30/30 Finally! Finals & Finale

I wore my last 30x30 outfit on the first day of finals week, which also happened to be the day that I gave my first final exam here.  My students had a take-home essay and a paper revision due for the final exam, and although they were turning them in online I went into campus just in case there were any issues/disasters.  Thanks to Murphy's Law, because I went in for the afternoon, everything went off without a hitch.

 30x30 Items: 4. Plaid Dress - Rabbit Rabbit + 25. Velveteen Blazer - Rafaella + 27. Spectator Oxford Pumps - r2

Accessories: Amethyst Tights - We Love Colors, Polka Dot Tights - Target, Belt - from this dress

Here are some things I have learned doing this challenge.  I am pretty good at remixing - years on a grad student budget will do that to a person.  I do not have the time to take photos on a daily basis -- much less write up a post.  That's okay because I have never envisioned this blog as a daily outfit log or journal.  While I post some of my outfits, I've never felt the need to post all of them, and my goal all along had been more to invite discussion on particular issues that have to do with the intersections of sartorial choices and other issues, particularly those having to do with the strange workplace that is academia.  I certainly enjoy and appreciate comments on particular outfits and welcome those!  However, I want to get back that original mission along with the outfit photos.  If you are only here for the outfits, you may just want to scroll down to the last line....

As an academic I self-fashion myself into and perform the role of researcher, writer, instructor, colleague, advisor, and often all on the same day.  There are few jobs that involve dealing with so many sensibilities on a regular basis.  Not only am I dressing to teach my classes, but I'm also dressing to meet with colleagues and occasionally administrators.  Some of them may have particular feelings and expectations about the dress of their students and colleagues.  Just read the comments on any Chronicle article about attire or hotness, there are clearly academics who believe that students and fellow faculty in miniskirts or baggy pants aren't politically aware.  Some think that a hint of cleavage or a visible tattoo are indicators of an academic lightweight and/or an unworthy colleague.  Yet, others consider the ability to flaunt tattoos and to show a hint of cleavage or to wear trackpants one of the perks of working in academe.  Negotiating this can be fascinating and problematic.  SFE has blogged about her longer hair being a potential marker of her youth and thus potentially one of her inexperience as a teacher in the classroom.  I have blogged about my reticence in wearing skinny jeans or shorter skirts on campus. Herr Doktor and I have dialogued about visible piercings in the academy.

Ultimately who defines what is professional attire in the academy?  Is it women and men and genderqueers with some semblance of agency?  Or are we only barely managing to push against an entrenched patriarchal framework that is part of the legacy of academia's long domination by white men in tweed jackets?  So that's your final exam prompt readers.  You have 1 hour and 50 minutes.

On another note, make sure to stop by tomorrow because we'll be having an awesome giveaway!

28/30 & 29/30 Monochrome and Monotone

These two outfits weren't my most inspired of the 30x30 challenge by far.  I wore #28 for an 8am department meeting and to write a final exam on Friday.  By noon I had fled the office in an attempt to beat the worst of the snowstorm home.

30x30 Items: 9. Purple Corduroys - Mango + 19. Grey Top - Zara + 24. Purple Cardi - August Silk + Sub 3. Duck Boots - Ugg

30x30 Items: 7. Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans - Express + 13. Ecru blouse - BCBG + Sub 2. Melon Cardi - New York & Co. + 29. Red Mary Janes - John Fluevog

Accessories: Earring turned necklace (self-made), Beer - Left Hand Brewing Co.

Outfit 29 was for a day of reading, football watching, and hanging out with Bailey.  She doesn't mind when my outfits are uninspired, but she gets a little freaked when I yell at the TV during Sooner football games.

I'm sorry for the brief and rather boring post.  I'm trying to get through a bunch of final papers before lunch with some colleagues today.  Do you root for any college football teams?  Do you feel any affiliation to the athletics of the university you attended as an undergraduate?  What about where you went to grad school?  Where you work?

26/30 & 27/30: Bowling Lessons and Interview Attire Musings

I didn't get a chance to get photos of outfit 26.  The day that I wore it I had a long day on campus followed by an excursion with the student organization that I advise.  Since it was the week before finals, they wanted to go bowling to blow off some steam.  I feared that I would throw nothing but gutter balls as the last time I had bowled was about 20 years ago, and I was embarrassingly terrible then.  I threw a couple of strikes and a spare!!  The moral of the story here is that if you suck at bowling when you are a tween, you might not in your 30s.

