May 21st, 2010 § §
Sources:
- Pashmina scarf – small shop in Romania
- Blue cardigan – vintage, was my grandmother’s
- Jeans – thrifted
- Boots – Banana Republic
- Cropped coat – from “free” pile in dorm
- Tote – Kenneth Cole
- Bird earrings – gift form A.
Endnotes:
These pictures are from a little while back when my friends were in town and we spent one day visiting Regensburg, Germany. Regensburg is a beautiful old city in Bavaria that dates back to the Stone Age and that definitely merits a visit if you’re in the Southern Germany area.
Unfortunately, our weather here has been cold, rainy, and gray for the most part of May, so back out come the sturdy boots, the heavy coat, and the thick scarves. Good thing I came across this warm yet cropped (and therefor less wintery) wool coat in the ‘free’ pile in my dorm foyer. It’s proven just right for this cold spell we’ve gotten.
I’m now hoping for nicer weather since my husband just arrived in Germany and we’re spending some time here, some time in Prague, and then a little time in Romania in the coming weeks. I would love some nicer weather to really enjoy our sightseeing and traveling together. We have never been to Prague before, so I welcome any tips and suggestions any of you might have!
For now, I leave you with a few images from gorgeous Regensburg and I hope to report back with more beautiful backdrops to future outfit shots and hopefully some more bike adventures (weather permitting) to contribute to the LGRAB Summer Games as well. S.
Category: Layers Upon Layers, Our Best Flatware, Pants Please, Sabbatical, Vélocouture
Tags: boots > cycling > jacket > jeans > plaid > S. > travel style
March 2nd, 2010 § §
Sources:
- Striped Cardigan – J Crew
- Plaid Shirt – Gap
- Skirt – Old Navy
- Grey Tights – BR Outlet
- Wellies – Banana Republic
- Belt – Thrifted
- Earrings – Gift
Endnotes:
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.
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.
Category: Layers Upon Layers, Mixing Patterns, Office Hours, Our Best Flatware, Skirting the Issue, Teaching Moment
Tags: A. > belted > boots > cardigan > denim skirt > pattern > plaid > plaid shirt > striped top > stripes > wellies
February 18th, 2010 § §
Sources:
- Cream Sweater – F21
- Brown Pinstripe Skirt – Gap
- Brown Tights – Talbot
- Plaid Scarf – BR Outlet
- Brooch- Gift
- Red Wedges – Anthropologie, via ebay
Endnotes:
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.
Category: Beltless, Mixing Patterns, Reaching New Heights, Skirting the Issue, Teaching Outfits
Tags: A. > brooch > full skirt > pattern > plaid > scarf > striped skirt > stripes > tights > winter style
February 6th, 2010 § §
Sources:
- Scarf – Banana Republic
- Grey Sweater – Banana Republic
- Denim Skirt – Gap
- Grey Sweater Tights – Banana Republic
- Black Flats – Urban Outfitters
- Earrings- Gift from my mom
Endnotes:
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.
Category: Beltless, Color Combinations, Our Best Flatware, Research Casual, Skirting the Issue, Weekend Wear
Tags: A. > cozy > denim pencil skirt > plaid > scarf > tights
January 11th, 2010 § §
Sources:
- Ruffle scarf: Nepali by TDM Designs
- Plaid shirt/jacket: made by my grandmother for my mother in college
- Black belt: Target
- Black shirt: thrifted
- Denim pencil skirt: Banana Republic Outlet
- Black tights: Target
- Boots: Banana Republic
End Notes:
Even though temperatures are below freezing and snow is on the ground, I’m still wearing something from Hawaii today. This toasty wool plaid jacket — line with bright red fabric and sporting pockets and little metal buttons — was my mom’s when she attended college in Michigan. It’s a special piece to her since her mom, my grandmother, who died when I was four, sewed it for her. I found it one of the closets back in Hawaii and begged my mom to let me bring it back to the Midwest. Not only is it warm, it is also on trend for the season and it makes a playful pairing with a ruffled scarf and sleek skirt and boots.
Snagging this treasure from my mom made me wonder what garments — if any — I own now that I will keep for thirty-odd years. Will it be a timeless piece, like my favorite black wool shift dress? Or a trendier piece, like the cashmere dolman sleeve sweater I’ve been loving, that will come back into a style a few decades later? Or something special and rarely worn, like my black lace overlay skirt?
Do you have a “heritage” garment? One that you’ve adopted from a mother or grandmother’s closets? Or one that you’re planning on keeping forever?
