• Striped Cardigan – J Crew
• Plaid Shirt – Gap
• Skirt – Old Navy
• Grey Tights – BR Outlet
• Wellies – Banana Republic
• Belt – Thrifted
• Earrings – Gift

I was inspired by S.’s pattern mixing from yesterday to do a little of my own.  I don’t own many patterned cardigans (mostly stripes) so I started with the cardigan and then went to my closet full of patterned plaid, striped, and floral button downs.  I tend to be a bit more timid with my pattern mixing that either S. or E. so I stuck with a simple color palette of grey black and bright blue.  I love the subtle small stripes against the bold large buffalo plaid.

Reader Kaite asked for advice on layering a cardigan over a button down.  I have sported this look many times so I thought I would share some of my observations.

For today’s outfit, I chose a long loose cardigan and left it un-buttoned; buttoned-up it created to many lumps.  I added the belt under the cardigan to remind you of the waist under all the loose layers.

The easiest cardigan/button-down combination is a sturdy cardigan layered over a close-fitting sleeveless button-down.  I often wear my sleeveless white button-down under a variety of layers, including cardigans.  Similarly, a sturdy sleeveless cardigan (sweater vest) will work well over a long sleeve button-down, this avoids arm lumps.

I have found that two types of cardigans work well for layering. First, larger cardigans that flow away from the body won’t look ton bulky, because you will be able to see that the bulk clearly comes from the cardigan and not your body.  Today is a good example of this – of course when in doubt, belt!

Second, a sturdy material or a tightly woven sweater will work much better than cardigans that hold less of a shape.  When the cardigan is thick and sturdy you can smooth out any lumps underneath.  Whit these sweaters, you can belt over all of you layers, as I did with my argyle and light pink cardigans below.  If the cardigan is less sturdy, leave it unbuttoned so that it floats away from the button-down, as I did with the black cardigan above and the purple one below.

As with everything, try different combinations on!  A cardigan might work really well over some button-downs but not at all over others.  Try belting both over and under the cardigan and try it out both buttoned and un-bottoned. If you really want to layer a cardigan over a button down and can’t seem to get rid of the bumps, you can always but a tight fighting cami in between the button down and cardigan to smooth everything out.

Do you have any tips you can share?  A.

• Cream Sweater – F21
• Brown Pinstripe Skirt – Gap
• Brown Tights – Talbot
• Plaid Scarf – BR Outlet
• Brooch- Gift
• Red Wedges – Anthropologie, via ebay

This is not at all what I had intended to wear today. I knew I had a full day so I laid out an outfit last night but the only items I actually used from what I laid our are the scarf and the tights.  The purple jersey dress I had planned to wear apparently shrank in it’s last run through the wash and now looks more like a maternity top than a dress. So, I quickly improvised!

I still wanted to use this plaid scarf and I had the tights on already so I worked from there.  I have been wanting to wear one of my full skirts since E. wore her white one last week. The brown pinstripe worked with the tights I already had on and created a nice pattern mix with he scarf.  I pulled out the cream sweater as a nice neutral and a good blank canvas for the scarf.  I chose these maroon wedges instead of the boots I had planned to wear because it is finally a bit warmer and it broke up all the brown on the bottom.

For the scarf, I have worn this belted and so wanted to try out something new.  I tried out E.’s “flop knot”, but it wasn’t laying right.  I just started playing around  with it and discovered that the way I wanted it to lie was not accomplish-able with any scarf tie I knew, so I decided to pin the two sides together with a safety pin.  I liked the drape but found that it looked like it was floating so I added the brooch, which gives the impression that it is holding everything in place.

I’m excited that I found a way to mix patterns, don a brooch, and wear a full, light-weight skirt in the dead of winter.  But, I think the overall look has a Scottish vibe I wasn’t planning on.  I think I will reuse elements of the ensemble but perhaps not in this current iteration.

