought us, let's also look back at some of the highlights of the blog this past year. So, without further ado, here are the top 15 blog posts of 2012! (Posts are listed in chronological order.)

The Hows and Whys of Naming God in Your Fantasy Story

The Weapons in Fantasy Series -- Swords, Bows, Armor

The Fashion in Fantasy Series -- Females, Males, Shoes

The Villain Series -- 5 Ways to Kill Your Villain, Recipe for a Dark Lord

Easter and Fantasy

The Names Series -- Names in the Bible, How to Name Your Characters

Costs and Benefits of Self-Publishing

The Colors in Fantasy Series -- Tools, Opposites

So go ahead and click those links to read any posts you missed! And if you liked other posts from the blog, be sure to comment and let me know. I look forward to an even better 2013!

Fantastic Footwear

Time for a pop quiz! (Just for fun, to get you thinking. No right answers, and, sadly, no prizes awarded.)

1. Name your main character's preferred shoes

a) leather wrapped and tied with thongs
b) silk dancing slippers
c) Hobbit feet
d) iron-reinforced heavy-duty knightly boots
e) no shoes
f) other

2.  What's the main difference between guy/girl shoes in your world?

a) size of the shoe (wrong answer!)
b) color (forest-green vs. lilac purple)
c) style (open-toe, high-heeled, boot, etc.)
d) function (fighting, dancing, etc.)
e) fabric (metal, leather, silk, "exotic" materials, etc.)
f) other

3. Your villain is shoe-shopping. What shoes does he/she buy?

a) the newly-released super-expensive black diamond Sultan Cushioned Supreme 2000x
b) iron studded Sauron armor boots with genuine flames on the sides
c) invisible ninja slippers
d) dragonscale-reinforced riding boots
e) sadistic fairy-dust shoes made for crushing and pounding, in style
f) other

4. So you've got a lot of fantastic creatures in your world. What's your most fantastic footwear option?

a) mer-fin slippers, especially good for swimming
b) dwarf-beard-hair woven shoes--practically indestructible
c) a glass slipper, excellent for dancing with Prince Charming
d) 100-league boots that cause extreme nausea, granted unwillingly by the Faerie Queen
e) chameleon shoes made from fibers that bend to look and feel exactly like the surroundings. By special order only.
f) other

Tally your score and...go write! :)

I hope that mini-quiz only served to spark your interest in your fantasy world's footwear. This is one of the most neglected elements when writing a fantasy world, so there's plenty of room to be original.

Your "exercise," if you'd like one, is to go back and look at a character description your wrote (whether in the story or in your notes) and include a description of the character's shoes. Is he/she wearing any? If so, what do they look like? What is their purpose? Use the ideas above, as well as the pictures below, as a launching pad for your dreaming.

Medieval Design Re-enactment Shoes

Medieval Design Re-enactment Shoes

Shoe Fleur: A Shoe Fantasy, by Michel Tcherevkoff

Fashion in Fantasy: Males

Last post we covered the wide and glorious expanse of dresses, corsets, ballgowns, and petticoats—it’s really cool stuff, believe me, so if you missed it, check it out! Today, we’re covering another key aspect to writing your fantasy novel: what your male characters wear.

1. Capes

            Of course I had to start with capes! What’s cooler than a cape, after all? Now, of course, most fantasy capes are found in the realms of superheroes and evil villains (I always picture Jafar sweeping around in one myself), but that’s not to say that you shouldn’t turn the stereotype around on its head! Just giving a flat 2D character a cape will add a touch of pizzaz, even some vanity, perhaps, and make him a much more fascinating character. This works just as well for women, by-the-bye.

 

2. Robes

            Bathrobes are there for a reason: they’re comfy, cushiony, and oh-so-soft. True, it’s a bit of a different sort of robes we mean here—I’m picturing something like Gandalf’s getup from Lord of the Rings. Also, of course, there’s the famous Harry Potter movie robes (which, in my personal opinion, are more like regular clothes with a cloak-plus-sleeves thrown on top). Anyway, robes can be a great option because they’re traditional and speak to a whole realm of magically-inclined fantastic folk. So try it out and see if it works in your story!

 

3. Leather jerkins and leggings

            My gut reaction to this one, gotta confess, is “ew!” However, I’d better acknowledge it, since this is probably one of the more accurate historical ensembles å la the Middle ages. First a little explanation: the “jerkin” is a long leather shirt that usually reaches to mid-thigh, and it’s worn over a cotton long-sleeve shirt called a doublet (traditionally). Then underneath the guy wears leggings, sometimes of leather and sometimes of cloth. Topping it off is leather boots. You may see this feature prominently among Rangers and other wild adventuresome folk, since it’s fairly rugged and easy to manufacture on its own.

