25 August 2010

Posted on | August 26, 2010 | 17 Comments

25 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Mustard cardigan: Target
Ruffle top: Target
Belt: thrifted
Earrings-turned-brooches: thrifted
Ring: c/o Lala B
Skirt: Banana Republic Factory
Shoes: Lauren by Ralph Lauren, via Macy’s

End Notes:

Yesterday I led a question-and-answer session for new TA’s in the humanities at my university. I actually always find these beginning of the year, transitional summer-to-fall events difficult to dress for. I want to look competent but not stuffy, approachable but purposeful.

Ultimately, I ended up with an outfit comprised of pieces from multiple different “registers” of formality that — I think — still formed a coherent whole. I started out with my denim pencil skirt: a classic shape in a casual fabric. Then, I softened it up with a draping, ruffled top (originally used as a maternity top!). But then I added structure to the drape with a skinny belt that almost disappears in the gray froth and a cropped cardigan. I finished everything off with some “shiny” for polish: a chunky cocktail ring, enamel floral earrings used as mini brooches, and patent taupe wedges.

25 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Caylin Wedge, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, originally uploaded by academichic.

When I write it all out like that it sounds really complicated, but it actually came together very organically. That might be because in a lot of ways this is a reiteration of my monochrome olive outfit a few days ago. (I’m not concerned, though, since I’ve been steeping myself in critiques of the bourgeois notion of originality, ala Rosalind Krauss via Walter Benjamin. Ah, qualifying exams.) And besides, I’d call this a revision rather than an imitation.

Do you have a secret for stylish dressing in this transitional period between summer and fall?

25 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

24 August 2010 – Olive You

Posted on | August 23, 2010 | 13 Comments

24 August 2010 – Olive You, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Top: Target
Necklace: Forever 21
Belt: thrifted
Skirt: Banana Republic Factory
Wedges: thrifted

End Notes:

Like A. and L., I had to let our color challenge spill over into the following week. I just wasn’t feeling a monochromatic look last week. But, never fear, I have prevailed. And with green, no less.

Ruffle and Necklace Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

I usually wouldn’t wear a chunky necklace with a top that already has neckline details, like this one. One of the benefits of a monochromatic color scheme, however, is that it lets you play a little more with the “more is more” concept. Layering a yellow-green statement necklace over olive ruffles adds some textural interest within a limited color palette. (I also could have added baby e.’s yellow-green sippy cup to the mix, but I figured I already had enough going on.)

Also, I didn’t tuck in my top. Given my propensity for high-waisted everything, this is a departure for me. Granted, I’m still defining my waist — and adding some lovely drape and blousing — with a skinny belt, but the overall effect of a peplum of sorts is fetching, and it still keeps my never-ending torso in check. One of my fall style resolutions is to play more with drape and volume, and this is a good start, albeit a baby step.

Do you have any fall style resolutions?

24 August 2010 – Olive You, originally uploaded by academichic.

9 August 2010

Posted on | August 9, 2010 | 16 Comments

9 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Sheath dress: H&M
Belt: from another dress
Bracelets: gift
Pumps: Steve Madden, via Macy’s super shoe sale

End Notes:

This week we’re reviewing triads and analogous color combinations. An analogous color scheme takes two (or more) colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. I think for our purposes, an analogous scheme could be either a veryclose pairing with a tertiary color — like green and blue green or red and red orange — or it could be neighboring colors on a simplified color wheel — like yellow and orange or green and blue.

So today I’m “premiering” (as A. would say) my magenta pumps — let’s call them red violet for the sake of our color wheel — and pairing them with a purpley gray sheath dress that I’ve recently unearthed from my closet. I also added a true purple belt to push the ambiguously colored dress more towards violet and to underscore this tight analogous pairing.

9 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

(And yes, these shoes are just the magenta version of the blue pumps I’ve worn recently. It was one of those pick-your-own-birthday-gift situations and I couldn’t refuse. Not only are they great colors, they’re also quite comfortable with the rounded toe, padded footbed, and a heel that’s low enough to walk around in but high enough to give my calves a nice boost. I’ll admit, though, that my feet seem to just fit Steve Madden shoes and boots really well, so some of my comfort might be from finding a brand that jives with my particular foot shape.)

