academichic

Sources:

(Above)

• Purple cardigan: Old Navy
• Pale blue tee: Forever 21
• Belt: Old Navy
• Navy skirt: Gap
• Tights: Target
• Wedges: MIA Modern Wedge, via DSW

(Below)

• Sweater dress: Banana Republic, gift from MIL
• Necklace: Avalon Exchange
• Obi belt: from another dress
• Navy diamond tights: Banana Republic Factory
• Wedges: MIA Modern Wedge, via DSW

End Notes:

The above outfit is a fair and accurate representation of the kinds of outfits I’ve been wearing to teach in lately. I really think that I’ve worn that crinkle navy skirt at least once a week for the last two or three weeks, although I haven’t always taken the time to snap pictures. I like that this skirt has a fullness that’s not too overwhelming and plays well against the structure of a wide belt. Long time followers may have picked up that I have not been tucking in my cardigans for several weeks now, a move that is somewhat atypical of me and my love of high-waisted skirts. Well, readers, the reason, quite frankly, is that I was using a wide stretchy belt to bisect some squishy tummy, and the extra fabric below the belt helped to camouflage the fact that I was working on this:

Why yes, that is a baby bump. I enjoyed having my little secret for a couple of months, but now that I’m in my second trimester, I’m ready to start belting to reveal rather than conceal this burgeoning development (funny, I wore this dress when I first started showing with baby e. as well). For today’s look, I used my belt to create a surprising but spring-ish color combination of magenta, salmon, navy, and gray. I nicked this obi style belt from another dress (a dress which, due to the fact that I got it at an after Christmas sale and then found out I was preggers soon afterwards, you will not get to see blogged for quite a while), and I like how the texture plays off of the sweater dress and “goes” but does not quite match the coral colored beads I picked up at my local consignment store. I’ve amassed a significant collection of colorful belts over the last year or so (a purple sash and seafoam, gold, navy, and green belts) and, believe it or not, I’ve enjoyed the color combination possibilities they engender even more than their waist-defining capabilities.

P.S. Dear wondering readers, those jeans I wore at the end of last week are my Old Navy maternity jeans (demi band, straight cut — not currently available). I’m sorry to disappoint.

P.P.S. Baby E. — soon to be Big Brother E. — isn’t entirely sure what’s going on yet, but he wanted to be in today’s photo shoot nonetheless.

7 December 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Scarf: Chinatown
• Sweater dress: Ann Taylor
• Tights: Hue
• Oxford booties: Civico 10, via DSW

End Notes:

This maroon-or-eggplant-depending-on-the-light sweater dress has proven to be just as versatile as I hoped when I bought it. I actually wore this dress (with boots and a different scarf) when we took our family Christmas card pictures in our local rainforest (er, botanical gardens) on Sunday, but I’m not even going to count that against my 30 for 30 total since I have more than enough ideas of other remixes to see me through to the end.

I will, however, show you some outtakes from our camera-balanced-on-the-stroller photo shoot:

On another note entirely, I’ve enjoyed reading the “Why I Remix” guest posts — featuring outstanding remixers like Kyla from Blue Collar Catwalk and Tania from What Would a Nerd Wear — that Kendi has been hosting throughout this 30 for 30. Why do I remix? I love the idea of transformative creativity…not making something ex nihilo, but taking something that already exists and seeing potential within that for something different altogether. I may not have the time, patience, or skill to craft a perfectly tailored, custom dress, but I can reinvent an off-the-rack dress to suit different seasons, moods, and purposes. I remix because it makes me feel powerful. I am taking charge of my closet, resisting the compulsion to buy more or play it safe.

Whether or not you are participating in the 30 for 30 challenge, why do you remix?

Slouchy Day, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dolman sleeve cardigan: Ann Taylor, gift from MIL
• Scarf: China Town NYC, gift from SIL
• Sweater: Forever 21
• Belt: thrifted
• Skinnies: Ann Taylor
• Boots: Steve Madden, via eBay

End Notes:

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Those are not the Steve Madden boots with which I started out this 30 for 30. They are still Steve Madden boots and they were still scored on eBay, but when my mother-in-law was here over Thanksgiving she kidnapped my older, tan pair and took them to a cobbler for some much needed TLC. Re-soling and leather conditioning is not bound by the 30 for 30, apparently.

As for the outfit itself: it’s warm and snuggly and just right for staying cozy as the temperatures drop.

—

Fall Wedding, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources (Part II):

• Sweater dress: Ann Taylor
• Necklace: Target
• Tights: Banana Republic Factory
• Booties: Steve Madden Ollie

End Notes (Part II):

This past weekend I also had the joy of witnessing the wedding of one of my dear friends. It was a late afternoon, fairly casual wedding with lots of unorthodox touches that reflected the vibrant, carefree personality of the bride. I tried to walk the line of dressy and casual with a sweater dress glammed up a bit with jewelry, booties, and the rich color pairing of aubergine and navy.

