academichic

Goodbye Summer…, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress – Marshalls
• Belt – BR Outlet
• Flats – Target
• Sunglasses – Marshalls

Endnotes:

Well, summer officially comes to an end this week as the semester begins tomorrow.  I’m looking forward to the Fall, but sure will miss the summer!  I successfully started a veggie garden, clocked over 400 miles with a new running buddy, met up with old friends, convinced my advisor my dissertation topic is a worthy one, and of course GOT MARRIED!!

These are pictures taken a few weeks back, while on one of the many mini summer vacations we took to visit friends and family.  This is the dress I bought to wear the night before my wedding, but knew it would get a good amount of wear.  I added the woven leather belt and red flats to dress in down enough for brunch and a walk around town.

Check back later this week to see what ensemble I pull together for the first day of the semester!

A.

Sources:

• Blue-green top – Target
• Green-gray skirt – H&M in Austria years ago
• Silver flats – Target
• Necklace – Big Lots years ago
• Puzzle piece bracelet – gift from cousin in Romania

Endnotes:

So I did get my act together and compose one outfit for our color module this week: monochromatic green. While I couldn’t for the life of me make one work on Tuesday, this combination just jumped out at me on Wednesday morning. I paired a teal (blue-green) top with a green-gray skirt and used silver for my remaining items. Silver flats; silver bracelet; silver necklace. Although I’m dressed head-to-toe in shades of green, I think this works because they’re variations of the crayon box green that are more subtle and soft. I think there is no right or wrong way to do monochrome; use as much and as bold of a color as suits your style and aesthetic. While some may feel more comfortable mixing in a good dose of neutrals, others may revel in a full-on color explosion. To me, the queen of fabulous and bold monochromatic outfits is the lovely Katie of What Katie Wore in the UK:

How bold do you go when you go monochromatic?

That much on colors and my outfit for today.

The other thing that needs to be addressed (and I’ve been putting it off because it’s no pleasant post to write) is my coming departure from academichic for a while. As I alluded to in my last post, I’ve been struggling with dressing for myself vs. dressing for others for a while now. On some days it’s less pronounced than on others; but it’s a feeling that’s been consistently there for a while now. To explain – when I first began blogging on academichic, I knew nothing of color theory, I was still finding my style as a young academic professional, and I was blown away by the plethora of awesome blogs and fashion resources on the internet. I discovered Flickr, wardrobe_remix, style blogs, the awesome Sal of Already Pretty, feminist fashionistas, and other academics on the same style quest as me. And I found the inflow of inspiration and feedback from other bloggers and readers to be astounding and tremendously rewarding.

I blogged through a semester of teaching, I blogged about planning a small wedding on a small budget, and I blogged during an entire year of living abroad and – more or less – out of two suitcases. I blogged about my packing plan for that capsule wardrobe and, to my surprise, was contacted by a former (and much beloved) student who had found my packing posts while she was researching how to pack for a year abroad herself. I gained so much from other bloggers and my co-bloggers that it was wonderful to hear of my posts being of use to someone else. This example encapsulates what I’ve found to be the much rewarding essence of blogging – the free and voluntary sharing of information, support, creativity, and inspiration.

While I would love to continue being a weekly presence on academichic, life changes have shifted my focus and I now feel content leaving the style blogging to others. I feel like I have answered some of those initial questions I had about how to present myself professionally and I have explored pattern, color, functionality, and professionalism to the extent that I feel pretty comfortable with how I present my academic persona at this point.

As I have alluded to, I have left my graduate institution to live with my husband (if you read regularly, you know that we were long distance for a long time) and to finish my dissertation away from campus. I was extremely fortunate to find a position as a lecturer at my husband’s university so I am now – somewhat unexpectedly and much sooner than anticipated – beginning my career as faculty.

This recent move in my professional and personal life has led me to reassess my time commitments and has forced me to pare down my calendar of activities. I love to take on more than I can handle, but I’m forcing myself to be realistic and do less but do it well. This all to try to articulate why I will be stepping down as a regular contributor to academichic and will be leaving the regular posts to my wonderful co-bloggers. I might still pop in and say hello when I can and I will always be on the watch for great fodder for fashion/feminism/academia posts, but I will be turning my primary attention to my teaching commitments, my dissertation, and my husband for now.

