It’s always interesting to hear how other authors work: where they write; what they have on their desks (or kitchen tables); the time of day that’s best for them to be creative; and what they wear.

Now to be honest, it’s the ‘what they wear’ that interests me the most today. Sorry to be so shallow, but I know from talking to other people who work from home, we’re not the sort for a full row of pearls and stilettos while we’re sitting in front of our computers bashing out the odd 5,000 words.

I’d like to hazard that many of you are in comfortable jeans or leggings with tee shirts and jumpers. I’m currently in my favourite – and very old – pale blue jeans, which have been washed so many times they’re soft, smooth and almost see-through in places.

I’ve also got on a black v-neck sweater, which I stole from my husband’s wardrobe because it’s over-sized (baggy) and extremely comfy and I can’t be faffed with close-fitting clothes when I’m writing (even the bra has to go; I don’t like being constricted).

And slippers: a pair of furry pink boots.

And no make-up.

And don’t even look at my hair, which is doing its own thing until I wash and tame it before going out tonight.

But the gift that keeps on giving – a fashion writer on one of the Sunday supplements – has this week informed me that I’m doing it all wrong when it comes to work wear.

She writes about the sort of fashion very few of us ever see – well, certainly not in offices around Leeds, at the local supermarket, or on the school run.

Top to toe Givenchy?

I’m being general – and some of you might be dressed head to foot in Givenchy, in which case, well done, you.

But I’ve written before about the nonsense clothes this particular fashion writer insists we should be wearing – and that includes shirts with cuffs that dangle several inches over the end of your fingers (how can you type while tangled up in so much overhanging cotton?) and trousers that are so long they trail down over your shoes, which might work for the likes of Victoria Beckham as I’m assuming she doesn’t have to walk along wet or muddy paths, but would have any sane person tripping and sliding up the fresh veg aisle in Aldi.

Joy of joys

But this week’s joy of joys from the woman with a passion for the sort of fashion no-one sensible can wear, is accessories.

We’re talking bags – turbo sized totes – so big you could live in them. I’m a great fan of totes and I know how easy it is to fill them with books, papers, diaries and so on until you can hardly hoist them on to your shoulder.

But our fashion writer has excelled. If you fill the denim version pictured above (a snip at £963) you’d never be able to lift it off the floor. In fact, the last time I saw something that large and ugly, there were several tons of top soil in it being lowered into next door’s garden.

Pop on a sock

And then there’s the pop sock. An absolutely fine piece of clothing when worn with boots and hidden under trousers. But, unless you’re my 87-year-old step-mother who wears them instead of tights and regularly channels the exposed knee look when her dress rides up as she climbs in and out of a car, would you really, seriously, wear them as pictured here?

My step mum gets hers for £1, but our fashion writer appears willing to pay £110 for a pair.

No doubt she’ll be wearing the socks and the bag on the fashion front row any time soon.

I just wish I could stop laughing long enough to send her a photo of what I’m wearing today.

Maybe she’ll think the scruffy jeans and man’s sweater look is a new trend and she’ll contact me to ask how much it all cost – and where she can buy something similar.