Professional Conference Attire

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I wore this jacket/belt combination over a dress in the spring.

Composition:
faux turquoise beaded necklace (Kohl's)
teal button-down (NY&Co)
navy blazer (Gap Outlet)
brown belt (Kohl's)
"mocha" trousers (Express)
teal mary janes (Seychelles)

Usage:
First, I want to thank you guys again for your thoughts on my student conference attire.  I'm looking forward to telling you how they went and what I wore next week, after I've had a chance to meet with all my students and upload some pictures.

For today, though-- on to a very different type of conference!  I recently gave a paper at an interdisciplinary conference at my own university.  I was very intimidated to share a panel with a fellow grad student who is on his second yearlong dissertation fellowship award, a professor who is currently working on her second book on a National Endowment of the Humanities fellowship, and another professor who is a premier scholar in the field.  It was also kind of nerve-wracking to give the talk in front of so many of my own professors. I knew they'd be stopping me in the halls to talk to me about it afterward (and they have).  I was completely prepared, though, and that always helps to calm my nerves.  My co-panelists' papers were really interesting, and I got some very helpful questions and comments about my own paper, so it was a definite success.

I kind of surprised myself by putting together this pants outfit for the presentation, given my recent reservations about pants.  Last spring, when I presented at an international conference, I wore a dress and swing jacket combination.  I came across the photo linked above in the "earlier drafts" section, which reminded me that I actually wore a different version of today's outfit to the first day of that conference.  This time, I thought I'd stick with something that had worked before while making it a little more "me."  I added the teal button down underneath, the turquoise beaded necklace, and what are quickly becoming my signature teal mary janes.  The belt was perhaps unnecessary, but despite how frequently I deploy this waist-cinching maneuver, this was the first time my husband has ever said "I really can't believe your waist is that small!" so I guess it made an impact.

I'm curious what you think about this outfit, but I'm also interested in how frequently you aim to give papers at conferences.  I realize that an article publication carries a lot more weight on the C.V. than conference talks, but while I'm still in coursework, I have very little time to work on revising the papers that my professors indicate have publication potential.  Plus, I'm wary about publishing something this early in my career and regretting its point of view later on.  I have plenty of time to revise seminar papers into conference papers, though, so my general approach has been to accumulate conference presentation lines on my C.V. until I'm ready to move on to getting an article published.  I'm really curious about how frequently you all aim to present at conferences, what types of conferences you're most interested in attending, and whether that has changed as you progress into your career.  I've discussed these things with my own professors, obviously, but we have such a diverse and interesting group of readers that I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the issue, too!

Prompts:

• How often do you give conference presentations?  Every year?  Every semester?  Every time you come across a CFP that matches the work you've been doing?  Only when another University pays you an honorarium to come and talk about your current book project?
• So far I've presented at a graduate conference, a very large, prestigious international conference, and this interdisciplinary conference at my own university.  What types of conferences appeal the most to you?  As a graduate student, did you work on getting accepted by the "prestigious" conferences or were you focused on getting any exposure for your work that you could find?  Or maybe both?
• Have these things changed over the course of your career?  Does my model of focusing on conference presentations now and shifting the focus to article publications in a year or so make sense to you?
• Do you have a go-to outfit for conference presentations?  Do you find that you tend to prefer skirts or pants?

Back in the Saddle

Draft:

Composition:
white pleated button-down (Martin & Osa)
grey blazer (Gap)
plaid skirt (Loft)
grey tights (Hue)
riding boots (Etienne Aigner via DSW)

Usage:
On the last day of May I declared a personal hiatus from the formal classroom.  Today, five months later, I'm returning to school.  Although I'm only filling in as a substitute teacher, I'm excited and nervous to operate in an academic setting again.

Today I'm sporting equestrian-inspired footwear to commemorate jumping back in the academic saddle.  My skills may be rusty, but my enthusiasm for education has undergone a revival.  Giving myself a breather, exploring other employment options, and reacquainting myself with arts education have reminded me how much I enjoy learning.  Here's hoping that energy sustains me through this period of re-training.

Not only is this new teaching experience allowing me to exercise a dormant part of my brain, but it's also enabling me to explore a neglected section of my closet: professional clothes.  Months ago, when I felt overwhelmed by DIY house projects, I longed for this day.  Now I'm relishing the break from casual apparel and embracing professional attire.

I especially like that the changes in my employment coincide with the changes in season.  It infuses the "turning over a new leaf" concept with new meaning.  (And there's a bit of schmaltz to get you through Friday.)

Enjoy the weekend!

Prompts:

• I mentioned that my professional clothes have been on vacation until now.  Do you organize your closet according to context -- sorting clothes into "casual" and "professional" categories -- or do you cross-purpose your clothes to suit a variety of settings?
• Is this outfit overly themed?  Too, erm, suitable for a polo match?
• Teachers, what are your favorite go-to ensembles?

