Last Day of Classes!

Draft:

Earlier Drafts: 
I debuted these boots on Tuesday, and I've worn this dress differently here and here.

Composition: 
faux turquoise beaded necklace (Kohl's)
brown and white print dress (Target)
long oatmeal cardigan (Target)
cognac faux-leather wide stretch belt (Charlotte Russe)
brown tights layered over gray tights (NY&Co)
cognac leather riding boots (Steve Madden, gifted)

Usage:
Today's the last day of classes for me this semester!  This means I'm collecting final research papers from my students, attending my final grad class of the term, and heading to our end-of-semester graduate student potluck.

I wore this outfit on Tuesday, though, for the second to last day with my students.  I know it's not too innovative to wear my new cognac boots with a brown ensemble, but a long cardigan is a step into new territory for me.  I was a big fan of this look from S. at Narrowly Tailored, so when I saw these long cardigans on sale at Target for $15, I finally picked one up and promptly ripped off her styling techniques to put together my own outfit.  I liked how the long cardi gave the outfit a bit of a "wrapped in a blanket" type feeling, and though it's a lot of brown, I liked how the cognac belt and boots complemented the chocolate brown of the dress and the tights.  I put the turquoise necklace on to serve as a pop of color, but I'm not that thrilled with what it adds to the outfit.  I kind of think I should have just embraced the brown and worn some brown beads instead.

My students are expected to evaluate their participation at several points throughout the semester, so they submitted their last self-evaluations on Tuesday.  There is a space to add "comments," and normally, if they write anything at all, they use this space to explain why they don't talk much in class, to ask if coming to office hours counts as participation, etc.  Most of them leave it blank.  Yesterday, one of my quieter male students wrote "This class taught me a lot about writing," and one of my quieter female students wrote 2 or 3 sentences telling me she really appreciated my teaching style.  Neither of them has ever complained about a grade, or asked for extra credit, or done anything to suggest they might be fishing for favoritism, so their unexpected notes were nice to read.  During my office hours, the three students who'd scheduled appointments to talk about last minute questions for the final papers stopped in, and I was so pleased with how much work they're putting in.  I am genuinely looking forward to reading their papers after chatting with them briefly yesterday.

These interactions reminded me that while it's so easy to get frustrated by the handful of students who demand a lot of attention by sending unnecessary emails, complaining about grades, etc., it's important to keep in mind that those students don't speak for everyone.  Teaching this semester has been a constant struggle to try to re-learn some of the things I first learned as a high school teacher.  I remember now that oftentimes student silence is a sign that everything is going fine.  I generally aim for my courses to be ones in which students get out of them what they put in, so it is rewarding to hear that those students who are making the effort are learning.  I tend to begin to feel like my work is futile when one or two students want to pass the blame off on me for their underperformance.  Yesterday served as an important reminder:  If the students who wanted to learn from my class feel like they did, the class has been a success.

Since many of you teach in different capacities, I wanted to share this reminder with you as you gear up to grade final assignments or final exams.  Your students probably learned a lot more than you realize.  I think we can all remember a class we took in which our instructor would have had no idea how much we loved it or how much we learned from it.  I'm hoping I can keep that in mind as I grade their final papers and as I reflect back on my first semester with undergrads.

Prompts:

• How do you wear long cardigans?  Please share links!
• If you teach, what are some ways that you work toward keeping a healthy perspective on your success as an instructor?  Any other tips for keeping those critical students from getting to you?

Rut-Ditching; or, Pattern Mixing

Draft:

Earlier draft:
I wore this skirt and belt together when carrying my favorite bag.

Composition: 
black cami (Kohl's)
zebra print tank (Express via sister's closet)
green cropped cardigan (Express via sister's closet)
black and white print pencil skirt (NY&Co)
faux patent black belt (NY&Co)
black leather wedges (Lauren by RL)
nail color (OPI Can You Tapas This?)

