After I got the book deal for Writer Mama, Kelly James-Enger introduced me to a friend of hers, who had also just gotten her first book deal. Sharon Cindrich and I have been phone buddies ever since, sharing the roller coaster of this crazy book-writing biz ride over the past five years. I owe a big debt of gratitude to Kelly (who I finally got to meet in person at the OWFI Conference in Oklahoma a year ago). I can’t wait for the day that Sharon and I finally get meet in person…hopefully in 2012. And p.s. my daughter loves her latest book.
Sharon Cindrich is a mother of two, journalist, columnist and and author of several books including “A Smart Girl’s Guide to Style.” Her family-tech column, “Plugged In Parent,” appears in newspapers and magazines across the country. Learn more at www.pluggedinparent.com.
“A Smart Girl’s Guide to Style: How to have fun with fashion, shop smart and let your personal style shine through” is produced by the awarding-winning American Girl Publishing. This book shares advice on clothes, accessories and fun fashion tips, with a focus on helping young girls let their personal style shine through. Girls can take quizzes to figure out which looks make them feel comfortable and confident, find tips for smart shopping and ideas on how to tackle fashion emergencies. Honest insights from other girls offer ideas on how to ignore fashion critics, explore creative interests, and stay true to themselves.
1. How has writing (either just the act of writing or writing this book or both) impacted your self-confidence?
The thing I love about writing is the ability to connect with others and provide some value or impact for their life. Each article or column or book that gets published reminds me that my words can make a difference, enlighten or entertain.
2. What are three words that describe your creative book-writing process?
Exciting, exhausting and purpose-driven
3. What good has your book created in the world?
Girls have always grown up with an awareness of the social expectations surrounding image and looks. My hope is that this book helps girls cultivate a sense of confidence and curiosity in regards to self expression during the years in which they are learning about themselves, their own interests and their own personal style. I believe it offers an opportunity for girls to creatively explore the type of expression that fashion is designed to afford in an unbiased way, while also addressing the real-life challenges of peer pressure and insecurities that every girl faces in daily situations.
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Thanks for participating, Sharon!
What a great opportunity to talk about style. And if any of us grown-up girls need any assistance on this topic, we can always borrow Sharon’s book from our daughters. 🙂
What’s your style? I’m not even going to clarify what I mean by “style” — just answer the question in any way you like (within the word count). Have fun with it. Write as creatively or straightforwardly as you like.
Answer in the comments in 50-200 words (no less and no more to qualify to win one of today’s books). Please read the complete rules at least once!
Sharon is allowed to answer too, but not until tomorrow, after her winner is drawn, because she can’t win her own book.
Thanks for participating in the Writer Mama Every-Day-In-May Book Giveaway! Please bring some friends next time you come. 🙂
Comments on this entry are closed.
My style is practical and approachable. I like fashion that looks polished but fun at the same time, and even when I worked in the government sector, which tends to be very formal and buttoned-up, I didn’t stick to dark colors and traditional styles necessarily. When I taught at the University of Illinois, I once had a student tell me that I had never worn the same outfit twice during the term. To make her point, she showed me her class notebook, where — at the top of each page — she’d written down what I was wearing that day. I was taken aback. Apparently I mix and match a lot!
A writer friend once told me that her daughter helped her
with her wardrobe so that she didn’t look too “matronly.” “What’s wrong with
matronly?” I thought. I’m pushing fifty. I’ve had six kids. My oldest is
married and I’m staring grandparent-hood in the face. I’ve spent over 25 years
of my life nurturing other lives. That was my calling. I have EARNED the title
of MATRON. Doesn’t society have enough hip, with-it, women who dress hot and
try to act too hot for their age? I want to be comfortable with who I am—not obsessing
over whether or not my dress fits in with the 20-something crowd, whether or
not I’m turning heads. The only head I want to turn is the love I’ve lived with
for these 25 years. And he likes the matron-type. Where have all the matrons gone? Thanks for the platform,
Christina. I’ve wanted to say that for a long time. J
I have a difficult time answering this–I think that since become a freelance writer and a mom, my sense of style has largely shifted toward comfort and ease–lots of dark colors and stretchy pants (otherwise known as sweatpants). I did have my own style once–and it was largely influenced by menswear–trousers, dress shoes, and then a tailored jacket or colorful blouse. I wouldn’t feel comfortable in that anymore, but this question is making me think about how I would like to look these days (and sweatpants isn’t the look I want!).
I guess my style is “presentable urban mom, with comfort.” I rarely wear make-up, comb my hair (naturally wavy), or heels—unless I’m out with my tall husband. I don’t iron, so things have to work together and easily, especially when I’m grabbing them early in the a.m. sans coffee. I enjoy wearing red, green and yellow; they make me happy. I prefer natural fabrics, skirts, my hip-hugging skinny jeans, and layering—to get me through my busy days. I’m not averse to looking a bit funky.
Working from home has definitely had an impact on my style. I’ve always veered toward comfortable–with the exception of a 5 year stint managing a hip clothing store where I had to toddle around in heels on marble floors for 10 hours a day, a crime for which my achilles tendons have never forgiven me. These days, while at home I call my style “one grocery cart short of bag lady”, and when I’m out its a bit of Chico’s mixed with Portlandia fleece.
I like to think of myself as Bohemian Chic. I like classic styles but there always is an earthy element incorporated.
