= 12 July 2010 =

Posted on | July 12, 2010 | 33 Comments

12 July 2010 , originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Tee – American Apparel ‘Equality’ shirt
Belt – Banana Republic
Skirt – Talbots
Espadrilles – gift

Endnotes:

Have you heard of American Apparel’s marriage equality campaign? I have to say, I’m usually a little wary of AA’s ad campaigns and the often questionable choice of models/outfits they put forth, but when I came across these ‘Marriage is so gay’ tees, I was intrigued. As it turns out, American Apparel came up with these ‘Marriage is so gay’ shirts in order to help promote equal rights and to support three different human rights campaigns working on marriage equality.

Marriage is so gay, originally uploaded by academichic.

You can read all about the project here. When you purchase your shirt, you get to choose between the three different organizations that have paired up with AA for this campaign. Besides getting to choose whether you want your shirt in blue, red, or black, you also get to choose whether you want the proceeds from your purchase to go to The Human Rights Campaign, Marriage Equality USA, or Freedom to Marry. Each t-shirt also comes with a hand written number on the tag, telling you which number shirt you bought. By keeping track of each sale, AA is counting how many people are showing their support at large.

Once I read more about this project, it didn’t take long to hit that ‘add to cart’ button and order my own tee. I strongly believe in marriage equality and in working towards a future that sees no group of people being denied the citizen rights of their fellow country people. I’m often baffled that we’re even having these discussions and arguments and I can only hope for (and work towards) a time when my children and their fellow people will respect each other as equals regardless of gender, class, race, or sexual identity. Today, I’m proud to be number 9398 laying claim to this cause. S.

12 July 2010 , originally uploaded by academichic.

Addendum: I apologize for crediting American Apparel with the above campaign, as I now see, it’s actually a company called ISSO who is using American Apparel tees to promote this cause. Although the campaign is run by ISSO, the shirts used are AA.

In response to several commenters who have written about their disapproval of AA, I would just like to assure you, our readers, that we are not promoting American Apparel and that this blog post or my shirt were not sponsored by or offered as paid advertisement for the aforementioned company. In fact, I myself noted my distrust of AA’s previous ads at the beginning of this post.

I wore this shirt and shared my thoughts on this with you because I was interested in promoting an issue so hotly debated and so critical to our current events in the US: same-sex marriage. I purchased this shirt because 20% of the proceeds went towards my organization of choice – Marriage Equality USA – and I presented it with no other agenda than my very explicit one: to promote marriage equality.

Spotlight on: Weekend Reads

Posted on | June 12, 2010 | 3 Comments

I haven’t done a blog love post in a while, but I’ve recently come across a few great new-to-me sites that I just had to share with you. So sit back, enjoy your Saturday morning, grab a coffee, and peruse some of these lovelies with me…

First up is the bike and style blog évoluer written by California designer, Eva. It combines gorgeous photography with writings on cycling, fashion, and an active lifestyle. I love looking at Eva’s images and am constantly inspired by her eye for vintage and retro mixed with modern and contemporary items. Added bonus: she rocks all of those great looks while cycling all over the Bay area…

Next up is the super funky site What Katie Wore co-authored by Katie and Joe. This stylish London based couple posts one image a day of Katie’s outfits with Joe’s words narrating the look. I was drawn in by Katie’s bold and colorful style and stayed after reading Joe’s charming and humorous anecdotes below each photo…

And last but not least is the lovely blog of Australian based recent mom and graphic designer, Anna. Her site, Rummey Bears, is full of wonderful images of everyday life with her newborn daughter, of style inspirations, and of quiet, simple pleasures. Something about it always make me feel very peaceful and happy when visiting it, just see for yourself…

And I think her delightful preggers shots played no small part in luring me in. How could they not, when they make me want to have a big bump on which to balance my morning drink?

Have you discovered any great new (or not so new) blogs lately? Let’s exchange tips! I’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments section below! Happy reading, everyone! S.

Spotlight On: N.E.E.T. Magazine’s “Bags, Brogues, and Beads”

Posted on | June 8, 2010 | No Comments

Not too long ago, we featured N.E.E.T. Magazine in our Spotlight Series. If you missed it then, here’s a quick recap once more on what makes N.E.E.T. so wonderful and unique. In the publication’s own words:

N.E.E.T. began in December 2005 as a quarterly, online publication, laid out in a magazine format – as a showcase for grassroots creativity. N.E.E.T. is the first of its kind – online, free and packed with everyone from a crafter creating from their kitchen table, to a fashion design graduate straight out of college, to a team of people doing it for the love of it. N.E.E.T. Magazine is an eco-friendly, grassroots style bible for the digital age. It would be impossible without the wonderful contributions of all those involved and many thanks goes to a wide network of global talent, with the internet playing a vital part in research and communication.

I, S., am always excited when a new issue becomes available and I can spend some enjoyable morning time sipping my coffee and clicking through its pages. I also love that I often spot a few familiar faces from the blogging world or from wardrobe_remix featured in the Global Fashion section.

