Travels with E. — Plus, Win a Tom Bihn “Kit”!

Posted on | April 1, 2010 | 179 Comments

We just arrived in Houston to spend Easter weekend with my in-laws. Husband N.’s grandmother is Russian Orthodox, so there will be much fancy egg decorating and braided bread making to be had. It’s a short trip to a warm climate, but we wanted to make sure that we had plenty of room to bring extra loaves of bread back home with us. The packing challenge, then, was using one of my well-loved Tom Bihn Aeronauts to hold half of Husband N.’s stuff plus all of mine and baby e.’s.

E.’s Packing, originally uploaded by academichic.

Thankfully, the kind folks at Tom Bihn graciously sent us some of their packing cubes, which made packing for 2.5 people in one bag much more manageable. I put all of baby e.’s clothes, plus his blanket and some burper cloths, in a small packing cube. His clothes are so tiny that they have tended to get lost in the dark corners of my Aeronaut on previous trips. This time, however, we’ll be able to simply lift out baby e.’s cube and have everything we need for him at our disposal. Baby e.’s cube and all of my clothes comprised the bottom layer of the Aeronaut’s main compartment.

Tom Bihn Aeronaut, originally uploaded by academichic.

The top layer was another packing cube, this time the large size. I stuffed all of N.’s and my underwear, socks, pajamas, swimsuits, workout clothes, and my layering camisoles into the large cube. Again, I’m looking forward to being able to easily find those bits of clothing that have a tendency to sneak off into suitcase corners. My running shoes and slippers and N.’s slippers went in one side compartment. Our bag of toiletries and my orange pumps went in the other side compartment. And voila! All that N. had to put in his own Aeronaut were his t-shirts and two pairs of shorts, leaving more than adequate space for Easter bread.

Tom Bihn Aeronaut, Fully Loaded, originally uploaded by academichic.

It’s hard to hold back gushing about Tom Bihn products. N. and I have owned our Aeronauts for 4 years now, and we can’t imagine traveling without them. They’re smart, well-engineered, and extremely durable. Also, I’m also pretty sure that the cubes are kind of magical in how they seemingly absorb mass amounts of rolled or loose clothes and transform them into neat packages. I might need a few more.

So, I’m tickled to be able to offer you a chance to win a Tom Bihn product of your very own: The Kit (in kiwi!). According to their website, the Kit:

The Kit holds whatever tools you use to create, style, maintain or fix: pens, drafting supplies, toiletries, make-up, small tools, art supplies, iSight and cables, or any other small items that you may have. Even more than that, the Kit is a hand-held piece of portable architecture.

The Kit specs:

1050 denier ballistic nylon
#8 YKK “splash-proof” coil zipper
Exterior dimensions: 8.7″ x 4.7″ x 3″ / 220mm x 125mm x 80mm
Volume: 60 cu. in. / 1 liter

For directions on how to enter (and to see what I ended up packing for Houston) click through the jump!

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1 February 2010 – A Lot Up Top

Posted on | February 1, 2010 | 25 Comments

1 February 2010 – A Lot Up Top, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Scarf: origins unknown
Embellished tee: self-made
Khaki skirt: thrifted
Purple tights: Banana Republic
Wedges: thrifted

End Notes:

(I know my skirt is abysmally wrinkled in these pictures. Does anyone have a foolproof method for keeping one’s skirt from wrinkling while spending large quantities of time sitting at a table and reading?)

While this may not seem like that exciting of a way to kick off scarf month — and I’ll argue that this is a long distance run, not a sprint — I thought it fitting to begin with a) one of my oldest scarves and b) one of my occasional scarf dilemmas. Regarding the former, I purchased this scarf sometime, somewhere during my undergrad years. I don’t think I necessarily expected to get so much mileage out of it, yet it has become something of my problem solving scarf. Outfit too bland? The blue green scarf can fix it. Not sure what matches the rest of the outfit? The blue green scarf probably does.

Regarding the latter issue…sometimes I wonder if a scarf needs to stand alone as the sole neck-based accessory or frippery. Diana of Smiles Go With Everything posted two tutorials last year that prove that you can, indeed, wear a scarf and a necklace simultaneously. So what about a scarf and a tee with an embellished neckline?

As is so frequently the case, I think a lot has to do with balance. I chose a solid, less bulky scarf today and the monochrome nature of the embellishments keeps things from getting too busy as well. Furthermore, I chose to tie the scarf in a way that wouldn’t crowd the fabric flowers and would give some verticality to an otherwise blah color-blocked outfit. I know, multi-tasking scarf, right?

I remember one semester in undergrad when a friend came back from studying abroad in France and convinced all of us on my hall to start wearing our scarves the “French” way. I’ve since seen this knot termed the “European loop.” (S. or our European readers…care to verify?)

