4 August 2010 – Happy One Year!

Posted on | August 5, 2010 | 26 Comments

Sources:

On S:

Silk lace blouse – gift from mom
Black tank underneath – H&M
Skirt – $1 sidewalk sale, consignment shop
Belt – Ralph Lauren
T-straps – Talbots

On T:

Retro print button down – thrifted in Germany
Shorts – J.Crew, thrifted
Sunglasses – street vendor in Puerto Rico
Shoes – Nike

Endnotes:

If you’ve been reading academichic for over a year now, then you may have been around last summer when T. and I got married. Hard to believe that a whole year has flown by already. Last night, we celebrated our first anniversary by dressing up and revisiting ‘our wedding restaurant’ for a patio dinner and drinks. And since it’s neutrals (with a pop) week, I made my outfit abide by wearing an all black ensemble with a pop of color from this bright blue skirt.

We both chose a dressy-casual look since we wanted to bike to the restaurant and the heat index was still well in the high 90s. Since T. wanted to wear shorts, I opted for a more casual skirt and top look rather than the dress I initially had in mind. The lacey top adds a good dose of ‘dress-up’ but the full cotton skirt provides a good balance and gives this all a more relaxed feel. I just found this skirt at a summer sidewalk sale for $1. It’s slightly too large on me (the waist is a bit too loose) but I loved the color and the good construction (it’s from Talbots originally) and decided to try to make it work. A useful little belt later, this skirt does just fine as a high-waisted belted bit.

T.’s outfit is similarly comprised of lucky thrift finds. His retro print button down comes from a thrift store in Munich that I used to frequent and his J.Crew shorts come from the same consignment store where my blue skirt was found. T. isn’t much of a shopper for clothes but he does give me free reign (and good indications of what he needs) and lets me fill his closet on my thrifting expeditions. Do you and your partner shop for each other?

On our way to dinner, we passed the ceremony site where we said our vows one year ago and stopped to enjoy the memories. It’s been such an eventful year and we’re so excited to see what adventures this next year will bring. After a short pause for nostalgia, we peddled on to the restaurant where cold mojitos and a delicious dinner awaited. Happy Anniversary, T! S.

Over the Weekend 80s Party

Posted on | July 19, 2010 | 9 Comments

80s Party, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

On L (left):

Vintage romper – thrifted in LA
Shoes – Payless
Hoops – her first pair from age 6
Bracelet – gift

On S:

Navy tank – Old Navy
Leggings – Target
Silver skirt – Express, via TJMaxx
Silver flats – Target
Off-the shoulder tee – thrifted and cut up for 80s party
Earrings – loaner from L.

On T (right):

80s workout jacket – from his closet in the 80s
Jeans – Izod, bleached for 80s party

Endnotes:

While A. was enjoying a serene (I assume) picnic in the park with her friends and A2 this weekend, T., our roommate L., and I spent a rockin’ night at an 80s throwback party. It was ace. We all pulled out our best 80s garb and improvised by making some last minute DIY alterations to complete our looks. T. actually owned this black, white, and neon orange workout jacket back in the 80s (don’t ask) and he made his white jeans by soaking a pair of old jeans from his to-donate-pile in a bucket of water and bleach solution for an hour. He even pegged his pant cuffs the way he used to have the cool girls at his schools help him do it during his 80s childhood.

80s Party – L & T, originally uploaded by academichic.

Meanwhile, our roommate L. sported an awesome pink, green, and yellow striped romper that is an actual vintage piece she scored at a thrift store in L.A. a while back. L, a native Californian, was hoping to actually wear this item this summer (since rompers are definitely making a come-back) but was dismayed to see that Midwest fashion hasn’t quite embraced the romper look yet. So she played it safe and pulled it out for our 80s theme party instead, where she more than rocked the look with her matching pink hoops and perky side ponytail.

80s Party – L & S, originally uploaded by academichic.

I improvised by throwing items together out of my existing wardrobe and just making a last minute run to Goodwill for this oversized teal tee. I then had T. cut the neckline for me while I was already wearing it (to easily see how much to cut off), creating that signature one-exposed-shoulder look of the 80s. Big hoop earrings and my own big poofy side ponytail finished my ensemble.

