Spring Studs

OK, so maybe rain boots don't go with everything...but at least I didn't wear them during downward dog this evening!
I'm also finally rocking studs and other patterns--I usually want a safe solid color in addition to patterns but wanted to do something more exciting for a nice dinner out. I've actually worn my yoga clothes to this place before (but nice lulu lemon ones!) and felt that I should make it snazzier tonight to make up for the last time.
Do you ever feel you have to make up for previous outfits at restaurants/classes/conferences?

Dark and Stormy

Ah.....the orange sunset of....my rain boots. And ginger beer, an umbrella, and rum. It's that never-ending rainy season here, which made me feel like now was the time to make some home-brewed ginger beer and sit back with a nice dark and stormy post-writing (and, OK, during writing. sometimes).
These Eddie Bauer rain boots are stylin' enough for me to keep them on during talks (much to the amusement of a senior faculty member, who exclaimed about their orangeness). They also seem to match anything....today it was a blue skirt, black v-neck and pearls. Yes, pearls and rain boots.
Do you have rain boots you'd wear to medium-dressy functions? Would you like to see me rocking these with pearls?
By the way--the link on ginger beer will give you a step by step on how to make it--it's actually not that difficult and you can adjust the ginger and lemon to your liking.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Or, photos of me in clothes I can no longer find. Where are they? I don't throw anything away and remember what I give away, so there must be some red-loving clothes gremlin out there.
Just a short post here on long vs. short hair. Above is exhibit a: my hair at just about the shortest it has ever been. Lots of people told me not to do it (oddly enough, mostly men), but I think it turned out OK.

And here I am with my niece, long hair, and long gone red top. I've been growing my hair out again, but am suddenly unsure about whether it's quite the right move--or maybe it should be even longer than it is in the photo? I know Katie has mentioned that curly hair has been raised as an issue, but do you have any advice on long vs. short?
Clothing: It's all a mystery

Accidental "Regency"

Let's just say that I'm the one on the left.
And here I am in a dress I didn't think would do what it did to the degree that it did plus my favorite teal top and ubiquitous boots. I really love the color combo and people stopped to compliment me on my outfit, so a friend took a shot of it--and what it revealed is that this dress is sometimes just too revealing! It wasn't until I saw the photo that I realized the full extent of its AUH-displaying powers. I don't think it was like this all day, though.

What do you do in situations when you find that you're revealing a little more than you would like?

Top Photo: *The* Pride and Prejudice
Bottom Photo:
Boots: Frye (remixed)
Dress: Target (remixed)
Cropped Cardigan: Target (remixed)

Outerwear Less Blurry Than May Appear

Hmmm....I sort of want to apologize for the blur above, but I actually like the picture. Or maybe it's just that I love this coat so much that any picture it's in looks like a work of art. Seriously, I can defy winter all I want in skirts, yoga pants, a bikini, what have you and this calf-length coat's got me covered and looking formal, at least on the outside.
And here you can see part of me peaking out from it, along with my friend's periodic table in the background. I added the red and pink scarf for a bright pop of color on the increasingly grey days.
Is your outerwear more formal than what you normally wear underneath? Mine definitely is--I love surprising people by taking this off and revealing my Urban Outfitters French Toast tee.
Coat: Just Sweet
Scarf: Fair Trade shop
Elements: Earth/friend

Wishing for More Grey

One of the ways I'm trying to distract myself from being sick--some sort of streppy sinus infection was one of my Christmas gifts--is thinking about my want/need list for 2011 shopping. The Banana Republic jacket above is squarely on the "want" list. I love grey period, but it's so unusual for leather that I feel like it must be mine.


This TravelSmith blazer, on the other hand, is more of need, since I only have one blazer that I would feel comfortable wearing for anything professional and this one looks like it could go with my Docs and a funky dress, a walk on the beach with some guy's arm, or a conference. Plus I think it would look good with my coloring.

And then there's this Anthro. cardigan of joy. This might have to be a "goals reached" reward cardigan. I can see wearing it around when I'm doing non-academic writing, like one of three children's books I'm planning out....

What colors/items/patterns are on your 2011 need/want list?