Simply fold the scarf in half (though in this case I purposefully folded it unevenly because I wanted one end to hang past the waistline of my skirt)…

European Loop, originally uploaded by academichic.

Wrap the folded scarf around your neck and open up the loop in the folded end…

European Loop, originally uploaded by academichic.

Stick the dangling ends through the loop and arrange.

European Loop, originally uploaded by academichic

For my purposes today, the European loop was especially useful because it can be worn off to the side, giving my fabric “corsage” some room to breathe. What do you think? Do you tend to keep your scarves as the only accessory up top? Are there certain necklines or embellishments that you would not wear with a scarf?

Scarf and embellishment detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

Academichic Travels: 14 Days, 1 Bag

Posted on | December 23, 2009 | 31 Comments

Husband N., baby e., and I are embarking on a two week, two-part holiday travel extravaganza. We’ll be leaving the chilly Midwest for 6 days in Texas and then 8 more in Hawaii. My husband, who has great faith in my packing abilities, asked if we could possibly make this trip without checking any luggage. My initial response was shock and horror, followed closely by curiosity. After all, if S. could pack for an entire year and 4 seasons in two suitcases, then shouldn’t I be able to pack for 14 days and 3 climates in a carry on?

Click through the jump for a run-down of my packing list and to join in on an outfit-making challenge.

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2009 Academichic Gift Guide

Posted on | December 1, 2009 | 5 Comments

Online gift guides proliferate at this time of year, but we at Academichic are focusing in on what we know best: presents for the academic in your life.

The On-the-Go Academic:

If your academic is constantly misplacing her favorite writing tools, she might benefit from a brightly chic fabric pencil case that can be easily spotted in the depths of her tote bag.

Your well-clad academic’s laptop deserves to be stylish too. These laptop sleeves come in a variety of fantastic prints and sizes.

S. has frequently sung the praises of her sturdy and practical tote bag. It’s hard to deny a basic that’s ergonomic and well-made enough to get your academic through those seemingly interminable years of graduate school.

The Teaching Academic:

When it’s time to grade, all three of the chics swear by these brightly colored Pilot G2 gel pens. And none of us ever use the red pen.

Every teacher knows the feeling of walking up to the classroom’s dry erase board only to discover that all the pens are either a) mysteriously missing or b) utterly parched. These mini dry erase pens are small enough to discretely tote around so you’ll always be able to write out that very useful diagram for your students, regardless of less-than-accomodating classroom conditions.

A compendium of unfortunate declarations made by North American college students in their history classes, Non Campus Mentis provides that sometimes-needed pick-me-up during grading marathons. Just knowing that someone else’s student wrote about the Automaton Empire helps ease grading fatigue.

The I-Prefer-Hard-Copies Academic:

The embedded brilliance of these “Mental Note” note pads will help your academic break through any dissertation, grant, article, or book-writing block.

It’s hard to choose just one of the many Anne Taintor products featuring 1950s ladies speaking their minds. Portable, practical feminist snark is always in style.

Bonus Round:

Passive-aggressiveness runs rampant in academic circles. This book helps put it all in perspective.

As always, we welcome recommendations from our readers! What will you be giving the academic in your life this year?

** Academichic recommends these products independently. We do not have sponsoring relationships with any of these vendors.

DIY: Embellished Tees

Posted on | November 30, 2009 | 27 Comments

While I certainly enjoyed an American Thanksgiving feast, I also indulged in a crafty binge over the holiday weekend. I’ve been craving embellished tees, like these from JCrew, for quite some time, so I finally just decided to figure out how to make some myself.

Armed with $5 tees from Target, coordinating thread and ribbon, and a few beads and jersey scraps from my craft stash, I cut, pinned, and stitched my way to fancy t-shirt ownership. It took a little patience and reverse engineering, but I’m delighted with the results:

Click past the jump for directions to make your own embellished tees!

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Academichic Travels: E.’s College Reunion

Posted on | October 8, 2009 | 9 Comments

My husband N., baby e., and I are heading south this weekend to our old undergraduate stomping ground. We try to go back annually for homecoming weekend, but this year is also our 5 year reunion.

It’s an almost inevitable cliche, I suppose, that when packing for such an event I would reflect on how much life — and my style — have changed over the past 5 years. I would describe my undergraduate style as “simple.” A big part of that can likely be traced to the fact that, having grown up in very warm, very casual Hawaii, I really had no idea how to dress for the “mainland,” especially as temperatures dropped. So, I stuck with the basics: black tops and knee-length floral skirts, solid tops with simple necklines and jeans, a black cardigan over a black tank top with a denim skirt. Folks, believe it or not, I didn’t really start layering until after I graduated from college.

I still would not apply adjectives like “edgy” or “funky” to my style as a whole, but I do think that I’ve become far more adventurous in my choices and combinations. I’ve come to see my wardrobe as a creative outlet with real-life impact, and when I see old friends at this reunion I’d like to think that my clothes will say something about my increased self-confidence and contentment with my current life.

