11 August 2010 – Boho Experiment

Posted on | August 12, 2010 | 21 Comments

11 August 2010 – Boho Experiment, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Scarf: courtesy of Echo Design
Top: Target
Skirt: Target
Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell

End Notes:

Triadic color combinations — three colors that are equidistant from each other around the color wheel — do not appear frequently in my outfit choices. It’s one of those combinations that can quickly veer into Crayola territory when the colors are too bright or the colorblocking is too severe. But, as with my earlier foray into saturated complementary colors, I decided that color module weeks deserve a bold effort.

11 August 2010 – Boho Experiment, originally uploaded by academichic.

It’s nice when a pattern does half (or in this case, two-thirds) of the work for you. This oblong scarf from Echo Design already pairs a mustardy-gold with a true red, and with a navy top they form a fairly traditional color combination. Had I worn a khaki or white skirt on the bottom, this could have been an exceedingly classic outfit.

But, for whatever reason, I wasn’t feeling particularly demure when I got dressed, and I was far more interested in finding what I like to call “my inner S.” You know, the super cool, bohemian, quirky chic look that S. does so well. So on went a turquoise tulip skirt (which knocks the triad off by just enough to be interesting) and funky cut-out sandals and…oh yes, I tried to wear a scarf wrapped around my head.

11 August 2010 – Boho Experiment, originally uploaded by academichic.

And I liked it.

Unfortunately, between my super slippery hair that denies bobby pins purchase and baby e.’s grabby hands, the head scarf had to relocate to my neck. But I did find it kind of exhilarating to venture off from familiar style territory by trying a more quirky look in a classic color scheme. It’s like a meta-style-juxtaposition.

Any tips on keeping a scarf in place around your head, especially when you have a shorter hair cut or slippery hair?

11 August 2010 – Boho Experiment, originally uploaded by academichic.

21 April 2010

Posted on | April 21, 2010 | 4 Comments

21 April 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Scarf – Nepali by TMD Designs
Sweater – Banana Republic
Denim Skirt – Gap
Green Flats – Banana Republic
Earrings – F21
Sunglasses – Marshalls

Endnotes:

This is a simple and relatively casual outfit for a typical day on campus – running from meeting to meeting with stops at the library, the coffee shop, and a quick lunch with colleagues. It’s been a bit cooler here these past few days and I am loving it. I grabbed my casual day staple, my denim skirt, and a simple sweater and then accessorized with statement earnings, my favorite flats, and this beautiful bamboo scarf from TDM Designs.

I was feeling a bit guilty about trying to get away with these earrings as my use of florals for today so I posed in front of my lovely lilac bush to try and distract you, but they are cool floral earrings right?

Earrings, originally uploaded by academichic.

The real focus of this outfit is the beautiful tie-die bamboo scarf sent to me from TDM Designs. We have all taken our turn at gushing over Nepali scarves, but I have to say I am yet again in love! The color of this scarf is even more lovely in person and I think the tie-die pattern is the perfect sophisticated variation of the Spring trend. As E. mentioned just last week when she premiered her tie-die bamboo, we love supporting TDM Designs and particularly their Nepali scarfs because of their impressive business practices.

Nepali Scarf, originally uploaded by academichic.

I have a feeling I’ll be getting quite a bit of use out of this piece in the next few weeks. I promise another real attempt at florals is coming soon, but for now I think incorporating tie-die is commendable.

21 April 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

23 March 2010 – Reunion Weekend

Posted on | March 23, 2010 | 13 Comments

23 March 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

On A (left):

Trench – Nine Wiest
Blue scarf – Old Navy
Skinnies – Banana Republic
Henley – Gap
Floral blouse – Maurice’s
Vest – Banana Republic Outlet
Bag – Nine West
Wellies – Banana Republic

On S (right):

Trench – vintage, grandmother’s
Black t-neck top – Zara
Skirt – Express, via TJMaxx
Necklace – Welt Laden in Salzburg
Gray tights – drugstore
Boots – Banana Republic
Bag – Liz Claiborne, thrifted
Scarf – Nine West

Endnotes:

As E. already mentioned, A. is on a European jaunt right now and her first stop along the way was Munich. I had the immense pleasure of having A1 and A2 stay with me over the weekend and it just about made my year. It was wonderful getting to see them and being able to share this city I’ve come to really love with them.

