academichic

Last month we did a spotlight post announcing a Back to School Clothing Swap in Boulder Colorado.  As promised, we’ve asked co-hostess @gwenbell to write a follow up post, including  a how-to.  If you are planning a similar event, let us know – we would love to do a spotlight on it!

How to Hostess a Clothes Swap

It was a pleasurable evening of wine sipping, clothes swapping and laughing. Liz (http://lizfranco.com) and Sarah (http://sjoystudios.com) flew in from the West and East Coasts, respectively, and together we greeted our guests as they started coming in. The event lasted about two and a half hours and we had about twenty-five women join us.

Your Co-Hostesses @sarahjbray @srslyliz @gwenbell, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Liz Waits for Guests, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Thank you for joining us!, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Sorting, finding, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

@4580 hosted the swap, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

17 September 2009 – Quick and Casual, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed

• Coral Polo – J Crew
• Grey Skirt – Old Navy
• Navy Cami – American Eagle
• Green Flats – Banana Republic
• Rainbow Bracelet – Hawaii
• Coral Earrings- American Eagle

Endnotes:

A2 had car trouble on her way to work, so my morning routine was disrupted to say the least. I had to throw on something quick that I could be comfortable in all day, and even walk home in if need be (although on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I usually have a gym bag backed anyway).   Mornings when I need to choose something quickly, when don’t have time to try stuff on, swap out one cami for another, or ponder the color wheel, I often go for an ensemble I have worn before. This morning, for some reason, I thought of this polo and my denim skirt which I wore back in July.  I planed to wear the outfit exactly, but denim skirt was in the wash so it was swapped with my grey skirt, and I grabbed this rainbow bracelet instead of the green necklace worn as bracelet, creating the same layered-strand effect but adding a pop of pride!

Rainbow Bracelet, originally uploaded by academichic.

6 September 2009 – Mountain Wedding, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All remixed except brooch

• Navy Dress - J Crew
• Silver Brooch – Grandmother’s
• Brown Wedges – Kenneth Cole Reaction, via DSW
• Earrings - Anthropologie
• Silver Bracelet – gift from S.

Endnotes:

This weekend I traveled to Montana for the wedding of one of my closest friends from my master’s program.  The wedding was beautiful with the reception being held in an old barn below the mountains.

This wedding was a bit of a challenge to dress for.  The bride wore a pretty traditional long white gown but several guests were dressed more for a barn than a wedding!  While I was one of the dressier attendees, I was happy and comfortable all night in my ensemble.

I think the beauty of this dress, which I bought for S.’s wedding, is that it can work in a variety of situations: the fact that it is cotton, makes it more casual, but the sheen of the cotton makes it dressy;  navy  is a classic color that can go either way; the shape and shorter hemline keep it simple, but the ruffle detailing at the neck makes it special.

dress belt detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

I was excited to have another reason to wear the dress but wanted to do something different with it.  My brown wedges fit the barn setting a bit better than the fuchsia pumps and since they have been my go-to shoes this summer, I was happy both walking the grounds and hitting the dance floor in them.  I still wanted to spice it up a bit with my accessories.  I tried my DIY flower belt with it, but it just wasn’t  the look I was going for. All the talk about brooches and my new commitment to wearing things from the bottom of my jewelry box led me to pull out this silver brooch that belonged to grandmother.  I think it gave the perfect added touch!

What’s your favorite way to remix a simple dress?

A.

6 September 2009 – Mountain Wedding, originally uploaded by academichic.

29 August 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

All Remixed

• Floral Print Halter Dress- Old Navy
• Black Halter Top – Old Navy
• Brown Belt – BR Outlet
• Brown Wedges – Kenneth Cole, via DSW
• Wooden Earnings – New York and Company
• Wooden Beads – Hawaii Souvenir
• Wooden Bangles – Gift from S.
• Woven Clutch – Eddie Bauer
• Flower Pin – Blue Onion Marketplace

Endnotes:

Last night, A2 and I attended a luau-themed wedding shower.  When I heard we were expected to dress for a luau, I immediately rolled my eyes, but then I remembered this dress and actually had some fun building this chic luau ensemble.

