I am going to my first-ever academic conference as a “trainee presenter” next weekend! It’s a pretty big deal and I’m very excited. The Saturday night event is a “conference gala and trainee awards banquet”. I now have to go dress shopping and was hoping you could provide me with some suggestions for cute, professional, sort of all-purpose, fancy-but-not-too fancy dresses that manage to pull these things off without looking old or boring.

Our reader adds,

I’m petite (5 feet or so) and fairly slim, but with a large bust. (Oh, and I’m from Canada, where our store options are somewhat more limited than the US)

With those criteria in mind, here is what we would suggest. Even if these exact options aren’t available to you, dear reader in Canada, they can hopefully serve as a starting point in your search in terms of ideas and inspiration.

This simple yet elegant navy front crossover dress from Ann Taylor Petites could easily go from daytime conference wear to evening party. We would suggest making it daytime ready with the addition of a cardigan and subtle jewelry. For the evening, remove the cardigan and add a pashmina and swap the delicate accessories for a bolder statement necklace or earrings.

We love the Melanie Color Block Dress from Banana Republic — and available in Canada! — for its business casual silhouette and play of texture and sheen. The silky navy top would look lovely peeking out from underneath an unbuttoned blazer during the day. In the evening, once more swap the blazer for a pashmina and add some bold jewelry. Navy is a great alternative neutral for both conference wear and cocktails. Banana Republic Canada does not seem to have petite sizes, but given how short this dress looks on the model, it might be just right or need only a quick hem for a petite gal.

We also like this ‘Tres Jolie‘ dress from Talbots that has that more formal cut to it but with fun pleats and a tulip shape skirt that make it a bit different. We see this dress working well with a blazer or cardigan at the conference and perhaps with a bold belt in another color and complimenting accessories in the evening.

All of these dresses use a v-neck to de-emphasize a large bust and lengthen your overall appearance. When looking for a dress that can go from professional to party, we tend to favor a slimmer skirt over a full one, as it retains more of a business appropriate feel. As we mention above, any of these dresses could be dramatically transformed with layering or accessories, making them versatile options for appearances in multiple registers of formality.

Granted, none of us have our reader’s precise body type, and although S. used to live in Canada, she wasn’t shopping for business casual attire back in middle school. So we open the floor to you, readers, especially the petite-and-big-busted among you or our friends to the north in Canada! What would you suggest?

Sources:

Look 1:

• Suit Blazer – J Crew
• Skirt – Banana Republic
• Sweater – Banana Republic
• Scarf – gift
• Earrings – gift from A2
• Bangles- various
• Shoes – Banana Republic

Look 2 (below):

• Suit Blazer – J Crew
• Pants – Banana Republic
• Silk Shell – Banana Republic
• Shoes – Banana Republic
• Earrings – gift from A2

Endnotes:

Thanks for all the great comments yesterday! Now back to our regular scheduled programing of Interview Attire. I didn’t mean to look quite so serious (even scared) in some of these pictures, but perhaps it is revealing some of my anxieties surrounding this whole topic of the job market!

I am still a little ways off from being officially on the job market, but lately, through our discussions here and with other graduate students, I’m realizing that the potential for impromptu interviewing is much more likely than I would have ever thought.  So, it was actually really useful to go through my closet and pull together a couple fake interview looks.

Pattern Mixing, originally uploaded by academichic.

I imagined that these are both looks that could work for on campus interviews or at a large conference like CAA, with a bit of tweaking.  I’m not crazy about either of these looks in terms of appearance or practicality, but I felt much more comfortable in the pencil skirt and cuffed blazer combo.  This is a fairly typical professional ensemble for me, if a bit toned down. I think there is something to be said for feeling confident and comfortable in your clothes. I hope to be interviewing for a smaller college at which teaching is a priority.  I plan to apply for Art History jobs that would allow me to hold a joint appointment or teach cross listed course in Women and Gender Studies, but I am also keeping open the possibility of a job with a campus LGBT center (if any readers know of a job that fits this description willing to hire someone ABD, please do pass that info along!).  I think this first outfit could work pretty much as is for an on-campus interview for any of those jobs.

