10 June 2010 – Simple Duds for Simple Days, originally uploaded by academichic.Sources:
- Tank – J Crew (on super sale)
- Navy Shorts – J Crew
- Sandals – Charlotte Russe
- Earrings – F21
- Bangles – Various
Endnotes:
I’m having trouble getting posts up lately because I am spending most days make-up-less in shorts and a tee-shirt or tank (that is when I am not in running shorts, dirty gardening clothes, or sweats) because it’s HOT here and I’m just prepping for my summer course at home or at a coffee shop with breaks to run and tend my new garden (details coming soon I promise). I’ve actually taken a couple outfit pictures of myself in said shorts and tee but never feel like they are post-worthy. Often on these kinds of days, I could care less about color combinations, summer trends, or really even proportion. I know this is not what a “style blogger” is supposed to say, but it’s my dirty truth! Truth: I wear sweats for many hours of the day and I have no problem going to Home Depot in dirty work shorts or the grocery store in my running clothes (pre-run only).
Today I wore a new tank from J Crew clearance and threw on a handful of bangles to dress up my shorts and sandals uniform, and the result was cute enough to post.
Bangles, originally uploaded by academichic.
Outtake, originally uploaded by academichic.
10 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.
Wow! Your hair looks super cute this way!
ha ha ha ha love the outtake photo!
When I was in high school and college, I would not leave the house, ever, not even to check the mail, unless I was showered, had on make-up, and was dressed in presentable clothing. As I have aged (I’m much older than you are!) I have relaxed my standards quite a bit. If one of my kids has a doctor appointment first thing in the morning, I roll out of bed, throw on my workout clothes, and off we go. Ten years ago this would have been unthinkable for me.
Loving that top.
:-) Love the outtake photo too.
I also could not get out of the house without looking ‘presentable’ when I was in high school and freshman in uni. This is presentable as in totally dolled up.
Now I’m in my third year and feel a bit foolish about that + I missed so many spontaneous opportunities to have fun.
I dig the laid back, simple summer look.
I have a very easy “getting ready” schedule (little make up, air dried hair), so the big question is whether I’ll put effort into my outfit or if I’ll wear just a jeans and a tshirt. I used to wear whatever I wanted as a grad student, which meant a variety of things, but now that I am in the city and probably 1000 people see me on a given day, I do try to take it up a notch. Even to go to the corner store. Then again, I think folks on the east coast are less casual then the midwest (not that one is better than the other).
I generally don’t leave the house without eyeliner and mascara… And if I’ve taken the time to put on makeup, then my outfit will reflect that – it might just be jeans and a t, but I aspire to be a person who looks put-together!
I used to live in a small town and felt compelled to dress up a little since I would always run into someone I knew. No joke. Now that I move to Atlanta and don’t really know a soul here, I feel like I can dress like I want. However, it seems like everyone here is so fashionable, and they’re probably thinking, Oh poor girl! Eh, I don’t care. :)
I definitely have schlubby days – I just don’t post those! My only rule is that I won’t wear sweat pants or yoga pants out of the house unless I’m going to be exercising. If I’m just going to Home Depot or the grocery store and have nothing more than that to do that day, I just wear old jeans and a beater (with a hoodie in the winter) and call it a day.
I try not to wear exercise clothes out of the house unless I’m actually headed out to exercise. I also think I’m just a little too old to dress like a college student (ripped jeans, t-shirt, and flip-flops) so I try to at least put on a polo or a nice pair of sandals. Even if no one I know is going to see me (and in Hyde Park it’s hard to be sure of that) it still makes me feel a little more collected and pulled together.
Some days I deliberately skip makeup; I don’t want people to see my made-up face as looking “right” and my actual face as “wrong”.
Yes, I feel much prettier with makeup, but I hate feeling obligated to wear it.
I’m often badly dressed when I leave the house— because of bad planning, not as a political statement. I usually regret it.
