The Fashionable Writer

I adore autumn, it is hands down my favourite time of year. The nights are cool, the days fresh yet still enough heat in them to enjoy being outside. The trees are turning every shade of red, orange and yellow. It’s magical.

It’s also my favourite time for shedding the summery outfits and shifting into comfy slouchy autumn wear. Jeans. Who doesn’t love jeans? They are the perfect pant (IMO). Dressed up or dressed down, they work with all types of shoes and really, denim is one of the easiest colours to work with as a base.

You’re probably wondering what I’m rambling on about by now? But I thought, given it’s my favourite time of year, that it would be fun to talk about a writer’s wardrobe. Contrary to popular opinion, just because you can do your job wearing PJs, it doesn’t mean it’s the choice we all make.

So, I’ve detoured out into the writing wilderness to ask the serious question:

What is your writing outfit?

Here are my ‘fashionable writer’ results below

Left: Active-wear Writer
Right: Lounge-wear Writer
Sketches by Jayne Kingsley

The Active-wear Writer

Enjoying leggings and a baggy tee, these writers are ready to jump up and go for a walk at any moment to ensure those creative juices continue to flow.

Most likely dressed from a selection of Kmart and country road, black is always the best answer.

The Lounge-wear Writer

Praise the day that lounge wear became a thing. Who knew that wearing tracksuit pants would actually become a fashion yes, not just a fashion faux-pas. (Apparently not me when I was 14 and went down the street in matching bottle green tracky-dacks and jumper, but that’s another story). Here are the eternally comfortable yet stylish writers, those whose wardrobes are filled to the brim with Susan’s latest catalogue.

Left: Denim is the only option Writer
Right: Stylish Writer
Sketches by Jayne Kingsley

Denim is the only option Writer

This is popular among the mum writers. Those who actually have to leave the house and look presentable, when really, they’d prefer to be wearing their PJS all day. I might add this is most definitely where I fall. Denim lover forever!

The Stylish Writer

These are writers who are just plain stylish and would be no matter what they did with their lives. Yes, you know who I’m talking about, those people you imagine wake up, their make-up already in place, bad hair days don’t exist, and they have an aura of effortless cool. I aspire to be this writer, a girl’s gotta dream right ;)

The Office-wear Writer

Left: Office-wear Writer
Right: Pjs Writer
Sketches by Jayne Kingsley

These are people who have a job and find time to write around that – amazingly organised writers these ones. I’ve also had writers tell me that wearing their work clothes helps them turn on their inner dialogue better – because they feel like they are still in work mode. I have decided to try this – might be a good use for my collection of heels.

The PJs Writer

You knew it was coming. It’s a big draw card on the working as a writer list of perks. Of course the hard slog that is writing, coupled with intense self doubt and a strong requirement for chocolate… well it just says PJs doesn’t it?

In case any of you would like a further giggle – I highly recommend this article by Maggie Downs for The Coachella Review. It made me laugh and really, if you’re a writer, I bet you will also see the humour in this piece.

http://thecoachellareview.com/wordpress/2014/04/25/the-clothes-behind-the-books-how-to-dress-like-a-writer/

I love to love... denim jeans
I love to laugh... at my outfit of pjs and heels
I love to learn... other people’s views on the importance of a ‘work’ uniform, and do writers have a work uniform that helps them

So, these are my ‘bit of fun’ writer fashion groupings. What about you? Are you a lover of Autumn fashion? Do you have a special outfit you gravitate to for your writing? And does it help you get those words out on paper or keyboard?