Shopping Rules

Draft:

Composition:
eyeglasses (Kate Spade)
black cami (Old Navy)
black and white top (Charlotte Russe)
purple cardigan (NY&Co)
watch (Fossil)
polish (OPI Pamplona Purple)
black pencil skirt (NY&Co)
black gladiator heels (Vera Wang for Kohl's)

Usage:
When I was reading Katie's post about fashion rules on Thursday, it brought to mind the scene in The Blind Side in which Leigh Anne Tuohy (played by Sandra Bullock) says something along the lines of, "If you don't love it in the store, don't buy it.  You'll never love it more in your closet than you do in the store."  I was thinking of this as a fashion rule that I generally follow, but then I decided it's more of a shopping rule than a fashion rule.

I also realized that though I generally think it's good advice, there are several items in my closet that defy its logic.  I own several items that I've grown to like better as I wore them or found new ways to style them.  This black and white sheer printed top is the best example of this tendency of mine.  I bought it last year on clearance when I was trying to find tops to wear to celebrate my sister's 21st birthday in Las Vegas.  It was outside my style comfort zone because of all the ruffles, a weird tie at the neck that I ended up cutting off, and its pseudo-animal print.  I didn't even wear it on my sister's birthday weekend, but I started wearing it when I got bored with my wardrobe.  Initially, I wore it under cardigans to temper the boldness of the print.  Because I started getting compliments on the top, I felt more comfortable stepping outside my comfort zone and embracing the ruffles.

For the past year and a half, I've been wearing it regularly alone and layered under cardigans.  It's become one of my most versatile tops!  The cut is flattering to my shoulders without showing too much skin for the office, and I also like how it flows away from my body without looking bulky.  As it turns out, it wasn't a bad way to spend $4!

Prompts:

• Do you have any useful shopping rules or guidelines that you're willing to share?
• Do you find Ms. Touhy's advice to be true for you, or do you also begin to feel differently about items of apparel as you wear them?
• Does the way others react to your clothing influence how or how often you wear certain items?

Dressing for University Commencement II

Draft:

Composition:
blue cotton dress (BB Dakota by Jack via ModCloth)
orange peep-toe heels (Anne Klein via Macy's)
assorted wooden and enamel jewelry (thrifted)

Usage:
On Wednesday I shared the first tentative outfit for my brother's university commencement.  Today, I'm test-driving the second tentative ensemble for tomorrow's affair.

With this look I've departed from not only the first outfit's subdued grey and pink color scheme, but I've also departed from my usual insistence on minimal accessories. 

As for my first departure, I've embraced with this look a Two-Thirds Color Scheme.  As the ladies of Academichic explain, Two-Thirds schemes combine hues that are equidistant from each other on the color wheel.  Although, depending on your categorization of the particular shades of blue and orange featured in my outfit, you might even consider this a Complementary Color Scheme.  How do you qualify this combination?

As for my second departure, I've experimented with Liz's over-styling versus under-styling categories.  Normally, I wouldn't wear bracelets and earrings simultaneously, nor would I wear them with a coordinating shoe, but I do enjoy the related punches of orange.  I own an orange beaded enamel necklace, but I ultimately determined that wearing it along with the other accessories would relegate this look to the over-styled category.  How would you qualify my use of accessories?

On another note: given the rainy forecast, I considered donning pants and flats for the primarily outdoors, albeit sheltered, event.  However, Liz's recent post on wearing skirts in rainy weather has inspired me to abandon the pants plan and give my legs a chance to, erm, brave the elements.

Prompts: 

• How do you categorize this color combination, as a Two-Thirds Scheme or a Complementary Scheme?
• What's your take on my use of accessories?  Does the outfit call for more or less?
• And, ultimately, which outfit should I wear for tomorrow's affair?  Wednesday's look or today's?

Fashion "Rules"

Draft: 

Composition:

white, yellow, black floral print dress (Macy's)

black sandals (DSW)

Usage:

Well, spring is here, and it is gorgeous.  In honor of the lovely weather, I wore this dress.  I like the shape of the neckline, and the belted waist gives it a nice shape.  I usually don't wear much yellow - not really my color - but last year, I had an obsession with finding a yellow dress.  This one caught my eye because it had just enough yellow to satisfy my craving, but not enough to horribly clash with my skin tone and hair.

This dress has a cooler look due to the white background and the material (it's linen, so please excuse the wrinkles - I took the picture at the end of the day), nice for the warm weather we're experiencing.  However, by wearing white on May 5, I did break the "no white except between Memorial Day and Labor Day" fashion rule.  Now, I've always thought that any strict fashion guidelines like that are meant to be broken, and as I understand it, they are more flexible depending on your regional affiliations (Anne-Marie, care to comment?).  I've never had a problem wearing white after Labor Day, and I even wonder if people nowadays still take these "rules" into account.

Prompts:

• What fashion "rules" do you disregard?  What, if any, fashion "rules" do you follow?
• What new fashion "rules" would you write?

