Putting on my Game Face

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
These high-heeled Mary Janes are my go-to when I need a boost (literally and figuratively).
I own a lot of items with big floral prints, including this skirt.
To "fall up" my favorite summer dress, I paired it was a purple cardigan and these grape tights.
The seahorse necklace is one of my three sea creature necklaces.

Composition:
purple top (Marshalls)
black and white skirt (The Limited)
purple tights (Hue)
high-heeled Mary Janes (Michael by Michael Kors)
seahorse necklace (gift from boyfriend)

Usage:
The end of the semester - aka insanity - is upon us!  I'm in the midst of seminar papers right now, and my writing attire is pretty similar to Liz's.  However, last week, I had a (forced) lull in the writing frenzy for two big meetings, one with a professor to discuss my paper in a field that I am not super familiar with and one with my advisor to discuss exams, reading lists, committees, etc. - you know, just my entire life for the next few years.  I wanted to bring my game face to both of these meetings, especially the second one, and I wanted to up the style factor in order to do so.

Anne-Marie talked about this issue before, though her "game face" was for slightly different circumstances.  Since I wasn't planning on writing or reading for long periods of time that day, comfort wasn't as much of an issue since my schedule didn't allow enough time to hunker down in a cozy work spot.  So I pulled on a skirt, tights, and high heels.

I really like the color purple (the hue and the book, actually), and I thought it would be fun to go with a purple-themed outfit.  Colorful tights aways make me happy, and I like the contrast they make with this neutral skirt.  The outfit served its purpose, and I felt great that day.  And my professors noted that she liked my tights (and my paper's thesis - whew!). 

As I look at this outfit again, I think a belt would look good here.  I'm not a big belter, though I think with Liz's influence, I'm increasingly drawn to them.

Apologies for my somewhat scattered post; my thoughts are in another word document.  Good luck to all of you at this busy time of year!

Prompts:

• What's your "game face" (game outfit?) look like? (yes, I realize that Liz asked a similar question recently, but really, that's the theme of this time of year)
• When do you need to put on your "game face"?  When you write?  For big meetings?  For big departmental benchmarks?  For all of the above?

Skirts on a Plane

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I've worn this skirt with these boots before.
I like pairing this simple black turtleneck with colorful accessories.

Composition:
black short-sleeved turtleneck (H&M)
burgandy skirt (American Eagle)
black opaque tights (Target)
boots (Dingo via Zappos)
military style jacket (Macys)

Usage:
After having a blast at my cousin's wedding, I had to fly back home - a trip I blame for my recent cold.  I usually opt for a minimalist, simple look while flying, though I've tried switching it up a bit.  I'm always freezing on planes, so I normally wear jeans, long-sleeved shirts, flats, and I usually tuck socks and a cardigan in my carry-on.  This time, though, I took a cue from La Historiadora de Moda from Fashionable Academics and from Anne-Marie on trying a non-pants outfit with boots on a plane.

This skirt is comfortable, and the opaque tights are surprisingly warm.  Anne-Marie was right about the boots with socks keeping you warm - worked like a charm.  I was shocked to find that this outfit kept me warm enough to take off my jacket for almost the entire flight.  I bought it in September but hadn't had an occasion to post it before.  Though this raincoat is one of my favorite items ever - and probably garnered the most comments of any piece of clothing I've ever owned - I really wanted a simple fall jacket to just throw on for a little extra warmth.  This military style jacket is versatile, on-trend (though that's never really a selling point for me, just a coincidence), and inexpensive.  Perhaps its key selling point is that it's made of sweatshirt-type material, making it comfortable enough to fall asleep in on a plane.

Prior to my trip, I thought that this outfit would be a fine travelling ensemble, but not a great one.  However, I found it to be a comfortable, cute alternative to my normal jeans-and-a-t-shirt look.  Also, getting a sweet compliment on it from my boyfriend when he picked me up also helped convince me to consider furthering my styling choices for air travel (though I suspect he would have said it no matter what I was wearing).

Prompts:

• Do you wear skirts on planes?  Boots?
• What do you look for when purchasing jackets?
• How important are current trends to you?

Comfort

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
Liz and I both own these shoes, though in different colors.