Usage:
Anne-Marie's recent hair metamorphosis got me thinking.  Cut bangs, dye it a different color, and post pictures online for the world to evaluate?  I could never.  Sympathetic types might say "Liz just knows what she likes."  Less sympathetic types might say "Liz has trouble dealing with change," and downright  blunt types might say "Liz gets stuck in a rut."  All of them would be correct, I think.  Teaching high school helped me learn to prepare, prepare, anticipate, and prepare.  Teaching high school should have taught me that things don't always go according to plan.  However, I either didn't adequately learn that lesson while I was teaching, or I forgot it in the two years I spent as an Master's student.  This has been problematic lately, because this semester has been a constant reminder that I can't make things happen just by planning them.

Thankfully, the semester's not over yet, and there's still time to salvage my attitude toward it.  I might not be bold enough to make a change as significant as AM made with her hair, but her willingness to try out a new look made me think to myself: what is one thing I could do tomorrow to take me outside my comfort zone?  to remind myself of the benefits of sometimes pro-actively stepping outside the rut?  I decided on pattern mixing... with animal print.  I know this is kind of cheating, since the pattern on the skirt is very neutral, and combining two black and white pieces is not exactly experimental.  To my non-pattern wearing self, though, it felt like there was a LOT going on here.  All day long, I felt a slight unease, like "Oh, boy, yes, I am still wearing this crazy patterned outfit."  (Though I wore the cardigan all day, I took the second photo in an attempt to prove that this outfit IS kind of crazy.  The photo doesn't lie, though-- it was mostly in my head.)  I thought that uneasy feeling was good.  I still felt like me, but a more adventurous me, maybe.

So when I was confronted with more news this very day that suggested my plans had kind of backfired, I should have looked down at myself and thought: "It's okay.  I'm channeling Anne-Marie, who knows how to manage uncertainty much, much better than I do."  I didn't.  I got mad at myself for yet again insisting on trying so hard to plan ahead.  I hope that one day I'll actually learn the lesson.  Maybe the clothes can help.  If not the clothes, maybe the literature.  After all, I know what Robert Burns and John Steinbeck have to say about the best laid plans.  If not the literature, maybe the style blogging.  Because if Anne-Marie's post about her hair wasn't enough to convince me I should live a little more "in the moment," Sara's post on OiB today about being "mindful of where [she is] right now" should help.

Prompts:

• How do you respond when your foresight proves to be in vain?  
• What do you do to help get yourself out of a rut?  
• Do you have any pattern mixing suggestions?

Student Conference Attire, Take Two

Draft:

Earlier Draft:
I wore this dress for a conference presentation in the spring.

Composition:
faux turquoise beaded necklace (Kohl's)
pale turquoise cardigan (Target)
brown printed jersey dress (Target)
brown stretch belt (Kohl's)
teal mary janes (Seychelles)
nail color (OPI You Don't Know Jacques!)

Usage:
After reading your comments on my suggestion that I was going to dress casually for my student conferences, and after reading A-Dubs's explanation of why she "feel[s] the need to bring it, sartorially" at this point in the semester, I had a change of heart.  I decided that those of you who suggested that meeting the students in the library created a neutral enough environment were right, so I decided to dress as I normally do when I teach.  It also occurred to me that I'd also be more comfortable in my regular "teaching" clothes than in a more casual outfit.  I'm still getting used to the different register of authority I'm experiencing as a graduate student instructor of undergraduates.  I'm more comfortable with the clear, distinct line drawn between "adult/authority" and "child/student" that I operated under in my high school classroom.  I realized that if I felt too casual, I might not be able to do my best work as a teacher during the conferences.

Looking back on the conferences, I feel like this was a good decision.  Most of the students seemed more at ease meeting with me in the library than they had been in my office.  When a few of the students suggested that I was too demanding or being too hard on them, it actually made me feel more comfortable to be in an open, public area than sitting in the corner of my office, too.  Those conferences were definitely the exception, though.  Most of the students came well prepared with appropriate questions to ask.  The real test, I know, will be if their next papers demonstrate an improvement.  If the conferences don't end up benefiting the students, though, I definitely benefited from them.  Having a chance to talk to each of the students individually actually reminded me of a lot of the things I really enjoy about teaching.  I think that having on my "teacher clothes" also made it easier for me to start the conference by asking how they are managing the transition into college without it seeming like I was trying to befriend them. 

