Six Fashion Essentials for Writers

We writers are concerned with finding our voice, our writing style. What about our fashion style? Maybe we have a picture in mind as to what a “real writer” dresses like, and we imagine ourselves at the height of our writing success, writing every day. And taking from the mailbox packages of our latest books accompanied by big fat checks. The question arises, what are we wearing?

“Clothes Make the (Wo)man,” we hear, and “Dress for Success.” The idea is that if we look the part of an up-and-coming professional or well-known author, we start becoming that person. These tongue-in-cheek suggestions can help us on the way:

1. Mittens with the Fingers Cut Out This is a necessity for writing in cold weather, especially if you are one of those writers who hang out in your basement or your attic. And they’re great when writing on park benches, or jotting down ideas on your daily walk.

2. A long scarf hung loosely around the neck. I recommend this because of meeting a great instructor and writer at the Iowa Summer Writers Conference. She was talented and cool and looked good in her scarf—who wouldn’t want to be like her? So, consider a scarf—because of the “cool” factor, and because when you walk, ideas flow and swirl around you along with your scarf.

3. Good Walking Shoes To tap into inspiration, a great thing to do is to walk—at least thirty minutes every day. So, to get those creative juices flowing, you’re going to wear out a lot of shoe leather. Be kind to your feet and do it in a sturdy pair of Nikes.

4. A Slick Vinyl Raincoat We all face hard times—rejection letters coming through the mail, comments from critics and nay-sayers. If you’re going through a cold, rainy season of rejection, get out your raincoat, and let that negativity slide right off. You don’t need it. Don’t let it fall on you. Just be sure to remove it when the accolades start flowing!

5. A Comfortable pair of Blue Jeans Whether you prefer straight leg or boot-cut or skinny jeans, make sure they are extra-comfy. You’ve heard the advice to “apply the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.” Do it in comfortable jeans.

6. Accessories Bracelets make a nice clicky sound when you move, like typewriter keys, and that can be soothing. Necklaces work the same way, but stay away from chokers, as well as anything confining and restrictive. As for watches, wear them for fashion, not function—when you’re writing well, you’ll lose track of time, anyway.

These tips, of course, are for writers at work. At readings and public appearances, your look is your individual choice, the image you want to project. But for daily wear, consider the six tips above, and write in style. –Lucy Adkins

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