• Scarf – Banana Republic
• Grey Sweater – Banana Republic
• Denim Skirt – Gap
• Grey Sweater Tights – Banana Republic
• Black Flats – Urban Outfitters
• Earrings- Gift from my mom

This is another cozy outfit based around a cozy scarf.  I  saw this scarf at Banana Republic before Christmas and had to have it, mostly because of the purple and grey plaid.  It’s long and rather heavy, and has fringe along on of the long sides.  All of this made me question the addition to my wardrobe, but the warm soft fabric and perfect print and color palette convinced me (and my mom, who gave it to me) otherwise.

I just wrapped the heavy scarf around my neck and then loosely tied the ends together.   The outfit is pretty simple and plain, with the only other exciting component being these great earrings – another Christmas gift from my mom.

It has been so fun this week to see how the addition of a scarf can change the look of the simplest outfit. I hope you are all enjoying scarf month as much as we are.  Don’t forget to enter for a chance to win your own Nepali Scarf by TDM Design!  A.

• Plaid Shrunken Blazer – Gap
• Navy Skinny Cords – Banana Republic
• Grey Ruffle Tank – J Crew
• Green Flats – Banana Republic
• Earrings – Forever 21

This week we are paying tribute to some of the first style blogs to inspire academichic.  There are so many great style blogs out there – our bibliography is ever growing, but one of the first blogs in out “monographs” list was Orchids In Buttonholes.  I love Sara’s style and I love her blog.  While our styles differ, we own many of the same types of pieces, so I like too look to her for direct inspiration, for looks I can recreate with what I own.  I always think of her style as consistently sophisticated, yet eclectic.

There are a few specifics about her style that stick out to me: her neutral (often black based) color palette, her ability to rock the skinnies, and her amazing use of blazers.

I have a few blazers in my closet and I am always drawn to them at the store but often find myself at a loss when it comes to wearing them.  I easily work my corduroy blazers  into my fall wardrobe as a light jacket, and I love my cropped blazers for summer teaching and winter layering, but  my suit blazer has proved more challenging.  I just got  this new school boy blazer for Christmas and have been struggling with hot to create and ensemble around it.

For today’s look, I am wearing skinny navy cords with flats (a look Sara does all to well) and have layered a ruffly tank under my blazer to simulate the visual interest Sara often creates with scarves, jewelry, and textured layers.

Who were some of your first style-blog favorites?  A.

Inside:

• Purple Cardigan – Gap Outlet
• Grey Tee- Banana Republic
• Brown Belt – Gap
• Scarf – BR Outlet
• Jeans – Banana Republic
• Wellies – Banana Republic

Outside (below):

• Coat – Old Navy
• Hat – Gap Outlet
• Bag – Urban Outfitters

Two of my favorite post-Christmas activities are shopping and museum-going.  While I do both of these things fairly regularly during the rest of the year, the post-Christmas experience is always my favorite.  I’ll write more about shopping in a later post this week, so on to museums.

Yesterday I visited one of my favorite art museums – the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. I like visiting museums during holiday break for several reasons: I’m usually going to old favorites (ones I visit once a year), I get to take my family members on a guided tour, there are always more curious children there than usual, I get to enjoy the experience and not feel like I need to take notes!

So, while E. was enjoying unseasonably-cool weather at the Rothko Chapel, I was enjoying seasonably- normal freezing weather in Minneapolis in my new coat and hat (post-holiday shopping finds).

What’s your favorite post-Christmas activity?  (I also love to play board games, see movies, go sledding and ice skating, and play with my nieces and nephews). A.

• Plaid Shirt – Gap
• Grey Long-Sleeve Tee – American Eagle
• Jeans- Banana Republic
• Wellies – Banana Republic
• Earrings- hand-me-down from Sister M.

I got a bunch of new clothes for Christmas and have been hitting the post-Christmas sales.  I bought this blue buffalo plaid shirt at the Gap and I love it!  I like how bright the blue is, the ruffle detailing down the front, and the fact that it has no pockets (pockets don’t do much for my chest).

