academichic

Sources:

• Striped t-neck – Gap, via consignment store
• Vest – Ann Taylor Loft, hand me down
• Jean Skirt – Mimi Maternity, gift
• Tights – TJMaxx
• Boots – Dillards
• Pendant – Anthropologie
• Wood and Silver Ring – Souvenir from Munich, Germany
• Down coat below – Tahari, via TJMaxx
• Hat below – C&A, Germany

Endnotes:

Before I move on to the outer layers of this outfit (and outerwear in general), I just have to give a shout-out to one awesome reader – Suzanne – who sent me this wonderful Mimi Maternity jean skirt! Thank you, Suzanne! She kindly offered to pass it on to me when I wrote about wanting to add a maternity jean skirt (preferably a pencil skirt) to my maternity wardrobe. This one fits perfectly and has a bit of stretch to it, which I love because it makes cycling in it really easy. (And, as many of you know, ‘bike-friendliness‘ is always high on my wardrobe criteria list). Thank you, for such a random act of kindness!

As for what I wore over this outfit? My trusty Tahari downcoat. I have a few ‘dressier’ peacoats and wool coats (see below) but where I currently live, temperatures drop routinely well below freezing. For the majority of winter, temperatures hover around 10-20 F and sometimes it’s even colder than that. (As it is today – currently 1F!) Wool coats and peacoats just don’t cut it in that kind of cold. I acquired this Tahari down coat last winter via TJMaxx and it’s quickly become my favorite winter coat. I wore it all last winter while spending a lot of time on foot in Munich and I’ve been wearing it this winter as I predominantly walk and bike to campus. Even on the coldest of days, this coat keeps me warm and comfortable. If you’ve been hit by the same snow storms and cold weather gusts as we have been in the Midwest, this kind of coat is your ticket to warmth and frostbite avoidance!

I especially love the fluffy hood, which I wear pulled over my hat when it’s really cold outside. I also love the ruching detail around the edges, which gives this otherwise plain black coat some interest and style.

As mentioned, I also own a few wool coats, which I wear on days when the temperatures stay above 30F. I have one classic black wool coat that I puchased during my first year abroad in Salzburg, Austria and which has weathered many a winters since I bought it in 2002. I have had to sew and patch the lining on the inside but this coat has otherwise retained its shape, color, and fit. I bought it at a higher-end department store (Hämmerle, for those Austrian readers out there) and it was well worth the investment. As quality outerwear usually is, right?

My other coats are a brown polkadot peacoat by ‘Green with Envy’ via TJMaxx and a blue-violet wool coat from J.Crew, recently inherited from my mom.

A classic knee-lenghth wool coat is a fail-safe investment piece as it will never go out of style and will work with the most elegant of outfits. If you already own one such coat, I would suggest opting for a fun bolder color with your second coat. While this blue-violet is less conventional, the fact that it comes in classic cut and in one solid color makes it suprisingly easy to ‘match’ with almost anything. As for the polkadot coat – I feared that buying a patterend coat would limit my use of it but with the colors being predominantly neutrals (brown background with tan and violet polkadots), I have found it surprisingly easy to pair with alomost anything.

And for slightly warmer temperatures (pretty much anything between summer and winter), I stand by a tried and true classic: the traditional trenchcoat. Just as E. had to swoon over her dark denim trench coat, I have to give a shout-out to this item because I find it infinetily chic and timeless. My trenchcoat is actually my grandmother’s trench coat from Romania, ca. 1973. She wore it for many years and eventually had it altered to shorten the length. I found it in her closet while visiting Romania a year and a half ago and happily claimed it. As E. mentioned, the beauty of the trench is that it fits over all your layers nicely and then cinches at the waist to flatter your silhouette. This one also comes with these gorgeous carved buttons and the faint air of a coat well traveled.

I know it’s a piece I will wear for a long time and  will hopefully pass on to my child or grandchild.

