academichic

  

27 April 2009 – Blurry, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Striped jersey skirt: Ross
• Gray tank – ON
• Magenta cardi – H&M, remixed
• Brown suede flip flops – Hawaiian Island Company
• Cork bangle – Wet Seal, remixed

End Notes:

Ironically, my glucose tolerance test — the procedure that every woman who has ever been pregnant recounts with dire warnings — was scheduled for today, during my university’s reading/exam period. (Sometimes I think that my entire life is somehow magically controlled by the semester system.) Basically, I had to down a bottle of something akin to extra-sweet fruit punch, wait around for an hour, and then have my blood drawn. It wasn’t awful, but I would prefer to pass so that I don’t have to take the three hour version.

  

Glucose Test Pep Talk, originally uploaded by academichic.

And I told the baby that much as well.

I’m burrowing inside for the rest of the day, working on yet another paper and staying comfy in jersey and a knit cardi. (I think I might be crazy to wear stripes on my bottom half while pregnant but since they’re diagonal rather than horizontal we’ll probably be okay.) Although I don’t need to be on campus for the whole week, I’ve decided that I do need to get dressed every morning, so I’m trying to think of a good mini-wardrobe challenge to keep me motivated through this stressful final push. If you haven’t already figured it out, I do best with some sort of structure in place! Any suggestions? I’m thinking about revisiting some of our color modules and trying them again with springtime clothes.

Dear readers,

some of you have left us comments saying that you were inspired by our pattern mixing module a little while ago. We constantly draw inspiration from other style bloggers and real people who put style theory into practice. We would love to see examples of how you got creative with the patterned pieces of your wardrobe!

If you would like to share your images with us and to be featured on our site, send us your lovely pattern-playing examples at the address below by Sunday, May 3rd!.

      

26 April 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress – Sam and Max, via TJMaxx
• Sandals – Target, remixed
• Turquoise earrings – Ann Taylor, remixed

Endnotes:

We’re having some gorgeous weather here in the Midwest and it’s a bag of mixed blessings. One the one hand, it will be wonderful to enjoy the sunshine at our annual end of the semester department picnic in the park this afternoon. On the other hand, laying in the sun for half the day, seeing everything in bloom, and having the outdoors beckon to me makes it pretty darn difficult to focus on work precisely at the time of the semester when it’s most crucial. 

So today I’m accepting that I’ve lost the battle and instead of fighting the weather, I’m joining it;  I’ve put on my most flowery and summery dress to match the outdoors and the park that is so wonderfully in bloom. S. 

26 April 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

   

Print close-up, originally uploaded by academichic.

 

24 April 2009 – Evening, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Fluttery gray chiffon top – Target, a few sizes up
• Jeans – ON Maternity, remixed
• Pointy toe flats – Target, remixed
• Silver bangles – gifts

End Notes:

The end of the semester brings a slew of student-related art show openings at galleries across town. Last night I helped out with the opening night reception for an MFA student showing in a local alternative gallery space. Dressing for art events is always a little tricky. There are unspoken codes about who dresses how: curators tend to wear artful layers of black or gray, MFA students can usually be spotted by their edgier shapes, brighter colors, or wild pattern mixing, and donors often appear in more elegant evening attire. There’s little consensus over how art historians — particularly contemporary art historians, like A. and myself — should dress.

But, when I saw this spread in the most recent issue of Lucky Magazine, I immediately flagged it as art opening inspiration.

 

Arty Top + Skinny Jeans, originally uploaded by academichic.

I bought this floaty, layered top off the clearance rack at Target a few sizes bigger than usual. Digression: I do need to be really careful about just “buying up” for maternity wear since I gaining girth only in a very particular spot; sometimes large shirts just look awful because of the excess fabric at the chest or back or the droopy arm holes. This particular top works, however, because it’s meant to be drapey. My straight leg maternity jeans are too long to wear without heels, so I decided to chance it and cuff them. To mitigate the break in my leg line, I opted for pointy toe flats that help counteract that break while enabling me to stay on my feet all night. Finally, to make the cuffs look even more intentional, I eschewed fancier, “evening” jewelry in favor of funkier silver bangles and dangling leaf earrings.

I know, I know, it sounds like I completely over-thought this outfit. In reality, though, I just kept swapping things around — cuffed or not cuffed, heels or flats, chandelier or leaf earrings — until things looked “right.” And that’s when I knew I had made Lucky’s super trendy look fit me, bump and all.

 

24 April 2009 – Evening, originally uploaded by academichic.

We have received several reader emails and comments asking about our school bags and daily campus gear. Readers asked whether we wear backpacks; how we manage to tote around books, laptops, and a lunch; and what type of receptacle do we lug everything around in. I will share my daily travel system with you and A. and E. will do likewise in the weeks to come.

Like most graduate students who wrote in to us, we also carry quite a spread with us on our daily commute:

     

My daily spread, originally uploaded by academichic.

My daily haul includes:

• laptop + charger, AV adapter, USB stick
• books
• folders and notes
• my small notebook to jot down everything that comes to mind!
• pens, post-its, highlighters, etc.
• small hand lotion, chapstick, extra hair ties
• a small purse-sized umbrella
• wallet + cell phone
• lunch, snacks, and sometimes even dinner
• Nalgene reusable water bottle (not pictured)
• Backup pair of flats or flip-flops when wearing new shoes to campus (also not pictured)

I have never been much of a backpack wearer and prefer a tote-like bag to carry over one shoulder. The problem with this is that it puts all the weight on one side of your body and can be quite uncomfortable. My solution?