A’s Interview Attire – The Skirt, originally uploaded by academichic.

I like that this outfit is within my comfort zone (since the interview process will likely take me out of that) and that it shows off a bit of my personality. I do worry that the open-toed shoes might not be appropriate, despite that fact that these are one of my most comfortable pairs of heels.  One thing I learned from this exercise is that I need to find the perfect interview shoe — something stylish and comfortable, a heel but a walkable heel.

A’s Interview Attire – the Suit, originally uploaded by academichic.

This second look, again with different shoes, would I think be more appropriate for the big conference, during which one might have multiple hotel-rrom interviews in one day.  This is the closest thing to a suit I own.  Like E., if and when I find my self scheduled for these kinds of interview, I will likely go suit shopping. Putting these looks together also got me thinking about this future suit shopping and what I would be looking for in a suit. I decided I want a not-to-dark navy suit or a slate grey suit (not a heathered one).  Also, the pants better be perfect, or I want a skirt/dress option! Because of my proportions, I have a hard time with dress pants.  I am now on the look out for a great suit sheath dress with an affordable price tag.

Shades of Grey, originally uploaded by academichic.

A’s Interview Attire – the Suit, originally uploaded by academichic.

We have enjoyed hearing your thoughts on various matters, including suit shopping, surviving the academic pressure cooker (ie conference interviews), and appropriate footwear for campus interviews. We are looking forward to hearing more thoughts this coming week on things like visible tattoos, hairstyling, what to cary in your interview bag, etc.

Now, we want to see what your interview attire looks like! So, send us pictures and a description of your interview ensemble. Be sure to tell us what kind of job and what kind of interview the look is for. (We will also accept Polyvore screen shots). These can be past interviews, current interviews, or imagined future interviews!

The Interview Attire Symposium will be held Friday, October 15th so email your submissions by midnight on Thursday, October 14th to:

Sources:

Happy Birthday, A!

As is tradition here at academichic, we devote the birthday of one of our contributors to creating outfits inspired by them. I just couldn’t sit this one out so, despite a busy week, I thought I’d pop over for a guest post to honor one of my best friends – A.

This outfit is an A-inspired teaching ensemble with a healthy dose of S. thrown in. A. loves fall weather which she always praises for letting her wear boots with skirts or dresses – one of her favorite combinations. So I began with that. And I knew that if I were going to don a skirt to honor A’s style, it would have to be a pencil skirt. That is, after all, classic A.

Next came the vest. This is a recent thrift find that I am loving this fall. It easily takes a lighter more spring or summer appropriate blouse and makes is fitting for the cooler fall weather. If you teach in a heavily air-conditioned classroom, trust me, a good vest works magic for letting you stretch some of your summer pieces into fall. A. picked up a very similar vest last year and wore it when she came to visit me in Munich this past spring. Ever since seeing her sport it, I’d been on the look-out for such a basic and classic wardrobe item.

And then here is where the good dose of my own style had to come in – the polka dot blouse. A. is nothing if not a lover of neutrals and I, too, appreciate a solid neutrals-heavy outfit. But I also have learned a thing or two from A: if you want your neutrals to really appear calming and soothing, just add one good pop of color and enjoy that contrast it creates. So I added a blouse in one of A’s favorite colors (blue) but in one of my favorite patterns ( dots). And there you have it – the methodology behind today’s teaching outfit.

Lastly, for that chillier morning ride to campus, I donned a navy blazer, which I know A. would approve of. (And if you’re wondering what all that orange is around my bike, I went a little crazy decorating ‘Fiona’ for fall).

A – thanks so much for not just being a daily style inspiration but a truly inspiring person. Everything you do, you do with so much grace and compassion. It’s not just your style that can be described as elegant, classic, and beautiful – you yourself show what those words really mean. I miss you a ton! Happy Birthday! S.

