academichic

All the Pretty Little Horses, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Denim trench: Old Navy, hand me down from SIL
• Scarf: Chinatown
• Glovens: Target
• Striped top: BCBG, thrifted
• Belt: from a Loft dress
• Skirt: Anthropologie Field Skirt
• Leggings: Target
• Socks: Smartwool
• Shoes: BC Footwear Atmosphere Wedge

End Notes:

Like A., I took advantage of the warmer weather over the weekend to snap these pictures of my “light” outwear. Simply put, I adore this denim trenchcoat (even if it’s bunching my skirt in this picture…oops). It’s a funny old thing. And not cool, vintage old. Just my sister-in-law had it freshman year of college and I adopted it after graduation old.

But it’s a timeless shape in an unusual fabric, and what with denim and chambray making a comeback over the past few seasons, I’ve loved having this as one of my outerwear staples. Additional bonuses include:

• The longer length means it provides some extra modesty when biking in skirts that get hiked up.
• It can accomodate a couple of layers underneath, but then nips everything in at the waist with the belt.
• The dark denim is a classic wash, but it still gives this familiar silhouette some statement appeal.

BC Footwear Atmosphere Wedge, originally uploaded by academichic.

Though not technically “outerwear,” I have to also give accolades to my new cold weather “mom” shoes. What are these things? They’re part Wallabee, part wedge, nice and supportive but still with a little funk. I can wear them to run errands in wide leg jeans with baby e. or on Sunday walks to the park with a skirt. Brilliant.

P.S. Here’s my first remix of my new favorite skirt. Remember its debut?

1 February 2011 – Outerwear, originally uploaded by academichic.

1 February 2011 – Outerwear, originally uploaded by academichic.

For my trip to a coffee shop on this sunny winter day, I paired it with jeans a thick cotton top, and my wedge boots for a polished casual look (ps I’m still loving my Lucky jeans).  I added this beautiful cornflower blue scarf made by and gifted to be by my mother in law.  I love the color, length, and width of this scarf and am beyond impressed with how perfect the pattern is!  I see this one quickly becoming a favorite of the bunch.

Scarf from Mother-in-Law, originally uploaded by academichic.

Banana Republic Teal Tote, originally uploaded by academichic.

This teal leather tote was a Christmas gift from my mom and I have been carrying it everyday that I don’t need to go to school or lug my computer to a coffee shop.  It’s the perfect size, I love its slouchy profile, and of course I think teal goes with everything!  I’m also a lover of bags (I have more bags than shoes) but tend to use one purse and one school bag for weeks at a time and then switch it up, so I that might make for less interesting documentation.   How do you rotate your coats and bags?  Do you have one coat/jacket for each season?  Do you match your purse/bag to your outfit?  Tell us about your outerwear collections!

1 February 2011 – Outerwear, originally uploaded by academichic.

Soccer Mom, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Cardigan: Loft
• Tank: Forever 21
• Gold belt: thrifted
• Pants: Banana Republic
• Taupe Wedges: Ralph Lauren
• Necklace: Tickette, birthday gift from Husband N.

End Notes:

Today was my first day of the semester. I know, I know. Where’s the skirt? Where’s the dress? Well, one of my personal style rut-preventers of the year is to try and recapture some of my former love for trousers. And I figured that I might as well get things off to a running start by wearing these black wool trousers to kick off the semester.

Now, when I was wearing this outfit I felt very nautical work chic. I had a little navy and black neutral mixing going on, a gold belt, and some killer taupe patent wedges. And for a classroom setting, I thought I had a nice mix of conservative, authoritative pieces with little punchy bits of personality in the accessories.

(Also, I was secretly wearing magenta socks.)

Socks Surprise, originally uploaded by academichic.

But when I took pictures of the outfit, the first thing that came to mind was…soccer mom. I think it’s the pale shoe with the wide leg pant, plus the striped tank.

And yet, I still decided to post these. I want to remember that not every outfit is meant to be shot for a catalog. Some outfits make me feel fantastic on the ground, when it counts, even though they might not look all that stunning up on the internet. I felt powerful and competent wearing this, and I don’t want a bland picture to take that away from me.

