7 March 2010 – Embellished Cardi DIY

Posted on | March 7, 2010 | 10 Comments

7 March 2010 – Embellished Cardigan DIY, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Grey Cardigan – H &M, embellished by me
Purple Tank – Gap
Denim Skirt – Gap
Boots – Banana Republic, via ebay

Endnotes:

I’ve had this grey cardigan for years. For a while it was a staple in my wardrobe (making almost as frequent appearances as my beige cardi does now) but eventually, I just stopped wearing it much. I got bored with it, but I couldn’t bring myself to toss it in the donation pile. When E. decided to do a cardi-embellishing project, this seemed the perfect item to breath new life in to.

Despite the fact that E’s sewing and crafting abilities are far superior, I took on a slightly more difficulty DIY…but, trust me, if I can pull it off, so can you.

To make these little flowers you will need:

Scrap Fabric (I used a purple jersey)
Thread in to match your fabric
Scissors
A Needle
A few pins

Cut your fabric into 1-1 1/2 inch wide strips, 4-6 inches long (I used a variety of sizes). Fold the fabric strip in half and pin it to keep it folded.

Then do a running-stitch across the bottom (where the folded ends meet).

Pull the thread on one end to gather the fabric together. Use your fingers to adjust the gathering and shape the fabric into flowers.

You can either make a few stitches to keep the fabric in this shape, or tack the flowers directly to the cardigan, shaping a bit as you go. I played around with the placement of the flowers for a while, but eventually settled on a keeping them on one side of the neck line. I still have some fabric left over, so I can always add a few more flowers later.

I know have the DIY embellishment bug and I’m excited to go through my drawers looking for tired pieces just begging for a few ruffles or a corsage of purple jersey!

7 March 2010 – Embellished Cardigan DIY, originally uploaded by academichic.

DIY: Floral Applique Embellished Cardigan

Posted on | March 5, 2010 | 32 Comments

Sources:

Embellished cardi: Target + Amy Butler fabric + a little DIY
Navy top: Target
Denim pencil skirt: Banana Republic Factory
Gray knee socks: mom’s from college
Boots: Steve Madden Iriss

End Notes:

I adopted this little green cropped cardigan from one of my sisters-in-law, but shortly thereafter it developed a little hole in the shoulder. Rather than throwing it away, I thought that it would serve as the perfect base for trying my hand at cardigan-embellishing. I started with this Blushing Bouquet cardigan from Anthropologie as my general inspiration:

A few simple steps:

1. Select a fabric with a strong print. Iron on a length of fusible web to the back of your fabric.

2. Cut out the pattern you want to applique. I tried to get a variety of sizes of flowers and leaves from my fabric.

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3. Lay out the cut-outs on your cardigan. I wanted mine to go all the way around the neck, so I couldn’t lay everything out at the same time. Instead, I selected a few flowers as anchor points and ironed those into place.

…

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4. Keep ironing the cut-outs onto your cardigan until you have the desired look. And… ta da!

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A Few Notes: Any time you adhere a woven fabric to a knit, you lose the stretch of the knit. So, if you need your cardi to keep that stretch — particularly around the bust, for example — then refrain from appliqueing embellishments there. Also, be sure to follow the directions on whatever brand of fusible web you purchase for best results. And finally, I think this is going to be a handwashed laundry item from here on it. But I think it’s worth it.

If academia doesn’t work out, maybe I’ll just become a full-time cardigan embellisher. I know that, given time and supplies, I could very well make something like this or this or this. And look how many fabulous — and often surprisingly easy! — ways there are to fancy up your cardigan using ribbon or just scraps of fabric!

As always, we’d love to see what you’ve come up with yourself!

3 March 2009

Posted on | March 4, 2010 | 6 Comments

3 March 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Grey Open Cardigan – Pretty Good, from Marshalls
Green Sweater – Banana Republic
Brown Corduroy Skirt – Old NAvy
Beads – Limited
Tights – BR Outlet
Maroon Wedges- Anthropologie, via ebay

Endnotes:

I loved the simplicity of today’s outfit and remained comfortable and at ease sin it all day. It’s not often that I wear such a flowy and open piece with out belting it, but I have found that this cardigan works well with a structured straight skirt with a visible waistline.

17 July 2009 – Playing Catch Up, originally uploaded by academichic.

Today I layered the short sleeved cardigan over a longer sleeved sweater and was quite pleased with the color block effect on my arms.