(And in case you were wondering, N. was my only college suitor, so I don’t have to worry about making a statement to an old boyfriend!)

So what am I packing for this reunion?

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Spotlight On: Back to School Clothing Swap (Part II)

Posted on | October 1, 2009 | 1 Comment

Last month we did a spotlight post announcing a Back to School Clothing Swap in Boulder Colorado. As promised, we’ve asked co-hostess @gwenbell to write a follow up post, including a how-to. If you are planning a similar event, let us know – we would love to do a spotlight on it!

How to Hostess a Clothes Swap

It was a pleasurable evening of wine sipping, clothes swapping and laughing. Liz (http://lizfranco.com) and Sarah (http://sjoystudios.com) flew in from the West and East Coasts, respectively, and together we greeted our guests as they started coming in. The event lasted about two and a half hours and we had about twenty-five women join us.

Your Co-Hostesses @sarahjbray @srslyliz @gwenbell, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Finding a Sponsor + Location

The first thing I did was find a location. Restaurant 4580 (http://www.restaurant4580.com/) was kind enough to give us an entire room to hold the event. We chose a time (right at the start of Happy Hour) that is lively and upbeat. If the location doesn’t have mirrors, secure one before the day of the event. The restaurant provides drink tickets and after the event you total up how much you owe (we charged a $10 cover that included a drink and the remainder went to charity).Pangea Organics (http://pangeaorganics-store.sparkart.net/index) sponsored the event by providing samples to the women coming.

Liz Waits for Guests, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Promotion

For our event, co-hostess Liz (http://lizfranco.com)was lovely enough to create a poster that we used to promote the event on Facebook, our blogs, our friends’ blogs, Academichic (http://academichic.com) and in the newsletters our sponsors send out. We also shared the links on Twitter and uploaded photos to Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gwenbell/tags/swap/) after the event.

During the Event

Take a moment to thank your sponsors. Thank your co-hostesses. Let people know about the charity (if you decide to go that route) and remind them to use their drink tickets. It’s a great chance to introduce yourself and your hostesses. Also, if you’ve collected Twitter handles (as we did: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gwenbell/3919307705/) shout out who is in the room so that further networking can be done.

Thank you for joining us!, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Swapping

It helps to label tables XS, S, M, L, XL, shoes and accessories. This makes it a little more streamlined during the “digging through piles” process.

Sorting, finding, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Clean Up

The folks at our event helped us clean up which made the clean up process simple and fun. Our guy friends carried out heavy boxes of clothes to eventually be donated to a local women’s shelter.

Results

The event was small, warm, intimate and fun. I would happily co-hostess or attend another one in the future. It’s more than just the fashion – it’s the getting together, making new friends and supporting causes we care about that I love about swaps. Special props to my friend Laura Coulter, Girl About Town (details: http://www.gwenbell.com/blog/2009/8/24/youre-invited-its-a-back-to-school-social-media-clothing-swa.html), for introducing me to swaps in Tokyo. Where, honest to goodness, every Japanese skirt I tried on stopped at my knees. Swaps kept me from going around naked.

Yours in swappy goodness,

@gwenbell (http://gwenbell.com)

@4580 hosted the swap, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

S. Gets Married: The Collected Works

Posted on | August 18, 2009 | 20 Comments

Discover, originally uploaded by academichic.

The Background Story:

Initially, T. and I had a bigger wedding planned for next year. We felt that it was expected of us by family and by friends who’d invited us to their weddings to reciprocate with a similar event. With both of us being knee-deep in PhD work and my getting ready to spend a research year abroad, the bigger wedding in the works was growing into a on-going financial and time-sucking burden. But we both felt that it was what we had to do.

The moment we both admitted to each other (and ourselves!) that we were willing to risk disappointing others to make ourselves happy with this, we knew we wanted to cancel the bigger event in the works and just elope.

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DIY: Elegant Outdoor Champagne Toast

Posted on | August 17, 2009 | 5 Comments

Champagne Toast, originally uploaded by academichic.

Our recent wedding was a small affair comprised of less than twenty guests. While we didn’t do a grand event, we still wanted small personalized touches to make the day feel special. So one of our ideas was to have a champagne toast at the end of our ceremony, with which we and our guests could toast to our new life together. Here are some ideas on how to serve an outdoor champagne toast that is both elegant and budget-friendly.

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DIY: How to Make a Boutonniere

Posted on | August 15, 2009 | 5 Comments

How to Make a Boutonniere, originally uploaded by academichic.

When making the bouquets for my wedding, A. and I also made the boutonnieres for the remaining wedding party. This too was not something we had any experience with, but was surprisingly easy and quick once we figured out a methodology. To learn how to make a boutonniere yourself, click here…

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