Rogue Agent asked, and writers responded with a photograph of something that makes them feel strong, poised, and ready to take on the world when they have it on their body.
Image description: A woman sits beside the window in a coffee shop. She is wearing a white T-shirt that depicts human eyes and eyebrows in black.
I feel empowered when I wear my Patti Smith t-shirt.
NAME: Alessandra Bava
GENRES: poetry, nonfiction
I feel empowered when I wear this signed t-shirt because Patti Smith is the most inspiring woman I have ever met. I will never forget the day we briefly talked about literature and the way she hugged me joyously because I had brought her a book of poems by French writer Albertine Sarrazin dating back to the 60s as a gift. She is a genuine artist and poet. I love her!
Follow Alessandra Bava on Twitter.
Alexis Rhone Fancher has sholder-length reddish-brown hair with bangs. She wears sunglasses, a black tank top, and a leopard-print scarf. Her necklace is a rose gold chain with a rectangular aquamarine as a pendant. The background may be the interior of a car or the interior of a boat.
I feel empowered when I wear my rose gold necklace.
NAME: Alexis Rhone Fancher
GENRE: poetry, flash fiction
I designed [this necklace] by marrying my maternal grandfather’s watch chain with a giant, perfect aquamarine I inherited from my father’s sister. When I wear the necklace, I feel the combined strength of both sides of my lineage; it makes me feel powerful.
Visit Alexis at www.alexisrhonefancher.com.
Image description: The image shows a cluster of red lipsticks on a white background.
I feel empowered when I wear a red lip.
NAME: Alyssa Yankwitt
GENRE: poetry
I feel strong, feisty, slutty, sexy, powerful, brave, bold, and fierce when I wear a red lip.
Visit Alyssa's artist page on Facebook.
Image description: The image shows a wrist with a chunky brown wristwatch. The dial does not include numbers but does include the brand name, Alessi, in beige. The hour and second hands are whilte, while the minute hand is orange. The background includes a white door and a wooden floor.
I feel empowered when I wear my brown rubber Alessi wrist watch.
NAME: Celeste Gainey
GENRE: poetry
Time is all the fashion I need.
Visit Celeste at www.celestegainey.com.
Image description: The image shows a pair of ankles in black socks or leggings and feet in hot pink sneakers with black and pink laces. The feet stand on a grey rug.
I feel empowered when I wear my magic pink shoes.
NAME: Janeen Pergrin Rastall
GENRES: poetry, flash fiction
Image description: Jacquie Harris's face is barely visible in the picture, because she is showing the viewer her hat. It's a black baseball cap with TOM BOY in white letters. She also wears a black T-shirt and black hoodie. The background of the photograph is a bookshelf.
I FEEL EMPOWERED WHEN I WEAR CLOTHES THAT CHALLENGE
THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT GENDER AND HOW IT IS PERFORMED.
NAME: Jacquie Harris
GENRES: comedy, science fiction
You can find Jacquie on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femslashlatte.
Image description: The sweater is brown striped. It includes the infinity symbol down the back and on both sleeves. The sweater has a collar and darker brown ties attached to the mid-back of the sweater. It sits on a white tile floor.
I feel empowered when I wear the infinity sweater I made.
NAME: jenn Bakal
GENRES: poetry, short prose
Image description: The dress is brown and white with a repeating pattern of squirrels holding acorns. There is a zipper in the back. The dress appears with one brown boot and a pair of brown, green, and purple peacock feather earrings. It sits on a blue bedspread.
I feel empowered when I wear my squirrel dress.
NAME: Jennifer MacBain-Stephens
GENRE: poetry
I feel empowered when I wear this because it is a little bizarre and requires a second look. I like how the pattern is sort of elegant, but the idea of a mass of squirrels together is sort of gross. I paired the dress with these vintage boots and peacock earrings.
Visit Jennifer at http://jennifermacbainstephens.wordpress.com/.
Image description: The image shows two polka-dotted fabrics: one black on white and one white on black. Strands of gold pearls and a tube of red lipstick sit on top of the fabrics.
I feel empowered when I wear polka dots, perfect lips, and pearls.
NAME: Jen Stein
GENRES: poetry, letters, fiction
As a costume it boosts my confidence and makes me feel like I own a room, like people listen to the power of all three P's.
Visit Jen on the web at jensteinpoetry.wordpress.com.
Image description: Katie Manning models maternity clothes while visibily pregnant. She has long brown hair and brown eyes. Her clothes are a loose blue shirt tied under the breasts and a pair of jean shorts. She stands in front of a set of white double doors. She is holding her baby bump and smiling.
I feel empowered when I wear maternity clothes.