I will still be present on the interwebs over on Simply Bike, which allows me to lurk far more behind the camera and to explore more in text than in pictures what advocacy, healthy living, and bike commuting means to me. If you miss me terribly, you can always stop on by and say hello.

I cannot express enough how much your comments and readership has meant to me. And I will now assume the role of regular reader and commenter myself as I continue to draw inspiration from A., E., and L. I’m sorry this turned into such a long post but as I started writing, the words began pouring out, and I felt like I was writing a mournful goodbye letter to a long loved friend. This is how much I’ve cared about this project and have appreciated all of you who have been part of it, however vocal or silent. So this is goodbye for now and a big huge Thank You!

30 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress – BR Outlet
• Belt – Old Navy
• White Tank – Banana Republic
• Grey Flats – BR Outlet

Endnotes:

I took this picture at 6:15 am before leaving for NYC so please excuse the tired face.  I am now in NYC having a great time and will post a picture or two from my visit soon.  For my early morning flight I chose a comfy jersey dress in a bright color and grey flats that would easily slip off at security and allow me to walk all over the city one I arrived.

I have to admit, I felt slightly out of place at the Met Library (and in the upscale cappuccino joint nearby) in my bright colors.  I probably would have looked more like a New Yorker in one of my black or grey jersey dresses or better yet my black pencil skirt.  But alas, this is NOT neutrals week!  So, I added my favorite belt to make a 2/3 color combo blue-green + red-violet (+ yellow-orange).

Any New Yorkers out there participating in the color challenge, proudly wearing their bright colors? Bright berry pink even?

A.

27 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Jersey Wrap – BR Outlet
• Striped Tank – American Eagle
• Jeans – Banana Republic
• Red Flats – Target
• Dog – Camp

Endnotes:

After a wonderful visit with S. and T., an elegant wedding, and a relaxing weekend, A2, Camp, and I had to make the 10 hour drive back to Academichic Central.  I wanted to be comfy in the car but needed something a bit more spiffy then sweats for the pre-car ride brunch with friends.  I chose my cuffed skinny jeans, which have stretched out to a relaxed fit, a tank and this new jersey wrap.  I picked this piece up on super sale at BR Outlet and love it!  It’s so comfortable, is a lovely shade of grey, and has a fun ruffly lapel thing going.  The belted waist doesn’t hurt either.

My pattern of choice has always been stripes and this summer I have been loving this blue and white striped tank.

Blue Stripes, originally uploaded by academichic.

I always find myself drawn to white and blue in the summer and have to stop myself from going overboard with the nautical influence.   I think the classic paring of red and blue makes this simple outfit a bit more sophisticated and   just happens to be a 2/3 color combination.  I have a feeling these red shoes will be getting quite a bit of color-wheel play in the next few weeks!

Red Shoes, originally uploaded by academichic.

What’s your summer pattern or color paring of choice?  Do you too go nautical when the weather warms? Or maybe bohemian, or safari?

27 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

6 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Necklace: c/o Beadle Bop
• Dress: Ann Taylor Loft
• Belt: from another dress
• Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell, via Rue La La

End Notes:

My summer class is finally over and I am looking forward to days spent reading in my backyard while baby e. plays in his new sandbox. At least, that’s how it will work in my head.

Simple summer outfits like this drapey gray jersey dress (really, it’s like a big t-shirt) provide the perfect backdrop for breezy accessories like — pun intended — this gorgeous wind tossed flowers necklace from Beadle Bop’s shop on etsy.

(You may recall the Beadle Bop giveaway that we did during Dress Your Best week, in which the ultra chic Liz won a flower-bedecked clutch. If you didn’t win, don’t worry, there’s another Beadle Bop giveaway coming soon!)

Wind Tossed Flower Necklace from Beadle Bop, originally uploaded by academichic.

There’s something about wearing floaty, dreamy flowers around your neck day that is just so…summery. In terms of form, I love how lush these flowers are and the fact that they are in orange, my favorite accessory color of the moment, is the proverbial icing on the cake. In terms of function, I love how the necklace closure is actually a snap cleverly disguised to look like a bow. No more trying to tie a neat bow behind my head or upside down below my chin! (Better still, baby e. is quite taken with these blooms, and pats them gently when I’m carrying him.) And while Anthropologie may be selling something similar for $198, you can’t beat Beadle Bop’s $15 price tag or the fact that you can custom order a color to suit your taste and wardrobe! That’s a pretty good deal for a piece of statement jewelry.

