Elle Essay Contest: The ___ That Changed My Life

A project of Elle Magazine

Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions. We provide the following information as an archive.

About

We're looking for essays about a treasured piece from your wardrobe. It's about more than just a favorite item of clothing, because a cherished dress is never really just a dress: It's a reflection of where you've been, what you've accomplished, how you see the world—a reminder of definitive moments in your life. So here it is: your chance to write a humorous, poignant, heartbreaking, or shocking ode to the clothes that made you who you are today.

No Fees! This contest does not charge mandatory fees.

Country of Publication

United States

Publication Medium & Contest Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication: One-time contest

Nonfiction Closed

Audience:

Unknown

Lengths:

Essay: 500 - 750 words.

Styles:

Mainstream.

Topics:

None found.

Winner's Prize:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Electronic submissions.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are NOT allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

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Elle Essay Contest: The ___ That Changed My Life Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

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Before Submitting

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Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026