Whatever Works

 

The first two weeks of the semester are always a disaster an adventure, and adding a family wedding on the west coast in between them does not -- spoiler alert -- make them any easier. But I have survived, nay thrived, and lived to tell the tale. I'm now sitting on my front porch, drinking a glass of wine, and basking in my glory. Or perhaps just basking in the humidity. I'll take what I can get.

Knowing that these few weeks were going to be mayhem, I made sure to take outfit photos every day before the semester started. I knew this would make it easier to maintain a semi-regular blog presence. I had no idea it would also help me get dressed every morning, but it did. When I woke up on Monday morning with a brain full of jet-lag and student meetings and syllabuses and no room for fashion, I simply copied one of the outfits I'd photographed a few weeks ago. On Tuesday, when the jet lag hadn't dissipated, I did the same. By Thursday, when I could no longer blame my foggy brain on jet lag, I'd run out of outfits for this week, so I reached further back to the archive and wore this beauty from early in August. It's like a "pin to present" or "make it work Monday" but so much easier because (1) I already have all the stuff and (2) I know how it "works" on me. (Don't worry, Erin, I'll actually copy someone other than myself for the next Make it Work Monday!)

I was delighted to wear this outfit not once but twice in the past few weeks. (I rarely see the same people day in and day out -- I mean, the freshman I teach just showed up two weeks ago!!!) My favorite part of the ensemble is that the two statement pieces, the necklace and the skirt, both came from Target and have held up incredibly well despite being purchased years ago and match each other perfectly and do so through two colors that I love, yellow and green. I felt like a pattern-and-color-and-bling matching ninja. Not really, but maybe someday!

necklace: Target [old] | skirt: Target [even older, not dissimilar] | tank: LOFT | cardigan: Target [this year's colors] | shoes: Banana Republic [exact -- limited sizes now, but I'm sure they'll restock soon!] | bag: J.Crew factory

The Non-Remixed Remixable Skirt

I bought this skirt a few weeks ago and hoped to remix it for Briana's Third Thursday linkup, but then I never quite got the post together and totally missed the boat. I was a bit hesitant when I bought it. I'd been looking for a full skirt in a black pattern, but thought I wanted something a bit more structured. This skirt is knit and stretchy which makes it more casual. But, it was on limited sizes and on sale, so I figured I could take it home and experiment with it. If it didn't fill the closet holes I wanted it to, I could always return it. (P.S. It was sold out for a while, but it's now back in stock in all petite sizes and some regular sizes for $27!) I wrote down a list of "outfit options" with it while procrastinating and when I tried them on most of them looked pretty good, so I decided to keep it.

Apparently it was meant to be because I've been wearing this skirt over and over (and over and over) again ever since. Even though I wanted something more structured (woven, wool, you know the drill), I've been happy with the knit version, especially for summer as it refuses to transition into fall. The skirt looks put together enough for work, but also comfortable for lounging around or sitting in the car for hours on end. (I wore it to drive the nine hours to my family vacation and then decided it to put it on again to drive the nine hours back.) This is the skirt in "business mode." A plain white tee, a cardigan, and flats are perfectly respectable (and super easy) even if they're not show-stopping. I can definitely see myself wearing it at least once a week as long as the weather keeps on being a hot mess, and maybe with tights into the cooler months. Who knows! I may have missed Bri's remix, but there's plenty of rogue remixing to come!

skirt: LOFT [exact] | t-shirt: Banana Republic | cardigan: Gap | shoes: Target [sold out, very similar, very similar on sale] | earrings: Dina Varano [her website]

Better Basics

 

One of the surprising things I've found about doing this insane thing of taking photos of myself and posting them on the internet is that I've had to look some of my style choices and realize that how I actually looked wasn't the same as what I imagined in my head. A simple black and white basics look from last week is a good example of this. It wasn't disastrous, but I certainly didn't look my best. The biggest issue was a pair of black cropped pants that were a little too tight, a little too short, and no longer quite as black as they used to be. I'd been wearing them  regularly and pretending they were OK, but seeing photos of them up on the screen made me realize it was time for them to go. They're now sitting atop my donate pile waiting for my next trip to Goodwill.