December 31 Dress Auditions

Happy Holidays! I've spent the last few weeks writing and biting the heads off of many gingerbread men. Sugar cookies weren't spared either. All of the writing and eating means that I need a dress for New Year's Eve that doesn't draw attention to my cookie graveyard stomach. Enter silver dress with fish-like scales and floaty sleeves.
What are you thinking of wearing for New Year's?

Defying the cold

I think we need a caption contest for who can best express the "don't you dare" face I'm making at the snow outside.
This is another one of those summer outfits that I tried to convert via red Spiderman tights and Dr. Martens. And yes, I did actually wear this around the office and outside today even though the temperature read 10 degrees F. Starbucks and a local coffee shop closed due to weather advisories and I wore this outfit without contracting frostbite. Hmph.

Oh--and I actually love the Dr. Martens and skirt look, though my parents were horrified when I wore something similar (but with sleeves) to Thanksgiving. Your thoughts?

Hope you're all staying warm while defying the snow!
Top: Target (remixed)
Skirt: Thrifted
Tights:?
Boots: Dr. Martens (remixed)

AUH Goes to The Ball

In the middle of work and yoga challenge month, I've also gotten to have some fun while not dressed in athletic gear and/or pajamas. OK, I know it looks like I cropped the fun out here, but didn't get friend approval to upload--she's the red fabric to the right. Once in there got rid of my head for good measure. I'll leave you to guess what my hair was up to....

I love the dress because it was formal enough for the on-campus event I attended and forgiving enough of the enormous amount of veggie curry I consumed while there. I also like the neckline. And the glittering buttons. And the hug I got from our university's president when I told him I was writing my dissertation.

What do you usually wear to on-campus dinner/dance occasions? How often do you (or are you tempted to) cut off your head when you feel like your hair had a fight with a camera before the shot was taken?

My First Belt

As you can see, I'm thrilled about my first belt. A friend told me that it was a baby step since it's silver and tiny and doesn't actually hold anything up, but it's still something and I liked it with brown and blue.

This was the outfit worn during discount night at a restaurant. It was such a relief to have a lovely $30.00 three-course meal with some fantastic ladies after reaching the mid-point on both National Dissertation Writing Month (goal: two drafted chapters, no matter how rough) and the November Yoga Challenge (21 Days).

How are your Novembers? Is break in sight yet?

Skirt: Benneton
Belt: Urban Outfitters
Top: Target (remixed)
Boots: Frye (remixed)

Also, please remember to enter our CSN Stores giveaway!

These Boots are Gonna Diplomatically Persuade You

Yes! My Frye boots have finally come out from under the table and I'm only *now* pairing them with my more summery looks. However, I can't think of a better outfit right now for a casual coffee with all of my committee members. My project is interdisciplinary and they want to have a conversation about how to handle conflicting feedback, etc. in a way that won't have me tearing my freshly grown out hair out. It's not a defense or exam, so I don't feel any blazer-pressure or the need to wear nice slacks, but I will still need to weigh in, so enormous boots feel appropriate.
Forgive the outfit/day change, but I also wanted to show off my Nov. 2 canvassing outfit. I normally go with canary yellow heels and blue dress when I combine these two colors, but was inspired by our own SFE's scarf stylings (see yesterday's post) to move scarf-ward. Of course, this is the hallway outside my office, not actual canvassing territory. The above picture is me hoping that one of my committee members doesn't emerge from his office across from mine during the photo shoot.
And my favorite accessory: the "I voted" sticker. Also, note how my top matches the recycling bins. Wonder whether I'm subtly reminding people to recycle whenever I wear it.....

Outfit One:
Top: Target (remixed)
Skirt: Benetton (remixed)
Boots: Frye (remixed)

Outfit Two:
Top: Target (remixed)
Slacks: Urban Outfitters (remixed)
Shoes: Bass (remixed)

Saddle Shoe Stylin'

I'm convinced that these shoes got me carded; people see saddle shoes and think "high school." Well, these shoes work with more than plaid skirts and white sweaters (though they work well there too). That's right, they even work with my funkiest dress--the one the sales clerk couldn't actually believe I was going to pay money for. I think they're just so unexpected nowadays that they could be added to anything but a ballgown (and shorts) and not raise many incredulous eyebrows.

