Shifting Boot Signification

Draft:

Earlier Drafts: 
These distressed skinnies have gotten plenty of mileage this fall.

Composition: 
chunky cream sweater (Old Navy clearance)
polish (OPI Can You Tapas This?)
distressed skinnies (American Eagle)
cognac leather riding boots (Steve Madden, gifted)

Usage:
How great are these boots?!  Last winter I bought the pair of affordable Steve Madden slouch boots which have featured prominently on the blog because I wanted to experiment with tall boots for the first time in ages.  I had sworn off tall boots in 2004 when I wore (what I thought were) a tasteful pair to teach and one of my co-workers informed me that my high school students were calling them "dominatrix boots."  They had a round toe and a thick heel, but apparently a boot didn't need a pointy toe or a stiletto heel to classify as "dominatrix" so long as it was a knee high leather one.

Boots have come a long way since then, no?  There are so many options available now!  It seems like they've moved out of "trend" territory and have established themselves over the past few winters as a women's wardrobe staple.  The attitude toward them seems to have changed as they've become more widespread, and they seem to signify differently, too.  When I wore mine to teach in 2004, I thought it was acceptable because all the businesswomen in Chicago, near where I went to undergrad, wore them to work in the winter.  Apparently they were still unusual in my more rural school district in an area with a more moderate climate.  Now they're so ubiquitous that unless a teacher's boots have an especially pointy toe or skinny, tall heel, I don't think students even blink.  Though I guess that wearing them with short skirts still gives tall boots a different connotation.

I found myself reaching for those gray boots more and more, and one of my favorite features of wearing them was how they could turn a cozy, casual outfit into a chic look.  I wore them so often, in fact, that I decided to ask for a nice, high quality pair of cognac riding boots from my husband for Christmas.  I love everything about this pair.  They fit my fairly slender calves, the hardware details make them unique, the leather is buttery but sturdy, and I love how the zipper up the back is incorporated in the design of the boot-- it gives them just a touch of a bada** feel.  It also makes them super easy to get on and off.

I also think the boots might have super powers.  My husband has been encouraging me along and picking up the slack as I try to get through my hectic end-of-semester, and strapping these beauties on for the last few days of sitting in front of my computer helped me push through and finish a really complex thought experiment.  We joked about putting their box under the Christmas tree, but being able to wear them for these next few weeks is a great gift!

Prompts:

• Do you agree that tall boots signify differently now than they did even a few years ago? What factors do you think contribute to this change?
• Have you adopted boots as a wardrobe staple?  If so, how many pairs do you own? And which colors do you favor?  I've been surprised to find that my gray pair seem even more versatile than a black pair might have been.
• What do you pair with cognac leather?

Blogging Break Needed

Draft:

Composition:
gray long sleever (Target)
red open cardigan (Express, gifted by my sister)
distressed skinnies (American Eagle)
gray slouch boots (Steve Madden)
gold lame skinny belt (Charlotte Russe-- to be debuted in sincerity soon)

Usage:
You guys, I really need to take a blogging break.  So I'm posting this outfit even though I don't think it is bloggable at all.

I hope all of you stateside enjoyed a restful, relaxing, and/or productive Thanksgiving weekend with plenty of good food and good company.  I don't feel rested or relaxed, but I've gotten a lot of work done, so I don't feel panicked, either, which is an improvement over my state of mind two days ago.  After spending a nice Thanksgiving with my sister and my husband's extended family, I began a marathon paper writing session.  This means there hasn't been a lot of fashion going on in this house, but I thought you might be interested in how I dress for an extended period of mental heavy lifting.  (Or maybe, even if you don't care, you're just begging for a new post to pop up your reader so you can take a break for 2-3 minutes, as I've been doing for the past few days.)

While I sometimes find that dressing up helps me "bring my A game" to my work, this particular paper has felt more like slogging along than showing off.  So I've been wearing comfortable clothes that allow me to settle in for the duration.  I get cold easily, so layers are important.  For some reason, I also insist on writing in really long sleeves.  One of my favorite things about this sweater my sister gave me is the length of the sleeves.  Its drapey, open fit also makes it feel a little bit like a blanket.  And while writing in boots might seem strange, my feet get cold really easily, and this look is definitely preferable to the puffy striped socks/red flats look I was rocking yesterday.

I also employ some other profoundly nonsensical practices when trying to get through a really difficult thought experiment.  I eat a lot of gummy peach rings and drink a lot of wild cherry diet pepsi (because the two balance each other out?).  Thankfully, this glucose/aspartame cocktail has been supplemented this time by several heapings of my grandmother-in-law's delicious stuffing.  When I get stuck, I ask iTunes to play me a random song, take a break while it plays, and then get back to work once it's finished.  Sometimes my mind is blank during these 3-4 minute breaks, and sometimes I have important thoughts.  Yesterday I had a great idea while I listened to "Toes" by the Zac Brown Band with my forehead resting on the table.  (Have you seen the movie trailer where Paul Rudd smashes his head on a table after getting bad news on the phone-- starting at 0:45?  I can't tell you how many times I have imagined myself doing that these past few days.)  Sometimes the song iTunes chooses makes me laugh, like when "(I've Got To) Stop Thinking About That" by James Taylor cued up.  I wish I could, James.

Since I fear I might have disappointed you with my uninspiring outfit or my random babbling about my paper writing, I'll leave you with a photo of Oscar acting like life is hard.

Prompts:

• What do you wear when it's time to settle in and get down to business?
• Do you have any tricks of your own that help you get through a difficult task?

Student Conference Attire

Draft:

Earlier Drafts: 
AM gave me this graphic tee as a graduation gift, these boots are one of my favorite cool-weather staples, and I wrote about working from home in these skinnies.

Composition:
Moby Dick tee (gifted from AM via Out of Print)
cream cardigan (Anne Taylor)
light wash skinnies (American Eagle)
gray slouch boots (Steve Madden)

Usage:
Starting tomorrow, I'm meeting each of my students for a student-led conference.  I've given them a set of requirements to prepare before the conference so they can come ready to ask me questions.  I want to avoid the type of conference where I do a lot of talking, the student does a lot of head nodding, and then he/she forgets everything we discussed.  I'm hoping that if they show up knowing what they want to get out of the meeting, setting time aside for conferences will be more beneficial.  We'll see how that goes.

I'm also working on creating an environment conducive to the type of conversation I want to have with each student.  Rather than asking them to come to my office, where some of them seem to be intimidated, I'm meeting them in the main library on campus.  I'm also planning to wear jeans to give off the "I'm also approachable and I want to help you" vibe.  The outfit above is quickly turning into one of my favorite casual iterations: interesting top+ cardigan+ skinnies+ interesting shoe.  I'm not planning to wear this outfit-- I'm not sure it's a good idea to wear this particular word across my chest while meeting with students-- but I'm thinking about wearing something like it.

I wonder what you all think?  Should I avoid skinny jeans? Graphic tees?  Should I wear something more "professional" on top to mitigate the jeans on bottom?  Would it be better to stick with more formal, dark wash jeans?  I'm really curious about your suggestions for this particular teaching moment, whether or not you've instructed undergrads before.