Besides, I’m fully planning on being team mom when baby e. plays soccer some day.

Soccer Mom, originally uploaded by academichic.

Literal Necklace, originally uploaded by academichic.

Birthday Splash, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Tank: Forever 21
• Skirt: Anthropologie, with birthday money!
• Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell
• Earrings: gift from brothers

End Notes:

I love it when I get to spend my birthday in my favorite place: back home on Oahu with my family. Since arriving a few days ago, I’ve been soaking up the sunshine, helping baby e. explore the new geography, flora, and fauna, and eating a delicious array of local food.

I bought this skirt (and a dress I’ll premiere later) during Anthropologie’s after Christmas sale using some early birthday money. Everything about this skirt — the color, the Japanese doll print, the fullness, the pockets — called to me, and I decided that it was the perfect birthday skirt. Between the skirt, striped tank, and cut-out sandals, the only real accessorizing this outfit needed was the addition of these minuscule origami crane earrings that my brothers gave me this morning.

Thanks for your warm birthday wishes, and a special thanks to L. and A. for their sweet posts and spot-on outfits. L., you’d better not bring that top with you back to Academichic central, otherwise I just might steal it from you! And A., I’m so proud of you for surrendering your waist for a day. You are both so dear to me, and I’m so grateful for your friendship and for this space to be creative together!

Birthday Splash, originally uploaded by academichic.

3 January 2011 – Happy Birthday E., originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Cardigan – Gap, gift from mother-in-law
• Striped Tank – J Crew
• Ponte Pants – Ann Taylor
• Grey Wedge Boots – Steve Madden, gift from Mom
• Necklace – gift from sister L.

Endnotes:

Happy Birthday E.!  I took these birthday-tribute photos last week while in Florida knowing that E. would be in Hawaii for her birthday.  I was also happy to have the opportunity to put together an E-inspired outfit that didn’t require several snow-proof layers!

3 January 2011, originally uploaded by academichic.

A couple of the items featured in this ensemble are exact duplicates of items in E.’s closet, while others are just close approximations. Like L., I have E. to thank for my obsession with the Ann Taylor ponte pant. She gushed about them for months and then finally convinced me to try a pair on.  I’ve taken much inspiration from the various ways she has remixed her pair (like as fantastically fun supermom pants, or as perfectly polished teacher pants).  I received my grey wedge boots for Christmas, just a few week’s after E. scored her’s on ebay, so they were an easy choice.  But, they also seemed appropriate because I so clearly remember the first time I pointed out the Steve Madden Intyce boots to E. while we were grabbing coffee/tea before seminar.  It seems like so long ago and it makes me smile to think about how much our friendship has grown over the past 4 plus years, yet we still love to talk about much of the same things — modern art, feminism, balancing professional and personal life, identity politics, and good shoes!

Necklace and stripes, originally uploaded by academichic.

Stripes are perhaps one of my signature looks, but this particular black and white stripe tank makes me think of E.  I love both her striped tank, which she wore quite a bit this past summer,  and her black and white striped tee, which she has rocked many a times, including several times during her 30 for 30.  I’ve always been a bit covetous of E.’s signature bauble necklace, so I was very excited to receive this necklace for Christmas.  Now, the big stretch for me in this outfit is the open drapey cardigan.  E. is always encouraging me to “surrender the waist” every once in a while and I love this cardigan precisely because it reminds me of something E. would wear unbelted and loose.  Overall, I was hoping to pull together something that looked effortless, chic, and just a little bit edgy.

E., you are one of my dearest friends and we have seen each other through some huge professional and personal hurdles and triumphs!  I’m looking forward to sharing so many more of life’s great events with you and feel so lucky to have you (and your family) as a regular fixture in my life!  I love you!  A.

3 January 2011, originally uploaded by academichic.

14 December 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Cardigan: Target
• Teal sweater: The Limited
• Belt: thrifted
• Skirt: old strapless dress from Wet Seal, refashioned into a skirt
• Tights (2 pairs!): Target
• Shoes: Target

End Notes:

Folks, I think I’m out of practice putting together outfits that are not from my 30 for 30 selection. I knew I wanted to wear this skirt today, since I missed full skirts during the 30 for 30, but I had the darndest time figuring out what I wanted to do up top. I ended up layering two sweaters, and tucked in the longish striped sweater.