An experienced high school teacher once told me, "Some days you'll find teaching exhausting, but if you find it exhilerating on most days, you know you've found the right profession."  I was worried that sitting through two hours of conferences for three straight days would wear me down, and several other instructors told me that they hate conferences.  I found my experience of holding conferences quite refreshing, actually, and I feel ready to guide them through the last few assignments with the hopes that they do better on those papers than the one I graded this week.  Because those were not good.  It's true what they say about a teacher's work never being done.

Prompts:

• If you teach, what do you find most exciting about working with students? 
• Whether you teach or not, are there any features of your job that you enjoy even though your colleagues disdain them?  What are they?  Why do you think you enjoy them more than others?
• And this is a sidebar, but how often do you theme dress?  I put on this almost-never-worn cardigan last week because, in my graduate class, we were discussing a novel in which turquoise stones figure prominently.  I figured I had to wear my turquoise necklace for this discussion, so I dug this cardigan out to complement it... and all the sudden, I had a great new way to wear this dress!

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?

Pants Practice

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I wore these pants here, and if you click the "cardigans" tab, you'll likely turn up oodles of results with this cardigan or an identical one.

Composition:
black cami (Kohl's)
red print tank (Isaac Mizrahi for Target: does anyone else miss his line there as much as I do?)
black and red beaded necklace (NY&Co)
black cardigan (NY&Co)
micro plaid trousers (Express)
black wedges (Lauren by Ralph Lauren)
"Metro Chic" polish (Sephora by OPI)

Usage:
So I've been trying to work on putting together outfits I like with pants since I wrote about my "pants prejudice" in last week's post.  I've been surfing some other blogs and looking at pants ensembles, and I've decided there is a standard pants outfit that "works."  The basic ingredients are:
1) a great pair of pants (I love all of mine, so that's not the problem)
2) a cute top (I have fewer of these)
3) a cardigan (I obviously have plenty of these)
4) at least one other item of interest (statement necklace, great earrings, belt, cute shoes, etc.)

I really liked this outfit.  I don't own a lot of prints, so this is as close to print mixing as I can come, even though I really like that styling choice.  (I actually had no idea that I don't buy prints until I started blogging.)  I like how the red top brings out the reddish/pinkish stripe in the micro plaid (I think you can make this out if you click to enlarge).  This necklace looks great up against the red top and black cardigan, and it also falls nicely with the neckline of the top.  And after what feels like a long time of deferring to neutral nail polishes, the cold weather prompted me to return to the fall hues that I fell in love with last year.

It all felt very pulled together and cohesive for me, and I ended up wishing I'd waited two days to wear it.  You can probably tell from my "I voted!" sticker that I wore this outfit on Tuesday, but it seems in retrospect like this would have been a perfect outfit to wear for the formal observation my teaching mentor is conducting in my classroom today.

Prompts:

• Can you share a list of "ingredients" for a different type of pants outfit that "works" for you?
• Can you think of anything I could add to this list of ingredients to mix it up?

Thoughts on Fur

Draft:

Composition:
cream cotton bow-tie top (Halogen via Nordstrom)
faux fur vest (Old Navy)
orange print skirt (Tucker for Target, gifted)
brown tights (Merona)
suede and leather boots (Franco Sarto via DSW)

Usage:
Today I attempt to parse my fist-pumping affection for the current furlike garment revival.  I can't decide if I'm for the democratization of fur in its less expensive faux forms, or if I'm legitimately opposed to authentic animal-derived garments.  Perhaps both.  Except, if the latter holds true for me, then I'd have to ditch these leather boots on ethical grounds.  And, frankly, I like leather.  Why doesn't wearing leather make me uncomfortable in the same way wearing genuine animal hair makes me uneasy?  It's likely that the tanning process so de-characterizes animal hides that it renders them unrecognizable, making it easier for wearers like me to disassociate the product from the source.  Not so with animal fur.  I wore a faux rabbit hair vest to class once, and, upon hugging me, a student declared she had "caught a bunny."