Then again, maybe I'm just so in love with them and their ability to make me feel comfortable while walking miles and miles, plus their old-fashioned vibe, that I think they'd look great with a bathing suit. I don't know. But here's what I do know:

Comfort: 5/5

Versatility: 4.5/5

Value: 5/5

Style: 4/5

CSN Stores was fantastic; they offered free international shipping and had an amazing range of these in stock--grey options, pink options, cognac and navy options, etc. They arrived within 3 days and were immediately comfortable. They've also held up in rainstorms and tornado warnings and always serve as a conversation point.

Shoes: Bass via CSN Stores
Dress: Target

Tights: Target

Scarf: NISI

How many different ways can you think of to wear saddle shoes?

Full Disclosure: Not compensated by CSN Stores in any way for this review, except with the gratis saddle shoes of joy.

"Shining, Gleaming,Streaming, Flaxen Waxen"

That's right, this post is about HAIR! I've discussed turning the smokey eye into something classroom appropriate and what counts as too casusal/formal in conference and other settings, but one thing I haven't talked about is hair. To be honest, I let it do its own thing. No matter how much attention I pay to matching outfits/mascara, my curls are left to dry on their own. They are sometimes rebellious, with tendrils twisting tauntingly (say it three times fast) and making it look like I've weathered storms to get to campus. I finally bought the above barrett to keep them (stylishly) in check on days when that happens.

And here they are, enjoying the wind on the lake at a Point Before Graduate School. How much time do you spend styling your hair? Do you find yourself evaluating how hair is styled in relation to outfits? Would you, like me, walk into a conference session with damp hair?

Barrett: Etsy, via Big Pink Store

Top: H&M

Skirt: H&M (remixed)

Lake: Somewhere in Italy

LGBTQ Outfit and Etsy Finds

I mentioned to LHdM that I also wore purple yesterday to support LGBTQ youth and she asked me to post my outfit. I didn't see very many people on my campus wearing the purple, but am gladdened to hear that it was in fuller force elsewhere.
And here's today's outfit. I've been practically living in my new asymmetrical sweatshirt. I've been on a quest to find the perfect stylin' hoodie-type garment that I could teach in without feeling like I should just have invited my class to hang out in my living room. This thing is warm, comfortable, and snazzy-looking. It also goes with everything and....
reminds me of the jacket Lucy Griffiths wears as Maid Marian during the first season of the BBC's Robin Hood (image grabbed and cropped from one on Amanda Beth Online, which has a fantastic analysis of all of Marian's outfits).

Do you ever scour the internet hoping to find clothes resembling those on t.v. shows/films? If so, where do you usually find them?

Already Layered, Plus AUH Relives Twin Peaks

First of all, apologies for being remiss in responding to comments and commenting myself lately. I've been reading and enjoying and am now finally in the clear again. Well, for now. Though I can now dress myself with more care, I still find myself reaching for numbers like this softer than you could believe thrifted shirt because I don't need to layer. It builds in its own cover-up tank while still doing its cowl gone wild thing. It's warm, it's easy, and I wore it today to a conference I wasn't presenting at when I was running late.
In other news, I received my product review shoes from CSN Stores earlier in the week. I know you're not supposed to wear them all day when they're new, but was running late and just pulled them on. Turns out I didn't need to worry. These have been comfortable from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and are being complimented everywhere. I will write a fuller review soon, but am incredibly impressed so far.

Shirt: Thrifted
Shoes: Bass via CSN Stores

The MFA Wedding

Warning: cleavage looks more prominent here than it ever normally would (unless you're a camera trying to get a close-up of a St. Christopher medallion and this dress's amazing scallop/ruffle details). Trust me on this. You'll see in the next photo. With that said, I broke down a little while ago and nabbed a cropped cardigan from Target in my favorite: teal. I'm so glad I did, because even though there's still a window to transition from summer to autumn, it was absolutely freezing on the wedding morning.
Luckily, one of the most amazing and creative couples known to man (he whittled her an engagement ring when the one he'd ordered didn't arrive on time!) opened the (full) bar minutes after the wedding and things warmed up pretty quickly after that.