Dressing for University Commencement: I

Draft:

Earlier Drafts:  
Blazer? Meet Bermuda Shorts. 
 
Composition:
rose silk-blend dress (Lulu's)
grey blazer (Gap)
nude heels (Nine West via Piperlime)
cream beaded clutch (vintage)

Usage:
This weekend I will attend my brother's college graduation in South Carolina.  Today and on Friday I'll post my tentative outfits for the affair.

Let me preface this look by saying that, last year, when I attended the same ceremony at the same institution, ladies dressed as if they had received invitations for a Kentucky Derby after party.  I felt blissfully overloaded by linen, silk, and wide-brim hats.  Last May, I wore a simple cotton poplin frock.  This year, I want to maximize the dress code and debut one of my latest wardrobe additions.  Hence the silk-blend, tiered dress you see above.

I like this dress not only because it weighs very little, which will be ideal for staying cool while sitting outdoors, but the dress' detailing also merits very few accessories, a characteristic which tops my garment must-have list.  I also appreciate that the subdued hue does not require me to boast a summer tan, as a brighter color would, for I certainly do not have tanned skin this early in the season.  What's more, the naturally rosy shade pairs well with the nude heels, and, in so doing, it allows me to experiment further with my latest trend interest.

I considered coupling the dress with a beige cardigan and also with a cream-colored shrug, but neither gestured at the scholarly vibe of a university commencement quite like this grey blazer.  Earlier this week, S. of Academichic reiterated the importance of context in the reading of one's dressing habits. So I take a cue from her and from my event's environment in choosing this wool-blend jacket.

I'll venture into gendered territory and suggest that the masculine social association of the blazer juxtaposes in an interesting way with the feminine connotation of the dress.  I'm wondering if such a juxaposition in effect acknowledges the arbitrariness of gendered associations and erases the sexualized connotations of my garments.  Do you think this ensemble ends up looking androgynous?

If I choose to wear this outfit, I'll also recycle the beaded clutch which I last carried in my wedding two years ago.  I like the symmetry of the twin applique flowers on both the clutch and the dress waistband, for it lends the outfit some cohesion.  Do you think, though, that the beaded detailing detracts from the outfit by complicating it?

Prompts: 

• How do you dress for formal, outdoor events?  Do you have a go-to look?
• How do you dress in such a way that distinguishes the formality of a university event from, say, the formality of a wedding?
• Any outfit ideas you'd like me to try on Friday?

Rainy Day Dressing

Draft:

Composition:
turquoise necklace (Kohl's)
navy cotton dress (Target)
brown stretch belt (Kohl's)
brown leather sandals (Sanuk, gift from my aunt)

Usage:

Yesterday I woke up during a torrential downpour.  The forecast called for thunderstorms all day, and it was supposed to get up into the 80s.  Hot weather alone forces me to evaluate how much skin is appropriate for the office, but throw in thunderstorms, and you've got my dressing nightmare.

Though it might seem counter intuitive, I usually wear skirts on rainy days.  I hate sitting at my desk with wet pant cuffs, and my legs dry much faster than pants do even if I'm wearing tights. I see plenty of ladies on campus wearing wellies, and though I can see how functional they are, I haven't purchased a pair for myself.  They look fine over jeans or (gasp!) leggings, but I can't quite picture my Express trousers tucked inside a big rubber boot.  I also imagine that my feet would get pretty steamy inside those boots on a day like yesterday, and I'd rather my feet be moist from the rain.

I picked this dress up on clearance, and it quickly became one of my summertime staples.  Plus, it's great for a rainy, humid day.  The tight weave of the cotton seems to resist absorbing water, and it dries really quickly.  I first planned to wear my brown wedge sandals but opted for these flat sandals instead because I know they dry quickly.  I have an ongoing debate with myself about how casual these sandals are; I know they're essentially glorified flip-flops, but I wear them to the office anyway.  They're my favorites of all the sandals I've ever owned, and they remind me of my aunt, so perhaps that clouds my judgment.  I know there are plenty of workplaces that still frown on all open-toed shoes for women, and many more that disallow flip-flops and sleeveless tops.  I have no idea how someone who worked in an office like that would dress on these types of days!

Prompts:

• How do you approach dressing during hot weather?  Rainy weather?  Humid weather?
• Would this outfit fly in your office or classroom?  If your study/workplace has a more strict dress code, how do you negotiate the warmer months?
• Any other particular dressing difficulties you'd like to see us tackle?

Dressing for yourself

Draft:

Composition:
black and white floral skirt (The Limited)
black top (H&M)
black wedges (Macy's)

Usage:
I've been thinking about what Liz wrote about in her last post about wearing heels and dressing in a feminine way.  As someone who frequently chooses more traditionally feminine styles (see: floral skirt and bows on the wedges here) and as someone who has time and time again professed her love of high heels, I wanted to weigh in on some of these choices.  For this post, I particularly want to address Liz's question in the comments on the last post of why wearing high heels make certain women feel more confident.