Not only do ethical issues make me uneasy about wearing genuine fur, but the same issues make me wary about the mere semblance of the authentic.  To the extent that, when wearing faux fur, I feel it necessary -- albeit ridiculous -- to preface all garment-related (ok, and -unrelated) conversation with "Don't worry,this isn't real."  Which is what I did yesterday while sporting this Old Navy vest.  (I can confirm that framing smalltalk in such a way ensures awkward social situations.)  If the mere suggestion of the authentic makes me bristle, then why not consider prints like the one Katie interrogated yesterday problematic?  Sure, gesturing at animal-derived material via printed cotton is less threatening, but exactly which garments warrant moral unease?  Only the real animal-derived clothes, or the ones that gesture at the real too?

I ask because this weekend, between handing out candy to costumed neighborhood kids, my husband and I chatted about our favorite childhood Halloween get-ups.  A psychologist's son, my husband noted that he was restricted or spared from (depending on your interpretation) wearing costumes that referenced violence or included pretend weapons.  "Why?" I asked. "Fake weapons are, well, fake."  To which he responded, "The semblance of the real can be problematic -- even harmful -- too."  Fair enough.

Should the same principle apply to fur?

Prompts:

• Ok, no holds barred, where do you stand on the animal fur issue?  Do you wear genuine animal hair garments, faux animal hair garments?  Do you wear animal prints?
• If you don't wear genuine animal fur for ethical reasons, then please elaborate on them.  As I'm thinking through this issue, it'd be helpful to hear your rationale.
• Since I mentioned leather too, what do you think about wearing it?  I haven't sufficiently researched the processes for preparing either animal fur or leather, so I'm wondering if they differ in important ways.
• On a lighter note, blogging friends weren't kidding when they raved over the Tucker for Target line.  This skirt is ubercomfortable, and the print works in my wardrobe even better than I expected.  Huzzah!

In the News: Leopard Print

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

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

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

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

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

Prompts:

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

Mid-Semester Slump

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I've found this purple dress to be more versatile than I expected, I wore this purple patterned top early in one of my first posts, and this gray cardigan gets almost as much wear as my gray boots.

Composition:
black, purple, and gray patterned top (Target)
gray cardigan (NY&Co)
purple jersey dress worn as a skirt (Victoria's Secret)
gray leather slouch boots (Steve Madden)

Usage:
You guys don't mind me being a little blurry, I hope-- Katie and I were experimenting with new photo shoot locations on campus, and we liked this brick wall, but we didn't quite get the camera settings right for the lighting.  I wanted to share this look though, because it's my favorite kind-- a brand new look that incorporates items I've had for a while but never thought to wear together before. 

I've had a busy week, and I haven't been able to post for quite a while because my computer was getting repaired (thankfully, under warranty!).  I hope you've all been doing well since my last post and that those of you working/studying in academia are surviving that mid-semester slump.  I'm at the point in my semester where I have to make a daily list of things to accomplish and cross them off one by one.  If I don't do this, I start to feel really overwhelmed by how much I have going on during any given day and how much I have yet to accomplish before the end is in sight.  On the day I wore this outfit, for example, I was on campus from 8am to 9pm!  It was super rainy, too, so I was glad to be in a moveable, comfortable outfit that made me feel good even through the long day.

Happy weekend, all!  

Prompts:

• How frequently do you come up with new "looks" using items you've had for quite some time?  Do you get as excited as I do when you create a brand new outfit by "remixing"?
• What are your strategies for getting through overwhelmingly busy periods at work and/or school?  Do you cut back on your blogging/blog reading during those periods, or do you use blogs as your mental escape?  I've still been reading all of my blogs, but I haven't had a chance to comment as frequently as I usually like to.

Red, White, and Meeeow!

Draft:

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

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

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

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

Prompts:

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

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? 

Befuddled

Draft:

Earlier Draft:
I wore almost the same look (with tights) in the first outfit post on our blog!

