academichic

15 July 2009 – Travel Style, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed except pashmina:

• Blue pashmina – TJMaxx
• Black dress – ON
• White eyelet top – TJMaxx
• Brown tote – REI
• Black sandals – Target

Sources:

(all remixed but shoes and bag)

• Red leather tote – Claudia Firenze, via TJMaxx
• Black jersey dress – ON
• Black wedges – Connie, thrifted on recent trip to Colorado
• Gray top – Target
• Red button pendant – Brookberrys on Etsy
• Pashmina scarf – World Market

Endnotes:

Today’s outfit was designed around the idea that I will be on an airplane and going through airports for a large chunk of my day. I wanted to be comfortable, stylish, and quick to get through security.The latter especially played a role, and if you’ve flown recently, you know what a difference a security-friendly ensemble will make.

We all three love wearing a comfortable jersey dress when flying because it’s like wearing sweats or pj’s without actually looking like you just rolled out of bed. It’s a great way to be comfortable when you’re squished in that tiny seat and you don’t want your  jean waistband digging into you tummy. The added advantage – the lack of buttons, metal clasps, or belt buckle also make you more likely to zip right through the metal detector.

I knew I wanted to wear this black jersey dress for my flight today and then I came across this image in the June issue of Lucky:

I’ve mentioned already that I’m finding myself increasingly drawn to a red and black color combination, so this outfit idea was right up my alley. I chose not to wear my gladiators like the image above suggests and instead throw on my new mary-jane wedges that I recently thrifted. I have been excited to wear them and I thought that the mary-jane sandal would make for a better pairing with the knee length hemline of my dress (vs. the maxi dress showed in Lucky).

Lastly,  I’m sure to grab a soft pashmina scarf to wrap around myself on the flight, where it’s guaranteed to be chilly once we take off. Ensconced in soft jersey and pashmina wool, I’m certain to arrive at my destination comfortable and well rested.

What do you like to do to ensure a happy flight experience? S.

8 July 2009 , originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed:

• Blue dress – H&M 
• Black sandals – Target 
• Hat – Target 
• Sunglasses – H&M

Sources:

All remixed:

• Blue- violet top - a.n.a., thrifted 
• Red-orange cardi – Zara 
• Trouser jeans – Old Navy 
• Damask flats - Old Navy 
• Earrings - Ann Taylor
• Green tote - Kenneth Cole (below)
• Sunglasses - H&M (below)

Endnotes:

On Saturday, our last day in the Bay area, we went to Berkeley and got to know the campus and town a bit, as well as the surrounding area such as Tilden park (where the above picture was taken). I can sum up my impressions of Berkeley in one word: wonderful! I only hope they’ll have an open position for me when I go on the job market.

While loitering about just near campus, I had an unexpected run-in with one of our readers, AcademicUnchic, who recognized me and came over to say hello. (And who, it must be said, looked anything but unchic when I met her!) It was such a surprising and delightful thing and I’m very glad she came over to introduce herself, because getting to know other style-enthusiastic academics (and non-academics) has been one of the most rewarding aspects of running this blog. So it was great to meet you, AcademicUnchic! 

 

6 June 2009 – The Many Faces of Berkeley, originally uploaded by academichic.

Then Sunday morning, we reluctantly departed for the airport on the BART. One of the things I enjoy abut traveling and being in airports or on crowded subways is the people watching. I love to see what people in different cities or countries are wearing to later copy and impress with it back home. 

So of course I was struck by the very impressive animal print scarf one BART traveler was wearing on our ride to the airport. It looked so sleek and realistic – and then I looked closer and realized that the reason for its verisimilitude was that it was a real snake coiled around his neck and shoulders. This particular BART passenger had accessorized his distressed jeans and graphic tee with a pair of dark sunglasses and a mini python wrapped around his neck. The snake wiggled its head and stuck out its tongue at the rest of us, poor slobs, who had no such striking accessory with which to impress. I left San Francisco thinking, boy, am I gonna miss this place! S. 