I felt a little bit like I was cheating social mores by wearing something as comfortable and cozy as a sweater dress to a “fancy” event like a wedding. I’m curious how our culture has developed this tendency to equate comfortable clothes with casualness and uncomfortable garments with more formal occasions. Why is that? How did that happen? Any fashion historians want to offer an explanation? And who wants to help me make a deliciously warm and comfortable fleece pencil skirt?

17 November 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Striped Sweater Dress – Old Navy
• Black Ponte Pants – Ann Taylor
• Belt – BR Factory Store
• Boots – Banana Republic, via ebay
• Earrings – Island Souvenir

Endnotes:

I spent today grading at home and a coffee shop and running errands, including an errand on campus.  So, I was going for polished comfort!

I picked this sweater dress up at Old Navy about a week before the 30 for 30 challenge started.  I found it on the sale rack with out a tag.  I was hesitant about buying it but when the checkout woman told me it was $7.99, I figured it was worth it a try (imagine my surprise when I found the same dress online for $35).

15 November 2010 – Game Face, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Scarf: Ross
• Sweater dress: Ann Taylor
• Tights: gift from mother-in-law
• Boots: Steve Madden
• Angst: courtesy of my advisor

End Notes:

Yesterday was a pretty big academic milestone for me, as I sat for my major field qualifying exam. Although I know in my head that this is ultimately a hoop — albeit one with spikes and fire — to jump through, it still felt like a big deal and an occasion deserving of patterned tights. Sure, no one would actually see me since I was going to be locked in a windowless room for 6 hours with my computer, but still. Turns out I needed them, since my day ended up going something like this:

I woke up feeling ready but anxious to get going.

After arriving on campus, however, I was told that my advisor (currently out of the country) had not yet sent my exam question to our department admin.

So I waited. And waited. Had some tea. Twiddled my thumbs. Talked to a colleague. And…waited…until my question arrived an hour later.

Then I typed for 6 hours, and my brain felt like this:

Relief, originally uploaded by academichic.

I’ll find out in two weeks if my lucky tights paid off… In the meantime, thanks to all of you for the many well wishes!

23 October 2009 – Minimal, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Black sweater dress: Target
• Gray skinnies: thrifted, skinnied by me
• Gray suede wedges: Gap Outlet
• Turquoise earrings: vintage beads from a wee shop in Wheaton, IL

End Notes:

As simple as this outfit is, it’s really a stretch for me. Not only are my pants ankle length, but I am also wearing a fairly shapeless sweater dress-slash-tunic without a belt. I know, I know. I’m totally living on the edge.

Angie from You Look Fab calls this surrendering the waistline. And it really is. If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time you know that all three of us love to belt at the waist. Even when I was pregnant, I kept right on belting up to the bitter end. Letting this fairly shapeless sweater shift just hang out like this goes against my basic style instincts and the little Stacey and Clinton demons in my head.

Vintage Bead Earrings, originally uploaded by academichic.

And yet here I am. The skinnies add some needed edge and the wedges give some needed lift and length. What is really a basic outfit in terms of pieces and color becomes much more interesting because of the more unexpected play with proportion. And while it was tempting to figure out more accessories to add to the mix, I think this look achieves its greatest impact by embracing its inherent minimalism.

(And the better to show off my new-as-of-this-morning haircut, too!)

23 October 2009 – Minimal, originally uploaded by academichic.

  

Bump Watch, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Sweater dress – Banana Republic, gift from mother-in-law
• Tights – Target
• Wedges – Gap Outlet, well-loved
• Belt – Target
• Earrings worn as mini-brooches: my grandmother’s jewelry box

End Notes:

Now that I’m four months pregnant and none of my pants fit, I’m waiting for my baby bump to make itself known, more as a bump and less as a “Wow, she really overdid it at the buffet line.” My rapidly changing body sometimes frustrates me, often fascinates me, and consistently surprises me when I get dressed. A lot of my style “rules,” my unwritten set of guidelines for highlighting my best favorite parts and helping out in my less gifted areas (read, “chest”), no longer apply. Outfits that I used to love just don’t work anymore, and proportions that I was previously uncertain about now seem to work.

All that to say, I’m a bit incredulous as to how my wardrobe can still effectively hide my burgeoning belly. And there really is something there. To wit:

Now you see it (when I’m pulling my dress tight)…now you don’t (when I’m just standing there). It’s a little surreal, but also an interesting wardrobe challenge.

  

Little Leaves, originally uploaded by academichic.

  

Belt Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.