Swap a sweater with Sheila Heti—and read her new book, too

When a book happens to be co-edited by Sheila Heti, its claim to be “a book unlike any other” instantly becomes more believable. With 2012’s genre-defying How Should a Person Be?, the New York-via-Toronto writer, playwright and semi-celeb startled readers and won the praise of critics. Now, with Women in Clothes, she’s done it again. Alongside Heidi Julavits, an award-winning author and founding editor of The Believer, and Leanne Shapton, a New York based Canadian illustrator and author, Heti curated the 500-plus-page collection of text, photos, essays, illustrations, interviews, poems and thoughts that, at its core, is an anthology of responses to a survey completed by women around the world. Among the 639 contributors are the famous (Lena Dunham, Kim Gordon), the anonymous (soccer moms, female artists, a five-year-old) and everyone in between. (The evolving list of 80-odd questions included things like “What are you trying to achieve when you dress?” and “Do you think you have taste or style?”) To continue the conversation, the editors are throwing a book launch and clothing swap at Gravitypope on Queen West. Choose up to five items from your wardrobe and safety-pin a note to the fabric with your name and the story behind the garment—and prepare to never look at a blouse the same way again.

Sept. 18, 7-9. Gravitypope, 1010 Queen St. W., 647-748-5155, womeninclothes.com.