Sources:

• Purple dress – thrifted
• Tote – thrifted
• Teal cami – BR Outlet
• Belt – Gap Outlet
• Sandals – Target
• Necklace – Earring turned pendant
• Bike – 1969 Raleigh Sports
• Helmet – Giro

Endnotes:

Remember our color modules? When I pulled this purple jersey dress off its hanger and added the orange skinny belt to it, I realized that I was one color away from creating a triad. So I reached for a teal (blue-green) camisole to complete the look. For any color theory purists out there, I realize that this isn’t a ‘true triad’ of purple, orange, and green, but it comes pretty close. And in fact, I’d say that near triads often end up looking just as bold and punchy but in a better, more subtle way. Take a look…

While straight-up oranges, purples, and greens can end up looking a bit Crayola, blue-greens, red-oranges, plums, and aubergines can make for a much richer or more sophisticated color palette. I kept the rest of the outfit simple in terms of color with a navy tote and silver sandals completing the look. (Silver, like navy, is a neutral in my book).

If you could pick any three colors, but only three colors, to wear for an entire month, what would they be? – S.

Sources:

• Necklace: “Mirari” by Orno Jewelry
• Bracelets: gift
• Ring: gift
• Sweater: Theory via Off 5th
• Yellow tank: J. Crew
• Blue dress (as skirt): Even via Off 5th
• Belt: mom’s
• Tights: Target
• Boots: vintage Charles David

Endnotes:
Hip hip hooray for jewelry week! I have been known to base whole outfits around a single piece of jewelry, wear my favorite pieces when I’m in an especially stressful situation, and to add serious bling to a summer dress. This outfit falls into the first category in that the colors were inspired by the Islamic mosaics and Moorish architecture that also inspire designer Carla Smiley in her Orno Jewelry line.

Smiley, originally from Lebanon, studied architecture in Canada before she designed her first line of silver jewelry. For this ensemble, I started with the necklace that my sister got me for Christmas and then built from there (pun intended). I first came to love these bright geometric mosaics when I encountered a mihrab niche in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC). The bright blues, turquoise, yellows and greens appealed to my eye. For this look I knew I wanted to wear multiple shades of blue and my yellow tank, but the layering that this outfit took on was unplanned. I put on my blue dress, then the tank over it, then tucked the tank into my obi belt so that the dress was now a skirt, and then put my sweater on top to hide the sleeve of the dress/tank and voila! The red tights also made a triad and I couldn’t resist. I actually got a “whow” on this in the dining hall today. I told the person I took that as a complement.

I finished off the outfit with two more pieces of jewelry that are vaguely architectonic. The bracelets, which look very modern in their stark lines and solid weight, are from Santa Fe. The ring, a gift from my sister, is from Peru.

As you can tell, I love jewelry and over the years have collected many necklaces, rings, bracelets, and recently pins. I also am a “beader” and have several necklaces that I strung myself. Be sure to come back on Friday for our give-away surprise and Saturday for my Weekend Workshop on how to make a necklace hanger! Check out more academichic baubles on Flickr. Enjoy the rest of jewelry week!
~L.

Sources:

• Button down top – thrifted
• Purple cardi – H&M
• Red-orange belt – Gap Outlet
• Skinnies – Old Navy Maternity
• Boots – Banana Republic

Endnotes:

This outfit is a nod to one of my favorite characters on Glee: Emma Pillsbury. (Who’s more than ready for the Glee season to start? February, really?!) Not only do I think her character is really charming, I also LOVE her wardrobe. It’s bright, cheerful, a mix of preppy with whimsical and romantic, and pretty much what I would want my wardrobe to be. If this were truly an Emma outfit, I’d be tucking that button down into a neat little pencil skirt, but I’m pretty sure that I’m many months away from pencil skirt wearing at this point. Instead, I offer you Emma inspired pairings with maternity jeans and comfortable flat boots.

Emma’s character wears a lot of bright monochromatic outfits that somehow work without looking like they’re too much of one color. She also wears a lot of cute cardigans with embellished blouses and little brooches. Just my kind of girl.

I didn’t go for a monochromatic look but rather opted for two-thirds of a triad. Remember those triads on the color wheel? Triads are made by colors that are at equidistance from each other on the color wheel and produce a rather bold and loud effect. If you want some of that punch but in a toned down version, you can choose just two of the three triadic colors and compose a two-thirds combination (like the oranges and purples of this outfit do).

So to recap, purple, orange and green make one of the triads on the color wheel (see above). Can you tell what the other triad is?

Well, now that we’ve brushed up on our color theory and on Emma Pillsbury’s wardrobe on Glee, I’m back to work. Happy hump day! ~ S.

PS: If you’re also Glee-obsessed, who’s your favorite character? I would have to say that Sue Sylvester and Kurt are even dearer to my heart, but their wardrobes aren’t nearly as fun.

13 August 2010 – Turquoise Triad, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• T-shirt: French Connection
• Skirt: J. Crew
• Sash: somewhere in Paris
• Shoes: Ann Taylor
• Jewelry: gifts

Endnotes:

First I wanted to thank one of our readers for pointing us to this most helpful and interactive color wheel online called Color Scheme Designer. You can select a color and then have it generate the complementary, triad, split complementary, and analogous colors! I wish I’d been using this since the beginning of the challenge, but I will definitely get some use out of it in my daily dressing as well!

