Old Clothing Catalogues -

I’m so sorry if you’ve already answered this somewhere, but how do you design your characters?

I’ve been trying to make an OC from the prohibition era and it turns out there’s basically nothing to work with for men’s outfits, so I’m curious how you made this many that look unique and fitting to the characters

There is so much to work with, though! You will tend to find more of a focus on variety in women's fashion, but there is still quite a lot of menswear to ogle too. I suppose it's just a matter of searching out ideas and inspiration in the rights corners. Here are a few suggestions:

Old Clothing Catalogues -

Collections from Sears-Roebuck and other popular clothing retailers are pretty easy to find compiled into relatively inexpensive books, or just floating online.

I’m So Sorry If You’ve Already Answered This Somewhere, But How Do You Design Your Characters?

A fair bit of it is in the public domain now.

--Here's an entire 1922 catalogue of stuff to flip through.

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Contemporary Artwork -

Some phenomenal illustrators were working in this field amidst the "Golden Age of Illustration" and featured prominently on the covers of magazines and on the ads inside. There was a lot of emphasis on fashion.

I’m So Sorry If You’ve Already Answered This Somewhere, But How Do You Design Your Characters?

Collier's and The Saturday Evening Post are a couple of the more prominent and easily searchable resources. The costuming on the cover art always has a lot of personality.

I’m So Sorry If You’ve Already Answered This Somewhere, But How Do You Design Your Characters?

There's Rockwell, of course, and it's almost impossible to go wrong with J. C. Leyendecker. He's probably best known for his Arrow Collar ad art, but even his sock ads are like…

I’m So Sorry If You’ve Already Answered This Somewhere, But How Do You Design Your Characters?

There were numerous other amazing and influential illustrators working at the time too. Here's a list of some of them. Here's a bonus Henry Raleigh featuring some of his fabulously-dressed people.

I’m So Sorry If You’ve Already Answered This Somewhere, But How Do You Design Your Characters?

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Blogs and Articles -

There are so many of them! If you want historical accuracy, be wary of write-ups pulling all of their references from film and television. There's nothing wrong with using those for inspiration if you aren't too concerned with historicity, but there are some pretty comprehensive and well-researched things out there with more of an eye on actual fashion history too:

--Gentleman's Gazette - What Men Really Wore in the 1920s

--The Fashionisto - 1920s Men's Fashion

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Digital Collections -

There are numerous digital historic image collections stemming from universities, museums, libraries, and the government that are free to peruse too.

--The Metropolitan Museum has a searchable catalog of exhibits that includes fashion and photos

--Here's some things from the New York Public Library

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Photos at Large -

If you aren't sure where to start, image searching for any of Hollywood's early celebrities will typically turn up a bevy of production stills and promotional photography featuring a variety of fashions. Here's a random Getty images search for Harold Lloyd. A lot of standard 3 piece suits, but a lot of stuff with added character too.

I’m So Sorry If You’ve Already Answered This Somewhere, But How Do You Design Your Characters?

Photography was generally quite accessible by the 1920s, though, and you can find a lot of authentic photos of people from all walks of life, out in the wild wearing all sorts of clothes.

I’m So Sorry If You’ve Already Answered This Somewhere, But How Do You Design Your Characters?

This is by no means the limit to the resources available, but hopefully it'll provide some leaping-off points for designing looks for your characters!

More Posts from Synth-ab and Others

1 year ago

I think one of the Worst Things about wanting to find period clothing from other cultures, is trying to find fucking casual/work clothes. Like no, I do not want to see all these fancy intricate kimonos, I want to see jinbei, and field work outfits so I don't put a damn obi on this poor boy so he has a belt to hang his knife from.

1 year ago
My Friends And I Are Playing Tears Of The Kingdom. We're Loving It.

My friends and I are playing Tears of The Kingdom. We're loving it.


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1 year ago
You’re Hearing It More And More

you’re hearing it more and more

1 month ago

One of my favorite things about all the comic Lokis is that they're so individual and yet so deeply linked. Kid Loki likes bacon, Kid Loki is wiped from existence. His replacement not only keeps his love for bacon but actually nurtures that love for bacon until he's learning to cook full meals on his own and making dinner for his friend. Young Avengers Loki engineers the trademark Loki Magic Cell Reception spell. SKALD Loki, three comic runs and two ego-deaths later, gets pouty in Immortal Thor when his brother doesn't appreciate the magic cell reception they gave him as a present. Kid Loki wears a helmet with little wings on the side copying Thor's helmet. When AOA Loki is in the middle of his AXIS arc, meaning the bad in him has been turned good and he's acting as a hero, he gets a new crown WITH LITTLE WINGS ON THE SIDE REMINISCENT OF KID LOKI'S CROWN

all the times Loki quotes himself from another life, I won't even get started on that

GUYS. KID LOKI LIVED IN FRANCE. KID LOKI WAS FRENCH. HE PROBABLY HAD A FRENCH ACCENT. HIS NAME WAS SERRURE BEFORE IT WAS LOKI. FRNECH DO YOU HEAR ME AND THEN HE DIES AND THEN MOTHERDAMNING AGENT OF ASGARD LOKI HAS THE BALLS TO STAND ON A ROOFTOP LIPREADING FRENCH FOR HIS LITTLE AGENT OF ASGARD HEIST MISSION ALL LOKIS AFTER KID LOKI KNOW FRENCH BECAUSE KID LOKI KNEW FRENCH DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME

godofstories loki identifying as genderfluid until she's mashed up with grunge bastard peach fuzz boy KingOfJotunheim and the resulting concoction is whatever the loving hell SKALD is. neither of their gender identities won over the other, do you know what I mean one of them didn't cancel out SKALD is both and all of them very considerate of them

(yeah godofstories!Loki and SKALD Loki don't count as the same person in my mind because godofstories! had to physically and mentally merge with KingOfJotunheim Loki from That Other comic in order to create SKALD Loki, right)

there's something about how the moment after the merge takes place, SKALD Loki smiles and their teeth have the same gap tooth as godofstories! and they wear the glasses and silly Tshirts that KingOfJotunheim liked to wear there's something about that like

Loki is the culmination of all of their past lives and past identities and past experiences and even if they never ever stop changing and becoming they will always be close to who they used to be and I think that's worth slamming my head into a wall for


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5 months ago

this messed up vintage cat sewing pattern has tormented me since i saw it & like some other folks have done in that post - i tried my hand at tweaking the pattern to resemble the illustration (and my personal tastes) a little more. i've ended up with this. i bestow it upon you nice folks now 👐

(update 2, added instructions & it's also on my Kofi!)

This Messed Up Vintage Cat Sewing Pattern Has Tormented Me Since I Saw It & Like Some Other Folks Have
This Messed Up Vintage Cat Sewing Pattern Has Tormented Me Since I Saw It & Like Some Other Folks Have
This Messed Up Vintage Cat Sewing Pattern Has Tormented Me Since I Saw It & Like Some Other Folks Have

go forth and make weird little beanbag kittens! pls show me if you do!


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3 months ago
synth-ab - Synth_Ab

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1 month ago

I love this show so much.


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synth-ab - Synth_Ab
Synth_Ab

Eternal Lurker, finally here - they/them - art only account : @synth-art - 🔵blueskye account : synthab.bsky.social

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