Composition:
blue cashmere sweater (Saks, on sale)
jeans (Marshalls)
pumpkin Mary Janes (Seychelles)
glasses (Jill Stuart)

Usage:
Naturally, since we're in the busiest, most inconvenient part of the semester, I'm sick.  Despite fortifying myself with more vitamin C than even the scurviest sailor needs, I'm still ill, though admittedly not as bad as it could be - with the exception of yesterday, spent sleeping, dosing myself with orange juice, tea, and Sudafed, and then sleeping again, I've been functional, just uncomfortable.  Today, I had to pull myself out of yesterday's lovely ensemble of pjs to help moderate a professionalization session related to my big department service obligation this year.  I had a cute swingy skirt look put together in my head - I'm with E. over at academichic on loving skirts with movement - but my body physically rejected this look.  It wanted back in the pjs.  So I had to put together something more comfortable, but still acceptably professional.

Since it's a Friday afternoon, dark wash skinnies would do fine for pants.  These jeans are pretty stretchy, and thus are super comfortable.  I wanted heels to up the professional quotient, so I put on these pumpkin (or tan?) Mary Janes, which, despite being new, have quickly risen to the top of my comfy heels list.  For a top, I considered a classic button down or another top with more structure.  Again, though, I wanted something comfortable (Note: I realize that I keep repeating that word in this post, but really, "comfort" was my focus).  I pulled out this lightweight cashmere sweater, which is so soft it's more like a marshmellow hug than a top (that sentence proves that I'm not feeling well).  I completely agree with Sal at Already Pretty that cashmere is fabulous for winter, and I will definitely be seeking out more of it.  Obviously, on a graduate student budget, this fabric is not necessarily the most economical purchase, but as Sal points out, there are different price points for it, and I think that's cashmere sweaters (and scarves) are great investment pieces. 

Despite not feeling 100%, I still need to get in gear for the end of term, and this outfit successfully tricked my body into thinking it was still in bed, watching the occasional episode of "Arrested Development" between naps, while allowing me to be productive.

Prompts:

• What do you wear when you're not feeling well but still have professional obligations?
• Any tips for getting better/preventing illness?  I've heard about eating raw garlic, but haven't tried it.  Can anyone weigh in on it or offer some other advice?

Embracing Color

Draft:

Earlier Draft:
I wore this dress with different accessories at my friend's rehearsal dinner.
I used these shoes to talk about high heels being my fashion talisman.

Composition:
yellow and pink beaded dress (Catherine Malandrino)
pink belt (came with a dress from H&M)
pink heels (Bakers)

Usage:
This weekend, I attended my cousin's wedding.  In choosing a dress, I vacillated between three different dresses, before settling on this one.  One was this blue dress that previously malfunctioned before another cousin's wedding (the zipper problem has since been fixed).  The second was this black and red floral number that I wore to another friend's rehearsal dinner, which I ended up packing as a back-up.  However, I wanted to take this colorful number for another spin.  Considering the wedding was in a slightly warmer climate and knowing the couple's style, I thought that this dress would work well even for a fall wedding.

Last time, I paired the dress with a black belt and black shoes, going more neutral in accessorizing this already very colorful dress.  This time, though, I decided to just embrace color and add more pink.  I really like how the shoes looked with the dress, and I think I'll use this combination in the future.  As for the belt, I think this raspberry-pink looked better than the black, but it still wasn't quite right.  I'm not entirely sure what width and color would look best.  Oddly, the dress didn't come with a belt, though I think it looks odd without one, though maybe it would look fine unbelted on someone with a less curvy body type.  Still, though, I think the shape of the dress calls for something to define the waist.  Thoughts?

During this stressful, crunch time of the semester, it was really fun to get all dolled up, have fun with family, and dance a bit.  Here's wishing all of you some stress-releasing fun!

Prompts:

• How would you style this dress?
• Does getting dressed up make you feel good during stressful times or do you just want to wear comfortable clothes?
• What do you normally wear to weddings?

The Bruise; alternately titled, Copycat

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
This dress is one of my summer staples.
I often wear this cardigan around the department.

Composition:
purple cardigan (Marshalls)
blue dress (Target)
purple tights (Hue)
pumpkin Mary Janes (Seychelles)

Usage:
Today I finally decided to dress up my favorite summer dress for fall.  I wear this simple blue cotton dress all the time in the summer, and I wore it in September with these cowboy boots.  This time, I decided to pair them with my recently purchased grape-purple tights and an eggplant-purple cardigan.  I call it my "bruise" look because of the color palate.  I like how the dark hues all fall in the same section of the color wheel: the colorful darkness (if that makes sense) feels good for November. 

