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As I alluded to in my post yesterday, the Banana Republic spring line was chock full of lilac, grass green, plum, olive, indigo, key-lime, and every shade of purple and green in between. Since green and purple (and purple and turquoise) are two of my favorite colors, this outfit was my front runner. On the hanger I wasn’t sure how the safari pocket shirtdress would work for me, since it was short, but had full coverage up top and long sleeves. Also, I wouldn’t have thought of a saturated army green as a “spring” color necessarily, but the feather-light silk and cute details definitely got me thinking about green grass and budding leaves. Rolling up the sleeves and undoing the top few snaps also helped lighten the look.

The purple “dip-dye ruffle scarf” is “blackberry cream” in BR terms, but I would definitely call it “crocus” after those first spring flowers if I were on their naming committee. I purposely tied it so that the most deeply colored part was in front, but the scarf covers an array of shades. Finally, the real kicker for me was this awesome flower belt. I ended up buying it since even in the store I was able to style it in several different ways, and I’ve already worn it twice since this photo was taken! They don’t have the belt online, but this is a similar sandy-colored belt. The darling flats are also in-store only right now, but the olive green is close to these flats (that are now on sale!).

Do you like this look more than the one I put on the BR facebook page?

~L.

While my first thought of “spring dressing” is airy skirts and soft colors, my spring style harbinger is definitely the cropped pants and heels combination. I love a little ankle pant with heels. Although these Sloan Fit pants bill themselves as a cropped length, I think I would have liked them hemmed just a teensy bit higher. But I was very impressed by the so-called “power stretch” capabilities of the pants, which gave them both great recovery and a very nice drape over my hips and thighs. Plus, I made up for any shortening of the leg line in these mile-high gold pumps, which are indeed the same ones that S. wore in her first outfit.

On top, I wanted some volume to play against the slim pants, so I went with a blousy, button-front navy silk tank. I think this tank could also work great unbuttoned and layered (and even belted) over a dress. The twisted straps and scoop back are additional playful details that make it special. Finally, I finished it all off with a light spring scarf in blues and coral, similar to this one. I really wanted to claim every single scarf I saw at Banana Republic that day, and this one was no exception.

To be honest, this one was probably my least favorite of the looks that I came up with, but I guess you’ll have to wait out the rest of the week before you pass judgment. In the meantime, you can help me imaginatively brainstorm what the next “fit” of Banana Republic pants should be called. Usually I’m a “Martin” girl, but now I’m willing to consider the “Sloan.” S. is a “Jackson” fit lady, and I don’t know if any of us really like the “Logan.” What’s next? I’m thinking they’ll name a pants “Sullivan.”

Prepster, originally uploaded by academichic.

Phew! Like E. said putting together outfits was surprisingly hard – not for lack of options, but at least for me, it was hard to think about whole outfits since most of my shopping consists of getting things on sale here and there which then make an entire look together with other pieces I already have.
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It’s no secret that all of us at Academichic have a fondness for Banana Republic. We have shopped at Banana Republic for everything from glamorous special occasion dresses to casual weekend wear. But perhaps most importantly, we’ve found that their polished-but-not-stuffy aesthetic makes for great foundational wardrobe pieces, like A.’s beloved pencil skirt(s), E.’s cropped navy blazer, L.’s gray and black skinny pants, and S.’s patterned wrap dress.

All that to say, when Banana Republic contacted us about collaborating with them on their Facebook page, we jumped at the opportunity.

We all visited Banana Republic stores and styled up four head to toe looks using their spring line. To see our favorite outfit, head over to Banana Republic’s Facebook page (and go ahead and “like” them while you’re over there). You can even vote for your favorite look. We’ll be posting the other outfits we created and talking about the experience throughout the week, here on academichic. And…be sure to check back here on Wednesday for a very special give away contest!

Thank you to all who entered our Crystalyn Kae Matinee Messenger Bag giveaway this week! We’re thrilled to announce our winner…

Comment #115, left by reader Maria, who said her other favorite bag would be the brown English Tea Métier Tote! Congratulations, Maria! We will be in touch via email to get your address so that we can send you your prize.

And remember that if you didn’t win you can still purchase a bag or tote from Crystalyn Kae, and check out some of our reviews of other bags too!

Happy Monday!

~ The Chics

This week’s Friday Study Break is brought to you by Crystalyn Kae!

It’s no secret that we love Crystalyn Kae‘s unique bag designs.  A. has raved about her Troubador Tote many times and E. and S. both love their little pleated clutches.  L. has been happily sporting her Matinee Messenger Bag all winter. So, we are very excited to get to offer you a chance to win a Matinee Messenger Bag of your very own!