Our uniform over the weekend consisted of light layers, followed by a trench coat, a light-weight scarf, and boots. It rained on and off and so boots, trench coats, and umbrellas were the best choices for keeping dry while walking around the city all day long. (I was also so impressed – both A.s packed for their entire European trip in one carry-one bag each! But more on that soon, I’ll let A. tell the story of her packing amazingness.)

23 March 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

While we both matched with out scarf-trench-boots combo, you can still see how much individual color choice, cut, and pattern can play into such a simple combo, rendering our outfits pretty different while still composed of the same basic elements.

As for the other layers – A. kept it casual yet chic with dark-wash skinnies, a pretty floral blouse over a dark henley and underneath a dark vest. Wearing lots of layers when traveling is a great idea as you can easily adjust your temperature as your activities change; be it by shedding a few layers for your long stair climb up St. Peter’s bell tower for this view…

Munich, originally uploaded by academichic.

… or by covering back up for drinks and snacks at an outdoor table at Marienplatz. I in turn wore a basic black turtleneck, a silvery-gray skirt, and gray tights – a monochromatic outfit that can easily translate from the day’s sightseeing events to evening drinks with friends. And A2 was (as always) our skilled and willing photographer who receives the credit for all these great photos, so thank you! Enjoy the rest of your travels, you two, I miss you already! S.

23 March 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Experimenting with Tights and Peep-Toes

Posted on | March 11, 2010 | 15 Comments

Experimenting with Tights and Peep-Toes, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Tan Cardigan – Banana Republic
Grey Tee – Banana Republic
Scarf – Old Navy
Brown Cord Skirt – Old Navy

Grey Tights – BR Outlet
Brown Lace Tights – Gift from S.
Brown Ribbed Tights – Talbots
Pink Peep-Toes – Seychelles, via DSW
Brown Peep-Toe Wedges – Steve Madden, via DSW
Navy Peep-Toes – Off Broadway

Endnotes:

I have loved wearing my favorite brown wedges with tights this winter. They are my most comfortable and versatile heels and I wasn’t ready to give them up when the weather turned cold. I have worn them many many many times with my brown and grey houndstooth textured tights. I have also paired my navy peep-toe heels with my grey sweater tights and was rather pleased with the results, so today I thought I would experiment a bit with different tight/peep-toe combinations.

Some things I learned along the way:

tights with toes that match the pattern of the rest of the tights work best
your bright toe nail polish will show through thinner tights
any combination is worth a shot

First for the navy peep-toes – I think these rather dressy navy shoes just don’t work with the rest of this outfit, so for me, it wasn’t a fair test. I tried them with brown and grey tights and liked the way the shoes worked with both tights but not so much with the overall ensemble.

I tried these lightly ribbed brown tights with all three pairs of peep-toes and (aside from the Navy) I think these tights are the safest but also the most boring option. They looked better with the pop of pink, but I still didn’t love the brown corduroy skirt on brown corduroy-like tights. I would wear either of these, but do to a bit of experimenting, I now know there are more fun options!

Pink with brown tights, originally uploaded by academichic.

Brown with brown tights, originally uploaded by academichic.

One such fun option…

I’ve had these lacey brown tights for a while now (thanks S.) but unfortunately they don’t get much wear, because I’m never quite sure how to use them. I initially thought the brown lace tights with pink peep-toes would be a ridiculous combination, but I was pleasantly surprised. I still think its a bit too busy for my tastes and don’t know that I would actually wear it, but I do wonder how it would look with a different skirt.

Pink with lace tights, originally uploaded by academichic.

Like with the ribbed brown tights, I felt the brown lace tights with the brown wedges made for just too much brown, but would again give this a try with another skirt or dress.

Brown with lace tights, originally uploaded by academichic.

