Kaylee Umstead, a local author from Hernando County, recently shared her expertise on character design and costuming in her article “Character Design: Costuming Your Characters.” The article, published on an unspecified date, provides guidance on how to choose the right clothing for characters in various genres of literature.
Umstead emphasizes the importance of a character’s choice of clothing in reflecting their personality and background. She suggests that the genre of the story can influence the frequency of outfit changes, with high fantasy stories often featuring a single outfit and realistic satires or comedies describing a character’s wardrobe in a more general sense. For example, describing a character’s dresser as “full of graphic tees and sweatpants of neutral tone” can convey their eclectic tastes and prioritization of comfort.
Umstead uses her own character, Rex Thunder, as an example of how clothing can shape a reader’s image. Rex’s outfit, consisting of a long-sleeve navy shirt, grey tie, golden corset vest, brown pants, and boots with a 2-inch heel, is meant to convey a sense of business casual. The article provides valuable insights for writers and literature enthusiasts, and can be found on the Homestead website.
Originally reported by Hernando Sun
Sources: Hernando Sun