Composition:
navy and white printed dress (Target)
gray woven stretch belt (Charlotte Russe)
gray slouch boots (Steve Madden)

Usage:
As I mentioned when I posted this look the first time, I think it makes me look wide.  I don't really care, because I like wearing a low slung belt once in a while, and I'm actually kind of disappointed in myself that I haven't found more ways to wear this belt since I got it.  I like the gray and navy color combination, and this dress feels like the right length to wear with these boots, so I enjoy wearing this outfit.  There are a few things that drive me crazy about it, though.  The fit and length of the sleeves is not good.  I wish they were an inch or two shorter and not so gapey.  I love the print on this dress, but the mis-matchedness of it drives me a little crazy.  The print does not line up on the sides, on the two pockets that are on the chest, or where the fabric changes around the neck opening.  (If I had ever studied clothes for real, I'd know what that is called, but I have no idea.) 

Yet, this outfit gets the most compliments, hands down, of anything I ever wear.  People I don't know compliment it.  People that have never said a word about anything else I've ever worn compliment it.  People who usually think I "try too hard" have complimented it.  One male classmate whom I adore, but who must be one of the least fashion conscious people in the entire world complimented it.  (He liked what he considered its celtic looking pattern.)  Sometimes the compliments are decisive, like when two of my officemates were chatting and one of them stopped mid-sentence to say "You look so cute today, it's ridiculous!"   On this most recent wearing, I also got "what a fun print," "this is my favorite outfit that you wear," "I think those boots look great with skirts," and "great belt!"  Usually it is women who compliment my style choices, but this outfit gets compliments from men and women alike.  Sometimes it's like people don't even know why they like it, and they issue a statement that might be punctuated like "Liz, I really like that outfit?"

I don't know why they like it so much, either.  I mean, I like it, or I wouldn't wear it.  It's fun to have an ensemble stored away that you know will elicit at least five compliments anytime you leave the house in it.  (I counted twelve on one of the days I wore it in the Spring.)  I just wish I understood why this outfit is so appealing to everyone, especially since I don't think it is stereotypically "flattering" to my body, and the top half feels like mismatched print mania.

Prompts:

• Can you help me?  What's so great about this outfit?  If I have "nailed it" here, I wish I knew why, so I could figure out how to apply these strategies to other outfits.
• Might there be other reasons for why the outfit gets so much attention?  Does it seem radically different than other things people are used to seeing me in? 

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.)

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.

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!

Back to School Not Shopping

Drafts:

Composition:
Back to School Purchases:
black shift dress with skinny faux patent belt (H&M)
mustard toned buckled slice wedges (Nine West Outlet)
You've Seen Them (almost) All Befores:
purple cardi (NY&Co)
black faux patent belt (H&M)
punchy beaded necklace (Old Navy)
sand colored swing jacket (H&M)
gray short sleeved turtleneck (via sister's closet)
silver toned ring necklace (JC Penney?)
gray cardi (NY&Co)
clear lucite bead necklace (Kohl's)
faux snake print belt (Kohl's)
white and cream circle print top (H&M)
stone colored belt (NY&Co)

Usage:
I am taking a 30 day hiatus from shopping.  I have not yet found all of the items on my "back to school shopping" list, but I've decided to stop here-- with this black shift and these mustard slice wedges.  After reading Tania's description of how liberated she felt after her 30 days without shopping, I realized that is just the sort of liberation I need.  I don't buy very much, but I engage on thoroughly exhaustive hunts for the items I've decided I need.  When shopstyle shows up as one of the "top sites" in your web browser, you have a problem.  Since my semester starts soon, I think it makes perfect sense to set aside this annoying habit of mine for a while to focus on more important tasks.

To get myself excited about this undertaking, I thought I'd see how many different ways I could style this perfect! simple shift dress.  I only stopped here because I ran out of time, not because I ran out of ideas.  The course I'm teaching this semester meets fewer than 30 times, and I am 100% sure I could style this one dress in a different way for every single session.  And these shoes?! 

Two of the items on my back-to-school list were "colored wedge" and "nude closed-toe shoe," and I actually think this pair ticks both boxes.  I wore them with all of the outfits above mostly for convenience, but the experiment also confirms my suspicion that depending on the ensemble, they can function both as a neutral and as a pop of color.