Diverse Demographics & An Interview

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
These T-strap heels accompanied me to Saturday brunch with my parents.
This leather belt cinched together a hybrid dressy/casual look.

Composition:
turquoise button-down shirt (Old Navy)
fuchsia cardigan (Loft Petites, borrowed from sister)
brown pants (Ann Taylor Petites)
leather belt (Ann Taylor)
brown metallic T-strap heels (Anne Klein)
turquoise cuff bracelet (Leighelena in Austin, Texas, purchased at half-price)
brown leather laptop bag (gifted from mom)

Usage:
Happy Friday, all!  Will you excuse my photos today?  The Mean Girls scowl on my face is courtesy of the direct sunlight, which chased me around my home's perimeter for a half-hour.  I finally found relief in a sliver of shadow on the back patio, and, welp, here are the results.  Can't win 'em all.  If only my schedule allowed for late afternoon, instead of mid-morning, outdoor photos.

Anyway, I wore this ensemble yesterday for an interview at a local private school.  It wasn't my first time meeting the administrative faculty (more on that in a moment), so I opted for a comfortable alternative to my standard blazer, this berry-hued short-sleeved cardigan.  Aren't the shirred sleeves an interesting feature?  At first I feared the girlish detailing might read too juvenile for a professional setting, but I mitigated the cutesy-ness with the collared shirt, belt, and tailored trousers.  Looking "too young" is my personal paranoia -- is it obvious yet?  What's your take on this outfit's professional register?

Also, I kind of dig this color trio.

On the having-met-the-faculty-before topic: this semester I've been serving as Assistant Ballet Teacher in the school's extracurricular program. The students and their parents are delightful, which is why I'm hoping to substitute teach during the regular school day as often as possible while I continue job hunting.  Care to share your tried-and-true strategies for successful substitute instruction?  I'd welcome them!

My latest turn in the world of arts education has me wondering about dressing to suit student demographics.  See, in addition to instructing at the aforementioned private school, I also teach ballet at a not-for-profit studio in one of the city's lower-income neighborhoods.  In fact, I teach these diverse classes back-to-back on the same day.  It makes for quite the contrast, moving from an environment of privilege to one of profound need.  Although it's true that I spend class time in a leotard and tights, I arrive in layers of street clothing.  And my students have noticed.  At the private school, they tally the number of Ralph Lauren Polo logos on my apparel; at the non-profit, they ask why I deprive my arms of bangle bracelets.  Both sets of students are acutely aware and curious of sartorial choices -- theirs and my own -- so how should I address the disparities which such choices often reveal?  What adjustments in clothing, if any, would best demonstrate social sensitivity?

Prompts:

•  Have you taught students of lower-income populations?  Of higher-income populations?  How did you dress for the classroom?  How did you discuss sartorial issues with your students?
• Any substitute teaching tips?  I'm all ears!
• What's your take on my latest interview look?

(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?

Minor Miracle

Draft:

Composition:

black beaded headband (NY&Co)

white button down (SJP's Bitten for now defunct Steve and Barry's)

black cardigan (H&M)

black faux patent belt (H&M)

black dress with white embroidery, worn as skirt (Ann Taylor)

black tights (NY&Co)

black wedges (Lauren by Ralph Lauren)

Usage:

This past Thursday I stood in front of my clothes and thought "Okay, closet, all I need from you today is a minor miracle."  I hadn't been feeling well.  Grading took up a lot of my time last week, so I wasn't fully prepared for the class I had to teach that day or the one I had to attend.  I had no idea what to wear, and I felt like my creative energy was sapped, but I knew I needed something that would get my day headed in a better direction.  Then it occurred to me that I could wear this dress as a skirt, even though the top doesn't fit well anymore.  I love the look of this outfit, but the dress also has a lot of sentimental value for me, so wearing it made me smile.  And then other things started to come together, too.

I realized I was in the midst of a good hair day.  I only had one activity planned for the class I teach, but that meant I had time to sit down with each student to go over their ideas for the next paper.  A few kids got to leave very early, but I think that overall, the class turned out to be much more beneficial than I'd anticipated.  I still felt braintired for my own class, and I was disappointed that I wasn't really able to participate... but I was there.  By the time I got home from a long day, I felt much worse.  For a few hours, though, I'd felt like myself, and that had begun with the outfit.

