2 August 2010 – Neutrals with a Pop, originally uploaded by academichic.
Sources:
- Top: Old Navy
- Pendant: pearl ring from grandmother
- Belt: Old Navy
- Skirt: thrifted
- Shoes: Steve Madden, via Macy’s
End Notes:
Let’s be honest, doing a week of mixing neutrals or showcasing neutrals with a pop of color is not that great of a stretch. Next time I’ll regale you all with the story of my experience of wearing black and brown at the same time, but today I’m punching up a palette of summer neutrals — cream, gray, and taupe — with turquoise pumps.
When I’m choosing just one color to brighten up an otherwise neutral look — and particularly when the color will come in the shoe — I tend to dream up little descriptive phrases that I imagine my color choice will convey. A red wedge with this outfit would say, “perpetually chic.” An orange pump would say, “business on top, party on the bottom.” And these turquoise pumps say, “I think outside the box! Approve my proposal!”
At least, that’s what they told me when I was getting ready for my meeting this afternoon.
As was made obvious in the outpouring of responses regarding colors or color combinations that have associations with colleges or sports teams, colors have meanings that shift according to varying cultural contexts, so I’m acutely aware that what I think my pop-of-color shoe says might not be what someone else — the professor I met with today, the grad student I spoke to in the hallway, the undergrad student librarian, or the administrative assistant — thinks. But here’s hoping that my professor doesn’t have something against either Elvis or the Denver Bronco’s, both of which would be fair associations with these blue suede pumps!
Do your colored shoes speak to you? What do they say?
Colored shoes say to me “I may be a professional, but I’m not boring!”
Love this outfit, love the shoes.
dressedupgirl.blogspot.com
None of my garments or shoes ever speak to me, I’m afraid. I imagine we’d have really intense, bourbon-fueled discussions about German philosophers’ unnerving love of parataxis if they ever did, though.
Love those shoes! I don’t think that specific colors speak to me, but colored shoes in general show me that a person is not afraid to let themselves go and have fun every once in a while.
What a great pop! My turquoise suede heels are favorites, nice to see that I’m not the only one who turns to them to punch up neutrals.
alltumbledown:a modest attempt at style
Hi there, I am new to your blog! It’s nice to see fellow lab rats dressed in awesome clothes and sweet shoes. I love my colored shoes but I’m afraid they only talk to me on the weekends…
Hmmm just realized that you guys are in the humanities… my mistake. But still submersed in the world of academia.
Love this! Blue is such an unexpected choice for this!
Dressup scientist – if you look down the side you’ll find ‘Lab Friendly’ when the chics took on a challenge to dress according to lab rules. :)
Proposal approved! Those shoes are EXCELLENT! But are they comfortable? I mean, I know they’re heels, so they’re probably not awesome comfortable, but maybe reasonably so?
Now those are some glorious pumps. What a rich, vibrant color!
I’m a big fan of colored shoes myself, and these pumps are just gorgeous! I hope all went well with your proposal!
@gina…shoes and parataxis?! you just made the day of this (future) hölderlin scholar wearing black and grey striped pumps!!
oh I love this outfil, but I feel like it’s something I couldn’t pull off. Shirts with ruffles and details are so popular right now, but I feel like they just make me look wide and elephant like.
You wear them very well!
I’m excited by this “neutrals with a pop” idea. I don’t think I’ve tried this before, but you all make it look so chic and easy.
happy to be of service, H :)
Now that I’ve seen them in a couple of your posts, those shoes have WORMED THEIR WAY into my brain. The thought that I will probably never be able to hunt down a pair of my own at this juncture makes me profoundly sad.
And I love – LOVE – a coloured shoe. It gives you that perfect opportunity to throw a touch of personality into an otherwise sober outfit. (I might be alone there, though. My little sister was horrified when I told her of my plans to wear my kelly-green peep-toes (http://juxta-posing.tumblr.com/post/503502994) at my hypothetical future wedding.
nat // juxta-posing.tumblr.com
colored suede…hmm.