We had such a blast listening to 80s chart toppers, pulling out any 80s slang we could remember, and hanging out with our friends. We even rode our bikes there (teens in the 80s always rode bikes and then threw them carelessly on their front lawns, right?) and, of course, posed in the Karate Kid Shower Curtain photo booth. It was totally boss. S.

Rollback to the 80s, originally uploaded by academichic.

Pre-Wedding Dinner

Posted on | July 6, 2010 | 10 Comments

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.

Royal Blue, originally uploaded by academichic.

We laughed about our over-coordinated looks but I actually kind of loved it – we looked like a pair! She wore her navy button down and seersucker pants (which can’t tell from this picture) with reefs for a casual laid back look that was still pulled together and fresh.

And, yes even my dad got the memo to wear blue – seriously all just a coincidence!

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.

3 June 2010 – Nanny Diaries

Posted on | June 3, 2010 | 22 Comments

3 June 2010 – Nanny Diaries, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

On H.:

Top: Gap
Navy skirt: Gap
Flip flops: Rainbow

On E. (below):

Top: F21
Belt: Gap Outlet
Skirt: refashioned from an old pair of jeans
Wedges: Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW

End Notes:

You may have noticed that baby e. has been making more photo appearances at academichic lately. Since I have been taking this intensive French translation course, baby e. has been going through some mom-withdrawals and has been adamant about keeping physical separation to a minimum whenever I am at home.

Or maybe he’s just angling to break into the style blogging world.

Aunty H. and baby e., originally uploaded by academichic.

In any case, I’ve been delighted to have a series of “nannies” for baby e. — relatives and dear family friends — staying with us in succession for the next few weeks. Sister-in-law H. is with us for a few days now, and she and baby e. have entertained each other while I’m slogging through French translations. Of course I had to photograph H.’s outfit today since it’s one of my favorite color combinations: yellow and navy. H. agrees that while bright yellow might be an intimidating color, it’s frequently much more flattering than pastel yellows. Plus, the pattern of the top intersperses this saturated yellow with white, adding visual interest.

3 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

(Look! Baby e. and I are in a shower of sunshine!)

Meanwhile, I thought I’d employ the tried-and-true “throw on a non-sequitur shoe” approach. There is no real reason that a purple and tan patterned wedge should work with a bright orange eyelet edged top, but I think I was emphatic enough to force the issue. Kasmira of What I Wore Today is a fantastic example of the power of the non-sequitur shoe. While I have to make a conscious effort to eschew the safe option of my tan wedges, I have to admit that picking my red wedges or orange pumps when a neutral shoe would have sufficed is an almost sure-fire way to make an outfit “special.” Do you buy into the idea of the non-sequitur shoe?

Wedges, originally uploaded by academichic.

30 May 2010 – Prague On Two Wheels

Posted on | May 30, 2010 | 8 Comments

30 May 2010 – Prague, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Black tunic – thrifted
Gray ruffle sleeve tank – Filene’s basement
Scarf – H&M
Skinnies – thrifted
Flats – Palladium
Sunglasses – Shop in Romania
Bag – Old Etienne Aigner

Endnotes:

T. and I were fortunate enough to enjoy two glorious days in Prague on our way from Munich to Romania. Neither one of us had been there before and I’m confident in saying that this won’t have been our last trip to this amazing city. Sorry, Salzburg, I think I’ve found a new favorite.

I was feeling pretty inspired by how much fun we’d had on our ‘bike date’ in Munich, that I wanted to try the same in Prague. But given that we didn’t know the city, didn’t speak the language, and didn’t feel too comfortable navigating the town on bikes with maps in hand, we decided to do the next best thing to riding around on our own – book a guided city tour on bikes! I think all the social riding talk going on at Let’s Go Ride a Bike has had me looking for ways to ride with a group or with T. much more than usual. There is just something so enjoyable about grabbing bikes, a few friends, and spending the days outdoors. (You can read about my other LGRAB Summer Games participation posts here, while E.’s entry is to be found here.)

Prague Bike Tour, originally uploaded by academichic.