Cardigan Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

I’ll also say something about tights here, since the weather may not cooperate with tights week (not that I am complaining by any means!!). Reader DJ asked how I managed to wear my denim skirt over tights with out the skirt riding up. I often layer my denim and corduroy over tights and I never wear a slip. Unfortunately, my only advice is to test it out. I have found that some tights/skirt combinations work well, while others don’t at all. These grey tights seem to work under everything and I think it is their medium texture – that is, they are not too smooth and shiny but also are not as textured as say my sweater tights.

2 March 2010

Posted on | March 2, 2010 | 10 Comments

2 March 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Striped Cardigan – J Crew
Plaid Shirt – Gap
Skirt – Old Navy
Grey Tights – BR Outlet
Wellies – Banana Republic
Belt – Thrifted
Earrings – Gift

Endnotes:

I was inspired by S.’s pattern mixing from yesterday to do a little of my own. I don’t own many patterned cardigans (mostly stripes) so I started with the cardigan and then went to my closet full of patterned plaid, striped, and floral button downs. I tend to be a bit more timid with my pattern mixing that either S. or E. so I stuck with a simple color palette of grey black and bright blue. I love the subtle small stripes against the bold large buffalo plaid.

Stripes on Plaid, originally uploaded by academichic.

Reader Kaite asked for advice on layering a cardigan over a button down. I have sported this look many times so I thought I would share some of my observations.

For today’s outfit, I chose a long loose cardigan and left it un-buttoned; buttoned-up it created to many lumps. I added the belt under the cardigan to remind you of the waist under all the loose layers.

The easiest cardigan/button-down combination is a sturdy cardigan layered over a close-fitting sleeveless button-down. I often wear my sleeveless white button-down under a variety of layers, including cardigans. Similarly, a sturdy sleeveless cardigan (sweater vest) will work well over a long sleeve button-down, this avoids arm lumps.

I have found that two types of cardigans work well for layering. First, larger cardigans that flow away from the body won’t look ton bulky, because you will be able to see that the bulk clearly comes from the cardigan and not your body. Today is a good example of this – of course when in doubt, belt!

Second, a sturdy material or a tightly woven sweater will work much better than cardigans that hold less of a shape. When the cardigan is thick and sturdy you can smooth out any lumps underneath. Whit these sweaters, you can belt over all of you layers, as I did with my argyle and light pink cardigans below. If the cardigan is less sturdy, leave it unbuttoned so that it floats away from the button-down, as I did with the black cardigan above and the purple one below.

As with everything, try different combinations on! A cardigan might work really well over some button-downs but not at all over others. Try belting both over and under the cardigan and try it out both buttoned and un-bottoned. If you really want to layer a cardigan over a button down and can’t seem to get rid of the bumps, you can always but a tight fighting cami in between the button down and cardigan to smooth everything out.

Do you have any tips you can share? A.

2 March 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

25 February 2010 – Daily Drag Show?

Posted on | February 25, 2010 | 29 Comments

25 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Scarf – Echo
Sweater – J Crew
Denim Pencil Skirt- BR Outlet
Belt – New York & Co
Boots- Banana Republic, via ebay

Endnotes:

Today I am wearing this beautiful paisley scarf in shades of green and blue sent to me from Echo. I loved how S. has been wearing scarves over turtlenecks and how my scarf looked yesterday around the popped collar of my button down. I don’t own many turtlenecks so tried it out with a shawl neck color sweater and am rather satisfied with the effect. This scarf is a large square in a light thin material. Echo has how many beautiful colors, patterns, and shapes and I’m excited to have a shape I don’t usually wear. Like E. the other day, I folded my scarf into a triangle and wrapped the small points behind my neck and then tied them in the front underneath the larger point of the triangle. I am really liking this style and I already have many ideas of how I will wear this once the weather finally warms up a bit!

Square Scarf from Echo, originally uploaded by academichic.

Ok, now for part two of my digression. I wrote yesterday about dressing to express identity and the possibility of changing styles to express a different identity to different people. All of your comments are so interesting!

As promised I want to talk a little bit about drag. I have done quite a bit of thinking about drag because in my studies I continually wrestle with Judith Butler and because I am writing my dissertation on a male artist who often poses as a woman in his photographs. I also love a good drag show for entertainment and believe that drag has significant political potential. This political and radical potential was confirmed for me this past weekend – I saw some amazing activist performers.

