academichic

By land, by air or by sea, whether you are traveling over a school break, gearing up for a summer trip, or just found out you’ll be spending a research year abroad there are always myriad questions one asks when preparing to travel. What should I pack? What should I wear on the plane/train/boat/car ride? How formal will I need to be? What outwear should I bring? How many shoes will I need? and finally, How on earth am I going to get all this stuff into one bag?? Elizabeth Bishop has a few more philosophical questions in her poem “Questions of Travel”:

Should we have stayed at home and thought of here?
Where should we be today?
Is it right to be watching strangers in a play
in this strangest of theatres?
What childishness is it that while there’s a breath of life
in our bodies, we are determined to rush
to see the sun the other way around?
The tiniest green hummingbird in the world?
To stare at some inexplicable old stonework,
inexplicable and impenetrable,
at any view,
instantly seen and always, always delightful?
Oh, must we dream our dreams
and have them, too?
And have we room
for one more folded sunset, still quite warm?

This is one of my favorite poems, and while I (L.) have no answers for Bishop’s questions, I have compiled a few tips on the more basic travel and packing questions mentioned above.

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I’m now at the final countdown of my time in Germany. Over the course of this past year, I have received several questions regarding my packing to return home and my wardrobe changes after being here in general, so I will attempt to answer those in this recap of my travel wardrobe for this year abroad…

I can manage to take everything I’ve acquired back home with me because I’ve already sent my parents and my husband off with a load of clothes and books each (as they were just here visiting). I was determined not to mail anything and between their carrying help and my efforts to not acquire too many things this year, I will be returning with the same amount of luggage that I came with: two suitcases and one carry-on.

In terms of clothing purchases this year – I tried to curb my spending knowing full well that I would have to take everything back with me in limited luggage space. But I still couldn’t resist a few shopping trips here or there and I tried to make the most of my student budget by getting most of my souvenirs at thrift stores and consignment shops.

Thrifting allowed me to score a few really unique pieces, like this vintage Mod dress or this brocade blazer. It also made for some uniquely Bavarian acquisitions, like this little boy’s Tracht vest and a full Dirndl skirt yet to be revealed, at more affordable prices.

Some thrift finds were bought for their low price tag yet high potential; an eyelet top got a sleeve make-over, a $2.50 dress found in Romania got a good few inches chopped off and is now ready for wear, and one German army shirt got a complete overhaul in an attempt to flex some DIY muscles.

In addition to perusing thrift stores and the occasional fea market, I did buy a couple of new things this year. Most notably, my S. Oliver skinny jeans which have become my new BFF. Some things are just worth the extra buck. And like E. did during her pregnancy, I tried to make the most out of my few pairs of jeans that I had in circulation by changing their look with cuffing, rolling, tucking, or other similar tricks…

I also made a pair of black capris go all-season by tucking them into knee-socks come winter and wearing them with boots…

Other style-related results from a year spent in Germany – I branched out and tried a few new looks. I took comfort in being away from campus and from a very professional environment and experimented with more casual and out-of-my-comfort-zone styles. And I realized that I can do much more with so much less. Layering and creative remixing went a long way in making my limited wardrobe feel a lot more comprehensive. Here’s just an example using my brown patterned jersey dress…

This was also the case when it came to dressing up. I wore the same black dress and gray wedges all four times that I attended the opera here and just varied the look by pairing them with different accessories and color schemes…

Sure, there were moments when I felt like a pair of shoes or a top I’d left back home would have been a more fitting item for an outfit in question. (Several readers commented that the gray wedges didn’t quite suit my black dress + orange pashmina opera look and I would certainly agree). And had I been at home, I likely would have paired a pair of black heels with the black and orange look seen above. But I brought shoes and garments that would be the most versatile and that lent themselves to the most mixing possible, so a pair of heels that would have only come out for a few select events were not worth the suitcase space. And ultimately … does it really matter? Dare I say it? …There are worse things than not having the perfect pair of shoes to go with an evening dress.