Prompts:

• What type of outfit would you suggest in order to facilitate the kind of conversation I've described above?
• Are there any specific items of clothing you think I should avoid-- either because they're too informal or for any other reason?
• Do you have any other tips for running student conferences?  I'm all ears (or eyes?)!

Work From Home Wear

Draft:

Composition:
Chicago Marathon tee (runner's expo)
new to my closet medium wash skinnies (American Eagle)
black leather belt (Gap?)

Usage:
Some days when I work from home, I get up early, shower, get dressed in a cute outfit and shoes, and sit down to type.  Pulling my outfit together helps me feel like I'm bringing my "A game" to my writing.

Obviously, this was not one of those days.  I'm doing a lot of work from home this semester, so I've been spending a lot of time in jeans, tees, and bare feet.  I still get up early and shower, but I usually forgo makeup and hair products.  Most of my time at home is spent reading and lesson planning, both of which I can do on the couch, so that's where my husband usually finds me when he gets home from work.  When end-of-term paper writing time comes up, I know I'll be stationed at the table with all my materials spread out around me, and at that point, "getting dressed" plays an important role in getting me going.  Right now, though, I'm enjoying the fact that one of the many privileges of being a graduate student is spending time in my own space.

I know this outfit is not particularly "stylish," and some may even consider it a step backwards in my goal to dress better in the casual register.  I still felt good in it, though.  I know most ladies aren't tucking in tee shirts these days, but I still think it looks better, and I like the faded detailing on these new jeans I purchased to back up my favorite dark skinnies.  My feet always get cold, though.  I have a few pairs of fuzzy socks that I rotate between, but I think I might be in the market for slippers for the first time in my life.  Or maybe some sherpa socks?  This past weekend was the Chicago Marathon, so I broke out my marathon tee to remind myself that even though it's been seven years, training for and completing that race is still one of my proudest accomplishments.  When I was reading Ngugi's Grain of Wheat earlier this semester (a novel set in the context of Kenyan Independence), I was struck by  how strongly my own attitude toward running resonated with of one character's reflections on it.  Ngugi writes, "He had even developed a theory about such races.  'They test how long you can endure hardship,' he used to say. 'You say to yourself.  I will not give up: I will see this to the end'" (229).  Distance running has helped me develop the belief that I'm capable of seeing things to the end, and that belief has been instrumental to my success so far as a graduate student.

Work Cited:
Ngugi Wa Thiang'O.  A Grain of Wheat.  Heinemann/Pearson Education Limited: 1967, 2008.

Prompts:

• If you have the opportunity to work from home, what do you wear?  Do you alternate between casual and "dressy" attire based on the tasks you'll accomplish that day, or am I the only one who does this?
• Do you ever stay in your pajamas all day?  Sometimes I can stay in mine for a few hours if I'm planning to take a break by heading to the gym, but I have to shower and get dressed or I find it hard to stay productive.
• Do you have any suggestions for warm, comfortable around-the-house footwear?
• What non-academic activities do you participate in that help you in your studies?

Weekend Wear?

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I last wore this ruffled blouse with a pencil skirt.
I paired this purple cardi with a neon shirtdress.
I really should wear these cargo pants with something other than this top.
I count these nude flats among my wardrobe workhorses.

Composition:
ruffled blouse (thrifted)
purple cardigan (Martin & Osa)
belt (Ann Taylor)
cargo pants (Target)
nude flats (Jessica Simpson)
red lipstick (Maybelline Color Sensational in "Are You Red-dy")

Usage:
My attempts to dress less, erm, sloppily on days off have resulted in overcompensation, I'm afraid.  I wore this get-up over the weekend to grab pizza with my husband and a friend, but both of them teased me for being "too dressed up" for a Friday night.  Those rascals.  However, since they're both clothing-conscious themselves, I've given their critique some thought.

Maybe it's the shirt's ruffles, or maybe it's the layered cardigan, or the skinny belt, or the fact that I'm not in jeans, but I can see why this ensemble would read as too stuffy for a pizza-and-wine type of evening.  In my pursuit of balance between the casual and the professional, then, I'm wondering about your typical weekend wear.

Tell me, s'il vous plait ... 

Prompts:

• What do you normally wear on weekends, or in any casual/non-professional setting?  Do your dressing habits shift dramatically, or do you maintain continuity between your "off work" self and your workplace self?  (Asking this question reminds me of my dad, who, upon returning home from workdays, announces routinely that he's weary of wearing his professional "costume.")
•  Do you associate specific garments with weekends?  What are they, and why do these read "off work" to you?
• Would you have worn my outfit, or a version of it, on a weekend?  Would you have worn it to work?  What's the ideal context for such a get-up?
• Unrelatedly, but still on my brain: does the juxtaposition of the cargo pants with the ruffled blouse make the outfit more or less appealing to you? 

Boot Up!

Draft:

Previous Drafts:
I declared these boots the more stylish cousin to the ubiquitous Uggs, and I over-accessorized with this belt back when I bought it in the Spring.

Composition:
eyeglasses (Kate Spade)
black cami (Kohl's)
blue oxford shirtdress (H&M via sister's closet)
black leggings (Target)
gray leather slouch boots (Steve Madden)

Usage:
I have so many random things to say about this ensemble that I'm not sure where to begin... but I'll just jump right in.

Do you guys watch How I Met Your Mother?  I still DVR it even though I think it peaked a few seasons back.  When I prepared to put these boots on last week, I thought to myself "Time to boot up!" as a riff on Barney's "Suit up!" catchphrase.  This personal joke I had with myself seemed even funnier when I realized that one of the reason I liked this shirt dress the first time I saw it on my sister was because it looked like she was wearing a men's oxford shirt, which made me think of some of my favorite 80s movies.  Why are the women in those movies always sleeping in a man's oxford shirt? Wouldn't that be uncomfortable?  Or did my 8 year old self assume they were sleeping in those shirts, when actually they put them on after getting up from sleeping in nothing?

This was also my first attempt at wearing leggings, which I picked up for $5 at Target last week as an inexpensive way to try to develop my casual styling skills.  I found myself nodding my head when Sally suggested that black bottoms and colored tops don't always bring out the best in one another, so I worked to try to incorporate the black leggings into this look.  I left the top button undone to let my black cami peek out, and I grabbed my snake print belt to try to incorporate the gray of my boots and the black of the leggings into the overall look. 

I wore this look to a mostly social event for my department.  Our program's new director wanted to give each of the professors a chance to introduce their work to the grad students, which would also give us a chance to speak with them informally.  I thought it was a great idea!  Even though I know most of our professors from my years in the office, and I know their field specialties, it was still fun to hear them paraphrase their current research projects in their own words.  I also enjoyed looking around the room and thinking, "Look at all this great style in one room!"  I wish I had photos to share.