I'm also pleased that this shift fits right into the conversation Anne-Marie started yesterday about 50s and 60s style trends.  What I'll add to her post is this: I think I feel different in my shift than the real life Joans and Bettys of the past felt in theirs.  Clothing technology has made some remarkable strides in the past 50 years.  I can purchase similar silhouettes, but my options are constructed from breathable, washable fabrics that move with me.  My version of femininity might look similar, but it doesn't require me to wear undergarments that dig into my body, either.  Anne-Marie's own experience with her belt in the heat speaks to how uncomfortable our clothes can make us in certain circumstances, and it gives me sympathy for all the ladies back in the day who had to learn to walk in skirts that minimized their strides.

So while some may say that its anti-feminist to return to styles that were popular when women's bodies were inhibited in these ways, I say to them: I can do a cartwheel in this dress and these shoes.  Thank goodness for stretch fabrics!  Since new technology has allowed the physical liberation of my body in these clothes, I'll argue that I can absolutely wear them without claiming all the old ideological baggage that they carried back in 1962. 

Prompts:

• What's your favorite closet workhorse?  Have you run out of ways to wear it yet?
• Have you ever stopped shopping for a predetermined length of time?  What was your experience with it?
• In your opinion, what's the best innovation in apparel technology from the past 50 years?  Why?

Home Away from (Academia) (Home)

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I found this charming, oversized blazer on sale in charm central, Savannah, Ga.
A turquoise necklace in the bib style?  Count me in.
I've worn these sweet yellow flats with a spectrum of hues.

Composition:
strapless floral dress (ShopMamie)
linen blazer (Gap)
turquoise necklace (ShopMamie)
yellow flats (Target)

Usage:
Liz coaxed me out of hiding yesterday for a dinner and shopping date.  Given that I have spent the past week hibernating in T-shirts and devouring stacks of chick-lit novels, I was grateful for the outing.  I washed my hair and wore real clothing*.  It was awesome.

Equally awesome?  My hiatus from the computer has helped me feel at home with myself, stylistically and otherwise.  When I last posted, I was preparing to paint the very last room in the townhouse my husband and I had purchased in October and delayed updating 'til May.  Since that post, we've committed ourselves full-force to final renovations.  Now we're feeling at home in our first place, among our own furniture, with our own art hanging on the walls.  We sleep better at night, we host friends more often, and we devote dinners to real conversation, not to rattling off To-Do lists.  Nevermind that our second bathroom is still tiled floor-to-ceiling with dragonfly-inspired ceramic work.  It's fulfilling to feel ownership of something, flaws and all, I'm remembering.

Since reading - and relating to - Katie's candid post about body insecurities, I've become convinced that transferring my home ownership lessons to my clothing choices would revolutionize my self-perception.  Katie mentioned that wearing identical bridesmaid dresses invites body comparison; likewise, I've noticed that living in a neighborhood of nearly-identical brick townhouses invites neighborly property evaluation.  That's to be expected.  But the similarities between my street-mate's house and mine inspire me to make my space unique.  Even though I appreciate the hostas in her front yard, say, I enjoy my unruly azaleas because, well, they're mine.  They represent several Saturday mornings of my own sweaty, T-shirt-tanning diligence.  (I feel like there's a Robert Frost poem about this.  The property-owning and hedge-trimming, not the farmer's-tanning, I mean.)  What if I dressed my body out of a similar spirit of appreciation and pride of ownership?

For me, Krista's guest-post about maternity wear sealed the deal on this sartorial lesson.  I love that she dresses to celebrate her baby bump, reveling in her stage of life and appreciating her body's capabilities.  Even though I'm not in a baby-making headspace these days, her wardrobe advice for expecting moms makes me feel confident about dressing for my circumstances.  Admittedly, I've been stressing over composing professional outfits while I'm away from academia.  Right now I can't make the pseudo-professorial clothes work, not only because I'm no longer in the environment, but also because my heart's not in it.  I'm in a different place now, and Krista's post reminded me that it's okay.  I'm beginning to appreciate my body for its replace-my-reading-plan-with-DIY-projects accomplishments, and I'm starting to dress like this post-grad school phase of life is home.  For now, at least.  It feels pretty good.