So that is my ‘year abroad recap’ in a nutshell. Given that I already sent a good amount of my stuff home and that it’s raining and dreary here, I think it’s safe to say that I will continue to toss on jeans, some kind of top, and non-fussy flats each day. So I will spare you the photographic repetition and will likely recommence posting once I am back in sunnier places with a heftier wardrobe at my disposal. Until then, I’ll be enjoying my last few days here in gorgeous Munich, sadly saying my goodbyes, and getting ready for the next stage in my life. And it’s bound to bring new adventures and changes, so stay tuned! S.

14 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Sunnies – drug store
• Silk scarf – 1 Euro find at Vienna flea market
• Eyelet top – TJMaxx
• Brown cardi – TJMaxx
• Skinnies – S.Oliver
• Flats – Palladium
• Pendant – Anthropologie
• Earrings – gift from husband

Endnotes:

These are my last travel photos from Cluj, Romania. As you can see, I wore more of the same ‘uniform’ I’ve been sporting throughout my trip to Prague and Romania. I pretty much switched between two pairs of skinny jeans, rotated through a variety of loose, comfortable tunic-like tops, and wore the same tried and tested pair of Palladium flats each day…

This look works really well for me because I’m somewhat of a straight-up-and-down rectangle, so tunics, empire waist tops, and loose blouses work really well with my shape. Someone with more of an hourglass figure might do well to pack tops that define a waist and show off some curves, but for me, it ends up working quite well to highlight my thin legs in skinny jeans and not bother trying to create curves where there are none. When I’m just trying to get dressed quickly and comfortably, that is. Style savvy-readers like Sal mentioned trying travel outfits on at home before packing and I have definitely approached my packing in that well-planned way before. But when time is short and I just want to throw things in my bag that I know will work, I stick with simple pieces that work with and not against my figure.  And with well worn-in and tested shoes. Even if it means that I wear pretty much a version of the same outfit each day. When I’m traveling, I want my surroundings to be my focus and not my outfits.

To vary my looks a wee bit and to make me feel like I’m adding a dash of style to my ‘travel uniform’, I packed a bunch of scarves and used those to add color, texture, and diversity. Scarves are great because they’re so light and small that you can pack a whole lot of them without sacrificing much luggage space at all…

I have actually been feeling a bit like a ‘one trick pony’ since so many of my outfits have been of this skinnies + tunic + flats variety and even wondered whether to post them or not, but then A.’s last post really struck a chord. I liked her honesty in saying that she doesn’t always look put-together, nor that she tries to always look put-together, and that she questions whether style bloggers ought to admit that or pretend otherwise. I have often thought about this myself (being of the not-always-so-put-together-as-I-may-like-to-pretend variety) and it seems to me that what sets fashion blogging apart from magazine spreads and professional models is the portrayal of a somewhat more realistic approach to style, fashion, clothing, and wearability. (Although the spectrum of fashion blogging runs broadly enough that arguments could be made both for and against this). Our site has always been about showing what we would wear on campus, to teach in, on research days, for office hours, or for any other given activity that we would realistically engage in. Thus, it follows that I shouldn’t have to edit out those images of me repeating the same jeans and top for the sake of creative documentation. At the same time, showing off the same look over and over defeats the purpose of creating a platform that seeks to inspire creativity and innovation in one’s approach to dressing.

If you’re still with me and I haven’t lost you with my ramblings, I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Where do you see the role of fashion blogging fitting in? Is it more of an art form and should a good blogger strive to create the kind of unique, often extravagant, and decidedly varied looks found in the pages of your favorite glossies, or rather, is it about documenting the everyday, albeit at times repetitive and perhaps even lackluster outfit creations of regular people? (And yes, I realize that I’m creating a somewhat oversimplified dichotomy here, but you get what I’m saying…)

So which type draws you in more?

Close-up, originally uploaded by academichic.

14 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

And as I leave you to ponder those questions, I will offer you a few more images of gorgeous Cluj… Hope you enjoy! S.

