>>58866535On a scale of completely nondescript to Mihoyo slop, each accessory should provide insight into the character or the setting.
If you're making a protagonist, take a trip to your local mall, take photos of whatever is trendy, then add athletic wear like backpacks, belts and running shoes or hiking boots to the mix. Red wears typical 90s fashion, Gold is a sk8er boy, Brendan and May wear early 2000s biking outfits over diving suits, Dawn and Lucas are winter chic with clunky Seiko Ruputer smart watches since their games take place at the same time as Gold & Silver, so on. If you're making a Trainer class character, their design is their character, so you need to make sure it has a strong identity that stands out in the crowd. "Oh, it's that character, they use these Pokemon, I need to plan ahead."
Just like a Pokemon, you need to look at each detail you add to the design and have a solid answer to what it actually does. Details should reinforce a theme, not reiterate. If you have a pair of pocket chains, it's redundant to have a chain collar, wrist chains, and chained boots too. But pocket chains, a dogtag necklace, wristbands, strapped punk boots and an ankle monitor all reinforce the impression that this character has no freedom. Have a Pokeball dangling from that pocket chain and now he actually belongs to the world. Give him a Magnemite or a Liepard to literally or figuratively jerk his chains around and you've rounded out the design with a core strength and an exploitable weakness. "Oh, it's this guy, I probably need to put my Mienfoo in front."