Outfit 26: 7. Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans - Express + 16. Black & White Striped Top + 21. Yellow Embellished Cardi - New York & Co. + 26. Bondgirls - John Fluevog + this scarf

I wore outfit 27 on the last day of classes for the semester.  I held review sessions in my two survey classes and, along with a colleague in modern languages, had coffee with a job candidate in yet another department.

 30x30 Items: 3. Blue Sweater Wrap Dress - Target + 30. Grey Slouchy Boots - Steve Madden

Accessories: Scarf - gift from friend (remixed), Tights - We Love Colors

It was a little weird to be on the other side of that particular job market experience, and I found myself paying special attention because as a VAP I could very well be back on the candidate side of that cup of coffee sometime in the near future (if I'm lucky).  If/when that happens, I won't be wearing brightly colored amethyst tights or slouchy boots like these, but I do want to emphasize that boots have a place on the campus interview circuit.

I have seen some people criticize the choice of a boot on job candidates, but if your interview is in, say, Nebraska or upstate New York in February, I would suggest that wearing boots indicates that you have done your research and understand your wintry surroundings. A colleague and I discussed this a while back.  He was telling me that someone once came to our upper Midwestern campus for an interview in February without a real winter coat and wearing shoes that raised some eyebrows because some wondered if the candidate would be able to negotiate snowy and icy paths without slipping and falling in them.  The moral of the story here is that if you have an interview you should check the forecast and plan accordingly.

What are your thoughts on boots at job interviews, academic or otherwise?

Edit: for my more general thoughts on interview attire see the guest post I wrote on the subject last year for What Would A Nerd Wear.

25/30 & Friend Friday: Blogger Burnout

For those not interested in my take on this week's Friend Friday topic, you can scroll down for my outfit.

The questions for this week's Friend Friday post particularly interested me because I occasionally feel a bit of blogger burnout and a couple of times have even considered stepping away from Fashionable Academics.  So far I have always decided not to do so, but I must admit that I'm planning on taking a winter vacation from Style Nation this year.

1. How many hours a week do you spend blogging? Has that number changed since you started blogging?
To be honest, the time I spend blogging varies greatly from week to week.  It depends on whether or not I have other deadlines, lots of papers to grade, and what's going on on the blog.  Since I have co-bloggers, I don't feel compelled to write posts every day by any stretch of the imagination, but doing challenges like Kendi's 30x30 or compiling links and pictures for CFP's can greatly increase the amount of time I spend blogging.  The first couple of months FA existed I only posted a couple of times a week and I only commented on a few other blogs.  In general, the amount of time has definitely increased so that I probably average about 8-10 hours a week spent taking photos, writing posts, and commenting on the blogs of others.

2. There is always more you can do, write, read comment on... how do you limit your time spent on these tasks?
I'm sure for everyone it's different, but the biggest way I've found to limit the time that I spend reading and commenting is to comment mostly only on the blogs of those who comment on our blog.  When I check out a new blog, I leave a comment, if the comment gets returned, I go back and if/when I rapport develops, I add the blog to my reader and comment regularly.  I know that not everyone has time or inclination to return comments on a daily basis, but since the dialogue and community aspect is so important to me I prefer to read the posts of bloggers who make an effort to return comments at least once or twice a week.  I know some bloggers don't comment or almost never do other than on a select few blogs, and while I certainly think that's within their rights as bloggers, it makes me a lot less likely to spend much time in their corner of Style Nation.  I do still read a few of those kinds of blogs, but I tend to skim them more quickly or only visit them once every couple of weeks.  I'm sure there is a lot of great content that I'm missing out on because this method isn't perfect, but it keeps the amount of time I spend blogging to a reasonable level.

3. Have you experienced Blogger burnout yet? How have you dealt with that?
I have experienced some burnout.  The biggest issue for me is that sometimes I feel frustrated that even though our readership has grown a lot over the past few months, we don't seem to be getting many more comments on posts.  In fact, I'd say the number of comments has stayed the same or even decreased since January to March of last year.  I try not to let this bother me, but sometimes it does.  And when I start to obsess about the number of comments we get on posts that's what seems to trigger feelings of burnout more than any other aspect of blogging does.

4. This time of year is always a lot busier than any other time.  Will your blogging change as a result?
As I mentioned above, I plan on taking some time off this year.  I will be taking a 3-4 day break from blogging next week as I frantically grade final papers and exams.  I won't be posting, and I probably won't be reading or commenting on other blogs for that period.  I also intend to take about a week off later in the month.  I will be spending the holidays with family and getting some work done on some academic projects that I don't have much time to devote to during the semester because of my teaching load.

5. Could you foresee a moment in which you are not blogging anymore?  How would you identify that it's time to walk away?
Yes.  I can imagine a future in which I would stop blogging at FA.  I hate to say it but with the academic job market being what it is, there is a possibility that I might not end up permanently in academia.  I hate to think about that because I love what I do.  It can be demoralizing, but I cannot make the percentage of tenure track jobs in my field increase.  While obviously style outside of the professartorial interests me, I'm not sure if I would continue to be a style blogger without the particular context that I've been writing in for the past year and a half.  I would also consider walking away from blogging if it no longer gave me a creative outlet and if it no longer felt like a hobby.

Now on to outfit #25.  For my next to last day of teaching this term, I wanted an extra layer of warmth so I wore a dress as a blouse underneath a skirt.  With the addition of tights, a slip, and my favorite new cardi, I managed to stay warm when I had to dodge between buildings and while in my slightly drafty office for office hours.

 30x30 Items: 5. Patterned Red Dress - Nine West + 11. Black A-Line Skirt - Sandro + Sub 2. Melon Ruffle Cardi - New York & Co. + 26. Bondgirls - John Fluevog

Accessories: Tights - Top Shop (remixed), Boleyn Necklace - Wendy Brandes (remixed)

 What's your take on blogger burnout?  What are your plans for the weekend?  Are you grading final exams yet?  Grad students, are you writing seminar papers right now?

23/30 & 24/30 Grading Extravaganza

On Sunday and Monday I spent pretty much every moment I had grading research papers.  Outfit 23 is weekend grading casual and outfit 24 is more on the professartorial side of things since I taught and had a meeting that day, as well.

30x30 Items: 7. Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans - Express + 17. Blue Floral Tunic - H&M + 24. Purple Cardi - August Silk + 30. Grey Slouchy Boots - Steve Madden

Accessories: White Belt - Ralph Lauren (Filene's Basement and remixed), Necklace - Gift (and remixed), Nail polish - OPI Funky Dunky

30x30 Items: 6. Grey Wide Legged Trousers + 14. Multi-colored Jewel Tone Blouse + 22. Olive Green Cardi - New York & Co. + 29. Red Mary Janes - John Fluevog

Accessories:  Scarf (thrifted), Nail polish - OPI Funky Dunky

On Monday I was so busy that I actually asked M. to take my outfit photos while I was grading papers.  I apologize for the poor quality of the photo, but honestly this last week of of the term has been kicking my ass.  And it will only finally be over after an 8am meeting and some other obligations tomorrow morning.  I still have finals to give and to grade next week, but I must admit that I am already looking forward to the winter break and getting to see family and having some time to get some solid work done on an article.  What are you most looking forward to about winter break?  What do you have to accomplish before then?  Non-academic readers, I'm curious how you cope with balancing blogging with busy times at work.  

20/30, 21/30, 22/30: Playing Catch-Up

Since I think SFE is posting later today and since I have an MA exam to grade this morning, this post will be brief.

For Thanksgiving M., Bailey, and I headed up the road about 10 miles to spend the afternoon and evening eating and drinking with a friend of ours from grad school who took a job at a SLAC near us.  It was so nice of him to invite us to join him and his SO and family for the day.  The food was delicious; the company was fantastic; and Bailey didn't embarrass us.  And after hosting people for Thanksgiving the past two years, I must admit that it was nice not to have to do so much cooking and cleaning.  I limited myself to one piece of pie so that I could wear my belt the whole evening.

30x30 Items: 5. Patterned Red Dress - Nine West + 22. Olive Green Cardi - New York & Co. + 26. Bondgirls - John Fluevog

Accessories (all remixed): Tights - We Love Colors, Belt - New York & Co., Necklace  - Etsy 

Outfit 21 is not pictured.  The hardest part of this challenge for me is not the remixing, which I do on a regular basis, but the snapping of outfit photos on a regular basis.  I wore 7. Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans - Express + 19. Grey Top - Zara + 21. Yellow Embellished Cardi - New York & Co. with a black beaded necklace and a leopard print scarf for a day of procrastinating on Friday.

Finally #22 pictured here and worn for the buying and trimming of Mr. Giles was an easy combination of 7. Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans - Express + 15. White Button Down - Zoe D. + 23. Black Ruffle Front Cardi - Willi Smith + Sub 3. Duck Boots - Ugg and a thrifted necklace.

Academics, are you in the home stretch now?  30x30'ers, what is the most difficult aspect of this challenge for you?

19/30 Mixology

Last Wednesday I took a personal day.  I slept in, answered a few work related emails, watched multiple episodes of Angel and Buffy, and made chicken parmigiana.  I probably would have done it all in yoga pants, but Kendi's challenge and the advice of the devil wearing Anthro compelled me to spend a little time doing some pattern mixing too.

30x30 Items: 12. Shifting Buttons Skirt - Anthropologie + 16. Black & White Striped Top + Sub 3. Duck Boots - Ugg

Accessories: Belt - from another dress (remixed), Necklace - Gift (remixed), Tights - TopShop (remixed)

Is it wrong that I love these Ugg Duck Boots?  Have I lost all my street cred?  Because if I have, I'll, ya know, challenge you to a dance off -- or maybe just go back to work on an article for publication -- in order to get it back....

P.S. Elena of Caffeinerd also has this Anthro skirt, and she just got engaged while in Dublin.  Head over to her blog to congratulate her and to check out her skirt stylings.  Congratulations again, Elena!

17/30 & 18/30: Two Day Teaching Week

Last week I only held my Monday and Tuesday classes and took a personal day on Wednesday.  I figured that since my Mon/Wed class is in the afternoon, attendance would be low if I had class the day before Thanksgiving and that since they had a research paper due online the night before that motivation would also be low.  I felt like I could use a break too, especially since I knew I would have to spend part of this holiday break grading papers and getting some other work done.

Monday's outfit was a retake on an outfit that I've worn several times before.  My inspiration for Tuesday's outfit was Vogue's December's Talking Fashion, which featured Rihanna and Dree Hemingway in festive and vibrant fruit-punchy colors.    

 30x30 Items: 4. Plaid Dress - Rabbit Rabbit + 23. Black Ruffle Front Cardi - Willi Smith + 26. Bondgirls - John Fluevog

Accessories: Brooch - Gift from Herr Doktor, Necklace - Etsy (remixed), Tights - Target (remixed)

 30x30 Items: 19. Grey Top - Zara + 10. Red Pencil Skirt - J. Crew (thrifted) + Sub 2. Melon Ruffle Cardi - New York & Co. + 26. Bondgirls - John Fluevog

Accessories: Necklace - Etsy (remixed), Tights - Target (remixed)

After a few days of rest, stuffing my face with pie, and decorating our Christmas Tree, Mr. Giles, I finally feel ready to tackle some grading today -- or I will right after brunch....

American academics, how were your Thanksgivings?  Did you brave the Black Friday madness like thechemist-coture?  Did you shop local for Small Business Saturday?  International academics, how are you guys hanging in there?  How many more weeks of classes do you have before the winter break?

15/30: Thankful

Last Saturday I went with a friend and colleague in another department to a film festival.  We spent the day together driving, seeing some Scandinavian films, doing some holiday and other shopping, and chatting.  I feel very thankful to have this friend in my life, as well as the other friends that I have made since moving here at the end of July.

30x30 Items:  Sub 1. Black Pants - New York & Co. + 19. Grey Top - Zara + 23. Black Ruffle Front Cardi - Willi Smith + 30. Grey Slouchy Boots - Steve Madden 

Accessories: Pink Scarf - H&M (remixed) 

I feel like this year I have a lot for which to be grateful: a job that I love 99% of the time, being done with graduate school, my family, my friends, health, running water, heat, cuddle time with Bailey, bike paths, running trails, coffee in my cup, and food on my table.  I am thankful for this blog and my amazing co-bloggers.  I am grateful that you readers stop by, whether you be commenters or lurkers, new readers or old.

I hope all of you American Academics have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday, and I hope our international readers also have much to be thankful for!

14/30: Wrap Dress Rhapsody

I believe that Shakespeare's Feminine Ending is posting a bit later today, but, since I have a back log of 30x30 outfits, I thought I would just quickly post #14.  I wore this outfit last week on one of those days when I still was feeling crappy but had to teach my classes anyway.

 30x30 Items: 3. Blue Sweater Wrap Dress - Target + 16. Black & White Striped Top + 29. Red Mary Janes - John Fluevog

Accessories: Argyle Tights - HUE (remixed), Necklace - Thrifted (remixed), Earrings - Buttons N Baubles

While most wrap dresses don't work well for my figure, I've had surprising success with this wrap sweater dress from Target and with its twin in grey, which I purchased last autumn and got a lot of wear out of last fall and winter.  I suspect that the blue version will also become a cold weather wardrobe work horse.  What are your feelings on wrap dresses?  Do they work for you?  Do you have to worry about unseemly flashing with most wrap dresses like I do?

P.S. Nina of All Tumble Down also has this dress and has styled it up awesomely.

13/30: Substitutions and Other Infractions

As I mentioned a few days ago, when I began the 30x30 the unseasonably warm weather had lulled me into a false sense of security.  While I was in San Antonio the temperature dropped significantly, it snowed, and has continued to be cold, misty, icy, and more wintry precipitation is on its way this week.  I decided to sub in a few warmer items for items that I had not yet worn.

Substitution 1. Turquoise 90 WPM Dress - Shabby Apple Black Pants - New York & Co.
Substitution 2. Grey Dress - Target - Melon Ruffle Cardi - New York & Co.
Substitution 3. Purple Moccasins - Me Too Duck Boots - Ugg

30x30 Items: Sub 1. Black Pants - New York & Co. + 15. White Button Down - Zoe D. + Sub 2. Melon Ruffle Cardi - New York & Co. + 30. Grey Slouchy Boots - Steve Madden

I wore this outfit last week.  This is about as casual as I go in the classroom these days, and unfortunately, the fact that several of my students had done the day's reading - a whopping six pages - reminded me of why that is.  As A-Dubs and Rad have both mentioned, this is the part of the term when students tend to be the most burnt out, stressed out, and the most likely to engage in disruptive or inconsiderate behavior.  While some students might not consider failing to have done the reading particularly disruptive, when a third of the class is absent and/or hasn't done the reading, it does not create an environment conducive to productive discussion and learning.  And in my classroom that often leads to a quiz.

How do you deal with this part of the semester when motivation is low and burn out is high (for students and faculty alike)? American academics, are you looking forward to this Thanksgiving break as much as I am?  Have any of you who are doing 30x30 swapped out items because of the weather?

10/30, 11/30, 12/30: Sick Days

My outfits number 10 and 11 were never captured by camera for posterity.  After my half-marathon last Sunday, I took a shower and put on outfit 10 (18. Wonder Woman Graphic Tee - Old Navy + 7. Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans - Express) and then sat on the couch and watched football with my sister and brother-in-law.  Some napping may have also been involved.  Sunday night I became extremely ill, and I had to fly back home on Monday feeling incredibly weak and still rather under the weather.  Taking outfit photos was far from my mind, as I could barely stand up.  What I wore, though, for outfit #11 was very similar to outfit #9.  I swapped out the Fluevog Mary Jane's for my Steve Madden slouchy boots, buttoned the cardigan up, and added a grey patterned scarf.

I felt ill all week, but the show had to go on.  I had classes to teach and papers to grade and meetings to attend and a conference paper abstract to write.  I found myself gravitating to the brighter items in my 30x30 list, as well as to brightly colored DayQuil and NyQuil gel caps, in an effort to pep myself up.  I wore outfit #12 last Tuesday for a full day of teaching, grading, and the first part of a meeting of the student organization for which I am the faculty advisor.  I had been invited to a dinner for the birthday celebration of a colleague, but I knew I wasn't up for it.   When I got home, I managed to get a few photos before I put on my pjs and collapsed.  Please forgive their poor quality.

 30x30 Items: 12. Shifting Buttons Skirt - Anthropologie + 19. Grey Top - Zara + 21. Yellow Embellished Cardi - New York & Co. + 26. Bondgirls - John Fluevog

Accessories: Earrings - ??? (Gift)

When you're feeling ill, but you still have to teach or go to work, do you find yourself reaching for bright colors in an attempt to fake being energetic and feeling normal, like I do?  What do you tend to wear when you aren't feeling well but can't take a sick day?

7/30 + 8/30 = Halfway Done?

Fractions!  I add them!  I am several days ahead of my photos in this challenge, but I have realized one very frustrating thing: when I picked my items it was unseasonably warm for here with lows in the 40s and highs in the upper 60s and now it is no longer unseasonably warm.  I wish I'd made a few different choices.  So I subbed a couple of things this week (2 dresses for a pair of pants and another warm cardigan), and I'm considering one more substitution.  Those items hadn't been worn in the challenge yet, so it wasn't cheating.

Outfit number 7 has been my least favorite so far of this challenge.  The fabric of the long top didn't play so well tucked into my skirt.  But oh well...

 30x30 Items: 11. Black A-Line Skirt - Sandro + 14. Multi-colored Jewel Tone Blouse - Willi Smith + 24. Purple Cardi - August Silk + 27. Spectator Oxford Pumps - r2

Accessories: Tights - Target (remixed), Ring - Salamanca Boutique (remixed)

My 8/30 was for a day of traveling.  I flew from the Upper Midwest to San Antonio to visit my sister and to run a half-marathon.  No matter the season I freeze on airplanes, so I went with a sweater dress and tights.  

30x30 Items: 3. Blue Sweater Wrap Dress - Target + 30. Grey Slouchy Boots - Steve Madden

Accessories: Tights - Target (remixed), Cami - New York & Co. (remixed), Necklace - Gift (remixed), Ring - Boutique in Murano (Gift and remixed) 

What do you tend to wear when you travel?  Does anyone else freakin' freeze on airplanes and in airports?

P.S. The winner of our CSN Stores giveaway is #37: Food According to Karen!  We'll be in touch shortly to get you your loot!

6/30: F@#!-ing Poetry Slam!

Last week the students in my Renaissance and Reformation class had a poetry slam during the first half of class.  For extra credit they could do a dramatic reading of a poem written by any author who lived during the time period that the class covers.  During the class period before many of them had expressed their excitement about the slam and some had even engaged in a bit of shit talking - to use the vernacular, so I thought I would wear my Wendy Brandes swear rings¹ to class for the event.  This was their debut in the classroom, and I think that the setting was perfect for them.  Even so, I decided to keep the rest of my outfit on the more conservative side.

1. Rings - Wendy Brandes

30x30 Items: 16. Black & White Striped Top + 25. Velveteen Blazer - Rafaella + 27. Spectator Oxford Pumps - r2 + 9. Purple Corduroys - Mango

Other Accessories: Scarf - Oscar de la Renta (TJ Maxx and remixed)

My students demanded that I do a reading to start them off, which made me especially glad I had worn the rings in honor of the occasion.  I read a Campion poem about how youth think they're all that but death comes for them first.  I worked my rings into the performance.  And my students seemed to approve - they applauded at least....

The slam was a lot of fun.  One of my students brought in a feathered cap as a prop and another acted as an early modern heckler, jangling his keys between performances (a slight anachronism as a Renaissance heckler would have done it to drown out the speaker).  I am thrilled that the atmosphere that my students and I have created in this class is one that allows me to do these kinds of activities every now and then.

Would you wear these rings in the classroom or would you classify them as NSFW (not suitable for work)?

4/30 Cross-Dressed in the Classroom

On Monday I my upper level course was covering the culture of playgoing in early modern European cities.  One of the topics that were were discussing was cross-dressing on stage in both England and Spain. So in honor of those early modern cross-dressers, I decided to to don a shirt and tie for class.  If I hadn't been doing 30x30 I would have raided M's closet and stolen slacks and a shirt and I would have worn other shoes, but I made do with what I was working with within the constraints of the challenge.

 30x30 Items: 6. Grey Wide Legged Trousers + 15. White Button Down - Zoe D. + 30. Grey Slouchy Boots - Steve Madden 

Accessories: Tie - spoused

I hadn't worn a tie in a while, and I have to admit that I rather enjoyed it.  I also attempted to rock some Tom Brady hair.

Do you wear ties?  Have you ever cross-dressed for a drag show, a theatrical event, or for pedagogical purposes?

3/30

Grading awaits, so just the quickest of posts of what I wore on Sunday.

30x30 Items: 7. Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans - Express + 17. Blue Floral Tunic - H&M + 29. Red Mary Janes - John Fluevog

Accessories - Necklace - Thrifted, Beer - Fat Tire

Happy Hump Day!

2/30

Those of you who have been reading our little corner of the intertubes for awhile might recall that I jumped onto the shorts and tights bandwagon last winter.  As I was putting my 30x30 list together, I had the sudden realization that the winter in the upper Midwest is likely to kick my ass and that I had better wear shorts and tights and/or make hay while the sun shines.

30x30 Items: 8. Shorts - ModCloth + 19. Grey Top - Zara + 24. Purple Cardi - August Silk + 26. Bondgirls - John Fluevog

Accessories: Necklace - Etsy (remixed), Tights - Target (remixed)

Saturday the sun was shining, and I wore shorts paired with tights.  I didn't make any hay, though.  Instead I spent the entire day on the couch grading papers and/or watching college football.  I'm trying to be more environmentally friendly so I had my students upload their papers, and I've been grading them on my computer using the comments function and pasting my rubric onto the end.  I'm not a complete convert to the system yet, but it definitely saved me the time it would have taken me to print out 90 papers.  Time that I then spent working on an article, watching an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and taking a rare gratuitous butt shot.

I admit that I like the shorts and tights thing - the 90s were formative years for me, after all.  However, I don't foresee myself ever wearing short in the classroom or to department meetings.  What about you?  Have you jumped on this bandwagon?  Do you consider shorts + tights classroom appropriate?  Library appropriate?

Giveaway Winners and 1

Before I forget I want to announce the winners of our Fluevog Artwork Giveaway.  They are #14 Clare of Between Laundry Days and #33 Suzanne!  I'll be in touch soon to figure out how to get you your loot!

Even though this challenge wasn't technically starting until today, I began the remixing madness on Friday.  I wore my first 30x30 outfit Friday to spend the day grading student papers at home, harassing my foolish dog, and then going out on the town to drink some wine with some awesome women who are also faculty members at my university.  We get together about twice a month for dinner and drinks, and I feel very grateful for their friendship and camaraderie.  

30x30 Items: 7. Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans - Express + 16. Black & White Striped Top + 21. Yellow Embellished Cardi - New York & Co. + 29. Red Mary Janes - John Fluevog 

Accessories: Cameo Necklace - Etsy (remixed), Socks - Target (remixed)

Forgive me for not being overly verbose today, but I still have a shit ton of grading to do.  And I want to meet my word count goal for the day for the article draft I'm working on.  How was your weekend?  Are any of you NaNoWriMo-ing or trying to steal the energy of that event and channel it into your academic writing like I am?

30x30 Challenge Items List

I'm a little bit terrified of doing this - mainly because it will mean having to actually do laundry on a more regular basis and it's hard for me to limit which shoes I'll wear - but here goes....  Since a number of my choices are currently dirty, I'm listing my choices instead of photographing them.

Dresses
1. Turquoise 90 WPM Dress - Shabby Apple
2. Grey Dress - Target
3. Blue Sweater Wrap Dress - Target - a recent October purchase
4. Plaid Dress - Rabbit Rabbit
5. Patterned Red Dress - Nine West
Pants and Shorts
6. Grey Wide Legged Trousers
7. Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans - Express
8. Shorts - ModCloth
9. Purple Corduroys - Mango - I've had them for several years, yet never worn them on the blog
Skirts
10. Red Pencil Skirt - J. Crew (thrifted)
11. Black A-Line Skirt - Sandro
12. Shifting Buttons Skirt - Anthropologie
Tops
13. Ecru blouse - BCBG
14. Multi-colored Jewel Tone Blouse - a September purchase that I've worn, but hasn't made it on here
15. White Button Down - Zoe D.
16. Black & White Striped Top 
17. Blue Floral Tunic - H&M
18. Wonder Woman Graphic Tee - Old Navy
19. Grey Top - Zara
Sweaters and Cardigans and Blazers
20. Black Turtleneck
21. Yellow Embellished Cardi - New York & Co.
22. Olive Green Cardi - New York & Co.
23. Black Ruffle Front Cardi - Willi Smith
24. Purple Cardi - August Silk
25. Velveteen Blazer - Rafaella
Shoes and Boots
26. Bondgirls - John Fluevog
27. Spectator Oxford Pumps - r2
28. Purple Moccasins - Me Too - I snuck in a November purchase before this challenge begins
29. Red Mary Janes - John Fluevog
30. Grey Slouchy Boots - Steve Madden - an October purchase that hasn't yet made it on the blog

Are you taking part in Kendi's challenge?  What do you anticipate being the most difficult aspect of this challenge for you?