academichic

8 March 2011 – Is It Spring Yet?, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Blazer: Banana Republic Factory
• Cardigan (underneath): Target
• Tank: Forever 21
• Maternity trousers: Loft, via eBay
• Pumps: Steve Madden

End Notes:

Is it spring yet? I woke up this morning wanting to wear stripes, breezy trousers, colored shoes, and lots of navy and white…all components that rank pretty highly in my conception of “spring clothing.” It’s still pretty brisk outdoors, and I had to throw on an overcoat when I went to campus, but something about this combination seemed delightfully fresh to me after lots of black and jewel tones. Do you have wardrobe harbingers of spring? I think I’m also about to pull out my lightweight scarf collection…

(An aside: The last time I was pregnant I was still afraid of stripes in my wardrobe. This time around, I’m kind of smitten with how they go all wonky across my burgeoning belly. I don’t know that I’ll feel like that in twenty more weeks, but for now it makes me smile.)

Finally, I’ve enjoyed reading all of your comments on S.’s post about pregnancy in academia. Like a few others in the comments, I recommend the book Mama, Ph.D., edited by Elrena Evans and Caroline Grant, for anyone interested in hearing even more voices on the subject of mothering in academia. The book includes incredibly poignant narratives from women who had children in grad school, pre-tenure, or post-tenure, women who chose not to have children, and women who left academia altogether after becoming mothers. I’ve raised a few eyebrows by announcing that I’m pregnant again in graduate school, but overall the response has been very supportive from my professors and colleagues (and institutionally I will get New Child Leave and have my clock “stop” for half a semester). I don’t like to think of myself as “having it all,” though, because I am very cognizant that what I consider to be “success” in my academic career is not how other women will want to define it. But that’s kind of the point. Thanks to the women who worked against tremendous odds in decades prior, these choices are now available to me. The cards may still be stacked against someone like me getting tenured at an R-1 or writing THE book that redefines my field, but if I can model a faithful scholarship-life balance to my students and my children while nurturing inquisitiveness, integrity, and creativity…I’ll count that as my success.

Sources:

• Blazer: Anne Taylor Loft
• Shirt: Sandra Ingrish via Filene’s Basement
• Belt: Banana Republic Outlet
• Pants: J. Crew (thrifted)
• Shoes: Sam Edelman via Off 5th
• Cosmetic Bag (below): Buy Her Bag, Not Her Body c/o Nomi Network
• Necklace and Bracelet: gifts
• Watch: Tissot
• Ring: Far Fetched (gift) but Jeanine Payer also makes gorgeous jewelry etched with poetry and sayings

Endnotes:
I think it might be a bit of a misnomer to call big, bold pieces “statement” jewelry since there is a whole genre of jewelry (and clothing)* out there that literally makes a statement. E. spotted this witty necklace by Tickette on Etsy, and my favorite “statement” piece of jewelry is this ring that my Uncle gave me (sorry for the poor picture quality).

On the outside it says “well behaved women” and on the inside “rarely make history” which is a slightly altered version of the phrase coined in the 1970s by the writer/professor/feminist, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, who said that “well behaved women seldom make history.” Even though the writing is small and only I know what’s on the inside of the ring, it is still special to me and makes me feel powerful for some reason. Do you have any jewelry that has text on it? What kinds of explicit “statements” does your jewelry make? Do you feel different when you’re wearing it?

On another note, like S. I’ve been getting some good use out of my little cosmetic bag from the “Buy Her Bag, Not Her Body” line that was donated to us for review by the Nomi Network, a “non-profit organization working to eradicate sexual slavery and the trafficking of women.” I decided to use mine to collect all those little odds and ends that seem to float around in the bottom of my purse or school bag.

This bag is definitely generous and can carry a lot. It’s good for my purse or the inside of my laptop bag, but it doesn’t fit as nicely in the front pocket as say one of their wristlets might. However, the durable fabric, made of recycled rice bag material, and bright colors mean that it hasn’t been scuffed up or been lost in the bottom of my bag yet! If you’re looking for a socially conscious gift in the near future, please check out Nomi Network’s full array of accessories and help support their very worthy cause.

