academichic

We recently received this reader question in our mailbox:

I am writing to ask for some help with laptop bags. Being in the finishing stages of my PhD, I am on a hunt for a durable, yet chic, laptop tote that I can take to conferences and job interviews. For the past 4 years, I’ve used a black, patent leather one from Target. However, due to it’s poor quality, the bag is practically falling apart now. Do you ladies have any tips on where to look, or even brands that you’ve found to be pretty good?

Since we’re no strangers to toting our laptops around on a daily basis, we were excited to look for some chic yet practical and durable options to recommend to reader J. as well as to highlight some of the products we use and love. . .

None of us has an actual laptop bag; we each use the totes and bags that are large enough to hold our laptops and we switch between them at will. To keep our laptops protected, we all use laptop sleeves. We’re all three in possession of (and big fans of) the Incase Neoprene sleeves. I, (S), have one in bright pink while E. and A. have more professional looking black ones. While my pink one is more likely to show dirt and stains, I was pleasantly surprised to read that I can throw it in the wash and it’s no worse for wear. I have since machine washed my neoprene sleeve a few times and it still looks like new (just lay it flat to dry).

For other chic and unique laptop sleeve options, Etsy is a great place to shop. You can find such gorgeous items as this ‘Hot Couturier‘ laptop sleeve in a subdued and elegant floral pattern:

Or something more somber and neutral like this Portel felt and leather MacBook case:

The advantage of using a laptop sleeve over an actual laptop bag is the versatility this allows in switching between bags, carriers, or even travel carry-ons. I regularly switch between my green Kenneth Cole tote (when I have less to carry) and my sturdier brown REI tote (which I profiled in my Daily Campus Commute post a while back).

I have recently streamlined my bag system even more with the aid of a Tom Bihn Clear Organizer Pouch. I honestly think this is the best addition to my daily commute load that I’ve made in a while and I can’t help but gush about this. I tend to have a lot of little loose items that get tossed into my purse and bag – chapstick, lotion, sticky notes, pens, allergy meds, etc, etc, etc – that are a pain to switch from bag to bag when I change purses. Since I got this medium-sized organizer pouch, I just have all of those loose items in there, easy to grab and move from one bag to another. I love the fact that it’s clear, which makes it easy to see what I’m looking for within the pouch as well. My daily commuter load thus contains my laptop in a sleeve, this Tom Bihn clear pouch with all my little purse must-haves, and a tiny Reisenthel shopping bag, which also makes my ‘Top Ten’ list of daily commute items. (It folds up into a tiny pouch and it’s very useful for any unforeseen toting during the day, be it library books or groceries on my way home. Can you spot it tucked away into my clear pouch below?).

Since we’ve been nothing but enamored with all the Tom Bihn products we’ve sampled thus far, we would expect the Tom Bihn Ristretto Bag to be a good option for carrying a laptop around as well. It comes in a variety of color combinations and has a built-in padded laptop sleeve to keep your computer in place:

For a less sporty aesthetic, check out J.Crew’s Haneda laptop case in either black or navy:

I’ve also borrowed my husband’s Timbuk2 backpack frequently and am always trying to convince him to donate it to me because I find it to have many of the same qualities that have appealed to me with Tom Bihn products; sturdy and quality materials, lots of handy little pockets and compartments, and great design. I would recommend checking out their various laptop sleeves or messanger bags as well. (Added bonus: you can choose your own color combinations and design your own product with their ‘Build Your Own Bag‘ option).

We hope that these suggestions serve as a good starting point for your search, reader J., and as always, we’re counting on the rest of our savvy readers to chime in with their tips and ideas to add to this discussion. How do you carry your laptop around and what have you found useful for your daily commute? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below, thank you!

A little while back, Sally McGraw of Already Pretty asked us to contribute a guest post on Fashion in Academia, answering a variety of questions her readers had submitted for us. We loved the opportunity to (virtually) sit down together and explore how we each navigated some of these pertinent topics (from ‘presenting the pregnant body’ to ‘how to dress as a feminist’) in our respective departments. You can read the first part of our roundtable discussion on Sally’s site here. Below is Part II of our discussion, which we hope will prompt thoughts and responses from you – our valued readers – with which to enrich and expand this conversation. As always, we look forward to reading your input in the comments section of this post!

…and books and books and a girl in the window, originally uploaded by luketwyman.