Originally, I had envisioned this outfit with the aforementioned cowboy boots, but when I tried them on, they just looked off.  I still wanted that lighter neutral on my feet, so I pulled out my new Mary Janes, a shoe style I love.  Seychelles calls this color "Saddle Tan," but I think of it more as pumpkin.  I find that these shoes can function as an orange-y color and as a neutral, depending on the look.

These shoes may look familiar and for a good reason: they were Liz's first purchase after her shopping hiatus.  I loved her blue shoes, and I've trying to shore up more of a teaching wardrobe before spring.  In particular, I need some cute, teaching-friendly heels, and after seeing these ones (I actually didn't realize that they were the same ones at first), I bought this pair in a different color.  This isn't the first time two of us on SSG have owned the same pair of shoes: Liz and Anne-Marie own the same pair of snake print shoes, again in different colors.  Anne-Marie and I don't own the same boots, but they're very close.

I think that Liz, Anne-Marie, and I have relatively different styles, but we definitely overlap in certain areas.  It's always interesting when we're attracted to similar pieces.  For more on (all over) copycat looks, see Style Underdog and In Professorial Fashion.

Prompts:

• How similar is your style to that of your friends, colleagues, and/or co-bloggers?
• Do you own any of the same pieces as your friends, colleagues, and/or co-bloggers?
• What's your favorite summer piece to "fall up"?

In the News: Leopard Print

In lieu of a new outfit today, I wanted to do a quick post about this article, "Leopard print vs. 'the investment piece,'" in Slate by Simon Doonan, creative director at Barneys, commentator on VH1's I Love the 70s/80s/90s series, and occasional America's Next Top Model style mentor guest.  While Doonan's article is a bit all over the place, I think it raises interesting issues about the marketing of fashion pieces, how trends are identified, and what gets to be called an "investment piece" and what doesn't.

Doonan observes that seasonal trends are anointed in "a desperate attempt to spot the glimmerings of a coherent message" in order to "help you, the ordinary woman in the street, navigate the vast and unpredictable terrain of the fashion apocalypse."  In other words, trends are imposed narratives designed to organize and neatly delineate the intrinsically incohesive fashion world.  Furthermore, certain trends are actually classic, perennial looks that the fashion world simply relabels as "trendy" - a move that Doonan calls "cheating."

I like how Doonan uses the supposedly new leopard print trend to interrogate this trend "cheating" and to complicate our notion of "investment pieces."  He acknowledges the boldness of leopard print and its cultural connotation of tackiness, but juxtaposes this "tacky, theatrical, and sad, albeit fabulously so" print with various examples of leopard print's endurance through time.  To conclude, he puts leopard print in conversation with talk of "investment pieces" - which he interestingly labels as a trend - to say that no one in fashion marketing is "ballsy enough to actually claim that a leopard print, with its nod to Bettie Page's pastie-twirling, burlesque high jinks, could ever be packaged and sold as an investment."  Leopard print, though a perennial look, has too much cultural baggage to be called an "investment piece" though it otherwise would be, just like a "Reed Krakoff military great coat."  And Doonan blames that marketing problem for the lack of leopard print he sees on the subway - basically, the label of safe "investment piece" has killed the recent bolder leopard print "trend."

I previous wrote about my own experience with leopard print. In that post, I acknowledge that animal prints can be "tricky," but that "my approach to animal prints has been to either use them as accents or to use them to spice up more conservative styles."

This shirt's classic and relatively conservative shape lets the leopard print stand out but not overwhelm.  I consider this top an investment piece, and I get a lot of wear out of it: as I stated in the post about it, "I can wear it with a pencil skirt and heels or, as I do here, with jeans."  While leopard print may not suit everyone's taste, and while it can veer into the absurd, I think with the right, measured approach, it can be an investment piece.

Prompts:

• Can leopard print - or any animal print - be an investment piece?
• How do you define an investment piece?

Happy Halloween

Draft:

Composition:
red hat (thrifted)
red trench coat (thrifted)
black gloves
black pants (Macy's)
black boots (Macy's)
black t-shirt (Old Navy)
map

Usage:
Happy Halloween!  Since Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, I figured it would only be appropriate to commemorate it in a SSG post.  Growing up, I loved dressing up for Halloween.  Getting to put on a costume and be someone else for a night was a lot of fun for young, overly dramatic me...and still is fun for older, still dramatic me. 

Growing up, my mom always made our costumes.  Now, I can't sew at all, but I still like that make-it-yourself spirit.  I never buy ready-made Halloween costumes.  I put mine together from things already in my closet/house and from thrifted items.  Last year, I went as Carmen Sandiego, everyone's favorite international thief and geography educator.  A pretty low maintence costume, as all I really needed were a red trench coat, which I found in a thrift store, and a hat, found in the same excursion.  I layered them over basic black and threw a map in my pocket as a cheeky nod to Carmen's globe hopping.  Also, I did the classic running-away Carmen pose in every photograph taken.