Thanks to you all for the great discussions during Jewelry Week! There are still so many topics we could get into both stylistically and aesthetically as well as the political, gender, social, cultural, and symbolic power of jewelry. I know I’ll be thinking more about what I put on as well as how I perceive the accessories of those around me. Being single and in my late 20s I often joke that I have “ring-dar” as the left ring finger of everyone is the first place that my eyes go, but now hearing about how many other cultures do things and how people are choosing to change things up I am reminded that I should be careful about drawing conclusions about anyone based on accessories or appearance, period. A good thing to remember!

Please don’t forget to register to win a Mirari Necklace by Orno Jewelry and stop back this weekend for two great Weekend Workshops!

~L.

*If you’d like to read more opinions from the chics about clothing with text please see S.’s post which started a productive debate last summer about “slogan T’s”. A.’s post also about her stance in favor of T-shirts that state things clearly. And E.’s post about her reservations surrounding wearing any clothing that states opinion or takes a side.

Folky Blazer, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress: Forever 21
• Tank: Target
• Blazer: C&C
• Necklace: Forever 21
• Boots: Steve Madden Intyce, via eBay

End Notes:

Are you getting tired of my purple-but-photographs-blue maxi dress? This is the third time I’ve worn it during the 30 for 30, but I have to admit that I’m still really digging long, swooshy skirts for cooler weather. While A. dressed up for her high culture experience at the Nutcracker this weekend, I wore this for my weekend date night to an intimate basement concert by a folksy singer-songwriter.

I didn’t really feel like wearing pants, and all of the other skirts and dresses in my 30 for 30 list seemed too dressy or teacherly for the evening. I tried to play a little with the overall silhouette of the dress by using a tank to create more of a drop-waist. It’s a proportion I usually shy away from, but I threw on a cropped blazer to pull things back up top. Of course, then I realized that I was wearing a blazer to a folk concert. Since it’s knit, though, I figured it would be okay. Right?

Style confession: I was a pretty big fan of long, slim black skirts back in high school and early college. Despite the fact that I was home schooled, I managed to stay away from full, floral mid-calf skirts and tea length khaki skirts, but, yes, I loved my floor length, black knit skirts. And now look: Forever 21 is selling skirts that look just like my high school ones! I feel old, a little confused, and slightly smug that I had something going on stylistically back then.

Pre-Defense, originally uploaded by academichic.

Post-Defense, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Pre:

• Blazer: C&C
• Eggplant top: Banana Republic Factory
• Belt: thrifted
• Skirt: Gap, old hand me down from SIL
• Tights: Hue
• Booties: Steve Madden Ollie
• Mini brooches: Forever 21
• Scarf: Chinatown NYC (below)
• Coat: JCrew (below)

Post:

• Tunic: Tucker for Target Electric Blooms
• Gold belt: thrifted
• Shorts: thrifted, chopped
• Tights: Target
• Bracelet: gift from A.
• Oxfords: Civico 10 via DSW
• Euphoria: self-made

End Notes:

Remember that big qualifying exam I took two weeks ago? Yesterday was my oral defense portion, followed by the scary moment when the professors ask you to leave the room while they deliberate your fate.

In an appropriate reflection of my anxious state of mind, yesterday was bitterly cold and gray. We snapped these pictures literally right before I left for campus, and you can tell that I was nervous and jittery. Let’s be frank: sometimes, not even a great outfit can overcome nerves.

But…after being thoroughly grilled for over an hour, I passed! Hallelujah! And this is how I felt about that:

Today’s outfit — in all its pattern mixing, wild colored, gold highlighted, ruffles and wool glory — is a fairly accurate representation of my thankfulness and excitement over clearing one more big academic hurdle. Today’s outfit is not about being pretty or flattering my body to its best advantage. Today’s outfit is about being exuberant and playful and not worrying about rules or requirements for just a little bit.

10 November 2010 – Not in the Plan, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Blue v-neck: Forever 21
• Necklace: Forever 21
• Knit blazer: C&C
• Belt: thrifted
• Shorts: thrifted and chopped
• Wedges: thrifted

End Notes:

Right, so wearing a t-shirt and shorts — sans cardigan and tights — was not really in my plan for 30 for 30. But it’s WARM here today. Midwest weather, you baffle me. So while I left the house this afternoon to run errands wearing my knit blazer (below), I ended up taking it off because I just didn’t need it.

This is a double dose of boxy+slouch, not usually a combination that I go for. But today it worked for an easy, put-together look that made me feel a little bit like Katharine Hepburn. If Katharine Hepburn ever wore a t-shirt and shorts, that is.