My style is part uptight librarian, part hippie, part bargain hunter, part slob, part bluegrass banjo, part classical piano. I cook mango chicken curry in a kitchen with sea-blue cabinets and chartreuse walls, but relax in my living room in a red leather club chair among muted neutrals, books without dust jackets, and a Shakepearean bust. I like the clean-lines of Gwyneth Paltrow, the afro hair of Macy Gray, and handmades by blogger SouleMama. Mostly though, I’m just a plain t-shirts and jeans, slip-ons and a ponytail kind of girl.
I think it’s interesting that today’s question
is about style—because just this morning on the way to school, I was talking to
my 11-year-old daughter about jewelry and hair clippies. I was telling her I
don’t look good in fancy hair stuff, and I’m really low-key about jewelry (only
wear a simple gold necklace and my anniversary band, and when I remember,
earrings).
I don’t think the same is true of my writing,
however. I tend to be more effusive with words than I am with jewelry or any
sort of “bling.” I have to edit myself a lot when I write. In fact, with these
entries on Christina’s blog, I really have to watch it or I get too close to
the 200-word mark and then what would happen? I wouldn’t win. So I think I’ll
stop before I hit 150 words, just to be extra safe.
Style? I guess new age mom style, maybe? I don’t want to say flat out ‘mom style’ because the brings images that are not quite right into my head, but admittedly I dress like a mom. My older daughter of 12 reminds me of that. What is funny is that I have a sister not quite 2 years younger than me (married with 2 kids) whose style my daughter admires. If my sister will wear it, then she will wear it. She even takes her clothes when my sister is done with them. I can’t imagine her taking my clothes ;). Once when I picked something up for my daughter to wear for a special occasion, I took the tags off of it and told her it came from my sister – I knew I would have no problems with her wearing it then.
Also, I absolutely love all of the American Girl books such as this one. My daughter does too. (One thing we are alike in 🙂
This quote popped up in my Twitter stream yesterday: “The
difference between fashion and style is quality.” I think Giorgio Armani said
it. But who, exactly, gets to define quality? Sorry, Armani, you don’t get a
vote in my closet! With two toddlers in the house, I make my fashion choices
based on which items are most likely to withstand tugging and pulling from
little jam-stained fingers, heavy-duty stain removal, and months of crawling on
my knees picking up Lego and Cheerios. I’m a tactile shopper (my husband says I
have to touch everything in the store before I’ll buy anything). If something
feels luxurious, and feels like it’s built to last, it gets my vote for both quality
and style—whether it’s cashmere or fleece.
To have a style, I’d have to actually get dressed. If I go to the gym in the morning I manage to change into sweats. But too many days than I’m willing to admit, four o’clock rolls around and I’m still wearing what I slept in. It’s actually a running joke with my virtual staff to ask who is still in their bunny slippers at the end of the day. I routinely give a presentation to local business groups called “Make Big Bucks in Your Bathrobe.” But that’s the nature of a home-based high-pressure public relations agency and I love it. I do have my power suits for client meetings. And my silky go-out-to-dinner outfits. But overall, I agree with Carol Alexander. My daughters can be fashionistas if that makes them happy. I’ve earned the right to create my own comfortably style.
My writing style is conversational–relaxed. I know I’ve hit my mark when someone reads an article I’ve written and says, “I feel like we were sitting across the table from one another and drinking tea.”
My clothing style is similar: I like comfortable, relaxed clothes. Not comfortable in the sense of no fashion-sense. But if something is stiff and formal, I’m not going to wear it.
I have three magical necklaces. They have the power to transform me from rumpled scribbler to dynamic wordsmith. Every day, I dress and prepare my three children for school, and stumble to my desk, leaving a trail of sloshed tea behind me. Every day, I wear the jeans that I left by the side of the bed in a heap and a vaguely-clean top. I am disheveled, dusty, and wrinkled. Then, when it’s time to speak in front of a classroom, I splash my face, pull my hair into a clip, and fasten the necklace. Voila! I am transformed! My jeans are now hip, my top, sassy, and I’m ready to send shivers down the spines of my listeners. And then I do.
Of course, I should probably also mention my magic shoes.
I never had much sense of style although I tried. I picked up on “What Not to Wear” and after watching many episodes, began seeing what the hosts were trying to teach each lucky person they were helping. I have since helped all those within the sound of my voice, willing or not, to tips about looking good in their clothes. I still watch the series to keep my eyes sharp. I understand the desire to help others find treasures of knowledge and young girls are a willing market for style and shopping.
Just wanted to say that while you owe gratitude to Kelly James-Enger (and I hope I will one day too, she’s passed on some good advice), I owe Sharon a lot of gratitude! I was floundering in Milwaukee trying to reinvigorate my freelance writing after a few years in TV. Sharon was a great motivator and a great conduit to editors in a market where I had NO connections at all. Thanks Sharon (in case I never really said it before) and thanks Christina for highlighting her work and way of doing this crazy career!
It took me awhile to find my writing style. When I first starting
submitting writings for publication four years ago, I used a scatter
shot method for deciding where to submit, and tried too hard to have my
style of writing fit in with those publications I targeted. It was an
interesting exercise that I learned a lot from, and one of the takeaway
messages was that I would rather not be published at all, then publish
something that didn’t sound like me. Basically I write in the same style
I talk in, and because of this, I think my “voice” comes through
clearly. Since that first year, I’ve been very selective about where I
submit, and make sure my writing style is a good match for the
publication I am submitting to. Not too surprisingly, I’ve had many more
prose and poetry writings published since then!
Hi @e984b4e5acb5aed2a77dd4894b541ae5:disqus , don’t forget to write between 50-200 words, okay? 😉