academichic

Sources:

On J:

• Academic Regailia – a Midwest University

On A:

• Dress worn as skirt – Gap Outlet
• Navy Ruffle Tank – Gap
• Belt – Old Nanvy
• Grey Pumps – Banana Republic Factory Store
• Earrings – F21

Endnotes:

Last week our Midwest University celebrated commencement and I was there to watch our special guest poster J. receive his masters.  J. has been a kind of little brother to me these past two years (he has also been called my adopted son) and so I was quite proud of him.  I’m very happy for his accomplishments but will miss him (and his fabulous style) terribly when he moves away from Academichic Central in a few short weeks.

Commencements can be a funny thing to dress for.  There are proud patents in their “Sunday best” and many students in casual duds.  It’s a formal celebratory event, but it takes place outside in the sun and, in our case, involved quite a bit of walking.  So, I opted  for a casual summer dress and my comfy suede peep-toes.  I dressed things up a bit  by layering a ruffly tank over the built-in tank of the dress. I was dressed up enough for the two ceremonies but cool and comfortable enough to walk across campus a couple times and downtown for a celebratory meal.

J. had quite the snazzy outfit, as is to be expected.  Unfortunately, we didn’t really think to capture what was under his regalia.  He wore the pants and shirt from his Banana Republic interview suit with owl cuff-links and a purple and fuchsia bow tie, which happened to match his celebratory drink perfectly!

Sources:

• Powder Blue Cardigan – J Crew Outlet
• Sea-foam Green Blouse – Banana Republic Factory Store
• Brown Skirt – Thirfted (NY & Co)
• Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW
• Belt – tie from a dress
• Earrings – China Town, SF

Endnotes:

Sometime in the next few weeks E. and I will be hosting another clothing swap.  At our last clothing swap I let go of a lot of items I hadn’t worn in quite some time, even items I loved.  I was happy to know they would go to a good home.  As we prepare for our next swap, I am slowly pruning my closet and creating a good sized pile in one corner of my room.  Well, actually, it’s two piles: one definite pile and one maybe pile. I decided to make a maybe pile and them attempt to wear them before the swap.  If I can happily incorporate the item into a ensemble in the next couple weeks, I’ll hold on to it.

This ruffly-front sea-foam green blouse is the first item to be tested in this way.  Sadly, I think it failed.  I love the color of this blouse and the piping detail down the front, but that’s where it ends.  It doesn’t fit me all that well (a bit tight on top and loose and shapeless at the bottom) and it’s a bit too see-through for my likes. I tried layering it under a cardigan to deal with the fit on top and the see-through issue, but then really did not like how the ruffles fell. So, I’m thinking this blouse needs a new home.

As it turns out, I think I’m also on the fence about this skirt.  I picked this up at a giant thrift store for $4.  I don’t do well in those places and so I bought it with out trying it on.  I’ve been looking for a longer, full skirt in a neutral color (or non-neutral for that matter) for quite some time now and for $4 it seemed worth the risk.  I do like its color and length but I wish the fullness started at the waist and when I hike it up to make it do that, it’s too short.  I think I will give this one another shot before it ends up in the definite swap pile.

How do you decided what to keep and what to giveaway when you are pruning your closet?  Do you give the maybe items one last shot?

23 December 2010 – "Bobi" Scarf, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Sweater: Banana Republic
• Sweater Vest: BR
• Scarf: Napali by TDM Designs
• Jeans: J Brand via DSW
• Boots: vintage Charles David

Endnotes:
Just a few quick pics and words before I too head off for holidays with family and friends. Unlike E., who has to very thoughtfully plan and pack for extended travel, my packing mostly consists of throwing things into a bag, dragging out my laundry basket, and getting my cat into his carrier before driving off to various New England towns. I asked my father if I was too old (27) to be bringing home my laundry. He assured me that until I have my own machine actually in my apartment or house it was still ok in his book. Phew! Anyway, this outfit was not planned for anything other than driving for several hours. A light cashmere vest layered over a light sweater and a scarf gave me several options for temperature control (as well as created a analogous pair of green shades).

23 December 2010 – "Bobi" Scarf closeup, originally uploaded by academichic.

This scarf is made of bamboo fiber and is offered by Napali by TDM Designs (another name that you might recognize from reviews and giveaways we’ve done in the past). This style is called “Bobi” and is a square, which threw me for a while, but it’s still big enough to do most of the slouchy knots that I prefer. They do also make it in a longer version. I’ll be doing a more thorough review of another scarf of theirs next week.

