I've got an indie author event to attend tomorrow, which means I'll have to trade my grungy barn duds for decent clothes. Somehow I don't think the red clay paw prints down the front of my jeans and the hay clinging to my sweatshirt will help me put my best foot forward.
When I attended my first writing conference a few years ago, I was so nervous about what to wear. I'm a tomboy, and I'm not trendy; from what I'd seen on the web, slacks and sweater sets were the recommended wardrobe. Office attire. I cringed. And then I came across a blog post that suggested authors dress so as to best advertise their books. For instance, if your characters are super fashion-forward, you should look the part.
Lucky for me, my girls are all about jeans and boots. So when I go to author events, I try to keep things clean, classic, mix-and-matchable. I like jeans paired with cute, simple tops with good lines.
It is inevitably cold inside a bookstore or banquet hall, so if I can't work a jacket into the outfit, then I always take a sweater. In the fall and winter, I wear my leather jacket; you can dress it up or down, and black leather never goes out of style.
In the spring and summer months, a blazer serves the same purpose.
I don't wear dresses, but I do like a simple black maxi. It's casual, but you could dress it up with a jacket or vest.
I also wear my boots whenever I can. It's my shtick.
I think the most important thing is to be comfortable in what you're wearing. If you don't like your outfit, or it doesn't fit well, it'll show in your mannerisms. I think it's more important to look like YOU, and to look like the author of your books, than to be formal.
No comments:
Post a Comment