Here's hoping all of you have a happy (and stylish) Halloween! 

Prompts:

• Do you dress up for Halloween?  If so, what are you going as this year?
• What was your favorite Halloween costume ever - worn by you and/or seen on someone else?

(wo)Men's Wear

Draft:

Composition:
jeans (Macys)
white short-sleeved button down (The Limited)
brown vest (Saks)
black flats (Payless)

Usage:
As much as I advocate for taking back traditionally feminine dressing as an empowering form of sartorial expression, there is something very appealing to me about androgynous clothing and adapting men's wear for women.  However, I have a lot of trouble making this Annie Hall-type style work, namely because, well, my body literally gets in the way.  As a woman who has trouble even wearing regular button downs without lots of adjustments or massive gapping problems, attempts to make vests or ties work on me usually fall flat (or rather, fail to fall flat).

Vests are one of my favorite things, and I particularly love when Anne-Marie wears them.  I've tried on many vests in stores, but the one featured here is the only one I've found that fits me.  My boyfriend doesn't like the length of it, preferring it to be cut closer to the waist, but I like it.  I would like to find one that does fit closer to the body and/or is cut higher, but as it is, I like that this vest is a little different.  Similarly, some might say that this vest would look better belted, to highlight my waist.  When I bought it, it came with a belt-like cord, but I found that it just didn't look right on me - nor did other belts help the matter much.  In keeping with the androgyny idea, I like that this vest smooths down my curves and specifically does not emphasize them.  However, my favorite thing about this vest is that I find it to be relatively versatile, as it works with trousers, jeans, sleeveless shirts, t-shirts, and blouses. 

Prompts:

• Do you incorporate men's wear looks into your wardrobe?  What are your favorite pieces to wear?  What tips do you have for androgynous dressing?
• Do you wear vests?  Have any tips for mixings curves and vests?

Slight Alterations

Draft:

Composition:
burgandy skirt (American Eagle)
brown top (Wet Seal)
boots (Dingo via Zappos)
octopus necklace (gift from boyfriend via ModCloth)
purple cardigan (Marshalls)
glasses (Jill Stuart)

Usage:
This wasn't the outfit I planned to wear today.  The outfit I composed in my head didn't work in person.  I'm curious how/where others put together their outfits.  Most often, I consider options the night before, then really put it together in my head while in the shower or while eating my cereal and reading gossip columns serious news.  Then I try the outfit on, make adjustments as need (like today, when I scrapped the whole thing and started over again), and then add accessories.  It's still relatively warm here in SSG Headquarters (note: whenever I type that, I picture a fashionable Fortress of Solitude), and I decided to take advantage of it by taking the possible/probable last chance for bare legs.

Also, this outfit made me think about the many different appearances one may have on campus during the day.  Tuesdays are "Twelve Hour Tuesdays," meaning that I usually spend twelve hours on campus.  During that time, I'll usually throw on a cardigan, take it off, repeat as necessary.  Usually by around 7:00, my hair is driving me crazy, so I put it up.  Thus, you can generally see me on campus with some slight variety in my look.

Prompts:

• How do you compose your outfits?  Do you lay them out or plan them the night before?  Do you plan them in your head first or do you need to be in front of your closet?
• How do you change your looks over a long day (or do you at all)?

Red, White, and Meeeow!

Draft:

Composition:
jeans (JC Penney's)
white long sleeved shirt (Old Navy)
red scarf (street vendon in NYC)
animal print flats (Minnetonka)

Usage:
After the controversy over my last post - and the ensuing questions about appropriate attire for being seen around one's department in an unofficial capacity (not teaching, not for class, etc.) - I thought I'd post an outfit that I think pretty adequately represents my normal departmental attire. 

First, though, a few notes about our departmental culture and my current position within our department.  I mention these things because I think that departmental context is absolutely key to reading clothing.  First of all, I'm a graduate student still in coursework.  I used to work as a graduate assistant in an administrative position, and I began a TA-ship this year, but I have a course release for this semester, so I have few formal obligations on campus.  So when I'm actually around campus, I'm attending class, meetings (with professors, reading groups, and as part of a big departmental service obligation I took on this year), or talks...or I'm just doing work in my office.  Our departmental culture values style - we have some great female professors for scholarly and stylish role models - but it also tends to be a pretty welcoming, laid back department. 