NAME: Katie Manning
GENRE: poetry
The maternity clothes (and really the pregnant belly under them) were so empowering for me. I never feel better about my body than when I am rocking a large pregnant belly.
Visit Katie on the internet at www.katiemanningpoet.com.
Image description: The image shows the tailbone area of the catsuit. It is black vinyl and reflects the lights from the room. The background includes wallpaper with a design of pink and brown squares.
I feel empowered when I wear my skintight black vinyl catsuit
with the zipper that runs from collarbone to tailbone.
NAME: Leslie Salas
GENRES: short- and long-form fiction, creative nonfiction, graphic narrative, screenplays, and poetry
Leslie tweets @LeslieLearns. You can visit her on the web at lesliesalas.com and leslielearnslines.wordpress.com.
Image description: The image shows a shiny black dress shoe depicted from the laces forward. The shoe stands on a wooden floor.
I feel empowered when the interview shoes are shiny.
NAME: Les Kay
GENRE: poetry
Image description: Meron Langsner takes a selfie in an art gallery. He has brown hair and brown eyes. His suit is black with white pinstripes, a white shift, and a black tie. The art in the background includes an abstract green and white painting, three silver disks, and a portrait with human figures. There are a few other art patrons far in the background.
I feel empowered when I wear a great suit.
NAME: Meron Langsner
GENRES: playwright, essayist
This particular suit is a Canali. It was a gift from a friend I received when I first got into real estate. The photo is a selfie I took at Stux Gallery in a piece by Margaret Evangeline (actually one of the first ones I'd ever taken). My friend who gave me this suit said that "this is a closing suit, not an everyday suit."
Visit Meron on the web at www.MeronLangsner.com. You can also check out the art of Margaret Evangeline at margaretevangeline.com.
Image description: Michael Albright reads poetry and wears a bear rug as a cloak. The bear is brown and has a wide mouth with sharp teeth. Michael Albright has a grey beard and is wearing a brown cowboy shirt. He holds a paper in one hand and holds the bear rug on with the other. Someone outside the picture holds a microphone up to his mouth.
I feel empowered when I wear a bear.
NAME: Michael Albright
GENRE: poetry
Image description: a pair of lower legs, in grey and black stripped leggings. and a pair of black Doc Martens. The background is a grey rug.
I feel empowered when I wear my black Doc Martens...
NAME: Sarah Lilius
GENRE: poetry
...because they remind me of my youth when I was carefree and didn’t care what the world thought of me. I’m not that feminine and that’s okay.
Visit Sarah on the web at sarahlilius.com.
Image description: Nicole Tong stands on a bridge over a river. There are white water and rocks visible behind her. She wears a black wetsuit and a silver backpack, and her brown hair is in a ponytail.
I feel empowered when I wear this Camelback...
NAME: Nicole Tong
GENRE: poetry
... because it means I've set a significant distance expectation for myself on a run or a hike. I recently completed a 100K from Georgetown in DC to Harper's Ferry, WV.
Nicole tweets @nftong. Visit her on the web at www.nicoletong.com.
Image description: A red wire chair holds a pair of lacy underwear and a bra, both splattered in several colors of paint. The bulletin board behind the chair holds several abstract body paintings and a collage on yellow cardboard shaped like an abstract sun. The collage says "MOM" and includes several markered designs.
I feel empowered when I wear paint.
NAME: Sally Deskins
GENRE: arts reviews, criticism, and features
In this photo, you can see a bra and underwear that I body painted in; behind it you can see body prints I have done in the past, sans undergarments.
Visit Sally Deskins at sallydeskins.tumblr.com.
Image description: The image shows a purple sweater and two gold necklaces. One pendant is a skull made of white jewels with a pink bow on its head and empty eye sockets. The other is a gold heart. The skull's chain has a blue jewel in a gold setting as a second pendant. This pendant is smaller and off center at the right of the image.
I feel empowered when I where skulls. Anywhere.
NAME: Suzanne Grazyna
GENRE: poetry
Image description: A woman with short reddish-brown hair and brown eyes faces the camera directly. She wears bright pink lipstick and a pink and black design over her right eye, cheek, and forehead.
I feel empowered when I wear Stardust.
NAME: Sommer Marie Sterud
GENRES: poetry, jokes, essays
Music is my make-up.
Image description: The image shows a human hand with dark blue nail polish and several tattoos. The hand also wears three silver rings. The tattoo on the forefinger is a tooth. There is a crescent moon on the pinkie and words tattooed on the pinky, ring, and middle fingers. The background is red.
I feel empowered when I wear my skin, my talismans, my psychic armor.
NAME: Sonya Vatomsky
GENRES: poetry, essays
Visit Sonya at sonyavatomsky.tumblr.com.