T. was more than enthusiastic about my suggestion and so we spent our first day in Prague exploring the city on two wheels with a knowledgeable guide. We booked our tour with City Bike. I would highly recommend them to others; our tour guide was well informed, patient (while we stopped and took many pictures), funny, and excited about sharing his city with us. The bikes were in good shape, the group size kept to no more than ten (we had seven in ours), and we were rewarded with a free local beer (or water) at the end of the ride.
We were also told that the average walking tour in Prague covers about a 2 km stretch throughout the old city, while the standard 2.5 hour bike tour covers 12 km of the city. We were able to see far more of the city this way, covering points of attraction further out and at further distances from each other than one would be able to do on foot. And as I already mentioned, our guide was more than gracious with allowing us plenty of photo stops along the route…

As for our outfits, I wore my stretchy skinnies because they’re great for bikes even without chain guards (they’re such a snug fit). I added a comfortable cotton tunic top and a loose scarf (more sun and tan-line protection around the neck line), my trusty flats, and sunglasses. My Etienne Aigner bag can easily be thrown over my back messenger-style, which was a wise choice seeing as how my bike didn’t have a basket. T. wore jeans, sunglasses, and this awesome ‘bike evolution’ shirt I found on Etsy a little while back.

Prague Bike Tour, originally uploaded by academichic.

After our two-plus hour bike tour, T. and I dismounted our bikes beaming from ear to ear. We had such a great time getting our bearings this way and were so glad that we had decided to splurge on a guided bike tour of the city.

Prague Bike Tour, originally uploaded by academichic.

Thanks, Trisha and Dottie, for really pushing me to think of creative ways to work social cycling into my day, I’m not sure that I would have considered this outing if it hadn’t been for my reading of the Summer Games on your site. And now I’m definitely on a roll…I’m thinking of working a bike tour of a Romanian city into our schedule here. Stay tuned and ride on! S.

30 May 2010 – Prague, originally uploaded by academichic.

23 May 2010 – Bike Date

Posted on | May 23, 2010 | 24 Comments

23 May 2010 – Bike Date, originally uploaded by academichic.

If you haven’t already heard of the Let’s Go Ride a Bike Summer Games, then you should definitely head over to Dottie and Trisha’s site to check them out. They’re a perfect incentive for picking up that bike you’ve been keeping in storage this winter and dusting it off for some fun rides around the neighborhood. Added bonus – there are prizes involved for those participating.

For my second entry to the LGRAB Summer Games event called “Social Cycling”, I took Trisha’s and Dottie’s advice and scheduled a bike date with my husband. What a perfect way to explore Munich together on his visit here. And since Trisha and Dottie said to dress up, here is what we wore (not exactly
‘dressy’ clothes, but just the regular street clothes we would have worn walking around town.) No special gear required…

On her:

Sunglasses – loan from friend
Yellow top – Sam & Max
Skinnies – S. Oliver
Flats – Palladium
Scarf – souvenir from Duluth, MN
Bag – old Etienne Aigner, hand me down

On him:

Graphic tee – J.Crew
Backpack – Jansport
Jeans – Nautica
Shoes – Aldo
Sunglasses – souvenir from Costa Rica

T. and I are both enthusiastic cyclists although our styles are very different. While T. loves to go fast, I like to ride slow. For T., it’s all about getting from point A to B as quickly as possible, while I like to take my time and look around. T. loves to feel the rush of flying downhill on his bike, I tend to keep the brakes on and meander downhill at a much more hesitant pace. T.’s machine of choice is a fast and sleek road bike, I prefer a big lumbering cruiser. But despite our superficial differences in biking, we both agree on one thing: riding our bikes is fun.

23 May 2010 – Bike Date, originally uploaded by academichic.

When it comes to engaging in this activity together, we both make compromises and find that the result is awesome; I feel the thrill of going a little faster, T. slows down and enjoys the ride-as-process, and we both take pleasure in spending the day together doing something we both love.

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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.

Guest Lecture: 2010 Spring Fashion Trends

Posted on | April 4, 2010 | 8 Comments

It’s no secret that one of the wittiest and most addictive style blogs on the internet is Winona Ediger’s Daddy Likey. With reoccurring features such as Don’t Show-cha Your Chocha and Five Men’s Fashion First Impressions, she’s sure to make you a regular reader if you’re not already one. But Winona doesn’t just parody the more ridiculous and obscure; she also has a great eye for upcoming trends, unique online finds, and sure-to-please style solutions. So we were thrilled to have her provide us with her take on the upcoming 2010 Spring Trends. So without further ado, here is Winona’s guest lecture on said topic. . .

There are a lot of things I don’t miss about high school: crusty gym uniforms, calculus, slow dancing to R. Kelly, having to get permission to go to the bathroom, etc.