Chatting with the professors afterward also felt a lot less intimidating than trying to schedule an appointment to meet with someone because you admire her/his work.  I was able to arrange a meeting with the professor I've been trying to track down since she returned from leave, so my attendance was a success.  The friendly vibe of the event was underscored when our program's director came up to me during the socializing portion and said "Liz, I want to talk about this outfit."  Her opinion?  She felt like the dress was bright and thus read as "Spring" attire while the boots and leggings read as "Winter" attire, and she didn't "get" the inclusion of the belt.  LOL!  I tried to explain that I don't really dress for seasons as much as for temperature, and I admitted that it was probably still a little warm for leggings+boots, but that I was ready to try something new.  Her final verdict was that she liked the dress, and she liked the boots, but she thought I "had a lot going on here."  This made me appreciate my decision not to wear my clear acrylic beaded necklace, which I had considered before deciding that would be too much.   Then we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of pantyhose, tights, and leggings.  In case you were wondering, she's a fan of Hue.  : )

Prompts:

• Have you made the leap to boots yet?  After I wore them three days in a row during last week's cooler temps, my sister asked me, "Is this boots week on SSG?"
• Are the black leggings providing too stark a contrast here?  Might I have looked less seasonally confused if I'd worn charcoal or navy leggings instead?
• Have you ever worn a man's oxford shirt for sleepwear or loungewear?  Is this actually comfortable?

Rainy Day Casz

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I wore this classic white button-down on a return flight from summer travels.
I wore this vest in an outfit I'm almost too embarrassed over to reference.  Let's call it a lapse in judgment, shall we?  Or, better yet, a "teachable moment," because I won't make that mistake again.

Composition:
white button-down (Gap)
wool blend vest (Old Navy)
dark wash boot cut jeans (Banana Republic)
black flats (Zara)
gold necklaces (gifted)
bracelets (thrifted and/or gifted, can't recall)

Usage:
Yesterday's day-long downpour posed a dressing challenge for me.  The temperature had dropped too low for capris or shorts, and, as much as I fancy my polka-dotted galoshes, I wasn't mentally ready to flip the boots-plus-jeans switch.  Actually, I typically wear dresses on rainy days.  Jersey dresses and boots.  No soggy hemlines to contend with and all.  However, since I've been in dress overkill mode lately -- having worn frocks here and here and a few days in between -- dresses weren't appealing to me.  So what's a girl to do but call on her closet classics?

For me, a white button-down shirt and a well-fitting pair of jeans solve nearly all wardrobe dilemmas.  Uncomplicated and understated, the combination epitomizes casual elegance in my book.  You might say, as Katie did yesterday of her jeans and tees, that it's a way to downshift sartorially without stalling out.  (Does this analogy break down, drivers of manual vehicles?)

By the by, I managed to sport jeans despite the wet weather by fashioning some good ol' fashioned cuffed pant hems.  Nothing innovative here.  Nothing too chic either.  But I did remain dry while puddle-jumping.  I unrolled the cuffs after stepping indoors.

Anyway, speaking of Katie, her post yesterday helped me identify my own refreshed perspective on dressing casually.  Like hers, my recent months have been low-key.  While job-hunting and tackling home DIY projects, I've been marinating in the world of anti-professional style.  Not that it's foreign territory to me.  As much as I hope Liz's dressing habits are contagious, I've not yet caught the professional attire bug.  But when I was busy with work and school, and supposed to "dress up," my version of "casual" was downright sloppy. Tanks and sweatshirts, and not cute ones.  My weekends and off-hours were like collapsing at the end of a very confusing, pseudo-professional sartorial sprint: I gave up.  The awkward effort of merging my rookie student style with an aspirationally adult style exhausted me.  Now, after time away, I've come to regard "dressing up" and "dressing down" as distinct yet equal counterparts.  Neither one is necessarily more "mature" than the other.  Rather than neglecting casual style entirely, or allowing professional style to absorb it, I'm trying to distribute my attention evenly between the extremes.  One result?  I hope I'm generating more creative, intentional-looking casual outfits.  Perhaps the above ensemble is evidence?  After all, it was a dreary "off" day, and I didn't wear a hoodie.  Or even my usual one-and-done jersey dress.  Hooray, progress!

Happy Friday! Oh, and Huzzah for October!

Prompts:

• How do you dress on rainy days?  Any go-to items or favorite combinations?
• How do you wear classic white button-down shirts?  Do they serve double-duty in your closet as they do in mine, acting both professionally and casually?  Or do you reserve them for one or the other style?
• Liz and Katie have both recently written about their professional versus casual dressing mindsets.  How do you describe your personal style on a scale from one extreme to the other?

Jeggings and Ageism

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I wore this cardigan with loafers I'm trying to love.
I could have worn these yellow wedges, instead of strappy gold heels, with this ensemble.

Composition:
slouchy grey cardi (Target)
black cami (Gap)
jeggings (Lauren Conrad for Kohl's)
yellow wedges (Nine West)

Usage:
One of the few things I've enjoyed about unemployment is the freedom it has given me to experiment with clothing.  Not currently bound by office dress codes, I'm able to invent my own sartorial standards.  I've toyed with lace and (faux!) fur and bright tights and prints.

But I might draw the line with jeggings.

Although I fashioned a pre-autumn outfit around my newly purchased leggings + jeans hybrids, I'm still skeptical of them.  What purpose do they serve distinct from leggings or skinny jeans, after all?  I plan to wear mine only with long tops, as I would leggings, and I find them convenient for tucking in boots, just like skinny jeans.  They might provide a measure of extra warmth in chillier weather, but, beyond that, what's the big deal?

To be fair, I'm enamored of the concept.  Leggings in a durable fabric?  Genius.  We won't have to wear tights under these babies, for sure.  And why should we sacrifice a laid-back jeans aesthetic because we desire a body-hugging profile?  Points for creativity.

Still, only months ago I poked fun at undergrads' propensity for jeggings.  These pants seem to be favorites of the 18-and-younger set.  Perhaps that's why, whenever I sport my own pair in public, I receive glances of camaraderie from girls half my age.  This is not good for someone like me who already bristles at the slightest implication of ageism.  I fear that sporting clothing that is inherently coded with (negative?) age-related associations only invites the sorts of perceptions I mean to deflect.  So am I too old for jeggings?  Or, would it be wise for me to refrain from wearing them given my sensitivity to age-related discrimination?

Last week, E. of Academichic asked a related question of skinny pants, the broader category under which jeggings fall.  Her post inquired into the professional connotations of such trousers, and I think that, for young females, the issues of career expertise that E. noted are inextricable from issues of age.  Being young and dressing fashion-consciously certainly opens one up to risk -- risk of being branded as inexperienced professionally.  So is it worth it?  Granted, we'd all like to wear whatever we wish and imagine ourselves demolishing monoliths of prejudice, but, when it comes to it, do we eliminate certain garments -- like jeggings, perhaps -- from our sartorial repertoires because of their negative age-related connotations?  Do we avoid clothing because it looks "too young" or "too old"?  Are there garments which, in your opinion, should be subject to such age-related restrictions?

For me, this discussion rings of a line from a Bing commercial: "Moms who wear jeans to match their teens' jeans." What's at stake with this critique?