10 November 2010 – Not in the Plan, originally uploaded by academichic.

24 September 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Blazer: Gap, gift from MIL
• Top: Target
• Belt: (in picture below) thrifted
• Ponte pants: Ann Taylor
• Pumps: Madden Girl, via DSW

End Notes:

I think all of you had great thoughts for L. yesterday regarding her colleagues’ responses to her “dressing up.” In preparation for an upcoming series of posts, I’ve been reading a lot of older articles from the Chronicle of Higher Ed regarding academia and sartorial choices. While it seems that many people are willing to admit that it is unfair to equate care for one’s appearance with a lack of intellectual rigor, the actual advice dispensed tends to accept this state of affairs as normative: “Don’t look like you’re trying too hard but don’t look like you didn’t try at all.” Not so helpful.

My favorite quote from a 1998 article on professorial fashion comes from Nell Painter, then-professor of history at Princeton.

“There are prejudices against people who look too Jewish, too working-class, too Italian, too black, or too much of anything different.” She adds, however, that “if you look too WASPish, that’s probably all right.”

All of this has very little to do with my outfit today, except for this one question: are skinny or slim cut pants appropriate for the classroom and/or office?

I love these straight leg black ponte pants from Ann Taylor, but, as I am today, I have tended to wear them only for more casual outfits that I would not consider teaching appropriate. Weirdly, though, I always seem to wear them with a blazer. I’ve been happy to let these pants exist in my casual-but-not-too-casual register of wardrobe-dom, but now that even Ann Taylor is styling “work looks” with skinny black pants, I’m wondering if skinnies are mainstreamed, demystified, desexified, or de-whatevered enough to be considered professional garb?

But did you get what just happened there? For a garment to become “appropriate” for teaching or the office, I implied that it has to achieve some sort of vaguely defined neutral status as not “too anything.” But who is making that judgment? Is there really a “neutral” category for clothes (or how people wear them)?

What do you think? Are skinny pants appropriate office or teaching wear? In what scenarios? If you think they’re okay now, would you have thought that two or three years ago? If you think they’re inappropriate, what are your reasons?

And here I am, thoughtfully contemplating this question:

24 September 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

14 September 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Skirt – Gap Outlet (refashioned from dress)
• Navy Blazer – Ann Taylor Outlet
• White Tee – H & M
• Belt – Tie from another dress
• Brooch – Grandmother’s
• Red Flats – Target
• Earrings – gift from A2

Endnotes:

I’m more than ready for Fall – for corduroy, for blazers, for scarves and boots, for pumpkin spiced lattes, and cinnamon donuts and apple cider – but, as it turns out, I’m not quite ready for my summer love affair with this color palette to end.  I’ve always been drawn to a more nautical aesthetic during the summer months and am no strange to stripes.  The addition of these red flats to my wardrobe, however, quickly made the blue + white (especially blue and white stripes) + red combination my summer favorite.

I’m trying to transition this look into fall by adding my navy blazer.  It still has a rather summery (or maybe springy) feel to it, but I think it works.

I think this ensemble is all in the details – the blue and white pinstriped tie, fastened in a kind of droopy half bow, which picks up the blue, red, and white lining of the blazer (revealed at the cuffs, and the small silver brooch attached to my lapel.

14 September 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

I’m not sure how much more mileage I will get out of this blue-white-red combination as the weather cools and leaves turn and the corduroy and wool comes out, but I’m sure I’ll try at least one more fall version in the coming weeks.  And, I’m sure to get PLENTY of mileage out of this cropped navy blazer!

What about you, are there certain colors or aesthetics you are sad to leave behind as Summer transitions to Fall?  What fall colors and fabrics are you more than ready to embrace?

14 September 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

17 August 2010 – Monochromatic Orange!, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Rust Top – Banana Republic
• Denim Pencil Skirt – BR Outlet
• Red-Orange Belt – BR Outlet
• Navy Blazer – Ann Taylor Loft
• Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW
• Bag – Crystalyn Kae
• Earrings – Gift from A2

Endnotes:

That’s right, not only am I sporting orange, but I’ve pulled together three items in orange!  I usually leave oranges and reds to E. and S. (although I do think L. pulled if off beautifully) but there is something about this unique rust color that I think works for me.  Then, A2 bought me these lovely little orange earrings and I decided what better way to embrace the Fashion 101 Challenge then to do Monochromatic Orange!

Orange Branch Earrings, originally uploaded by academichic.