*This dress might function best as a beach cover-up.  I'm still deciding.  For now, as long as the temperatures remain scorchingly high, I feel bold enough to go city-street public with it.

Prompts:

• How do you best represent yourself during life transitions?  Do you find that your wardrobe choices change dramatically, or do you take comfort in keeping your wardrobe choices consistent?
• What's your take on the body = house analogy?  Veteran homeowners, do you find that owning a house makes you appreciate it in different ways?  Have your property-owning responsibilities affected the way you dress?
• From reading your blogs - it's great to catch up on your lives after being away! - it seems like many of you are also rethinking self-perception through clothing choices.  Please share the sartorial/life lessons you've learned this season!

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?

Dressing For the Job I Have

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
I showed you this bag when I went out to eat with the girls, I love these skinnes, I talked you through my purchase of these sunnies, and these wedges have become my official shoe of the summer.

Composition:
Ray-Ban New Wayfarer sunnies (via Zappos)
white and purple print top (H&M)
cream leather bag (Kate Spade via ebay)
dark wash skinnies (American Eagle)
white canvas wedges (MIA)

Usage:
For the past two years, my job as a graduate assistant has been to assist in the office in whatever capacity I'm able.  It would have been easy to show up in jeans and a cute top every day, and I'm sure no one would have thought twice about it.  But I've always believed in dressing for the job you want, not for the job you have.  Since I want the job of an English professor, I've been dressing like one for the past two years.  You guys know this.  You've seen the type of outfits I put together.

But this past Friday was my last day of work in the office before I got to switch over to a teaching position, so I thought I'd celebrate the end of my office responsibilities by dressing for the job I now have rather than the one I'm working toward.  As of Friday, I'm officially a PhD student on summer vacation until the end of August, so I wore exactly what I felt like wearing.  I resisted the urge to think about whether I looked professional enough or whether I'd be taken seriously in my outfit.

I don't think anyone in the office really noticed that I was dressed any differently.  But thinking about dressing for the job I have was a fun way for me to celebrate how excited I am to start teaching again as a funded PhD student.  It's generally against my nature to go out of my way to pat myself on my back, but I've been working on taking ownership of my accomplishments ever since I completely crumbled under the pressure of receiving praise during my Master's defense.  I know I'm lucky to have been admitted to the PhD program-- but if I continue to act like it's only luck that got me here, I'm going to have a hard time convincing people to take my ideas seriously.  It felt good to get dressed with the attitude that what I wear doesn't matter much because I've already earned my spot in this program, even if it was just for one day.

Prompts:

• How often do you dress for the job you have versus dressing for the job you want?
• Have you managed to strike a balance between being thankful for the opportunities you've been afforded while also taking pride in and ownership of your accomplishments?  If so, any tips?

She's Got It In the Bag

Draft:

Composition:
red vinyl laptop bag (Vie via Target)
clear acrylic beaded necklace (Kohl's)
black cami (Old Navy)
black and white print wrap dress (Target)
black patent belt (H&M)
black leather wedges (Lauren Ralph Lauren)

Usage:
While wearing this black and white ensemble, I was extra conscious of the red laptop bag I've been carrying to my summer class.  I've said before that I find myself gravitating toward classic black and white combinations fairly often, and though I don't think this look "needs" a pop of color, I do like what the bag adds to the outfit.  I've been carrying this bag (which dates back to my days as a high school teacher) because my giant German textbook doesn't fit in my favorite scholarly bag or my new summer staple, and it has has reminded me what a big impact colored accessories can make.

Since I was thinking about my bag, I looked around my class and realized that the bag is another thing that sets me apart from the undergrads; every last one of them has a backpack!  Last week, when I was thinking and writing about why I might have been mistaken for the instructor, it didn't even occur to me that this bag might have been the (mis)leading indicator.  I think I might have been oblivious to the ubiquity of undergrad backpacks for two reasons.  First, I carried a messenger bag in undergrad (yes, I went to school during the four years when those were cool), so I haven't carried a backpack myself since high school.  And since my own high school students weren't allowed to bring their backpacks to class, backpacks haven't been on my radar for about ten years.