Those are my picks of outerwear that meets my criteria of functional, practical, and elegant. What are you wearing this week to stay warm out there?

~ S.

19 May 2010 – Introducing, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Necklace: Honolulu swap meet
• Tank: Target
• Belt: Forever 21
• Skirt: self-made
• Patent sandals: Old Navy
• Helmet: Nutcase

End Notes:

I’d like to introduce…my bike. Over the past year, my husband N. has become a 4-season bike commuter and increasingly committed to biking for all possible local errands. And, bless his heart, he spent six months tracking down the perfect bike for me and a trailer for baby e. to tag along in.

We finally found a winner in this Takara 6-speed, purchased used from a local non-profit bike organization. Turns out I’m a sucker for bikes with tall, elegant head-tube-stem-bars areas. It’s kind of the sterno-clavicular area of bikes, I suppose.

19 May 2010 – Introducing, originally uploaded by academichic.

We’ve been a full-fledged biking family for a couple of months now that the weather has turned agreeable: N. on his gorgeous Raleigh pulling baby e. in his Burley trailer while I follow behind. We’ve biked to dinner, to church, to the grocery store, to a department party, and, as of today, to pick up our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box o’ goodies.

Let’s be frank. I’m far from an accomplished biker. I still have trouble finding my optimal gear, I’m not terribly fast, and I get exceedingly nervous when wending my way down curvy handicap ramps on campus. But biking has afforded me a new means of comingling my roles as wife, mother, and graduate student. Indeed, perhaps the thing I appreciate most about biking as a family is how it integrates so many aspects of our life together. To be able to get some exercise, spend time with N. and baby e., and check an errand off of my to-do list is a triple-win situation.

Plus, I love the sound of baby e. “singing” from his trailer as he vibrates down the road.

This is my first entry in the Let’s Go Ride a Bike Summer Games in the “Social Cycling” category. I’m so excited to play along, and I hope that many of you all will be participating as well!

12 April 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Tie dye scarf: courtesy of Nepali by TMD Designs
• Top: Old Navy
• Skirt: self-fashioned from a pair of undergrad jeans
• Belt: borrowed from another dress
• Orange pumps: Dolce Vita, via solestruck.com

End Notes:

Today’s outfit was — I think — a good example of how little pops of color can liven up an otherwise neutral ensemble of basics. I borrowed this seafoam green belt from another dress, to break up the gray and denim, and then added two different shades of orange, a red orange for the shoe and a yellow orange with the scarf. At first I was so proud of myself for doing a split complementary color combination, but then I consulted my color wheel and realized that it’s not, really. Actually, it doesn’t fit that neatly into any of the color combination modules we explored before. It does, however, kind of remind me of a Cezanne landscape painting, and I can run with that.

(Paul Cezanne, The Bay from L’Estaque, c. 1886, oil on canvas)

And while the outfit still worked without the added swath of yellow-orange:

12 April 2010 – without the scarf, originally uploaded by academichic.

…I really do prefer it with this really lovely bamboo scarf that the generous folks over at Nepali by TDM Designs sent us. I’m loving the lightweight, organic bamboo fiber and the fresh citrus color that’s perfect for spring. Plus, as both Winona’s guest post and the most recent issue of Lucky Magazine showed, tie dye is another spring trend, and Nepali by TDM Designs continues to be spot on both in style and socially responsible business practices.

12 April 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

(We’ll have an opportunity for you to win your very own tie dyed bamboo scarf from Nepali by TDM Designs very soon, so keep your eyes peeled!)

You may be waiting for me to announce that I have yet another lingering high school misgiving about tie dye’s return to style but…surprise! I’m actually pretty excited. I have great memories of making shibori (basically Japanese tie dye) t-shirts at junior high sleep overs, and I’m tempted to see if my skills remain intact enough to make a shibori tank top or some other such garment. Yes, it’s my Japanese hippie side coming out to play.

