April Fools' Day FBFF

This week's questions are about blogger etiquette and the rules of engagement.  For more Friend Friday fun, pop over to Modly Chic.

1. Guest posts are a good way to gain new exposure. What do you think is the appropriate way to go about securing a guest spot?
Well, typically our guest posts have been in response to a request for a particular kind of post or have been the result of swapping posts with someone.  I would say that for the most part you shouldn't try to solicit a guest post from a blogger on the blog of someone who you don't have much of a relationship or connection with.  It just seems like poor form to ask to write a guest post for a blog that you don't regularly read or comment on.

2. Leaving comments is essential to growing your blog. But how can you leave a comment without coming across as ‘Follow Me. Follow Me!’?
Well, I comment on a lot of blogs over the course of a given week.  Some blogs I visit daily because I have developed a strong connection with their authors over the course of the past year or so.  Some I visit once or twice a week.  I actually read the content of the post, and I usually try to respond to the questions asked in the post or to say something more than "cute shoes." I know people have different opinions about this, but I usually don't provide a link to my blog because I feel like some might interpret it as pushy, and I don't ever say in my comments "follow me" or "love your blog, follow me back."

3. We’ve all gotten a mass email at one time or another asking for blog exposure, a link exchange, etc… But the mass emails don’t work. How do you make your email stand out from the crowd?
I don't send mass emails as a general rule.

4. In interacting with other bloggers where do you draw the line between seeking support and begging for exposure?
Hmmm.  I occasionally ask other bloggers to participate in events (CFPs etc) we are having here at Fashionable Academics.  I comment on blogs and will sometimes name drop, but, while I love that we have readers and people who comment regularly, I try to keep in mind that this is a hobby for me.  Ultimately, this blog doesn't need "exposure."  I'm not in this for fame or sponsorship or the ability to quit my job and earn a living by blogging.

5. What’s one rule of engagement error you made and how have you remedied that?
During my first couple of months of blogging, I think I probably wasn't as tactful as I could have been in some of my comments and in the way I approached other bloggers.  As with everything, there is a learning curve.

Happy April Fools' Day!  Hopefully none of your pranks go awry.  My back is still playing tricks on me, so I've been rocking a heating pad as an accessory all week.  Hopefully, things will be completely back to normal soon.

The Feminization of the Academy and Grade Inflation?

Today's theme was for the FFB bloggers to talk about a feminist and/or fashion related thing we learnt from someone else, something that changed the way we thought about something or the way we behaved.  I had planned to structure this post much differently, but over the past few days I've been thinking a lot about what I have learned from other academics and not all of it is good....

Recently an adjunct English teacher published a book about his experiences In the Basement of the Ivory Tower, and last week salon published an article including excerpts from Professor X's book.  I agree that many universities face problems with grade inflation and that the reliance on the labor of adjuncts is probably tied to this.  The renewal of adjuncts' contracts is often tied to whether or not their courses fill, and anecdotal evidence suggests that if an instructor has a reputation as being a hard-ass who is willing to fail people students are unlikely to enroll in his/her courses.  Perhaps another factor is that adjuncts often make somewhere in the range of $2500-$3500/course/semester.  Most often the universities that they work for do not provide any health care benefits.  This means that some adjuncts teach classes at multiple institutions in order to make ends meet or so that they can keep a toe-hold in academia while they finish their dissertations (often the fact that they are teaching multiple classes impedes progress) or while they continue holding on to the (slim in the Humanities) hope that they will get a tenure-track job.

However, I balked at certain aspects of Professor X's argument - such as the idea that giving a failing grade to a student impedes progress (ok, perhaps it does sometimes, but I think sometimes it can serve as a wake up call, a call to action, and let's face it, if you don't complete entire sections of one of my exams, I am not going to feel at all guilty about giving you the failing grade that you deserve on it).  I also nearly went batshit crazy over the following passage:


"The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 1975, 31 percent of college teachers were female; by 2009, the number had grown to 49.2 percent. There are more women teaching in college than ever, and it is quite possible that their presence, coupled with our discovery of the postmodern narrative, has had a feminizing effect on the collective unconscious of faculty thought. Strong winds of compassion blow across campus quads. Women are more empathetic than men, more giving, simply more bothered by anyone’s underdog status. Many of the female adjuncts I have spoken to seem blessed and cursed by feelings of maternity toward the students. Women think about their actions, and the consequences of their actions, in a deeper way than do men. Women may not be quite as inclined to sigh and, with a murmured "fuck it," half-angry and half-miserable, possessed by the fatalism of someone throwing the first punch in a bar fight, mark an F in the grade book. I administer grades fairly, but how difficult it is."