Prompts:

• Do you avoid certain garments because of (negative) age-related connotations?  What are they, and what message do you think they convey?
• I'd also like to ask the inverse: do you choose to wear other garments because of their (positive) age-related connotations?  What are they, and what message do you think they convey?  For example, I've written about my appreciation of blazers.  Frankly, I think they make me look older.
• Why do or don't you make style choices according to age perceptions?
• Most specifically, are you wearing jeggings this season?  Why (and how) or why not?

Facing Sartorial Critique

Draft:

Composition:
clear lucite beaded necklace (Kohl's)
white and yellow striped tee (Gap)
medium wash skinnies (American Eagle via sister's closet)
sneakers (Converse Chuck Taylor)
staring down at the ground pose (learned) : )

Usage:
My casual dressing experiment and my refusal to acknowledge the onset of fall continued on Friday, this time with the assistance of some new skinnies borrowed from my sister and a necklace that dresses up a tee and jeans ensemble and makes it feel more "me."  I noticed last week that I've been wearing bold (if not "statement") necklaces almost every day-- this seems to be a phase I go through every couple of months.  Right now, a look feels more like a "look" when I add a necklace. 

I wore this ensemble to campus for a lecture, and I barely made it inside the building without having its casual register brought to my attention.  I ran into a friend and classmate of mine, who followed up his "Hey!" with "dressed down Friday, eh?"  This reminded me that I'd agreed to address Maggie's comment on my post from last week about using "dressed up" attire as a way to assert my authority.  She wrote, "Liz--one of the unsaid things here in your post--and this blog--is the idea that you _should_ dress professionally. This is something that I struggle with because I do believe you have to dress appropriately, but I know a lot of our colleagues and even professors seem to see it as a ruse or something."  After sharing some personal experiences, Maggie concluded her thoughts by asking,  "I wonder if you--or the other bloggers--ever feel some tension with peers and/or profs who DON'T dress professionally?"  Other comments on the same post (which I encourage you all to read) also gestured toward the same line of questioning.

First, I'd like to clarify that I try to avoid thinking and speaking in "shoulds."  If my post gave the impression that I think people should dress according to societal norms of what constitutes "professional," I apologize.  I was just trying to talk about my own relationship to "professional" dressing.  Maggie certainly sensed, though, that I do wish more people were willing to acknowledge that how you dress your body matters.  In our About the Blog page, we quote Tim Gunn, who has said "I believe in the semiotics of clothes: the clothes we wear send a message about how we're perceived.  Accordingly, it's important that we each accept responsibility for how we present ourselves to the world."  I'd like to invite you all to take a look at that page, especially those of you who are newer readers of the blog, because that's where we've tried to explain what we imagine as the purpose of our blog.  I'd also like to encourage you to visit (or re-visit) my Henry James Textual Analysis post, in which I wrote a little bit more about my own conception of how and why language matters as a parallel to how and why dressing matters.

To answer the second part of Maggie's question, I have felt some tension with peers regarding my decision to dress "up" regularly.  Some of my classmates are responsive to my explanations about it, and quite a few have actually begun reading the blog and talking to me about it in real life, which is rewarding enough to make it easy to ignore the critics, even though a few of them remain.  I've been fortunate enough that I haven't (yet) felt this kind of tension with professors, but I expect that at some point, that situation will arise.  I read other academic fashion blogs regularly enough to know that in other universities, disciplines, and geographies this kind of tension is quite pervasive.  Our department is fortunate to have quite a few female professors who cultivate a professional, put-together, stylish presentation of self.   Their personal styles cover a broad range of approaches to dressing, but when I look at each of them, I can see that they've put thought into how they dressed themselves each day.  Many of these women are also doing highly influential work in their fields.  I can't help but think that these female professors have begun to carve out a space of possibility wherein someone like me, who takes an interest clothes, is still taken seriously. 

I know these misconceptions-- that dressing well is just a "ruse" and that a woman can't be interested in style and do serious, thoughtful, meaningful intellectual work, too-- still exist.  When given an opportunity to discuss these misconceptions with people who hold them, I believe I am capable of making a good argument against them.  I realize, though, that not everyone who thinks my interest in clothes is vapid will be willing to give me a chance to discuss it.  Because of this, the best way I know to break down these misconceptions is to prove them to be false every single day.  I like to think that by continuing to dress with intention while also doing good work in my studies, I am slowly convincing those skeptics with whom I interact that it is possible to be serious about academics and about clothes.  Furthermore, I hope that my participation in this community of scholarly style blogs gives confidence to those women who share my interest in clothes but do not get to share my surroundings, and thus face more criticism for how they choose to dress.  I'm regularly encouraged by reading the thoughts of others who share my opinion on the subject, and it reinforces my sense that it's important to continue working toward deconstructing these misconceptions.

Thanks for the comments, Maggie!  I hope I've answered your questions.

Prompts:

• Do you ever find yourself relying on a single type of accessory to "finish" a look?  I do this all the time with belts, as I've mentioned before, but now I'm starting to do it with necklaces, as well, so I wonder if it's a common habit.
• What are your thoughts on the similarity we draw here on our blog between the importance of using language well and the importance of dressing well?
• Have you found successful ways to manage tension you've encountered regarding your own interest in clothes?  Please share!!

Casual Dressing Experimentation

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I labeled these jeans my first wardrobe workhorse, and these shoes were one of my two "back to school" purchases.

Composition:
neon-ish pink tank (Rave)
yellow tank (via sister's closet)
colorful scarf (via sister's closet)
dark wash skinnies (American Eagle)
yellow buckle slice wedges (Nine West)

Usage:
I really appreciate your thoughtful comments on my post from Monday about dressing "professionally."  I want to address them more specifically in the future, because I appreciate that you've all (as usual) encouraged me to think in different ways.  Today, though, I wanted to write a little bit about the goal I mentioned briefly at the end-- to dress better in the casual register.

Believe it or not, I have been a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl most of my life.  I'm not talking about jeans and a cute embellished t-shirt, either; I'm talking about jeans and a t-shirt my mom bought for me at the Nike employee store during my adolescence, when she worked there.  Thankfully, she took that job around the time when they first came out with "women's fit" t-shirts (mid 90s), so the tees did actually fit me, even if they said things like "Nike Running: Choose Your Path."

One of the (unfortunate, I think) side effects of the empowerment I felt when I began dressing differently for work was that I directed all of my styling energy into work clothes and paid no attention to trying to wear casual clothes well.  I actually mentioned way back in my "intro" post that I struggle to put together cute casual ensembles, but the process of blogging has helped me to realize that this is really only due to a lack of effort.  Monday, I said that "now, these ["business" register] clothes feel more me to me than more casual ones."  I recognize, though, that they are quite literally more me because they're outfits I've actually taken care in putting together.  So I am wondering what will happen to my personal style if I put the same amount of effort into my casual wear.  Perhaps I really am more at ease in "dressed up" looks, but I don't think I'll know that for sure until I put a little more effort into my non-work looks.

This is a good semester for the casual attire experiment.  I only teach two days a week, so that leaves five other days to dress differently.  I believe I have conquered the hair straightening demons-- either my curly hair looks better every day, or I get a little more comfortable with it every day leading me to think it looks better every day-- so I'm ready to move on to the next way to challenge myself.

