I don't usually describe my MC's clothing unless it's important for some reason. When I do describe it, I try to avoid "laundry lists" and incorporate the description into the action. During a chase scene, my MC's skirt gets ripped by some brambles, for instance. When she attends a formal white-tie event, I describe her gown, because it's important for characterization. She used to be extremely modest (for religious reasons), but during the story, she slowly lets go of her old ways. So when she wears an evening gown that shows a moderate amount of cleavage, it's a key moment in her character arc. Even so, I kept it brief and tried to make it interesting, rather than a generic list of garments.
I have read several novels where the MC chooses her clothes and gets dressed every chapter or two. These scenes are always mirror-image laundry lists, like, "She chose her favorite sea-green angora sweater with fuchsia embroidery around the hem, which matched her hot pink peasant skirt. Once dressed, she pulled on a pair of turquoise high-heeled boots--the ones with the black fringe, which complemented the ebony kid leather gloves her mother had given her for Christmas. Finally, she tied a pink and teal paisley scarf around her neck. She turned in front of the mirror, then, as an afterthought, added a pair of diamond stud earrings, which her ex-boyfriend had given her. A quick dab of (famous name brand) perfume to her wrists and throat, and she was ready to face the world."
It got old fast, lemme tell you!
That said, I do appreciate accurate descriptions of historical clothing. If a period novel doesn't describe the clothing, there's nothing to ground it in that period of history. So, tell me about the snug corset, the swish of her petticoat, and the way her bustle requires her to be careful when she sits. Unless your novel is set in 1880, in which case, omit the bustle and mention how narrow the skirts are. A little research goes a long way and can really help make a scene come alive. (Whatever you do, don't put a Victorian woman in panties. Please, my sanity depends upon it!)
I have read several novels where the MC chooses her clothes and gets dressed every chapter or two. These scenes are always mirror-image laundry lists, like, "She chose her favorite sea-green angora sweater with fuchsia embroidery around the hem, which matched her hot pink peasant skirt. Once dressed, she pulled on a pair of turquoise high-heeled boots--the ones with the black fringe, which complemented the ebony kid leather gloves her mother had given her for Christmas. Finally, she tied a pink and teal paisley scarf around her neck. She turned in front of the mirror, then, as an afterthought, added a pair of diamond stud earrings, which her ex-boyfriend had given her. A quick dab of (famous name brand) perfume to her wrists and throat, and she was ready to face the world."
It got old fast, lemme tell you!
That said, I do appreciate accurate descriptions of historical clothing. If a period novel doesn't describe the clothing, there's nothing to ground it in that period of history. So, tell me about the snug corset, the swish of her petticoat, and the way her bustle requires her to be careful when she sits. Unless your novel is set in 1880, in which case, omit the bustle and mention how narrow the skirts are. A little research goes a long way and can really help make a scene come alive. (Whatever you do, don't put a Victorian woman in panties. Please, my sanity depends upon it!)
), and maybe a paisley halter top. Anybody who lived during the seventies, or grew up during that era, would immediately recognize that clothing and footwear.