I have worn this dress before with the black halter and with black accessories (earrings, belt, shoes, and clutch), but this time I decided to work with the mix of black, cream and tan in the floral print and add  brown accessories.  I think nothing says island like wooden jewelry, and in fact the necklace came from a trip to Hawaii several years ago.

I think the woven clutch also has a bit of an island feel, but since I used it to create a safari look not long ago, I decided to add my Blue Onion Marketplace flower pin to make it feel more luau appropriate.  I wasn’t sure how this idea would transfer form over-sized woven tote to small woven clutch, but I actually loved the end result and am glad to have found yet another way to use these great flower pins.

Flower Clutch, originally uploaded by academichic.

25 August 2009 – Shifty, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Black shirt dress – Old Navy
• Brown leather belt – Gap Outlet
• Brown wedges – thrifted

End Notes:

Our recent recommendations on accessorizing a black shift dress made me all nostalgic for my little black wool shift dress. I love the silhouette of a great-fitting shift, and it’s a look that I missed while pregnant. Sadly, that wool LBD is not at all conducive to breastfeeding, nor does it hold up well to spit up, meaning that it will be relegated to storage for a little while longer. But, that doesn’t mean that the, er, spirit of the shift dress need be absent.

This morning I pulled out this slim shirt dress from my pre-preggers storage bin and buttoned it on with hopeful anticipation. And let me be honest. What you see in the photograph is the result of some thoughtful finagling, namely, wearing a black nursing cami underneath, leaving the top three buttons undone to accommodate my new breastfeeding bosom, and moving the waist of the dress up to hide my remaining baby bumpage by adding a wide belt.

Shifty Eyed, originally uploaded by academichic.

It sounds very complicated when I type it all out like that, but in reality it took only a few minutes of tweaking and slipping on a new-to-me pair of wedges to make me see something akin to my pre-preggers style (and body) in the mirror…just altered to meet the demands of my new life. Is it strange that I get a little creative adrenaline rush from my wardrobe trompe-l’œil?

Thrifted Wedges, originally uploaded by academichic.

We recently received this reader question in our inbox:

Can you wear grey pants in the summer?
Before I go ahead, is there any pointers you might have?  Any help would be appreciated.

What a great question! Gray pants do have something fall or wintery about them and tend to be a rare item in summer fashion lines. However, if you have a beloved pair of gray trousers you want to keep wearing year-round, there are good ways to do that. Here are some clever outfit ideas from some of our favorite wardrobe_remixers on Flickr, who demonstrate just how to work that gray pant into your summer wardrobe:

blousier, originally uploaded by Julie Mack.

The very stylish Julie Mack wears a medium gray pant with this soft pale blue blouse. The light color and fabric of the blouse lightens up the outfit all together, making the pants appear more summer appropriate as well.

Trick: Pair a more somber gray pant with a light and breezy summer blouse!

Mamichan, from whom we seem to draw endless style inspiration, wears her gray summer culottes with a darker top and flats. Although the hues are darker and the cuts more tailored, the pale gray of the pant as well as the just below the knee length make it an unmistakable summer outfit.

Trick: Choose a paler gray or a summer cut such as a culotte, capri, or cigarette pant!

daily wear 07-23-09, originally uploaded by Darling Dexter.

25 June 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

23 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Magenta shirt dress – Target
• Woven belt – F21
• Patterned flats – Old Navy, remixed

End Notes:

It’s been two weeks since I gave birth to baby e., but today was the first time that I ventured out on my own without him. Sure, I ended up leaving the house 45 minutes and one feeding later than I had originally anticipated, but at least I was clean and clothed. I was even — wait for it — wearing a woven fabric rather than the knits that typified my late maternity wardrobe. I know, it’s a big step.

This wine color is one of my favorites, and I’m thrilled to have a whole dress in this hue. Since the button-up front of the dress makes it highly conducive to breastfeeding, this will likely be a new favorite day dress. While I have several ideas on how to restyle this in the future, today I opted for the most straightforward route: a belt to give waist definition and patterned flats to add a little interest.

Patterned Flats, originally uploaded by academichic.