This weekend I came across this post from Katie at Interrobangs Anonymous, in which she shared this quote: 

Sometimes, she reflected, she dressed for courage, sometimes for success, and sometimes for the consolation of knowing that whatever else went wrong, at least she liked her clothes. – Emma Bull, War for the Oaks

Katie suggests that this aligns with her own dressing philosophy, and I thought to myself: yes, that is pretty much exactly right.  I do a lot of talking and thinking about clothing, and what it means to me, and what it means to everyone else, and I think that is all important.  Most days, though, it basically boils down to this: what can I put on that will make me feel like the best version of myself for today?  Most everything I do can be boiled down to this, really.  I'm trying to be the best version of me that I can every day, and sometimes when I feel like I've dropped far below that standard, clothing helps me to reach back up.

Prompts:

• Do you ever ask for minor miracles from your closet?  Does it come through for you?
• Does the quote IA Katie shared about clothing resonate as strongly for you as it does for me?
• What are some things you do to try ratchet up your attitude or your performance on days that you're feeling a bit "off"?

Downplaying (the blogging) and Updating (the clothing)?

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I wore a summer variation of this outfit here.

Composition:
grey button-down shirt (Gap)
black pants (Gap)
fedora (Target)
black belt (ShopMamie)
nude suede heels (Seychelles)

Usage:
On Tuesday I mentioned that a last-minute interview awaited me after my return from Texas, and I had every intention of posting about the outfit I wore to it today.  Academichic has hosted a fabulous interview attire round-up this week -- what better time to join the conversation?  However, the current state of the job market and my tenuous personal prospects have me paranoid about detailing an interview for which I'm still awaiting a response.  Is that irrational?  It might be.  My fear of being discovered by a potential employer on the blogosphere is likely unfounded.  Still, mind if I wait 'til next week to share?

Relatedly, do your employers or superiors or even students read your blogs or know you keep them?  Does that knowledge affect your professional relationships?  If so, how?  How do you address questions about blogging in work environments?

In the meantime, I'll share an outfit that has become my transitional fall-back during the unpredictable early autumn chill.  I built a version of this ensemble in August, when sleeveless tops were still wearable and fedoras felt smooth in a "Summertime and the livin's easy" sort of way.  The fedora has followed me into fall because I'm growing out my hair, and the current awkward length of my locks necessitates a hat.  (The in-between stage of growing hair is a real drag, isn't it?  But I'm certain there's a useful life-lesson metaphor to it.  Something about having to endure awkward phases while achieving one's goals.  Hm.)  In the coming months I plan to break out my cloche hats and knitted beanies, but I'm in no hurry.  Winter will require me to wear hats from December to March, after all, so I'll eat my fill of them eventually.  Have you adapted any summertime outfits for autumn?

Happy Weekending!

Prompts:

• Do your colleagues, students, or employers know about or read your blogs?  How do you address questions about blogging in work environments?
• I already asked this question, but I'll restate it here: have you updated any favorite summertime outfits for fall?

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?

If It's Not Broken

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
It's my favorite dress of the summer.  See it here, here, here, and here.

Composition:
white short sleeve button down (Express via sister's closet)
blue printed shift (H&M)
white canvas peep toe wedges (MIA)

Usage:
When I posted this dress a third time before Wardrobe Workhorse Week, I basically apologized for my insistence on continuing to show you the same old thing.  When I realized how much I liked it with a button down underneath, I didn't photograph it, because I figured you were all bored of this dress.  I had to post it one more time, though, because it has definitely been the Boxer of my wardrobe this summer, and I feel like Boxer more often than I care to admit.  (In fits of frustration, I've been known to lament, "All hard work gets you is more work," even though I actually believe I have profited considerably from my hard work.)  There's been a lot of excitement about the onset of fall and thus fall fashions, but I am a sunshine child through and through, so I'm clinging to my bare legs and open toed shoes as long as possible.  (Though I am developing a minor case of bootache.  They look lonely in my closet.)

One thing I really appreciated about WWW was reading your posts about how much you loved your individual items and how great you feel every time you put them on.  I share that sentiment, and for me, this dress has become a go-to when I want to look and feel great.  Last week was my second full week of taking three classes and instructing a class, and while I am excited about these various responsibilities, I haven't found my groove yet, so I've felt pretty exhausted.  I had no energy at all to invest in what I was going to wear.  As such, I adopted the if it's not broken, don't fix it mentality and relied on this trusty combination to get me through a teaching day. 

My shopping hiatus continues, and maybe it's because I've been so busy, but I haven't missed it at all.   Last week, reading along as you all talked about about the items of clothing you each love so much made me wonder, "Why do I ever wear anything I don't love?" I used to buy a lot of "expendable," inexpensive clothing because I got a thrill out of wearing something new, but blogging has helped me to think of new ways to wear the things I already loved.  Now more than ever, I've started getting that same feeling of satisfaction out of wearing my favorite clothes that I used to only experience when wearing new clothes.  In other words, putting together a great outfit now makes me feel better than putting together a new outfit, and I'm thankful that WWW helped reinforce that attitude for me.