What a crock.  I'm sure that many female faculty do have maternal feelings toward their students, but I'm sure plenty of them do not.  When I was an undergraduate, the toughest grader that I had was a female professor.  I grade more strictly than many men I know if shop talk around the metaphorical water cooler can be trusted.  I am more than willing to help students, to give them a chance to improve, to incorporate revision into my classes when possible because it helps students to learn more than because it boosts their grades, but I am also more than willing to register a 35% on an exam or refuse to accept a paper that's turned in randomly one month late.  Though I admit I might give it 5 extra points if the student has a cool nickname or throws in a battery diagram.  I jest....

I think that empathy and compassion can be powerful teaching tools.  Alas, I'm not always the most empathetic and compassionate person.  Maybe I've never exactly thrown the first punch in a bar fight, but I will throw down this gauntlet.  What percentage of adjuncts are women?  (Right now I don't know the answer to this question, but I'm on a mission to find out.)  Because the percentage of female faculty at R1 and R2 schools sure as shit isn't 49.2%.  Currently, women make up about 37% of faculty in history departments in the United States.  In 2007, women made up 12-13% of faculty members in chemistry departments.  In English, women have reached parity nationwide.

So unfortunately, for Professor X, I would suggest that his argument lacks sufficient evidence (and his nickname isn't really cool enough to warrant bonus points).  Has the post-modern narrative entirely restructured the way zoology and calculus exams are administered and graded?

While we cannot conduct a very scientific study here, I am interested in your anecdotal evidence.  Academics, do you find female faculty members to be maternal toward their students?  Non-academics, were you mothered by your female instructors?  No names, but who do you remember as being the hardest grader that you had in your classes?

B is for Back Pain

I think I threw out my back reading this weekend.   On Saturday I read my kindle while running on the treadmill and then I sat in a strange position while reading a book I had assigned to one of my classes this week.  When I went to bed on Saturday, my lower back was feeling a bit sore, and by the time I woke up yesterday morning it was all out of whack.  It's gotten a bit better today, but I'm still feeling less than great.  Just sitting, standing, lying down, or walking is uncomfortable, but transitioning in between those states of being is pretty painful.  So please forgive me for grimacing more than smiling in my outfit photos.

 Dress - Hazel (Second hand via Ebay and remixed), Cardigan - Target (remixed), Boots - John Fluevog Bondgirls (remixed), Necklace - Wendy Brandes (remixed), Belt - De Lonti (remixed), Watch - New York & Co. (remixed)

I needed to go to campus for office hours, though.  So I opted for a soft cotton dress and cardigan and my stable comfy Bondgirls.  I'm hoping that another day off from running and the application of ice packs and a heating pad will get rid of this pain and discomfort.  If not, I guess I'll have to go to the doctor.  The timing sucks, as this week is especially hectic with extra meetings and trying to organize a conference panel and write a paper abstract in addition to the normal, weekly obligations.  

What do you tend to wear when you're feeling sore or in physical pain?

Rhinoviruses and Jeans

I have been struggling with a cold for the past week or so.  I think I must have picked it up on my travels back from seeing my mom.  I thought I had it beat, but it reared its nasty head back up on Tuesday.  By the time I left campus, I was feeling like shit and had almost no voice.  I spent yesterday working from home in pjs and went for the comfort of an old pair of jeans and a cardigan for teaching today.

(Blouse - New York & Co. (remixed), Jeans - Express (remixed), Cardigan - August Silk (remixed), Shoes - John Fluevog (remixed), Ring - Gift (remixed), Button - University Women's Center_

Fortunately, one of my classes took a midterm today, so I was able to get through the day with minimal vocal strain, but I found it really disconcerting to lecture with one of my ears so stopped up that I could barely hear out of it.  Considering that I was lecturing about the crises of the fourteenth century today, I guess I should just be glad that I'm dealing with a rhinovirus and not buboes....

