academichic

Holiday Party w/ Sister L., originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

On A:

• Plaid Ruffle Shirt – Gap
• Black Pencil Skirt – Banana Republic
• Tights – BR Factory Store
• Pumps – Urban Outfitters

On L:

• Black Tuxedo-front Shirt – BR Factory Store
• Black Tank – American Eagle Arie
• Skinny Jeans – Target
• Croc Flats – Nine West
• Necklace – J Crew

Endnotes:

As you can probably guess from our background, these pictures were taken quite some time ago.  I’m behind on posts (30 for 30 conclusion still to come) and am trying to catch up on some things before Academichic celebrates a birthday next week!

My little sister L. flew into Academichic Central to spend a few days with A2 and I before making the drive with us to my parent’s house for the Holidays. We spent our time baking Christmas cookies, shopping for gifts, and laying around the house cracking each other up.  We took these photos before attending my department holiday party.  We could barely keep straight faces as A2 struggled to snap a few decent shots before we headed out the door.

After discarding several options, I finally settled on my old workhorse, my black BR pencil skirt, and a ruffly plaid button-down and threw on my currently-favorite pumps.  L. was working with a more limited selection, as she was living out of a suitcase.  She went with skinny jeans and a black tuxedo front shirt and added some bling with her large J Crew chain necklace.

Holiday Party w/ Sister L., originally uploaded by academichic.

But, before leaving, we of course had to try out eachother’s shoes.  I have been eying her adorable flats since this summer, and she has been jealous of my flannel pumps since she photographed my T-Day outfits the month before.  I loved how the high cone-shaped pumps made her legs look a mile long in her skinny jeans.  In the end, we quiickly switched our shoes back and took off for the party giggling as A2 pushed us out the door!

Thanks L. for an awesome visit!  I miss you already!  A.

Holiday Party w/ Sister L., originally uploaded by academichic.

29 December – TDM Milli Zebra Scarf, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Shirt: Banana Republic
• Pencil Skirt: BR
• Scarf: Napali by TDM Designs
• Belt: American Apparel
• Stockings (under): Calvin Klein
• Fishnets: Gucci
• Boots: vintage Charles David

Endnotes:
Hi all! Like E. said, I’ve also been home relaxing and enjoying time with family and friends (and fighting off a string of illnesses as well, unfortunately). I’ve mostly been sporting a variety of jeans and sweaters, and now that New England is covered in over a foot of snow, I’ve only ventured out in serious boots and a down jacket! However, I did manage to get out for an evening Boxing Day party on Sunday (I’m half Canadian, so part of my family celebrates the feast day of St. Stephen as well as Christmas). I knew I wanted to wear this infinity scarf by Napali by TDM Designs looped around my neck because the cashmere is light as a feather and soft as silk. The fun zebra print (which is actually brown) and the golden background are two features I do not usually embrace in my wardrobe, but I’m trying to give both prints and yellow a shot and this outfit worked well for me.

29 December – Scarf as Wrap, originally uploaded by academichic.

Because the infinity scarf is so wide — 22 inches — I also tried this as a shrug of sorts and decided to use my sparkly yellow pin as a clasp. Although much more subtle than the top of my outfit I also chose a purple belt and fishnets to layer over stockings to bring in some complementary colors and liven things up. The boots were a must due to weather as well as warmth. That’s all for now. Check back later this week for a potential New Years Eve outfit!

29 December – Scarf as Wrap back, originally uploaded by academichic.

(Full Disclosure: I arranged this outfit while still on campus during my end of term photo shoot, hence the wooded background!)

Green and Gold, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Shirt: Banana Republic
• Camisole: BR Outlet
• Skirt: BR
• Belt: J. Crew
• Fishnets: Ralph Lauren
• Shoes: Tahari via Endless.com

Endnotes:
This outfit was a haptic fantasy for me. The soft silk crepe of the shirt and the lacy camisole, the slightly itchy wool of the skirt, my new favorite fishnet stockings and finally, and my heavy metal and leather belt presented a smörgåsbord of textures both visually and sensually. I’ve had this shirt for about a million years (real time, since the late 90s) and I think I could count on one hand the number of times I’ve worn it. But, it’s silk, and nice, and “grown up,” and blousy, so it keeps coming with me from apartment to apartment, through jobs and grad school and jobs. Finally pairing it with a pencil skirt might have saved it from the Goodwill pile for good.

Green and Gold profile, originally uploaded by academichic.