Prompts:

• What are your personal "if it's not broken, don't fix it" items of apparel or types of outfits?
• How can I clean these canvas wedges?  They are looking dingy, but the canvas is pretty stiff, and I haven't figured out how to brighten them up yet.
• How are your semesters going so far?  I know we mostly talk about clothes here, but I'd love to hear what people are up to academically or otherwise.

Too Many Clothes?

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
One day this sheer, short-sleeved number screamed, "Wear me with olive green cargo pants!"  So I did.
I wore this multi-chain necklace with a fedora.  And also with clothes.

Composition:
white button-down with sleeves (Gap)
sheer button-down with ruffles (thrifted)
multi-chain necklace (Talbots)
pink pearl ring (gifted)
mother of pearl bracelet (gifted)
grey pencil skirt (Talbots, gifted)
nude heels (Guess, a recent eBay score)

Usage:
Last month my mom gave me this fabulously-fitting grey pencil skirt, and I immediately began scheming up outfits for it.  Thing is, I sort of forgot about it after that.  It's been hanging among the other skirts in my closet, sandwiched between I-wore-this-once-four-years-ago and This-threadbare-thing-has-a-memory-attached.  It got lost among never-wears, I guess.

A shame, right?  Because this stretch-cotton number is a great length, and it fits me well, and it sits at an ideal spot on my hips, and it has a sheen that allows me to dress it up, but it can also be dressed down.  Also, it's basically my favorite color in the world, can you tell?  I'm almost camouflaged against the paint shade on my wall.  (Whaddiyaknow, the walls in my living room are one hue darker.  Practically color-matched to this skirt at Home Depot's Paint Center, I'd say.)  So, yes, it's a crying shame this winner of a garment has been, until yesterday, forgotten among clothing toward which I feel half-heartedly.

Which is why I started thinking, Maybe I own too many clothes.  Actually, this thought did not occur to me independently.  Reader/friend Mackenzie - you might remember her insight from this post - steered my thoughts in this direction when she sent me an email that went like so:

I'm finding such an interesting energy between your blog and some of the more DIY or eco-consciousness-focused clothing blogs I follow. ... One thing I'm always struggling with, and which seems to be in the background of the Scholar Style Guide discussion lately, is -- how many clothes are too many clothes?

Great question!  It's one Liz, Katie, and I ask ourselves regularly, especially because we have limited funding and tight closet spaces.  Before now, we've responded to this issue indirectly.  We feel strongly that the "Earlier Drafts" feature in our posts upholds principles of thrift and creativity by allowing readers to track the ways we recycle our already-have garments.  And recent posts, like Liz's report on her shopping hiatus and Katie's analysis of pieces she already owns, also demonstrate our work-with-what-we've-got mentality.

But we don't want to stop there.  No, we're inspired by posts like this one from Young House Love that take closet editing seriously.  Like Sherry at YHL, we believe it's possible and worthwhile to pare down one's wardrobe to a few well-loved essentials.  That's why we've declared next week Wardrobe Workhorse Week!  We're devoting five days to items without which we'd consider our closets incomplete, and we're hoping to answer Mackenzie's question along the way.  The idea is to trim our sartorial fat: celebrate the items we love and donate/consign/discard the items we don't.

Join us, won't you?  We'd love to hear about the clothes you can't live without.  If you'd like to hop aboard the WWW train, comment on this post by September 5.  See you next week!

Prompts:

• What do you think: how many clothes are too many?  How do you know you've reached the limit?
• How do you decide which items to keep and which ones to lose?  Tell us about your methods!  Better yet, join us for WWW!  During September 6-10 (next week!) we're inviting you to celebrate your all-time favorite wardrobe reliables with us.  RSVP here!

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!)

Gingham Getup and Bygone Girliness

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
These versatile wedges might be my favorite purchase of the season.
This punchy clutch has accompanied me to both semi-formal and casual outings. 

Composition:
blue gingham button-down shirt (Brina & Em via Marshalls)
black or navy (?) pleated skirt (handmade via Parts & Labour)
leather belt (Anthropologie)
wedge sandals (RJ Girl via Piperlime)
yellow clutch (SR Squared by Sondra Roberts)
reading glasses (United Colors of Benetton)

Usage:
I wore a version of this outfit two weeks ago, when I tagged along with Liz to Legg Mason Tennis Classic.  It was a humid 97 degrees that day.  Note to self: belted ensembles are not bright ideas for sitting outside in sweltering temperatures.  I returned home that evening with an attractive ring of perspiration around my midsection, but I liked the outfit enough to take another crack at it.  Today's iteration is my re-do.