This easy wrap dress has been a staple in my wardrobe for years, so I'm kind of surprised that this is the first time it has found its way onto the blog.  It was actually one of the first things I bought when I decided I was going to make-over my wardrobe to look more tailored and professional.  A friend of mine who still teaches high school was just telling me that lately, she finds herself more and more drawn toward buying dresses instead of separates (Hi Danielle!).  I think a few versatile jersey dresses are definitely good foundational pieces for building a professional wardrobe.

And look at that-- we've surpassed 100 posts on the blog!  When we started writing, we had no idea what kind of response we would get, but we continue to enjoy your participation in these conversations.  You all reassure us every day that there are plenty of other intelligent, critical, serious thinkers out there who also nurture an interest in style and fashion, and we're so glad to have found you!

Prompts:

• Do you prefer carrying a shoulder bag, a backpack, or something else?  Or do you switch between different styles of bags depending on the event?  I carry single strap shoulder bags almost exclusively, but I do like that double strap bags tend to be easier to keep on your shoulder while you're rifling through them.
• Do you have any suggestions for our next 100 posts?

How to Be Mistaken for the Instructor

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:
This whole ensemble is new (except for the wedges that may soon fuse to my feet), but this is a pink version of the same blue print dress I've been wearing to death and the purple one I took out of my sister's closet during black-out week.

Composition:
pink satin dress and belt (H&M via sister's closet)
abstract floral/rorschach test print tee (American Eagle)
white canvas wedges (MIA)

Usage:
Two weeks ago, I started a six week intensive intermediate German course in order to get a head start on my PhD degree's foreign language requirement.  I spoke German fairly well after studying it in high school and college, but that was years ago, so I am really enjoying getting back into the language.  I'm taking it with undergrads, so I anticipated that they might mistake me for the instructor.  In an attempt to avoid this confusion, I wore the more "casual" of my work-appropriate ensembles during the first week (like this one and this one) and no one mistook me for the instructor.  Success!!... I thought.

Until the second week.  When I cruised down the hallway Monday morning wearing this more formal ensemble (but with short sleeves), a young student waiting outside the classroom hit me with "Are you the teacher?"  I answered "No," but she still told me she was hoping to add the class after being on the waitlist.  I said "She usually gets here about 10 minutes before class," but I thought "then where were you last week?"

Anyhow, my instructor is the same age as me, and even dresses fairly similarly, so though this young lady had never seen her, the guess wasn't far off.  In fact, when my instructor arrived that day in the black version of this beloved, extremely versatile H&M dress, I laughed to myself and felt jealous that I don't own it in black.  (Perfect LBD material!)  When she complimented me on this bold, experimental (for me, at least) pink and purple ensemble the following day, we commiserated about how difficult it is to dress in this heat.  She also told me she never thought of wearing a top over a dress before, and she is going to try it next week.

I agree with her-- I really like how this $3 clearance tee from AE gave a whole new look to this dress.  I felt like putting the belt that came with the dress over the top of the tee brought the whole thing together and drew attention to the pink flowers? splotches? on the tee.  And, while there was a lot of girl-love for that outfit that day (Katie and another office mate both complimented me on it), one guy who sits behind me in German class said "What do you see in her shirt?  It looks like a horse to me."  Oh, undergrads... how I have missed you! : )

Prompts:

• For those of you who teach, do you feel pressure to dress differently when playing the role of "student" than you do when playing the role of "instructor"?
• Or maybe, how do you dress when you'll be in a group of people who are, in general, noticably older or younger than you?  Do you dress to match or do you just wear your normal attire?
• How else might I style this tee?  It's actually deep purple, not black... and I have an identical one in different, almost neon shades of pink.  I haven't worn them much, though, because I'm having trouble figuring out what they "go" with, and they're banded at the bottom, which makes them difficult to wear with jeans or shorts.