I thought putting on a scarf might be a good way to try something new because I literally never wear them.  IA Katie and Plummy wear them so well, though, that they encouraged me to give them a shot.  I don't own any that I don't put on exclusively for warmth, so cue my sister's closet!  When I was trying to build an outfit around this one, I was tempted to wear it with a white top because it's so colorful, but then I remembered Vickie's choice to pair color with more color during Black-Out week and the positive results it yielded, so I went in that direction.

The only reason I actually own a neon-ish pink tank from Rave is because I purchased it for an 80s party a few years back, and at that time I was more annoyed that it wasn't more neon (and going inside Rave totes took me back to middle school).  I actually tried this combination a few weeks back with a khaki skirt and my hair up, because I felt like scarf+hair was too much going on around my head, but I actually think it looks much better here, and I'm glad I gave it another try.  I also like how the yellow tank underneath plus the yellow shoes sort of ground the bright tank and (I hope) keep the ensemble from being too overpowering.  I actually wish it looked more like this IRL-- for the life of me, I cannot get items in this punchy pink color family to photograph correctly.  (You're not even reading this, are you?  You're looking at my 80s party photo.  Did you really think I was going to mention an 80s party outfit, of which I have a photo, and not show you said photo?  The most awesome part of this outfit was that, when walking through the city on Saturday night to get to the party, I got tons of compliments on this outfit from strangers who had no idea I was on my way to an 80s party.  And I didn't get the impression that they were complimenting me to make fun of me.)

Prompts:

• Thoughts on this outfit, please?  On this casual dressing experiment, which I fear may really turn out to be a project titled "Skinny jeans 100 different ways"?
• Suggestions for different casual combinations for me to try?  (Don't worry, I've been scouring all of your blogs, and plan to rip off all of your ideas anyway.)

Audrey Might've Worn a Fedora

Draft:Earlier Drafts:
This strapless top's silhouette is surprisingly versatile.
These heels "go" with e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.  But I've said that already.

Composition: 
fedora (Target)
black strapless top (ShopMamie)
multi-chain necklace (Talbots)
black Audrey pants (Gap)
nude suede heels (Seychelles via Piperlime)

Usage: 
This week Katie reassessed her closet and determined that her attraction to floral prints may indicate that she's a more "ladylike" dresser than she realized.  Liz noted that Katie had previously described her style as "easy elegance," and asked if Katie considered the terms "ladylike" and "elegant" synonymous.  Their exchange was helpful to my own thinking because, although this week I've grappled with the definition of "ladylike" and danced around the idea of elegance, I hadn't speculated about the ways in which the two meanings may intersect. 

Months ago, noted photographer and illustrator Garance Dore published a post entitled "What is Elegance?" on her personal fashion blog.  I like Dore's definition of this frequently-used, often-abused term, for it emphasizes conduct over clothes and decorum over dressing habits.  It encourages me in a You're-Never-Fully-Dressed-Without-a-Smile sort of way.  People can be elegant with or without the "right" style savvy, she suggests.

Rex Harrison's character Henry Higgins learns a similar lesson in the 1964 film My Fair Lady.  When his efforts to refine Audrey Hepburn's street-smart protagonist Eliza backfire, Henry realizes that Eliza's je ne sais quoi renders her more elegant than any of his rules of form.  She is dignified despite, not because of, his insistence on social and sartorial graces.

I mention this film because, not-so-ironically, it derives from the same Mad Men era we've been discussing this week.  Consistent with the social undercurrents of 50s/60s fashion, the movie's very title challenges the notion of femininity.  For starters, it's possessive, suggesting that the fair female in question might be owned by, or at least indebted to, her teacher/admirer.  Therefore, it also implicitly asks, when exactly does Eliza become a "lady," before or after Henry instructs her in navigating high society?

I think the meanings of "ladylikeness" and "elegance" might intersect here, at the concept of social shrewdness.  Dore's characterization certainly esteems "politeness," "attention to others," "poise," and "a sense of culture" as primary qualifiers of elegance.  And media evidence from Audrey's classic films to Frank Sinatra's 1950s tune "Luck Be a Lady" demonstrate that, for women coming of age in these pivotal decades, "lady" likely had similar connotations.

If this is true, are these terms simply equivalent to "ethical conscience" or "social awareness" or something like it?  Do they mean being kind or even genteel enough to get along in society?  What implications would accepting these definitions have today?  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm interested in sorting through these ideas because so far next season's fashion marketing has depended on them.

Even if we don't reach any conclusions on the terms, I'm glad our posts this week have sparked such lively conversations about the development of feminism and the resurgence of vintage fashion.  We're energized by your insightful comments, comments like Mackenzie's: 

"I'm with you that 'ladylike' is a difficult word to use in grappling with your clothing ... But the silhouettes themselves? Rock, rock on. Not wearing something because of its previous connotations of bondage is just as much a form of bondage ... Let's all wear what makes us happy and only call it 'ladylike' if we are ready to be called 'ladies' in whatever we wear."

Prompted by Mackenzie's suggestion to wear what makes me happy, I've compiled an outfit inspired by Audrey Hepburn's monochrome look in the 1957 film Funny Face.  I've thrown in a fedora to gesture at Sinatra, too.  The overall ensemble is my nod to his confident swagger and Audrey's gamine boldness.  How does it resonate with you?

Thanks for the great discussions this week!  Have a happy weekend.

Prompts:

• How do you define "elegance"?  "Ladylikeness"?  Do you think they're synonymous?
• Why do you think Audrey Hepburn is regarded as a fashion icon?  What does she represent to you?
• How do you think our style mindsets are like or unlike those of the 50s/60s?
• More practically, this one-size-fits-most fedora business is not working for me.  Is this hat supposed to cover my ears?  How are you guys wearing them?

Comfort Levels

Drafts:

Composition:
eyeglasses (Kate Spade)
silver toned watch (Fossil)
black safari style rolled sleeve shirt (via sister's closet)
jeans (store at which I no longer shop)
mustard slice wedges (Nine West)

Usage:
This outfit ushered me through a long day of "professional development" on campus, or, as I've been calling it for years, "When teachers act like students."  We arrive late, we sit in the back, we speak to one another in hushed tones, we send texts with our hands under the desks, and we count the minutes until we're dismissed (thus, the watch).  As a new instructor at this institution, I actually found the day quite helpful, but I planned my outfit with comfort in mind.  I've been eying this shirt in Vickie's closet since she wore it shortly before she left for the summer, but I didn't put it on until yesterday because I didn't want to fade it by washing it multiple times.

When I returned home from my day of development, I was thus quite interested to read Anne-Marie and Katie's exchange that elaborated on my earlier celebration of new fabric technologies.  Katie suggested, and Anne-Marie agreed, that one of the unfortunate results of the availability of less expensive (and less restrictive) clothing is that it is often made from lower quality materials.  This nicely facilitates the desire of these discount manufacturers to keep us buying new items all the time.  This is something I certainly had not considered when I originally touted new fabrics as pro-feminist, though this great shirt remained in my sister's closet precisely because I didn't want to ruin it in her absence.