This skirt is a dream come true, even though it's big on me at the waist, and even though I cannot determine whether it's black or navy.  (Liz thinks it's black.  I think it's navy.  What's your assessment?)  I want to suade this pleated wonder toward the blue color family, so I've paired it with a gingham shirt in an obvious cornflower shade.  The combination of gingham with a high-waisted, short-hemlined, full-bodied skirt screams 1960s Throwback to me.  Maybe I've been watching too much Mad Men, but I'm fairly confident Peggy Olson would wear a version of this outfit on her off days.

That's why, for fun, I've accessorized with a pair of brown tortoiseshell frames.  They make me look like the spitting image of my mother, a child of the '60s herself.  On some days I'm bummed to live so far from home, but when I want to experiment with being my mom's doppelganger, it's nice to set foot in public without hearing, "Ohmygawd, you look just like Paula!"

(Love you, Mom.)

Which brings me to this thought: almost every magazine I've read this month has featured the new "ladylike" throwback silhouettes for fall.  Real Simple magazine, to which I subscribe, even went so far as to title its featured spread after a Henry James novel.  Here's the lede text:

"Portrait of a Lady: As any great literary heroine knows, being your own woman is never without a few bumps in the road.  But, thankfully, the clothes that will hit stores this fall - sophisticated instead of girlie, tasteful without being stodgy, and figure flattering without revealing it all - will at least make the getting dressed part smooth and drama-free."

The magazine's editor wrote this in the same issue: 

"Ladylike dressing is making a comeback and, as far as I'm concerned, not a minute too soon.  Whenever I've gone to any mall, anywhere in this country in the past few years, I've walked around in disbelief, looking in the store windows and thinking, Is anybody over the age of 13 actually wearing these clothes?  ... Where were the clothes for a woman who wants to look modern but appropriate?  Could I be the only one?"

I'll admit I've given these upcoming fall fashion trends a fist-pump or two.  What woman doesn't look great in a full skirt, and what woman wouldn't want to rock a jeweled brooch and simple wool shift dress like Christina Hendricks?  I wonder, though: are these revitalized trends by nature coded with the fraught femininity which characterized them in their heyday?  Should we then embrace them and their social implications cautiously?  Or have gender relationships - and apparel technologies - so evolved that women can now confidently don clothing which only decades prior symbolized female social oppression?  Liz began a discussion on this topic when she wrote about Adrienne Rich's 1980 essay "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence."  Essentially, Liz asked the question, "Are women wearing heels differently in 2010 than they might have in 1980?"  That is, are they rewriting old sartorial choices with new social meaning?

I hope the current fashions represent a recoding of femininity, because I, for one, do not envy Isabel Archer's "bumps in the road."

Prompts:

• How do you interpret the revival of 1950s - 60s era fashion trends?  What does such a revival mean for women in 2010?
• What do you think of the term "ladylike," an adjective which fashion gurus everywhere are already using to describe next season's throwback trends?  What does "ladylike" mean for you?  Why do you think it has so far applied to vintage designs?
• Does this skirt look black or navy to you?  Would your interpretation of its color affect the way you'd style it?

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?

Shades of Grey

Draft:

Composition:
grey-striped button down (Gap)
linen blazer (Gap)
putty-toned shorts (J.Crew)
charcoal T-strap heels (gift from Liz, Xhilaration via Target)

Usage:
Liz gave me these fabulously versatile heels at the beginning of the month as both a birthday present and a celebratory gift for completing our M.A. degrees.  I'm debuting the cuties for the first time on SSG, but I've worn them to almost every semi-formal occasion - with the exception of this wedding - so far this summer.  How did I ever survive without a pair of grey heels?  Thank you, Liz!

Today is appropriate to showcase these T-strap wonders because, since returning from my vacation in Charleston and Savannah, I'm obsessing over washed-out hues.  I normally spend the summer months in bright colors, wallowing in saturated pinks, greens, yellows, and blues.  Earlier in June, I even gave a shout-out to neons.  But you may have suspected my change of heart when I returned from my travels in a white-button down and bleached jeans.  Indeed, strolling the historic streets of these southern cities convinced me that muted has merit.  It's cooler, breezier, and, some argue, even chicer.  (Chicer is a word, right? It looks funny to me.)

I'm doing subdued today by mixing shades of grey.  The striped grey button-down is one of my favorite summer pieces, since it's gauzy and suggestively - in the confident, easy, warm weather way - see-through.  Last week I threw it on over bathing suits; this week, I'm tucking it under this light linen blazer.  The putty-toned shorts are barely a shade darker than the top.  (They also mark my second occasion of testing the waters of short-shorts on this blog!  Eek.)  And Liz's gifted heels punctuate the ensemble with the most saturated charcoal shade.

The spectrum of grey traveling down my silhouette makes me want to fist-pump the air.  It was accidental, but I like the visual line it creates, and that it highlights the ruffled T-straps.  How does the gradation  of grey resonate with you?