Wind Tossed Flower Necklace from Beadle Bop, originally uploaded by academichic.

Where do you look for statement jewelry pieces? A jewelry store? The jewelry lines of retailers like Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, or Anthropologie? Do look for hidden gems at Target? Or do you go vintage? Or look to Etsy? Do you set out looking for a certain style or color or motif? Or is jewelry something you tend to just pick up along the way?

What suggestions do you have for finding a piece of jewelry that makes the impactful statement you want?

6 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Pre-Wedding Dinner, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

On A:

• Dress – Max Studio, via Marshals
• Shoes – Seychelles, via DSW
• Earrings – gift from S.
• Bag – Crystalyn Kae

On A’s Mom:

• Navy Jersey Cardigan – Talbots
• White Cami – Talbots
• Seersucker Capris – Talbots
• Sandals – Born

On A2 (below):

• Navy Button Down – Ralph Lauren
• Seersucker Pants – Gap
• Sandals – Reefs

On A’s Dad (below):

• Polo – Ralph Lauren
• Shorts – Ralph Lauren

Endnotes:

The night before the wedding the we went to one of favorite old stomping grounds for dinner and micro-brew. Everyone arrived in town at different times and just showed up to the brewery to join our enormous table in the rooftop beer garden.  There was no need for a rehearsal so we all just enjoyed relaxed evening laughing, swapping stories, and  getting excited about the big day.

My mom and I did not coordinate our outfits, but clearly we were on the same wave length with our navy ensembles finished off with our strikingly similar  large brown totes.  I loved my mom’s little jersey cardigan paired with her cropped blue and white seersucker pants.  She was trendy but age appropriate.   We both wear blue well because it makes our eyes pop.  I get my blue eyes from both my parents, but you can clearly see I get my height from dad.

As it turned out A2 apparently also got the memo about navy being our pre-wedding color.

Blue, originally uploaded by academichic.

Both of my parents are brand loyalists.  A majority of my mom’s wardrobe comes from Talbots, including the beautiful black linen dress and blue linen jacket she wore for the actual wedding.  My dad is a true Ralph Lauren fan and owns a polo in just about every color and his wedding suit was also Ralph Lauren.  In the past, I have rarely found much from either of these companies (though A2 swears by Ralph Lauren with her own impressive collection of polos) but have recently been liking more and more from Talbots (more on that in a post to come).

Finally, dearest readers, thank you so much for the outpouring of well wishes and kind words.  It has been so much fun and incredibly heart warming to read all of the comments on the wedding post, so thank you all for adding to the incredible high I’ve been on all week!

A & A2, originally uploaded by academichic.

Summer Date Night, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Earrings: Honolulu swap meet
• Tank: Target
• Skirt: Target
• Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell via Rue La La

End Notes:

I’ve had family in town for the past week, so I have to play a bit of outfit catch-up over the next few days. Happily, this post can also double as an entry for the third part of the LGRAB summer games, “New Territory.” When my now-husband and I were dating, one of our favorite things to do together was to explore the mountain on which our undergrad institution was perched. We hiked powerline trails, we found hidden waterfalls, and we discovered new bluffs and overlooks.

In our current city, bike riding has opened up a new way to explore. So for our date night last week, we dressed up, hopped on our bikes, and rode 8.5 miles through the city to a little microbrewery. While my husband regularly bikes 7 or so miles to work, I have hitherto capped out around 5 miles and my normal commute to campus is only about a mile and a half one way. So, as this category of the Let’s Go Ride a Bike Summer Games implies, this was definitely new territory for me. Although navigating through a not-always-bike-friendly city can be a little nerve-wracking at times, I was delighted to explore some different neighborhoods and take my time ogling gorgeous homes that we always drive by too quickly.

Dressing “cute” or at least in non-workout clothes when biking a mile and a half to campus is not that big a deal. The ride is short, I know exactly where I’m going, and I can run quickly into the very, very air conditioned building and into the restroom to freshen up if need be. Riding 8 miles for a date in your date clothes seemed a little daunting if I thought about it too hard…so I just stopped overanalyzing and went with an outfit that had plenty of give and breath-ability.

Cotton tank? Check. Lightweight skirt that still has some structure? Check. Sandals that secure onto my feet? Check. Other than some skirt flapping — that I fixed with the handy clothespin I always keep on my bike basket — it worked quite well and I cooled off quickly once we arrived at our destination.

