academichic

7 September 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed but earrings.

• Nursing tank: Old Navy
• Belt: Gap Outlet
• Floral skirt: thrifted
• T-straps: target.com
• Vintage flower earrings: Vintage Threadz on etsy.com

End Notes:

I don’t usually do vintage chic, but yesterday’s outfit had some kind of old school feeling going on. Maybe it was the fact that my mom had t-straps like this almost thirty years ago or that the lime-and-coral color combination in the skirt’s print had a little bit of a seventies vibe, but it seemed natural to belt the skirt up high and to pair these vintage flower earrings — another treasure from Vintage Threadz on Etsy — with the whole thing.

Vintage Flower Earrings, originally uploaded by academichic.

When I first snagged this skirt at a local thrift store, I only wore it with brown. It seemed a safe choice with such a bold, colorful print. This past winter, however, before the baby bump really popped, I wore it with rich plum and saturated blue green. (I’m realizing, somewhat belatedly, that the reason the blue green makes sense — in the scarf in February and in this tank top currently — is because it serves as a complementary color to the red orange flowers in the skirt.)

It’s easy to fall into a rut when trying to pair things with a particularly bold print. Now that I fit into this skirt again, I’m taking suggestions for what to partner with it. What would you like to see? Just how versatile can a salmon and chartreuse floral skirt be?

7 September 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

We have been experimenting with our Fashion 101 modules on Color around here and have been very fortunate to have some of you partake in these challenges as well. We love being inspired by our readers and  have loved receiving your submissions to our CFP. Here is a selection of the wonderful outfits created by you, putting our color theory into practice:

Neutrals:

While here at Academichic Central we are struggling to beat the heat with cool neutrals, our lone all-neutrals submission came from a far away reader in a winter climate.  We love how Missy P made her winter white really pop by pairing it with layers of rich brown form head to toe.

Neutrals with a Pop:

We are all jealous of Missy P’s beautiful coat collection, particularly this striking red wool coat which provides the perfect pop in a mix of cozy neutrals. What a great way to add some color to a dreary winter day!

In Dawn’s own words: “I decided to mix navy, black & cream with red, and felt fabulous breaking one of the central commandments of style!”  We adore this  fabulous example of why some rules are just meant to be broken!

Two-Thirds of a Triad:

This beautiful predominately neutral look – made extra special with the addition of two pops of color – is a perfect example of the two thirds rule- Esstea explains: “I love how just those two little bursts of color played off each other and made the neutral charcoals and blacks look zippier.”  We couldn’t agree more!

We also love this take on the two-thirds rule: Pairing the brightest pink in her closet (red) with her darkest navy denim (blue), Esstea creates yet another stunning color combo. Very chic!

Water Girl put together a two thirds of red-blue-yellow triad, writing:  ”I love blue and red together, but always struggle with making sure I don’t look like a 4th of July firecracker”. Well no problem here! This belted jacket and pretty skirt combo are nothing if not chic and put-together!

Krissie’s take on the blue-yellow-red triad combined blue and yellow in this elegant professional look. Taking her cue from A’s DIY flower and ribbon belt, she finished off this ensemble with her own version in rich brown hues.

Complimentary Colors:

Orange and blue, complimentary colors often sported by both S. and E., seemed to be by far the most popular complimentary color submission. Here Krissie is employing the little trick of letting a pattern do the color mixing work for you with this beautiful abstract print skirt.

Redcactusflower was inspired by E.’s recent orange and blue outfit to wear a color combination she wouldn’t normally try. We love the sleek look of this ensemble with the structured tan skirt and the unexpected burst of orange from this gorgeous bauble necklace.

Clare’s casual version of a blue and orange complimentary look is bold and summery. We love the slight variation on the ‘true’ colors with her choice of red-orange and blue-green and we’re also mighty impressed by how not even an arm cast can dim her sense of style! Rock on, Clare!

Jessica took a different approach to the same red-green complimentary color combination by pairing a pink top with a mint green floral skirt. The delicate beaded necklace of pinks, browns, and greens brings this entire outfit seamlessly together.

Thank you, all, for your wonderful submissions! We’ve really enjoyed being inspired by you and hope that our readers will find equal enjoyment in perusing these beautiful pictures and stunning color combinations.

1 August 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Endnotes:

I’m ending the week’s review with another blue and orange color combo since I really love this color mix. This floral skirt, with its profusion of blues and orange, already does the work for me. I wanted to achieve a sort of mirroring effect on top, so I chose a pale blue button down and  a couple of flower brooches to pick up the design from the skirt. Since I don’t own any orange flower pins, I went with the closest and used two pink brooches, creating an analogous color combination between the skirt and pin flowers.

In the end, I actually prefer this version than a more exactly matched one had I used orange flowers. I like the subtle difference between these neighboring hues – pink and orange – and how they interact with the meta color play of the complimentaries blue and orange.

As A. has mentioned – when we do these color challenges, it often forces us to think outside the (color) box and experiment with combinations that may not feel truly ‘us’. This outfit, however, could not feel more me. It combines many elements I love – the button down shirt, the full knee-length skirt, and flowers and floral galore. It’s a good mix of preppy and romantic, whimsical and structured. So what would you call this look?

I ask because we’ve been asked several times during the course of this project, how we would each classify our personal style. I never quite know how to answer or whether there is a perfect ‘fashion’ term to denote this mix of romantic and preppy, feminine and structured. For all you fashion-savvy readers out there, how would you describe this look? Thank you for your tips!  S.