I think I like the end results. I mean, with the full skirt and striped cardigan I kind of feel like a nerdy ballet dancer…but I mean that in the best possible way.

I would really like to get a couple of full, winter or fall weight skirts in one or two of my usual colors (mustard, olive, navy, etc.). Bonus points if they have pockets. Does anyone have any recommendations for where I could find something like that?

Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Top: BCBG, thrifted
• Skirt: Gap, inherited from SIL
• Belt: tie from a jersey dress
• Red tights: costume store
• Lace tights: Target
• Booties: Steve Madden Ollie

End Notes:

Today was the last day of classes this semester, so I figured that I might as well leave my students with a striking final impression: the TA who wears crazy tights.

I don’t really know if I’ve ever had so many people talk to me about my outfit. When I first arrived on campus, a colleague stopped in his tracks and proclaimed his love of my tights. Although another colleague rolled her eyes at me, several others colleagues and undergrads had immediate and positive reactions. At a late afternoon haircut appointment, my hairdresser couldn’t stop talking about them and kept pointing them out to anyone who popped into his shop. And, judging from the head-whipping, I think I might have unnerved the construction workers as I whizzed past on my bike, a blur of red, black lace, and camel wool.

I am by nature an introvert, and I grew up in a culture that placed a stronger emphasis on communal rather than individual identity. As I’ve grown into my own skin — as a woman, wife, mother, and scholar — I’ve found that using my wardrobe as a means of creative expression is also a deeply personal means of overcoming my fears of what other people will think. These tights are a big deal. To me, it felt like I was walking around with a blinking sign above my head that read, “E HAS ENTERED THE ROOM.” But you know what? I think I held my own, and I’m already planning another outfit around this layered tights combination. Bam.

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.

1 October 2010 – Black and White Week, Day 5, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Cardigan: Banana Republic, free from swap
• Pants: Ann Taylor
• Top: Old Navy
• Shoes: Target

End Notes:

E.’s black and white week, day five. Black and white goes casual. That’s all, folks.

3 September 2010 – Back to School, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Striped Shirt – Gap
• Black Pencil Skirt – Banana Republic
• Black Lace Cami – BR Outlet
• Red Flats – Target
• Blue Tote – TJ Max
• Earrings – gift from Santa
• Bracelet – Hawaii

Endnotes:

While E., started on Tuesday, yesterday was my first day of class.  I haven’t been on the student side of the classroom for a few semesters now, but this Fall brings new challenges! I am fully in “the writing stage” and  will only be on campus once a week to TA for a class outside of my department.  I’m not worried about staying busy or managing face-time in my department, since I will be serving as peer mentor, attending the bizillion lecturers my department is hosting, and making frequent trips to the library located in the same building as my department.  Instead, I am worried about how I’m going to manage my time and actually get some writing done this year.  I’m sure this is a topic I will frequently return to here.  But, yesterday was not a writing day!

3 September 2010 – Back to School, originally uploaded by academichic.

I held my first office hours, did paper work and sent emails, all from my new office!  That’s right, apparently TAs in other departments get offices!  I then attended the class and met my students.  But, before my day was over I also went to a campus social hour for the LGBT community, which had me mingling with a dean, several staff and faculty, my peers, and my undergraduate advisiees.  Needless to say, it was a long day involving a variety of activities and a lot of walking.  So, I decided to keep it clean and simple.  I opted for my go-to black pencil skirt (a real workhorse of my wardrobe, as E.would say), the blue and white stripes I have been loving this summer in a structure button down, my red flats, and my “pride” bracelet.

Red Flats, originally uploaded by academichic.

And because, perhaps surprisingly, I didn’t actually have much to carry around with me today, I sported by stylish, functional, and professional little blue leather tote.  I felt polished, professional, stylish, and best of all COMFORTABLE all day!  Not bad, for the one long first day of what is sure to be a long semester.

3 September 2010 – Back to School, originally uploaded by academichic.