For Christmas, my mom gave me these wonderfully versatile wellies from Banana Republic.  They are black rubber with a brown leather cuff and are warm, water-proof, and incredibly comfortable, while also being rather chic.  I wore them sledding this morning and am wearing them to dinner tonight.

On another note, I’m fascinated by S.’s hair experiment and would be curious if there are any blonds out there trying it.  I have naturally curly hair that I straighten most days.  I wash and condition my hair almost everyday (and definitely every time I exercise), but use very little product in my hair b/c I find it makes it very greasy. When I wear my hair curly, it starts out looking pretty good, but is a frizzy and greasy mess by the end of the day. I don’t know that I could ever embrace the “no-poo” movement, but I would be willing to test out some new curly hair regiments – any ideas?    A.

All remixed except new plaid flats:

• Blue necklace – thrifted
• Purple top – Target
• Blue cami – BR
• Jean skirt – Urban Outfitters
• Plaid flats – Target
• Green tote – Kenneth Cole

  

1 July 2009 – Midweek Casual , originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Plaid button down – AE, thrifted 
• Red tank – ON, remixed 
• Navy bermudas – Old Navy 
• Flats – Palladium, remixed

Endnotes:

Today is just one of those days. I’m not feeling particularly motivated to put on a dress or accessories, I probably won’t leave the house (I’m doing loads of laundry after our trip and working on my dissertation proposal from home), and I just want to be comfortable. But as you’ve all noted before; it just feels so much better when you get dressed even on those kind of days. If you follow Heather Armstrong on Dooce, then you may have read her recent post on how she managed to shower, get dressed, AND put on mascara (she just gave birth a couple of weeks ago, so she is rather sleep deprived and preoccupied with her new baby). She mentions how this small act of self grooming made her feel like she “could crush solid granite with [her] hands”! 

Because I also subscribe to the school of “getting dressed even when you don’t feel like it”, I still put on non-pajama clothes even when I might not see anyone or leave the house all day. That’s when I reach for old-faithful – the comfy button down shirt - and a pair of pants or shorts. It helps to have a go-to outfit, something you know you’ll feel good in and can just throw on and be done. To me, it makes a huge psychological difference to get dressed and put on make-up even when I could spend the day in sweats and with unwashed hair. (I may not quite feel like I could crush granite but that may change once I add a baby to the mix).  S. 

 

   

Plaid Shirt, originally uploaded by academichic.

All remixed but borrowed shirt:

• Plaid shirt – Urban Outfitters, on loan from weardrobe! 
• Purple Cardigan – Gap Outlet 
• Skinny Jeans – Gap Outlet 
• Flats - Old Navy 
• Earrings – gift from E. 

May 2009 – Plaid button down, originally uploaded by academichic.

All remixed but borrowed shirt:

• Plaid button down – Urban Outfitters, on loan from weardrobe !
• Khaki shirt dress – Target 
• Brown woven belt – F21 
• Yellow pumps - Gianni Bini

 

Belly Laugh, originally uploaded by academichic.

All remixed except the plaid.

• Plaid tunic – Anthropologie, on loan from the weardrobe closet
• Purple layering tunic – F21
• Skinnies - Old Navy Maternity, indispensable
• Red wedges – Naturalizers, via DSW

A. wore this last week, actually, but she’s been so busy teaching and preparing for her summer class that she didn’t have a chance to post her outfit. Although this look does have a belt — one of A.’s favorite accessories — it’s actually a new and different proportion for her: a longer tunic over a pencil denim skirt with a belt just above her hips. I loved it! Casual chic perfected.

When it was my turn, I was pleasantly surprised that the tunic not only fit over my baby belly, but hugged it almost perfectly. I even like how the plaid goes all wackadoodle over the bumpage. To add a little more length and coverage, I layered the blue plaid over a purple tunic, and I used my favorite red wedges for an fun finish.

I would have never guessed that this tunic would work so well for both A. and I. The fit is completely different, but they both work and we both put our own little twist on the overall look. I need to start raiding more closets as I close in on the end of this pregnancy!