I love this dress (courtesy of the lovely and amazing LHdM!) for so many reasons. Little details like the scalloping AND polka dots around the bust and in the v down the back (not pictured. Too cold). It reveals little (or a lot, depending on the angle) and creates a nice, flowing line with great length. I feel comfortable wearing it around the department and at weddings, which is great because a faculty member officiated and many other faculty members were in attendance.
And here's how the dress went with my trusty grey Kenzies.

Hope everyone else has had a wonderful weekend! What do you normally wear to academic weddings?

Dress: Adrianna Pappel, courtesy LHdM
Shoes: Kenzie (remixed)
Cardigan: Target
Necklace: St. Christopher medallion, St. Patrick's (remixed)

On a Yoga Cloud (or...The Headless Yogi)

I was in dire, dire need of yoga this evening. I had been waiting on feedback for a proposal and had managed to twist myself into knots over how it would be received. I used yoga,friends, wine, and pumpkin lasagna to try to unwind, but I've still been a little more exhausted and on-edge than I would like.
After wine and horrible film-watching with a friend last night, I woke up this morning and checked my e-mail every hour. When I got word that my proposal was more or less OK, I ran about too giddy and full of caffeine to sit down and make the necessary changes.

I had a feeling that yoga tonight would bring me the clarity of mind needed to sit down and work instead of dancing around to Lady Gaga. I wore what I like to call my "cloud" outfit--different shades of blue for calm. I love, love, love these yoga pants with wide legs and the slit up the back. It's such an unusual place for one and I actually welcome the attention it brings to my calves, a feature I usually try to hide.

Are there any sports clothing features you'd like to transfer to regular clothing?

P.S. Am headless because hair refused to be photographed after having been in my face during various pretzel poses.

Autumn Jigsaw

I know others have talked before about how outfits seem supercalifragilistic until photographed in their entirety. Then they become boring. Or too pattered. Or, if you're me, see through. To prevent this, I'm presenting photo jigsaw. I recently discovered that I love pairing teal with bright pink lips and smokey eyes.

I then added in a wine-colored cami for see-through prevention. I love the way the teal and wine went with my brown wide-legged pants and light pink watch (it looks like a Band Aid, but I've become attached).
And here we have the wide-legged pants, coral toes and sandals--the last nod to summer. This was my Equinox outfit and it was perfect for drinking hard cider and feasting on roasted beets, carrots and onions to celebrate the change in season.

How are the rest of you celebrating autumn?

Made-Up Academics

Surprise, everyone! I'm secretly Eva Green. OK, so that's a different type of made-up. I did recently re-watch Casino Royale, however, and became obsessed with engineering a smokey eye look that could rock the classroom as well as the casino.
And here's what I came up with. I used a primer and then swiped MAC Crystal (a light gray) all over the lid followed by Nocturnelle (dark purple) and Carbon (black) on the outer corner, with Maybelline Full n'Soft on the lashes.

And here we have the final result. Not as smokey as Eva Green's, perhaps, but not out of place at 7:30 a.m. At least not in my book. I may have misgivings about visible zippers in the classroom, but I'm all in favor of smokey eyes by day--especially if getting up that early means I can't wear the look out at night in its natural environment.

However, while I love doing up my eyes, I tend to avoid all other forms of makeup except for the occasional lipstick. Which features do you tend to emphasize?

Sporty Cropped Cardigan Alternative

It's the time of year again when I regret not having purchased cropped cardigans. I found this alternative when I realized that the combination of my lululemon running jacket (on sale!) and my super-flared dress worked as a more fitted way to stay warm while wearing bottom heavy dresses in the fall.
And here we have a non-blurry shot (we'll just pretend I was running in the library in the above picture) that shows the triangle cut of the jacket meeting the dress's flare. I really shouldn't be anywhere near this new fiction if I want to get my own work done......

Jacket: lululemon
Dress: Target

How are the rest of you solving the sweater and dress problem?