The current issue was especially exciting for us because we got to interview three different designers from around the globe to be featured in N.E.E.T.’s June publication. To check out our articles and to learn more about three eco-conscious and wonderfully creative accessories designers, see the “Bags, Brogues, and Beads” section starting on page 151…

Happy Reading!

Spotlight on: The Uniform Project Wrap-Up

Posted on | April 21, 2010 | 6 Comments

Back in June of last year, we featured The Uniform Project in one of our Spotlight Series posts. Meanwhile, word of this endeaver spread like wildfire over the internets and the wonderful Sheena Matheiken has raised over $70,000 dollars for the Akanksha Foundation, an organization funding schools for underprivileged children in India. If you missed this project, here’s your chance to get caught up with her wonderful outfit creations over the past year using one Little Black Dress and a variety of donated goods:

Uniform Project Picture Book from The Uniform Project on Vimeo.

Now Sheena is at the Ten Day Countdown, bringing this project to a close. If you’d like to support Sheena by donating to the Akanksha Foundation and contributing to the educational needs of underprivileged children, then make sure to visit here. Great job, Sheena! We look forward to seeing the last outfits unveiled.

Spotlight On: Bike Love

Posted on | April 15, 2010 | 18 Comments

I broke my camera last week and until my new camera arrives, I’m out of commission in terms of outfits posts. So if I can’t do a ‘real’ post, than I’ll do an ‘imaginary outfit’ post instead. This March we’re indulging in the Spring trend of Florals, and so I’m picturing a beautiful floral based look that I would love to wear today. And since my wonderful husband has been scouring Craigslist for the better part of the last year to find me an affordable cruiser bike, and has emerged triumphant as of last week, I’m including my new (to me) Electra Hawaii Cruiser in my ‘perfect ensemble’ look below. This little gem is waiting for me at home (in ‘Mint’ rather than ‘Pink’) and I cannot wait to get home and ride it all summer long.

Sources:

Cruiser bike – Electra Hawaii Cruiser
Dress – Wet Seal
Flats – Camper, TWS Collection
Floral scarf – Liberty of London

Endnotes:

So if this were my ideal day, I’m be riding my new cruiser to the library for some light research (It’s kind of sad, but even in my ideal day scenario, I feel compelled to go to the library and put in some work time, what is wrong with me?). Then I would simply ride my bike around town, stopping at our co-op for some delicious coffee and scones, and perhaps browsing the local shop windows downtown while enjoying my edible treats. I would wear this floral scarf tied around my hair and woven into a braid, which would also make it easy to throw on my helmet when on the move.

Yes, I would wear a helmet. I will address my thoughts on this in another post, but for now I want to share with you some stylish helmet options which make donning a hardhat not so bad . . .

I’ve been searching the internet for some chic helmet options to go with my new chic bike, and the best sources I found were Nutcase (pictured above) and these amazing Sawako Furuno helmets, which are pretty pricey and which I’m not certain how one would get in the US. For US shoppers, Nutcase makes a variety of solid colored or patterned helmets that do not have that typical sporty look. Dottie, of Let’s Go Ride A Bike, has the lovely Starbright helmet and I ordered mine in a Powder Blue Solid.

Since bikes have undoubtedly been on my mind since hearing news of my new friend waiting for my return home, I have been filling my work breaks with much bike-related procrastination. As a result, I’ve come across a plethora of bike related products that I would be able to afford and indulge in were this my ideal day. But since I’ve blown my budget on my return flight home to the US, I will just share these findings with you, the fellow cycle enthusiast out there, so that you may enjoy this eye candy and perhaps give it a good home…

How pretty is this green shirt with the flying bike print on it? Check out this Etsy seller’s other great bike-related items as well as the above shirt in yellow or slate.

I also love this large tote made of 100% recycled cotton. Perfect for throwing in groceries or books and then storing in one’s bike basket on the ride home.

Yesterday, we were collecting ideas for stylish and unique laptop cases or sleeves. Well, here’s one more for the list. I love this slate and ivory damask case with the image of a bicycle silk screened onto it, also found on Etsy.

And to bring it back to March being Florals Month here in academichic – how pretty is this floral backpack that would be great for throwing on while riding through town? Just large enough to hold your wallet and some necessities but light and small enough to serve as a good alternative to a purse should you want something more secure and easy to wear while cycling.

I hope you enjoy some of these findings. I’m heading back to reality now, which unfortunately does not entail much sunshine or many bike rides today, but soon, soon enough… What are some of your favorite bike-related finds? Do you have any good tips or brands to share? S.

Spotlight on: N.E.E.T. Magazine

Posted on | March 16, 2010 | 5 Comments

We have long been aware of N.E.E.T. magazine but we thought we’d bring it to your attention just in case you’ve not yet discovered this wonderful online publication. Not only is this publication free and available in its entirety online for your ocular consumption, it has also made it its mission to promote eco-friendly independent designers and artists, everyday style enthusiasts, bourgeoning photographers and writers, and in their own words “grassroots creativity”. It regularly features Etsy sellers offering handmade goods or independent small businesses and each issue also includes amazing photography, DIY posts, articles, and best of all: links! The advantage of an online magazine is that you can just click on something you like and go directly to the source. So just in case you needed something else to do while procrastinating online, we thought we’d share this little gem with you. Enjoy!