Symposium Wear, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress: Banana Republic
• Belt: Old Navy Outlet
• Shoes: Banana Republic
• Jade Necklace: my design
• Silver Ring: gift
• Jade Bracelet: gift

End Notes:
I purchased this dress last fall for a symposium in which I was a participant. This was my first graduate school foray into greater academe, and I bought this dress with the event in mind. I knew I wanted to look nice and certainly professional, but seeing as how the symposium was being held at a very forward thinking modern art museum, I figured that a suit was not the best way to go. As usual, Banana Republic had just what I needed.

Symposium Wear, originally uploaded by academichic.

The knee-length skirt, high neck, and cap sleeves of this dress all meant that I wasn’t showing too much skin, but the print kept the look fresh and steered well clear of the “polyester suits of yore” of which there were certainly a few on display.

Neckline and Cap Sleeves, originally uploaded by academichic.

The high waist also meant that this dress was made for wide belting! The bold black, purple, and cream print needed little embellishment, and I have been wearing this outfit with mostly black shoes and belts ever since. However, in the spirit of a new school year I decided to go way out on a limb and wear grey (can you tell I’m very sarcastic?). I had just bought these shoes with a 35% off coupon for Banana Republic that I had been holding on to for literally months.

New Grey Shoes!, originally uploaded by academichic.

These shoes might look familiar as they are indeed the sister shoe to the blue suede shoes I’ve had my eye on (which they apparently don’t sell in stores!). The wool material makes this a cozy fall/winter shoe and the stacked wooden heel is exactly the right height for daywear. I’m in love. I decided to do some neutral mixing with this outfit and in addition to the grey accessories threw in some of my favorite stones.

Jade and Silver, originally uploaded by academichic.

I adore green and the color of jade can vary widely from deep mossy greens to bright jewel tones. This bracelet was a gift all the way from China and the ring is from Peru thanks to my sister, who is a fabulous traveler and always brings me the best presents! The necklace is a product of another hobby of mine: beading. I find it meditative and creative at the same time, and much of the jewelry I wear is my own. This outfit was certainly the right fit for the symposium I was at last year, and once again has hit the mark this time as a terrific teaching ensemble. How have you transitioned pieces that were purchased with a specific event in mind into your daily wardrobe?

Sources:

• Tee-Shirt – Ann Taylor
• Skirt – J Crew
• Belt – New York & Co
• Bracelet- Gift from sister M
• Pumps – DSW
• Earrings – American Eagle
• Puppy = Camp

Endnotes:

Firs,  a side note: taking pictures of this outfit yesterday was like a comedy of errors.  We have been getting some serious thunderstorms in Academichic Central and so I had to take my pictures on my covered deck  where I was out of the rain but not the wind.  My dog, Camp, hates thunderstorms and becomes extremely needy during them so, sorry for the strange cropping and the puppy interruptions.

Today I am dressing my butt, my backside, my bottom, my ass!  I used to hate this entire region of my body – until very recently actually.  It’s large and makes jean shopping impossible.  But, thanks to a good friend I have recently come to appreciate my butt, and particularly the way it looks in pencil skirts. It’s still a struggle to say that I love it (it would be a lie if I didn’t tell you that I often wish it were smaller, tighter, firmer) but I’m learning to love it.

Learning to love it!, originally uploaded by academichic.

13 April 2010 – Learning to Love It, originally uploaded by academichic.

As an added bonus, I’m liking how my collar bone and looks in this new t-shirt I picked up on sale at Ann Taylor.  Expect to see this one remixed again soon!

Be sure to enter our DYB giveaway and to check back later today for yet another giveaway!  A.

T-Shirt Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Black Blazer – F21
• Grey Pencil Skirt- Banana Republic
• Cami (unseen) – BR Outlet
• Belt- Gap
• Floral Scarf – Anthropologie
• Shoes – Anthropologie, via ebay
• Ring – on loan from sister M.

Endnotes:

Clearly, my guilt over not adequately participating in florals month runs deep! I put together this mismatched suit for a museum lecture I was invited to give.  I have this same pencil skirt in black, but the black skirt and black blazer was a little too corporate for my liking.  Even the black blazer with grey suit skirt needed the orangy-brown belt and red wedges to feel more me.