This black and white outfit is so much better. It's a little less basic -- stripes instead of solid white on top, and the addition of a teal statement necklace -- but what really makes it better are the pants. These are the Dannie Pant from J.Crew, which is sold out in almost every size now but which I hope they will bring back this fall or winter. They fit so much better, the longer length is  much more flattering than the old ones, and they're actually black. Plus, they have a cool zipper detail in the back which, though I didn't get a photo, has gotten me more compliments than I'd like to admit (because they mean that the complimenters were definitely looking at my behind). Which is all to say, one of the lessons I'm learning from blogging is, it's all about the basics.

pants: J.Crew [yeah, pretty much totally sold out] | sweater: LOFT | necklace: Fossil [thrifted] | shoes: Banana Republic

 Oh, and the shoes have sweet zipper details too. Aren't they great! Also, are everyone's feet so veiny?

On Faking It

It happens more than I'd like to admit: the alarm goes off in the morning and I have no plan at all. No outfits picked out, no lunches made, no gym bags packed, no breakfast prepared. On those days, we usually also have piles of laundry in the bedroom, piles of dishes in the sink, and piles of junk all over the rest of the house. My first line of attack on days like these is to hit the snooze button and see if the morning goes away. When that fails, my husband is there with a plan of his own. His plan is called "faking it."

Once we have decided we're faking it, I can stop beating myself up for falling short of domestic and sartorial perfection. I can put my hair in a bun, eat a handful of nuts for breakfast, wear jeans to work, and buy lunch once I'm there. (As my wonderful husband regularly reminds me, money can be exchanged for goods and services.) I wouldn't want to fake it every day, but every once in a while it can save my sanity and turn a horrible day into something pretty good. Especially when I manage to scrounge up an outfit that doesn't look half bad. A striped drapey cardigan helps: looks like effort, feels like a bathrobe!

cardigan: boutique in Stellenbosch, SA [similar, similar on sale]  | tank: Old Navy [exact] | jeans: Gap | belt: Old Navy | bag: Francesca's | sandals: Franco Sarto

Woah, you can see how dinged up my bag is in this close-up... as I said, we're faking it...

Back to Basics

Even though the astronomical calendar says we still have over a month of summer, the academic calendar couldn't agree less. Out here in the steamy midwest some kids have already headed back to school next week and freshman will start showing up on campus in just over a week. I'll be teaching two intro-level classes when the semester officially starts in two weeks, so there's no time like the present to get back to basics.

My major, and ongoing, fashion goal is to build a lean, mean wardrobe of basic pieces, and there's nothing more basic than a white blouse and black pants. However, I've shied away from this pairing because I feared it fell on the wrong side of the basic-boring divide. And I didn't want to look like a caterer. But in my ongoing attempt to learn to make magic with basic pieces, I decided to give it a try. The oversized eyelet of the blouse has enough going on to keep things interesting and the black bangle makes the black and white combination look a bit more intentional. A swipe of red lipstick perk things up, too.

While this is a good first attempt, I can't say I'm totally happy with this outfit. The pants are a bit too small and the top is a bit too short, leading to a less than flattering look around my midsection. I probably won't wear this exact outfit again, but I do want to keep trying to create interesting outfits out of very basic elements.

blouse: Banana Republic Factory [similar sleeveless version on sale] | pants: LOFT | shoes: Target [exact] | bracelet: H&M

Red!

Of course, the name of this website is a very bad pun. As someone who has spent the past five years reading novels and then reading newspaper reviews of said novels, it seemed right to name my blog after a lame joke about reading and newspapers. But I also chose the name because black, white, and red are my favorite colors to wear. Red especially, because it's powerful and attention-grabbing -- I try to wear it as often as possible to professional events in order to stand out. This is semi-pathological, as spending my time writing an awesome article has a much better chance of getting me noticed than planning outfits around red pants, but whatever. Red makes me feel good.

shirt: Ann Taylor Factory | pants: JCP [thrifted, similar on sale in regular & petites] | necklace: J.Crew Factory | shoes: Banana Republic

Mmm, Jeans

Even though it's been hot and humid recently, I can't stop wearing my jeans. There's something just so delightful about putting on a pair of comfortable jeans. Especially on Friday. Especially with a comfortable t-shirt. Especially with a bit of stripes-and-paisley amateur pattern mixing.

