academichic

April showers bring May flowers. Or so we hope. For now, if you’re also going through the rainy season, here are some tips to staying dry and stylish…

1) Get a trusty raincoat that can be your go-to cover up item for rainy days. A raincoat does not need to be sporty, shapeless, or boring. We love raincoats that have a trench coat style to them that is classic and timeless. This type of cut can be dressed down with jeans or look formal enough to go with a dress and pair of heels. We’re also fans of the boldly colored raincoat that adds that much needed dose of sunshine to an otherwise dreary rainy day.

2) If you’re more comfortable in neutrals and softer colors, find a raincoat in a subdued hue that will go with most anything you layer underneath. (And you can always use your umbrella for that fun pop of color).

3) Aquire a quality pair of waterproof boots, aka, ‘wellies’. While S. loves her fun doggie-adorned J.Crew wellies, she does limit her wear of them to casual outfits and non-teaching days.

A., however, makes her elegant black and brown Banana Republic wellies function with casual looks as well as dressier, work-appropriate ensembles.

E., too, has figured out how to make her Hunter wellies function perfectly with skirts and embellished cardigans.

4) Lastly, carry an umbrella. As Murphy’s Law dictates, it will rain if you don’t have one on you but will not rain if you’re bregudgingly carrying an umbrella in your bag or purse.

What are your rainy day tips? Any favorites for the rainy season that you’d like to share with our readers? Thank you and stay dry out there!

13 October 2009 – Raindrops on Roses.., originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Sweater cape – F21, remixed
• Green button down – J.Crew, remixed
• Maroon top – a.n.a., thrifted, remixed
• Skinnies – thrifted, remixed
• Blue pashmina scarf – TJMaxx, remixed
• Boots – Dillards, remixed
• Green tote – Kenneth Cole, remixed
• Umbrella – Totes, remixed

Endnotes:

It’s been raining on and off for the past few days here, and it even snowed a bit this morning! It’s not so bad actually, after having lived in Salzburg where it rains about 200 days of the year, I’ve developed a few good rainy-day coping mechanisms:

1) Don’t bother straightening hair. It’s pointless.
2) Always carry a cute purse-sized umbrella to pull out at a moment’s notice. Having that available will make a rainy commute much less of a bother.
3) Boots. They keep your feet dry and the bottom of your pants from turning into an upwards-creeping soggy mess.

I once saw a sign in a Colorado storefront window that read something like “There is no bad weather, only bad clothing”. I too have found that given the proper attire, most weather is manageable and even enjoyable. If there were only sunny days, I wouldn’t get to snuggle with a cup of hot tea, acquire a collection of fun and colorful umbrellas, wear fun wellies to go puddle splashing with my dog, or watch the streets turn glossy and shiny with beautiful reflections of the colored buildings in the rain. Don’t you agree? S.

PS: Fellow Müncheners, you’ve been good about recognizing my photo backdrops thus far! Do you know where I’m standing today? (I can see this turning into a fun game…

4 July 2009 , originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress – Sandra Darren, via TJMaxx
• Red cardi – thrifted, remixed
• Lace cami – Old Navy
• Black sandals – Target, remixed a lot
• Red Umbrella – London Fog, remixed

Endnotes:

Today we are celebrating the 4th of July and Indie’s 1st Birthday! (She was born on Independence Day last year, thus the name Indie). I love the 4th of July because it’s one of the few holidays (like Thanksgiving) where there is no gift-giving pressure and all that is expected of you is to consume lots of food, spend time with friends and family, and – Bonus!- take in a fireworks show at the end of the night. I have a weakness for fireworks because I don’t recall ever seeing fireworks while growing up in Romania so they were introduced to me relatively late in life. I love curling up on a folding chair with a blanket, sipping a delicious drink, and watching the sky come alive with lights and sparkle.

Before we end our night that way, we’re first meeting friends with their dog at a nearby park for a BBQ. We’re also treating Indie to more swimming fun for her birthday at the park’s lake. It’s raining right now but the forecast shows it moving past us soon and I’m looking forward to shedding the cardi and my umbrella as our BBQ approaches. I wanted to dress somewhat festively today since the occasion called for it, and I find a summer dress with flat sandals to be the perfect combination of chic and comfort for a day spent walking on grass and playing with the dog while also meeting other adults and wanting to look presentable. I’m also becoming increasingly drawn to a red and black color mix. It’s not the expected red-white-and-blue more usually donned for the 4th, but then again, I’ve never been one for matching my outfits to the holiday colors. How about you? Do you find yourself dressing patriotically on the 4th or holiday-festive in general? If so, how to manage to look festive without crossing the line into cheesy?

Whatever your plans for the day, I hope you have a fun and safe holiday weekend! S.

16 June 2009 – Rainy day bike ride, originally uploaded by academichic.  

Sources:

All remixed except necklace and umbrella:

• Purple top - Old Navy 
• Black linen skirt – H&M 
• Pink pumps – Antonio Melani 
• Bangle – Big Lots 
• Wood and glass necklace – made by me 
• Umbrella – Totes, bought in San Fran last week b/c it called for rain (and then of course it didn’t rain at all) 
• Yellow vintage bag – Sears brand, Garage sale find

Endnotes:

As E. already mentioned, it’s been a rainy dreary day here in the Midwest. But I too had errands to run that had to happen today and all of which were in rideable distance from me. And since I’ve just been reunited with Nerp, I really did not want to use the car to get around town just because the weather had developed an anti-Nerp agenda this week. So I thought I’d be clever and time my departure between bursts of rain and off I went.

But of course the moment I got out the door, a slow and steady drizzle started that continued for my entire four mile ride. Oh well, I still enjoyed the fresh flowers, the scent of summer, the adrenaline from riding in the rain like a kid in total abandonment – and my helmet proved extremely helpful in providing frizz-control by shielding much of my hair from the rain. 

While in Salzburg, I would see cyclists all the time who could ride one-handed in the rain while holding an umbrella in the other. Tell me, fellow cyclists, what do you do in the rain? I only pulled out the umbrella while walking between stops, but definitely could not pull the one-handed-bike-with-umbrella stint around traffic.

Now I’m snugly tucked away in a booth at a coffee shop and hoping for a second chance at timing my ride home. And while I’m sipping my delicious hot mocha, I get to enjoy this view of the storefront across the street. (Nerp is really smitten with that lovely be-flowered bike on display):

 Bikey store front window, originally uploaded by academichic.

     

31 March 2009 – Let it rain!, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Red t-neck top – TJMaxx, remixed 
• Black velvet jacket – H&M 
• Red cuff – H&M 
• Dark wash skinny jeans – thrifted, remixed 
• Black boots – Banana Republic, remixed
• Rain coat – Larry Levine
• Red flower umbrella – London Fog

Endnotes:

While E. may now be able to tell you a thing or two about useful pregnancy wardrobe items, I can tell you a thing or two about useful rain gear. Having spent two years in Salzburg, where it rains more often than not, I have come to appreciate rainy-day essentials; a small purse-sized umbrella and a stylish rain coat being a must. While I can relish rainy weekend days in my fun rubber wellies, I have to brave the puddles in a more professional ensemble when it comes to work and meetings on campus. That’s where a small umbrella, that you can toss into your bag when not needed, is great. As is a stylish rain jacket, that can be seamlessly incorporated to your work look. With all of that in check, I say: Bring it, rain! S. 

Meanwhile, underneath the rain coat, I am wearing this:

    

31 March 2009 – Indoor version, originally uploaded by academichic.

    

Velvet jacket detail, originally uploaded by academichic.