Prompts:

• Was I successful in compiling a muted look?  What else would you have done to emphasize the de-emphasized colors?
• How do you feel about wearing heels with shorts?  Too much like a Nair TV commercial?
• Do you think muted tones are chic-er than saturated colors?  Which hues do you prefer for summer?

Up, Up, and Awhiteshirt

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I celebrated my oldest brother's college graduation in these pumps.
I practically sleep in these boyfriend jeans.  I've worn them over and over again.

Composition:
headband (J.Crew)
white button-down shirt (Gap)
boyfriend jeans (Gap)
nude heels (Nine West via Piperlime)

Usage:
I snapped these photos minutes after hauling my suitcase out of my car, up my front stairs, and onto my second floor landing.  Before changing into sweatpants and collapsing on the couch, I wanted to capture my latest traveling wear for you road tripping warriors: a simple outfit for a blissfully uncomplicated day of airport hopping and airplane reading.   (Speaking of reading, today while awaiting a flight in Charlotte, I completed Dave Eggers' Zeitoun.  Anyone else read the book or plan to?)

I just returned from a week spent between Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia.  I am sunburned and exhausted and energized.  Travel has that effect, doesn't it?  It yields a sort of tired vitality.  As such, my contented mood matches the time-worn dynamism of the classic white button-down.  The shirt is well-loved, yet resilient.  It's a sartorial staple that revives itself season after season.  I rely on it and these periodic jaunts to new scenes for similar reasons: both remind me to pare down my wardrobe and lifestyle to the basics, and, in so doing, they refresh my (out)look and my spirit. 

The girls and I don't normally post on Sundays, but our travel plans converge this weekend.  Katie and I return from our getaways, and Liz begins a week of relaxation.  Our post schedule won't change, never fear.  However, we are planning to showcase the new dressing ideas we've gathered from the fresh sights and faces.

Prompts:

• I depend on this simple white button-down for airline travel.  What are your favorite garments for plane hopping?
• I mentioned my latest read, Zeitoun by Dave Eggers.  Which books have made your summer list?
• Where are your favorite vacation destinations?  What types of clothing do you pack for the locations?

From Vacation to Vocation

Drafts: 

 
Composition:
antiqued gold finish earrings (Charlotte Russe)
purple cotton jersey dress (Victoria's Secret online)
white button down (Express via sister's closet)
brown stretch belt (Kohl's)
brown wedge sandals (Old Navy)

Usage:
I mentioned earlier that I was having a lot of trouble finding affordable, easy summer dresses, so naturally I found this one after I had given up searching.  I really like the fit of this dress, and it will be perfect for my upcoming beach vacation, my attendance at a summer ATP tennis tournament, and countless outdoor social gatherings.  The cut of the dress is definitely not work appropriate, though, so I wanted to try to re-style it in order to get some use out of it during my work week.

A while back, I put together this look which featured a belt to disguise the line between my button-down and one of my favorite skirts.  I thought I'd try to recreate that look with this dress since its skirt is an office appropriate length.  I found this short-sleeve button down in my sister's closet, so I wore that over the dress, folded up the bottom of the top, and positioned it under the belt.  This belt is about 2" wide, and all but the buckle is stretch material, so it did a nice job of flattening out the fold and disguising it.  I thought I might end up adjusting this all day long, but I was surprised at how well the belt held everything in place.

When I wear this again, I think I'll wear the belt about one inch lower so it's not right under my bust, but I liked the overall look here.  I'm always excited to find new ways to maximize the usefulness of an article of apparel! 

Prompts:

• Do you tend to keep your work wear and your casual attire separate, or do you try to find ways to mix and match them?
• Do you have any other tricks for making a more casual item of apparel more appropriate for the classroom or office?  (Feel free to share links!)

Summer Black-Out Challenge

Drafts:

Composition:
Tuesday:                                                                  
purple satin-ish dress and belt (sister's closet)           
pink button-down (NY&Co)                                     
brown wedges (Old Navy)                                       
Wednesday:                                                                                  
antiqued gold earrings (Charlotte Russe)
green striped and yellow tanks (sister's closet)   
khakis (Old Navy)                                          
antiqued gold bangle (Ann Taylor Outlet)
white wedges (Mia via Sears.com)
 Thursday:                                                                
turquoise beaded necklace (Kohl's)                           
white button-down (NY&Co)                                   
stone belt (NY&Co)                                                  
cropped stone trousers (NY&Co)                              
rose gold flowered sandals (Old Navy)                    
Friday:
red jacket (sister's closet)
white cami (Old Navy)
brown belt (Kohl's)
cropped jeans (Gap)
red flats (gift from my mom)


Usage:
The alternative title for this post should be "Shopping My Sister's Closet."  My sister is storing her "nice" clothes at my house while she works at a summer camp for the next few months, which of course means I'm wearing them!  Best idea ever!  As I mentioned in my last post, I accepted Sal at Already Pretty's black-out challenge!  At first, I thought this would be easy, especially since I had access to so many extra items of clothing.  Over the course of the week, though, I realized I'm much more dependent on black apparel, accessories, and shoes than I had realized.