Back to the dress. Between pregnancy, breastfeeding, and re-learning my postpartum body, I haven’t worn a sheath dress in over a year and a half. It had been so long, in fact, that I totally forgot how much I actually adore sheaths. It’s a body conscious shape that makes me feel really sleek and put together and powerful. As Emeril Lagasse would say: “Bam.” Sure, this is not really bend over and pick up baby e. friendly nor do I think I can ride my bike in this particular dress, but I am about ready to toss function out the door in favor of pursuing a previously loved-then-lost form.

I think I’m going to shortly launch a search for a back-to-school sheath that has a little stretch in it. Suggestions for where to look — particularly from fellow long-waisted ladies — are definitely welcome.

9 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

22 July 2010

Posted on | July 22, 2010 | 20 Comments

22 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Top: thrifted
Pants: Banana Republic
Shoes: Lauren by Ralph Lauren, via Macys

End Notes:

Do you ever have one of those “off” weeks? Not a bad week per se, but just one where you’re stymied in all the small stuff, your words don’t seem to be coming out right, you can’t seem to get on top of the laundry, and all the books you need are checked out of the library? I’ve just realized that when I get into one of these “real world” ruts, my style tends to follow as I gravitate towards tried and true silhouettes and combinations in my wardrobe.

I’m a huge proponent of dressing to make yourself feel powerful and put-together, and so on most days when I need a pick me up I’d be most likely to turn to my ubiquitous navy dress or floaty cream skirt. But today I thought I’d try taking the opposite approach. What if I wore something that’s not on my list of “go-to” items? What if I wore something that I kind of have to psyche myself up for a wee bit? What if I pushed myself past my style comfort zone in order to force myself to be assertive, to be positive, and to take ownership of a so-so week?

22 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Caylin Wedge, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, originally uploaded by academichic.

So, out came these light gray pants that I haven’t totally figured out what to do with, and a boldly colored top in a longer length, and tall shoes. And look! No tucking in and no belt. If that’s not taking away a safety net, I don’t know what is, right? And I have to admit, now I feel all super-hero-y and proud of myself for trying something a little different rather than depending on my standards, as flattering and valuable as they may be.

Do you see a correspondence between an uninspired week and uninspired style? What do you do to get yourself out of a style rut?

22 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

20 July 2010 – Turquoise Two Ways

Posted on | July 20, 2010 | 16 Comments

20 July 2010 – Turquoise Two Ways, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Above:

Ruffle cardi: Ann Taylor
Belt: Forever 21
Skirt: Target
Cage heels: Target

Below:

Gray tank: Target
Necklace: bracelet-turned-pendant
Belt: Old Navy
Skirt: Target
Sandals: Target

End Notes:

I cannot entirely explain my affection for this turquoise tulip skirt. This is a pretty different silhouette than my usual fare of full skirts or structured pencil skirts: it adds fullness to a place that I usually prefer to skim on over and is shorter than many of my skirts as well. At one point while wearing this, I panicked and wondered if I was wearing the skirt equivalent of so-called “harem pants”.

But perhaps it is precisely the freshness of the silhouette to my wardrobe that has me reaching again and again for this skirt. (Plus, I figured that I could take a page from Dress Your Best week and acknowledge my birthing hips.)

On one hand, this tulip shape plays well with other stand-bys in my summer mom casual wardrobe: a simple tank, a belt, and colorful sandals. The skirt is breezy and quirky and a fun color to boot.

20 July 2010 – Turquoise Two Ways, originally uploaded by academichic.

Orange Sandals, originally uploaded by academichic.

On the other hand, the different-for-me shape also inspires different-for-me outfits, like the edgier look up top. Although there’s a lot going on — cage heels, draping, and ruffles — the relatively subdued color palette, with just a sole pop of color, pulls everything together. I actually really love of the play of soft lines up top, cut through by a strong belt and finished with the graphic geometry of the cage heels.

Cage Heels, originally uploaded by academichic.

If a single garment in your closet could be a style muse, I think this skirt might be mine of the moment. It is familiar enough to be a staple and just different enough to encourage experimentation. Do you have a garment that inspires you to try new things in your style? What is it?

