Dressing Your Characters for Success -- and the Future

I had an interesting email discussion with a friend. She's rereading an old favorite novel, one written in the 80's, and got kicked out of the story when the wedding party in the story trotted onto the page wearing brown spice tuxedos with ruffled apricot shirts. The suspension of disbelief was further eroded when the bride's mother exited the room wearing "Eve Stillman." 


Back then, my friend probably knew what that was. Or maybe not. Doesn't matter if she knew it then, because she doesn't know it now. And if she doesn't recognize the designer, then a new reader, born in the 90's? That reader won't recognize the designer for sure.


There's obviously no way an author can foresee and plan for all possible changes in society and fashion and we want/need to make our stories feel current and "real." How do we make our stories feel current and yet be durable?


It takes a little foresight and some planning, that's for sure. For instance, designer clothes. While you might have your personal favorites, unless they are paying you for product placement, don't dress your characters in labels that haven't been around for a significant amount of time. 


There's nothing wrong with trendy clothes, and they are often important to character creation and consistency, but avoid detailed, time stamped descriptions, such as spice brown tuxedos. 


Try to find a balance between the particular and the general that feels current, but allows the book some longevity and durability. (Just between you and me? I hope that even in the 80's I'd have twitched over the thought of a spice brown tuxedo and apricot ruffled shirts on the groomsmen.)


Before authors go ballistic on me, yes, I know that there are details that will anchor your book in your contemporary setting. That is inevitable and, yes, necessary. The problem with contemporary fiction, it takes time for the time frame to become historical. And while you are waiting, if you don't expire first, children are being born who might discover your fiction, then bump into details that are just out of style.


If you are building a long term career, one that lasts ten, twenty, even thirty years, then you should consider taking the long term view when you are dressing your characters. And if you use contemporary, trendy detail, at the very least, be conscious that you are doing it. Make it a choice, not an accident that will come back to haunt you 20 or 30 years from now. 


Perilously yours,
Pauline