Tights or No Tights?

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I celebrated this dress as a one-and-done outfit this summer, and I modeled this gray cardigan with my black shift dress.

Composition:
black hoop earrings (gifted by my MIL)
teal cami (Old Navy)
printed jersey dress (NY&Co)
gray cardigan (NY&Co)
teal Mary Janes (Seychelles)

Usage:
This dress doesn't photograph very well, but some of the swirly stripes are teal and the rest are black, gray, and white.  I like trying to bring out the teal, so I've worn it with this teal cami and with my turquoise cardigan in the past, but I like it even better with my new favorite shoes!

I broke out my boots a little early, but I'm still resisting the switch to tights.  When the temps start to drop, I also try to avoid wearing a coat at all costs.  We live in a fairly moderate climate, but nonetheless, I'll be in pants/tights and coats from at least November through February, so I like to hold off on them as long as possible.  I don't think this is necessarily because I dislike cool weather, though I do prefer it when it's warm.  All summer, I was hoping for jeans weather here and there.  I get tired of wearing the same items day in and day out, so I try to keep mixing it up until the weather absolutely forces me to make the transition.  I actually prefer cool weather dressing because there are so many more opportunities for layering, but I guess I don't want to layer up until it's necessary.  I'm also curious about how many of you wear brightly colored tights.  I don't own a single pair!  Maybe adding a few pairs to my wardrobe would shift my attitude toward them.

The alternate title to this post was "Look, no belt!"  Nine times out of ten, I belt my dress+cardigan ensembles, but I felt like stripe of black across my midsection would have interrupted my attempt to draw the attention toward the gray and teal in the pattern.

Prompts:

• Have you made the transition to tights yet?  Do you make the switch based on temperature, time of year, or something else?
• Where's your favorite place to purchase tights?  I'd like to find a few fun pairs, but I'm not looking to spend more than $10 per pair.
• If you dress differently from one season to the next, which is your favorite season for which to dress? 

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!

What's in a Name?

Draft:

Composition:
gold tone earrings (Gift from MIL)
black tank (H&M)
black and white print skirt (Express from a lonnng time ago)
white canvas peep toe wedges (MIA)

Usage:
First: Thanks, everyone, for your feedback on the blog and IRL about the curly hair.  I know my belief that my curly hair is "unruly" is merely a suggestion ideologically indoctrinated in my mind, and your comments and suggestions have given me the encouragement I was looking for to continue working on embracing it as it is.

Moving on: Today was the last day of my German class, so I've directed my focus toward preparing to teach.  This semester will be my first as a TA at my institution, and I know quite a few of you have TAed before, so I wanted to ask you to share your thoughts on what you have your students call you.

Most of the TAs in our program have students call them by their first names.  I'd probably allow them to call me that without even thinking about it except that, since I spent four years teaching high school prior to returning to grad school, I'm used to being called Ms. Lastname.  I know there are some TAs and adjunct lecturers who ask to be called by their last names, so it's not like I'd be the only one going by Ms. Lastname, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it.

This is the thing, actually, that I'm most unsure about as I begin my teaching assistantship-- how to establish the appropriate amount of distance between myself and the undergrads.  I know what I will and will not wear to teach, and my rules for that are not all too different from what they would have been if I were returning to the high school classroom, where the line between teacher and student has to be as firm as the line between adult and child.  Establishing authority through clothing is, apparently, more comfortable for me than deciding what to be called.  This is complicated further, I think, by the fact that I now call many of my own professors by their first names (per their requests), even though I cannot call my mentor professor at my undergrad institution by his first name despite his repeated suggestions that I should feel comfortable doing so.

(I hope you enjoy the gratuitous Oscar close-up.  I was trying to get a good photo of these awesome earrings my MIL recently gifted me as well as the flower embroidery detail on the straps of this tank, but I kind of failed at both.)

Prompts:

• As a TA, what did you have your students call you?  I'd love to hear anything you have to share about this particular question as well as the broader question of how you went/go about determining how much distance to establish between yourself and students as a TA.  And those of you who are real live professors now, have you changed your approach?
• Where do you stand on my choice to wear white shoes with a predominantly black outfit?  I know you all like to abide by the "wear what makes you feel comfortable" non-rule, but come on, does this make me look goofy?