12 April 2010 – back, originally uploaded by academichic.

11 August 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Endnotes:

For this week’s color review, we’re experimenting with triads (as E. did today) and analogous colors. When it comes to analogous pairings, A. is the queen of greens and blues. I’m usually more drawn to the warmer color combos, like purple and red or red and orange. Today I’m meeting A. half way and combining purple with blue – a neither cool nor warm color mix that creates a beautifully balanced result.

As for the shoes, I’m going to join E. in raving about my new pointy flats although they’re no superb yellow snakeskin like hers but still pretty cool in their own rights. I had been wanting to add another patterned flat to my collection since I practically lived in my black and white damask ones this spring. I was also repeatedly inspired by E’s use of her patterned flats to spruce up many an outfit during her pregnancy when she felt like her shrinking wardrobe was becoming an increasing style challenge. Her patterned flats were not only comfortable but also gave her looks that pop of visual interest that she could not always count on from her clothes. Well, lesson learned: patterned flats is where it’s at.

And on a technical ‘cycle chic’ side note: I discovered today that it’s not very easy to hop on a bike when wearing a pencil skirt. Pencil skirts do not exactly allow for much hopping or peddling. This one allowed for more movement once I undid the bottom button, but I think in the future I may have to avoid narrow cut skirts for my bike commute. Fellow bike commuters, any tips or thoughts? S.

6 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed.

• Denim skirt: ON Maternity
• Gray tank: ON Maternity
• Wine cardi: H&M
• Orange bauble necklace: Forever 21
• T-Strap Wedges: Target.com

End Notes:

It was only after I put this on yesterday that I realized why it looked so familiar:

13 February 2009 – With Coat, originally uploaded by academichic.

I had essentially worn the same outfit this winter. But yesterday, nstead of February’s dark gray sweater, I wore a dark gray tank top. Instead of cognac boots I wore t-strap wedges. I think it’s funny that I even wore my orange necklace in the same alternate way (with an extra chain attached to alter the shape).

Orange Bauble Necklace, originally uploaded by academichic.

Oh, right. And I guess this time around I’m also almost 9 months preggers.

I suppose this means I have a consistent style through the seasons and through pregnancy! But I’m curious if any of you feel like your style changes with the seasons. Do you pull more to the hippie, bohemian side during the summer but are preppier in the fall? Do you embrace the retro look more in the spring and go mod in the winter? Or does your style stay fairly defined year-round? Do you have summer versions of favorite winter combinations?

6 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

  

20 June 2009 – Garage Sale Saturday, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed but embroidered top:

• Blue tank – Hanes 
• Embroidered top – from Romania years ago 
• Jean skirt – Urban Outfitters 
• Sandals – Birkies 
• Tote – Target 
• Coffee mug – Bixby’s Cafe in Duluth, MN

Endnotes:

As I mentioned last Saturday, one of my favorite Summer activities is going to garage sales on weekend mornings. Fortunately, my fiance T. share this same passion and that’s how I know we’re a match made in heaven. We have the same stamina and persistence when it comes to digging through other people’s trash in order to find what we’ll deem treasures. 

What are some of your favorite summer time activities and what do you look forward to come weekend? S.

 

17 February 2009 – Analogous Colors, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Blue-Green scarf – H&M 
• Blue sweater – Jones New York, remixed 
• Green checkered button-down – J.Crew 
• Jean skirt – Urban Outfitters, remixed 
• Blue tights – Forever 21 
• Black boots – Banana Republic, remixed 
• Green bangle – Big Lots (read not very interesting story in Endnotes here) 
• Earrings – Swarovski, gift from parents 

Endnotes:

Today I’m wearing an analogous outfit of the blue and green variety. This is rare for me, as I tend to gravitate towards the warm color families, but I think Blue and Green are becoming my new friends. I did throw in a burst of reds and oranges with these (also analogous) earrings from Swarovski, which were a wonderful present from my parents. -S.