My favorite combinations came from the grey tights. I pulled these out mostly because I thought they would make the best pairing with the navy shoes, but loved the look with both the brown wedges and the pink pumps. I like that the grey is a different color form the skirt, breaking up all that brown, and that it picks up on the grey tee and the dark grey in the scarf.

Brown with grey tights, originally uploaded by academichic.

The grey tights with brown wedges felt the most me (a mix of neutrals) but I went for the pink with grey because I love these shoes and don’t wear the nearly enough!

Which is your favorite? A.

Pink with grey tights, originally uploaded by academichic.

25 February 2010 – Daily Drag Show?

Posted on | February 25, 2010 | 29 Comments

25 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Scarf – Echo
Sweater – J Crew
Denim Pencil Skirt- BR Outlet
Belt – New York & Co
Boots- Banana Republic, via ebay

Endnotes:

Today I am wearing this beautiful paisley scarf in shades of green and blue sent to me from Echo. I loved how S. has been wearing scarves over turtlenecks and how my scarf looked yesterday around the popped collar of my button down. I don’t own many turtlenecks so tried it out with a shawl neck color sweater and am rather satisfied with the effect. This scarf is a large square in a light thin material. Echo has how many beautiful colors, patterns, and shapes and I’m excited to have a shape I don’t usually wear. Like E. the other day, I folded my scarf into a triangle and wrapped the small points behind my neck and then tied them in the front underneath the larger point of the triangle. I am really liking this style and I already have many ideas of how I will wear this once the weather finally warms up a bit!

Square Scarf from Echo, originally uploaded by academichic.

Ok, now for part two of my digression. I wrote yesterday about dressing to express identity and the possibility of changing styles to express a different identity to different people. All of your comments are so interesting!

As promised I want to talk a little bit about drag. I have done quite a bit of thinking about drag because in my studies I continually wrestle with Judith Butler and because I am writing my dissertation on a male artist who often poses as a woman in his photographs. I also love a good drag show for entertainment and believe that drag has significant political potential. This political and radical potential was confirmed for me this past weekend – I saw some amazing activist performers.

I also heard an interesting suggestion about daily drag. I have long believed that to some degree we often all dress in drag – this is because I believe that gender is a construction and that clothing works to construct and perpetuate gender identity. However my thoughts on this were pushed further by a speaker at the conference who argued that we have two options when getting dressed: we either dress in drag or in a uniform. If we don’t think about the message our clothing is sending that we are wearing a uniform, if we are conscious of it then it’s drag. According to her definition, drag is a conscious dressing that sends a message about gender identity and makes people laugh, cry, or think. If we take this definition then S. E. and I are dressing in drag everyday (at least everyday we post here) since we are certainly very conscious of what we are wearing and the messages it might convey. I’m still working though these ideas but what do you think about this uniform vs. drag thing?

Ok, so why do I find this a powerful idea? Sal asked yesterday if anyone made any comments or asked any questions about my attire.
I was very comfortable and confident in my appearance and I felt totally accepted (I think this feeling had a lot to do with my own confidence) but I did have a few students ask me questions about how I dressed. One student asked if I felt like I “passed,” if people assumed I was straight because of how I dressed. I think our default is usually that someone is straight so while perhaps my clothing could reveal my sexuality, I would still “pass” on the phone, on paper, etc. I explained to my students that I am confident in my clothing and that helps me feel confident about my identity, my relationship, and my scholarship.

I think the idea of dressing in drag appeals to me because I am aware that my clothing is a choice and that it sends a message and I like that my daily performance challenges people’s notions about what it means to be a lesbian and what it means to be feminine. Our words and actions have to work in conjunction with our clothing and when you take my whole package into account there are some great seeming contradictions at work: I love pencil skirts and I am a lesbian, I wear heals and run marathons, I like pink and hot sauce and dark beer, I wear ruffly dresses and work boots and gloves. I agree with most of you who said you pick what you wear based on the situation (pencil skirts for teaching, jeans for the bar, trendier items for campus, conservative wear for an interview, etc) but I have found that my overall sense of style doesn’t change as much as it once did (in an attempt to fit in with different groups of people). Yet, it is empowering to remember that if it is all drag, a dramatic costume change is always an option!