Q: How do you approach dressing for academia without either over-emphasizing or under-emphasizing the fact that you’re a woman? And perhaps related to that, while pregnant what do you wear to teach in that does not emphasize the bump?

A:

E.- To address the pregnancy part, I would recommend getting some great maternity trousers with a “real” waist. Mine were a lifesaver and made me feel like I was still wearing my pre-pregnancy “confidence” clothes. A jacket — even one that’s not a maternity jacket — gives polish and also doesn’t call attention to the bump.

A.- So, you would advise not calling attention to the bump?

E.- I think it’s a matter of personal preference. I understand the desire to, when teaching, not have the focus be on the bump. For example, I probably would not have taught in one of my below-the-bump belting outfits.

A.- Are there situations where you would emphasize the bump?  I mean, would you have worn below-the-bump belting outfits to class, as a student?

E.- I probably would have worn a below the bump belt to class, yes.

S.- But to play devil’s advocate here – isn’t trying to “hide” your pregnancy and, by extension, this very female thing that is happening to your body, not enforcing the idea that women have to be less womanly to be men’s equals in the workforce? This is just a theoretical question.

E.- S., it’s okay and it’s something I wrestled with.  It’s hard to parse out why I felt more confident and powerful in a blazer and pants when eight months pregnant. Is it because culturally those are clothes associated with power? Are they associated with power because they are “men’s” clothes?  Or, did I feel more confident because the bump was more hidden away? (I don’t think that’s the case.) BUT, I do think that our society has a strange fascination with the pregnant body and the pregnant body has, in many ways, become a public body. People feel much more free to touch you, to talk about your body, etc. when you’re pregnant. And so when you’re teaching, you may want to try to counter-act that “public body” phenomenon to keep focus on the task at hand.

S.- That’s a good point, E., I can see that side of it.

A.- I think this is why I am not sure I agree with your question S. The pregnant body is of course a female body, but I think it is a “personal life” body that becomes the issue in many ways.  By that I mean your body is revealing something about your personal life.  We can’t separate that from gender issues, but I wonder if E was down-playing her personal life as manifest in her body rather than her female-ness.

S.- But I still think that the pregnant body is such a female thing – and especially being a mother is such a female thing – that there is more to wanting to downplay that part of one’s personal life at work than just wanting to keep your private life private. Women deal with so many discriminations when it comes to being mothers and career women.

A.- I completely agree S. I just think it is a different question than down playing the female body.

E.- Do you both think that society has normalized the white male body as the default public body (bodies with no social life)? And so when something deviates from that – like being pregnant, having a crazy hairstyle, etc.- it’s this big reminder that the woman in question is not the “ideal worker,” the disembodied head, etc?

A.- Yes, I think the straight, white, middle-aged, male body is the normalized public body. And I think they are supposed to not reveal their private lives except in appropriate situations like department parties or with a baby photo on the desk, etc.  They can have a wife that keeps the brilliant professor fed and dressed.

E.- Ha ha. Ok, I would like to add that when we ask about dressing without “either over-emphasizing or under-emphasizing the fact that you’re a woman.” that carries a whole host of gendered connotations right there that we didn’t really unpack. How do you “over-emphasize” that? Is it pink, is it ruffles? It’s all part of a social construction of what woman “should” look like.

A.- Yes, and does under-emphasizing mean suits and dark colors? Or wearing frumpy clothes to deemphasize breasts and hips?

E. – I guess I keep going back to the idea of dressing so that you feel powerful and confident, whether that means trousers or a pencil skirt.  But, you should be self-conscious and thoughtful about why certain clothes make you feel powerful.  This is not necessarily so that you change your mind, but so that you remain aware of the fact that we are, as Sally wrote in her guest post on our blog, social beings who ultimately dress in relationship to other people.  Style doesn’t happen in a vacuum.

78/365. Nail polish, originally uploaded by Gudrun Vald.

Q:  Should you paint your nails or are there certain colors you should eschew when on campus?

A:

A.-  Well, I almost always have my toes painted – often in hot pink,  but I never paint my finger nails because it chips off in about five minutes.  To be honest, I can’t really see anyone in my department caring about or even noticing some purple polish, but if you are interviewing for an academic job maybe tone it down.

E.- Agreed. I think that well-kept nails in any color (or no polish at all) are better than chipping, ragged nails. To me, it’s more about overall grooming than anything else.

S.- I think it’s good to think about your overall appearance/image but I think it’s maybe also good to keep things in perspective and realize that if you’re discriminated against because of your nail colors, that just seems like it’s demanding too much conformity in trying to tone down your individuality that much.