    

Analogous Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

   

Jewelry Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

      29 January 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.   

    

29 January 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Sweater – DKNY 
• Skirt – American Eagle 
• Boots – Bronx 
• Necklace – Sigrid Olsen, thrifted 
• Earrings – gift 
• Bracelet – Big Lots

Endnotes:

One of our favorite bloggers, String, has tagged us to list 7 random things about ourselves. A. and E.’s posts will soon follow, and my list is just below. I, in turn, would like to tag the lovely Vera from Deep in Vogue and the wonderful Rachel from Click Your Heels. 

The rules are:

• Link to the person who tagged you

• Post the rules on your blog
• Write 7 random things about yourself

• Tag 7 people at the end of your post and link to them

• Let each person know they’ve been tagged

So without further ado, 7 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT S. :

1.  My childhood obsession was Alf. I owned about 20 cassette tapes with Alf episodes (in German) that I would listen to every night on my tape player as a bed time story. I didn’t want to be read to, I wanted my Alf fix. I still love Alf, but he no longer soothes me to sleep and it’s also not the same hearing him in English, I prefer the German-speaking Alf I grew up with.

2.  As an adult, I’ve replaced my childhood Alf obsession with a vampire fascination. I love and have seen every episode of Buffy and Angel, and love vampire books like Stoker’s classic Dracula and Anne Rice novels. I even managed to work my obsession into my course work and, during my second year of my PhD program, wrote a final paper comparing the figure of the Other in Stoker’s Dracula with the contemporary Angel. Isn’t it great when academia and your neurotic fan-obsessions can collide?

3.  I eat desert after every meal. Breakfast included.

4.  I run and love running. But I also do it because I eat desert after every meal and something’s got to counteract that.

5.  A. and I are training for a marathon this spring. Preggers, obviously, is not training with us.

6.  I’m prematurely going grey. I have a lot of grey hair already that I dye. I noticed that a recent trend in academia is for young female professors to leave their grey hair uncolored and to wear it with pride. I am not part of that group.

7.  I just discovered Edamame a couple of months ago (when I saw E. snacking on them) and since then, I’ve been consuming ungodly amounts of edamame with sea salt.  I’m not sure that something that’s good for you is still good for you when it becomes 80% of your diet, but I tend to have a slightly obsessive personality, so this too, will pass. 

      

Jewelry detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

   

26 January 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• White button down – TJMaxx 
• Cardigan – J.Jill 
• Green belt – United Colors of Benetton 
• Jean skirt – Urban Outfitters 
• Grey tights – TJMaxx 
• Green suede loafers – Anne Klein

Endnotes:

I love this jean skirt. In the summer, I practically live in it since it goes with everything and you can dress it up or down with your choice of shoes or top. But somehow it didn’t occur to me to bring it out this winter, since I think of wool or corduroy skirts as more winter appropriate. Then E. pulled out this fantastic ensemble last week, which prompted me to run to my closet and retrieve my jean skirt too. What summer item do you love and haven’t worn in ages? (Unless it’s hot where you are, as is the case with Andrea). Try mixing it into your winter wardrobe and let us know what you did! -S.

  

22 January 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Black beaded cardigan – gift from mother-in-law
• Purple t-shirt – Target
• Denim skirt – Old Navy
• Gray tights – Target
• Black patent ballet flats – Payless
• Leather jacket with bracelet sleeves – Argentina, gift from father-in-law
• Green scarf – Ross

End Notes:

A few months ago, Lucky Magazine suggested stretching your closet by wearing “evening” items for day. While I’m not about to wear a taffeta ball skirt to class, I wanted to try the idea in a more pared-down way, so I matched this jet-beaded cardigan from my mother-in-law with a casual t-shirt and denim skirt. Does this count as postmodern style pastiche? The cardigan is demure, the tights and flats make me feel like a dancer, and the leather jacket adds just a bit of edge.

  

Outer layer, originally uploaded by academichic.

  

Cardigan Beaded Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.