30 March 2010 – That Red Shoe

Posted on | March 30, 2010 | 23 Comments

30 March 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

White eyelet top – TJMaxx
Red cardi – thrifted
Skirt – Boden, thrifted
Necklace – Sigrid Olsen, thrifted
Red wedges – Etienne Aigner, thrifted
Earrings – my wedding earrings, local sidewalk sale

Endnotes:

Another beautiful day here in Munich and so I’m once more happy to pull out Springy items like this floral skirt, a light-weight eyelet top, floral accessories, and – as promised – my red cardi. I did a long run this morning and enjoyed seeing so many people out on bikes, walking, lounging along the river, and basking in the sun. Please, please stay, weather!

Details, originally uploaded by academichic.

Wedding Earrings, originally uploaded by academichic.

So on a somewhat related tangent – I’m wearing these awesome red wedges today that I was lucky enough to thrift for a mere $3 last summer. There is something very sassy and emboldening about a red shoe, don’t you think? They also reminded me of something I’ve been wanting to bring to your attention. A while back, we put together a bibliography on fashion history and theory for you and you were so awesome to add a bunch more great titles to that list. (Some of those I’ve since checked out and have used for my research, so thank you, again!)

Right after publishing that post, I was flying back from the US and came across this article in the US Airways Magazine. It is a short excerpt from Linda Grant’s upcoming book The Thoughtful Dresser. I read the excerpt and was absolutely sold on it; it’s beautifully written, provocative, thoughtful, and witty. This comes as no surprise since Grant is an award winning novelist. I was reminded of this today because the excerpt opens with a story about a “glorious, scarlet, insouciant” red high heeled shoe. So if you’re interested on exploring the topic of fashion, culture, and history some more, check out the excerpt from Grant’s book and see what you think. The book comes out in the US on April 20th, if you’re then moved to read the entire work. S.

IMG_8120, originally uploaded by academichic.

16 September 2009

Posted on | September 16, 2009 | 15 Comments

16 September 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed

Purple Cardigan – Gap Outlet
Grey Tee – Old Navy
Black Cami – Banana Republic
Black Skirt – Banana Republic
Scarf (worn as belt) – H& M
Black Flats – Urban Outfitters
Yellow Bangles – Gap Outlet
Earrings – Forever 21

Endnotes:

Today, I am continuing my experimentation with scarves and layered necklines to rejuvenate my summer wardrobe. I wore this scarf as obi/belt this past winter and loved it and I think it works well here with the purple and grey and the little bit of a textured cami layered under the ruched v-neck.

Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

I got dressed, snapped some pictures, and headed off to a morning meeting before getting a chance to check in with the blog. I have to say, I was amused, but not surprised to see that E. and I were both wearing our matching purple cardigans today.

The three of us own several of the same items, E and I in particular have some of the exact same pieces in the same color, many of which we actually purchased while shopping together. Many a mornings I have received a quick email or text message alerting me that E. is wearing one of said items and I have more than a few times called E. while getting ready for an evening event to be sure we are not wearing the same dress.

But, this purple cardigan has become too much of a go-to item for both of us to even bother with. While this may be the first time we have both worn and blogged this cardigan on the same day, just last week when she wore hers with jeans, I was wearing mine with a brown skirt, but never got a chance to post it.

I mentioned this shopping trend of ours a month or so ago when E. and I were wearing the same cardigan in different colors. I explained then that owning the same items as these two lovelies has never bothered me and I know it doesn’t bother S. or E. since they have both, at one time or another, encouraged me or each other to purchase the same item as them.

Would you mind terribly if you showed up to class or work in the same sweater as a fashionable colleague? A.

15 September 2009

Posted on | September 15, 2009 | 14 Comments

15 September 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:
All remixed except skirt which is old

Green Top – BR Outlet
Scarf (worn as blouse) – gift from Kimberly
Brown Skirt – Gap
Woven Brown Belt – Forever 21
Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW
Earrings – Banana Republic

Endnotes:

It is still much warmer here than I would like it to be and I am getting sick of my summer wardrobe! One of the easiest ways to remix clothing is in the layering, but as I have mentioned before, this is more difficult to do in warmer weather. Interesting color combinations are another great way to change the look of a remixed item. Yesterday I paired blue-green and red-orange for a casual complimentary color scheme, but in the end it was my layered neckline that I liked best about the outfit.

