academichic

Sources:

• Fuchsia top – thrifted
• Dress – Gap, thrifted
• Blue necklace – thrifted
• Wooden bangle – thrifted
• Tights – TJMaxx
• Boots – Dillards

Endnotes:

This entire outfit, save boots, tights, and undergarments, came from the local thrift store. It probably grand totaled at less than $10 for everything: dress, top, necklace, and bracelet. I can’t help it, I just love a good bargain. It makes me love an outfit like this even more.

Both the top (which is an empire waist turtleneck…hm, interesting) and the dress (also conveniently empire-waisted) were my attempts to add to my maternity wardrobe with items that could easily transition back into a post-baby wardrobe. I hadn’t planned on wearing these two together until I saw them accidentally hanging next to each other in my closet, making a loud but beautifully daring color statement. Add to this my newly acquired turquoise necklace and I’m right on track with my style resolution of embracing bolder prints, bolder color combinations, and bolder accessories.

After this combination came together, it reminded me a bit of the Diane von Furstenberg pre-Fall 2011 collection, which has been making its rounds on the interwebs. I don’t own enough turquoises and teals to recreate some of these looks but I do love how those cool tones play against the warmer tans, reds, and oranges. My version is a little more maroon and fuchsia with only a dash of turquoise thrown in, but still a valiant attempt at a punchy color mix, right?

{image source}

What are some of your favorite color combinations right now? ~S.

{My week 14 bump, as these pictures were taken last Friday}

8 September 2010 – Wardrobe Workhorse, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress: Target
• Pumps (both colors): Steve Madden
• Scarf: c/o Nepali by TDM Designs
• Necklace (below): F21
• Jacket (below): H&M, thrifted
• Yellow sandals: Old Navy
• Baby carrier: Ergo

End Notes:

The smart and stylish ladies over at Scholar Style Guide have declared this week “Wardrobe Workhorse Week, as they think about what items (or genre of items) they get the most use out of in their wardrobes. While I’m a little late to the party, I love this idea and I immediately thought of several specific items in my closet that have actually surprised me with how frequently they show up in my wardrobe rotation.

Back in July, I paid homage to this navy jersey dress for being an utterly remixable wardrobe staple despite the fact that it is not what I would generally term a true “basic.” To reiterate, when I first purchased this dress I was basically worried that it wasn’t bland enough to be a staple.

I was wrong.

Besides my previous examples of adding pops of color and layering under and over the dress…

I can also make it on trend:

8 September 2010 – Wardrobe Workhorse, originally uploaded by academichic.

I can fancy it up:

8 September 2010 – Wardrobe Workhorse, originally uploaded by academichic.

Or wear it with a baby carrier to run errands:

8 September 2010 – Wardrobe Workhorse, originally uploaded by academichic.

What makes this dress so versatile without being boring? Details like the full shoulder and wide sash give it personality, but neither of those elements are particularly attention-grabbing. The v-neck gives it potential for layering below and the slim skirt gives it potential for layering on top. In terms of color, navy is a soft, sophisticated neutral that plays well with others without being garish. Finish all this off with the fact that its washable cotton jersey, meaning it’s baby-friendly and biking friendly.

Move over, LBD, my Little Navy Dress is getting it done and taking names. Are you participating in Wardrobe Workhorse Week? What are the items you get the most use out of in your closet?

8 September 2010 – Wardrobe Workhorse, originally uploaded by academichic.

(Styling today is courtesy of baby e. who picked out my blue suede shoes from the closet, put them next to my feet, and then baby-signed “please.” He’s got good taste.)

18 August 2010 – Split Take Two, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress: Max & Cleo, from BCBG Outlet
• Scarf: thrifted
• Shoes: Steve Madden
• Sunglasses: vintage

End Notes:

(With apologies for the harsh sunlight) Like S. I stood in front of my closet for a while trying to think of a monochromatic outfit that didn’t turn me into a muppet…and came out empty handed. On the other hand, I think I’m getting the hang of split complements.

Pink, Yellow Green, and Blue Green, originally uploaded by academichic.

A pink shoe (from the red wedge of the color wheel), a blue-green dress, and a yellow-green scarf as a belt…and voila. Again, it’s kind of quirky and maybe I feel a little bit like a mix of Strawberry Shortcake and Kate Spade, but it’s also punchy and fun and puts an unexpected twist on the frequently preppy pink-and-green pairing.

