Artificial Lexicon
Wall guide

Prompting Clothing and Fashion

A garment word carries era, class, and character in one term. Dress the subject and half the story is told.

Free Midjourney Stable Diffusion 3 min read

How the model reads clothing words

Clothing is the fastest way to say who a character is. A trench coat makes a detective before you write the word. A ball gown sets the room, the light, and the century around it. The model has seen millions of captioned photos, and garment names anchor it to real cuts, real fabrics, and real occasions.

Specific beats general. Jacket gives the model a vote; bomber jacket casts one. The wall's terms are specific on purpose: Henley shirts, high-waisted jeans, monk straps, seven-fold tie. Each one narrows the era and the wearer.

Clothing words also spend attention. Two garments read clearly. Five garments fight the face, the pose, and the setting. Pick the pieces the image is about and let the model dress the rest.

How to pick from the wall

Think in layers, top to bottom: one top or dress, one outer layer if the scene needs it, one bottom, one pair of shoes if feet are in frame, one accessory. Most images only need two of those slots filled.

Match the register. Contemporary words (graphic tees, skinny jeans, bucket hats) build street scenes and casual portraits. The formal categories (tuxedo jacket, mermaid gown, oxford shoes) build events, period drama, and editorial work. Mixing registers is a choice, not an accident; do it when the clash is the point.

Fabric words from the materials wall multiply the effect. Wool coat and velvet blazer already carry their fabric; add chiffon or denim to plainer garments when texture matters.

Category walkthrough

Contemporary tops and outerwear. Use Henley shirts, flannel shirts, denim jackets, and parkas for modern characters. Outerwear does the most visual work in a full-body shot; pick it first.

Contemporary bottoms and footwear. Use high-waisted jeans, cargo pants, high-top sneakers, and chelsea boots when the frame shows the whole figure. Cropped portraits can skip this slot.

Accessories. Use beanies, bandanas, aviator sunglasses, and crossbody bags as the one detail that makes a character particular. One accessory reads as character; three read as clutter.

Men's formal. Use double-breasted blazer, tuxedo trousers, brogues, and bow tie for weddings, galas, and period rooms. Overcoat over formalwear is the classic winter-street silhouette.

Women's formal. Use silk blouse, pencil skirt, ball gown, and stiletto pumps to set occasion and decade. The dress categories carry whole scenes: sequin cocktail dress brings the party with it.

Worked prompts

street portraitstreet photography of a skateboarder resting on a curb, bomber jacket, distressed jeans, high-top sneakers, golden hour, 35mm lens
winter formalportrait of a man on a snowy street, wool overcoat over a tuxedo jacket, silk tie, falling snow, sodium vapor lamps, shallow depth of field
editorialfashion editorial of a woman on a marble staircase, satin a-line gown, pearl necklace, rembrandt lighting, medium format --ar 2:3
character designcharacter sheet of a courier, windbreaker, cargo pants, slip-on sneakers, crossbody bag, flat lighting, white background
Clothing & Fashion wall Emotions & Expressions wall Textures & Materials wall

Published here first.

Keep going

662 words 👗

Clothing & Fashion

662 clothing words: contemporary wear plus men's and women's formal.

Open the wall →