I try to be honest about my “bad” blogger days and post these pics if I don’t look too terrifying, but if I am working in the yard, then I don’t worry about it. I totally go to the store in workout clothes and I definitely go to the hardware store in gardening or painting clothes. I have too many projects around the house to change clothes. Plus, who wants to move bags of mulch or paver stones out of their truck in nice clothes, not me! :)
Ever since I had a kid, I notice people don’t care how I look, they only look at my kid! So, yes, I frequently go out without make-up or fancy clothes and don’t worry about it. As long as I don’t wear my denim shorts to date night, I figure I’m doing all right. :)
Is this you without any makeup, maybe? Regardless, your face & hair look GREAT in these photos — very fresh and healthy and glowy and natural. Whatever it is you’re doing, you should definitely keep it up. ;)
I actually love the casualness of this outfit and your hair. It’s fresh and it looks comfortable, and the shirt is really nice. Most days, I don’t look half as good as you do in your “outtake”. Thanks for another inspiring post. I’ve been in sweats all week.
I generally try to dress appropriately to the situation that I’ll be in. Going to Home Depot does not merit makeup or a change of clothes in my opinion. I spend a lot of days doing home and garden work dressed just how you described! And sometimes, I’m even worse…I WILL go to the grocery store in workout clothes, after I’ve worked out! My opinion on that is that it is obvious that I’ve been to the gym and I need to do some things on my way home that do not require business casual attire! However if I’m going to school or work or to the movies, fashion reigns.
I think you still look pulled together. There are days when I leave my house in pj pants and a hoody but, Stacy and Clinton will never find me :)
Since I live in the South, I do try to look presentable when I am out and about, but I keep it appropriate to the situation. I have nicer clothes now than when I was in grad school and its a shame not to wear them. Still I always change into “play clothes” for when I’m lounging at home and when I’m walking the dog in the morning or evening, I am a total schub!
I love your honesty here. And, having posted my own outfit pics for a while, i commend on posting an outtake! (I used to have 10 bad ones for every good one!)
I used to feel a lot of pressure to dress up all the time, and when i thought about it, it was really some irrational fear that Clinton and Kelly would pop up and accuse me of being ‘unfashionable.” Like that part of my identity, being stylish, had to be constantly adhered to or it would suddenly all fall to pieces. I realize now that it’s more a personal issue I have with always looking ‘put together’ to others. I’m working on this because, honestly, life is too short to be scared of TV style experts or to define your self worth through them! I am (and you are) a stylish person, regardless of whether we sometimes (gasp!) decide to don a graphic tee with a logo on it (in my case, my favourite public radio station) or wear grubby shorts to the grocery store. S-l-o-w-l-y, I’m starting to internalize that.
I actually started following a select few style blogs because it makes me realize that it IS possible to be a bit more presentable than my usual uniform of tshirt, jeans, and flippies.
My SO and I just sort of dress for speed and comfort and so it’s an effort to think of form AND function without some inspiration. This blog also doesn’t make me feel like style will break the bank which is huge because I will always put my financial goals over lookin’ good all the time.
[...] ironically, although S. and A. have been having days of simple or repeat duds while traveling or working away from campus, [...]
Living on the East Coast close to New York means that I regularly see people shopping (grocery store, Home Depot, you name it) in stilettos and pencil skirts. I don’t feel the need to do so. I occasionally wear yoga pants and a tank or a tee out to run errands. I generally favor easy and comfy but not grubby casual wear if I’m out and about (ripped jeans still work in my books). I like the honest posts. They’re refreshing! Sometimes style blogs do give the impression that people constantly wear cute original outfits every day.
I am liking this idea of outtakes. :) I will copy this, if you don’t mind. :)
So far, I’ve been posting pretty much every day. Outfits that I feel are put together and excellent, outfits that make me look strange, whatever. Without taking a photo and going “hmm, maybe not so much” I generally think I am awesome all the time and don’t really have a sense of how I look to other people. I’m trying to see how I could be my age and look grown up without wearing things that make me uncomfortable and don’t seem like “me”.
[...] of this skinnies + tunic + flats variety and even wondered whether to post them or not, but then A.’s last post really struck a chord. I liked her honesty in saying that she doesn’t always look put-together, nor that she tries [...]