A.- I agree with S., you will make yourself crazy if you over analyze every style choice you make and how that might be received. But, I still think purple polish at an interview might not be the best choice.

E.- I would agree about keeping it toned down for an interview. But then again, I’ve never really been one for brightly colored fingernails.

S.- With this case, I think I have to go with the opinion that a bit of individuality even when interviewing (which I see as harmless if it’s not being sexual or inappropriate) should not be an issue. I would personally not choose to tone it down if I liked a bright or bold color out of fear of offending or coming across as unprofessional.

A.- I suppose it depends on what you are wearing it with. Again, I think it’s probably about the whole presentation of self rather than the details. This is hard for me because I don’t have painted nails, but I can imagine other things I would opt not to wear for an interview that I would unquestionably wear at school.

E.- Right. I probably wouldn’t wear my red tights to an interview, for example.

S.- I think this is the European-influenced me talking.  I see older professionals here being much more bold in their choice of clothing, hair, make up. Even piercings have a much more accepted place in the professional world here. So I think it all depends on the context of the scenario – the country, the culture, the campus culture, the department, etc.

E.- I was actually wondering about that, S. Do those observations apply to the academy as well? Do academics dress bolder or just better in general than they do in the States?

A.- E., do you mean are there less polyester suits in the European academy?

S.- From what I’ve seen, yes. I can’t speak for more than what I see here in Munich, but I would say that people here tend to dress in ways that we might deem “bolder” for the lack of a better term.  For example, they wear more “on trend” items, perhaps more figure revealing, or fashion forward clothes than in the Midwest and are still considered professional and appropriate. There seems to be more leeway in how you can dress while still being an authority figure.  There is a general culture of being more accepting of the nude body here anyway (nude sunbathing is a regular occurrence in the city’s English Garden in the summer, billboards or ads with nudity are seen as less risqué) so that translates into a different understanding of the “appropriate social body” as I see it. This has made me question some of the ideas I had about how I needed to present myself in the States.

E.- Like what?

S.- I think it’s made me start questionings some of the “rules” I had decided on for how I should present myself to my professors or peers. What it means to look like “an adult” or a “professional” in the States, or more specifically the Midwest, is different than what it means to look like “an adult” or a “professional” here. So, I’m starting to feel more flexible in what choices I have in dressing as a professional.

A.- Can you give a specific example?

S.- Yes, I think I used to be more concerned with covering my body in the US – a long enough skirt, a high enough neckline – and now I don’t see that as quite so important. It’s not that I would wear a revealing outfit to teach in, but I also don’t think I need to cover every inch of my body in order to not appear as if I’m enticing inappropriate attention. I think this leads into the discussion on gendered outfits since this is a mostly female concern – if I dress up and look sexy, it draws attention to my body and away from my mind…that old tale.

E.- So do you think that this “rule change” will remain in effect when you return to the States? I mean, it sounds like you are being an excellent cultural adapter. So how much from one culture — in terms of expectations, etc. — do you bring into another and how much leeway do you give yourself to change while maintaining a sense of personal style and integrity? I know that if I ever go back to Hawaii to teach I will probably dress much more casually for the classroom, but I hope that I will never start wearing the shapeless dresses that still fill a good portion of the women’s department in Macy’s there!

A.- Yes, I would also probably wear my Danskos and hiking boots more often if I were back in rural Massachusetts, but I’m sure I would still teach in an orange pencil skirt!

E.- I would hope so! So clearly, context matters.

I’ve received several questions in the past regarding this thrifted Boden skirt. Since a couple of you just recently asked about it again, I figured I should just do a post proving any interested parties with the pertinent information.

Item: Floral and Venitian Print Wrap Skirt with Polka Dot Trim

Brand: Boden

Cost: $10 thrifted (New Boden skirts run from around $50-$100)

Product Description: Fully lined 100% cotton wrap skirt. Two button closure around waist (with approx. 10 inch overlap). Knee-length, A-line.

Review: A great skirt. I fell in love with its faux-Anthropologie look when I came across it at a thrift store in San Francisco in the summer of 2009. It washes well (and I line-dry it) and it’s lined with a second cotton layer. I believe the sizes run on the smaller side, since this is a 12R UK size, which is about a size or two larger than I would usually wear. The side tag reads: “WG164″ and below that: “832886/7″.

