10 Writers Whose Style Inspires as Much as Their Words
Their best-selling stories line the shelves at book stores nationwide, but getting a glimpse of an often-elusive author can be a less common occurrence. But just because their faces aren’t splashed across blogs and tabloids doesn’t mean they don’t have amazing style. After doing a little digging, we discovered that some of our fave wordsmiths are veritable trend setters on the fashion front, too.
1. Gillian Flynn: She had us edge-of-our-seating with her dark and twisty mystery in Gone Girl, but Flynn’s way with suspense isn’t her only strong suit. The New York Times best-selling author wore this chic and modern ensemble at the 20th annual Critics’ Choice Movie awards last January, and we’re totally digging it. Could that hemline fall at a more perfect length? Flynn is a self-proclaimed movie geek with an English and Journalism degree whose work has been published in twenty-eight countries. She currently lives in Chicago with her husband and son and is working on her next novel. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for A&E Network)
2. Lena Dunham: Who runs the world? GIRLS! … and the HBO smash hit series Girls (created by and starring Lena Dunham) is likely where you first heard this author’s smart and witty writing. But equally smart and witty is Dunham’s style, like this feminine ’60s-inspired romper and contrasting navy sport coat. Check out Dunham’s book Not That Kind of Girl for more candor and insight from this amazing writer. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The New Yorker)
3. Zadie Smith: Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2002, Smith has won critical acclaim for her work, which includes the novels White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty and NW. We think Smith’s style deserves some serious acclaim too though, like the gorgeous color/pattern combo in the ensemble above. If you’re contemplating what book of Smith’s to pick up first, consider On Beauty (which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the 2006 Orange Prize for fiction) or NW, an excerpt from which won a 2014 ASME National Magazine award for fiction. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The New Yorker)
4. Zoe Lister-Jones: Accomplished screenwriter, playwright, actress AND fashionista — is there anything Lister-Jones can’t do? She certainly has us convinced with this gorgeous pinstripe dress and contrasting makeup (yay for berry lip colors!) at the Refinery29 holiday party last December. Lister-Jones currently co-stars in the CBS sitcom Life in Pieces. Her recent written work includes the political thriller Consumed, which was co-written by Lister-Jones and Daryl Wein and premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival last June. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Refinery29)
5. Jhumpa Lahiri: PULITZER PRIZE! Need we say more? Lahiri is an incredible author, and if you have not yet had the time to check out her writing, we highly encourage you to do so. In the meantime, you can swoon over Lahiri’s style and the gorgeous colors/embroidery of the gown above, which Lahiri wore to the 71st Venice Film Festival last year. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
6. Joan Didion: Oh Joan, we idolize you for so many reasons. While Didion’s poignant novels and stories will always top the list, we also love to love the cool and effortless style she’s had from the start. Check out the recent Céline campaign featuring Didion — it’s a-w-e-s-o-m-e. Another fun fact: Didion worked at Vogue for two years early in her career, where she worked her way from copy editor to associate feature editor. The above photo is quintessential Joan. (Photo by Brad Barket /Getty Images)
7. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Chimamanda, who holds a master’s degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University, has won critical acclaim for her novels (check out Americanah, released in 2013). Chimamanda regularly divides her time between the U.S and Nigeria (where she teaches writing workshops). We’re huge fan’s of her writing, and of her bold style — this gorgeous pale jumper is a perfect example! (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Baileys/Diageo)
8. Veronica Roth: Roth, just 27 years old, is the author of the immensely popular Divergent series (which recently made its way to the big screen). And Roth’s style? ON-FREAKING-POINT. P.S. Does anyone else think she could have totally stepped out of the Divergent movie? Check out that hair! (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
9. JK Rowling: No post on female authors would be complete without mentioning the magical JK Rowling, author of (do we even need to say it?) the renowned Harry Potter novels. Rowling’s style is pretty magical too, as evidenced in the above photo — she sure knows how to rock a skirt. (Photo by Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)
10. Mindy Kaling: The world would be a much duller place without Mindy Kaling (and we’re not just talking about her writing). Kaling’s colorful ensembles, like the one above, are a regular source of #ootd inspiration. While you might recognize Kaling most from her work on-screen, she is as much an acclaimed author as she is an actress. Kaling completed her first book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), in 2011 (a New York Times Best Seller) and recently released Why Not Me?. Along with her critically acclaimed series TheMindy Project, Kaling has written 22 episodes of The Office, and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Do you have a favorite author who also has amazing style? Let us know who they are in the comments section below!
