The Importance of Writing Clothes

... or how I choose my writing uniform

I’m not really into clothes. Whether it’s because I despise being in crowded places, because it’s difficult for me to find anything that fits me right and is flattering, because what I would love to me my “style” is most flattering on someone who is about 7 inches taller and 50 lbs lighter than me, because I never got the style/design gene, or a combination of all those things, the short of it is few people will look at the clothes I’m wearing and decide they need them.

Since the pandemic, I have even less desire to be stylish.  I now refuse to wear anything that’s even remotely uncomfortable. I’ve created uniforms (of a sort) for the main places I need to go. My work uniform is essentially jeans, a shell, and a sweater. For social occasions, I’m in jeans and a niceish top or sweater, although there are a couple dresses in my closet for weddings and such. Around the house, I’m generally in some kind of loungewear, which changes depending on the season (there were a lot more sweaters last winter than in previous years).

I’ve also got a writing uniform, of sorts, that changes depending on the project. For previous novels and stories I’ve written, I went shopping specifically to find something that my main character would wear. It starts with a conversation telling the character that the clothes must fit me or be big, be washable, and be relatively inexpensive. Then, I walk into the shop, look at the t-shirts and loungewear, and see what the character wants to wear. I’ve worn fluorescent green and pink paisley, flowered bell bottoms, and non-descript collared shirts.  All of it helps me tap into the Muse that is telling me about them and gets my subconscious on board.

I’ll eventually learn enough about the character in the novel to tap in and go shopping, but the journal and nonfiction books still need a uniform. The website calls it a maxi dress, but I originally thought it was a cotton bathing suit coverup. It actually reminds me of the housedresses my grandmother used to wear around the house (but I’m entirely too young to be comparing myself to my grandmother, so those thoughts leave as soon as they come). Regardless, I’ve been living in them the last couple months. This dress is nondescript enough that it’s easy for me to tap into each of the Muses that are helping me and is versatile enough that I can wear it in summer with a tank top and in winter with a base layer and sweater. I bought it in 3 colors: I wear electric blue if I’m feeling particularly witty, beige when I’m feeling calm and reflective, and black the rest of the time.  With this, I’m set to get through this project with the writing uniform I need for inspiration.