academichic

25 August 2009 – Shifty, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Black shirt dress – Old Navy
• Brown leather belt – Gap Outlet
• Brown wedges – thrifted

End Notes:

Our recent recommendations on accessorizing a black shift dress made me all nostalgic for my little black wool shift dress. I love the silhouette of a great-fitting shift, and it’s a look that I missed while pregnant. Sadly, that wool LBD is not at all conducive to breastfeeding, nor does it hold up well to spit up, meaning that it will be relegated to storage for a little while longer. But, that doesn’t mean that the, er, spirit of the shift dress need be absent.

This morning I pulled out this slim shirt dress from my pre-preggers storage bin and buttoned it on with hopeful anticipation. And let me be honest. What you see in the photograph is the result of some thoughtful finagling, namely, wearing a black nursing cami underneath, leaving the top three buttons undone to accommodate my new breastfeeding bosom, and moving the waist of the dress up to hide my remaining baby bumpage by adding a wide belt.

Shifty Eyed, originally uploaded by academichic.

It sounds very complicated when I type it all out like that, but in reality it took only a few minutes of tweaking and slipping on a new-to-me pair of wedges to make me see something akin to my pre-preggers style (and body) in the mirror…just altered to meet the demands of my new life. Is it strange that I get a little creative adrenaline rush from my wardrobe trompe-l’œil?

Thrifted Wedges, originally uploaded by academichic.

24 August 2009 – Trim, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Wrap shirt – BR Outlet
• Gray bermudas – thrifted, chopped by me
• Orange heels – Dolce Vita, via www.solestruck.com
• Earrings – local jeweler, a gift from my husband

End Notes:

This morning A. and I attended our department’s annual meet and greet brunch. I remember walking into our building three years ago full of anticipation and anxiety over launching my graduate career. I don’t really remember what I wore that day, but I do remember that A. and I were the only people there wearing skirts. If our meeting was a movie, there would have been a little *ding* noise in the soundtrack and a voiceover squealing, “Friends!”

Shirt detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

Today I brought baby e. with me to the brunch, and I eschewed a full skirt for a sleek pair of bermudas and a crisp white wrap shirt. And then…I threw on my bright orange pumps. Maybe my top was a message to the faculty — “I’m calm, I’m put together, don’t fear” — and my shoes were a message to the new students — “I can be fun, too!”

Because, really, nothing says “fun at parties” like an orange pump.

Dolce Vita Pumps, originally uploaded by academichic.

Umbilical Glass Earrings, originally uploaded by academichic.

23 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Magenta shirt dress – Target
• Woven belt – F21
• Patterned flats – Old Navy, remixed

End Notes:

It’s been two weeks since I gave birth to baby e., but today was the first time that I ventured out on my own without him. Sure, I ended up leaving the house 45 minutes and one feeding later than I had originally anticipated, but at least I was clean and clothed. I was even — wait for it — wearing a woven fabric rather than the knits that typified my late maternity wardrobe. I know, it’s a big step.

This wine color is one of my favorites, and I’m thrilled to have a whole dress in this hue. Since the button-up front of the dress makes it highly conducive to breastfeeding, this will likely be a new favorite day dress. While I have several ideas on how to restyle this in the future, today I opted for the most straightforward route: a belt to give waist definition and patterned flats to add a little interest.

Patterned Flats, originally uploaded by academichic.

As my body continues to recover from pregnancy and adapt to breastfeeding, my wardrobe remains in a state of daily flux. Will this bottom fit today? Can I feed baby e. in this top? How badly will stains show on this dress? Is it dangerous to wear this necklace around little grabby hands? It’s a rather unglamorous approach to getting ready in the morning but it’s also a different kind of creative challenge. How can I be functional and look stylish all while negotiating a body that seems to be a different shape every day? When I think about it that way I am intrigued, rather than frustrated, and ready to tackle my closet again.

23 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.