This individually handcrafted green tweed shoulder bag is the perfect size for everyday and features a limited edition fabric peeking from the pleats. The adjustable strap can also be worn across your body messenger bag style. The bag is water-resistant and lined in buttery-soft ultrasuede with four useful pockets.

We adore the analogous color combo created with the green tweed and lovely blue and turquoise Liberty Paisley fabric. It’s the perfect Winter-Spring transition bag!

To enter to win this bag, check out Crystalyn Kae and then leave a comment letting us know which bag is your favorite. For a second chance to win, “like” Crystalyn Kae on facebook and leave a separate comment telling us that you did so.

The contest is open until Midnight US Central Time on Sunday, February 20, 2011. We will randomly choose a winner to announce on Monday.

Sources:

• Blazer: Anne Taylor Loft
• Shirt: Sandra Ingrish via Filene’s Basement
• Belt: Banana Republic Outlet
• Pants: J. Crew (thrifted)
• Shoes: Sam Edelman via Off 5th
• Cosmetic Bag (below): Buy Her Bag, Not Her Body c/o Nomi Network
• Necklace and Bracelet: gifts
• Watch: Tissot
• Ring: Far Fetched (gift) but Jeanine Payer also makes gorgeous jewelry etched with poetry and sayings

Endnotes:
I think it might be a bit of a misnomer to call big, bold pieces “statement” jewelry since there is a whole genre of jewelry (and clothing)* out there that literally makes a statement. E. spotted this witty necklace by Tickette on Etsy, and my favorite “statement” piece of jewelry is this ring that my Uncle gave me (sorry for the poor picture quality).

On the outside it says “well behaved women” and on the inside “rarely make history” which is a slightly altered version of the phrase coined in the 1970s by the writer/professor/feminist, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, who said that “well behaved women seldom make history.” Even though the writing is small and only I know what’s on the inside of the ring, it is still special to me and makes me feel powerful for some reason. Do you have any jewelry that has text on it? What kinds of explicit “statements” does your jewelry make? Do you feel different when you’re wearing it?

On another note, like S. I’ve been getting some good use out of my little cosmetic bag from the “Buy Her Bag, Not Her Body” line that was donated to us for review by the Nomi Network, a “non-profit organization working to eradicate sexual slavery and the trafficking of women.” I decided to use mine to collect all those little odds and ends that seem to float around in the bottom of my purse or school bag.

This bag is definitely generous and can carry a lot. It’s good for my purse or the inside of my laptop bag, but it doesn’t fit as nicely in the front pocket as say one of their wristlets might. However, the durable fabric, made of recycled rice bag material, and bright colors mean that it hasn’t been scuffed up or been lost in the bottom of my bag yet! If you’re looking for a socially conscious gift in the near future, please check out Nomi Network’s full array of accessories and help support their very worthy cause.

Thanks to you all for the great discussions during Jewelry Week! There are still so many topics we could get into both stylistically and aesthetically as well as the political, gender, social, cultural, and symbolic power of jewelry. I know I’ll be thinking more about what I put on as well as how I perceive the accessories of those around me. Being single and in my late 20s I often joke that I have “ring-dar” as the left ring finger of everyone is the first place that my eyes go, but now hearing about how many other cultures do things and how people are choosing to change things up I am reminded that I should be careful about drawing conclusions about anyone based on accessories or appearance, period. A good thing to remember!

Please don’t forget to register to win a Mirari Necklace by Orno Jewelry and stop back this weekend for two great Weekend Workshops!

~L.

*If you’d like to read more opinions from the chics about clothing with text please see S.’s post which started a productive debate last summer about “slogan T’s”. A.’s post also about her stance in favor of T-shirts that state things clearly. And E.’s post about her reservations surrounding wearing any clothing that states opinion or takes a side.

Your Friday Study Break is brought to you by Orno Jewelry!

We are very pleased to be able to giveaway one of Orno’s gorgeous “Mirari” necklaces, which L. featured on Monday. The designs of Orno are inspired by Moorish architecture and have a modern and minimalist aesthetic. This web-like geometric pendent hangs on a 20-inch silver chain and is approximately the size of a U.S. penny – but trust us, this looks like a million bucks when you put it on!

To enter to win this necklace, check out Orno’s silver jewelry collection and then leave a comment letting us know which piece is your favorite. For a second chance to win, “like” Orno on Facebook and leave a separate comment telling us that you did so.

The contest is open until Midnight US Central Time on Sunday, February 13, 2011. We will randomly choose a winner to announce on Monday.

Even if you don’t win, you can still take advantage of a Valentine’s Day discount! Just enter LOVEORNO at check out for 25% off! If you miss the Valentine’s Day discount you can still get 15% off with the code CHIC15 until March. Happy shopping!