I love the structured skirt with the flowy blouse and the belt added a little more hard-core edge to really push this outfit over the top for me. The combination of olive green and metal also tapped into the military trend from this fall. The belt was an impulse purchase at J. Crew. It was on sale for $10 and I figured that I’ve been wanting a gold-colored belt, so why not try this one? I love how the metal of the belt picked up the more subtle metal chain across the shoes too. I wrapped the leather ends around in back and then double knotted them at the front so that the metal and the leather were both visible at first glance.

Textures, originally uploaded by academichic.

I was especially proud of this outfit because I managed to pull it together on the last day of classes before Thanksgiving break. Like I’ve admitted to you all several times, dressing up helps me get my head in the game rather than the opposite, which I think is what others might initially think when they see a person who cares about appearance. Style doesn’t take me away from my “life of the mind” it actually brings me closer to it, and strangely, it challenges me to consider many of the cultural, artistic and intellectual fields I’ve studied. I wish I could put that on a billboard above my head as I walk around school. Oh well, one day at a time.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~L.

Blown sideways, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Plaid shirt: thrifted
• Navy tank: Target
• Belt: Gap Outlet
• Bracelet: gift from A.
• Skirt: Target
• Wedges: thrifted

End Notes:

While I might not think that Occam’s razor is the ultimate guiding principle for science, theology, or philosophy, I have to say that this law of economy definitely has its merits when it comes to getting dressed. Of all the variants, Leonardo da Vinci’s pithy restatement — “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” — translates best to figuring out how to wear this thrifted plaid shirt.

Indeed, the simplest solution — with a gray pencil skirt, belt, and wedges — seems to have been my best so far. Per the suggestions of many, I rolled up the sleeves and threw on a cuff bracelet for some extra oomph and subtle pattern mixing. The only thing I couldn’t quite decide was if I liked it better with the shirt tucked in our let out.

In the end I left it untucked. The more casual vibe was more appropriate for today’s activities, and I already had enough to worry about with this unseasonably warm, windy weather wreaking havoc in my hair!

Jewel Tones, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Shirt: BR Outlet
• Lace trimmed Undershirt: Gap Outlet
• Skirt: Banana Republic
• Belt: Custom made by Leather Report
• Shoes: Bandolino via DSW
• Lacquer Necklace: Ikuta Mayumi via Keiko Gallery (Boston)

Endnotes:
Can you tell how much I loved wearing this outfit? Yup, it was a hit. This look draws from the fall trend of “jewel tones”, and the deep sapphire of the shirt and ruby red of my pendant and belt were inspired by designers that feature these saturated and heart stopping hues in their fall collections.

Jewel Tones – Stylebakery.com, originally uploaded by academichic.

InStyle states:

Not exactly flirtatious, certainly not sweet, fall hues like garnet, malachite and carnelian guarantee drama, especially when used monochromatically. Gem tones also serve to accentuate such fabrics as shiny satins or shimmery metallics and details like pleating and draping…These jewel tones don’t attract; they command.

I definitely loved the fully saturated blue and red together. I felt pulled together and super professional all day in this number, which was important because getting through this last week until Thanksgiving break is really taking it out of me! I find that at least for me, dressing up changes my attitude and how I carry myself is influenced by what I’m wearing. Hence, during this extremely tiring period of the boarding school year, looking neat and stylish is making up for whatever I’m lacking in actual motivation and energy.

Jewel Tones, originally uploaded by academichic.

I also love this necklace and can’t help but feel dramatic when I’m wearing it.

Ruby Red Necklace, originally uploaded by academichic.

As E. heads off to her major field exam and A. finishes up her grant applications I say, “Keep up the great work, my friends! You’ll rock those tests and apps, AND you look fabulous in your 30 for 30 at the same time!”

~ L.

9 November 2010 – Grellowvy, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Cardigan: NY&Co, edited by me
• Navy tank: Target
• Belt: thrifted
• Skirt: Target
• Wedges: thrifted
• Pearl ring: vintage, grandmother’s

End Notes:

Day 2 of 30 for 30.

If gray+yellow is grellow, then can my favorite gray+yellow+navy be “grellowvy”? Or “nagrellow”? Or “gravellow”? Basically, whenever I pull out a gold/mustard/yellow-orange garment out of my closet, my hands grab navy as an accompaniment. It’s practically compulsive at this point.

I would promise you that I won’t wear this mustard cardigan again with navy during the rest of 30 for 30, but I don’t know if I can handle that kind of color reassociation therapy right now.