This got me thinking about ways to creatively layer pieces and to bring more interest to the neckline of some of my go-to knits. I love the pattern on this scarf, sent to me by the lovely Kimberly of Fab Finds Under $50, and have often thought how great it would be to have a skirt or blouse with this pattern on it. So, partially inspired by E.’s scarf tacked to cardigan from several months ago, I tucked this long rectangular scarf around the neckline of my shirt and used the belt to hold the ends in place. As I got dressed this morning, I was worried about the scarf slipping around all day, but so far, so good.

Neckline – Scarf Shirt, originally uploaded by academichic.

I love the ways this rather simple addition has drastically changed the look of this bright green top – the soft blue pattern makes for a more sophisticated palette, the scarf texture dresses the top up, and the new higher neckline adds to the level of professionalism.

Until I can pull out the fall wardrobe I am dying to get back into, it looks like a little creative thinking will be needed to extend the summer wardrobe. I’ll try out a few more scarfed looks and a few more layering tricks this week. What are your tricks for keeping your wardrobe fresh as the summer season drags on?

6 September 2009 – Mountain Wedding

Posted on | September 9, 2009 | 9 Comments

6 September 2009 – Mountain Wedding, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed except brooch

Navy Dress - J Crew
Silver Brooch – Grandmother’s
Brown Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW
Earrings - Anthropologie
Silver Bracelet – gift from S.

Endnotes:

This weekend I traveled to Montana for the wedding of one of my closest friends from my master’s program. The wedding was beautiful with the reception being held in an old barn below the mountains.

This wedding was a bit of a challenge to dress for. The bride wore a pretty traditional long white gown but several guests were dressed more for a barn than a wedding! While I was one of the dressier attendees, I was happy and comfortable all night in my ensemble.

I think the beauty of this dress, which I bought for S.’s wedding, is that it can work in a variety of situations: the fact that it is cotton, makes it more casual, but the sheen of the cotton makes it dressy; navy is a classic color that can go either way; the shape and shorter hemline keep it simple, but the ruffle detailing at the neck makes it special.

dress belt detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

I was excited to have another reason to wear the dress but wanted to do something different with it. My brown wedges fit the barn setting a bit better than the fuchsia pumps and since they have been my go-to shoes this summer, I was happy both walking the grounds and hitting the dance floor in them. I still wanted to spice it up a bit with my accessories. I tried my DIY flower belt with it, but it just wasn’t the look I was going for. All the talk about brooches and my new commitment to wearing things from the bottom of my jewelry box led me to pull out this silver brooch that belonged to grandmother. I think it gave the perfect added touch!

What’s your favorite way to remix a simple dress?

6 September 2009 – Mountain Wedding, originally uploaded by academichic.

2 September 2009

Posted on | September 3, 2009 | 14 Comments

2 September 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed except scarf and beaded bracelet

White Skirt – J Crew
Rust Tee – Banana Republic
White Tank – Banana Republic
Woven Brown Belt – BR Outlet
Necklace – gifted earring turned into necklace
Beaded Bracelet – gift
Gold and Silver Bangle – gift from S.’s mom
Sandals – Forever 21
Earrings – Banana Republic
Bag – China Town, NY
Sunflower Scarf – VintageThreadz

Endnotes:

Today’s ensemble is a bit of a summer-fall mashup. I am not much of one for following fashion rules, but I did think to myself earlier this week that I should get another wear out of my white skirt before Labor Day. The weather is still quite warm here, but like S., I am ready for my favorite season – Fall! I pulled out this burnt orange top and by the time I was done accessorizing I had a rather autumnal palette going. I think the contrast of the rust and white with accents of brown was the perfect color combination for a sunny September day.

As I mentioned earlier this week, I rummaged through my jewelry box and rediscovered a few pieces I haven’t worn in ages. This beaded bracelet is one of those finds and I love the colors and style of it. I paired it with the beautiful bangle S.’s mom gave me on S.’s wedding day.