Sources:

All remixed but scarf, which I thrifted on Monday here in San Francisco:

• Silk scarf – part of my thrifted loot from San Fran 
• Jacket - Gap, thrifted 
• Jeans – DKNY, thrifted 
• Green tote - Kenneth Cole Reaction 
• Yellow shoes – Gianni Bini 

Scarf detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

Endnotes:

By far, my favorite thing yesterday was my visit to the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. And this is saying a lot, since the museum is nestled among the beautiful Botanical Garden and Japanese Tea Garden in the park. But here’s why I was simply blown away by this space.

The De Young Museum was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & De Meuron, who created a space that is filled with light and unexpected turns, angles, openings, and oversized windows…

The building itself was as much of an experience as the viewing of the art objects within it, but despite its beauty, it still manages to not compete or distract from the art works on display.

Its collection is simply amazing and I can’t even begin to list all the works I enjoyed seeing (the list would go on and on), so I will instead just mention an artist I just discovered yesterday and whose work left a strong impression. 

The above is called “Model for Total Reflective Abstraction” and was created by Josiah McElheny in 2003. I won’t tell you why I loved it, but will just offer you this image of it to let you decide what you think. Although to fully appreciate the piece, you have to stand in the room with it, since its mirroring quality is lost when just looking at an image of it. See, I became part of the art work…

Can you spot me? Actually, the two of me? 

So thank you, Mamichan, for recommending I visit this wonderful museum and to all of you who seconded that, which convinced me that it’s worth figuring out the bus system to get to Golden Gate Park to check it out. And not to mention the amazing view from the museum’s observation tower, which allows for a 360 degree view of the San Francisco Bay area – it was simply breathtaking!

I also just want to add that this trip has been fun and unique in a way that my previous travels lacked. I love traveling and usually will grab a guide book or a map and spend the entire day exploring, in a self-propelling sort of way. To have reader input shape and influence my explorations has been a new and surprisingly fun experience. Especially since you have given me what a map or guidebook lacks – real life, up-to-date input on where to go and what to see! It’s been tremendously helpful and I’ve really enjoyed all your suggestions! It’s difficult to find the best Goodwill in town when you’re reading Fodor’s or know which coffee shop, museum, or bookstore to prioritize when your map just shows them as undiscriminating little red dots, free of any distinguishing marks or characteristics. And hopefully, I in turn provided any of you interested in visiting this area in the near future some ideas on what to do and see. 

Tonight T. and I are off to see Puccini’s Tosca at the San Francisco Opera house. This was my birthday gift to him a couple of weeks ago, and I’m really looking forward to it. Then we’re going to spend the remaining day of our trip – Saturday – in Berkeley with a friend who will show us around. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I will post my opera outfit the first chance I get. S. 

4 June 2009 – San Francisco Day Three, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed:

• Pink scarf - H&M 
• White eyelet top – TJMaxx 
• Red-orange cardi – Zara 
• Navy cords – Limited 
• Brown cord jacket - thrifted
• Damask flats – Old Navy 
• Green tote – Kenneth Cole Reaction 
• Earrings – gift from mom 
• Silver heart pendant – gift from T. from Salzburg 

Sources:

• Scarf - souvenir from Minnesota 
• Grey tank – Hanes 
• Purple top - Target 
• Grey cardi - Kimchi and Blue, thrifted 
• Navy cords - Limited 
• Red pumps – Matisse, thrifted 
• Blazer – Gap, thrifted

1 June 2009 , originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Fuschia top – Banana Republic, remixed
• Patterned Cardi – J.Jill, remixed
• Pink scarf – H&M
• Trouser jeans – Old Navy, remixed
• Yellow pumps – Gianni Bini, remixed a ton
• Cord jacket – thrifted (pictured below)
• Green tote – Kenneth Cole, remixed (pictured below)

1 June 2009 – San Francisco, originally uploaded by academichic.

If I lived here, I’d never need style inspiration from any source other than my daily commute. Who needs fashion magazines when the houses showcase the most amazing color combinations and are chic beyond belief. S.