9 July 2010

Posted on | July 9, 2010 | 12 Comments

9 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Leaf pendant: c/o Vintage Threadz
Top: Banana Republic Factory
Belt: from another dress
Skirt: ages old, from Ross
Bracelet: gift from Anna
Turquoise pumps: Steve Madden, gift from MIL

End Notes:

Today I got to do one of my favorite things: teach a class with A.! We had a “focus” day on Manet’s infamous painting Olympia and talked through — and demonstrated — a range of methodologies that have been applied to this well-known work. The fact that you can approach a single work of art in so many different ways is one of those nerdy delights that cements my certainty that I am an art historian at heart.

Turquoise Steve Madden Ulltra Pumps, originally uploaded by academichic.

A not-quite-as-nerdy delight? Pairing these bright turquoise pumps with an otherwise neutral outfit. All hail, the pop of color heel. Since I wasn’t going to be by baby e. in this outfit, I decided to accessorize a little more than I have lately, using blue green and green jewelry to tie the outfit together a bit more. And, oh yes, I’m pattern mixing my florals in the top and the bracelet. It’s wild, really.

Bracelet, originally uploaded by academichic.

I’ve been flipping through old outfits, imagining what they might look like with a turquoise shoe and getting excited about the possibilities. I think it might be time to return to the color wheel for another round…

9 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

2 July 2010 – Bike Picnic

Posted on | July 2, 2010 | 12 Comments

Sources:

Gray tee – Gap, thrifted
Navy skirt – J.Crew
Black patent sandals – Target
Pendant – Anthropologie
Bike – Electra Hawaii Cruiser
Helmet – Nutcase

Endnotes:

I apologize for the poor quality of this picture, but this photo was taken pretty late in the day as T. and I set out for an outdoor concert on our local college campus. (You can read all about that here, should you be so inclined). This was by far one of my favorite ‘dates’ we’ve had recently and one I’m sure we’ll repeat. Since the evening would go down as a date and we would be cycling, I needed an outfit that would meet the criteria of both….enter What Would a Nerd Wear.

Tania of What Would a Nerd Wear is one of my favorite style bloggers and not only does she look super cute all the time, she also does so while riding her gorgeous vintage bike. So she would to be my outfit muse for this one…

One of Tania’s signature looks is pairing a simple fitted top with a high-waisted fuller skirt. This ensemble always ends up looking polished while still playful and laid-back. I have long shied away from this particular silhouette because I tend to want to hide my midsection and wear things that flow away from my torso, but sometimes a bit of experimenting with new shapes and lines is all you need to spruce up an old wardrobe. And I’ve found that wearing a high waisted skirt that fits well with a not-too-tight tucked in top can actually create that coveted silhouette of the small waisted even for those of us not blessed by nature in that department.

I also love the juxtaposition of the plain and simple gray cotton tee paired with the more polished and formal navy skirt. And I’ve discovered a new favorite for cycling; while this skirt is on the shorter side, the stiffer and heavier material translated into it staying in place and hardly blowing ‘open’ while pedaling … win!

Thanks, Tania, for a great outfit idea. I know I’ll be replicating this look a lot more this summer, be it for bike dates, coffee shop outings, or even just for showing off to my dog at home. S.

28 June 2010

Posted on | June 29, 2010 | 20 Comments

28 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Tank: Target
Belt: Gap Outlet
Skirt: Ruche.com, lengthened by me
Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell, gift from MIL via Rue La La

End Notes:

I’m sure it comes as little surprise to any of you that I am in love with light gray as my summer neutral of choice. Pairing light gray with a more acid yellow and white stripes, I’m all passing summer storms and rippling heat rolled into one. Or, at least, that’s how I felt.

When I wore this skirt earlier, I had some concerns over the length-to-fullness ratio. It seemed a bit too short to be so full, resulting in a silhouette that bordered on feeling too “young” for me and was absolutely useless in the wind. Since I live in the Midwest and ride a bicycle, the latter became kind of a big deal.