Not all of my heels are super high.   I love kitten heels, and I wear the pictured wedges frequently.  There are two main reasons why I like wearing heels that boost me up anywhere from >1 inch to 4+ inches.  As implied with the end of that last statement, heels give me extra height.  Now, heels may prohibit women's movements - though I'd argue that with the right shoe, properly broken in, not as much as you'd think, or rather not significantly more than new dress shoes cramp men's movements - but they also work in overcoming certain the general height differences between men and women.  At ~5'4", most men are taller than me, and that physical difference can be intimidating.  Heels lessen that disparity.

The second reason is extremely personal.  My freshman year of college, I had a medical condition that required serious surgery on my left leg.  Subsequently, I had a hole in my bone near my ankle for about five years.  It took about that long for the bone to regrow, and I was finally medically cleared my first year of graduate school.  During the bone regrowth - not to mention the time I spent on crutches, in a boot, and rehabilitating - shoe decisions were extremely fraught.  I couldn't wear most styles, so my shoe choices were pretty limited.  Anytime I wore high heels (which wasn't often) even years after the surgery, the next day my ankle would swell up, and I would spend the next few days in pain, limping around.  Only in the past two years or so was I able to actually wear high heels without fallout.  Now when I wear heels, it reminds me of the ordeal I went through, how far I've come, and the strength I know I have.  For others looking at my shoes, they might just seem like a patriarchal ploy, but for me, they signify a personal victory.

Prompts: 

• I'm interested on taller women's perspective on wearing high heels to give yourself height.  Do you like the extra height advantage high heels provide or do you gravitate towards flats or lower heels?
• Do you dress for others or for yourself?  Are there certain items that you wear that have a personal significance that trumps the image you may be presenting to others?

Adrienne Rich and Heels

Draft:

Composition:
white v-neck t-shirt (American Eagle)
sand swing jacket (H&M)
gray jersey print skirt (H&M)
cork wedges (Michael Shannon via DSW)
white flip flops (Gap)

In one of my classes recently, we discussed Adrienne Rich's 1980 essay, "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence."  Rich lists high heels as one of the ways men use their power "to confine [women] physically and prevent their movement." She argues that heels are thus part of the "cluster of forces within which women have been convinced that marriage and sexual orientation toward men are inevitable."  A few of my classmates pointed to this passage specifically and admitted to feeling conflicted because they like to wear high heels.

I tried to make the point that in 2010, we can wear high heels differently than women could in 1980.  I believe that because of the advances made in the past 30 years by women like Rich, it is now possible for women to wear heels assertively.  One of our professors uses this Ann Richards quote as part of her email signature:

"If you give us a chance, women can perform. After all, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels."

This is the spirit in which I like to think I wear high heels.  I hope my choice to wear heels indicates that I'm capable of managing all of my responsibilities, thinking critically about my work, and taking an interest in fashion and style.  I'm conscious, though, that others do not always "read" heels in this way.

As I thought this through, I realized that I don't have very many "traditionally feminine" high heels in my closet.  I prefer wedges, and I don't own a single pair of stilettos or pointy-toed pumps.  Evidently, I'm also drawn to thick straps.  Though I probably wear the black almond-toed wedges more than all of my other heels combined, all six of these pairs are in somewhat regular rotation in my wardrobe:

While taking the photos for this post, I couldn't help but wonder if I stay away from shoes that are coded as overtly "feminine" because I don't really believe that I can wear shoes like that assertively.  My heel collection is certainly much different than Katie's or Anne-Marie's, both of whom seem comfortable with more traditionally feminine styles.  On the other hand, I think my collection of heels makes sense given my general aesthetic preferences.  I don't own a single item of apparel that has a bow on it.  I think one of the reasons I wear belts so regularly is because I'm really drawn to the look of buckles.  Until recently, I preferred pleats to ruffles.

For this look, I thought I'd photograph both pairs of sandals that I considered wearing.  One of the things I previously said I liked about heels is that they make me stand up straighter, but my posture in both of these photos is so terrible that I'm not sure that's actually true.  (As a side note, posing for these photos is, for me, definitely the most difficult element of contributing to this blog.  Fellow fashion/style bloggers, can you empathize?)  I ended up wearing the flip-flops.  After this mental exercise, I find myself feeling thoroughly ambiguous about heels, but I'm glad I've begun to think more critically about how, when, and why I wear them.

Work Cited:

Rich, Adrienne. "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence." Adrienne Rich's Poetry and Prose. W W Norton & Co Inc, 1993. 203-224. Print.  Google Books.

Prompts:

• How do you respond to Adrienne Rich's criticism of high heels?  
• Am I right in suggesting that the ways in which we can wear heels have changed since she composed this groundbreaking essay?  I'd love to hear people's thoughts on this issue.
• Do you wear high heels or do you opt out of this trend?  Why?