Also, I think this outfit looks great with marigolds.

shirt: J.Crew Factory | jeans: Banana Republic Factory | belt: J.Crew Factory | sandals: Franco Sarto via DSW | pendant: Dina Varano [her website]

Works Like A Charm

A few weeks ago I gushed about the fact that I had conquered one of my ultimate wardrobe remixing challenges: wearing a dress as a skirt. In this outfit also turns a dress that has a moderately skimpy top and is therefore usually reserved for dressy nights out into a skirt that can be worn to work. Like my previous experiment in dress-to-skirt remixing, this was brought on by my desire to try a look without investing any money. I was charmed by knee-length (or slightly longer) black & white skirts on some of my favorite bloggers -- including Jessica, Jean, and Sarah -- but couldn't find a skirt I was ready to commit to. Then I realized I had a black and white skirt I already loved hanging in my closet -- it just happened to be attached to a dress . I folded the bodice underneath the skirt, lined up the seam with my natural was it, and added a belt. All of the sudden, I had the black & white skirt I've been craving all summer! I like this look a lot and am going to try to style the "skirt" a few different ways in late summer and early fall. I might wind up investing in a real black & white skirt if the right one comes along, but for now I'm happy with my money- and space-saving substitute.

dress (worn as skirt): AUW [consigned] | shirt: Banana Republic | belt: American Eagle | bag: J.Crew Factory | shoes: Banana Republic [exact] | earrings: Target

Summer Whites

About a month ago, I tried on this shirt in the Banana Republic outlet. I liked the way it looked but decided that I didn't really need it so exercised some shopping restraint. The trouble was, I kept thinking about it. I love wearing white, especially in the summer, but sometimes a white t-shirt or tank looks unpolished and a white button up looks too formal. Since I didn't plan to go back to the outlets I started looking around for something similar, but nothing was quite what I wanted. I didn't want anything lacy, or frilly, or off-white... Eventually, I drove back to the outlet hoping that there would still be a few of these shirts left. There was precisely one, in my size, on the clearance rack, and with some damage around the collar. I threw caution to the wind decided, damage be damned, and paid about twelve bucks for it. Win. And you can't even see the damage in these photos. Double win.

I wore this to wander around campus and compose a presentation in my head. I did a lot of talking to myself under my breath. I'm sure I seemed crazy.

shirt: Banana Republic outlet | jeans: Banana Republic outlet | bag: J.Crew outlet | shoes: DSW | sunglasses: LOFT

On Having a Plan

Take a look at this outfit. A perfectly respectable if uninspired summertime weekday look. On the surface, it's nothing special. But dig down a little deeper, and there is quite a story.

The story begins at about 7:00 on Friday morning. I woke up pretty groggy and didn't have the energy to get ready for work. My hair needed washing & drying, and I didn't have a clue what I was going to wear. These problems were exacerbated by the fact that I had to run a workshop for about forty people later on that morning. I decided I'd use my summertime trick: drop my husband off work, drive back and work from home for a few hours, and then get dressed and head to campus for the rest of the day. (The perks of being an academic in the summer!) Dressed in an oversized t-shirt, grubby shorts, and old running shoes, I got my husband to work on time for his 8:00 meeting and headed back home. Then, as I was walking up my porch steps I realized... I didn't have my house key. No access to my shower, my closet, my work bag (including my notes for the workshop and handouts for the attendees). I needed a plan.

I sat down on my porch swing and got my little planner brain working. I'd text my husband, drive back to campus, and wait for him to pop out of his meeting and give me his key. I sent him a text or four and got back in the car. By the time I got to campus, no text. I printed out a new copy of my workshop notes and the handout. Still no text. I decided to see if there was anything I could wear in my office. I found an even grodier pair of running shoes, an oversized hoodie, and two pairs of those knit gloves that you can buy in gas stations. Still no text. I needed a better plan.

Here was my new plan: I'd drive to Target, buy something there I could wear, change in the Target bathroom, and hustle back to campus so I'd be there on time for my workshop. I'd look for a dress because I could buy one item rather than spending more money and having to coordinate separates. My crazy fashion brain even started to think I could fill the "patterned work dress in a neutral color" hole in my wardrobe and justify purchasing D'Orsay flats.