   

The bags, originally uploaded by academichic.

I carry my lunch, dinner, and snacks separately in a little lunch bag and use this wide shoulder strap REI bag for everything else. The key words here: wide shoulder straps! These make a world of a difference and were something I had long looked for in a perfect tote. This one comes from REI, a sporting goods store, so it was manufactured for function and comfort as much as for style. Also typical of a sports bag: lots and lots of little compartments, which I love for keeping pens, small toiletries, cell phone, and cords separate and easy to find. My laptop, books, and bigger items (such as a backup pair of flats when breaking in new shoes) go in the main part of the bag and the rest of my things find homes in all the little inside and outside pockets and zipped pouches:

   

All packed away, originally uploaded by academichic.

Lastly, I throw all food and utensils in my lunch bag from Arctic Zone . I appreciate this item for both its function and sleek ‘adult’ look. Keeping food separate saves me quite a bit of room in my main bag (tupperware especially can fill up even a large tote quickly) and it also saves fruit and sandwiches from getting smashed by books and shoes.

I carry quite the load with me on a daily basis but these two bags make it manageable and easy to organize. After all is stashed away, I am ready to head to campus.

   

Ready to go!, originally uploaded by academichic.

24 April 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Navy Chinos – J Crew
• Purple Tee – F21
• Skinny Belt – Anne Taylor
• Strappy Sandals – Steve Madden
• Necklaces – various pieced together
• Bracelet- Gift from S.
• Earrings – Gift from E.
• Bag – Old Navy

Endnotes:

I’m trying out another J Crew look today.  This month’s catalog is filled with women dressing up chinos and and a colored tee with heels and multiple necklaces. And, just as they are rolling up the loose fit jeans, they are cuffing slouchier chinos and pairing them with heeled sandals.

24 April 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

I still feel a little like I am playing dress with my cotton navy pants pegged this way but got such nice encouragement from you all on Monday, I figured why not!

Necklaces, originally uploaded by academichic.

 

24 April 2009 – Copycat, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed:

• Navy jersey dress
• Green cropped blazer (altered by me)
• Brown leather belt
• Red wedges

End Notes:

Since we’ve been talking this week about how we adapt looks we see on other people — including each other! — to suit our own proportions, I decided to complete the cropped jacket, dress, and belt trifecta today. This is such a simple way to feel pulled together and, especially at the end of the semester, I need the help!

So today I am basically inverting A.’s outfit from yesterday (by pairing a green jacket over a navy dress) which itself was inspired by S.’s adorable jacket-dress combo from earlier in the week. While my dress, like S.’s is an empire waist, I’m using it to give my bump some breathing room. I’m also leaving my jacket open, giving me a long, lean vertical line and allowing me to pretend that this little blazer still fits.

To cap it all off, I’m heeding Sal’s sage shoe advice. I had originally pulled out brown leather wedges to wear with this but, per Sal’s recommendation I pulled out one of my more unexpected pairs: these comfy red Naturalizer wedges. Not really high fashion, but fun nevertheless!

         

24 April 2009 , originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• White top – bought in Romania years ago
•  Walking shorts – Gap 
• Red espadrilles – BR Outlet, remixed

Endnotes:

I realize that this is not a new trend (like the Safari or Grecian inspired looks for Spring), but this is new to me: Walking shorts + Heels.

     

24 April 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Yes. It’s simple and you’d think I’d have caught on to this one sooner, but while I wore my walking shorts every other day last summer, I played it safe with flats or flip-flops. Today, however, I’m boldly marching on to campus in walking shorts and my red espadrilles. I love the long lines and instant height of this look, and I’m finally at eye level with E. and A. in these!  S.

 

    

Gathered sleeve and embroidery detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• White ruched top: Forever 21
• Brown jersey skirt: Old Navy, remixed
• Leather sandals: Kmart, years ago
• Blue bangles: bridesmaid gift
• Glass drop earrings, not visible: Hawaii

End Notes: Another spring trend that everyone’s been listing off this season is alternately termed “asymmetrical necklines” or “Grecian goddess.” I love how this trend appears so effortlessly fluid and, of course, how it shows off collarbone! I loved these looks from Thakoon and Max Azaria:

But, it’s not like you can wear a floor length, drapey gown to campus, even if it is the last week of classes. Nor do I own silky maternity pants. And showing up in a one-shoulder top probably won’t get me much respect even in our relatively casual environment. Even more problematic: I have a limited closet and a baby bump that would radically change the shape of these flowing looks. But, this week is about making new looks work for the bodies (and lifestyles!) we have now. So I was determined to be Greek — or at least Greek inspired — for a day and to make drapey-ness flatter, rather than conceal, my preggers shape. I think this ruched white top hits the right mark. The ruching through the torso hugs my bump and the wider, ruched sleeves balance things out. This is a very, very loose interpretation of this trend, but this week is not about adaptation, not just imitation. What do you all think about this trend? Will you be rocking the draped or asymmetrical look this season? Will you wear it for day or keep it as a nighttime look?