Fashion in My Stories - Subtle to the Reader But Real to Me

It's a  bit of a joke between a friend of mine and myself regarding my somewhat random obsession over clothing for certain characters or scenes in stories I write. It's not something I get stuck on in every story and it's not for every character or even every scene, but there are those few scenes/moments and those few characters where the clothes really seem to matter to me. Ironically, I don't always describe them in great detail, and rarely (if ever) brand name drop, so the fact that I look up clothes that would be in the character's price range is even more random. But I do it, and I enjoy it. 

The first story I really caught myself getting a little more into fashion than I would have expected was my angel story when I was thinking of what one character would wear. I wanted it to be in contrast with the internal makeup of the character I was describing. A bit of devil in disguise or wolf in a sheep's clothing, as it were. And I think seeing those different outfits and having a set style for the character really helped me visualize them and give them an extra dimension in my mind, ultimately making them a better character. 

In general, I tend to go with the less is more style of describing characters. I want certain traits to get through, but I trust the reader to imagine the character the way that best works for them. I give some general descriptions in terms of looks, but only the most general of terms. And I let imaginations take over from there. I think that's part of the beauty of a book over a show, it's completely up to the reader to take those descriptors and put faces to them. 

Since the angel story's one fashion minded character, I haven't really gotten caught up in the looks of any other characters I've described, apart from the most general descriptions like "jeans and a button down shirt," etc. So it was a bit surprising when I actually wasted/spent a few hours earlier this month looking for beach attire that would be age and wage appropriate for the two main characters in the story I'm currently working on, and rather than keeping it all to myself as I tend to do, I thought I'd share some of those clothing choices here.  

So, without further ado, let me jump right into things (and please remember the images are about the clothes and not about the models). 

Blakely "Blake" Greene 

- female; tall; brunette; athletic build; chocolate brown eyes

What might she wear at a high society beach party? Since it's also a networking opportunity to help expand her fledgling business, she needs to look professional, expensive, and appropriate for the event. So, what does that entail exactly? 

What about these? (from ramybrook.com) No idea if this brand is of note, but I love the understated elegance. BOOM! Mental image complete, so now the party can happen even though the outfit only gets maybe 2 sentences.

William "Liam" McCullough

- male; tall; broad shoulders; fit; tan skin from time outdoors (not the orange of a tanning bed); black hair with a touch of grey at the temples; dark blue eyes

He's a bit older that Blake, in his early 40s, and up to this point, always presented in a suit or well put together outfit that would not be on par with jeans or most people's idea of casual ware. So, with that in mind, what would he wear to the beach in an affluent area? He's not attending the party, but he is staying in the same area, so some expectations about clothing choices and quality must be taken into account, right? So what type of beach casual would look best on him? Possibly something like this (though never the orange shorts, he'd likely wear khaki shorts instead). 

And while the images above represent the basic idea of his beach look, I also did some additional searching which came up with the following helpful link: https://www.whattowearonvacation.com/capsule-wardrobes/beach-men/

Having these visuals for Liam helped me see him in a less formal light, and allowed for some barriers to be dropped by him and regarding him, which was nice and somewhat unexpected. I hadn't planned for him to act differently at the beach, but seeing him in more relaxed clothes at a location that generally promotes a more casual experience, I couldn't help seeing him differently as a character overall. And I think the story is better for it. But would that have happened if I hadn't taken the time to properly visualize Liam in a different way than I had up to that point? I don't know that it would have. 

So, while I am not a writer who puts that much into her character's clothing and outward appearances beyond the descriptions like I listed for each character, I have to admit that taking the time to research clothes has made a big difference in how I see and portray the characters be it in a single scene or if it changes them for the overall story. Just another bit of information the imagination can seize upon and help a character and/or story take flight.