Vintage Sunglasses, originally uploaded by academichic.

Plus, I’m wearing my new-to-me sunglasses and their funny inverted temples-with-wings, and they make me love whatever I’m wearing. My husband makes fun of my “bug eyed” sunglasses, but I remain devoted and I was tickled to find this pair at my favorite local vintage shop.

Several of you have commented on our “scientific” approach to color combinations and declared that you go by your gut instinct when it comes to mixing colors. I’m kind of fascinated by the implicit binary opposition between “scientific” and “emotional” approaches. Ever since middle school, I’ve been uneasy about the whole “right brain” versus “left brain” categorization and the suggestion that method and structure are somehow diametrically opposed to creativity and expression. Seriously, in seventh grade I had a little crisis (because that’s what seventh graders do) over what “side” brain I had and wanted to know if I could just claim a middle ground. A third space, if you will. (It ended up being something of a prophetic moment, I suppose.)

I’ve always thrived in situations where I have parameters or a methodology that opens up a new place or way to explore something. I find that structure feeds my creativity, or that a methodology helps me articulate and extend my intuition in really interesting and productive ways. I think this is a big reason why I’m in graduate school. I am passionate about shifting paradigms or interpretations of artworks within the boundaries of my discipline, using the methodologies that are available to me. Thus, the spill-over into my wardrobe “methodology” is hardly unexpected. I think that some of my favorite outfits have been ones that were created in response to some kind of challenge or within certain parameters!

Do you think that structure and creativity, “science” and “instinct,” are binary opposites? How do your proclivities — either for method or intuition or both — manifest themselves in how you dress?

18 August 2010 – Split Take Two, originally uploaded by academichic.

13 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress: Max & Cleo, from BCBG Outlet
• Belt: Gap Outlet
• Earrings: Honolulu swap meet
• Wedges: Lauren by Ralph Lauren, via Macy’s super shoe sale

End Notes:

You know that seafoam green belt that I’ve blogged a couple of times? It’s actually came with this dress: a wonderfully tailored jersey dress with inverted pleats at the neckline and pockets tucked away in the waistband pleats. I only had this dress for a little while before becoming pregnant, and I had been reluctant to pull it out this summer, wondering if I would fit it again and not wanting to be disappointed if I didn’t.

The good news is that my post-preggers body — particularly my breast-feeding boosted chest — quite possibly fills out this dress better than I did before. Whee! I want to be honest, however, and admit that not all forays back into my pre-preggers wardrobe have been as successful. Things have just…shifted…or something…and my pile of summer clothes to donate has grown. But, whenever I am tempted to despair over the fact that a skirt or a top or a pair of shorts no longer flatter my body, I try to remind myself that the fact that my body overcame some pretty substantial obstacles to have a baby in the first place, and that tends to refocus my perspective.

Speaking of refocused perspectives (like the segue?), S.’s post yesterday resurrected some of my personal neuroses concerning slogan tees. Due in part to personality, in part to upbringing, and in part to the fact that I have close relationships with people in radically different cultural, political, and religious spheres, I’ve never been much of a slogan tee kind of person. I would, to give one example, always prefer to write a long letter than go to a rally.

I am, unfortunately, quick to extrapolate and file. If I see a stranger wearing a certain t-shirt, I assume that I know the entire gamut of the owner’s political views, whether right or left, and I similarly assume that the same assumptions would be made about me. I have never had a good experience of striking up a conversation with a stranger whose slogan tee I disagreed with. Instead, after a few past encounters that devolved into frustratingly hyperbolic one-way expositions, I tend to shy away altogether. My personal rule of thumb has become one of only discussing politics with people that I have a close personal relationship with, in safe spaces where nuance and fuzzy gray borders and third spaces can exist. In these conversations, I surprise my friends and am surprised in turn as questions and counter-examples and confessions come out in messy ways that don’t lend themselves to pithy statements.

But this is my experience, and I’m willing to reconsider. I certainly think that there are inherently political aspects to how we dress, but I tend towards implicit rather than explicit expressions. Have you ever had your mind changed by a slogan tee? Has such a tee sparked a great conversation with someone of an opposing view? Do you make your politics or religion explicit in what you wear? I’m curious.

- E.

Caylin Wedge, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, originally uploaded by academichic.