So, during my week of “vacation” when I refashioned that dress into a skirt, I also set about lengthening this skirt to a more flattering length. Using extra fabric from my self-made tank dress, I took advantage of the gray skirt’s stitched edge detail and used those existing lines of stitching to hide my own seam, attaching a faux layer of floral fabric. The result fits the skirt’s somewhat romantic aesthetic better than attaching a clean band to the very bottom edge. (Plus, since I seem to be of the opinion that yellow is a foundational slice of the color wheel, I’m not too worried about limiting my color combination options.)

Lengthened Skirt, originally uploaded by academichic.

Finally, three cheers for my new sandals, found on super sale at Rue La La and graciously gifted by my always-tasteful mother-in-law. I predict that you’ll be seeing a lot of these cut-out mini-wedges in the weeks to come!

Jeffrey Campbell Sandals, originally uploaded by academichic.

28 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

25 June 2010

Posted on | June 25, 2010 | 37 Comments

25 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Dress: Banana Republic Factory
Belt: from another dress
Hat: Banana Republic Factory
Yellow sandals: Old Navy

End Notes:

As mentioned earlier, I am all about the embellished dress + belt + sandals + floppy hat combination for summer picnicking, and I think I found a winner in this putty brown dress with a macrame neckline paired with accessories in unexpected colors.

25 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Certainly, being the mom of a grabby little boy has compelled me to temporarily retire many of my favorite accessories — especially necklaces and big earrings — and as a result I think I’ve become increasingly enamored with built-in accessories (like embellished necklines) or baby-safe accessories that pack a big punch (like a belt or bright shoes).

But let’s talk for a moment about sizing. I tried this dress on a month or two ago at a visit to the Banana Republic Factory store in my usual dress size and was really disappointed. The neckline did nothing flattering for my figure, the dress overall was too short, and the shape was neither structured enough to wear unbelted or flowing enough to be a “look.”

When I went back a few weeks later, the dress was on the clearance rack, but this color was only available in a large. S. has successfully purchased and styled a dress that was several sizes too big for her, and I’m so glad that I followed her example and tried on the large. The fuller cut let the neckline fall in a more flattering line and the resulting drape was far more conducive to belting (though I had to cut off the little threaded “belt loops”).

What do you think? Is buying several sizes up essentially another way of “altering” a garment? Or does it go against the notion of fit being key? What are some things to be aware of when buying “too big”?

25 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

14 June 2010

Posted on | June 14, 2010 | 9 Comments

14 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Jacket: Banana Republic Factory
Tank: Target
Belt: Old Navy
Skirt: thrifted ages ago
Wedges: Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW

End Notes:

Somewhat ironically, although S. and A. have been having days of simple or repeat duds while traveling or working away from campus, I’ve been secretly relishing the excuse to dress up every weekday for my translation course. The only problem is that since the class consumes so much time my picture-taking and post-writing moments have been severely constrained!

While one cannot ever entirely separate clothing’s form from its function, I do feel like I’ve been dressing primarily for function for quite a while now. When we started this blog, I was dressing to accommodate my growing baby bump. Then, I was dressing for ease of frequent breastfeeding (nursing tanks and surplice necklines). Now, I’m dressing to be able to bike to campus in hot summer weather (hence the recent lack of pencil skirts and pants). While I may sometimes whine about how the demands on my body circumscribe wardrobe creativity, I have to admit that the default primacy of functionality in my clothing choices certainly reinforces the notion of style always being understood in a social context, of clothing as woven (pun!) into our lives of doing, not only being perceived.

Perhaps I should also qualify the notion of “functionality.” Certainly some spandex and sneakers would arguably be “more functional” for commuting via bike. But I’m not really interested in finding the “most” functional outfit, just as I’m not really interested in finding the most creative or aesthetically pleasing outfit. For my specific ride to campus, for the specific schedule of my day, for the particular thermostat levels of the classroom I’m in, and from my particular closet, I make choices. It’s this sense of clothes-in-context that first drew me to style blogging, and what I miss when I’m just flipping through a JCrew or Anthropologie catalog or looking at Banana Republic’s lookbook online. I love seeing how clothes accompany and enable the “doing” of people’s lives, right down to the various iterations of skinnies-and-tunics or tanks-and-bermudas that let S. and A. do all that they do.