I'm using a lot of exotic clothes in my stories, some clothes being more difficult to describe than others. How would you describe these clothes? Not the persons in the pictures, just the clothes/shapes of the clothes? If you had to be culture-neutral (let's imagine it was a fictional world where none of the real-world cultures existed), how would you describe the clothes below? http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fBuIOdMI0tw/TNQ_h5yCZvI/AAAAAAAAANI/H42TKTM-k-c/s1600/LadyGaGa-39650.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QsEboZXWNNY/S88P2vmZAkI/AAAAAAAABo0/vWIlyTvfLnU/s1600/cropped_harem_pants_black.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q2h7mR462H0/SxfMH8w0psI/AAAAAAAABEQ/6Ljdzu3kecM/s1600-h/Afghani+Harem+Pants+Salwar+1.jpg http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa318/heroonadonkey/zant1.jpg (not the mask, just the robes!) http://www.zeldawiki.org/images/9/9f/Midna%27s_true_form.png http://www.schuhprinz.de/catalog/popup_image.php?pID=126&osCsid=dfab7651f037b239d6a06407825ae19f http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/56/Cloak.jpg I'm not using exactly these clothes in my stories, but some clothes that look similar.
The Crazy Spiky Gaga Dress. Harem pants. That are black. Parachute pants??? Heeyyy, it's Zant from Twilight Princess! I'd say... shreddy pants with long sleeves and streamers attached to the ends. Yes. Midna from Twilight Princess!! I can tell that you're a Zelda fan. I think she's wearing a... dress. With a long slit that starts at the right hip. Pointy shoes!! A red cape with a collar? Well, what I'm trying to say is that the description is up to you. I don't think it's wise to ask other people how they would describe these clothes. If you really want to learn how to describe clothes, I suggest reading a fashion magazine (seriously, it can help) or something of the like. Or you can go on Wikipedia and look up clothing. Eventually, you may find what you're looking for. I guess this wasn't much help, but at least try Wikipedia. It has the answers to everything.
I'm pretty sure you can not describe the first dress as a "Gaga dress" when it is taking place on the planet of Gorgiboro. Yeah, sometimes I find it a bit hard to describe clothes (especially when they are as detailed as Zant and Midna's outfits). Yes, I'm a Zelda fan. I'm basically asking this because I want to know how you deal with a situation like that, not because I want you to describe the clothes for me.
To be fair though, you may have to refer to modern-day terminology when describing the clothes of your characters or you run the risk of becoming too wordy and the focus of the reader begins to drift... Otherwise- cool clothes!!!
I agree with everyone else. Just describe this as a 'Lady Gaga' dress. If that doesn't fit well into your story, I wouldn't bother with it. Some things are just better being seen as a picture than trying to put words to them. Black breeches. A very baggy pair of blue pants. Ornamental black robes with long billowing sleeves. Strips of cloth, possibly talismans, hang down from the sleeves like long, bony fingers. I always loved Midna's true form. Pity they didn't use it more. You could describe her hooded robes several ways. The billowing sleeves reach down to her elbows. She is wearing a long skirt that is slit up to the hip. Soft soled pointed shoes. Supposedly very fashionable at one point. A red half cloak, possibly with a high collar, and gold embroidery along the edges and neck.
