5 July 2009 – Last Spin , originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed:

• Fuschia scarf – J.Crew
• Purple tank - Banana Republic
• Cuffed skinnies – Abercrombie, thrifted
• Orange gladiators – American Eagle
• “Pride” necklace – garage sale find

Endnotes:

Since I spent a significant portion of my day in the car today, I needed an outfit that was no-fuss and accommodating to my schedule. Flat shoes for ease and comfort while loading and unloading my car and light layers to combat the heat were a must. So I drew my inspiration from the cute outfits A. and her sister L. sported just last week and put together this purple tank with my cuffed skinnies. I added a hair scarf for both the fun detail it provides and the function it serves in keeping my hair out of my face and off my neck in this brutal heat.

These flat gladiator sandals have become a staple in my summer wardrobe and I’m surprised how often I wear them given that they are a bright punchy orange. But if you follow this blog, you know that neither of us three shies away from a bright and colorful shoe! I used to think that all I needed was a black and a brown shoe for each season and I’d have my bases covered. But why stick to brown and black when there are so many more fun options out there?

We recently received a reader email asking us how we know when to pair a colorful shoe with our outfits and whether there is a good rule of thumb for how to combine colored footwear with colors in the garments. Before we try to develop a methodology of our own on this subject, I’d like to pose these questions to you: Do you play it safe with you shoes or are you also a fan of the colorful and patterned variety? If so, what’s your ‘rule of thumb’ when incorporating a colorful shoe into your outfit? And when do you make colorful footwear work and when do you decidedly steer away from it? S.

26 May 2009 – Possibilities, Take 2, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Fuschia tee – Banana Republic 
• Ivory cardi – Moth “Possibilities” sweater, sold at Anthropologie, and on loan from the weardrobe closet! 
• Cuffed skinnies – thrifted, remixed 
• Rushed black flats – Kenneth Cole Reaction 
• White earrings – made by me, remixed

Shoes!, originally uploaded by academichic.

One thing I would do is swap the daily Birkenstocks for various colorful and fun flats. I love a boldly colored shoe or a fun patterned flat and could see having a variety of colorful yet comfortable footwear at my disposal making my daily lab get-up more enticing. (Pictured above are all my shoes with one inch heel or lower and you can find the sources for all of them listed here.) 

Black flats, originally uploaded by academichic.

I realize that this cardi is less lab appropriate (unless you wear a lab coat and then it doesn’t matter what’s underneath), but we just got it on loan from the weardrobe closet and I was dying to try it on today. Yesterday, E. demonstrated the crazy shape of it, but that’s what makes it so fun – you can keep playing with it until you find a shape you like. (I had the same instinct as E. to pair this billowy and flowey cardigan with a fitted pant for contrasting proportions). And for a more lab appropriate look, you could wear this same outfit with a more fitted cardi like my yesterday’s tan one (keeping the same color scheme but avoiding the excess fabric), or with a fun colored cardi to contrast the otherwise neutral colors or the dark skinnies and black flats. S. 

26 May 2009 – Possibilities, Take 2, originally uploaded by academichic.