Walk the Line

Draft:

Earlier Draft:
I wore this dress for my MA defense, which forced me to consider the difference between projecting and performing professionalism.  (And if you have a little extra time, I'd love to hear what some of our newer readers think about the issues I raised there.)

Composition:
blue cotton dress (J. Crew)
gold disc earrings (NY&Co)
gold hoop necklace (Old Navy clearance bin)
brown wedge heels (Old Navy)
brown snake platforms (Nine West)

Usage:
Last week Michelle, our friend and colleague IRL, suggested that she's looking forward to seeing how our footwear choices might be impacted by the switch into the classroom.  I thought I'd address that today since my German class has actually forced me to face the "walk across campus" obstacle a few weeks early.

I normally pair these snake print platforms with this dress because I like the juxtaposition of the big, feminine,  flowy skirt with the hard edges and print of the platforms.  Plus, the whole thing feels a little reminiscent of Reese Witherspoon (one of my style mentors) as June Carter in Walk the Line.  It is a truth universally acknowledged, however, that these are the world's most impractical shoe.  In order to survive yesterday's walk across campus, I had to swap them out for a more comfortable (but still sky high) wedge.  So there's my admission: the wedge is my way of finding a middle-ground.  I actually tried on a pair of heels made by Born at Marshall's the other day, and though they were not wedges, they were easily the most comfortable pair of heels I've ever put on my foot.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find the left shoe in my size, so despite their $28 price tag, I left the store without them.  The perils of discount shopping!

I also wore my hair up with the dress this time because the button detail on the back is one of my favorite things about it.  It was actually Michelle who also mentioned a few weeks back that wearing your hair up or down can make a huge difference in how an outfit looks.  The swingy ponytail felt like a good match for the swingy skirt and it gave me that extra June-Carter-spring-in-my-step even without the squared platforms.

And finally, I had to include the lower left photo not only because it offers a better view of the wedges, but also because it's as if Oscar said "Oh, we're posing backwards today, Mom?  I'm in!"  And while he's getting some extra airtime on the blog, he'd also like to wish Tiki over at Orchids in Buttonholes a continued healthy recovery from his recent surgery.

Prompts:

• How do you manage the comfort vs. style dilemma when it comes to shoes?  There's been quite a bit of blog discussion of we've been dressing to beat the heat, and I'd love to hear you weigh in with your ideas about how you dress to manage days when you'll be walking or standing for prolonged periods of time.

Shorts and Stripes

Drafts:

Earlier Drafts:
I started wearing this jacket again when I realized I could cuff the sleeves, and I wore it again with these Chucks in an All-American look.
I showed you these walking shorts before I altered them, and I've been wearing these wedges nonstop since I bought them to re-energize my summer wardrobe.

Composition:
antiqued gold finish earrings (Charlotte Russe)
navy cotton jacket (Gap Outlet)
nautical stripe tank (Gap)
white walking length shorts (Old Navy, altered)
white short shorts (Old Navy)
white wedges (MIA)
white sneakers (Converse Chuck Taylors)

Usage:
After weeks and weeks of searching, I finally found the perfect navy and white nautical striped top-- for $4 at gap.com!  I love navy and white, and I love how crisp they look together, so when I started seeing this trend on other blogs a few months back, I fell hook line and sinker for it (too much with the nautical talk?).  I hope you guys are feeling the nautical-inspired love because I can already tell that I'm going to try to find a million different ways to wear this tank.  (Starting again on Saturday when the U.S. takes on Ghana in the World Cup!)

For my first try, I paired the tank with white short shorts and my chucks in an attempt to beat the unbearable heat when I went out to run errands with my husband.  I've already boasted about how comfortable I am with my runner's legs, so it might not be a surprise that I wear short shorts, though I completely understand why plenty of women feel ambivalent about them.  Oscar seems to be questioning my shoe choice, but I liked how the Chucks gave the look a sporty Americana-esque feel.

Then I immediately began thinking about how I could get away with wearing this tank to work.  I knew it would look great under my navy jacket, so I thought I'd go white on the bottom again.  I  pulled out these "are they cropped pants or are they walking shorts?" shorts, cut off the hem, and cuffed them over.  I've had these "shorts" for several years, and I have no idea why it never occurred to me to alter them before.  My creativity must have been inspired by my love of this tank and my frequent pilgrimage to the blogs written by ladies who regularly modify their own clothing.  I can already tell they'll get much more wear like this.