31 July 2009 – Friday Casual, originally uploaded by academichic.

Endnotes:

Today’s Complimentary Color pairing is a recent favorite of mine: orange and blue! I fell in love with orange-and-blue back in January when E. posted this photo only the third week into this project of ours. I instantly loved the way these two colors played off each other and have been a believer ever since.

Incidentally, as I spent a happy morning coffee time perusing other style blogs, I came across this gorgeous blue and orange combination sported by one of the lovely ladies of Sisters and Dresses. She’s also wearing a shorts and tailored top combo, but with an entirely different effect than my version thereof. Check out her post for more orange and blue style inspiration!  S.

30 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed

Red-Orange Cardigan – Gap
Teal Top - BR Outlet
Black Skirt – BR Outlet
Brown Belt – Ann Taylor
Brown Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW
Earrings – Gift
Brown Bag – China Town, NYC

Endnotes:

Much like yellow, I don’t own anything in true orange.  Instead, I prefer the way a red-orange, rust-orange, or this more coral color, looks with my hair color and skin tone.   I love all shade of blue and green, and particularly favor a good blue-green.  Before these Fashion 101s, I would never have thought to pair this color with a shade of orange and still don’t feel completely myself in this outfit.  I loved the way S. wore these complimentary colors on Monday and E’s version, also from Monday, so figured I should give it a try.  To make it feel a bit more me, I am also mixing my neutrals!

Have you taken inspiration from any of our outfits and then made it your own?  If so, send us a picture and tell us about it!

29 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed

• Purple Cardigan – Gap Outlet
• Yellow and White Stripped Skirt – H & M
• White Tee – Gap
• Sandals – H & M
• Earrings – F21

Endnotes:

Today’s shades, purple and yellow, are true complimentary colors – straight form the crayon box.  Purple is one of my favorite colors and I also really like the way it looks with my hair and skin tone.  Yellow, however, is a whole other story!  I like yellow on my walls, in my flowers, and in theory, I like it in my wardrobe too. In practice, it just isn’t for me.  I have yet to find a shade of yellow that I am willing to wear near by face.   When we first introduced these color challenges, I quickly identified some holes in my own closet color wheel and most of them were in the yellow to red family.  I purchased some yellow bangles and let that complete any combinations that would require yellow.

Yellow and Purple, originally uploaded by academichic.

Are there any colors that you love on other people or on the hanger but never on yourself?

29 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

29 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Gray nursing tank – Target
• Magenta cardi – H&M
• Gray grosgrain ribbon – craft box
• Green jersey skirt – Target
• Patterned flats that make everything better – Old Navy

End Notes:

In theory, I like the complementary color scheme of pink and green. It’s a sweeter, non-holiday version of the proper complements, red and green. But, as I explained back in April, pink is just not my color. So while I loved how A. did preppy chic yesterday with her pink polo and green accessories, I feel more comfortable moving one step over on the color wheel to pair red-violet and yellow-green.

This outfit is also an example of how the choice of a neutral can change the overall effect of the color palette. A white cami would have given this a crisper feel. Brown probably would have taken the whole “organic inspiration” bit too far. But this heather gray keeps everything softer and more subtle.

And… I match my potted coleus and impatiens. Nature is, of course, a fantastic source of inspiration for color pairings. I started wearing orange and purple together, for example, after realizing that they looked quite fantastic in a sunset sky. What color ideas have you found in nature? Have they always translated to outfits or are there some combinations that are better left outdoors?

29 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

28 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Polo – J Crew
• Denim Pencil Skirt – Gap, endlessly remixed
• Pink Tank – Gap
• Green Flats – Banana Republic, remixed almost as much as the skirt
• Bracelet – Faces Green Necklace

Endnotes:

When I sported a white polo for a little golf outing a few weeks back,  reader Jessica asked how I might style a polo off the course.  Well, here you have it.   This J Crew polo is much softer than the average polo and feels more like a worn-in tee-shirt.  I love the detail of the little pocket and extra buttons.  I also love the color of this top – a pinky peachy almost coral.  I think on the color wheel, it falls closest to pink (a shade of red) thus making its compliment green.

Red(ish) and Green, originally uploaded by academichic.

I wore a similar outfit when we explored complimentary colors back in February. Using the same necklace as my pop of green, this time I have wrapped it around my wrist several times to create an oversized bracelet.   I loved S.’s big blocks of bright color yesterday and promise to give that approach a try at some point this week, but for now am easing into color mixing by grounding my look with a neutral base in the denim skirt.

28 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Lace trimmed cami – BCBG, remixed
• Drop waist tank – ON, remixed
• Skirt – Calvin Klein, remixed
• Red espadrilles – BR Outlet, remixed
• Red cardi – thrifted, remixed

Endnotes:

This week we’re reviewing Complementary Colors and the Two-Thirds Rule. For today’s outfit, I chose to mix red and blue, which make 2/3 of a red-blue-and-yellow triad. While I find red and blue to look fresh and summery together, I have a hard time adding that extra bit of yellow to make it a triad. So it suits me just fine that we’re only working with 2/3rds of triads this week.

Red and blue have always struck me as crisp and summery when paired together, especially when added to a good dose of white. Perhaps it’s the allusion to marine colors or the French flag that makes me really fond of this color mix. It makes me think of the French Riviera, the ocean, sailboats and seagulls. So donning this color combo today was guaranteed to put me in a good mood and excited for my evening plans.

For an added bit of glam, I chose this skirt for its sequined hemline and my red espadrilles that give me a few extra inches of height. Were I someone who could pull off red lipstick, this would be just the outfit for it. But alas, I’m not that glamorous, so chapstick it is. Nevertheless, I’m off to toast the town…

Bonne soirée, mes amis! S.