If you were someone who contacted me about tracking it down, I hope this information helps (particularly those numbers on the tag). If you don’t succeed in getting this particular skirt, you may be interested in checking out Boden’s existing collection, which includes some really beautiful items:

Update: Thanks to reader Brooke for pointing out that Boden has just switched to US sizes as of this year, so if you’re ordering off their US site, don’t order up. Ignore my statement about the sizing running on the small side, as this conversion from UK sizes no longer applies. Thanks, Brooke!

We recently received this image accompanied by a reader question in the mail:

They’re soft, cushiony, and uber comfortable with only a 2 inch heel, and make me feel Victorian and prairie-ish (a top combination for me).

But now I have no idea how to wear them. I was thinking green, blues, and reds, but can I wear them with black tights? Grey tights? Should I always wear brown tights? Should brown always be in my outfit somewhere? Do boots like these require cream/ivory instead of starker, true whites?

What a beautiful pair of boots in both style and color! We think you’re right to consider using them to create Victorian or prairie-inspired looks. The relative heaviness of the boot could ground a floatier summer skirt or dress, especially when paired with a chunky sweater.

As far as color combinations and tights go, we’re pretty firm believers in the notion that neutrals go with everything, so experiment freely with your combinations. While brown tights might work well to create the illusion of a longer leg line, other colors can be used to create interest as well. Purple, burgundy, hunter green, or navy tights could add a layer of richness without breaking up your proportions too dramatically. As for neutral pairings, E. is an especially big fan of lighter, warm browns with gray and has paired her cognac boots with gray sweater tights.  And, when done purposefully, black and brown can make a striking combination as well. And don’t forget the possibility of textured or patterned tights! Create a bit of drama with floral or lace tights that just peek out from beneath your skirt or dress.

These boots can certainly stand up to a multitude of stylings, so be adventurous! We’d love to see what you come up with.

We recently received this reader question with accompanying picture:

I recently purchased this Herringbone skirt from Tulle. It is a very thick material and looks very full on me. I am just not sure what to pair it with! I loved the look of the skirt because it reminded me of the Zooey Deschanel’s style in 500 days of Summer. What would you guys pair it with?

One of our lovely readers recently sent us this question:

I have these beautiful long sweaters that I love. They’re of different lengths, mid-thigh to below the knee. However, not very fun to wear them outside to get to class in the usually wet, windy, cold DC weather without some sort of jacket. How would I wear them? It is okay to put a shorter jacket over it? Or do I have to wait until long coat season?

Great question! Since longer sweaters and cardigans are popping up everywhere this season, you’re likely to be asking yourself the same thing. We assume our reader means a sweater similar to this one E. wore recently:

31 September 2009 – Annie Get Yer Gun, originally uploaded by academichic.

When it comes to pairing a longer sweater such as the one above with a fall coat or jacket, we would tend to recommend matching up the sweater and coat length to be within a hand width’s apart. A slight variation in hem length makes for an great layered effect that looks intentional rather than haphazard. If it’s too warm to bring out your longer winter coat, try looking for some of these lighter alternatives:

27 May 09, originally uploaded by acatofimpossiblecolour.

A longer jean coat, like the one modeled by Andrea above, is a great fall alternative that could go over a longer sweater and cardigan and just add that slight layer of protection against rain or wind.

Apr. 10 a, originally uploaded by Jean C’est Quoi.

A knee-lenght trench coat, such as the one modeled by Jean C’est Quoi above, is also a good fall go-to choice. You could look for a bold and unique color, or stick with a classic tan. Since the trench coat has been a wardrobe staple for many a decades now, you’ll likely be able to find a selection to sift through at your local thrift store or consignment store.

Overall, we think that a longer sweater asks for a longer top layer. But, E. was rather taken by this outfit in a recent Ann Taylor look book, where the model is wearing a cropped leather jacket over a longish sweater, and she swears that she’s going to try this look out this week. She’ll let you know how this works out in real life.

And perhaps our readers might have ideas of how to rock the shorter jacket over the longer sweater look. If so, please chime in with how you’d make that combination work! What do you think of layering a shorter coat over a knee-length sweater?

We’ve received several more shoe-related reader questions lately, so we’re making this week officially shoe week! To check out our post on chic yet comfortable shoes, click here, and also take a look at the really great comments full of more tips and reader recommendations on the topic.