25 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

24 February 2010

Posted on | February 24, 2010 | 28 Comments

24 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Pink Button Down – J Crew
Scarf – Old Navy
Navy Skirt – J Crew
Tights- BR Outlet
Shoes – Anthropologie, via ebay

Endnotes:

In our last few days of scarf month I am taking on E.’s challenge to me to do a little pattern mixing, so I have paired this bold hot pink and paisley scarf with my bright pink pinstriped button down. I like the result of a business silhouette with such bold and daring colors and patters. I felt professional enough to teach and attend a job-search-committee meeting but I also think I brought a little extra life to both of these activities!

pink pattern on pink pattern!, originally uploaded by academichic.

Now for a digression: This past weekend I took a group of students to an LGBT college leadership conference. I learned quite a bit and was reminded about many things I had learned long ago and have been excited to talk all about it with E. S. and lots of other people. But, here I want to reflect on how the whole conference experience, particularly the key note speakers and discussions with my students pushed me to think about clothing and self presentation.

While preparing to pack for the weekend I was struggling with what would be appropriate. E. asked me if I thought I would dress differently for such a specific crowd – LGBT college students. I think at some point in my life, I likely wold have chosen less “feminine” items and thought more about how I could easily convey lesbian through my appearance. I am now much more comfortable in both my sexuality and my physical appearance than I was back as an undergraduate, so that was not the issue (more on this later). Instead, I was caught up on the word “conference.”

These days conference conjures up some pretty specific attire, but this was not an academic conference and I was not a presenter, yet I did want to be distinguishable as an advisor (not an undergraduate student) and was aware that I might make some professional connections. I ended up choosing jeans with my wrap cardigan and skinny cords with a button down and was very happy with my choices all weekend.

Since this is getting so long already, I’ll save my next installment, in which I will suggest we are all dressing in drag, for tomorrow! In the mean time, I would love to hear for you. How much do you change your style depending on audience and situation? I’m not talking about the difference between pencil skirt for the office and jeans for the bar – but rather how do different crowds of people, and your desire to connect with them, influence your style? A.

24 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

24 February 2010 – Notes from Home

Posted on | February 24, 2010 | 28 Comments

24 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Tan sweater – DKNY
Purple top – Old Navy
Fuchsia cord skirt - Gap
Gray tights – drugstore
Boots – thrifted
Scarf – gift

Endnotes:

I’m back in the Midwest! Hence the radio silence from my end of things lately. I spent Monday traveling back home for a two-week stay with my husband, pets, and friends. It’s so wonderful to be home and to be enjoying the familiar things that I haven’t had access to since last September when I left for Europe. While I didn’t spend too much time missing my closet while abroad, I can’t lie, it is nice to have all of these clothes and accessories at my disposal again. I feel like I’ve just gone on a huge shopping spree – I have so much stuff here. It’s almost sinful, really.

Yesterday, T. and I celebrated our five year (dating) anniversary by going out for dinner at my favorite restaurant in town. It was a casual affair, so I didn’t feel the need to dress up too much. Instead, I was excited to pull out a ‘new’ scarf from my abandoned stash at home and to build an outfit around that. This pretty bohemian piece, comprised of mostly purples and pinks, provided the inspiration for this color scheme.

Purples and Pinks, originally uploaded by academichic.

I chose this fuchsia cord skirt and the purple top to echo the colors in the scarf. To avoid looking like Rainbow Brite, I added several neutrals to help tone down the color scheme of this outfit. Grays, tans, and browns mute the bold fuchsia and purple pairing and provide a softer end effect than black or navy might have. As for the scarf tying technique applied here – I just looped the scarf twice around the turtle neck collar of the sweater, tied the ends together, and tucked the knot under the first loop to hide it.

Now I could write more, but I have an overly excited and impatient dog pawing at my leg and trying to lick the computer screen in order to get my attention, so I think this is my cue to sign off. Happy Hump Day (and Braid Wednesday), everyone! S.