4. Trousers

            In the style of Mr. Darcy of Pride & Prejudice fame, these long pants are basically just your modern suit-pants, though usually worn with a long coat and coattails. This works well for a more laid-back fantasy, or a fantasy with more modern tones. None of that Medieval nonsense for you!

5. Accessories

            Whether or not you’re up for the full dashing pirate gear, you should definitely consider adding the tri-cornered hat as a staple to any self-respecting fantasy guy’s wardrobe. If you’re a patriot fighting for your nation’s freedom or a pirate sailing twenty-three seas, you’ll want that distinguished hat to throw in the air to celebrate your victory—the hat that somehow just happens to keep appearing on your head even after many long journeys and battles. For other accessories, eye-patches and false legs or peaked wizard caps aren’t too bad, if a touch cliché. But think of your own distinguishing items for each character--a gold monocle, a particular pocket watch, a bowler hat--and use them when referring to the character in order to establish that person more firmly in your reader’s mind.

Doubtless, there are many more areas of dress and garb that we could explore. What are some clothes or accessories that you’ve used in your fantasy stories? Any helpful tips on writing about clothing?

God bless!

Fashion in Fantasy: Females

Let’s talk about clothes. Yes, those things you put on your body. Believe it or not, your fantasy characters wear them too (unless they live in a dystopian nudist colony)! This means that we as authors need to think about our characters’ fashion.

The first thing that comes to mind when considering female fantasy clothing is that quintessential fantasy look: the medieval princess dress. You know the one—flowing sleeves, silver belt, train sweeping majestically past the ankles. It’s the one every little girl wants for a wedding dress. In other words, it’s awesome.

But let’s have a bit of a reality check here. What would it be like to wear these dresses year-around, as our dear old princesses did? In the winter, sure, it might be warm enough. But then in the summer, you’d steam yourself to death! (Note to self: possible villain torture idea?) And let’s doublethink those sleeves, too. With all the excess trailing fabric, it would’ve been extremely bulky, clumsy, and heavy to wear on a regular basis.

Next, the general “dress” is a much more versatile art form. There’s your poverty-stricken rough and sacklike dress, and then there’s the gorgeous-silk-with-rustling-beaded-train-thirty-feet-long dress, which will give your darling heroine just the grand entrance at the Prince’s ball that will achieve her deepest dreams. In the steampunk variation, your heroine wears a corset over a loose creamy white peasant dress (which, by the way, always looks way too clean to be realistic).

Then there’s the question of what to wear under the dress. Hoopskirts can provide quite the comical spectacle, used atrociously. Petticoats can be a source of endless frustration, or else much-needed medical bandages (speaking of which, why do the heroines always tear up their petticoats? Why not the outer dresses?). Corsets are always a big hit.

As for colors, the possibilities are endless—limited only by your imaginative fantasy dyeing processes. Browns, greens, and “natural” shades like darker blues and purples seem to be particular favorites. However, don’t be afraid to throw in the occasional splash of lime green! You never know, it just might be exactly the touch of color your story needs.

All that is not to say that your heroine must wear a dress. Sure, it’s conventional practice. But who says fantasy is about convention? Personally, I think it’s all about innovation: dreaming the new and daring to step out into uncharted territory. So go ahead, let your girl try on the trousers or breeches of her dreams. Let her wear a tunic and cape if she so likes (more on those garments in the next post). Just make sure that you reason these things out carefully in the context of your world. If she’s breaking conventions and tradition, make that clear, and don’t be afraid to judge her for it.

Another note about fashions, too: before the Industrial Revolution (and thus in the time of most fantasy worlds), there was no such thing as ready-made clothing. Everything was tailor-made or made by hand to fit. However, as fantasy authors, we can take a few liberties here. For example, you could create a “magical” automated process for producing some item of clothing—say, lace. Then your evil villains (or long-suffering and impoverished heroes) can use this ingenious production method to achieve their evil or noble ends. (Actually, Christopher Paolini used this idea in his Inheritance Cycle, but I won’t spoil where it comes up specifically.)

Whatever you do, please don’t make it typical. Do something different—maybe a different fabric (fibers from the fireflower makes the dress fireproof?) or a different color (yellow dresses dyed in faerie wax makes the wearer fall into a deep sleep?) or a different cut (sure, maybe knee-length hasn’t been done in your world for a few centuries. Why should that stop you?).

Now go take a look at your fantasy stories. Where can you add more detail about clothes? Where can you change the details you include and make them realistic and—most importantly—different? Then come back and share what you think!

God bless!