I’m a white, teenage Brit with too much homework - so rather than researching what I want to know and risk getting detention, I thought I’d ask in a forum where lots of cultures are united.
I’m writing a story for the Fantastical contest - I probably won’t get it out on time, but I’m still trying - and one of my characters is a genie.
She has monolid eyes - are those common in countries where the new clothing is worn?
I know monolid eyes on a character show that they are from some part of Asia, I’m not sure where though.
She has blue skin - obviously not a real Asian skin tone ! - but in Chapter 2 she travels to Earth and upon emerging from the other side of the portal discovers her skin tone has changed to that of a human. Which skin tones could I find on a South East Asian?
The character is somebody who prefers comfort over looking nice - so, as a genie, could she wear the top half of the outfit with some shorts? Or would that be disrespectful?
There’s probably more questions but that’s it for now. Thank you for your help
Double eyelids are actually MORE common than monolids.
Monolid eyes are actually everywhere around Asia, mostly for the Chinese.
Actually, there are a wide selection of skin tones you could use. From beige neutral to brown deep neutral, I need to know your character’s race to determine the skin tones available.
If your writing about an Arabian, showing too much skin is considered disrespectful.
If your writing about a Chinese character, that should be fine.
Hmm… Since your genie’s most likely residing on a Southeast Asian country afterwards (I hope I’m not wrong), I would say that double eyelids are actually more common in the Southeast Asian region.
Monolids are most common on East Asians (Japanese, Chinese and Koreans) but can be found throughout Asia (as well as throughout the world).
As for the skin tone… It depends on which Southeast Asian country you’re basing off. For example, in Indonesia you’re more likely to see naturally dark-skinned people than say… in Vietnam maybe? I would recommend maybe a tan coloured skin due to Southeast Asia being close to the equator, therefore there’s a higher chance of people being tan due exposure to the sun and whatnot. If you don’t want to make the genie tan, then maybe a skin tone that leans closer to brown?
With regards to the clothes, it really depends on the country the genie is residing. If it’s countries with a Muslim-majority like Indonesia or Brunei, the citizens may not take too kindly to the genie wearing skimpy clothing, which is why it’s best if she covers up. If it’s something like Malaysia, then I would suggest maybe wearing jeans just in case because even though it has a Muslim-majority, there are Chinese and Indians living there so they’re not as conservative as other Muslim-majority countries. If the country is based off Vietnam or Cambodia, the genie is better off wearing conservative clothing (to blend in with the locals). If the country is based off Thailand or the Philippines, the genie could maybe wear a tasteful t-shirt and shorts that’s slightly above the knee (maybe 5-7 cm tops). If the country is based off Singapore, then yeah, the genie can wear whatever she wants without worrying of getting caught or stared at.
I hope it helps (and I didn’t misunderstand anything)!