24 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

22 February 2010

Posted on | February 22, 2010 | 7 Comments

22 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Cardigan – Banana Republic
Grey Skirt – Banana Republic
White Blouse – Gap
Boots – Banana Republic, via DSW
Belt – BR Outlet
Head Scarf – Gap

Endnotes:

I just came back from a fascinating conference on LGBT issues on college campuses, where I leaned so much and was pushed to think about so many issues, including clothes and self presentation. I can’t wait to share some of my thoughts from the weekend with all of you, but for now, I’m exhausted, my brain is fried, and my day is too busy!

For today I needed something simple but I wanted to wear a scarf in a way not all that typical for me (ie not belted, tied around my waist, or knotted at my neck) so I went for the head scarf. This is not nearly as creative or fun as S.’s hair scarf from earlier this month, but it did bring some color and pattern to an otherwise pretty plain ensemble.

Hope everyone’s week is off to a good start! A.

22 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

19 February 2010 – In Search of Individuality

Posted on | February 19, 2010 | 20 Comments

19 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Scarf – vintage, from my grandmother’s closet
Green top – ON, thrifted
Blazer – J.Crew
Black skinnies – thrifted
Boots – Banana Republic

Endnotes:

First, some outfit remarks: This particular silk square scarf is actually from my grandmother’s collection. She decided that she doesn’t wear these kinds of bright colors anymore so she passed it down to me. It’s got a funny vintage carriage design on it with two carriage drivers in the center. This is not a design or motif that I would necessarily pick out for myself, but I realized that it doesn’t actually matter much what’s on the scarf as much as which colors are used for it. Once the scarf is folded, bunched, or tied, there’s often little more that a burst of color to be noticed. (See exhibit B here).

Today I pulled out this homage to 19th century transport because I really wanted that green edge to add to my green top + navy blazer combo. I tied the scarf using the ascot method and added black jeans and boots.

Scarf detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

Ok, now on to the recent discussion we’ve been having over here. I really enjoyed E’s distinction between style and fashion and would like to add, that like E, I tend to use both high fashion and street style photography as a launching point (rather than an exact blueprint) for my own outfit creations. I would like my style to be a blend of different influences and aesthetics, not necessarily identifiable as a certain ‘look’ or ‘trend’. This is one of the reason why thrifting appeals to me so much; so many of my thrifted finds are unique and different and when I put together a stellar ‘thrifted’ outfit, I feel most successful in having performed Style rather than Fashion.

Which brings me to the topic of thrifting – I had asked in my last post about the ways that I – or you – use clothing or style as a means of resistance. And several of you pointed to thrifting as a conscious act of resistance against conspicuous consumption, or, as reader Lisa put it, as “an obvious rejection of our throw-away society”. I was struck by this comment because thrifting used to be a need-based practice for me while growing up. My clothes came from thrift stores because that’s all we could afford. It was by no means a political act back then. But as my financial circumstances have changed, the motives behind my shopping second-hand have as well. Now I thrift because I love the search and the hunt, but also because I really believe in the political practice of reusing, recycling, repurposing, and making things last.

It’s funny how resisting during totalitarian regimes would mean sneaking in foreign goods, which usually reflected the latest trends and the most modern creations, while resisting capitalism has us reaching for the old and the discarded. While these may appear like completely disparate practices, I’m struck by the similarity in the objective of both practices: it seems like both acts are done in search of individuality and out of a desire to be unique. And that bring me back to where we started – the question of Style vs. Fashion. I believe the reason so many of us prefer the term style blogger over fashion blogger is because we perceive the first to be more about expressing individuality and creativity rather than just following the masses. And as history has shown us, no matter what the political context, there is a certain irresistibility to standing out and perceiving oneself as unique and contrary to the status-quo. I guess wanting to be unique is not so unique after all. S.

19 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

18 February 2010

Posted on | February 18, 2010 | 27 Comments

18 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

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.

Shoes and Necklace, originally uploaded by academichic.

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.

scarf and brooch, originally uploaded by academichic.

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.