On Tuesday, I wanted to embrace bright colors to get away from Monday's neutral experiment.  This purple dress has the same cut as this one I love, and I originally tried wearing the button-down underneath the dress, like a jumper.  It didn't look right, though, so I put the button-down over the top and liked how the wide belt created a color blocking look.  In this outfit I felt bright and cheerful, and I noticed that being in a colored skirt gave me a little more pep in my step than my usual black pencil skirt does.

On Wednesday, I thought I'd try this almost-breton-stripe tank top I discovered in my sister's drawer.  (I love this look, which Anne-Marie styles here, but I haven't been able to find a breton tank top I like.)  I was feeling a little adventurous for my shopping excursion, I didn't have to go to work, and I was excited about my new white wedges, so I thought I'd try this cuffed khaki look I have liked on other women.  Verdict?  I still like this look on other women.  On me, I think it looks stupid.  Plus, I couldn't help feeling like the early 90s childhood version of myself who lived in pegged-legged jeans.  I had intended to use the yellow tank underneath to give the outfit a little more color, and the gold accessories to make it look more polished, but I still think the outfit looks too blah.  (If I cut out the jeans from Friday's look, and place them over the khakis paper-doll style, I think I'd have a MUCH better outfit!)

On Thursday, I thought about how one of my cold weather fall-backs is a combination of black and gray with a pop of color.  I decided that the summer alternative to this ensemble would be a combination of light khaki/stone items and white, and I added my turquoise necklace to serve as the pop of color.  I'm not sure that worked (it's mostly obscured by my hair), but I still liked this opposite take on my winter neutrals.  I felt refreshed and crisp in this ensemble.  Katie and I also agreed that the belt brought out the safari-like look of the button down, which has two chest pockets.  I can definitely see myself trying out different iterations of this color(less) scheme this summer.

On Friday, I was beside myself!  I couldn't think of anything to wear that wasn't black!  I wondered why I had ever accepted this challenge!  I wanted to get back in bed!  So I went back to my sister's closet and discovered this great red jacket/top.  It has some fantastic structural details that I'm not sure this picture really captures.  I know how I would have styled this any other time: with a black belt and black cami.  (I love red and black together.)  I was surprised how much more "summery" this outfit felt when I put on a white cami and brown belt instead.  I'm afraid the shoes might be taking me into matchy-matchy territory, but since they don't match the belt, I still felt safe in coordinated but not over-coordinated territory.

Thanks for this challenge, Sally!  It helped me realize that part of my problem with styling "summer appropriate" looks is that black is my default neutral.  Staying away from black helped me realize that I can use the clothes I already have to put together looks that feel right for warmer weather, whereas before I would have said that I have very few clothes that I like to wear during the summer.  I thought I would run out of steam when it came to avoiding black, but the looks from Thursday and Friday are actually my favorites, which suggests I was learning to think about my clothes even more creatively as the week went on.

Prompts:

• Has writing or reading "style" blogs helped you to identify blind spots in your styling tendencies?  Which ones?
• Have you ever tried "trendy" styling techniques like the cuffed khakis?  Can you execute them or do you fail miserably, like I did?
• Did anyone notice that I'm not wearing any prints? (Unless you count stripes, which I don't.) What's up with that?  Looks like I might have my next styling challenge.

Dressing Your Best Week: Legs for Miles!

Draft:

Composition:
eyeglasses (Kate Spade)
white and brown button down (NY&Co)
brown belt (Kohl's)
dark dark skinnies (American Eagle)
brown wedge sandals (Old Navy)

Earlier Drafts:
I suggested these jeans as a stand-in for leggings.

Usage:
It's Academichic's Dress Your Best Week!  I'm excited to chime in with my first contribution to the discussion.

Last month, I asked you to help me think through why we, as women in academia, often find it easier to handle criticism than praise.  I was happy to that in S.'s first DYBW post, she addressed a similar question in regard to this week's project: why do we speak freely about our insecurities but feel like we have to justify our confidence?  I'm thrilled to follow S.'s lead and deconstruct this gendered norm by participating in DYBW without feeling bad about celebrating my assets!

This exercise, for me, has to begin with my legs.  My legs are the gatekeepers to my positive body image.  Why, you ask?  Growing up, I was stick thin, which came along with body issues of its own.  When I went to college, I gained the Freshman 15(x2).  An endless supply of Cherry Coke, Miller Lite, Ben & Jerry's, and fried food did not do this body good.  Before my senior year, I spent four months training for the Chicago Marathon.  I'll admit this was inspired equally by a desire to lose the extra weight and an aspiration to run 26.2 miles consecutively.  I didn't lose any weight, but I gained a new relationship to my body.

