Discover Bookish-Inspired Clothing For World Book Day

Whether you’re curling up with a good book, dressing up little ones, or even dressing up yourself, we want to help you celebrate World Book Day in style this year with the help of some of our favourite pieces from the Joanie Book Lovers edit! 

This year, the World Book Day theme is ‘You Are a Reader,’ encouraging kids from all over the world to get into reading, with a special focus on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

This is something we Joanie Gals feel really passionate about - we believe that reading is not only a necessary skill but something that helps transform your worldview and can sometimes act as an escape from the stresses of everyday life. Our brand is even named after Brand Director Lucy’s great aunt Joanie, who loved nothing more than cosying up with a cup of tea and a good book.

This year is the 25th anniversary of World Book Day, and the World Book Day organisation will be working with schools and nurseries to distribute gift vouchers to ensure that all children can have a book of their own. They’ve even commissioned special £1 World Book Day books that tokens can be redeemed against, including new stories by well-known authors like Michael Morpurgo and celebrities like Matt Lucas!

To celebrate World Book Day 2022, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite Joanie literary-inspired pieces and paired them with a recommended read. We’ve included a mixture of old favourites, much-loved classics, and some newer picks, so, just like the Joanie Book Lovers edit, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!

Our Favourite World Book Day Literary Styles:

Eastman Read More Books Slogan Jumper - Navy

A classic knit for a classic read! Our Eastman jumper is one of our most popular styles, and it’s easy to see why - this soft navy knit is incredibly cosy, perfect for snuggling up with a great book. If Eastman is your bag, why not read J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye? It’s a controversial choice, but if you're feeling nostalgic for your teenage years, Salinger's humorous and earnest portrayal of Holden's coming-of-age in '50s New York is the reason why it’s on high school syllabuses worldwide - if you’ve never read it before, now’s the time!

Heathcliff Wuthering Heights Slogan Sweatshirt

It would be remiss of us not to recommend Wuthering Heights as a companion read to our Heathcliff sweatshirt, but if you’ve read it before and want something similar - and a bit more modern - why not get cosy in this sustainable BCI cotton sweatshirt and read Sally Rooney’s Normal People? Hear us out - both books feature a tortured and doomed romance and protagonists whose dysfunctional relationship centres around their inability to communicate. Spoiler alert: nobody digs anybody else up or haunts them from a tree on the Moors in Normal People, so if the absence of grave robbing is a dealbreaker for you, then stick to Wuthering Heights!

Ali EcoVero™ Book Print Blouse

If you love Ali, then chances are you’ll love reading The Secret History by Donna Tartt: set in ‘80s New England, six college students retrospectively narrate the events that led up to the murder of one of their friends, 'Bunny.' The novel itself is closely associated with the Dark Academia aesthetic, so if you want to embrace this look then pairing our Ali blouse with your own copy of The Secret History is a great place to start! Ali is one of our most flattering styles, and our book-print edition is crafted from EcoVero™, so it looks good on you, and it’s good for the planet! 

Watson Baker Street Intarsia Jumper

Our Watson jumper is not only a Joanie Gal favourite, but it’s also a subtle nod to the home of one of the most famous detective duos in the canon, Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Watson. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote around 60 stories featuring Sherlock, so there’s a lot to be going on with if you choose to delve in - we recommend starting with A Study in Scarlett, the story where Holmes and Watson first meet. The ribbed cuffs, neck, and hem on our Watson jumper make it as comfortable as it is stylish and mean that it looks great tucked into your favourite pair of jeans for a day out sightseeing if you choose to visit some of the London landmarks featured in Conan Doyle’s stories!

Bronte Readers Club Sweatshirt - Navy

If you love reading, why not declare it on your sleeve (or chest) and become a fully paid-up member of the avid readers club in our Bronte sweatshirt? This comfy bestseller has recently been re-released in a new BCI cotton blend, making it softer than ever and perfect for throwing on and settling down with a good book. For Bronte, the obvious recommendation might be Jane Eyre - it’s a classic that we’re very fond of and an early example of a coming-of-age narrative that centres around a female protagonist. But, if the thought of re-reading Jane Eyre gives you flashbacks to high school English classes, why not stick with the theme and read Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys? It’s a prequel to Jane Eyre from the perspective of Mr. Rochester’s first wife, the so-called ‘madwoman in the attic.’ Even if you’ve never read Jane Eyre, or at least haven’t picked up a copy since your GCSEs, Rhys’ feminist postcolonial reimagining of Mrs. Rochester’s story is worth a read!

If you’re looking for other literary-inspired styles, we have plenty more in our Book Lovers category. Wear your love of literature on your sleeve with our collection of bestselling literary-inspired pieces, and shop the Joanie edit now!