Literary Ladies: Or What to Wear to a Reading When You are the Reader

I curate and co-host a reading series and you'd think I'd be very comfortable with what to wear to a reading. Last night at Pen Parentis where we hosted poet Mahogany L. Browne, Thelma Adams, and the amazing YA writer Cathleen Bell I rather enjoyed my little outfit, right down to my teal tights and boots.

BUT NOW I have to figure out what to wear to a huge reading at a library with bus loads of teenagers and then what to wear to the DEBUT AUTHOR SHOWCASE... (click NTC Teen Author Festival logo for full schedule).

Why is this keeping me up at night? I know the right answer is just to be myself, but lately, I'm not sure what that means.

I'm still on a Patti Smith vest and tuxedo shirt kick but I also want to have a 1950's retro feel to honor the Sylvia Plath parts of AND THEN THINGS FALL APART. There is a huge vintage clothing element in my book too so I want to represent that part of it all too.

And I want to not only SEEM young but to actually feel very close to how I felt when I was 17. Jeggings might be involved.

And I want the teenagers to think I'm cool.

Good luck...

My new pal Maeve at The Plath Diaries did this whole thing on Polyvore about Plath and fashion which totally inspired me to try it out. And here is an outfit I am considering for the Showcase:

reading outfit? by belljarsummer featuring vintage brooches

And then badass Michelle Tea over at the Ironing Board Collective did this great piece on Looking at Literary Ladies and it reminded me that it kinda matters, how we represent ourselves to the world. I mean, I am, after all A WOMAN OF LETTERS! I want to look the part and live the life and love every minute of it...

I'm getting a new haircut with Steph at Dickson Hairshop on Tuesday so... I'll keep you posted.

GET IT? "Posted." A little blogging humor for you this fine Wednesday.

Till Friday-

PS did you know Poet Nikki Giovanni has "THUG LIFE" tattooed on her forearm? Neither did I!