That said, I have few reasons to really "dress up," and our departmental culture doesn't really require it.  So I try to look casual but still put together.  I consider this look to be representative of my current "uniform."  If you see me around our department, I'm probably wearing a long sleeved t-shirt or another type of simple top, jeans (usually a medium to dark wash), and flats.  If I have time that week, I paint my nails during a reading break (this week: OPI An Affair in Red Square).  Most often, I throw in some bright colors or prints.  Sometimes, I'll substitute the flats for heels.  I usually wear my glasses, but every once in awhile, I'll wear my contacts.  As for this outfit, I've mentioned before that I love the combination of animal print and red, and I think that the combination of the bright scarf on top and the fun pattern on the bottom gives this basic uniform a little personality.

Prompts:

• We've discussed uniforms (or lack thereof) before.  Do you have a casual "uniform"? 
• How do you dress around your department when you're not there in an official capacity, say just doing work in your office?
• How do most people dress in your department (or work place)?

Everyday Costumes

Draft:

Composition:
tan tank top (Old Navy)
blue and white peasant skirt (H&M)
brown boots (Dingo via Zappos)

Usage:
Weather here at SSG Headquarters has been abnormally warm through the first month of fall.  Recently, temps hit over 80 degrees.  When we're all dying to pull out our fall clothes, especially to boot up, the return of (or lack of departing) summer weather puts a damper on our seasonal aspirations.  Still, it being October and all, I didn't want to return completely to the carefree stylings of summer.  So I wore this long skirt, paired with a tank top for the heat, and insisted on boots for more of a fall feel.  Simple and cute.

This outfit is by no means over the top or really anything special.  However, I characterize it as "costumey" for me, as it doesn't really fit into my normal style.  This is the only long skirt I own, and it is the only peasant skirt I have ever bought or probably even considered buying.  I purchased the boots recently, looking for something outside my normal shoe comfort zone, and I quickly fell in love with this super comfortable pair that I've found goes with a lot of different outfits.  I thought of Anne-Marie when I bought them, and lo and behold, she owns a very, very similar pair.

I wear my hair straight about 80% of the time, but on this particular day, I thought that waves fit the western, laid back look.  I loved wearing this outfit, but it definitely diverges from my usual starched and simple style.  My boyfriend even commented that I looked like I belonged on a California campus, someone he (or anyone else) would never usually think about my wardrobe.

Prompts:

• How do you define "costumey" looks?  Looks that are just over the top?  Do you agree with my definition - looks that don't fit into your normal style code, and thus feel like "dress up"?  Or do you have another definition?
• Do you like trying on other looks?  How often do you experiment?
• What are some ways you've gone out of your style comfort zone?

Katie No-Feet

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I wore this dress for my MA defense last spring.

Composition:
pink dress (H&M)
white, pink, and orange animal print belt (Cache)
black opaque tights (Target)
black flat/wedges (Payless)

Usage:
As readers of this blog know, I love unabashedly feminine outfits (and thank you to Sal over at Already Pretty for a great post on the subject last week).  I love florals.  I love heels.  And I love pink.  I wore this raspberry dress to my MA defense because it was perfunctorily professional but it was also in-your-face pink.  In other words, it captured my sense of self, making me feel comfortable and confident.  Also, the three people at my defense - my advisor, my reader, and our program's director - knew enough about me and my style that I knew they wouldn't think twice about my sartorial decision.

Now that the temperatures are dropping and the leaves are changing, wardrobes tend toward darker colors to match nature's ensemble.  Pinks and pastels are taboo, packed away until spring.  However, I really wanted to make this dress fall-appropriate.  My inspiration for this project was Halloween, probably my favorite part of fall. 

Taking away the matching belt that came with the dress, I added a belt that comes with another dress.  It's a white based dress with a bright pink and orange animal print.  The pink ties it to the dress, but the orange adds an interesting fall-y color contrast, while the print breaks up the pink color block.

To complete the outfit, I needed something darker on the bottom, not to mention something that would keep me warm.  The opaque tights add an appropriately dark element to the dress, really solidifying the fall/Halloween look.  However, they also blend in with the shoes that I wore, black flats that have an ever-so-slight wedge.  The combination makes me look like I do not have feet.  At first, I thought I should change shoes, but I found that I actually liked the effect.  It adds an uncanniness to the outfit that both fits with the Halloween theme and interestingly draws attention away from and even diminishes the very feminine look of the dress.  Though that wasn't my intent, I like the way that the accessories change this dress from a girly-girl staple to a still feminine but oddly spooky ensemble.