As I posed for these photos, I was also trying to show off how great my curls have been looking for the past few days.  Thanks to a fresh haircut, a confidence boost from you guys, and a new styling product suggested by a friend/reader, I'm more comfortable than ever with my natural hair texture.  This also made me reflect back on an exchange I had with my mom after my no shopping post.  She suggested that, though we younger ladies were celebrating the "comfort" of new clothing technologies, my 96 year old Gramma is so "comfortable" in her girdle that she refuses to consider my mom's suggestion that she stop wearing it.  I responded to suggest that Gramma's "comfort" in a girdle is likely "a reaction to societal pressures put on a woman (especially of Gramma's generation) to fit the norms of beauty or femininity endorsed by that society."  Easy for me to say, right?

What I want to acknowledge, though, is that I'm fully aware that my flatiron has been functioning in much the same way as Gramma's girdle.  It is decidedly not comfortable to spend ten minutes blowing my hair dry and ten minutes or more straightening it with a flat iron, though I have in the past felt more comfortable with my hair after undergoing this process.  Why?  Because I've bought into the suggestion that straight hair looks healthier and is more professional because curly hair is unruly.  And because in the past my natural hair has always looked, um, not neat, and I like everything about me to look neat.  These are the very mental handcuffs from which I was trying to break free when I stopped my daily hair routine several months ago.

I don't know if anyone cares about all of that, but what I really wanted to say was that this has been a great week for me on this blog for these reasons.  When we started posting, Katie, AM and I wanted to open up these conversations we have about clothes, societal expectations, and the like to other like-minded individuals in hopes that it would generate a larger conversation.  The existence of the blog keeps the three of us talking and gives us a space to have these conversations, and the participation of all you who read the blog enriches those conversations and encourages us all to think about ourselves and our habits in new ways.  I enjoy all of the posts the girls write, and all of your comments, but I did want to stop and acknowledge that this week, especially, it feels like conversations are developing naturally out of one another and ending up in really interesting places.  Anne-Marie is encouraging us to think about our closets in new ways.  Katie is encouraging us to feel empowered in clothing that has a different back story than the new narrative of female empowerment she's writing.  And I'm finally getting comfortable with curly hair. 

Though we're good friends, and we encourage each other as best we can, it's really those of you who read and comment who have, I think, pushed us to these points.  Thanks for making the blog feel so worthwhile!

Prompts:

• I don't know quite what to ask you guys today.  I just wanted to say thanks.  : )  And now I'm off to do some reading before I meet my new PhD cohort for lunch.  Yippee!!  (And you better believe I'll be looking fierce!)

A Method to the "Mad Men" Madness

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
These earrings prompted me to reconsider the size and quantity of my accessories.
These woven sandals acted as casual alternatives to my flip-flops.

Composition:
navy and taupe patterned top (Levi's)
taupe striped wide-leg pants (Old Navy)
woven sandals (Target)
pewter earrings (Fossil)

Usage:
One way to adopt a trend is to practice its principles.  My budget might prevent me from investing in a trend's specific styles, but I'm learning to participate in it by instead embracing its methods.

Here's what I mean.

This week our posts have referenced the 50s/60s-era throwback styles which seem to be gaining momentum as the fall fashion season nears.  We've mentioned Mad Men several times in relation to this sub-movement because the award-winning television series is largely responsible for the vintage resurgence.  The ensembles featured on the show are indeed jealousy-inducing, but because contemporary iterations are currently out of my price range, I haven't purchased any.  Thankfully, while dreaming up ways to participate in the looks the show has revived and still maintain my financial integrity, I stumbled upon this clip on the Mad Men website.

(Under the "Videos" tab, click on "Mad Style."  Then select "Mad About Style: Dresses.")

In it, Janie Bryant, the show's costume designer, and Simon Kneen, Executive V.P. and Creative Director for Banana Republic, chat about the semiotics of the female cast members' frocks.  The clip offers a peek into the construction of the Mad Men sartorial vibe, and it also gives insight into the more general early-mod revival.  Of particular interest, however, is that two minutes into the blurb, Kneen reminds us of a post-WWII-era principle of dressing:

"In those days, they would talk about 'building a wardrobe.'  It was going to do you probably for five or six years.  People would alter their dresses.  They would change their hemlines.  Fashion is a little bit disposable today, and people are looking for newness."

Kneen's observation is a poignant one, as it reminds us that women did not always begin anew with trend-conscious wardrobes every season.  Instead, they modified their old wardrobes to suit.  The takeaway for me?  I need not always buy new - that is, buy more - in order to look new.  Sara at Orchids in Buttonholes elaborated on this topic yesterday in a post which refuted the "dress better by buying more" sentiment by advocating what I think is a 50s/60s-era spirit of thrift.  Her post convinced me that my budget - and my creativity - would benefit if I imagined my garments as having longevity.

Truthfully, I'm slow on the up-take with this one, because other blogfriends have been testing the recycled wardrobe waters for months.  Tania at What Would a Nerd Wear just completed a "30 for 30" month-long challenge, in which she simultaneously declared a shopping hiatus and challenged herself to repurpose 30 pieces she already owned.  Liz began a similar challenge yesterday; she has limited herself to two back-to-school purchases, and she's maximizing their wearability by styling them in more ways than one.

As for me, today I'm reviving a very old pair of trousers by styling them into a new look.  I normally wear these striped pants to work with wedge heels and a button-down, but pairing them with flat sandals and a loose-fitting top gives them a more relaxed feel.  What's more, repurposing them will save me from purchasing some out-of-my-price-range versions currently featured as "New Fall Arrivals" in my favorite shops.  A bit of economy goes a long way.

One caveat: it's possible that following this Mad Men-era principle might pose a Catch-22 situation.  Common advice often dictates that a sustaining wardrobe must be an expensive one.  But "investing" isn't always a euphemism for "splurging."  At least, I don't think it has to be.  Sometimes "investing" can simply mean "maximizing" or "getting creative with what we have."  After all, I'm always investing something in my clothing, whether it's money or creativity.  For now, the latter suits my financial situation best.  So, in this way, adhering to a tenet inspired by the current trend allows me to participate in one of its ideologies, even if I can't afford its clothes.

Prompts:

• Does this principle resonate with you?  How are you practicing it personally, and how have you observed others participating in it?
• Can you think of other fashion trends that have sparked worthwhile dressing principles?  I have a hunch that my husband's obsession with thrift stores originated with some haute couture movement in which he takes little interest, for example.
• Besides restyling, in what other ways would you suggest I maximize my wardrobe?  I've considered taking a few items, like this skirt, to a seamstress for some dramatic alterations.  I know others of you are more daring in your sewing projects.  Please tell us about them!

High School Lessons: Look Good, Feel Good

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I wore this dress by itself here, and this outfit is basically a replica of this one I wore earlier in the summer.