Marathon training helped me think about my body as a living, functioning organism that I was living inside rather than just an object to dress up in a way that would please others.  I became conscious of eating as something that provided energy rather than merely a social activity. When you're running long distances, you can measure hunger in minutes.  If you haven't eaten enough the night before, you're acutely aware of the fatigue and it translates to the time you see on your stopwatch.  My physical body's distinguishable reactions to my nutritional decisions helped me to understand that good nutrition must facilitate brainwork similarly.

At some point, I just had to acknowledge that the weight was not going to come off.  I couldn't cut calories and still hope to complete my training runs.  I was able to accept my body because, despite the extra lbs I was carrying around, my legs looked fantastic, and that reminded me that those legs were taking me a long way.  In one of my favorite short stories, Mary Austin's "The Walking Woman," (available here), Austin writes that the title character "had walked off all sense of society-made values," and I think running allowed me to do something similar.  I thought I'd have to lose weight to develop a healthy body image, but for me, the opposite turned out to be true.  Once I'd developed a healthy body image, I started making lifestyle changes that led to the weight coming off fairly naturally over time.

Still with me?  That's why it always comes back to the legs.  My legs are long, they're lean, they're toned, they're powerful, and they carried me over 500 miles last year.  (They also help me negotiate the Snickers and Hershey's addictions I haven't been able to kick!)

To celebrate my legs, I put on my skinnies with my tallest heels.  I didn't have any good ideas about what to wear on top to draw attention to my legs, so I put on this button-down top to keep the top half of the look simple. I belted it to draw attention to my small waist.

Prompts:

• Any suggestions for what else I could have worn on top?
• Why IS it so much harder to talk about our strengths than to acknowledge our weaknesses?
• What habits or attitudes have you found that help you think of your body more positively?
• What are some of your favorite posts from DYBW so far?  Post some links!  And since we're not being shy about celebrating confidence, feel free to include your own!

The Perfect Bag for a Scholar

Draft:

Composition:
white button-down (NY & Co)
black and white pencil skirt (NY & Co)
black stretch belt (NY & Co)
The Perfect Bag for a Scholar (Kate Spade New York)

Usage:
I returned to graduate school around the same time many of my friends started having babies.  As stylish mothers and friends of stylish mothers know, Kate Spade makes fabulous baby bags.  I wasn't pregnant, but I decided that my graduate school endeavor deserved a fabulous bag of its own.  Prior to purchasing this Kate Spade bag, I'd never owned a designer handbag, and I'm not a fan of the heavily branded designer bags that have become popular.  I used to think all designer bags were vastly overpriced.

This Kate Spade bag has converted me.  It is so well made that after two years of lugging around my books in it, it literally shows no signs of wear.  It's even survived several exposures to pouring rain.  As I tried to capture in the photos, the place where the strap fastens to the bag is extremely sturdy and gives an otherwise plain bag an attractive detail.  The strap is thick and sturdy, too, so it doesn't hurt my shoulder even when it's weighted down with study materials.  The subtle branding of the bag also matches my personal style and tastes.  The gold details are stamped with the "ks" logo, and "Kate Spade New York" is stamped into the leather on the front, but that is so unobtrusive that I could hardly even get a good photo of it.  The leopard print lining is also sturdy and chic.

This bag is also unbelievably functional.  As you can see, I managed to fit all of the following into the bag for these photos: my laptop, a two-subject notebook stuffed with handouts, my planner, three substantial paperback books, and all the other things that stay in my purse (wallet, glasses case, toiletries/medicine pouch, etc).  There are two small pockets on the front wall, in which I place my cell phone and keys so I can find them easily.  I can take this bag to the library and load it up with even more books if I'm not worried about trying to zip it shut. 


I don't think I'll become a woman who has a whole collection of designer bags because that kind of indulgence just seems wasteful to me.  This bag has convinced me, however, that every professional woman needs one fabulous, sturdy, functional bag.  Since I happily carry this bag every day, and it has become one of my signature items, I definitely think it was worth the investment.  I don't mind supporting Kate Spade, either, because the brand so frequently lends its name to good causes.  For the past several years, they have been working to promote and raise money for Women for Women International.

Prompts:

• Do you carry the same bag every day, or do you prefer to have a variety of different bags for different occasions?
• Have you ever owned a designer bag?  How do you feel about them?
• Have you found bags that retail in the under $200 range that are still sturdy, well-made, and stylish?  This seems like a more reasonable price point, especially for graduate students.
• What features do you look for in a bag for work/school?