Prompts:

• Have you ever added an element to your outfit that makes it look uncanny?
• How do you adapt different seasonal looks for fall?
• In the second picture, I tried to do the melancholic-look-away-from-the-camera pose that lots of bloggers do which looks so great on their blogs but makes me look sleepy (a generous adjective to describe my face in that pic).  Any tips for blog picture poses?

Rethinking Jeans and a T-Shirt

Draft:

 

Earlier Drafts:

I rocked these heels for my MA defense last spring.

Composition:

polka dot cowl neck top (Macy's)

skinny jeans (Marshall's)

watch (Fossil)

Mary Janes (Michael by Michael Kors)

Usage:

Recently, Liz wrote two great posts about dressing casually and what it means in an academic context.  Like her, I have less occasion to "dress up" this semester - actually, even less reason to think about professional dressing than her because I'm not teaching, working, or doing anything that requires me to dress or look a certain way.  My teaching starts next semester, so look for frantic posts about reconciling my love for florals and asserting classroom authority come January.

In the meantime, I'm working on dressing casually.  I've found that I rely on the performative aspect of dressing to get me into my pencil skirts and heels.  It's an interesting question that I'd never considered before: if I wear a cute, professional outfit, but few people to none see it, does it count?  Do we need an audience for our clothing?  Or do the clothes themselves affect our own attitudes enough that it is worth it? 

I think that while the clothes I wear influence my attitude and the way I carry myself, I definitely downshift when my audience is an amorphous crowd and not more specific, like "my office mates" or "my students."  I still love my skirts.  I still wear heels.  But I don't wear them as frequently, especially high, high heels and the more restrictive skirts.

As the weather has cooled down a bit, I've gone to the staple of many wardrobes - the jeans and t-shirt combo.  I usually pair it with flats or wedges, which I think think gives it a bit more polish than sneakers.  However, this week I decided to dress it up a bit.  Instead of a standard t-shirt, I put on this polka dotted cowl neck top I recently purchased.  I love polka dots: I have polka dotted pumps, and I really want a polka dot dress.  Putting this jazzed up t-shirt with dark wash skinny jeans wasn't enough.  I wanted something more, so I went for some high heels.  Unnecessary for the look, but just the punch I wanted.  I liked the outfit because it was casual, but still had a professional, "dressed up" connotation.

Prompts:

• How do you "dress up" casual looks?
• How much does having an audience affect the way you dress?  In other words, do you still "dress up" if there is no audience?

7/28/1917 - 9/11/2010

Composition:
Anything black and easily packed. 

Usage:
For once, a fashion rule was a comfort.  "This is what you wear."

On Tuesday, I didn't particularly care about my "look."  I left it unadorned.  Perfunctory.

My aunt sat in front of me, and I focused on her patterned jacket.  I traced its swirls, finding comfort in the repetition.

For once, I embraced a fashion rule.  It was order, a solace.

Wardrobe Workhorse Week Wrap-Up

We had such a great time with Wardrobe Workhorse Week!  Thanks to all of you for reading along and commenting, and thanks especially to Sara of Orchids in Buttonholes, Iris of 260 Days, No Repeats, E-Jo of In Professorial Fashion, Miss Studious of O Miss Studious, Plummy of Plummy: Developing Style, Katie of Interrobangs Anonymous, Anna of The Belle and the Bear, Rad of The Cohabitating Closet, Ana of Toil and Trouble, E., A., and L. of Academichic, and Caitlin of Frosting and Bows for contributing their own wardrobe workhorse posts!

We started the week with one main question in mind: What items of apparel and accessories do people who are concerned with style most frequently wear?  The answers were so fantastic that we wanted to consolidate some of them for you in one place.  We certainly haven't covered all the posts, though, so please visit these great blogs to see what else these women can't live without!

Composition: Jeans

Drafts:

Usage: 
Not surprisingly, quite a few bloggers shared Liz's love for jeans! Sara sings their praises even though she doesn't often wear pants, Miss Studious shows us that hers are, indeed, perfect, Iris demonstrates the benefits of trouser jeans, and Anna proves "mom" jeans can be super chic!

Composition: Classic Dresses
Drafts:

Usage:
Sara wrote a great post in defense of the dress as "comfortable," and several other bloggers proved that a staple black dress doesn't have to be boring.  Anna's looks classic and comfortable, Katie spices hers up with a trademark scarf, L. adds dramatic flair with a wide belt and a flower pin, and Miss Studious wears one with great details that make it stand out.

