Today we have the long-awaited (at least since Wednesday) expose on how Jeffe changes outfits multiple times a day.
No, really.
(I can’t believe you guys are interested in this. Or that I’m posting pictures to the internet of me looking scuzzy. But look, here I am.)
In the interests of science, and glasnost, I’m showing you my actual “look” for the various times of day. Hang on, phone is ringing….
Vogue, again. When will they take no for an answer???
Okay, so, KAK asked about PJs. Here’s me at 6 in the morning. Please cut me generous slack. This is the black wintertime robe. There are no actual PJs. We live in a natural world and, hey, I’m a natural girl.
I change into my exercise clothes. There’s a red jog bra under the pink sweat shirt. I would have shown you, but I figured you all don’t need to see my astonishing toned abs. The picture might make you spit up your coffee or something and that’s no way to end the week.
This pic is post-workout. The sky is barely lighter at this point. Looking very much forward to the end of Daylight Savings Time on Sunday!
Then we get to the best part: the writing clothes. This is what I’m wearing as I type.
So, see, when I first started writing, back in the day, I really didn’t have a dedicated writing desk and I wasn’t good at sitting down to write on a regular schedule. I created rituals to ease myself into the process. I wore my favorite shleppy dress, this blue jersey knit that I loved. I loved it for years. Um, until it literally fell to pieces. Finally I wondered aloud if I should throw it away.
“Yes,” said David.
“But – ” I whimpered.
“It has holes in it.” He replied.
“But it’s been my writing dress for years!” I cried.
“The writing comes from you, not a dress.” He told me.
I had to concede the point. The dress went to the great beyond, a farm maybe, where it’s playing with other happy outfits and Velveteen rabbits. So now I wear the fab sweatshirt my stepsister Hope picked out for me. If you can’t read it, it says:
Careful, or you’ll end up in my novel.
Note that this outfit includes comfy slippers for feet and a headband to keep the hair out of my eyes as I furiously type. It helps me to stay in kind of a dreamy, sleepy mode to write, to maximize that subconscious flow.
Once I
get my words in, it’s off to the shower for me. I do hair and makeup, put on some workier-type clothes. If I think no one is likely to see me all day, I usually wear something like this. It was tempting to put on one of my snazzier outfits for this photoshoot, but that would violate the honest spirit of this expose.
If I have meetings or will see people, I dress up more. If you’ve seen me at conferences, that’s the general spirit.
So – more than you ever wanted to know about me?
Yeah. That’s what I figured.
OK, I am totally down w/the writing clothes! 😉 That's my fav of all your outfits. 😉
You're just biased, Elizabeth!
Yep, that's about my routine, but one less outfit. My last change for the day is into a cross between the writing clothes and workier type. I tend to linger for hours in my exercise clothes, pre and post yoga, while I answer mail.
Have a great weekend!
LOL, thanks for satisfying our rabid curiosity, Jeffe!
Huh. Here I was patting myself on the back for getting dressed once a day. I am obviously a slacker in the wardrobe department.
I hear you, Marsha – I like my exercise clothes, too.
Danica, I live to serve.
You know what they say, Linda, from each according to his ability. 😉
Great idea Jeffe. I like that the changing of the clothes helps you move into whatever role you're fulfilling at the moment. I've always heard the advice that those that work from home should change into "work clothes" vs staying in PJ's or houseclothes all day, but I've never tried it. I've always said "hogwash" to the idea.
But I think i will start doing this on the weekends to see its effect on my writing. I'm not looking for an increase in word count output per se, as hope it will help me using my writing time more wisely (get into it faster & spend less time being distracted, which will make it more productive for me).
Ah-ha! I so guessed that you and aloe-goo were "au natural" folks. Showing us the robe instead of a nekkid leg works, I reckon. (Though the pornay bots will be disappointed)
I'm suitably impressed that you make the transition from "writing" clothes into "day-job" clothes, with make-up no less.
Thanks for baring, er, showing us the four-phases-of-Jeffe.
My God. Four changes of clothes in one day? I'm exhausted if I have to change twice…and I don't think I actually own that many clothes. Course, maybe this is a Geeks R Us kind of legacy because when I held down a day job, it was at a large software company where Levis and a tee shirt were the uniform. Huh. I'm ruined for life, I guess.
I'll be interested to hear what results you got, LaTessa. It really helps me to define the boundaries.
KAK – I confess I don't *always* get the make-up on. But I do try…
Marcella, at RT, we can compare suitcases and wardrobe changes. I'm sure you'll turn out to be FAR less extravagant than I!