23 December 2010 – Jeans!, originally uploaded by academichic.

You can’t really tell from these pictures but I’m wearing jeans… new jeans! Like A. I’ve looked for good “skinny” jeans for a while now and had all but given up hope when I came across these J Brand “cigarette” style jeans at a recent Filene’s Basement spree. The cigarette style means that they are basically straight leg from the knee, thus avoiding jegging status while being fitted through the hip and thigh. And they are perfect for tucking into boots, something I had been wanting to try for a while. These exact jeans had been on my radar ever since I read a spread in a fashion magazine this summer where every woman who was interviewed for a piece on “now styles” mentioned her J Brand jeans. I’d never heard of them. Needless to say months later, I happily found them for about $150 less than what they retail for, which made paying $12 to get them professionally hemmed seem like not a big deal. I love when that happens! What I love even more is spending time with my family and friends, which is what I’m off to do now (but not before kicking up some of this fresh powdery snow)!

23 December 2010 – Snow day, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Both:

• Chocolate Skinny Cords – Gap Outlet
• Teal Cardigan – Banana Republic

Day (4):

• Pink Paisley Scarf – Old Navy
• Boots – Banana Republic

Evening (7):

• Blue and Green Paisley Scarf – Echo
• Wool Pumps – Urban Outfitters
• Earrings – F21

Endnotes:

While E. was taking (and I have no doubt rocking) her comprehensive exam yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending the day with baby e.!  I chose my chocolate brown cords (which keep showing up as black in all the photographs) a warm cardigan, colorful scarf, and my black wellies.  My bright two-thirds color scheme of blue and pink and baby e.’s yellow jacket made us into quite the walking triad!

The outfit was perfect for reading books, playing with stacking cups on the floor, exploring the backyard, walking to and playing at the park.  (note: it’s labeled 4 of 30 because last week in my application daze I skipped from outfit 3 to 5).

By swapping out just a few elements, this ensemble went from ideal for a play date with e. to casual dinner-date ready.

I traded one paisley scarf for another and my wellies for my olive flannel pumps, touched up my makeup, added a pair of earrings, and was ready to go!  This version is rather matchy-matchy with the scarf matching both the olive of my shoes and the bright blue of my sweater. I love wearing these earrings and scarf together because they almost match but don’t, which I think is supposed to be a no-no of pattern mixing — well, just call me a pattern mixing rebel!  A.

11 November 2010 – Drizella, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Scarf: Ross
• Puff sleeve top: Target
• Belt: Old Navy
• Crinkle navy skirt: Gap
• Oxford booties: Civico 10 via DSW

End Notes:

Know what the puff sleeves and green-on-green combination of this outfit remind me of? Drizella, the evil step-sister from Disney’s Cinderella.

Regardless, I love the pictures of today’s outfit, taken courtesy of my husband who was home today on baby duty. As I was getting ready to head to school this morning he remarked that I matched the door.

So we took pictures.

Green, Green, Blue Green, Blue, originally uploaded by academichic.

Scarf and Shoulder Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

This skirt was a no-brainer to include in my 30 for 30. It’s navy — my current favorite neutral — and it’s a playful shape with a bit of shine that plays nicely against the coarser wool and opaque tights that (usually) typify November dressing. Of course, since it hit 80 DEGREES today, I was just glad that this was light and breezy enough to deal.

(And it looks good on a bike, too.)

On bike, originally uploaded by academichic.

7 October 2010 -My Birthday Suit, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Black Shirt Dress – BR Outlet
• Belt – Old Navy
• Scarf – Nepali by TMD Designs
• Shoes – Steve Madden Girl, via DSW
• Earrings – F21

Endnotes:

I started thinking about my birthday outfit earlier this week and decided it was a good excuse to dress up a bit.  I love this black wrap shirt dress.  The top fits me perfectly and the shirt sleeves and collar make me feel crisp, sharp, and thus polished.  The full bottom makes me feel playful and of course, I love the pockets!  The black can be a bit hash and boring so I added a few pops of my favorite colors – the teal belt, the vintage green ring, blueish-green and violet earrings, and the sea foam green scarf.

I initially planned on wearing my green flats or my grey wedges with this look, but once I slipped this crinkly patten pumps on, I had to wear them!  They make my legs look a mile long and take this simple black dress to the next level.  Normally, I would probably not wear this combination to school, but hey, it’s my birthday!

7 October 2010 -My Birthday Suit, originally uploaded by academichic.

I’m used to the weather being a bit cooler on my birthday and wearing boots, scarves, cardigans and blazers.  The weather in Academichic Central was beautiful yesterday, warm and sunny for most of the day, but cool enough in the morning and evening to warrant the addition of this fabulous scarf from TDM Designs.

