9 July 2009

Posted on | July 9, 2009 | 7 Comments

9 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed except skirt.

Blue-Violet Top – H & M
Grey Tank – F21
Navy Jersey Skirt – Target
Red Orange Shoes – Old Navy
Green Necklace – Gift from A2

Endnotes:

I’m going casual-comfy today with layers of jersey and a pair of flats. However, I am taking my cue form E. and attempting to transform jersey with exciting color play. The red-orange worn with green and blue make for a split complimentary, or if you count this as red-orange, blue-violet, and yellow-green, I’m sporting a triad!

Both E. and S. have some great jersey skirts in their wardrobe , which I have long coveted. I have tried on, what feels like, a million jersey skirts over the years but was never able to find one that I was comfortable in. That is, until I stumbled across this one at Target. I tried a size up and have been wearing it over and over again ever since! The moral of this story – don’t give up on an item or style just because you have tried on one version. It’s amazing how much a difference size, cut, or fabric can make. Try, try again!

Yesterday a few readers inquired about the shopping habits of the Chics. We promise to share our methodologies and tips for shopping in a Back-To School Shopping post later this summer. What would you like to know about our shopping habits and strategies? Do you have any great tips to share with us?

Necklace and Nekline, originally uploaded by academichic.

Category: Beltless, Color Combinations, Layers Upon Layers, Our Best Flatware, Research Casual, Skirting the Issue
Tags: casual > colors > summer style

Comments

7 Responses to “9 July 2009”

Diana
July 9th, 2009 @ 11:14 am

You all have the most beautiful flats!

As far as shopping habits or strategies, I keep a running list of gaps in my wardrobe that need to be filled (i.e. short structured jacket, dark city shorts, etc). When I go out shopping, I focus on finding these items. That doesn’t mean I never shop outside my list, I just give the list items priority.
Sal
July 9th, 2009 @ 11:16 am

You three are so inspiring with your color mixings. Love this combo.
Clare
July 9th, 2009 @ 11:54 am

I love how comfy this outfit must be, yet how fashionable it looks! Jersey is THE BEST, don’t you agree?
Geraldine
July 9th, 2009 @ 12:51 pm

Things I would like to know about your shopping habits:

1. If you shop for pieces (like Diana in the first comment) or if you buy what catches your eye and build an outfit around it.
2. If you have any ‘rules’ for shopping – taking a friend, cuts/fabrics/colours to avoid. My rule is that I have to make sure I can wear new clothes in different contexts – dress it up, down, for teaching, with different types of shoes etc.
3. Do you have massive shopping sprees or acquire each piece one at a time
4. What makes a ‘must buy’ for you

and anything else you would like to share about your shopping strategies!
Juliana
July 9th, 2009 @ 8:35 pm

I’m looking forward to this!

In true academic form, I am outlining my questions into categories (although of course the answers are not limited to only these topics……):

PURCHASING PLANNING:
1) Do you plan your purchases (eg like Diana in the first comment) or as Geraldine said, do you see something you like, and buy it, then work out what will go with it later?
2) If you plan, is this a big “going through everything in the wardrobe” project to look and see what is needed?
2) Is there ever any sense of – well I have XX pairs of flat shoes, I really shouldn’t buy another pair until one of them wears out?
3) Are there certain times you buy more things, or plan to buy more things than others – for example, “back to school” or stocking up for winter, or buying christmas day/party outfits or buying clothes to take on specific holiday travels etc?
4) do you buy clothes specifically for one function – eg teaching or home day – or are clothes just bought without thinking of this, and then adapted into outfits as they fit?

FINANCE/BUDGET:
(I’m not asking you to be indiscrete here! Rather this is asking for very general guides, if indeed you want to answer at all)
1) Does budget come into the decision making process at all? This question is really to be broken down into subparts:
a) Does budget influence the kind of stores you buy from/shop in? (ie: are there certain items you would NEVER buy from a thrift store, and/or conversely certain items that you would always look to buy in one? And vice versa with different levels of retail stores)
b) does it influence the amount of shopping you do? – I mean obviously it does for us all, but I suppose what I mean is do you ever think “I have just had a big shopping trip to outfit myself for winter (or whatever), I don’t expect to have to buy more now for the next 3-4 months (apart from little impulse purchases)”, or is it a more relaxed approach of buying things here and there as they are seen or thought to be needed throughout the year?
c) and finally do you chose to buy certain items that would be higher quality and thus more expensive because of their function (eg good work suit, knee high boots or whatever) whilst other items are cheaper for the same reason (shirts/skirts etc in bright colours that will probably only be in for one season)?

WARDROBE EDITING:
1) after all this fabulous shopping (!!) are there regular wardrobe spring cleans – to see if something that didn’t “work” two years ago might now be perfect, or perhaps to concede that the piece will never make it and it’s time to edit?
Jonij
July 10th, 2009 @ 12:17 pm

The editing piece would be most interesting for me. When do you decide to remove an item from your closet? I am aware that sometimes you remix things that are quite old from time to time. Also what do you do with the items you remove: i.e. donate to thrift stores, give to friends, etc. I’m in a transitional and somewhat nomadic period in my academic life and have felt the need to reduce my closet. (done with the Ph.D., starting a postdoc in the fall, and hopefully getting a teaching position somewhere after that.)
stylefyles
July 10th, 2009 @ 2:51 pm

One of my number one shopping tricks is to carry a camera with me. If you try something on and you’re not sure, taking a picture often helps with that final decision.

I love the way you mixed your colors in today’s look….they really pop!