Finally, I love the nautical stripes with navy and white, but I also like them with pops of contrasting colors.  Though my favorite nail color of this summer, OPI's Mod-ern Girl, only provides a very small pop of color, I think it completes the look.  I put this orange hued jelly polish on my nails several weeks ago and have worn it nearly every day since.  It never chips!  I do think that keeping your nails short is key when you're wearing an almost-neon shade like this, though.

Prompts:

•  Have you embraced this nautical-inspired trend or are you resisting it?
• Should I hem these walking shorts or keep them cuffed?  (You can click to enlarge if you want to get a better look at the cuffs.)  I'm afraid my cuffing obsession is approaching the level of my belting obsession.  Feel free to stage an inter-cuff-tion.
• Can you wear shorts to work, or is that a no-no in your workplace?  I think these are walking shorts are suitable for working on campus during the summer, but I might not teach in this ensemble.
• Are you buying my claim that my orange nails serve as an adequate pop of color?  What apparel color should I try pairing with my nautical stripes next?

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!)

Pattern Styling Experiment, Take Two

Drafts:

Composition:
fuschia animal print wrap dress (Express)
black cami (Old Navy)
black wedges (Lauren by Ralph Lauren)
beaded headband (NY& Co)
pewter disc earrings (Charlotte Russe)
beaded necklace (NY& Co)
black cardi (NY& Co)
black patent belt (Forever 21)
black patterned tights (Target)

Usage:
Anne-Marie's post from Wednesday, in which she offered an alternative definition of "overdressed," got me thinking about my own styling choices.  How often am I guilty of "over-styling" a look?  My own juxtaposition of different looks on Tuesday also gave me a different perspective on those styling choices.

So, I wanted to keep that conversation going by experimenting with "under-styling" and "over-styling" the boldest pattern in my closet.  The color, print, and cut of this dress work together to ensure that it's something I'd never wear alone unless I was feeling particularly adventurous.  I doubt I would have bought it to begin with if it hadn't been on clearance.  After snapping a photo of the dress by itself, I piled on all the various accessories I have worn with this dress in the past.  I've never worn all of these accessories together, but  I'm not sure anyone would think twice if I showed up on campus sporting all of these items.  I probably tend to over-style more frequently than I under-style.

I think this dress is best with a cardigan, which helps to mitigate the impact of the bold color and print.  If forced to choose between the two looks today, though, I'd probably choose the one on the left.  Before Anne-Marie's post got me thinking about overdressing in this way, though, I might have chosen the one on the right.  Now that she's asked me to think about it,  I'm uncomfortable with the way that piling on accessories says "Look at all these commodities I own!"

Prompts:

• Okay, be honest: would you ever leave the house in a fuschia animal print dress?  Or should I have left it on the sale rack?
• What's your analysis of the under-styled look versus the over-styled one?
• Which look do you think is more similar to those featured on other "fashion" and "style" blogs you read?  Have you noticed a difference in the styling choices made by Americans and those made by residents of other countries on these blogs?  Share links!
• I'm also wondering to what degree these styling choices are as much (or possibly more) governed by class status as they are by nationality/regionality.  Do high profile people in the American fashion industry really style themselves differently than high profile people involved in the fashion industry in European nations?

Conference Presentation

Draft:

Composition: 

antique look gold earrings (Charlotte Russe)

brown print jersey dress (Target)

sand swing jacket (H&M)

brown woven stretch belt (Forever 21)

brown tights (New York & Company)

brown buckled sliver wedges (Jessica Simpson)

Usage:

Later this month, I'm presenting a paper at a major international conference that will be attended by some of the pre-eminent names in the field.  A friend of mine, who is also giving her paper there, recently asked me if I was planning to wear a suit.  She was trying to decide if she should invest in a blazer or not.

My answer? No.  I own a suit, but if I wear it, I won't feel like myself.  When I put on a suit, I can't help but feel like a child trying to play dress-up in "adult" clothes.  While I understand that as a graduate student presenting at a major conference, it is in my best interest to look as "professional" as possible, I just can't wear a suit.  I'll feel most confident in an outfit that caters to the occasion and my personal tastes.  I did tell my friend that I'm planning to wear a jacket for my presentation.  I like swing coats (I own a black one, too) because they feel more contemporary than a traditional suit jacket, but they still read as "professional" in a way that a cardigan might not.