All images courtesy of N.E.E.T. Magazine.

February is Scarf Month!

Posted on | January 31, 2010 | 39 Comments

February is Scarf Month!, originally uploaded by academichic.

I can’t speak for S. and E., but I have a scarf addiction, its worse than even my bag addiction! I can say that all three of us love scarves and have rather large collections of scarves in all shapes, sizes, colors, patterns, and material. You will often find us sporting a scarf (or two) tied around our necks or used in place of a belt, as head protection, as faux-blouse, or as bag accessorizer. We belt them, layer them, knot them, and pin them. We probably love scarves as much as we love belts!

SCARVES!, originally uploaded by academichic.

So, we are declaring February “Scarf Month.” We often get questions about how we tie our scarves or how we know when to add a scarf and in what colors. For the next month we will be sharing all of our scarf tips, including great places to buy scarves, how to store your scarves, scarf tying how-tos, scarf DIYs, and a Fashion 101 on scarf styling. Each Friday in February we will also be doing a scarf giveaway!

Let us know if there is anything in particular you would like to see us address in “Scarf Month” and don’t forget to check back this Friday for our first scarf giveaway!

too many?, originally uploaded by academichic.

Academichic Year One: S.’s Top Ten

Posted on | January 14, 2010 | 17 Comments

This week we’re one year of Academichic older and wiser (…well, definitely older, but I’m not so sure about wiser). To celebrate the conclusion of our first year of blogging, we’ve each dug through the archives and put together our own “Top Ten” of the past year. Here are mine.

It’s been fun looking at these pictures as they’re all inextricably linked to memories of people or events and revisiting the outfits means revisiting those moments or persons as well. Outfit No. 3 (navy button down + full skirt and espadrilles) was my favorite of the year and I remember feeling great while wearing it and having the most relaxing day at my favorite coffee shop to be followed by a nice walk through one of my favorite neighborhoods back home in the States. Outfit No. 5 (button down + flower brooches and floral skirt) was worn the weekend before our wedding. I applied for our wedding license that day and the woman at city hall took one look at the abundance of flowers on my shirt and asked if I was going to be in a wedding that evening. I was excited and so happy with anticipation that day. To then be followed by Outfit No. 6: my wedding dress and, of course, the most wonderful day during which I married my best friend.

I could go on and on but will spare you the sappy story behind each look since I did not actually choose these based on the day’s events. It’s more that you can’t separate the day’s events from the garments – the things we wear become inevitably fused with the narratives of our lives. The textiles and the text become interwoven to tell the story of who we are and how we perform our lives or identities. So while some may argue that spending time on your appearance and clothing is shallow, I would suggest that it is an inevitable part of how we understand ourselves and want the world to see us. This is how I performed ‘S’ over the year past and how I will now always see who I was during that particular year and time of my life. S.

Spotlight On: City Chic Guest Post

Posted on | November 24, 2009 | 1 Comment

The lovely A. of the Glamorous Grad Student has a wonderful series called City Chic and I’m thrilled to have gotten to contribute my own post to it. Check out my guest post on beautiful Salzburg here! Thanks for featuring my guest post, A., and on my birthday none the less! S.

Spotlight On: Blog Love

Posted on | November 5, 2009 | 10 Comments

For November’s rendition of blogs I’ve recently found and love, I present you with…

Chelsea is the voice behind Bright Side Dweller and she couldn’t be more delightful in both prose and picture. In her own words: “I’m a gay girly feminist hoping to encourage healthy body image and fight against harmful stereotypes.” Chelsea has a great eye for color and proportions and a way with belting that gives us a run for our money.

Candis and Rose, the writers behind Musing Around, are fellow academics and style activists, likewise resisting the polyester suit of academic yore. Their new blog is chock full of wonderful outfits and gorgeous style inspirations, make sure to take a look if you haven’t come across it yet!

The lovely Mariel of Preppy With A Twist was recently featured in our Color Symposium Review and she’s bound to impress you with her bold choice of colors and wonderful collection of shoes. In her own words: “I’m finding my style, which is caught somewhere between a prepster obsession with plaid and grosgrain ribbon, and the hard hitting trends of New York.”

If you, like me, love to travel and to check out trends in far away and exciting places, then you will equally love the wonderful City Chic series over at The Glamorous Grad Student. This blog isn’t a new discovery and has been on our blogroll for quite a while, but I just want to draw your attention to this great series: Guest bloggers post about their favorite hang-outs, thrift shops, city sights, and street style in the series that has thus far featured Tel Aviv, New York, London and Dubai among others.

And on a somewhat related note, I present you with this wonderful find. If you like colors, reading, and eco-friendly re-purposing of already owned object (if you read this blog, most likely all of those apply to you), the you’ll probably be as delighted by this paint chip turned bookmark idea!

If you have some lovely links you’d like to share, please do so in the comments or on your own site (and let us know) and spread the blog love! S.

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