Summer Date Night, originally uploaded by academichic.

On the way home that evening, we followed a bike path that wended its way through a tall grass field in the corner of a park. Fireflies were out in full force, making the field glitter all around us. It was beautiful, and it was something I would not have seen on our date had we taken a car. I felt very empowered and accomplished once we returned home — proud of myself for having ridden so far through unfamiliar territory and for keeping up with my husband — and delighted that I’m finding more ways that this mode of transportation can fit seamlessly into my life and my wardrobe.

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.

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.

25 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

23 June 2010 – Just Indulge Me For a Moment, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Ridiculous hat: Target $1 aisle
• Jersey: US Soccer, gift from husband
• Belt: thrifted
• Skirt: Banana Republic Factory
• Wedges: Naturalizers, via DSW

End Notes:

I’m interrupting normal programming to show you this ridiculous outfit and gloat over the news that the US men’s soccer team has made it into the knockout round of the World Cup and are advancing first in their group.

That is all.

I’m now at the final countdown of my time in Germany. Over the course of this past year, I have received several questions regarding my packing to return home and my wardrobe changes after being here in general, so I will attempt to answer those in this recap of my travel wardrobe for this year abroad…

I can manage to take everything I’ve acquired back home with me because I’ve already sent my parents and my husband off with a load of clothes and books each (as they were just here visiting). I was determined not to mail anything and between their carrying help and my efforts to not acquire too many things this year, I will be returning with the same amount of luggage that I came with: two suitcases and one carry-on.

In terms of clothing purchases this year – I tried to curb my spending knowing full well that I would have to take everything back with me in limited luggage space. But I still couldn’t resist a few shopping trips here or there and I tried to make the most of my student budget by getting most of my souvenirs at thrift stores and consignment shops.

Thrifting allowed me to score a few really unique pieces, like this vintage Mod dress or this brocade blazer. It also made for some uniquely Bavarian acquisitions, like this little boy’s Tracht vest and a full Dirndl skirt yet to be revealed, at more affordable prices.

Some thrift finds were bought for their low price tag yet high potential; an eyelet top got a sleeve make-over, a $2.50 dress found in Romania got a good few inches chopped off and is now ready for wear, and one German army shirt got a complete overhaul in an attempt to flex some DIY muscles.

In addition to perusing thrift stores and the occasional fea market, I did buy a couple of new things this year. Most notably, my S. Oliver skinny jeans which have become my new BFF. Some things are just worth the extra buck. And like E. did during her pregnancy, I tried to make the most out of my few pairs of jeans that I had in circulation by changing their look with cuffing, rolling, tucking, or other similar tricks…

I also made a pair of black capris go all-season by tucking them into knee-socks come winter and wearing them with boots…

Other style-related results from a year spent in Germany – I branched out and tried a few new looks. I took comfort in being away from campus and from a very professional environment and experimented with more casual and out-of-my-comfort-zone styles. And I realized that I can do much more with so much less. Layering and creative remixing went a long way in making my limited wardrobe feel a lot more comprehensive. Here’s just an example using my brown patterned jersey dress…

This was also the case when it came to dressing up. I wore the same black dress and gray wedges all four times that I attended the opera here and just varied the look by pairing them with different accessories and color schemes…

Sure, there were moments when I felt like a pair of shoes or a top I’d left back home would have been a more fitting item for an outfit in question. (Several readers commented that the gray wedges didn’t quite suit my black dress + orange pashmina opera look and I would certainly agree). And had I been at home, I likely would have paired a pair of black heels with the black and orange look seen above. But I brought shoes and garments that would be the most versatile and that lent themselves to the most mixing possible, so a pair of heels that would have only come out for a few select events were not worth the suitcase space. And ultimately … does it really matter? Dare I say it? …There are worse things than not having the perfect pair of shoes to go with an evening dress.

So that is my ‘year abroad recap’ in a nutshell. Given that I already sent a good amount of my stuff home and that it’s raining and dreary here, I think it’s safe to say that I will continue to toss on jeans, some kind of top, and non-fussy flats each day. So I will spare you the photographic repetition and will likely recommence posting once I am back in sunnier places with a heftier wardrobe at my disposal. Until then, I’ll be enjoying my last few days here in gorgeous Munich, sadly saying my goodbyes, and getting ready for the next stage in my life. And it’s bound to bring new adventures and changes, so stay tuned! S.