9 November 2010 – Grellowvy, originally uploaded by academichic.

8 November 2010 – Day 1 of 30, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Orange Skirt – J Crew
• Blue Ruffle Top – BR Factory Store
• Brown Belt – BR Factory Store
• Boots – Banana Republic, via ebay

Endnotes:

Today marks the first day of Kendi Eeryday’s 30 for 30 Challenge. So, prepare yourself to see this orange wool skirt many, many more times!  I knew I wanted to include this skirt because it is very comfortable, is professional with a bold twist, and is he perfect seasonal color for the month of November.

Orange, originally uploaded by academichic.

I have to admit, I had this outfit in mind already, when choosing my 30 items. In fact, I had this outfit in mind when I purchased this shirt on sale a few weeks ago.  I liked the idea of creating a complimentary color scheme. The cascading ruffles, puff sleeves, and all-over pattern  put this top rather outside my comfort zone.  But, I loved the color and was drawn to this inexplicable organic yet very regular pattern.

Blue Ruffle Shirt, originally uploaded by academichic.

I’m a little nervous about figuring out how to pair it with the other items on my list, but  today I am very happy to have it in the mix for my Fall 30 for 30 kick off outfit!

8 November 2010 – Day 1 of 30, originally uploaded by academichic.

3 November 2010 – A Little Craycray, originally uploaded by academichic.

Pattern Mixing, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Striped top: thrifted
• Scarf: borrowed from sister-in-law
• Gold belt: thrifted
• Tweed skirt: adopted from sister-in-law
• Tights: Target
• Booties: Steve Madden Ollie, via DSW

End Notes:

Gratuitous tv and spoiler warning: if you don’t already know who won Project Runway last week and would like to avoid even allusions to who did NOT win…click the little “x” box and be on your way.

Project Runway watchers, I give you one guess as to which designer I was hoping would win this season.

I may be quoting Valerie Mayen in the post title, but I my outfit is inspired by the quirky, playful designs of Mondo Guerra. Granted, my tweed is nowhere near as graphic as his oversized herringbone, but pattern mixing, a gold belt, and a hot pink scarf (hey, sister-in-law, you left this at my house!) all together is pretty “Mondo” for my closet. It’s not that Mondo’s look is something that I would want to wear every day. I’m definitely not the imaginary “girl” that his final collection was supposed to describe. But, I did think that he had a distinct point of view and I loved how his clothes and styling had a liveliness about them.

This was the perfect outfit to “premiere” (as A. would say) my fall shoe purchase: Steve Madden Ollie booties. What can I say? SM shoes play very nicely with my feet. I find his boots and his heels to be very comfortable and very flattering on my foot shape. (As if I wasn’t already committed to getting as much use as possible out of these puppies, you’d better believe that they’ll be part of me playing along with Kendi’s next 30 for 30 challenge.)

Steve Madden Ollie Booties, originally uploaded by academichic.

Anyway, I wish I could tell you that my whole day in this outfit was neon colored rainbows and bedazzled skulls, but alas, positive dressing can only take you so far. Nevertheless, in the midst of working through a stressful communication and scheduling conflict, it was useful to look down, see the craycray that was stripes and gold and tweed and hot pink, and mentally push “play” on my inner soundtrack button.

3 November 2010 – Antennae, originally uploaded by academichic.

Minimalism – Pink Stripes, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Silk knit tank top: Banana Republic
• Belt: Betsey Johnson via Filene’s Basement
• Skirt: gift via London Fashion Week-end
• Wedges: L’Autre Chose via London Fashion Week-end

Endnotes:
This outfit is my first attempt at the fall trend of “Minimalism.” Strangely, when E., A., and I read that Minimalism was “in” for the fall, the three of us, who are all trained in art history, wondered what exactly Minimalism in the context of style meant? For some reason it just didn’t make sense. The definition of Minimalism we had come to know was closer to the Encyclopedia Britannica version which states that Minimalism is:

Chiefly an American movement in the visual arts and music originating in New York City in the late 1960s and characterized by extreme simplicity of form and a literal, objective approach… Use of the hard edge, the simple form, and the linear rather than painterly approach was intended to emphasize two-dimensionality and to allow the viewer an immediate, purely visual response. They turned for inspiration to the impassive, quiet works of Barnett Newman and Ad Reinhardt, exponents of the color-field branch of Abstract Expressionist painting.

Canto XIV, Barnett Newman, 1964, originally uploaded by academichic.

True to this definition Stylebakery.com defined Minimalism as having “clean lines, sleek silhouettes, a lack of embellishment… these are the hallmarks of this season’s minimalism trend. With looks so understated, perfect tailoring and quality fabrics are a must.”

Minimalism by InStyle, originally uploaded by academichic.