Composition: 
eyeglasses (Kate Spade)
royal blue v-neck tee (American Eagle)
gold tone chain necklace with brown beads (H&M)
brown cotton jersey dress (Old Navy)
gold tone bangle (Ann Taylor Outlet)
tan heeled sandals (Born Concept via Marshall's)

Usage:
My favorite high school English teacher is the first person I can remember who told me that what I wear might make a difference in how I think about myself.  She did so by encouraging us to dress up on test days.  The advice, as I recall it, went something like this: "I know you kids like to wear 'comfortable' clothes when you sit down to take a test, but studies show that people who dress up on test days feel better about themselves and thus perform better on the tests."  I don't know what "studies" she was talking about, and it's entirely possible that she made that up, but I have come to adopt the principle behind her statement as truth anyway.  Most of us who blog about our style choices ascribe to some version of the "Look Good, Feel Good" mentality, and I can certainly make the connection to how dressing "up" for an exam could help one maximize one's ability to perform well on said exam.  We all dressed up for our high school teacher's exams (maybe we thought she'd grade us down or something?) but I've also been dressing up for exams ever since.

Today I was tempted to show up to class in shorts and a t-shirt (I told you, I'm getting used to this casual thing!), but instead I challenged myself to put together a new, "pulled together" ensemble because it was a test day in my German class.  I realize royal blue and brown as a color combination are not particularly modern or exciting, but since I have brown hair and blue eyes, I always think of these colors as ones which "go" with one another.  Plus, I had to wear a top dark enough and the right shape to cover up the dress underneath.  And while this isn't a very "dressed up" outfit for me in the grand scheme of my dressing history, I have been avoiding all accessories lately due to the heat, so putting on the belt, necklace, and bangle made the outfit feel polished and made me feel test-ready.  (Though the bangle came off as soon as I started trying to write.  How DO you ladies manage to get through the whole day with bracelets on?!)

And since Katie bravely acknowledged the presence of some insecurities yesterday, I want to follow her lead by talking briefly about my hair.  Another thing I liked about this ensemble is that it actually worked my hair into its cohesive look-- I think my mane of brown waves work with the brown belt and skirt on bottom to create an interesting frame for the blue tee.  I've been trying all summer to embrace these waves, even though their unruliness runs contrary to the put-together-ness I normally associate with myself.  But some days I'm just not buying it, and I want to revert to my old blow-dry-then-straighten hair frying ways.  I'd consider this a "good hair day," but some days I grow so frustrated with all this hair that I'm tempted to shear it all off and return to a chic short do a la Anne-Marie.

Prompts:

• Is there any advice you got in high school that you still follow to this day?  Why do you think it has endured?
• Do you find that you feel more on top of your game mentally and emotionally when you look "put together," or do you feel just fine in whatever you're wearing?
• Do you want to share your own hair woes?  Feel free.  I promise you that any thought you've had about your own hair, I've already had about mine.
• Have you submitted a look to the In Professorial Fashion Wonder Woman Pose Conference yet?  I'm trying to show you my best WW pose here on the left--  what blue eyed brunette doesn't sometimes want to channel her inner Lynda Carter? (When I was a kid, I used to punch out the bottom of disposable cups and slip them over my hands to make WW wristbands.)  If you haven't checked out IPF, please do-- in addition to D-Med and A-Dubs who frequently comment here (thanks ladies!) they just introduced E-Jo, who poses with her dachshund! : )

Possible Summer Trend Overload

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I've admitted to wearing this tank (far too?) frequently this summer.

Composition:
eyeglasses (Kate Spade)
pink coral beaded necklace (Old Navy)
navy striped tank (Gap)
turquoise ribbed cardigan (Old Navy)
linen khaki colored shorts (Gap)
nude heeled sandals (Born Concept via Marshall's)

Usage:
First, let me list for you the summer trends/previous posts to which I can trace back my styling of this outfit:
1) I like stripes.  Katie likes stripes.  Anne-Marie likes stripes.  We all like stripes!
2) Anne-Marie claims nude shoes elongate your leg, and she identified one of her pairs as her "summer staple."  Plus, I think these new shoes I picked up from Marshall's look like a Liz-ish version of the other shoes she's been rocking all summer-- her chunky nude/tan platforms wedges.  (Remember when I said I couldn't find the left shoe?  I found them waiting for me at a different Marshall's!)
3) Katie has done shorts with heels.  Anne-Marie has done shorts with heels.   Once, they even inadvertently coordinated their shorts-with-heels looks.  So I finally worked up the courage to try it out.
4) My turquoise beaded necklace has become my summer statement piece, and I've been wearing it with everything, so I picked up this more-pink-than-it-looks-in-the-photo one for $3. 
5) The turquoise necklace also inspired the choice of the turquoise cardigan.  I have been loving turquoise and navy together since I wore the necklace with a navy dress, so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this color combo even though I haven't seen anyone else pair turquoise with her breton stripes.

I've reached that point in the season when I normally despair about having run out of good styling ideas, and I can empathize with those of you who have shared similar sentiments on your own blogs, but that hasn't happened to me this year.  I've only been out of the office for two weeks now, so I'm still enjoying experimenting with my "casual" summer clothes and finding new ways to wear them.  It could just be that we're more familiar with one another after 5 weeks of class, but I also feel like my (mostly undergraduate) German classmates are responding to me differently now that I've been dressing a little bit more like them.  These days they joke around with me even though they think I am terribly "old."  For example, when our instructor told us the German music video she was showing us was from 1992, they said "Oh, so when Liz was in high school."  They weren't that far off, actually, and my high school teacher did show us the video, but I didn't tell them that.

The jury is still out for me on shorts plus heels.  My legs are so long, and apparently my shorts are so short, that I definitely felt like this ensemble tipped toward streetwalker territory.  I admit that I intentionally wore the glasses to mitigate this effect because-- streetwalkers have good vision?  I don't know.  I wore the cardigan to cope with our classroom's a/c, and because it was a stormy morning, but I was pretty reluctant to take it off.  This much leg plus bare shoulders felt like way too much.  Perhaps, at the very least, this pairing proves Anne-Marie's suggestions that nude-ish shoes elongate the look of your leg!

Prompts:

• Now that we're getting closer to fall, what can you look back on and identify as your favorite trends this summer?
• Do you ever endeavor to wear a lot of trends at once or is this total overkill?
• Do you find that you tend to dress more and more like your friends the longer you know them?  I've noticed this tendency with all of my friendships (maybe I'm just a huge copycat?), but the fact that the 3 of us have been blogging about our clothing choices seems to have sped the process up considerably.
• Have you been inspired to try out any new trends or styles after seeing them on our blog?  If so, which ones?  And did they work for you?

Bra Straps: Your Thoughts?

Draft:

Composition:
tortoise shell new Wayfarers (Ray-Ban via Zappos)
green and white striped tank (via my sister's closet)

Usage:
My apologies for being MIA for the last week and for still starting this week off without a decent outfit post to share!  I spent this past week at the ATP World Tour 500 tennis tournament in Washington, DC, part of the series of men's tournaments that lead up to the US Open in NYC.  As you can see in this photo, I met Patrick McEnroe at the tournament, and he was kind enough to sign my copy of his recent memoir for my grandmother.  She'll love it, and he was very friendly, but this post isn't about that.  I used the photo for this post because my bra straps are showing.  While this tank merges my two favorite trends this summer-- stripes and stealing from my sister's closet-- it also accentuates a summertime dressing hurdle that I just can't get over.  I hate visible bra straps on myself, and I almost always avoid wearing tops with thin or spaghetti straps because I don't have a strapless bra I love.  I thought the racerback bra was working here but this picture reveals to me that it wasn't.