As my body continues to recover from pregnancy and adapt to breastfeeding, my wardrobe remains in a state of daily flux. Will this bottom fit today? Can I feed baby e. in this top? How badly will stains show on this dress? Is it dangerous to wear this necklace around little grabby hands? It’s a rather unglamorous approach to getting ready in the morning but it’s also a different kind of creative challenge. How can I be functional and look stylish all while negotiating a body that seems to be a different shape every day? When I think about it that way I am intrigued, rather than frustrated, and ready to tackle my closet again.

23 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

We recently received a reader question regarding a destination wedding…

The rehearsal is a low country boil out doors on a beach, and the wedding itself is on the beach with a reception to follow within the resort. I can do beach wedding, but the issue is the reception. It is being held at a very formal, very southern resort, and one of the top ranked in the country.

A destination beach wedding sounds wonderful and we were so excited to brainstorm some outfit ideas for this event.

Since our reader’s dilemma was the transition from a more casual beach wedding to a formal indoor reception, we looked for dresses that could easily be dressed up or down. Here are some of our suggestions:

This J Crew dress comes with a under $50 price tag and is a gorgeous silk chiffon fabric in a beautiful “spiced wine” color. We love this for the deep rich hue and the flattering neckline. It could easily be made beach appropriate with flat sandals and a casual clutch, while switching to a pair of heels and adding a black or gray pashmina would make it reception formal.

This black and white floral Ann Taylor LOFT dress is another great casual-to-formal item. The knee length hemline and floral pattern make it casual and summery enough for a beach wedding, but the sophisticated black and white palette can quickly take it to evening formal.

We love the unique neckline of this Gianni Bini dress and the Grecian inspired feel of it. This one is guaranteed to make the wearer stand out! If you’re up for more of a splurge, be sure to check this one out at Dillards, along with the pages and pages of gorgeous dresses they have to offer.

Here are some tips for a successful  beach-to-evening look:

• Look for shorter dresses with a looser cut (less tailored and more breezy)
• Plan for a change of footwear! Flat sandals for the beach and heels for the reception
• Brighter colors and prints are more easily made beach appropriate but can just as easily become formal as black or grays
• Look for silk or chiffon blends and avoid 100% cotton – it’s easier to dress down a silk-blend fabric than it is to dress up a cotton dress
• Add “evening” accessories like a black or charcoal pashmina to take the beach wedding dress to indoor formal

We hope that these suggestions provide you the inspiration to put together that stunning beach-to-evening outfit for the upcoming wedding! As always, we open the forum to the rest of you to chime in with your helpful advice. More ideas and suggestions are always welcome and much appreciated!

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

Endnotes:

This morning I flew back to academichic central, where I got off my plane and was shortly picked up by A. for a much needed coffee and catch-up session at our favorite coffee shop. You may remember this black dress from last week, when I wore it for my flight to my parents’ house and from my discussion on travel comfortable clothing. I wore the same jersey dress to fly back in for all the reasons I mentioned then, and once more, finished off the look with a cozy pashmina (read: pashmina on the ground, plane blanket in the air). This time, I zipped through security even quicker with these easy to slip on and off sandals, leaving me plenty of time to peruse the magazine selection before taking off.

This outfit worked great for a day of travel and flying for several reasons: it’s comfortable, it’s black and thus pretty stain resistant, I didn’t need to remove any hardware to get through the metal detector, and it looked chic enough to walk off the plane and head out in public for a day of plans. And last but not least, it conforms perfectly to our week’s review session of neutrals with a pop. Now that’s what I call multi-function! S.

We recently received this question from a fellow academic, who is about to graduate:

I was wondering if you could help me with a fashion problem. I’m graduating from university in a couple of weeks and I have no idea what to wear! We will be wearing the usual academic robes with hood on the outside and I’ve been told I should wear a button up shirt underneath to attach the hood to. The problem is that I’m not much of a shirt person so don’t really have any in my wardrobe. I was thinking of wearing a shirt dress instead but I don’t know if this is appropriate.

Congratulations on your upcomming graduation!  We love the idea of a shirtdress instead of a button-down shirt!  We all fancy a good shirtdress and, between the three of us, own a variety of cuts, colors, and fabrics.

We have two suggestions for the big day: first, find a shirtdress that feels special to you (just make sure it has buttons) and second, wear a fabulous pair of shoes!

Click below for our recommendations….

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