7 October 2010 -My Birthday Suit, originally uploaded by academichic.

7 October 2010 -My Birthday Suit, originally uploaded by academichic.

10 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Red-Violet Tee – H & M
• Purple Belt – Gap
• Grey Skirt – Old Navy
• Red Flats – Target

Endnotes:

So this week, we are reviewing analogous color combinations and triads.  I often find myself swathed in various shades of blue and green and blue-green, so an analogous combination is not much of a challenge for me.  But, an analogous combination on the warm side of the color wheel is a whole different story! I rarely wear red, orange, or yellow, and the purples I wear tend to have more blue than red in them.  I have enough warm colored accessories (my red flats, fuchsia pumps, orange floral flats, yellow bangles, etc) to complete a triad or complimentary combination, but mixing warm color with warm color is still a true challenge for me.

I’m not too sure about today’s color combo. I think the right shade of red-violet with red could be quite nice, but I only had one red-violet top to play with.  I considered doing a neutral shoe and wearing a red belt instead of the purple one, but the belt had too much orange in it.

I picked up this purple belt on super sale at Gap last year.  I love the shade of purple, it’s skinny width, and the pleated leather details, but this is certainly not custom-fit belt!  With this outfit, even the last whole left the belt hanging too loose, so I just pulled it rough the buckle and knotted it on the other side.  I actually like the effect and it managed to stay in place all day.

Tied Belt, originally uploaded by academichic.

9 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Sheath dress: H&M
• Belt: from another dress
• Bracelets: gift
• Pumps: Steve Madden, via Macy’s super shoe sale

End Notes:

This week we’re reviewing triads and analogous color combinations. An analogous color scheme takes two (or more) colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. I think for our purposes, an analogous scheme could be either a veryclose pairing with a tertiary color — like green and blue green or red and red orange — or it could be neighboring colors on a simplified color wheel — like yellow and orange or green and blue.

So today I’m “premiering” (as A. would say) my magenta pumps — let’s call them red violet for the sake of our color wheel — and pairing them with a purpley gray sheath dress that I’ve recently unearthed from my closet. I also added a true purple belt to push the ambiguously colored dress more towards violet and to underscore this tight analogous pairing.

9 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

(And yes, these shoes are just the magenta version of the blue pumps I’ve worn recently. It was one of those pick-your-own-birthday-gift situations and I couldn’t refuse. Not only are they great colors, they’re also quite comfortable with the rounded toe, padded footbed, and a heel that’s low enough to walk around in but high enough to give my calves a nice boost. I’ll admit, though, that my feet seem to just fit Steve Madden shoes and boots really well, so some of my comfort might be from finding a brand that jives with my particular foot shape.)

Back to the dress. Between pregnancy, breastfeeding, and re-learning my postpartum body, I haven’t worn a sheath dress in over a year and a half. It had been so long, in fact, that I totally forgot how much I actually adore sheaths. It’s a body conscious shape that makes me feel really sleek and put together and powerful. As Emeril Lagasse would say: “Bam.” Sure, this is not really bend over and pick up baby e. friendly nor do I think I can ride my bike in this particular dress, but I am about ready to toss function out the door in favor of pursuing a previously loved-then-lost form.

I think I’m going to shortly launch a search for a back-to-school sheath that has a little stretch in it. Suggestions for where to look — particularly from fellow long-waisted ladies — are definitely welcome.

9 August 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

1 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Green Tank Dress – Gap Outlet
• Navy Tank – Gap
• Teal Belt – Old Navy
• Earrings – F21
• Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW
• Wooden Bangle – gift from S.

Endnotes:

I found this kelly green tank dress at Gap Outlet when shopping with E. It’s similar in style to E’s. homemade one, but the tank is the same color as the solid colored skirt part, which is cotton and lined.  The tank has an unfortunately placed pocket that I just couldn’t get over, yet also just couldn’t pass this one up, so decided I would take it home and make it work. I immediately arrived home pulled it out of the bag and created five possible outfits from it and then text-ed E. to share my success. You will no doubt be seeing this dress remixed several times this summer – I will be sure to post a picture of the dress as it came next time.

I was drawn to the dress primarily because of it’s color.  I love almost all shades of green but find this kelly green (with a bit of blue undertone) to be one of the more flattering on me.  I made a tight analogous pairing between the skirt and teal belt and another, more distant, analogous pairing with the belt and tank.

analogous colors, originally uploaded by academichic.

I folded the bottom of the ruffly navy tank under so that it ended around where the original tank portion of the dress ends and then belted it into place. I like that it still looks like a tank dress, rather than a skirt and top.

I wore this ensemble to attend a few graduation parties over the weekend.  The rest of the weekend I mostly spent in either running clothes or gardening/construction clothes. Here is a little sneak peak of my latest summer construction and garden project.  It’s become a bit of an obsession, so I will save the details for a post of it’s own – check back later this week!

Summer Project Sneak Peak, originally uploaded by academichic.

1 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.