Cluj, Romania, originally uploaded by academichic.

Cluj, Romania, originally uploaded by academichic.

Cluj, Romania, originally uploaded by academichic.

9 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Polka dot bouse – Gap, thrifted
• Navy tank – ON
• Scarf – courtesy of Echo Design
• Jeans – S. Oliver
• Flats – Palladium
• Green tote – Kenneth Cole
• Earrings – gift from A.
• Sunglasses – drug store

Endnotes:

These photos were taken one day last week spent in Sibiu, Romania. I posted some pictures of Sibiu the last time I was there in September of last year and I took a bunch more on this trip because it’s just such a beautiful and picturesque city.

Since I knew I would be doing a lot of walking on this trip to Romania, I packed sensibly –  comfortable flats, sunscreen, and shades were on top of my list. (But more about my packing later). T. and I spent a good deal of our day in Sibiu walking around and exploring the city with intermittent coffee breaks keeping us juiced up and energized. Since we didn’t have much time on this particular visit, we didn’t enter any museums, but I did briefly pop into a promising looking thrift store…I just couldn’t resist.

Traveling/Thrifting, originally uploaded by academichic.

I love a good thrift store at home and I love it even more when traveling because it’s the perfect way to find some unique treasures or some very cheap souvenirs. T. actually suggested I go in when we passed it, which I’m taking as a sign of true love. He really knows me by now. And that’s where a large tote really comes in handy. While carrying a smaller purse is great in terms of weight, when I’m traveling, I need a big bag to hold my essentials, some handy wipes, any postcards and gifts I pick up, an umbrella (a proven way to ensure that it won’t rain!), and, of course, my camera. And, on this trip, the couple of goodies I picked up at said thrift store, which I’m excited to reveal sometime soon.

Are you also a well stocked traveler or do you like to keep things loose and breezy? S.

9 June 2010 – Old City of Sibiu, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sibiu, Romania, originally uploaded by academichic.

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.

Little Bird Earring, originally uploaded by academichic.

Pattern Mash, originally uploaded by academichic.

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.

European Travels, originally uploaded by academichic.

Finally, as promised, the story of how I packed for a 10 day trip through 4 European countries in one amazing carry-on bag!

I’ve traveled with E. a number of times over the past few years and have always been jealous of her Tom Bihn Aeronaut.  Then I saw her packing post last year and I got a bit more jealous – not only did she have the prefect bag for carrying onto three forms of transportation on our NY research trips, but this amazing bag seemed to fit more than any carry-on bag I’ve ever seen.

E. and I decided to get S. her own Aeronaut for a wedding present last summer, just in time for her travels to Germany.  After her packing post, I was yet a little more jealous.

So, I can not express how excited I was to receive my very own Aueronaut from Tom Bihn just in tome to pack it full for my trip to Europe.  A2 borrowed E’s husband N’s Aeronaut so we could both carry our bags onto 7 flight, 1 train ride, one long bus ride, and a few car and metro rides.

Aeronaut Back Pack originally uploaded by academichic.

We both used the backpack straps on the Aeronaut as modeled by A2 above for almost the entire trip.  We found this the most comfortable and convenient way to carry the bag, especially when we had to sprint from one terminal to another or walk from the Dart to our seaside hotel in Ireland!  However, it was very helpful to be able to carry the bag like  a regular suitcase to get through narrow plane aisles  and I frequently used the flat almost unnoticeable handles on either end to pull the bag out of overhead storage or car trunks.

But, the best part about this bag, is how much fits in it!  E’s recent weekend trip to a warm climate has nothing on our 10 days in four cold and rainy countries!

The Spread, originally uploaded by academichic.