Bracelets, originally uploaded by academichic.

We have been doing a bit of talking about accessories around here, specifically brooches. I actually have a variety of brooches coming my way, so will be attempting to “brooch the subject” very soon, however I think I will find this much easier to do once I am wearing scarfs, jackets, and sweaters on a regular basis. Another accessory I have trouble with is the small square scarf. I love big long scarfs that I can wrap around my neck a couple times or wear draped around my shoulders. Recently I have come to also like long thin scarves that I can use as belts. But with a scarf to small to fit around my waist, I am at a loss. S. does wonderful things with these little scarves, but I am just not a neck-scarf person. So, when I received this beautiful little sunflower scarf from Vintage Threadz, it took some thinking to figure out how to incorporate it.

Sunflower Scarf, originally uploaded by academichic.

With sunflowers being an August to September bloomer, the scarf was such a perfect accessory for my summer-fall mashup, so I tied it around the straps of my bag. I used a similar trick with my large flower brooch, adding it to a large tote and a small clutch.

I’ll be passing this scarf on to S. soon to see what she can do with it, but I’m curious how you might style a small square scarf? A.

2 September 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

1 September 2009

Posted on | September 2, 2009 | 3 Comments

1 September 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed except bracelet

Patterned Tee – Banana Republic
Brown Cami – Gap
Grey Skirt – Old Navy
Brown Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW
Bracelet – gift
Cream stone on chain – grandmothers
Turquoise stone on chain – made by me

Endnotes:

It’s no secret that pattern scares me a bit, but I have been trying very hard to meet that fear head on. Since staring this blog, I have purchased patterned shoes, patterned tops, and a boldly-patterned dress. I bough this shirt on super sale last fall because the pattern was small and it was a favored color pallete. I wore it a few times last winter as a layering piece, but had never actually worn it on its own.

Today I decided to wear it and play off the pattern a bit in my accessories. I dug this bracelet out of my jewelry box (I had forgotten how much I like it). I love how the round beads echo the circles on the shirt and how the little painted dots add another layer of this shape. I pulled out two simple necklaces – a cream pendant and a turquoise round bead pendant – and wore them both, bringing the dot pattern up around my neckline.

This is by no means pattern mixing, but I would argue it should count as pattern playing! A.

Dots on Dots, originally uploaded by academichic.

26 August 2009

Posted on | August 26, 2009 | 9 Comments

26 August 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Coral Flower Tank – Urban Outfitters
White Strapless Cami – Banana Republic
Skinny Jeans – Gap Outlet
Woven Brown Belt – Forever 21
Sandals – Forever 21

Endnotes:

This week has proved to be much busier then I anticipated with new deadlines, meetings, and social commitment thrown my way. Yesterday I was to busy snap a picture of my outfit before leaving the house and way to tired to do it when I finally made it back home. My plan for today was to catch up on emails and start working towards some of those new deadlines. I dressed casually, expecting to spend most of the day at home, and in top perfect for soaking up the last rays of sun of my summer siting outside the coffee shop. But, par for course this week, I ended up having to go into the department and to meet with a head librarian on campus. There was no time to run home and change so off I went in my research-casual, sun-soaking ensemble. The librarian seemed annoyed to be talking to me until I introduced who I was and then his tone dramatically changed. I do have to wonder, if I had been dressed in pencil skirt and heels, would he have approached me differently?

Is it too much to ask to want to get a little sun AND a little respect all in the same day?

26 August 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

24 August 2009

Posted on | August 24, 2009 | 9 Comments

24 August 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed again and again.

Cream Cardigan – J Crew
Teal Tank – BR Outlet
Turquoise Necklace – Limited
Grey Skirt – Old Navy
Brown Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW
Bag – China Town, NYC

Endnotes:

As E. said, today was the meet and greet brunch for our department. For me however, this was followed by a TA meeting, lunch with new graduate students, a workshop on managing stress (I just managed to feel more stressed about my stress) and finally to work a table at the graduate student resource fair. It’s been a long day – hence the nighttime photo!