The tennis tournament is fun for me mostly because I love ATP tennis, but to a lesser degree because it is such an unusual dressing environment.  It is super hot at the tournament, and there's very little shade, but it's still a place "to be seen" on the DC social calendar, so people tend to dress up.  None of you will be surprised to find that I observe the sartorial choices of the women in attendance nearly as carefully as I do the tennis matches.  So after my week at the tournament, I can report back with two interesting observations:
1) There are many more fabulous flat sandals on the market this year than last.  In 2009 I saw flip flops almost exclusively, though they came in quite a few styles.  This year, wearing my beloved rose gold t-straps almost every day put me in good company.
2) I may be the last young woman alive who has not embraced the visible bra strap.  I noticed last year that it was evidently "okay" to wear a regular bra with a spaghetti straps, but this year the "trend" was even more ubiquitous.

I don't think my disdain for the visible bra strap is due to modesty, because I'd happily wear a spaghetti strap top with an appropriately fitting strapless bra.  I try not to use words like these, but I think I'm still mentally stuck in considering the visible bra strap to be "trashy" or "tacky."  However, the women at the tennis tournament seemed to deconstruct this notion, because plenty of the ladies who were clearly trying to look "monied" were proudly sporting visible bra straps.  So I'm dying to know where you all stand on this one.

Prompts:

• Do you wear a regular bra with tops/dresses that have thin straps?  If so, do you try to minimize the appearance of the bra by wearing a nude one or one that matches the straps, or do you wear a brightly colored bra that you think is cute?  (I saw a lot of this, too.)  And does the thickness of the strap matter to you?
• What's your reaction to women or their outfits when their bra straps are visible?  I hate it on myself, but it doesn't "bother" me nearly as much on other women (as long as they're not at work), though I don't know why.
• Anyone care to weigh in on why bra straps are becoming more acceptable to the masses at the same time that visible panty lines seem to grow ever more abhorrent in the public opinion?
• Have you discovered the holy grail of strapless bras, and if so, where should I go to find it?

Bookworm Blues

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I wear this white tank with practically everything.  Whether or not I should?  That's up for debate.
These oxfords make me feel like a bookworm while I take a break from formal studies.

Composition:
white tank (Target)
grey slouchy sweater (Target)
black shorts (Old Navy)
oxfords (Steven Madden)

Usage:
Happy Friday, folks!  I'm scooting out to run a few errands before my parents arrive for the weekend.  My first order of business?  Locate a bookshelf for housing the orphans of my beloved book collection.  We've nearly maxed out the shelf space in the rest of our house, and these libros  never made the cut since they were in constant use during my last year of graduate school.   They need a home before 9 p.m., stat.

I'm wearing these oxfords because I like them - or, I want to like them - but I haven't yet determined how to wear them.  For that matter, I haven't yet determined whether or not they suit my body.  I've tried pairing them with dresses, boyfriend jeans, leggings, skirts, and now shorts, in the hopes that I'll find a match sooner or later.  Even if they don't make me look good, they at least make me feel good.  With Liz and Katie gearing up for their teaching responsibilities, I've lately felt nostalgic for a classroom setting.  Finding a permanent home for my notebooks and school files doesn't help, for it reminds me that I'm putting my plans on hold for a bit.  As consolation, the ritual of lacing-up a pair of old school flats makes me feel like back-to-school is right around the corner.

Despite this moody little post, I assure you I'm feeling confident about my grad school decision and, especially!, proud that my house no longer looks like my college apartment got sick and threw up on a distinctly adult space.  On that note, let me introduce you to the wall behind me.  You might have known him as the formerly Confederate Blue partition of olde?  Well, he has been made-over in "Manhattan Mist," courtesy of Behr, and I must say it has been sending out some delightfully androgynous vibes ever since.

(My husband disagrees.  He interprets "Manhattan Mist" as a feminine shade and therefore misses Blue.  I'll let you be the judge.)

Prompts:

• Will someone devise a wardrobe game-plan for me and these oxfords?  I want to like them for more than sentimental reasons, I really do.
• What's your take on my mixing of grey, black, and brown?  Good attempt?  Poor attempt? Success?  OMG Never Again?
• Tell us what you'll be wearing around town this weekend! 

The Grass is Always Greener

Drafts:
What I want to wear today:

What I'm actually wearing today: 

Earlier Draft:
This skirt is my summer's pop of pink. 

Composition:
black and white striped button-down (Passport, borrowed from sister's closet.  Surprise, Em!)
pink skirt (Target)
black belt (Shop Mamie)
black strappy heels (Carlos by Carlos Santana circa high school)
pink striped slippers (Roxy) 

Usage:
I'm going on what feels like Day #1,000 of unemployment and house projects.  At the end of May, when I graduated from my M.A. program, I felt liberated by the month(s?) of job-hunting ahead of me.  Job-hunting meant long-awaited free time for plowing through our growing list of home renovation tasks.  My husband and I purchased our house in October, when I was in the thick of graduate school, so by May we had lived among unpacked boxes and unopened paint cans for eight eternal months.  

After graduation, I launched into a home improvement frenzy, fueled by what felt like an endless supply of energy and creativity.  One striped guestroom, a grey? purple? foyer, nine trips to Ikea, one built-from-scratch tabletop, a nearly-botched installation of a Roman shade, three curtain rods, one uprooted front yard, a new desk, two trips and a moving crew to transport the heaviest armoire imaginable, a love affair with Craigslist, and a hoard of dying house plants later, I am officially losing steam.

Today I have to paint one last room before my parents arrive for the weekend.  One. last. room.  I am the dehydrated do-it-yourselfer in the desert of never-ending home improvement projects!  Numerous as the sand, I tell you!  I think I spy an oasis ahead!  A mirage?  An oasis?

So it stands to reason that all I want to do is dress up and go to The Office.  Any office.  Any out-of-my-house office, really.  Isn't that the way it goes?  I want what I don't have; I don't want what I do have.  I want to wear heels and a skirt and a belt cinched at my waist, because sartorial order will most assuredly compensate for the chaos in my house, right?  Since I can't - or shouldn't - wear this neon pink number whilst applying primer to bedroom walls, I'm wearing these neon pink striped slippers instead.  And I will proudly wear them as I trot across my front yard to activate the lawn sprinkler.  Today my neighbor's grass is greener and less-weed-ier, but it won't be for long.

Prompts:

• What do you wish you were wearing right now?  Office-bound readers, care to switch lives for a bit?
• Fellow DIY-ers, tell me there's an end in sight!  What do you wear on house project days?  My husband wears the same T-shirt and shorts, and the Young House Love bloggers actually designate a house project wardrobe.  Have you organized your closet according to function too?