In celebration of InkWell Workshops’ fourth volume in their anthology series, Brilliance Is the Clothing I Wear, InkWell took to Twitter to share the brilliance of their writers and the styles that they have been rocking during the pandemic. Today we’re highlighting some of these discussions of style, brilliance, and pandemic comforts here!
DANIELA V.
InkWell Writer and Contributor to Brilliance Is the Clothing I Wear
“My pandemic style has been mostly assorted print tops and print comfortable lounge pants, bordering on bohemian. I feel like this style is more me than I’ve ever been. I like to time travel with my clothing styles. People say I pick the most eccentric thing from the rack when given the choice, and with online shopping, it is easier to do this within my budget. To relax, I have been watercolour painting, you can see my little bird painting in the background of my photo. Ultimately, brilliance is being the best you can be in any given situation life hurls at you.”
EMILY G.
InkWell Writer and Contributor to Brilliance Is the Clothing I Wear
“I am rocking my fluffy ice princess coat and unicorn ear muffs, true to my Autistic, Mad style and self! My pandemic vibe has been ensuring to keep it weird, and find the beauty and magic in the little moments during this very strange timeline. I’m trying to lean into the gratitude and remember that this won’t last forever. I’ve been reading books mainly about social justice, because I fully believe that we should come out of this pandemic as better people, and work towards creating a more equitable, loving, and radically accepting world, unicorns and rainbows included!”
MICHELE B.
InkWell Writer and Contributor to Brilliance Is the Clothing I Wear
“These days, my pandemic style is comfort! My zip-up hoodie, in my favourite colours, is from Pink. My cozy sweats, hand-me-downs from my son, come from Roots. And my Fazl socks are handmade in the Himalayas. I love to lie on my sofa and watch TV, but I feel extra brilliant on days when I put on this soft hoodie and poems flow from my fingertips!”
HONEY N.
InkWell Writer and Contributor to Brilliance Is the Clothing I Wear
“My style is called “CASUAL GLITZ”. I like wearing comfortable clothing that has some kind of texture. My serape is Italian cashmere, and my sweater is handmade alpaca wool from the Andes. It is also hand-dyed. Both of them were found in the recycling in my building a long time ago. I’ve been reading a lot of whodunnits and the Patti Smith book and Bob Dylan’s chronicles and Eleanor Roosevelt’s bio. I’ve been writing things that are meaningful for me (how I’ve feeling, what I’m seeing), watching TV, and doing crossword puzzles to relax. “Brilliance” means to shine, like the sun rays being caught on a shiny surface. We have brilliance because we all can catch the sun’s glitter. Style is my personality, warmth and cold with colours and textures and statements and a message saying, “I’m friendly” or, as Mr. Rogers would say, “won’t you be my friend?” That’s style.”
KATHY F.
InkWell Artistic Director
“I live for one-of-a-kind clothes, so I was excited when someone in the Caremongering TO Facebook group, a mutual aid group formed in response to the pandemic, was giving away this vintage t-shirt: wearing it means I can rep my values and my South African roots. I paid my gratitude forward with some e-transfers to folks in need. The pandemic has shown how much our wellbeing as individuals is bound up in the collective (something Mad folks have always known). If, every day, I can remember my value and the value inherent in each of us, I’ll know I’m living brilliantly.”
InkWell Workshops offers creative writing workshops to adults living with mental health and addiction issues led by accomplished professional writers with lived experience. Founded in 2016, the workshops bring together a lively, intergenerational mix of emerging talents from every part of Toronto. Read more here.