The Packing List:

• Skinny Jeans – Banana Republic
• Skinny Cords – Banana Republic
• Short-sleeved long cardigan – NY & Co.
• Black Sweater Vest – Banana Republic Outlet
• Argyle Cardigan – Banana Republic Outlet
• Thin Olive Sweater – H & M
• Black Henley – Gap
• Grey Tee – J Crew
• Teal Tank – BR Outlet
• Grey Ruffle-neck Tank – J Crew
• Maroon Sleeveless Top – Banana Republic
• Floral Blouse – Maurices
• Light Blue Long-sleeved Tee – J Crew Outlet
• Turquoise Scarf – NY China Town
• Blue Scarf – Old Navy
• Floral Scarf – Anthropologie
• Black Belt – NY & Co
• Brown Belt – NY & Co
• Grey Flats – BR Outlet
• Running Shoes, Running Pants, 2 Running Tops, Sports Bras
• Jewelry, Socks, Tights, Underwear

Yep, I fit all of that into one amazing carry on bag!  For the plane, I wore my BR Outlet black jersey dress, a thick cotton wrap sweater from Gap, my Old Navy teal belt, my teal paisley pashmina, my BR wellies, and my coral tench.

Tom Bihn Aeronaut, originally uploaded by academichic.

Tom Bihn Packing Cube, originally uploaded by academichic.

In the small clear cube I put my underwear in one side and my socks and tights in the other side. It was way easier to find and access these everyday then whey they are just shoved in a side pocket.

In the main compartment, I layered my pants in the bottom and then fit my flats and toiletries in around the cubes. Finally, I placed my laptop on top. In one end section I packed my running shoes and most of my running clothes and in the other I fit my computer cord, straightener, and my liquids for easy access at security.

Tom Bihn Clear Quarter Packing Cube, originally uploaded by academichic.

In addition to the packing cubes, Tom Bihn also sent us a selection of organizer pouches. I loved these almost as much as the packing cubes.  I used the large cork one to hold boarding passes, maps, and other important documents and then slipped it into my purse.  I used the small clear pouch to hold my jewelry, packed in top zipper poach of the Aeronaut. I used the mini cork pouch to carry my Pounds and Euros.  I clipped the pouch to a ring on my purse so that I could easily find it among everything else in there.

Tom Bihn Cork Organizer Pouch, originally uploaded by academichic.

Tom Bihn Clear Mini Organizer Pouch, originally uploaded by academichic.

Tom Bihn Mini Organizer Pouch, originally uploaded by academichic.

If I haven’t convinced you yet,  let me just share a quick travel story….  When we arrived in Dublin from the US, we had a short layover before we needed to catch our Ryan Air flight to Salzburg.  Ryan Air only allows one personal item/carry on – not one carry on and one personal item and maybe one shopping bag like most airlines – so, I had to stuff my purse (my fairly large leather purse) into the Aeronaut.   I didn’t think it could be possible seeing as I had filled what seemed like every inch of the bag, but some how I managed to rearrange a few things and shove it in there just in time to run to our boarding gate.

A2 and I can’t wait to travel again just so we can use this amazing bad again – I have a serious case of bag love!  And, since we all at Academichic want as many of you as possible to experience the wonders of Tom Bihn, be sure to check back later this week for another Tom Bihn giveaway!

As for what I actually wore on my travels, I don’t have much to show you as it was rather cold, so in most pictures I appear to be wearing the same thing I wore during my visit with S.

23 March 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

My skinny jeans, wellies, and coral tench saw quite a bit of Europe and Europe saw quite a bit of them!  In reality, I managed to come up with several different combination of the items I packed and never actually wore the exact same thing twice.

Boots across Europe, originally uploaded by academichic.

Castle Combe, originally uploaded by academichic.

London Tower Bridge, 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.)

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…

… 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.

24 October 2009 – Night at the Opera, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

On S1 (above):

• Black dress – Target, remixed
• Silk tie belt – from another (thrifted) dress, remixed
• Vintage brooch – was my grandmother’s
• Pink pashmina – H&M, remixed
• Gray wedges – Report, remixed
• Pink clutch, Ann Taylor, remixed

On S2 (below):

• Ivory shimmery top – recent H&M purchase
• Black pencil skirt – recent H&M purchase
• Ribbon weave pumps – bought in Romania years ago

Endnotes:

Saturday night found S2 and I enjoying a wonderful production of Janacek’s Janufa at the Munich Opera House. The night ended with enthusiastic Bravas and Bravos from the audience and we, too, shared that enthusiasm despite having seats that allowed us to see no more than 65% of the stage at all times… ahh, the nosebleed section of the Opera.