I wore a teal cami underneath, but let my floral scarf serve as a kind of  loose cowl-neck blouse.  It looks a bit like it is swallowing my head in these pictures, but I adjusted it so that the loop sat a bit lower.   I picked up on the blue flowers in the scarf with this fabulous flower ring I discovered while digging through my sister’s jewelry box the last time I was home.

Flower on Floral!, originally uploaded by academichic.

I think this otherwise severe suit was made fresh and approachable by the addition of the floral scarf and all the rich warm tones it allowed me to bring in through accessories.  Per usual for me, this is mostly just another mix of neutral with a little light blue in the scarf.  But, I am always amazed how much more interesting a simple ensemble is when you let brown, black, and grey mingle.

6 May 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Grey Jersey Dress – BR Outlet
• Blazer – J Crew
• Belt – BR Outlet
• Necklace – Hawaii
• Bangel – gift from S.
• Shoes – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW

Endnotes:

These pictures are actually from a while ago, but I didn’t post them because I look so sick in them, and rather drugged, especially in the photos with the blazer.  But, I really did like this ensemble and so figure you can excuse my puffy eyes and red nose (thankfully that horrible head cold has passed).

I wore this jersey dress and blazer combo to lecture to 130ish students for an hour and a half.  I was on cold meds and fighting a runny nose, but managed to pull through with a pretty good lecture, if I do say so myself.   It was hot and rainy that day, which is common this time of year in Academichic Central, so I needed to look professional while managing to stay cool and comfy.   I love this jersey dress for just that reason – it’s comfy and chic, but I felt I needed to take the professionalism up a notch, thus enter the blazer.

26 April 2010 – Rainy Day Greys, originally uploaded by academichic.

This blazer has been enjoying quite the revival lately.  Once I rolled up the sleeves (making in 3/4 sleeved and revealing the contrasting pinstripe pattern of the lining) it suddenly seemed much easier to style and much more versatile.  I’ve paired in with a fuller a-symmetrical skirt, with baggy jeans, and now with a jersey dress.  I’m thinking next I might try it with my grey pencil skirt and eventually even with some walking shorts. Hopefully when I pull it out next time I won’t look half as red and drowsy!

Blazer, originally uploaded by academichic.

Thrifted Pinstripe Jacket, originally uploaded by academichic.

It’s in great shape, has nifty satin details — covered buttons, piping on the pockets — a subtly patterned lining, and a classic high, two-button stance with a notched lapel.

Jacket Details, originally uploaded by academichic.

Of course, since then, this blazer has had precious little wear, though it’s made predictable appearances at conferences and the occasional in-class presentation. Like I said in our Fashion 101 post on jackets and blazers, this is the kind of blazer that still makes me a little nervous, that I still tend to think about in very limited ways. So, what better way to kick off a week of blazers than challenge myself to re-imagine this jacket in a variety of outfits? Click through the jump to see four incarnations — from professional to casual — of this wardrobe basic.

When I bought this jacket, this is the kind of outfit I had in mind: jacket + basic trousers + pop of color blouse + pumps. It’s a technically fine combination. There’s color and shine by my face, and the overall look is long and lean. Still, I’m not crazy about it. It’s so far removed from my normal style that instead of feeling powerful and confident, I feel a little stuffy. This is precisely the default impulse that has kept me from experimenting more boldly with the jacket.

Pinstripe Jacket, Default, originally uploaded by academichic.

(And now for a brief digression on proportions and fit. Generally speaking, a classic fitting tailored jacket should hit just at or below the hip bone. Thanks to my super long torso, this jacket hits me higher and I wouldn’t have bought it if I was paying full price and purchasing an investment suit. But, as we’ll see in subsequent outfits this slightly shorter length plays an important role in my perpetual quest for readjusting my proportions and creating a longer leg line. You can see the problem when I tuck in the blouse. The jacket flares out too soon and there’s an awkward gap between the widest part of the jacket and the widest part of me at my hips. Keeping the blouse untucked, as I did above, smooths that discrepancy away. But still, let it be known that this is not the ideal, all-purpose fit for a jacket in terms of length.)

A Discursus on Proportion, originally uploaded by academichic.

