Letter From the Editor: Welcome to The Handwritten Edit

Welcome to The Handwritten Edit, where style is intentional and has rough drafts.

Dear reader,

My love for style originates in my preschool years when I was given the nickname “Bag Lady” thanks to my affinity for handbags. But when I look back at my youth, writing was even more crucial to forming my identity.

I’ve turned my fantasy worlds into books, compiled people’s stories into articles, and parsed through my deepest emotions to create tear-stained pages that feel like a colossal exhale. No matter the form, I’ve found tremendous satisfaction in getting my thoughts down on paper.

Style requires the same translation of the brain’s inner workings and sends the same dopamine release when it comes to fruition. When I hold a print newspaper I’ve worked on or wear an outfit I’ve repeatedly built in my brain for days or months, I see the work put into the finished product.

In this way, style is about the rough drafts: the vision boards, the thrift hunt, the pile of clothes on the floor from trying on half your closet. It’s about editing until you reach a publishable — or wearable — version.

Being handwritten and having rough drafts means you can also have as many sloppy handwriting days as you want. Yes, that means there’s no judgement on the days you choose the mismatched sweats or the T-shirt you’ve held onto since middle school. That’s just as much a part of you as the dolled-up version.

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on what having style drafts means. What does this say about my personality or the inner workings of my brain? What does it say about my values and how I want to live my days? And I’ve decided on a word that feels like me at my core: intentional.

I’m intentional when I light candles and turn on my fake fireplace or when I choose which coffee or tea mug I want each day. I’m intentional when I choose a rug for my apartment or lay out plans for an evening at home so a night in doesn’t feel wasted.

I like to make conscious decisions about my actions and environment that make each moment match the aesthetic, my emotions, and my desires for the day.

Style is no different. It’s about searching for pieces that excite you and thoughtfully curating outfits and decor that share your story. Our style is not meant to be copy and pasted versions of others: Just like our handwriting, it’s unique to us.

If any of this sounds like you, then you’re in the right place.

Welcome to The Handwritten Edit’s story. The best part? We’re only on Chapter 1.

Sincerely,

Shanna Kelly

[Shay-nuh Keh-lee]

Editor