Composition: Versatile Footwear
Drafts:

Usage: 
Though most of us could never own too many shoes, WWW showed that if you love a single pair enough, you can wear them with anything.  Anne-Marie makes a case for the versatility of nude shoes, Plummy demonstrates a range of styles with her black boots, and (from her enviable shoe collection) Sara identifies her black flats as a workhorse.  Our Katie maintains her affinity for colored shoes, IA Katie shows she's on the same wavelength with her red flats, and E-Jo chooses style and comfort with colored flats, too.

Composition: Statement Neckwear
Drafts:

Usage:

These entries show how big of an impact one piece can make, especially when it's near your face. Anne-Marie relies on this bib necklace to transform her summer wardrobe, Miss Studious plans her entire outfit around her statement necklace, Caitlin lists hers as key pieces for fall, and Iris wears hers while celebrating her great accessories.  Plummy favors scarves them for their warmth, and Katie also celebrates scarves for their fashion and their function.

Composition: Un-Boring Basics
Drafts:

These items frequently show up on "wardrobe basics" lists, but with good reason! Katie's pencil skirt gets major mileage, and A. loves hers so much she has it in three colors!  Sara offers her own definition of a wardrobe workhorse, citing this white skirt, and this neutral skirt has been very good to Anna.

Drafts:

Usage:
Liz loves her cardigans, Rad demonstrates how stylish a chambray button-down can be, E-Jo shows that great neutral skirt can come in a shade of green, and Miss Studious looks effortlessly chic in her white button-down.

Composition: Unexpected Workhorses

Drafts:

Usage: 
WWW also showed that plenty of items that do not make their way onto wardrobe basics lists can work hard in your wardrobe.  Anne-Marie makes the case for going bold on the bottom, E. recommends replacing that LBD with an LND (little navy dress) and she also wears this mustard blouson top every which way, Miss Studious's geometric print is anything but basic, Ana loves this polka dot top so much that she bought a back-up, and Caitlin turns her unique thrift store find into a signature item.

Thanks again, ladies!  We're thrilled to know you, even if it's just online!

Prompts:

• We're planning to share our individual thoughts on WWW in upcoming posts, but we're curious-- what is your "take-away" from this theme week?
• Were you surprised by any of the trends that emerged in our various workhorse posts?  Did you notice any commonalities that we didn't document here?
• If you decide post more of your own wardrobe workhorse looks, please feel free to paste your links in the comments so we can pay you a visit!

WWW: Black Tee, Black Pencil Skirt, Black Slingbacks

This installment of Wardrobe Workhorse Week centers on my favorite neutral: black.  I feel like there's a divide between those whose go-to neutral is brown and those whose go-to neutral is black.  And of course, those who like gray or white (or nude - Anne-Marie might want to fight me on this one), but I think darker neutrals get more play.  I've always been drawn to black over brown.  One of my friends once posited that it was related to my preference of cities to more natural surroundings (if I go "camping" it better be somewhere with running water).  But I digress.

My last post dealt with the bursts of color that accent outfits.  In this one, I wanted to think about neutral foundations.  So I chose my most cherished and frequently worn items: a black long-sleeved t-shirt, a black pencil skirt, and low heeled black slingbacks.

Composition:
black long-sleeved t-shirt (Old Navy)
black pencil skirt (Calvin Klein)
black slingbacks (Nine West)

Usage:
I'll start with the long-sleeved t-shirt.  I own a bunch of long-sleeved tees, and they are definitely my wardrobe staple during fall and winter.  However, the black one pulls the most weight.  Simple and easy to throw on, sure, but the dark neutral makes it still look more pulled together than, say, the same shirt in purple or pink, which, to my eye, looks more casual.  This is still casual, of course, but the neutral makes it classic.  Also, I love that it is the perfect backdrop for colorful (or status symbol) scarves or animal print/statement shoes and accessories.