Category: Academichic Product Review, Reaching New Heights, Skirting the Issue, Teaching Outfits
Tags: boots > denim pencil skirt > E. > pencil skirt > plaid > plaid shirt
December 30th, 2009 § §
Sources:
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
Endnotes:
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!
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.
Category: Color Combinations, Layers Upon Layers, Night Without Grading, Our Best Flatware, Pants Please, Research Casual, Weekend Wear
Tags: A. > belted scarf > jeans > outerwear > plaid > scarf > wellies > winter style
December 28th, 2009 § §
Sources:
- Plaid Shirt – Gap
- Grey Long-Sleeve Tee – American Eagle
- Jeans- Banana Republic
- Wellies – Banana Republic
- Earrings- hand-me-down from Sister M.
Endnotes:
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.
Category: Beltless, Layers Upon Layers, Our Best Flatware, Pants Please, Research Casual, Weekend Wear
Tags: A. > boots > jeans > plaid > plaid shirt > wellies
November 30th, 2009 § §
Sources:
- Navy Peacoat – Gap
- Grey Sweater – Gap
- Plaid Scarf – gift from Scotland
- Jeans – Gap
- Pink Sneakers – Asics Tiger, via Urban Outfitters
Endnotes:
Happy belated Thanksgiving! This year A2 and I hosted our first Thanksgiving. We had both her family and my family in town, making for a total of 19 people at Thanksgiving dinner!
After several days of cooking and entertaining I am beat and need to spend today doing laundry, running errands, and catching up on school work. Its all about comfort, warmth, and functionality today so I’ve gone for jeans, sneakers, and a my cozy wool peacoat.
A few weeks back I asked for
help finding jeans. Advice poured in and I took notes! With a little encouragement I decided to buy the Gap men’s jeans and couldn’t be happier. These are them with out alterations. I am still planning to take the waist in but today am just wearing them with a belt. I promise to post better pictures, as I have a feeling I will be wearing them rather often in the next few weeks.
I also looked into several of the suggested styles and wrote down the name of a few promising pairs to try on the next time I make it out to Nordstroms. Thanks again for all the great jean advice! I hope some of the comments helped you in your jean shopping too.
Category: Our Best Flatware, Pants Please, Research Casual, Weekend Wear
Tags: A. > athletic fashion sneakers > jacket > jeans > pink shoes > plaid > scarf
November 13th, 2009 § §
Sources:
End Notes:
This is take two of my self-imposed challenge of restyling this new plaid dress once a week for several weeks in a row. Today’s take is inspired by S.’s inspired dress-layering, where the button down shirt dress almost functions as a trench of sorts.
Whereas the last time I wore this dress I went for something of a western vibe, this time I wanted to make the dress appear a little more feminine. The close analogous color pairing of wine and purple is one of my new favorites — it has a richness that seems perfect for fall — and my little flower earrings, graciously sent to us from Vintage Threadz — added the final little touch.
Category: Academichic Product Review, Color Combinations, Dresses for Day, Layers Upon Layers, Office Hours, Reaching New Heights, Teaching Outfits
Tags: analogous colors > E. > plaid > plaid dress > tights > wedges
September 27th, 2009 § §
Sources:
- Cardigan – Gap
- Shorts – New York & Co
- White Tee – H & M
- Wedges – Gap Outlet
- Headband – Limited
Endnotes:
Yesterday, we got a small taste of Fall here at Academichic Central. In the morning it was cool and sunny – perfect weather for meeting a friend for an outdoor coffee and bagel. After breakfast, I headed to one of my favorite stores, Home Depot, where I perused the lumber and hardware isles and flipped through paint swatches dreaming up large-scale home renovation projects, before settling on a few mums for the front porch. I managed to get stuck in a downpour on my way home, but eventually the sun came back out and I placed my new mums and enjoyed another warm drink on the front porch.
One of my favorite things about fall weather is the layering and mixing of items from the summer and winter wardrobe. I loved being able to wear these shorts (with their autumnal color palette) with a cozy cotton sweater.
I know this weather likely isn’t here to stay but it was nice weekend treat! A.
Category: Layers Upon Layers, Mixing Patterns, Research Casual, The Short of It, Weekend Wear
Tags: A. > beige shoes > Bermuda shorts > cardigan > pattern > plaid > wedges
Little Bird Earring, originally uploaded by academichic.
Pattern Mash, originally uploaded by academichic.