I decided I needed to take the plunge with Minimalism. I wanted to include pink for day 4 of Blogging for Breast Cancer aWEARness, but I tried to keep the outfit as simple as possible. Similar to E’s note that her potential interview outfit was influenced by a Marc Rothko painting, the double lines in this skirt have always reminded me of Barnett Newman paintings (one pictured above). I feel so confident when wearing this skirt that it was actually what I wore to a very important grad school interview in NYC. Maybe it’s because my sister bought it for me at London Fashion Week-end (a perk of having a sister who lives full time in London!), but I feel more sophisticated and fashionable when I put this skirt on. To complete the “Minimalist” look I decided on a simple silk knit top, and matching wide patent leather belt and wedges. I think wearing the belt officially disqualifies me from being 100% on trend, but I’m not the one walking down the catwalk, so I styled this outfit for me.

Black Wedges, originally uploaded by academichic.

I didn’t wear this to school, but I did wear it out on the town for one of my rare nights off. Where I am in private secondary school-land, we just finished up Parents’ Weekend, so I took the opportunity to go out to a nice dinner with some friends and eschew the dinning hall food for a night. I liked this look and will definitely make another more daytime appropriate attempt at Minimalism. I’m already envisioning my nude fishnets, nude leather shoes, and grey sheath dress…. with no belt!

Minimalism, originally uploaded by academichic.

Remember it is still Breast Cancer Awareness month. Please see the links below and remember to do a self-exam and encourage the women in your life to do so as well. Prevention and early detection are key!

~L.

• Please click to Give a Free Mammogram!
• More information and support can be found at The American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen Foundation

BreastCancerAwearness, originally uploaded by academichic.

A’s Interview Attire – The Skirt, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Look 1:

• Suit Blazer – J Crew
• Skirt – Banana Republic
• Sweater – Banana Republic
• Scarf – gift
• Earrings – gift from A2
• Bangles- various
• Shoes – Banana Republic

Look 2 (below):

• Suit Blazer – J Crew
• Pants – Banana Republic
• Silk Shell – Banana Republic
• Shoes – Banana Republic
• Earrings – gift from A2

Endnotes:

Thanks for all the great comments yesterday! Now back to our regular scheduled programing of Interview Attire. I didn’t mean to look quite so serious (even scared) in some of these pictures, but perhaps it is revealing some of my anxieties surrounding this whole topic of the job market!

I am still a little ways off from being officially on the job market, but lately, through our discussions here and with other graduate students, I’m realizing that the potential for impromptu interviewing is much more likely than I would have ever thought.  So, it was actually really useful to go through my closet and pull together a couple fake interview looks.

Pattern Mixing, originally uploaded by academichic.

I imagined that these are both looks that could work for on campus interviews or at a large conference like CAA, with a bit of tweaking.  I’m not crazy about either of these looks in terms of appearance or practicality, but I felt much more comfortable in the pencil skirt and cuffed blazer combo.  This is a fairly typical professional ensemble for me, if a bit toned down. I think there is something to be said for feeling confident and comfortable in your clothes. I hope to be interviewing for a smaller college at which teaching is a priority.  I plan to apply for Art History jobs that would allow me to hold a joint appointment or teach cross listed course in Women and Gender Studies, but I am also keeping open the possibility of a job with a campus LGBT center (if any readers know of a job that fits this description willing to hire someone ABD, please do pass that info along!).  I think this first outfit could work pretty much as is for an on-campus interview for any of those jobs.

A’s Interview Attire – The Skirt, originally uploaded by academichic.

I like that this outfit is within my comfort zone (since the interview process will likely take me out of that) and that it shows off a bit of my personality. I do worry that the open-toed shoes might not be appropriate, despite that fact that these are one of my most comfortable pairs of heels.  One thing I learned from this exercise is that I need to find the perfect interview shoe — something stylish and comfortable, a heel but a walkable heel.

A’s Interview Attire – the Suit, originally uploaded by academichic.

This second look, again with different shoes, would I think be more appropriate for the big conference, during which one might have multiple hotel-rrom interviews in one day.  This is the closest thing to a suit I own.  Like E., if and when I find my self scheduled for these kinds of interview, I will likely go suit shopping. Putting these looks together also got me thinking about this future suit shopping and what I would be looking for in a suit. I decided I want a not-to-dark navy suit or a slate grey suit (not a heathered one).  Also, the pants better be perfect, or I want a skirt/dress option! Because of my proportions, I have a hard time with dress pants.  I am now on the look out for a great suit sheath dress with an affordable price tag.

Shades of Grey, originally uploaded by academichic.

A’s Interview Attire – the Suit, originally uploaded by academichic.