I also heard an interesting suggestion about daily drag. I have long believed that to some degree we often all dress in drag – this is because I believe that gender is a construction and that clothing works to construct and perpetuate gender identity. However my thoughts on this were pushed further by a speaker at the conference who argued that we have two options when getting dressed: we either dress in drag or in a uniform. If we don’t think about the message our clothing is sending that we are wearing a uniform, if we are conscious of it then it’s drag. According to her definition, drag is a conscious dressing that sends a message about gender identity and makes people laugh, cry, or think. If we take this definition then S. E. and I are dressing in drag everyday (at least everyday we post here) since we are certainly very conscious of what we are wearing and the messages it might convey. I’m still working though these ideas but what do you think about this uniform vs. drag thing?

Ok, so why do I find this a powerful idea? Sal asked yesterday if anyone made any comments or asked any questions about my attire.
I was very comfortable and confident in my appearance and I felt totally accepted (I think this feeling had a lot to do with my own confidence) but I did have a few students ask me questions about how I dressed. One student asked if I felt like I “passed,” if people assumed I was straight because of how I dressed. I think our default is usually that someone is straight so while perhaps my clothing could reveal my sexuality, I would still “pass” on the phone, on paper, etc. I explained to my students that I am confident in my clothing and that helps me feel confident about my identity, my relationship, and my scholarship.

I think the idea of dressing in drag appeals to me because I am aware that my clothing is a choice and that it sends a message and I like that my daily performance challenges people’s notions about what it means to be a lesbian and what it means to be feminine. Our words and actions have to work in conjunction with our clothing and when you take my whole package into account there are some great seeming contradictions at work: I love pencil skirts and I am a lesbian, I wear heals and run marathons, I like pink and hot sauce and dark beer, I wear ruffly dresses and work boots and gloves. I agree with most of you who said you pick what you wear based on the situation (pencil skirts for teaching, jeans for the bar, trendier items for campus, conservative wear for an interview, etc) but I have found that my overall sense of style doesn’t change as much as it once did (in an attempt to fit in with different groups of people). Yet, it is empowering to remember that if it is all drag, a dramatic costume change is always an option!

25 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

25 February 2010 – (No) Sense of Self

Posted on | February 25, 2010 | 10 Comments

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.

24 February 2010

Posted on | February 24, 2010 | 27 Comments

24 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Pink Button Down – J Crew
Scarf – Old Navy
Navy Skirt – J Crew
Tights- BR Outlet
Shoes – Anthropologie, via ebay

Endnotes:

In our last few days of scarf month I am taking on E.’s challenge to me to do a little pattern mixing, so I have paired this bold hot pink and paisley scarf with my bright pink pinstriped button down. I like the result of a business silhouette with such bold and daring colors and patters. I felt professional enough to teach and attend a job-search-committee meeting but I also think I brought a little extra life to both of these activities!

pink pattern on pink pattern!, originally uploaded by academichic.

Now for a digression: This past weekend I took a group of students to an LGBT college leadership conference. I learned quite a bit and was reminded about many things I had learned long ago and have been excited to talk all about it with E. S. and lots of other people. But, here I want to reflect on how the whole conference experience, particularly the key note speakers and discussions with my students pushed me to think about clothing and self presentation.

While preparing to pack for the weekend I was struggling with what would be appropriate. E. asked me if I thought I would dress differently for such a specific crowd – LGBT college students. I think at some point in my life, I likely wold have chosen less “feminine” items and thought more about how I could easily convey lesbian through my appearance. I am now much more comfortable in both my sexuality and my physical appearance than I was back as an undergraduate, so that was not the issue (more on this later). Instead, I was caught up on the word “conference.”

These days conference conjures up some pretty specific attire, but this was not an academic conference and I was not a presenter, yet I did want to be distinguishable as an advisor (not an undergraduate student) and was aware that I might make some professional connections. I ended up choosing jeans with my wrap cardigan and skinny cords with a button down and was very happy with my choices all weekend.

Since this is getting so long already, I’ll save my next installment, in which I will suggest we are all dressing in drag, for tomorrow! In the mean time, I would love to hear for you. How much do you change your style depending on audience and situation? I’m not talking about the difference between pencil skirt for the office and jeans for the bar – but rather how do different crowds of people, and your desire to connect with them, influence your style? A.