Now, for a few more shoe-related inquiries:

One reader sent us the above picture accompanied by the following words:

I bought a pair of shoes that I love, but I’m not sure what color skirts/shirts to pair with them.They’re black and wine colored. The color wheel seems to tell me that the opposite would be a green – maybe like a forest green? Would that be a good combo? I’m stumped, and can only think of throwing them on as a pop of color with neutrals (blacks/greys/maroons). Hesitant to be too matchy-matchy. Help! Sarah (librarian at a midwest university)

Thanks for the email and picture, Sarah! Great shoe, we love the two-tone color and the elegant T-Strap and had fun thinking of some color choices for it. Here is what we would recommend:

You are quite right to think of dark forest green, which would provide a complement to the maroon of the shoe. While red and green scream Christmas and Santa’s elves, a subtle variation on the crayon box version makes for warmth and sophistication while allowing for both colors to ‘pop’ against the other. An item such as the above sweater (found at Banana Republic) would look great with a pencil skirt in any neutral color and your maroon and black shoes.

Or you could go for a subtler color mix by pairing something plum or deep purple with the black and maroon shoes, thus creating an analogous color combo. The above dress from Target could serve as an inspiration point for an analogous pairing, or at $18.99, could make its way into your closet should you want this very one!

Lastly, you could play the monochromatic card by adding more shades of red to join the maroon of the shoe. Don’t try to find the exact shade of ‘wine’ of your pump, but rather experiment with other variations on red to create a soft monochrome color mix. Pairing a dark pink ruffle top blouse (such as the one found at Anthropologie above) with a black or gray skirt would recreate the color pairings in your shoe with your garments, using varying shades of the colors found at your feet.

Overall, don’t be afraid to experiment with your new shoes. While they certainly will make a great pop of color and could work with any combination of neutrals, don’t hesitate to mix them with non-neutrals as well. And as always, dear readers, your input is greatly appreciated! What would you suggest Sarah pair with these lovely wine and black pumps?

Meanwhile, reader Courtney sent us this question:

I love your blog, and I’ve watched all summer as you have all worn beautiful flat after wonderful wedge, all seemingly without socks of any kind or problems. How do you do it? When I try that, I end up a soggy mess with accompanying blisters. Am I missing something important here?

You’re not missing anything! Breaking in new shoes without socks or hose is a tricky business and is better left not tried. Broken in shoes, however, should be able to function without socks or tights without causing blisters and chafing.

New summer shoes, however, can’t always be broken in with socks or hose. And even broken in shoes sometimes revert to a previous stiffness when not worn for a while. In those cases, here are some tricks that should make the breaking in process a little easier on your feet…

• Use any petroleum product to run along the chaffing parts of the shoe, making for less friction with the skin (runner’s glide, anti-blister stick, petroleum jelly, deodorant… any of those should work)
• Carry band-aids and a little purse-sized petroleum jelly jar  (or above product of your choice) with you to touch up as you spend the day walking around!
• Locate the source of chaffing or blistering and try to discern what it may indicate about your feet – high vs. low arches, narrow vs. wide feet, etc – and look for shoes catering to those concerns when purchasing new pairs

If you, our readers, have more handy tricks to add to this list, don’t hesitate to let us and Courtney know by leaving us a comment!

From reader Marjorie, we received the following note:

I have bad feet that hurt if I don’t wear shoes with a lot of arch support, which can make looking stylish a little difficult… I have a pair of cognac colored Birkenstock clogs that I want to incorporate into my work wear, since I walk there (about 2 miles each way) and don’t always like to change my shoes. I intern in a federal agency where the look is professional, but not exactly corporate level attire. I usually wear cardigans, slacks and skirts. Do you think I could dress them up or is the look way too frumpy for a cubicle?

This is a tricky question. On the whole, we would tend to say that Birkenstocks are too casual for a professional environment. However, if clogs are your preferred form of footwear, there are other brands like Clarks or Dansko that have options with comfortable (thick or wedged) heels and less bulky shape. Generally, our style aesthetics are such that we would recommend wearing clogs with pants that are long enough to conceal the open heel, thus giving the appearance of a heeled shoe.

A. and S. both own Dansko clogs that they swear by in terms of comfort. Although they tend to wear them with jeans for a more casual ensemble, S. has worn this exact “professional” look with her black Danskos and felt confident with the resulting mix of clogs and dress pants. The added bonus: Danskos come both in a narrow or wide style, thus addressing the concern expressed by some of you in our previous shoe post. And if you’re concerned about arch support, Danskos will likely suit your needs. Having high arches and a need for arch support herself, S. appreciated the extra cushioning in her Danskos.

