Review: What I Wore Today

In 2008, Gemma Correll was one of the first illustrators who participated in the PikaPackage Project on Pikaland. I still remember the first time I opened up her package and throughout the house there were squeals of delight (from me, obviously). Her illustrations now still illicit the same squeal of delight as it did back then, only now it comes with giggles and a “OH YEAH!”

Fast forward 4 years and Gemma’s drawings and characters are one of the most recognizable illustrations on the web. Together with sidekick Mr. Norman Pickles (and along with Bella, a new addition to the family), they make a mean team. Gemma’s comics are a take on the ordinary – turning everyday conversations into a laugh-a-track with her ingenious comic drawing abilities that feature talking animals among personal observations.

She also initiated the Flickr group What I Wore Today and the blog where other artists and illustrators participated in drawing out what they wore that day (as opposed to merely taking a photograph). The book What I Wore Today sprung from the idea and I’m so thrilled to see it brought to life!

What I Wore Today: Doodle Yourself into a Style Icon with Gemma Correll
Hardcover 112 pages

The book is divided into four different seasons: Spring, summer, autumn and winter and each season has an intro by Gemma. Most of it is about wearing what ever it is you want, not as dictated by the fashion industry (which I do agree, because I’ve never seen yoga pants make it onto the runway although they make the most sense if you’re lounging at home, working…) There’s spots where you can draw in, and also where you can put in snippets of information about your day and your inspiration.

Instead of just becoming a journal, Gemma also invites readers to draw out their own designs on things like shirts, bags, shoes, and even hairdos – which I’m sure will unleash the fashion designer in many.

The journal makes for a great gift for home-bound closet fashionistas everywhere, and I would doodle in mine too, if only they had chosen to use ring binding instead of its current perfect-bound option. That way, it could become an all-in-one journal where I could cut up and stick some inspiration snippets of my own (I know, I know, I would be better off it I drew it out instead – this is a drawing journal after all!) Nevertheless, having a bit of an option isn’t quite so bad!

You can pick up Gemma’s book over at Amazon!