Office Pyjamas: Summer Edition

Preamble (scroll down for outfit posts)

Because my PhD is in literature and cultural studies, and perhaps also because I’m a wee bit arrogant about these things, I feel like I can tell when books/authors have not been edited enough.

I’m an avid reader in and outside of my professional existence, and it is one of the banes of my reading life when authors who’ve published a number of excellent works of fiction seem no longer to get edited by their presses. I assume this happens – and I’m really only guessing here – because everyone who might otherwise edit or refine an established author’s next manuscript figures the book will sell with or without significant editing, so why not focus their limited time and money on helping their less experienced authors? This is my imagined explanation for novels written by some of my most beloved authors later in their careers seeming weaker overall, with too-long meandering storylines, under or over-developed characters, extraneous or unresolved subplots, and the like.

I’m also super disappointed by academic superstars who achieve a degree of success publishing utterly ground-breaking, intellectually challenging, and inspired work early in their careers, then proceed to publish the same collection of no-longer-new ideas under different titles for the remainder of their working lives. Why doesn’t their editor tell them to stop? Why tantalize and then disappoint instead?

In short, I value a good editorial process. Now that I’m involved in one myself, however, I get why some of the prestigious ones opt to skip it. That’s right: The Project that Will Not End is back on my desk for another go-’round. This time, it’s got a book contract attached, which is awesome, but it’s sooooo crazy-making to wade back into this work.

Outfit Post/Amble: Summer office pyjamas

Office pyjamas are but one of an array of de-crazifying tools I’m employing to get through this process, one more time (with feeling). We had a short stint of cooler weather last week, so I wore this. I added the bracelet to channel E-Jo’s mad colour-mixing skillz and to cut the pyjama-vibe (which I readily allow is still quite strong here):

Embroidered office pj tunic: Joe Fresh; Bracelet: Nordstrom; Cami: Joe Fresh; Leggings: ?, I cut out the scratchy tag (via Winners); Shoes: Fly London Yaya

It’s much hotter and humid today, so just looking at the layers, sleeves, and near-full-leg-and-foot coverage featured here is making me sweaty. The next version of these office pj’s will probably be pared down significantly. Also, OK. The tunic is ACTUAL pyjamas. As in, it came from the pj section of the shop. I’ve decided, however, that it’s way too pretty – and frankly, its polyester is too scratchy – to be worn to bed. It needs to go out into the world.

Who/what are you reading this summer, StyleNation?

Are they edited enough for you?