What are you wearing?
Describing the clothes the character wears often says much more about who the character is than any other physical or personality trait. Whether or not the clothes contrast with what others are wearing, or is completely trendy and in style speaks volumes about who someone is.
No one chooses whether they have green eyes or brown, we’re born with certain genetic traits that determine our looks, but we wake up every morning and choose what we wear, and how we wear it. Clothes say a lot about our lifestyle, income level, how much we value our appearance, or don’t value our appearance, and this says a lot about who we are and where we are in life. A frazzled mother with three screaming kids probably doesn’t worry about what she throws on before going grocery shopping. The fact that she is sloppily dressed and possibly wearing mismatched socks reveals how busy and stressed she is. Looking sexy is not her top priority right now, and we can get this sense by simply looking at what she wears, without knowing any other detail about her life.
At the same time, an impeccably dressed, perfectly manicured mother of three may give an impression that she has a nanny and doesn’t ever allow those kids to play outside or get dirty. Teenagers express themselves through their clothes, whether they’re trying desperately to look older or cooler, fit in, or look like they don’t care what anyone thinks and are above worrying about appearances. We know without being told that someone dressed in expensive designer clothes is most likely has money, or serious credit card debt, and someone in a navy or gray suit and a mildly patterned tie probably works for a conservative company, while someone in baggy cargo pants and a holey t-shirt and flip flops may have a less structured work environment.
From Erin Brokovich by Susannah Grant, “…in the middle of this pedestrian normalcy, a pair of impossibly high spike-heeled pumps struts out of a shop. So high it hurts to look at them.”
Without having to say it outright, we know that Erin without is alluring, maybe bordering on a bit trampy and tacky. The shoes show us she confident, a bit provocative, and probably attractive.
From Back to the Future by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale, “MARTY McFLY, 17, a good looking kid who has an air of confidence just shy of cockiness. He’s wearing a silver Porsche jacket, and like most typical modern day kids, not a stitch of his clothing is without some brand name or form of advertising.”
Again the clothes tell the story, by showing us that Marty is a typical kid, probably into sports cars, definitely trying to fit in and look cool. He’s not an outsider or a geek, as his clothes are in line with what everyone else is wearing. The writers also noted he was confident. This character trait is something we can see, and it has to do with who he is as a person. It doesn’t matter whether he has brown, blonde, or black hair, or if he is tall or short. We know he’s good-looking, confident, and dresses in trendy clothes. This tells us what he’s like without limiting casting. It allows us to create a picture in our heads of what the kid is like, and gives producers reading the script the flexibility to imagine casting several different actors.
In Legally Blonde by Karen McCullah Lutz & Kristen Smith, Elle is described based on how she looks, but in a way that speaks volumes about who she is “…passing toned, waxed, tanned legs in pink Prada pedal pushers and a pair of perky boobs encased in a spaghetti-strap top – until we finally reveal a magnificent head of long blonde hair and a sweet, beautiful face. This is ELLE WOODS”
Here the writers noted the hair color, because, obviously in this case it is vital to the character. But they spent more time detailing her body and her outfit because the clothes tell us so much more about her. Reading this description is much more interesting and visually impactful than if they had instead said: “She is attractive, takes care of herself, is well-groomed and popular.” We get so much more out of the visual details. The waxed, tanned legs, the revealing, designer clothes, the perky boobs. All of this shows us, without telling us that she is popular, wealthy, and probably superficial.
In Chinatown by Robert Towne, Gittes is introduced by noting his clothes: “He looks cool and brisk in a white linen suit despite the heat.” This conveys much about his personality, that he’s confident and cool. The other character in the room is sweaty and sloppily dressed. Our hero, by contrast, is relaxed and suave. These minor details are a vital part of the character, telling us the essence of who he is with a few short words, and without relying on hair color, body type, or any other limiting details.
In Schindler’s List by Steven Zaillian “Oskar Schindler – salesman from Zwittau – looking almost reputable in his one nice suit.” This tells us that he is not really be reputable, and that he may be a bit of a swindler or a con artist. He only has one nice suit, so we know that he is not wealthy, but that he puts on airs and possibly uses this suit to impress and get people to do what he wants. He is probably persuasive and popular, but also worried about how others see him. He values what people think and makes sure they think he is more successful than he is.
When you’re out and about, observe what people are wearing and note what your immediate impression is based solely on this. This is one of the primary ways we judge strangers who we have never spoken to and know nothing about. Note what you think of someone based on their outfit, and you can use these observations to help choose the right look for your characters based on what you want their clothes to mean about who they really are.
