Sources:
- Striped Shirt – Gap
- Black Pencil Skirt – Banana Republic
- Black Lace Cami – BR Outlet
- Red Flats – Target
- Blue Tote – TJ Max
- Earrings – gift from Santa
- Bracelet – Hawaii
Endnotes:
While E., started on Tuesday, yesterday was my first day of class. I haven’t been on the student side of the classroom for a few semesters now, but this Fall brings new challenges! I am fully in “the writing stage” and will only be on campus once a week to TA for a class outside of my department. I’m not worried about staying busy or managing face-time in my department, since I will be serving as peer mentor, attending the bizillion lecturers my department is hosting, and making frequent trips to the library located in the same building as my department. Instead, I am worried about how I’m going to manage my time and actually get some writing done this year. I’m sure this is a topic I will frequently return to here. But, yesterday was not a writing day!
I held my first office hours, did paper work and sent emails, all from my new office! That’s right, apparently TAs in other departments get offices! I then attended the class and met my students. But, before my day was over I also went to a campus social hour for the LGBT community, which had me mingling with a dean, several staff and faculty, my peers, and my undergraduate advisiees. Needless to say, it was a long day involving a variety of activities and a lot of walking. So, I decided to keep it clean and simple. I opted for my go-to black pencil skirt (a real workhorse of my wardrobe, as E.would say), the blue and white stripes I have been loving this summer in a structure button down, my red flats, and my “pride” bracelet.
And because, perhaps surprisingly, I didn’t actually have much to carry around with me today, I sported by stylish, functional, and professional little blue leather tote. I felt polished, professional, stylish, and best of all COMFORTABLE all day! Not bad, for the one long first day of what is sure to be a long semester.
happy back to school! you look terrific! i love the button-up and skirt with the bright shoes. definitely something i would wear.
and congrats on the office!! are you sharing it or do you have your very own?
Really cute outfit! I love how the red pops off the whole ensemble!
I really like this outfit! You look polished yet chic! Don’t forget to enter my Closet Clean-Out Giveaway, a new giveaway every day this week!
http://www.afashionfixation.blogspot.com
You look great! I love how versatile an easy, classic ensemble like this one can be… but the red shoes still make it “you.” Great bag, too!
We’re actually devoting all of next week to our wardrobe workhorses. We’d love to have you ladies share more thoughts on your wardrobe workhorses, too!
http://www.scholarstyleguide.com/2010/08/introducing-wardrobe-workhorse-week.html
And did E. originally coin this term? If so, it’s become so widespread that I didn’t realize it. We’ll have to give credit where credit is due. : )
So chic! Not over-styled, not under-styled, but just enough to infuse a little personality with your professional self. I like it. :)
I was really excited to see this post b/c it featured something I’m completely in the dark about: what grad students use as a bag/backpack! I went to a SLAC with no TA’s around so I’d like to put in an informal reader request to see more of what you stylish gals use as a carryall when your everyday load is large.
The outfit is great and I really enjoy this blog. As a graduate student who is writing as well, I wanted to share my “writing strategy” since you share style strategies daily. It’s very simple, but I write 500 words a day and have found that to be manageable. Many grad students will not write for a while (which I did). I found the idea of producing a document too overwhelming. So I began with 500 words a day. I would write them and then not think about it until the next time I went to write. Also, 500 words seemed manageable for the amount of time I had to write. I’m sure you’ll figure out what’s best for you. Good luck!!
I love the black, blue and red together. I normally think of black and red with white, or blue and red with white, so this looks very fresh to me. Love it!
cute outfit! And I like the red, white and blue just before labor day!
Congrats on having an office!
I love that entire outfit but especially the tote! What brand is it?
I love how you have the shirt slightly unbuttoned over a cami. Why did I stop doing this? I’ve virtually banned button-down shirts from my wardrobe because they’re always either a) too tight and button-gappy, or b) too loose and shapeless and frumpy looking. Clearly I need to revisit this issue!
I think this is my favourite Back to School I’ve seen so far. I can’t pick out anything in particular that I like because I like it all! It all goes so nicely together and creates a professional but approachable image.
I love this outfit, you look fantastic!
Is the skirt cotton or a knit?
Your shoes are superb :)
I’m finishing my PhD this year, trying to balance writing with job hunting. Like someone above, I aim for 500 words a day. I do that four days a week, and then reserve the fifth for additional transcription/data analysis in the morning and job hunting in the afternoon. I have specific locations where I do each (write at home, analyze with a girlfriend in a cafe for a weekly date, job hunt at my campus office). And don’t be afraid to resort to self-bribery… once I get to 500 words, I’ll “let” myself go for a run or something.
Have there been any posts for what to wear while on interviews? I’d love all of your thoughts on that!
Just gorgeous.
I love this! It’s simple but really fantastically chic.