Episode 191: Building Better Fashion, ft. ROWENNA MILLER

That's right! Former co-host Rowenna Miller is back again to discuss a worldbuilding topic near and dear to our hearts: fashion! How do you take clothing from bog-standard fantasy gear to something unique and specific to your world?

We four are all, obviously, very fashionable when we choose to be — but for people who aren’t clotheshorses, why should you care about fashion in your fiction? Well, for one thing, fashion touches on a lot of other parts of a world -- trade, economy, labor, social classes, etc -- and can quickly communicate aspects of those things to a reader. The choice of what to wear also communicates a lot about an individual character: Do they want to blend in or stand out? Are their clothes utilitarian or sumptuous?

We examine over- and under-used fashion choices in fiction, including scandalous sleeves, dragging skirts, the dearth of hats in fantasy, and the impracticality of leather pants. Also, learn about the "bloop vs squish" theory of the evolution of clothing!

Resources:

Corsets and Crinolines by Norah Waugh

How to Read a Dress: A Guide to Changing Fashion from the 16th to the 21st Century by Lydia Edwards

How to Be a Tudor and How to Be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman

Fashion: Explore the Collections from the Victoria & Albert Museum

The Fashion History Timeline

The Met Costume Institute Fashion Plates

NYPL: Costume and Fashion History: A Guide to Resources

[Transcript TK]