And, miraculously, the plan (more or less) worked! I got to Target at 9:30, raided the women's clothing department supermarket-sweep style, and made a total mess of the dressing room (sorry to the Target employee who had to clean that up!). I didn't find the perfect, wardrobe-hole-filling dress, but I did find something that looked OK and was only one size too big. I also found a pair of D'Orsay flats, so that was a win! By 10:08 I was in the check-out line. The very sweet cashier asked me, "Is the dress for anything special?" and when I told her the truth, she was appalled but I gained some sympathy from the woman behind me in line. I changed in the Target bathroom, booked it to campus, and had seven whole minutes to prepare my slides and pass out handouts before the workshop.

So while this outfit may not look like much, it is one of my greatest accomplishments this summer. I may have caused this problem myself by being a total flibbertigibbet, but I got myself out of it by being a resourceful girl scout-cum-fashonista. I took these photos right after I (finally!) borrowed my husband's key and got my camera. No hair wash, makeup, or additions to this outfit. Not bad, huh?

dress: Target | shoes: Target [exact] | bag: Francesca's

My Academic Uniform, Summer Version

One of my main goals in starting this blog is to develop a personal style that will serve me well in my academic career. In my estimation, the key to dressing for any career is to find a balance between standing out and fitting in. I've developed my standard work uniform of a blazer and jeans with an eye towards fitting in. The blazer-and-jeans combo is probably the most common look in my branch of academia, the humanities. It is beloved by scholars who are old, young, and in between. It is probably more popular with men, but it works for women too. So I've adopted the blazer-and-jeans combo. I'm not sure if other academics who see me think, either consciously or unconsciously, "Oh, she must be one of us" because of my outfit. However, when I wear this combo, I feel more like an insider. That changes my whole attitude, making me more comfortable and confident.

In this outfit, I think I nailed the academic jeans-and-blazer combo while making it both my own and seasonally appropriate. I chose the black-and-white striped shirt in order to link my black wool blazer to summery white jeans. In addition, I really like how the cognac leather keeps the look a bit lighter -- black shoes, belt, and bag would have been too heavy for summer.

If I can figure out how to work it, I'm linking up with Bri from Work Clothes, I Suppose. I'm looking forward to seeing others' Favorite Summer Outfits!

blazer: J.Crew [exact] | shirt: Ann Taylor factory [similar] | jeans: Banana Republic factory | belt: American Eagle | bag: J.Crew factory | shoes: Banana Republic [exact, but if you want them you should buy them in the store where they're only $49!]

On Taking Care of Our Things

As my mother puts it, I'm hard on my clothes. I'm constantly scuffing my shoes, staining my shirts, and stepping on my hems. I'd like to get better at not ruining my clothes, but in the meanwhile I'm working on fixing things that I damage. This bag is a case in point. The last time I used this bag, I was on a research trip to London... that was over two years ago, before I'd written the first word of my dissertation. One of the handles broke, I was stuck using my cruddy backpack for the rest of the trip, and it has spent the past two years in my closet. After a few months in the trunk of my car, I finally brought it to the local cobbler. Two days and eight bucks later, it's back in business! I'm using it now to tote around my now totally complete dissertation draft. Why did it take the same amount of time to pay someone a small sum of money to perform a basic repair as it did to research and write a 250+ page dissertation? I have no idea, but I feel like now I'm ready to conquer the world!

I wore this for a day of working in the library and running errands on an unseasonably cool May day.

bag: J.Crew [old] | shirt: Banana Republic [exact] | jeans: Gap | belt: American Eagle | flats: gift | necklace: Anthropologie 

90s Hair

First, I got a haircut. Then, I got dressed in my favorite black blazer, which has shoulder pads, with a white tee and jeans. Then I saw myself in the mirror, and realized I was channeling mid-1990s New York. I couldn't be more pleased.

I wore this for a morning of writing and a wonderful lunch with a friend talking about writing.

blazer: J.Crew [exact] | t-shirt: Gap [exact] | jeans: Gap [exact] | flats: Target (old) | necklace: Ten Thousand Villages [exact] | purse: Francesca [similar]