13 August 2010 – Turqouise Triad, originally uploaded by academichic.

I guess E., A., and I all needed to feel like superheroes this week with our blue-red-yellow triads. I do feel like my red sandals might have wings! When we started this challenge I knew that this yellow and orange scarf was going to come in handy seeing as how it was one of the few pieces I owned that covered that end of the color spectrum. However, it is pretty short and doesn’t lend itself well to being used as a belt. As E. discussed in her post the other day, getting things to stay wrapped around your head can sometimes be tricky, and many of you have come up with helpful tips. I decided that to break up this analogous pairing of blue and turquoise (which I think counts as blue-green) I would use this bright swath as a cummerbund of sorts and simply knot it in the back.

13 August 2010 – Knot, originally uploaded by academichic.

Perhaps not the most polished fastening, but definitely effective and looks great from the front! The scarf also has a turquoise edge, so my accessories and top both pull from that as well. This bracelet was a gift, and it is simply turquoise chunks on a red silk string. I love that turquoise jewelry is so fabulous that it really can stand on its own with very little embellishment and the delicious shade of blue can set off such a range of other colors.

13 August 2010 – Turqouise and Scarf, originally uploaded by academichic.

Finally, to complete the triad – red shoes! These little flat sandals from Ann Taylor were red enough to pop and yet strappy enough not to compete with the rest of the outfit.

Red Sandals, originally uploaded by academichic.

I usually shy away from anything with an ankle strap because it cuts the leg, and I need all the length and illusion of height I can get. Although, I think these might be changing my mind about that taboo. What are your thoughts on ankle straps on shoes?

Sources:

• Striped Tank – American Eagle
• Pencil Skirt – Banana Republic
• Red Wedges – BR Outlet via S.
• Earrings – Gift from A2
• Bangle as necklace – Gap Outlet

Endnotes:

I started with my new favorite summer color combo of blue, white, and red and added this yellow bangle as a necklace (an idea stolen from E.).  As I’ve said before, the triadic color combo of red-blue-yellow reminds me of a superhero costume and I think the large open circle on my chest reads a bit like a superhero crest.  I needed some superhero powers today as I turned in my prospectus draft and headed to campus for a series of meetings.

The fabulous red espadrilles recently made their way into my closet from S.’s.  She bought these shoes a couple summers ago and wore them a few times (also in a red -white-blue combo) bu in the end decided they where a bit too big on her.  I’m worried they might be a bit too small on me but will test them out for a while before I decide.  I do think they helped the superhero look!

It think what makes me feel most put together and confident in my appearance is a good hair day.  I’ve written about this a few times, but the gist is: I have never dyed or permed my hair but I straighten it most days of the week.  Now, courtesy of Misikko, I have a professional flatiron to use on my hair.  Misikko sent me this Hana Elite 100% Ceramic Flatiron to review and I can honestly say I love it.  I chose the thinner (1″) model because I have short hair.  However, I have also noticed that the thinner iron gives me a bit more control over the shape of my hair, allowing me to curl the ends under for example.

Hana Elite – 100% Ceramic Flat Iron, originally uploaded by academichic.

I’ve had the flatiron for a few weeks now and have been using it regularly. I just haven’t managed to snap a picture before heading out into the extreme humidity these past few weeks have brought to Academichic Central.  I have had my hair trimmed in the time, however, and my hairdresser is very happy with me that I am finally using a professional iron instead of the cheap one I was letting fry my hair.  The Hana Elite isn’t cheap but I’m happy to say it is worth the investment.

Straight Hair, originally uploaded by academichic.

What about you?  Does a good hair day start your day off right?  What do you do to make a good hair day happen? Are you a straightener? A curler? A dyer? Or a no-’pooer?

12 August 2010 – Super Hero Triad, originally uploaded by academichic.

11 August 2010 – Boho Experiment, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Scarf: courtesy of Echo Design
• Top: Target
• Skirt: Target
• Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell

End Notes:

Triadic color combinations — three colors that are equidistant from each other around the color wheel — do not appear frequently in my outfit choices. It’s one of those combinations that can quickly veer into Crayola territory when the colors are too bright or the colorblocking is too severe. But, as with my earlier foray into saturated complementary colors, I decided that color module weeks deserve a bold effort.

11 August 2010 – Boho Experiment, originally uploaded by academichic.

It’s nice when a pattern does half (or in this case, two-thirds) of the work for you. This oblong scarf from Echo Design already pairs a mustardy-gold with a true red, and with a navy top they form a fairly traditional color combination. Had I worn a khaki or white skirt on the bottom, this could have been an exceedingly classic outfit.

But, for whatever reason, I wasn’t feeling particularly demure when I got dressed, and I was far more interested in finding what I like to call “my inner S.” You know, the super cool, bohemian, quirky chic look that S. does so well. So on went a turquoise tulip skirt (which knocks the triad off by just enough to be interesting) and funky cut-out sandals and…oh yes, I tried to wear a scarf wrapped around my head.

