What Does a Writer Look Like?

  Image from Goshen School NY.

Just like other professions, writers have a certain stereotyped look about them that many writers ascribe to look like. While for the men, a Hemingway-esque beard may be essential, what I'm really talking about is clothing. Writers in movies, for example, are always dressed in a particular way. I'm talking about the glasses, the corduroy blazer with elbow patches, the slightly rumpled but still classy collared shirt. It's a look that must be cultivated carefully to project an aura of the professor with an added, slightly rumpled bohemian glamor.

With that in mind, I admit I've succumbed to a few temptations in my time to look a little more writerly with regard to my wardrobe. I went for a burgundy corduroy blazer which I love and have worn to many a reading, from, surprisingly enough, Victoria's Secret, which you can find here. I'm a little off of mini skirts and have instead cultivated an interested in pencil skirts because of their tailored, professional look. Pencil skirts are the sort of thing, I imagine, to be worn in the offices of a chic literary magazine, and I wore them most days during my internship in such a place last year. I also feel a small twinge of regret that next year I will probably be getting laser surgery for my eyes and will once and for all forgo the glasses I wear occasionally (I usually wear contacts). Glasses seem like a very writerly touch and I will be sad to lose them. However, I can rest assured that in thirty or so years, like everyone else, I will once again need reading glasses.

Comments

[Naomi Hamm]

I am a 52yearold female about 5 3 or 54, and very overweight with very little gray to my dark, chestnut brown hair and I wear usually, long flowing dresses. I do not look like Rosemary Rogers or Kathleen Winsor, so don't think I am that sexy or appealing, with or without my obesity.

And when I wear make-up, I usually don't follow the normal trends and go au naturale. If you're gonna wear it at least flaunt it or go without makeup if you hate it that much.

I'm too pale anyway. Like Casper the Friendly ghost. But would anyone be able to tell me from an actor or singer.

I have been asked several times if I am a singer. I think it's the phrase such as" It aint over til the fat lady sings. I hate that stupid and vulgar putdown of us fatties. We have feelings too!

isn't it amazing though they never say such as this:

It ain't over til the skinny lady sings. Oh well, maybe folks should hear the word, skinny is not that normal or commonplace as much as fat.

And you can make of that what you will.

And oh by the way, I curse worse than a sailor. But being a writer, I never strive to be a carbon copy of everyone else.

Instead I find it neat to dare to be different. Because it scares people so much it makes me laugh.

I only wish that they'd let go of their conformity and let loose and really be what they truly are: unique individules with seperate tastes, looks views and lifestyles befitting only to them and their magical and yet different qualitites.

Go for it folks!