Garion Costume Feedback

Garion Costume Design Ideas - Personal Feedback:

·         Positive reaction costumes: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 12, 14, 18 - They're all quite neutral and character/period specific, prominent and visually interesting without being over the top. They all seem like something a boy of Garion's age and background would wear with regards to his circumstances and the context of the book.
(Outright favourites: 1, 2, 8, 15, 19)

·         Less positive reaction costumes: 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16, 17, 20 - These designs all seem either too rich and ostentatious for Garion to wear, given his humble background, or have features that are too distinctive or distracting to work with a clear design for his costume. Some would possibly be useful later on in the book(s) when the narrative requires Garion to dress appropriately for the courts of kings etc, but not as an initial costume for the start of his journey leaving Faldor's Farm.

·         The two designs I find the least appealing are 5 and 11. 5 has far too much going on, on the shirt/tunic and is much too distracting, whilst 11 just seems much more the outfit of a noble's son or a prince, far too regal and severe for Garion.

·         I like the inclusion of buckles, ties and straps on designs such as 1, 3, 6, 14 and 16, as a way to fasten his shirt/tunic/jerkin. However, I'm undecided which I prefer, as all three are visually interesting to look at, although I'm quite drawn to the open jacket with buckles on design 14.

·         I also like the addition of belts in the design, especially those where the end of the belt hangs below the belt itself, such as 1, 3, and 7. However, I feel the decoration on the belt in design 7 is a bit too much for the costume and doesn't fit thematically with Garion's poor background on a farm. Additionally, the much wider belt on 9 seems much too overpowering for the costume, and I definitely prefer the thinner, simpler belts of other designs. However, I do love the belt buckles on 1 and 19, as I feel it ties the look together, being an interesting feature without overwhelming the rest of the costume.

·         I don't like the hood on design 4, as a feel it wouldn't work visually, hiding the characters face unnecessarily. However, I do like the idea of having a hood on the costume, but down around the back of the neck, rather than drawn up over the head. More as a passive feature of the costume, rather than a core element. Similar to the bunched collar of 3 and 14.

·         I'm undecided about the cloaks on 2, 6, 18 and 20. I like the idea of a cloak for Garion, given that he is travelling throughout the book and it would be contextually relevant, but I can't decide whether it would overwhelm the rest of the costume. It's something I'd have to see on a more finished version. However, I do love the way the cloak is attached/wrapped in design 6 around his neck, although I am fond of the tied knot of 18 as well. Also, I do love the threadbare appearance of the cloak in design 18, as it's really fitting with his character. It's maybe a bit too worn, but I definitely feel this design element is something that could be included more throughout Garion's costume design as a whole.

·         I much prefer the shorter tunics of designs such as 1, 2, 3 and 14, rather than some of the longer, more elegant or shaped designs. The tunic is simple, yet very effective in building the image of a simple peasant boy, which is how Garion begins the books. The more complex/shaped/cut-out shirts, again, could be something more fitting for his outfits later in the book(s) as he attends courts etc.

·         In terms of sleeves, I also prefer the simpler designs, where they're close fitting at the wrist and stay close all the way up to his arm, for example in 1, 3, 5, 6, 12 and 14. This is in contrast to the less appealling sleeves in 4 (don't feel the leather cuffs fit the character), 7 (don't like the wide sleeves), 8 (don't like the short sleeves) and 15, 16 and 19 (Don't like the billowy and loose sleeves, seem too fancy). However, I do like the small details included in some designs on the arms, for example the different coloured cuffs on 1, or the folded cuffs on 17. They're small details, but I just like what they bring to their respective designs as a whole.

·         With regards to shoes, I much prefer the low tops of 1, 3, 5, 12 and 14, rather than the higher boots of many of the other designs, for example 4, 6, 7, 9, 16 and 20 etc. Seeing as Garion is a young boy, the lower shoes seem more something a boy would wear, rather than the more adult-seeming boots. Additionally, I don't find the crossed laces of 4 or 6 very interesting in relation to the character, the footwraps of 19 seem to be a step too far in being peasant clothing and, comparatively, the fur lining of 20/the patterns on 18 seem a step too far in the direction of being too rich for a peasant.
What I do particularly like though is the tops of the shoes in design 1, 3, 12 and 14. The folded tops with the triangular cut out, much like many of the other costume features, just add that extra visual interest to the shoes for me, making them much more pleasing to look at, even making them seem more like a child's shoes as opposed to an adults.