11 August 2010 – Boho Experiment, originally uploaded by academichic.

And I liked it.

Unfortunately, between my super slippery hair that denies bobby pins purchase and baby e.’s grabby hands, the head scarf had to relocate to my neck. But I did find it kind of exhilarating to venture off from familiar style territory by trying a more quirky look in a classic color scheme. It’s like a meta-style-juxtaposition.

Any tips on keeping a scarf in place around your head, especially when you have a shorter hair cut or slippery hair?

11 August 2010 – Boho Experiment, originally uploaded by academichic.

Endnotes:

For this week’s color review, we’re experimenting with triads (as E. did today) and analogous colors. When it comes to analogous pairings, A. is the queen of greens and blues. I’m usually more drawn to the warmer color combos, like purple and red or red and orange. Today I’m meeting A. half way and combining purple with blue – a neither cool nor warm color mix that creates a beautifully balanced result.

As for the shoes, I’m going to join E. in raving about my new pointy flats although they’re no superb yellow snakeskin like hers but still pretty cool in their own rights. I had been wanting to add another patterned flat to my collection since I practically lived in my black and white damask ones this spring. I was also repeatedly inspired by E’s use of her patterned flats to spruce up many an outfit during her pregnancy when she felt like her shrinking wardrobe was becoming an increasing style challenge. Her patterned flats were not only comfortable but also gave her looks that pop of visual interest that she could not always count on from her clothes. Well, lesson learned: patterned flats is where it’s at.

And on a technical ‘cycle chic’ side note: I discovered today that it’s not very easy to hop on a bike when wearing a pencil skirt. Pencil skirts do not exactly allow for much hopping or peddling. This one allowed for more movement once I undid the bottom button, but I think in the future I may have to avoid narrow cut skirts for my bike commute. Fellow bike commuters, any tips or thoughts? S.

11 August 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Pink top: BR Outlet
• Navy skirt: Old Navy
• Yellow snakeskin flats: SE Boutique, via DSW

End Notes:

Last time around when we experimented with triadic color schemes, S. and I both tried our hand at the Piet Mondrian-esque triad of red, yellow, and blue. S. boldly incorporated all three colors on top while I let my pattern do some of the mixing for me.

This time, I’m taking a slightly different approach, using shades of red and blue rather than the “full strength” version. This deep pink top stands in for red, and navy (which also serves as a handy neutral) stands in for crayon box blue. Paired with a bright yellow shoe, the look is definitely still full of punch without veering into grade school territory.

SE Boutique Yellow Snakeskin Flats, originally uploaded by academichic.

And can we talk about these shoes? I realize they may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I am in love. I’m in a wedding at the end of this month that requires yellow shoes, and I’m tickled that I managed to find a pair of flats dressy enough for the occasion and versatile enough that I can wear them with more casual looks too. Admittedly they’re not the shoe I would normally pair with this outfit, but I think they add an unexpected exclamation point. Pun intended.

11 August 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

When we first explored the color wheel and experimented with various color combinations, we found it to be extremely helpful in lending us new eyes with which to see our wardrobes. This was so useful the first time around, that we decided to revisit the color modules and to challenge ourselves to a review session using our summer wardrobes. In our first review session we reexamined Neutrals and Neutrals with a Pop, and for the second review session, we tackled Complementary Colors and the Two-Thirds Rule.

This week we will review Triads and Analogous Colors. To read more about this color mix lesson, click here…

Module 3: Triads and Analogous Colors

Triads:

Triads are hues that are equidistant on the color wheel. They can create a colorful and bold mix, but can also threaten to compete with each other for attention. Examples include blue, red, and yellow or orange, green, and purple. Of course, creating a triad with fully saturated, bright hues is often a formula for looking like a German Expressionist painting. Triads comprised of tertiary or intermediate colors, however, can be more subtle but still interesting. Examples would include: blue-violet, yellow-green, and red-orange or red-violet, yellow-orange, and blue-green.

Triads, originally uploaded by academichic.

Analogous colors:

Unlike complementary colors or triads, analogous colors are not found far apart from each other on the color wheel. These colors are neighbors and play subtly off each other. While a blue and green scheme may seem like a natural choice, other analogous combinations — such as red and orange — may not be as obvious. If we include the tertiary or intermediate hues in the color wheel, an analogous scheme could also pair violet with red-violet or yellow with yellow-orange. Too close for comfort? We’ll find out.

Red and Orange, originally uploaded by academichic.

Analogous Colors – Blue, Blue-Green, and Green, originally uploaded by academichic.

A. and E. tend to wear analogous colors in the cool blue-green families, while S. gravitates to the warm families of red and violet.

30 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Purple cardi – H&M, remixed
• Black jersey top – thrifted, remixed
• Green tote – Kenneth Cole Reaction, remixed
• Khaki shorts – Old Navy
• Green loafers – Anne Klein, remixed

Endnotes:

This week we’re exploring Complimentary Colors and the Two-Thirds Rule. One of my favorite two-thirds of a triad is purple and green (of the orange-purple-green triad). I wear it in many incarnations, be it in small doses or large color blocks: