Biking and Convocating

I have spent a lot of time this past week either biking to or from campus or in orientation sessions and mixers for new faculty at my university.  On Monday I got a reprieve from orientating, but discovered that my presence was expected at two opening convocation ceremonies.  The institution where I was a visiting faculty member last year was big on academic regalia, and caps and gowns and doctoral hoods were de rigueur for such ceremonies, so I was relieved to learn that I didn't have to find some random gown to wear.*  My chair told me that business/ casual dress was the order of the day for opening convocations here.  So I opted for a dress instead of a gown.¹

1. Dress - BCBG (remixed), Tank - H&M (remixed), Shoes - Mia (remixed), Necklace - Boutique in Murano, Italy, Purse - Nine West (remixed)

I have been loving riding my bike to campus.  Admittedly, I have to arm myself with a comb to combat helmet hair and pettipants to combat the flashing of colleagues and students, and I have to pedal up a couple of sizeable hills.  However, it's all worth it when I fly down the biggest hill on my way home!

* I refuse to buy the gown and hood from my doctoral granting institution until either my husband or I have a tenure-track job because it is almost $1000 -- in other words, it costs more than my wedding gown.  Have you ever bought a cap/hood and gown?  How much did it cost you?