…

Pinstripe Jacket, Take Two, originally uploaded by academichic.

Back to the matter at hand. I wanted to try another, less conservative but still professional, take on the jacket and thought that this jacquard pencil skirt — with its subtle shine and black-on-black swirling pattern — would make a nice pairing. The resulting pattern mixing added visual interest up close, but the outfit still needed a little more kick to make it feel more modern. I loved the results after adding a gray double buckle belt and layered strands of translucent gray beads. It has a retro feel without being costumey, a striking silhouette from far away and interesting pattern and texture up close.

Pinstripe Jacket, Take Two, originally uploaded by academichic.

Pinstripe Jacket, Take Two, originally uploaded by academichic.

Pinstripe Jacket, Take Three, originally uploaded by academichic.

Take three is a study of contrasts: a floaty, floral dress paired with the structured, pinstriped blazer and a belt to tie it all together. I love how the high neck of the dress peaks out, softening the collar of the jacket. Pattern mixing is proving relatively easy with this blazer, with the subtle pinstripe playing against the bold asymmetrical floral. Again, the belt and the slightly higher waist of the dress’s skirt, coupled with the shorter length of the jacket enables me to fake a shorter torso. Go me.

Pinstripe Jacket, Take Three, originally uploaded by academichic.

Pinstripe Jacket, Take Four, originally uploaded by academichic.

Finally, I wanted to try using this admittedly formal blazer in a casual outfit. I used the tried and true “structure over poofy” approach, layering the open jacket over a trapeze-shaped white cotton and eyelet top. The blazer gives me waist definition that would otherwise be hidden by the wider top, and the top’s lace and ruffle trim, in turn, softens the harder lines of the jacket. With straight leg jeans and a classic pump, the blazer is perfectly appropriate for a day of errands or time in the library. Effortless chic. I mean, I hope so. Does that mean it’s not effortless?

Pinstripe Jacket, Take Four, originally uploaded by academichic.

This mini-challenge was just what I needed to make better use of a usually-hidden wardrobe gem. I’d bet on seeing variations and improvements on these quickly-conceived outfits in the near future.

25 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Gold scarf – gift
• Burgundy sweater – Calvin Klein
• Green cord skirt – thrifted
• Gray tights – drug store
• Burgundy pumps – vintage Etienne Aigner, thrifted

Endnotes:

Yesterday I had a meeting on campus that called for a semi-formal ensemble. It was one of those meetings where you can’t show up in jeans but is still casual enough that a suit would look like overkill. My attempt at semi-formal business ensemble resulted in this pairing of a burgundy sweater with a green cord tulip skirt, gray tights, and burgundy pumps. And, as a last nod to scarf month, I opted for a gold shawl wrapped à la Orchid Grey around my neck.

While a button down or trouser pants might be the more conventional approach to business-casual, I find this skirt and 3/4 sleeve sweater version to be more representative of me and my style as a whole. And since I wanted to feel at ease and confident, I chose something that would let me feel comfortable to the extent that I would not think about my clothes and just focus on my words. And this outfit did just that.

Shoes, originally uploaded by academichic.

Which is a nice lead into A’s question that she posted yesterday: How do we dress differently for different contexts or audiences? In her words: “How do different crowds of people, and your desire to connect with them, influence your style?” I noticed that without even trying, I automatically reached for a more conservative and professional outfit the moment I found myself back on campus and among professors and undergrads, in a subconscious yet undeniable attempt to align myself with the former group over the latter. While abroad and away from campus, I have been experimenting with cut-off shorts, wearing plenty of jeans, and often living in my hoodie. My living situation abroad has me staying with people a few years younger than myself and I find that I’m increasingly dressing as to “fit in” with this younger and trendier crowd. I like how that’s given me the freedom to experiment with new looks and styles and I kept thinking that I would want to bring that style back home with me, but now I’m wondering how well that translation of trends to my more professional persona on campus will work. While I aim to dress according to a personal sense of style and aesthetic, this oscillation between two cultures and lifestyles has shown me just how context-driven and malleable my performance of self is. S.