Both the earrings and the top have quite a bit of red in them so I added my red-orange belt and a few neutrals to complete the outfit.  I like how the orangey tone of my cognac tote bag from Crystalyn Kae, adds to the monochrome and draws out a similar shade in my old stand-by brown wedges.  Monochromatic does NOT mean you need to dress from head to two in one color but rather that the only non-neutral you wear is one color.   Personally, I think neutrals are essential for keeping a monochromatic ensemble from looking to costume-y. Here  I chose to mix my neutrals – brown and navy, which I think adds a bit of sophistication to this orange number.

Earlier this summer, I asked for suggestions on where to find a cropped navy blazer to replace my increasingly faded and misshapen one.  A couple readers pointed me to Ann Taylor loft, where I found this 3/4 sleeve cropped blazer with a striped lining – perfect!  I’ve had it all summer and wore it a bunch in the classroom and have a feeling it will get tones of year-round use.

What’s a color you usually shy away from?  Do you have one item in that color you keep returning to?

17 August 2010 – Monochromatic Orange!, originally uploaded by academichic.

14 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Jacket: Banana Republic Factory
• Tank: Target
• Belt: Old Navy
• Skirt: thrifted ages ago
• Wedges: Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW

End Notes:

Somewhat ironically, although S. and A. have been having days of simple or repeat duds while traveling or working away from campus, I’ve been secretly relishing the excuse to dress up every weekday for my translation course. The only problem is that since the class consumes so much time my picture-taking and post-writing moments have been severely constrained!

While one cannot ever entirely separate clothing’s form from its function, I do feel like I’ve been dressing primarily for function for quite a while now. When we started this blog, I was dressing to accommodate my growing baby bump. Then, I was dressing for ease of frequent breastfeeding (nursing tanks and surplice necklines). Now, I’m dressing to be able to bike to campus in hot summer weather (hence the recent lack of pencil skirts and pants). While I may sometimes whine about how the demands on my body circumscribe wardrobe creativity, I have to admit that the default primacy of functionality in my clothing choices certainly reinforces the notion of style always being understood in a social context, of clothing as woven (pun!) into our lives of doing, not only being perceived.

Perhaps I should also qualify the notion of “functionality.” Certainly some spandex and sneakers would arguably be “more functional” for commuting via bike. But I’m not really interested in finding the “most” functional outfit, just as I’m not really interested in finding the most creative or aesthetically pleasing outfit. For my specific ride to campus, for the specific schedule of my day, for the particular thermostat levels of the classroom I’m in, and from my particular closet, I make choices. It’s this sense of clothes-in-context that first drew me to style blogging, and what I miss when I’m just flipping through a JCrew or Anthropologie catalog or looking at Banana Republic’s lookbook online. I love seeing how clothes accompany and enable the “doing” of people’s lives, right down to the various iterations of skinnies-and-tunics or tanks-and-bermudas that let S. and A. do all that they do.

14 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

28 May 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Knit blazer: C&C
• Striped tank: Target
• Skinnies: Ann Taylor
• Oxfords: Civico10 from DSW

End Notes:

Whew. As A. mentioned yesterday, I started a summer course this week: an intensive French translation class. I’m still getting the hang of this new schedule and trying to figure out when snapping a picture can fit into my daily rhythm. But, between biking to and from campus every day this week and translating an excerpt of an article on a Jean Luc-Godard film, I’m feeling pretty good about my productivity levels.

I enjoy the fact that in the spring and summer my range of style references seems to expand as I apparently vacillate between full, billowy skirts and more “geek chic” looks, like this one. The skinnies and tank were easy to bike in, but once I arrived at my classroom I could throw on this knit blazer to stave off the dreaded summer air conditioning freeze-out and feel a little more put-together.

Is your style repertoire influenced by the seasons? I’m not talking about only wearing wool in winter, but do you perhaps find yourself to be a Katherine Hepburn trouser lady in the winter and a devoted dress lady in the summer? A spring hippie? An autumn prep?

I love the idea of having a personal style that allows for (and maybe even encourages?) these kinds of excursions into other style milieu. I think it starts to tap into some of the power that clothes have on both personal and social levels (however intertwined those two may be). So I shouldn’t feel schizophrenic for wearing vintage Hawaiian print one day, a retro-style dress the next or trying to edge-ify khaki, but instead embrace it as part of the creative potential (both aesthetic and generative) of getting dressed.

28 May 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.