Clothes and Accessories That Scream “Go Away, I’m Reading”

1 month ago 20

a collage of clothing and accessories about antisocial reading

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Susie (she/her) is a queer writer originally from Little Rock, now living in Washington, DC. She is the author of three rom-coms: QUEERLY BELOVED, LOOKING FOR A SIGN, and BED AND BREAKUP, all from Dial Press/Random House. Susie is also a bookseller at her favorite local indie bookstore and a cupcake enthusiast. You can find her on Instagram @susiedoom.

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Readers love nothing more than quiet, peaceful, uninterrupted reading time. And readers hate nothing more than jerks who can’t catch a hint and rudely insert themselves with a, “Oh, hey, what’s that you’re reading? What’s it about? Is it any good? Nice weather we’ve been having, huh?” Luckily, you don’t have to waste your breath telling that guy to leave you alone with the world of your book. Let your outfit do the talking with these clothes and accessories that scream, “F*** off, I’m reading!”

Most of the time, I love talking about books. I’m always yapping about reading on social media. While working part-time at my local indie bookstore, I’ll happily tell anyone who asks what stories I’ve loved lately, what I’m reading now, and what book would make the perfect gift for their step-grand-niece-once-removed. But if you catch me in public with my nose in a book, you better not interrupt unless you’re ready for a scathing scowl.

If you’re looking for ways to protect your precious reading time, these fashion choices are just what you need. We’ve got t-shirts, crewnecks, hats, jewelry, and socks that convey the message “leave me alone with my book” loud and clear.

Image of someone in a dark gray t-shirt with an illustrated skeleton reading a book and the text "fuck off, I'm reading"Image from LiteraryLootChest on Etsy

This t-shirt is the perfect way to tell anyone you encounter that they’re better off dead than interrupting your reading time. Sizes S-4XL. $35+

Image of a black denim baseball cap embroidered with white text "Shh! I'm reading"Image from ClubBookShare on Etsy

This denim hat can help you bring “This is a library!” energy wherever you go. $25

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Image of a person in a dark green crewneck sweatshirt with a white illustration of a book stack and a cat with text "members only anti-social book club -- no eye contact, minimal talking, meets on fridays"Image from LucaBooCo on Etsy

The Anti-Social Book Club (no eye contact, minimal talking) definitely sounds welcoming to me. Sizes S-5XL. $34+

Image of a person in a white t-shirt with an illustration of a cat with heart-shaped sunglasses pushing a cart of books and the text "I like books more than I like people"Image from KateTeesCollection on Etsy

A cute cat softens the “don’t talk to me” message on this tee. Sizes S-5XL. $27

Image of a pair of dangly earrings that look like hotel door hangers that say "Reading, do not disturb"Image from TrendyPrintLove on Etsy

Protect your ears from unwelcome small talk with these earrings. $16

Image of a pink t-shirt with an illustration of a raccoon reading a book on a couch with the text "go away, I'm reading smut"Image from TwelveNineDesignCo

For all the smut lovers: No one will dare interrupt your favorite steamy scenes while you’re reading this shirt. Sizes S-2XL. $33

Image of a pair of gray knit socks with words ironed on the bottoms "Shhh! I'm reading"Image from GirlycraftDesign on Etsy

Kick up your feet in these socks and you’re sure to get some undisturbed reading time. $13

Image of a sage green crewneck sweatshirt with white cursive font that says "If my book is open, your mouth should be closed."Image from ChillStoreGlobal on Etsy

Let your sweatshirt do the shushing and you’ll never be bothered while reading again. Sizes S-2X. $64

Image of a silver necklace with a charm imprinted with a book and shhhImage from AWishAwayDesigns on Etsy

Your wish for uninterrupted reading time will never be far away with this necklace. $21

Image of a white baseball cap embroidered with an illustration of a cat and books and the words "I'd rather be home reading with my cat"Image from MyDragonsTale on Etsy

If you MUST put down your book, make sure everyone knows it was against your will with this hat. $33


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