24 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

24 February 2010 – Notes from Home

Posted on | February 24, 2010 | 28 Comments

24 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Tan sweater – DKNY
Purple top – Old Navy
Fuchsia cord skirt - Gap
Gray tights – drugstore
Boots – thrifted
Scarf – gift

Endnotes:

I’m back in the Midwest! Hence the radio silence from my end of things lately. I spent Monday traveling back home for a two-week stay with my husband, pets, and friends. It’s so wonderful to be home and to be enjoying the familiar things that I haven’t had access to since last September when I left for Europe. While I didn’t spend too much time missing my closet while abroad, I can’t lie, it is nice to have all of these clothes and accessories at my disposal again. I feel like I’ve just gone on a huge shopping spree – I have so much stuff here. It’s almost sinful, really.

Yesterday, T. and I celebrated our five year (dating) anniversary by going out for dinner at my favorite restaurant in town. It was a casual affair, so I didn’t feel the need to dress up too much. Instead, I was excited to pull out a ‘new’ scarf from my abandoned stash at home and to build an outfit around that. This pretty bohemian piece, comprised of mostly purples and pinks, provided the inspiration for this color scheme.

Purples and Pinks, originally uploaded by academichic.

I chose this fuchsia cord skirt and the purple top to echo the colors in the scarf. To avoid looking like Rainbow Brite, I added several neutrals to help tone down the color scheme of this outfit. Grays, tans, and browns mute the bold fuchsia and purple pairing and provide a softer end effect than black or navy might have. As for the scarf tying technique applied here – I just looped the scarf twice around the turtle neck collar of the sweater, tied the ends together, and tucked the knot under the first loop to hide it.

Now I could write more, but I have an overly excited and impatient dog pawing at my leg and trying to lick the computer screen in order to get my attention, so I think this is my cue to sign off. Happy Hump Day (and Braid Wednesday), everyone! S.

24 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

22 February 2010

Posted on | February 22, 2010 | 7 Comments

22 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Cardigan – Banana Republic
Grey Skirt – Banana Republic
White Blouse – Gap
Boots – Banana Republic, via DSW
Belt – BR Outlet
Head Scarf – Gap

Endnotes:

I just came back from a fascinating conference on LGBT issues on college campuses, where I leaned so much and was pushed to think about so many issues, including clothes and self presentation. I can’t wait to share some of my thoughts from the weekend with all of you, but for now, I’m exhausted, my brain is fried, and my day is too busy!

For today I needed something simple but I wanted to wear a scarf in a way not all that typical for me (ie not belted, tied around my waist, or knotted at my neck) so I went for the head scarf. This is not nearly as creative or fun as S.’s hair scarf from earlier this month, but it did bring some color and pattern to an otherwise pretty plain ensemble.

Hope everyone’s week is off to a good start! A.

22 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

18 February 2010

Posted on | February 18, 2010 | 27 Comments

18 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Cream Sweater – F21
Brown Pinstripe Skirt – Gap
Brown Tights – Talbot
Plaid Scarf – BR Outlet
Brooch- Gift
Red Wedges – Anthropologie, via ebay

Endnotes:

This is not at all what I had intended to wear today. I knew I had a full day so I laid out an outfit last night but the only items I actually used from what I laid our are the scarf and the tights. The purple jersey dress I had planned to wear apparently shrank in it’s last run through the wash and now looks more like a maternity top than a dress. So, I quickly improvised!

I still wanted to use this plaid scarf and I had the tights on already so I worked from there. I have been wanting to wear one of my full skirts since E. wore her white one last week. The brown pinstripe worked with the tights I already had on and created a nice pattern mix with he scarf. I pulled out the cream sweater as a nice neutral and a good blank canvas for the scarf. I chose these maroon wedges instead of the boots I had planned to wear because it is finally a bit warmer and it broke up all the brown on the bottom.

Shoes and Necklace, originally uploaded by academichic.

For the scarf, I have worn this belted and so wanted to try out something new. I tried out E.’s “flop knot”, but it wasn’t laying right. I just started playing around with it and discovered that the way I wanted it to lie was not accomplish-able with any scarf tie I knew, so I decided to pin the two sides together with a safety pin. I liked the drape but found that it looked like it was floating so I added the brooch, which gives the impression that it is holding everything in place.

scarf and brooch, originally uploaded by academichic.

I’m excited that I found a way to mix patterns, don a brooch, and wear a full, light-weight skirt in the dead of winter. But, I think the overall look has a Scottish vibe I wasn’t planning on. I think I will reuse elements of the ensemble but perhaps not in this current iteration.