As for our readers who share Courtney’s concern of needing arch support or who prefer a clog for a daily professional look, please share any brands or tips you’ve come to appreciate! Thank you!

When we introduced this “roundtable” series to you last month, we received this reader comment urging us to open up a relevant academia/style question for discussion:

How about a brown bag about proper attire for an on campus T-T job interview? (They’re coming up in the next three months!)

one key question: wedding ring on, or off?

T-T interviews, for those of you not campus situated, are “tenure track” interviews, offering the most coveted of all academic jobs to those embarking on the job market. So, naturally, a key question is What To Wear? How to best present oneself to these potential employers?

Our approach would be to mix and match suit separates and ‘dressier’ pieces to create a look that is simultaneously professional and still personal and representative of our style personalities. As for the wedding ring question…we’ve already put in our two cents when this topic surfaced a while ago, but we would happily reopen this ever present dilemma for discussion.

So we open the forum to the rest of you, in true brown bag fashion, to engage in a dialogue what will hopefully provide our readers with many great ideas. And good luck to all of you interviewing this fall!

Shoes!, originally uploaded by academichic.

We recently received this reader question in our inbox:

I am a graduate student at a large Northeastern university. Since my teaching duties are arranged so that I only have to interact with professors and students three days a week, I decided I would attempt to forego my usual casual wear and try to dress up at least these three days.  I don’t mind the dress pants and skirts, its the shoes! I have tiny, narrow feet that get blisters from wearing just about anything (flats, heels, sandals, wedges, peeptoes, etc.). The problem is made worse by the fact that it’s not uncommon for me to walk four or five miles throughout the course of the day just getting around campus (I teach two classes on the same day in buildings that are half a mile apart). Do you have any foot/shoe advice for someone who wants to look professional but has to do a lot of walking?

This reader’s sentiments echo a lot of other reader emails or comments we have recently received regarding attractive yet comfortable footware. The unique thing about working on a college campus is that you’re not likely to spend your day in one building or office but have to commute between buildings and sometimes even campuses on any given day. So while an attractive professional shoe is important, a comfortable walkable professional shoe is key!

In the past, we’ve recommended garments or shoes based on their looks or online reviews, but for this particular question, we felt that first-hand experience with the items in question was paramount to answering our reader’s concern. So we have pulled together a list of attractive and comfortable shoes from our own closets that we can confidently suggest to anyone looking for a professional shoe in which to cover a lot of ground (literally and figuratively)….

» Read the rest of this entry «

We received this two-part question from one of our lovely readers:

I’m attending my boyfriend’s brother’s wedding in Chicago in early November. I’ve already selected my dresses for the wedding and dress rehearsal, but have yet to choose the shoes.

As the wedding will be in the fall and who knows about snow, I realize strappy sandals aren’t appropriate. At the same time, I don’t just want to wear standard black pumps, but I’m beginning to think that may be just as good a decision as any.

Our reader also sent along pictures of the dresses she’s chosen. The one on the left from Ann Taylor Loft and the one on the right by Donna Ricco from Nordstrom:

While you certainly can’t go wrong with a standard black pump, we do think there are some other fun options out there to go with the dresses you’ve chosen. We’ve picked three shoes that could add a little something to either or both of the dresses:

Metallic:

Since it will be too cold to wear strappy sandals, a shoe in a metallic ups the fancy-factor of the overall outfit. These classic pewter pumps could later do double duty by adding a fun punch to more conservative work looks.

Print:

Another route might be trying a patterned pump. Perhaps leopard? Or zebra?

Unexpected Color:

You might also consider wearing a pump in an unexpected color. A rich wine color, like this patent pump, would be a delightful twist.

The question continues:

Also, what do you suggest to cover up strapless/sleeveless dresses in the winter? A pashima, sweater type shrug? I know I’ll have to wear my black or camel peacoat from the car to the church/reception, but once I get inside I’d like to have a nice cover up that is elegant as well.

All of us are big fans of using pashminas as cold-weather formal wear wraps. With these dresses, we might suggest a charcoal wrap, perhaps with a tone-on-tone pattern.  Another option might be to wear a thin, buttonless cardigan and belt it with a matching sash, like S. did when she went to the opera in San Francisco.

Whatever she chooses, our reader will certainly look lovely in these classic frocks!