When I put this outfit together, I intended it as a test-run for my conference presentation.  I feel like the print of the dress creates some visual interest, but the color palette is subdued enough that I don't look like I'm trying to draw attention to my clothing.  I love these shoes because the buckle detail keeps them from being boring.

I'm presenting during the second day of the conference, so I'm glad I'll be able to look at what people are wearing on the first day to figure out if this look is actually appropriate for the event.  I'll have a few "pants" looks packed, in case I feel like my audience might misinterpret my decision to wear a dress. 

Prompts:

• Based on the conferences you've attended in the past, do you think this look is appropriate?  Or will I end up switching into pants?
• Do you have an item in your closet that you count on to help you look professional but still feel like yourself?  If so, what is it? 
• Am I wrong to think I should stay away from bright colors for an event like this?

How big is too big?

Composition:

Pewter Earrings (Fossil via Macy's)
White T-Shirt (H&M)
Pink Silk-blend Cardigan (Target)
Jeans (Old Navy)
Nude Flats (Jessica Simpson)

Usage:
I'm a firm believer in minimal accessories; rarely do I wear more than two at a time.  Besides my wedding rings, I tend to don either statement earrings and bracelet or a necklace.  Never do I wear all at once.  In the summer, when sunglasses are imperative, I'll wear large frames solo, zero jewelry.  My insistence on this bare minimum stems from a preconception that my size limits my jewelry options.  I'm petite, so I feel like excessive or oversized adornments overwhelm my stature.

I wore these earrings for a dinner out with friends, and I chose them because the context - an al fresco, evening setting - seemed to merit an outfit upgrade.  They are the largest earrings I own, however, so I immediately felt self-conscious that they looked obnoxiously disproportionate to my small features.

This insecurity prompted me to ask, how big is too big for an accessory?  Relatedly, how many accessories are too many?  Stacy London and Clinton Kelly of the TLC show What Not to Wear insist on bag sizes, for example, coordinating with the size of a person.  Other fashion critics have suggested that large or numerous accessories signify a certain type of wearer.  What do you think about these standards and assumptions?

Prompts:

• Should we apply Stacy's and Clinton's bag standard to jewelry items?  If not, by what other criteria do we determine appropriate jewelry size and quantity?
• More importantly, perhaps, what associations do we apply to wearers of large or numerous accessories, irrespective to the wearer's size?

Overdressed vs. Underdressed

Draft:

Composition:

Eyeglasses (Kate Spade)
Pewter-tone disc earrings (Charlotte Russe)
Sheer Print Top (Target)
Black Cami (Old Navy)
Black Cardigan (New York and Company)
Charcoal Pencil Skirt (New York and Company)
Black Cable-Knit Patterned Tights (Target)
Black Wedges (Lauren by Ralph Lauren via Amazon)

Usage:
On the Friday before Spring Break began, I had planned to dress a little more casually than I normally do for work.  Then I remembered that we had a department faculty meeting.  Since I'm one of the graduate student representatives, I was going to see many of my professors, so I decided to wear a normal work outfit.  I'm still working out a few camera glitches, and I wish this top had photographed better.  I really like its ruffle detail and the gray and purple of the print.  Also, I know I've been wearing these earrings excessively.  They aren't the same ones from my last post, but they came in a three-pack that I found for $3 on clearance!  The third pair are gold-toned and I'm sure they'll make an appearance soon. : )

When I got to the department meeting, most of the professors were dressed much more casually than they normally are.  I guess it makes sense that I wasn't the only one thinking about wearing jeans.  I felt a little over-dressed, but I would've been more uncomfortable if I'd been in jeans and all the professors had been in professional attire.  This is pretty standard: in general,  I would much rather feel over-dressed than under-dressed.  To me, over-dressed reads as "I took this event a little too seriously," whereas under-dressed reads as "I didn't try or care enough to dress up."  Still, I wonder if I'm wrong here.  People ask me why I'm "so dressed up" more often than I would like.  I'm interested in what you have to say about the over/under dressed issue!

Prompts:

• Which makes you more uncomfortable: being over-dressed or under-dressed?  Why?
• What impressions do you think you're sending if your over-dressed versus under-dressed?