13 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

6 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Necklace: c/o Beadle Bop
• Dress: Ann Taylor Loft
• Belt: from another dress
• Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell, via Rue La La

End Notes:

My summer class is finally over and I am looking forward to days spent reading in my backyard while baby e. plays in his new sandbox. At least, that’s how it will work in my head.

Simple summer outfits like this drapey gray jersey dress (really, it’s like a big t-shirt) provide the perfect backdrop for breezy accessories like — pun intended — this gorgeous wind tossed flowers necklace from Beadle Bop’s shop on etsy.

(You may recall the Beadle Bop giveaway that we did during Dress Your Best week, in which the ultra chic Liz won a flower-bedecked clutch. If you didn’t win, don’t worry, there’s another Beadle Bop giveaway coming soon!)

Wind Tossed Flower Necklace from Beadle Bop, originally uploaded by academichic.

There’s something about wearing floaty, dreamy flowers around your neck day that is just so…summery. In terms of form, I love how lush these flowers are and the fact that they are in orange, my favorite accessory color of the moment, is the proverbial icing on the cake. In terms of function, I love how the necklace closure is actually a snap cleverly disguised to look like a bow. No more trying to tie a neat bow behind my head or upside down below my chin! (Better still, baby e. is quite taken with these blooms, and pats them gently when I’m carrying him.) And while Anthropologie may be selling something similar for $198, you can’t beat Beadle Bop’s $15 price tag or the fact that you can custom order a color to suit your taste and wardrobe! That’s a pretty good deal for a piece of statement jewelry.

Wind Tossed Flower Necklace from Beadle Bop, originally uploaded by academichic.

Where do you look for statement jewelry pieces? A jewelry store? The jewelry lines of retailers like Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, or Anthropologie? Do look for hidden gems at Target? Or do you go vintage? Or look to Etsy? Do you set out looking for a certain style or color or motif? Or is jewelry something you tend to just pick up along the way?

What suggestions do you have for finding a piece of jewelry that makes the impactful statement you want?

6 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Pre-Wedding Dinner, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

On A:

• Dress – Max Studio, via Marshals
• Shoes – Seychelles, via DSW
• Earrings – gift from S.
• Bag – Crystalyn Kae

On A’s Mom:

• Navy Jersey Cardigan – Talbots
• White Cami – Talbots
• Seersucker Capris – Talbots
• Sandals – Born

On A2 (below):

• Navy Button Down – Ralph Lauren
• Seersucker Pants – Gap
• Sandals – Reefs

On A’s Dad (below):

• Polo – Ralph Lauren
• Shorts – Ralph Lauren

Endnotes:

The night before the wedding the we went to one of favorite old stomping grounds for dinner and micro-brew. Everyone arrived in town at different times and just showed up to the brewery to join our enormous table in the rooftop beer garden.  There was no need for a rehearsal so we all just enjoyed relaxed evening laughing, swapping stories, and  getting excited about the big day.

My mom and I did not coordinate our outfits, but clearly we were on the same wave length with our navy ensembles finished off with our strikingly similar  large brown totes.  I loved my mom’s little jersey cardigan paired with her cropped blue and white seersucker pants.  She was trendy but age appropriate.   We both wear blue well because it makes our eyes pop.  I get my blue eyes from both my parents, but you can clearly see I get my height from dad.

As it turned out A2 apparently also got the memo about navy being our pre-wedding color.

Blue, originally uploaded by academichic.

Both of my parents are brand loyalists.  A majority of my mom’s wardrobe comes from Talbots, including the beautiful black linen dress and blue linen jacket she wore for the actual wedding.  My dad is a true Ralph Lauren fan and owns a polo in just about every color and his wedding suit was also Ralph Lauren.  In the past, I have rarely found much from either of these companies (though A2 swears by Ralph Lauren with her own impressive collection of polos) but have recently been liking more and more from Talbots (more on that in a post to come).

Finally, dearest readers, thank you so much for the outpouring of well wishes and kind words.  It has been so much fun and incredibly heart warming to read all of the comments on the wedding post, so thank you all for adding to the incredible high I’ve been on all week!

A & A2, originally uploaded by academichic.

1 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Navy dress: Target
• Scarf: gift from S. from Germany!
• Necklace: polished garnets, from a street vendor in Chattanooga
• Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell, via Rue La La

End Notes:

One of the most rewarding things about this blog is the ability to look back and see how I’ve been able to wear and re-wear a single item. So, much as I reviewed my remixes of my color block skirt, I’m gushing over the ways that I’ve been able to remix this navy dress.