But there is one thing about high school that will stay with me forever, that still makes me smile, that I will brag about incessantly until the day I die: I was voted “Best Laugh” in the superlatives section of the 2003 Banks High School yearbook.

Mark Twain said he could live for two months on a good compliment. Well let me tell you, I’ve been cruising on that one for seven years.

With that in mind, I’ve created a list of superlatives for the 2010 class of Spring Fashion Trends. Hopefully these trendy colors and styles can enjoy the same ego boost I experienced as a young high school senior with an impossibly amazing laugh (didn’t I warn you about the bragging?).

COLORS & PATTERNS

Most likely to get busted at a rave: Neon Brights

Most likely to organize an outdoor folk music festival: Tie Dye

Most likely to organize a civilized tea party: Pastels

Most likely to make you feel small and insignificant: NASA-Style Space Prints

Space print shirt via All Saints

CLOTHING

Biggest flirt: Floral Minidresses

Best dancer: Swingy Full Skirts

Most likely to experience a “Most Embarrassing Moment:” White Jeans

Most likely to cut class and smoke cigarettes behind the gym: Military Jackets

Most likely to take really long bathroom breaks: Rompers

Romper via Forever 21

Most likely to get shorter as they age: Denim Cut-Offs

Most likely to be a spring fashion trend every year for all eternity: “Safari Chic”

Most likely to keep a secret: Baggy Menswear Pants

Least likely to keep a secret: Lace Leggings

Most likely to break dress code: Short Shorts

Most likely to get searched at the airport: Cargo Pants

Most likely to have an identity crisis: (tie) Jeggings and Monokinis

Confused Monokini via Victoria’s Secret

SHOES & ACCESSORIES

Most likely to injure someone: Studded handbags

Most retro: Costume Jewelry

Most likely to have connections to organized crime: Fedoras

Most likely to reference Nabokov: Heart-Shaped Sunglasses

Most dramatic: Giant Hair Bows

Most likely to be recommended by podiatrists: Clogs

Most likely to experience a hunting accident: Pheasant Feather Headbands

Most likely to be mistaken for a Cosmopolitan sexual technique: The Nude Wedge

Nude Wedge via Piperlime

Most likely to transfer to Catholic school: Knee-High Socks

12 March 2010 – Sisters in Harlem

Posted on | March 12, 2010 | 17 Comments

…

Sources:

(from left to right)

On L.:

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft
Scarf: borrowed from P.
Bag: Forever 21
Patterned tights: Anthropologie, gift from Mom
Boots: Banana Republic

On P.:

Top: H&M
Skirt: Gap
Tights: Anthropologie, borrowed from L.
Shoes: Vaneli, borrowed from Mom
Bag: Coach, hand me down from Mom
Denim moto jacket: Zara, borrowed from Mom

On H.:

Coat: Ann Taylor Outlet
Dress: Ann Taylor Loft
Wine cardigan: Target
Belt: borrowed from Mom
Gray tights: Banana Republic
Boots: DSW
Bag: Target

On E.:

Scarf: Anthropologie
Denim trench: adopted from sister-in-law P.
Tights: Celeste Stein, gift from MIL
Boots: Steve Madden, via eBay

(underneath)

Navy dress: Target
Gray blazer: C&C

End Notes:

Baby e. and I are in New York for a few days, visiting my sister-in-law P. Mom-in-law and the two other sisters-in-law are here too, and we’re having a grand old time shopping, seeing the Whitney Biennial, catching a show on Broadway, eating excellent food, and just wandering about town. I had warned my sisters ahead of time that this week would be tights week at Academichic, and I knew that they would all have some great tights-based looks to share.

And I was right. Click through the jump for individual shots, details, and a gratuitous shot of baby e.

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Guest Post at Already Pretty

Posted on | February 26, 2010 | 5 Comments

Pen and Paper, originally uploaded by Kristian D..

We were recently asked to contribute to a discussion over on Sally McGraw’s wonderful site Already Pretty. Sally regularly receives questions regarding style and appearance in academia and she sent some of those reader enquiries our way. We were honored to be asked to add our two cents, and in true academic form, we met for a virtual ’roundtable’ to mull over the topics in question. If you’d like to engage in the discussion, please see our interview here, and please add you comments and thoughts on the matter. We welcome this continued discussion on identity, performance, gender, and academia.

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