Wendy recently posted advice about how a writer needs to stay fit to survive [Survival of the Fittest]. Well, I recently learned that a writer also needs to get dressed.
I quit my day job in 2003, and have been writing blissfully at home ever since. It would be inaccurate to say I work in my pajamas – the 
nightgowns I wear to bed are much nicer than my writing clothes, which consist mostly of black fleece leggings and old shirts. Typically, I don these clothes in the dark, with the full intention of changing into something more respectable – like clean blue jeans and a sweater – after daybreak, especially if I have errands in the local village, and imperatively if I have appointments downtown.
But it’s no secret I don’t really like to leave home, and I often procrastinate until I’m too late to change. I’ve been known to apply lipstick while racing down the state highway, hoping that the novelty of make-up will deflect attention from my baggy knees.
I do have a few good outfits, which I wear when I teach and give book talks. Since I rarely see the same students or audience twice, I’ve made do with one dress and one suit, with different accessories for variety. And on the rare date night, I do dress up – in my black jeans. These constitute my “good clothes” – the clothes I’m not supposed to wear in the garden, or tend the chickens in. But this is life in the country, and mud happens.
The few nice things I don’t buy from a catalog, I find at the thrift store. I’ve bragged to my friends in the well-heeled professions that my whole wardrobe costs less than their weekly dry-cleaning bills. Who needs business attire to walk to the post office to mail off submissions or collect rejections?
The answer is: any writer who is writing, revising, rewriting and submitting to contests, to journals, to agents or publishers. These writers need something to wear for that moment that seems impossible: acceptance.
That moment happened to me last week, when I learned that Into the Wilderness won the IPPY Gold Medal for Regional Fiction – North East. I enjoyed successive moments of disbelief and delight as I read and reread the citation. And then I focused on the fine print: “New York City” and “business casual attire.” That’s when terror struck: What was I going to wear?
Deborah Lee Luskin’s Into the Wilderness won the Gold Medal for Regional Fiction in the North East, which includes New York and New England. The Independent Publisher Book Awards, begun in 1996, is the largest independent book contest in the world, intended to bring increased recognition to the thousands of exemplary independent, university, and self-published titles produced each year. This year, there were nearly four thousand submissions from 46 states and 8 countries; 346 prizes were awarded.
So funny that you posted this today, Deborah. I also work from home – sometimes in my jammies, more often in the clothes I put on for my morning walk – leggings, wind pants, t-shirts, and the like.
My daughter is home sick today for the 2nd day in a row. Yesterday, I stayed in my PJs and robe all day. Didn’t even bother with makeup. I don’t mind doing that occasionally, but I find that when I am wearing “real” clothes, I am more efficient, business-like, and tuned into my tasks.
Don’t get me wrong – I love having the OPTION to meet my deadlines wearing bunny slippers, but I do think it’s worth making the effort to get dressed nice enough that I wouldn’t be horrified if – say – I ran into an ex or one of the perfectly coiffed stay-at-home-moms in town (nothing against those gals, btw).
Curious if you feel the same way, or if I’m just being totally shallow.
😉
Jamie,
When I was writing free-lance, on deadline, for others, I found what you say to be true. But for the dreamy writing of fiction, I find not being too efficient and businesslike better. What would be ideal for me would be the writer rags in the morning, followed by exercise, and then shower and dress for the business part of the day (editing, submitting, bookkeeping). A routine to strive for .. . Hope your daughter is better. Thanks for your reply.
Deborah
Modesty is what I am learning, my style is mine and its between me and The Muse. I say be modest but make sure your soul is well dressed.
Thanks for writing, Peter. I hope your Muse serves you well.
Best,
Deborah
I envy you! How I would love to stay at home all day and write and wear comfortable clothes! Although I am fortunate to have a job where I write during the day, it still requires me to dress nicely, fix my hair and apply make-up. The thing we do for our craft!
Leah,
Thanks for writing. And you’re right: what matters is the writing, not the clothes.
Best,
Deborah
Deborah –
I’m a jammy girl at least 50% of the time. Like you I don’t work in the PJ’s I sleep in – for work I favor baggy sweatpants or men’s PJ bottoms and an old turtleneck. In the summer it shifts to baggy cotton gym shorts and a t-shirt.
Thanks for your fun post … Susan
Deborah:
I agree that writing in something comfortable is advisable and stimulating…However, (this isn’t me)…what if you are afraid Mr. Right is going to knock on your door because he is lost and hungry…while you are in a pair of comfy sweats and a top three sizes to big.
Jaye
PS: That’s not me…ok!
Jaye,
You describe an interesting situation I hadn’t thought of – but it sounds like a great premise for a short story!
Thanks for writing,
Deborah.
sounds like you need to don your daytime jammies and run like heck to that thrift store! 🙂
congrats on the medal!
Hi Kristen,
I confess: I bought NEW threads for the event, and felt great in them!
Thanks for writing,
Deborah.
First of all, big congrats on the award! A few years back, someone convinced me I *had* to attend BookExpo in NYC, and I experienced a similar wardrobe panic. I went with all black and interchangeable accessories (boring but reliable) except that I sprang for a new pair of heels. Big mistake! I hobbled to a cab on the last day of the show and swore never to wear new shoes on a business trip again.
Hi, Artful,
Even with my funky Keen’s I came home with blisters. But I walked and walked and walked all over NYC – it was great!
Thanks for writing,
Deborah.
I do not write for a living (yet)
Right now I write for the joy of it, but when I do write I prefer to be in comfortable cloth’s.
I am most comfortable in jeans and a tee shirt, I usually do not right until after I am dressed, if I do it is just jotting down ideas that are banging around in my head.
To me getting dressed is part of “getting going” just like your morning coffee, once
I’m dressed whether im writing or going to my job, I feel ready and confident to take on the day
Congrats on the award
Thanks for your thoughts, Jim. It really doesn’t matter what you wear – as long as you keep writing. Good luck, Deborah.
G’day Deborah,
My day consists of getting up later than I should, donning the semi-casual business garb, spending the next 12 hours travelling to, sitting around at, and heading back from work. Then I get into the trackies and t-shirt while I laze around with the family. It’s only once they’ve gone to bed that I steal an hour or two (or more) of what should be my own sleeping time to do some writing – in same trackies and t-shirt. I like to be comfortable so I’ve never considered changing clothes just to write. However, comfort and the resultant Zoning causes me to overstay my welcome at the keyboard. And I wonder why I get up too late!
Congratulations on the award!
Cheers,
Richard.
Richard,
Congratulations to you for your perseverance – it does make a difference, eventually. Persist.
Thanks for the note,
Deborah
Congratulations! Writing in “rags” has worked well for you! When I wake up I often have ideas I need to put down and don’t bother getting dressed until lunchtime or sometimes much later if I’m really moving along and getting alot done. I also find, like Jamie, some days it’s actually better if I get dressed – so I mix it up by getting dressed immediately upon waking on days when I know I have other things to do. Then I don’t have to worry about being properly attired when I rush out the door at the last minute to make an appointment! When the weather is terrible or nothing is pressing, I often allow myself the luxury of kickin’ back in comfy sweats. This post made me laugh outloud, by the way. I bet lots of writers are afraid to admit they “bum around” and they aren’t as glamorous as people expect them to be.
Hi, Laura,
This post has certainly generated a lot of comment! And I think it proves that there are as many strategies as there are writers, though “comfort clothes” may be the common thread. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the pun.)
Glad you’re “moving along” with your project(s). Thanks for writing,
Deborah.