Although this dress is a neutral color (navy), the full dolman sleeves and wide sash still give it “statement” elements. But, I think that I’ve been able to transform this dress in fairly significant ways through styling. The easiest — but still powerful — way to change the feel of this dress is of course through accessories, particularly pops of color. While today’s brown and blue accessories — tan sandals, a polished garnet necklace, and a patterned scarf — are fairly subtle, I’ve also worn patterned tights, saffron tights, and yellow shoes with this dress.

Layering has been another useful practice for re-styling a staple. I’ve layered a skirt over the dress to change the silhouette and I’ve layered a shirt under the dress to add pattern and color.

I used to worry about buying items that were, in my mind, “too statement-y” (yes, I made that up). I thought that if a garment had too many details, too many things that made it visually interesting, it would also be too recognizable and thus I wouldn’t get that much wear out of it. I think that this navy dress has put that myth to rest. Sure, this is not as bold a statement as, say, my candy striper dress, but I do think it manages to hit a great balance between versatility and not-boringness.

1 July 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

25 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress: Banana Republic Factory
• Belt: from another dress
• Hat: Banana Republic Factory
• Yellow sandals: Old Navy

End Notes:

As mentioned earlier, I am all about the embellished dress + belt + sandals + floppy hat combination for summer picnicking, and I think I found a winner in this putty brown dress with a macrame neckline paired with accessories in unexpected colors.

25 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

25 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Certainly, being the mom of a grabby little boy has compelled me to temporarily retire many of my favorite accessories — especially necklaces and big earrings — and as a result I think I’ve become increasingly enamored with built-in accessories (like embellished necklines) or baby-safe accessories that pack a big punch (like a belt or bright shoes).

But let’s talk for a moment about sizing. I tried this dress on a month or two ago at a visit to the Banana Republic Factory store in my usual dress size and was really disappointed. The neckline did nothing flattering for my figure, the dress overall was too short, and the shape was neither structured enough to wear unbelted or flowing enough to be a “look.”

When I went back a few weeks later, the dress was on the clearance rack, but this color was only available in a large. S. has successfully purchased and styled a dress that was several sizes too big for her, and I’m so glad that I followed her example and tried on the large. The fuller cut let the neckline fall in a more flattering line and the resulting drape was far more conducive to belting (though I had to cut off the little threaded “belt loops”).

What do you think? Is buying several sizes up essentially another way of “altering” a garment? Or does it go against the notion of fit being key? What are some things to be aware of when buying “too big”?

25 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

25 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

30 May 2010 – Weekender, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Hat: Banana Republic Factory
• Dress: Banana Republic Factory
• T-straps: Target.com

End Notes:

Ah, this is the kind of summer dressing that I find so, so easy. A dress, shoes, and now a big floppy hat. There is something so wonderful about just being able to throw on a dress — with a built-in accessory like this embellished neckline! — and just call it a day.

Dress detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

I definitely went through an anti-dress stage in junior high and high school, followed by a I-can’t-find-dresses-that-fit-me stage in undergrad. But over the past few years dresses — especially jersey dresses — have come to be an essential part of my wardrobe. And it’s funny how my favorite dresses don’t necessarily share a similar aesthetic. Their unifying characteristic is simply that they function beautifully as a single piece outfit.

And isn’t that what makes them perfect for holiday weekends with the family?

30 May 2010 – Weekender, originally uploaded by academichic.

P.S. Baby e. insisted on being in this final picture. He recognizes cameras and will strike a pose whenever someone pulls one out. Future style blogger for sure.

24 May 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress – Banana Republic Outlet
• Teal Tank – Banana Republic Outlet
• Sandals – Charlotte Russe
• Earrings – Gift from E.

Endnotes:

This entire outfit probably cost me less than $30 – mostly thanks to Banana Republic Outlet.  E., baby e., and I hit the outlets last week during a sale and armed with extra coupons.  We both made out with some great finds.  I picked up several jersey dresses as I walked through BR but once I made it to the dressing room, most where either too tight, too short, or too shapeless. I’m not convinced this is the most flattering dress on me but it sure is comfortable!  And, for about 9$ I figured I was willing to play around with it.  I love the color – a bit outside my usual color comfort zone – and think it will allow for some fun color combinations.  Today I added teal but am thinking the berry might work well with dark purple or grey, and maybe even maroon for a very close analogous pairing.

24 May 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.