Top Three “Author Uniforms” Big-Name Y.A. Male Writers Wear #amwriting #amreading

/ Eve Messenger

I am a writer. I daydream. Sometimes I daydream about what it would be like to attend my own book signing or to speak at a conference. (My introvert palms are sweating about that one already.) The obvious question, “What would I wear?” got me browsing through photos of my favorite female Y.A. authors, whose outfits apparently run the gamut  from T-shirts and jeans to designer dresses. No help there. Then I noticed something interesting. Big-name male YA authors sport a kind of “author’s uniform.” If you’re a male (or female) author searching for a good public look, here are three options you might want to consider.

The Rock Star

I challenge anyone to find a photo of Neil Gaiman not dressed in black. (Costumes don’t count.) Gaiman’s “author uniform” (which he totally rocks) consists of a black shirt, black blazer, and black pants. Occasionally, Gaiman mixes things up with a black sweater, black trench coat, or black bomber jacket. Are you detecting a theme here? Gaiman prefers clothing that’s dark like his stories, one of my favorites being The Graveyard Book.
  

The Boy Next Door

Imaginative and prolific author Patrick Ness’s go-to author uniform is a polo shirt with zip-up hoodie and jeans. Hey, whatever works, as long as he keeps writing books like The Knife of Never Letting Go.

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It is worth noting that for gala events, Ness cleans up very nicely. Guys are so lucky to be able to slip on a gorgeous tuxedo and call it a day.

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The Friendly Professor

Yep, that would be John Green, who meets with the public wearing a tieless dress shirt, blazer and jeans.

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Which author uniform is your favorite? If you were to attend an event as an author, what would you wear?

–Eve Messenger

14 thoughts on “Top Three “Author Uniforms” Big-Name Y.A. Male Writers Wear #amwriting #amreading”

  1. LMAO oh, Eve–leave it to you to notice what your favorite authors wear on a consistent basis! I don’t even pay attention to what I wear half the time!

    This was an entertaining read–I particularly like Neil Gaiman’s section. It reminds me of a professor I had in college (philosophy I believe?), who was FAMOUS (and I mean this literally–he had a wikipedia page made about him, and whoever wrote it mentioned this on there. he told us this in class one day.) for wearing the same outfit every day: Jeans. Turtleneck (of three? varying colors). And that was preeeetty much it. XD

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  4. Hmmm!!! I looove this sooo much!!! 😍 I totally dig Gaiman’s style and I’d definite pull a rocker thing. My wardrobe as it is is primarily black and I like combat boots so yeah, that’d def be my author uniform! 😍

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    • Black with combat boots, yes!! I like Neil Gaiman’s look best, too, in part because he looks awesome and in part because I love black, too! If I were to–when, Eve, WHEN I start dressing up for author events, I might want to go all princess-y like Cassandra Clare.

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  5. Eve, this is a fun post, gentle day-dreaming…which if it ever became reality would have me in a terrible state! 😀 do like a black leather jacket look but not sure this would suit me for a book signing…but then nothing too officious or prim…my husband would say I’d have to wear a scarf as he insists all writers wear them! It would be handy to pull over my head and hide from the audience in terror!

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