Since I’m abroad this year and have a limited wardrobe, I wore my one black dress that I packed and will likely wear for all formal events to come. By styling it differently each time, I hope to avoid having you (and me) groan, this outfit again?! as I pull it out over and over. This time I added a pink and tan obi belt, which comes from this silk dress I wore on my last opera visit, and a pink pashmina. I also took a cue from A., who’s done this brilliantly a few times lately, and added a sparkly brooch to my belt for added drama and dazzle.

Vintage Brooch, originally uploaded by academichic.

Ideally, I would have worn these shoes with the above outfit, but had I packed those, last night would have likely been their main starring role on this trip. Instead, I brought my trusty gray wedges, which can be dressed up enough to go with a Little Black Dress but are also a smarter every-day, get-lots-of-mileage-out-of-me shoe choice.

24 October 2009 – Night at the Opera, originally uploaded by academichic.

Meanwhile, S2 looked stunning this this ivory shimmery cowl neck top and black pencil skirt combo. But I think her shoes truly did steal the show here: cream peep-toes with a dark brown ribbon weave, lovely! A great example of how a patterned shoe can add the perfect finishing touch to a basic outfit.

Ribbon weave shoes, originally uploaded by academichic.

I think it’s also worth noting that we went to the Opera wearing outfits comprised almost entirely of Target, H&M, and thrifted pieces. And we didn’t look that bad, right? I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend as well, whatever Saturday night found you doing. S.

Munich Opera House, originally uploaded by academichic.

23 September 2009 , originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed except bag:

• Black cardi – Target
• Gray tank – Filene’s basement
• Jean skirt – Urban Outfitters
• Yellow pumps – Gianni Bini, via Dillards
• Bag – Etienne Aigner, hand-me-down from mom, thanks!
• Necklace - Anthropologie

Endnotes:

Today’s outfit was likewise inspired by E., who paid homage to ‘grellow‘ in a recent post of hers. I love these yellow Gianni Bini pumps, which have proven to be more than comfortable, and I have worn these with any number of colors but not once with gray. E.’s gray and yellow mix planted a seed and I think I’ve found a new favorite color combo.

To play up the yellow of the shoes, I added a tan bag and a gold and ivory vintage inspired necklace.

It was a good thing that I wore comfortable shoes today, because on an errand to Sibiu, a nearby city and a favorite of mine in Romania, I ended up doing quite a bit of walking. It was also a good thing that I had my camera and was able to snap a few shots, because I’m dying to share them with you. Sibiu was named European Capital of Culture in 2007 and I think the title is well deserved; it’s full of gorgeous old building, historic sites, cafes and restaurants, museums and bookstores. If you ever come to Romania, make sure to add Sibiu to your list! Here’s a sneak peak at what you would encounter:

13 September 2009 – Gute Reise!, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed except luggage:

• Pinstriped jacket – Gap, thrifted
• Blue pashmina – TJMaxx
• Black dress – Target
• Blue skinny belt – Banana Republic
• Black boots – Banana Republic
• Argyle Socks – J.Crew
• Earrings - wedding gift from husband
• Brown leather satchel – on loan from mom
• Suitcases – borrowed from parents
• Blue carry-on bag – my new Tom Bihn Aeronaut!

Endnotes:

Alas, the day has come that I depart on my long awaited research trip to Germany. This research year abroad has long been in the planning and now I can’t believe it’s actually here. Due to some last minute changes, I’m actually going from my arrival in Munich straight unto another flight and heading to Romania for three weeks to see my family there. But after that, I’ll be in Germany at last.

Click here for my travel and packing methodologies…

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