The pencil skirt is a perennial favorite for most "essential items" lists and for a good reason.  It is a generally flattering, non-frilly, get-the-job-done item that still looks effortlessly chic.  Great for work, teaching, class, a date, etc.  And in black?  The combination possibilities are almost endless.  I just gave you two examples of the kind of looks I like to put together with my black pencil skirt.
1) pair it with another neutral (or understated) top and play up colorful shoes (here we go again...) or other accessories
2) pair it with understated accessories/shoes and with a fun, but not crazy, top.  I love the burnt orange and purple in this blouse

Lastly, the shoes I wear in the outfit mentioned above are my last workhorse.  Now, I've spoken often about my love for high heels.  But a gal occasionally - ok, more often than not - has to book it places and run around campus, clack-clack-clacking down the hall.  In that case, you may not want crazy shoes.  That's why I love these understated shoes.  I usually like rounded toe shoes, but I like the pointed toe of these ones.  To me, it says "I may not be tall, but I'll still kick your butt."  In other words, they mean business.  They're comfortable, classic, and pair with almost anything.  Which is why I need to get a new pair soon - I've (literally) run these workhorses into the ground.

Prompts:

• Do you have a favorite neutral or do you play the field?
• Do you have a hard time letting go of your workhorses even when they desperately need to be let out to pasture?
• Also, I want to "prompt" you to go look at some of the other blogs participating in WWW, found here.

WWW: Colorful Shoes

I'm thrilled to contribute my first entry for Wardrobe Workhorse Week, a week that we here at SSG (and other blogs!) are dedicating to those items in our regular rotations.

Composition:
green ruffled t-strap wedges (Steve Madden)
"ruby slippers" (DSW)

Drafts:

Usage:

When pulling together ideas for these posts, I thought about traditional lists of "must-have" items, which tend to focus on basics to build outfits upon.  And it is true that I am big on the basics.  In my bio on this blog, I describe my style as centered on fashion fundamentals: "I generally like simple pieces" ... and I'm very into  "focusing on the basics."  However, part of this philosophy is that I can easily dress these items up and style them in different ways.  One of my favorite ways to easily spice up and outfit is through a colorful pair of shoes.  Even jeans that a t-shirt can instantly get a kick (ha!) from your kicks.  So I picked my favorite spring/summer pair and my favorite fall/winter pair.  This summer, I bought these green ruffled t-straps at a deep discount.  I wear them with everything.  They're super comfortable, and they always add a bit of feminine charm (hello ruffles) to a look.

Ditto the red flats.  They're my go-to shoe with a long-sleeved t-shirt (tune in tomorrow for my WWW post on that!) and jeans, and I like to throw them on with skirts or dresses too.  Like the wedges, they're very comfortable, perfect for long days on campus and/or running errands. 

Prompts:

• I'm sure I've used this prompt before, but it's a good one and relevent: do you go for neutral shoes or more colorful ones?
• What's your favorite way to pump up a simple outfit?

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Autumn

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I wore this ruffled top for dinner with the girls.
These wedges became my go-to shoe this summer.

Composition:
cream "dandy" tank (Ann Taylor)
navy shorts (Marshall's)
green ruffled wedges (Steve Madden)
watch (Fossil)
green earrings (Target)
Sword of Destiny (my boyfriend's childhood relic that now lives in his office)

Usage:
For the first time in awhile, the first day of school did not involve me going to work in the office, going to class, or really anything that necessarily involved school.  I'm not teaching this semester; I'm lucky enough to just be able to focus on my classes for fall term.  So technically, I could have stayed at home, away from campus, blissfully ignoring the beginning of the new school year.  Instead, I responsibly started out the year by going to campus, reading, and settling into my new schedule that isn't all that scheduled save for sheer will and discipline on my part.  It'll take some getting used to.
(Not that I'm complaining, mind you, I'm just used to having much more of my time accounted for).

Anyways, even though I didn't have to meet with anyone or really do anything in particular, I still wanted to look put together.  Usually, I find the first day of school, as I think most people still on an academic calender do, the beginning of the fashion transition into fall.  However, on an extremely hot, sunny day, the last thing I wanted to do was think about long pants, fall colors, and boots (I'm melting!).

So I threw on my favorite summer wedges - which, side note, I recently walked over a mile in, and they passed the comfort test - slicked on a great, bright summer polish (OPI My Chihuahua Bites!), rocked a pair of (decent length) shorts and was out the door.  Now had I not been going to school, I would have worn a more casual tank top with these shorts as I did when I was traveling.  To add a little more "look" to this look, I added this feminine, ruffled top.  I like the way its ruffles go with the ruffles on the shoes and how it instantly dresses up the shorts and sandals.  I think it accomplishes a nice summery transition into the rigors of the academic year.

Prompts:

• What do you wear around campus when you're not teaching/working/in class?
• Is the beginning of the school year a fashion transition for you?  Do you think of fall as starting and/or summer ending with the beginning of the school year or do you go with traditional seasonal changes?