I knew I wanted to wear something I would be physically comfortable in all day, but also something that would make me feel confident and most like myself. Today I was once again asking quite a bit of my outfit, wanting it to covey my commitment to my studies and teaching, approachability, preparedness, and a sense of fun.

Teal on Teal, originally uploaded by academichic.

As I got dressed this morning and traveled to school, I found myself thinking about all of your great comments on Friday’s post. Many of you commented that you feel you are always dressing for a number of people and are constantly aware that you are being judged on your appearance, but many of you all expressed that fashion and style can be freeing, empowering, and influential. While I will continue to think about these ideas, and hope to continue this discussion here, today I did try to remember that ultimately, I am dressing for myself. However, I do think that by feeling that I looked approachable likely made me exude an approachability to those around me and similarly, by feeling that I looked prepared and committed I was probably more confident in my various meetings.

I was very intrigued by reader N. who claimed that some of her undergraduate professors were “AWARE of their self-presentation and use it as a tool in the classroom (to discuss identity, class, gender, etc. ).” I love the idea of this and have been thinking quite a bit about how I might put this into practice. Any ideas on this?

I also loved the idea expressed by reader Krissie about wanting to be “the best, most fully rounded people we can be.” Academia can often be very insular (and isolating) – there is a strange disconnect from the outside world, which I find particularly problematic for the humanities. I do think my interest in fashion and personal style is one of the many things that makes me a more well rounded individual and thus a better scholar. This blog is an important creative outlet for me but also a form of field study!

Please keep all your great thoughts coming! A.

New Shoes!, originally uploaded by academichic.

19 August 2009 – Monochromatic Teal

Posted on | August 19, 2009 | 9 Comments

19 August 2009 – Monochromatic Teal, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All endlessly remixed

Teal Tee – F21
Light Teal Tank – Gap
Denim Pencil Skirt – Gap
Brown Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW

Endnotes:

While I am no stranger to monochromatic neutrals, I find putting a monochromatic non-neutral-color outfit together rather challenging. Part of this is that I just don’t have the clothes in my closet for a head to toe of any non-neutral color because I don’t have much in the way of colorful bottoms (I used my one brightly colored skirt to create a monochromatic blue ensemble in the winter). The other issue is that one of my new favorite tricks is to add color with my shoes but I hate matching my shoes to my outfit (unless they are a neutral).

However, even when I gave into a neutral bottom half and focused on the top, I still found this a difficult look to put together. I decided to pick one of my favorite colors because it gave me numerous pieces to choose from. Once I had decided on teal I just stared pulling everything teal out and found that this tank was pretty close to just being a lighter shade than the tee.

The real stretch for me came with the accessories. My instinct was to either add a pop of another color or to break the teal up with a neutral. I never would have thought of putting these turquoise beads with this top but I am actually really pleased with the result.

Teal on Teal, originally uploaded by academichic.

Jewelry Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

15 August 2009 – True Triad Love

Posted on | August 16, 2009 | 7 Comments

15 August 2009 – True Triad Love, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed except belt…

Purple Top – BR Outlet
Grey Denim Pencil Skirt- Old Navy
Green Flats – BR
Green Bracelet – Gift from S.
White Tank – BR
Orange Ribbon Belt – American Eagle

Endnotes:

I wanted to wear one true triad before this week was up, so last night for a casual dinner and a movie I rocked the orange-purple-green triad in all its glory!

I have paired this purple top with my green flats many times before, but the addition of orange was a stretch for me. I did this triad in the winter with a more blue-green and a red-orange. Throughout these color challenges, I have endlessly remixed those floral red-orange flats and my coral sweater because they are about the only orange-ish things in my wardrobe. I really just don’t own a true orange. At least, that is what I thought, until I was digging through my scarf box and discovered this orange ribbon belt at the bottom. I am pretty sure this came with a pair of shorts form American Eagle, purchased over 5 years ago, and I have never worn it since.

Purple and Orange!, originally uploaded by academichic.

As it turns out, I love the way the orange and purple look together (much like I learned I love yellow and purple). I still don’t think orange is a color I will be going out and buying in bulk, but a few more orange accessories might be a nice addition to my personal color wheel.

Have our fashion 101s inspired you to shop for any one color in particular? What color?

keep looking »