A Very GAAD Birthday

My birthday was last Thursday.  In recent years, my birthday has fallen during either finals week (quarter system) or during spring break, so I had come to associate my birthday with a day off from academic responsibilities and a day of shopping either with friends or flying solo.

This year was different.  I got up.  I got dressed.  (Unlike SFE, I did not wear my hagiographical green, as being the birthday girl (and one who would punch in exchange for a pinch) exempted me from any potential repercussions.)  I went to campus and taught my classes.  I attended a talk given by a visiting speaker.  Then I picked Bailey up from doggy daycare, since my spouse was out of town, and made dinner for myself and a few friends who came over to help me celebrate my birthday.  I had a lovely time cooking, chatting with friends, eating birthday cupcakes made by a dear friend, and drinking wine.

 (Blouse - JCPenney (purchased in December to wear with suits), Skirt - Sandro (remixed), Tights - We Love Colors (remixed), Shoes - r2 (remixed), Necklace - Gift (remixed), Ring - Boutique in Salamanca (remixed), Watch - New York & Co. (remixed), Belt - from another dress (remixed)

I did not shop.  I'm not sure if I would have been tempted to if I'd had the time.  It's hard to break habits that have become deeply engrained, especially when they're ones associated with special occasions and rituals, but I like to think that I've changed a little bit over the past eleven weeks.  I do know that (online) shopping is no longer my default activity when I'm stressed or bored or pleased with progress.  I'd like to keep it that way.   

P.S. We've gone over to the dark side of the force and switched to Disqus comments so we can more easily respond to individual comments.  

Weekend Wear: Somewhere Warmer

I've been a bit quiet for the past couple of weeks, as I've been finishing a stage of a publication project over the past couple of weeks and also grading mountains of exams and papers.  I even took my work with me the week before last to spend several days hanging out with my mom and her sweet, old, rescue dog in a warmer location than the upper Midwest.

(Dress - Anthropologie (remixed), Cardigan - Say What (remixed), Flats - Steve Madden (remixed)) 

My mom had to work most of the time that I was there, so I dug into my work with breaks each day that I was there for either running or walking outside in sunny 60F weather.  I loved spending time with my mom and goofing off.  

Although I was technically on spring break and do not actually get paid for my labor those days, let the record show that I graded 50 exams, wrote two lectures, and made substantial progress on a research project during my so-called vacation.  But being able to do it in a place where I could walk outside without putting on snow stomping boots or a coat and where I could hang out with my mom made it a wonderful break all the same.

Academics, have you had your spring break yet?  What did you do?  What are you looking forward to most about spring?  Has it arrived yet in your neck of the woods?

Polka Dots and International Women's Day

I was hoping to be able to put together all the excellent submissions we had to our CFP to celebrate International Women's Day today, but, alas, I'm behind.  Due to a pressing deadline and piles of grading I won't be able to get to it until next week.  I'll instead celebrate International Women's Day by spending most of it trying to advance my own career by working on a publication project and by writing part of a lecture about Suffragettes and women's struggle for the right to vote and for other political rights in nineteenth-century Europe.

In the meantime, I'll suggest you read the round up of excellent posts on feminist style icons if you haven't done so yet and leave you with a teaching outfit that I wore a couple weeks back (pre-haircut) just full of polka dot action for today's Everybody Everywear.

(Blouse - Sandra Angelozzi (Femme de Carriere and remixed), Cardigan - Willi Smith (remixed), Skirt - H&M (remixed), Boots - John Fluevog (via Ebay and remixed), Tights - Target (remixed)Watch - New York & Co. (remixed)

(Reasons I'm not already done grading: Wine - Apothic Red, Bailey - Adopted from local shelter in August 2009, Blanket - Target (gift from M.))

What are you doing for International Women's Day?  How will you celebrate and honor the achievements of women?

Professor Mix-a-lot Does Women's History

Hello. My name is Ray, and I'm addicted to mixing patterns.  When putting in my schedule and course request for spring of 2012 earlier this week, I asked to teach either a graduate readings seminar on early modern Europe or an upper level course on mixology.

 (Dress - Nine West (remixed), Cardigan - Population, Tights - We Love Colors (remixed), Boots - John Fluevog Bondgirls (remixed)

On a more serious note, what I'll probably actually end up teaching next spring  is a couple of survey courses and an upper level course on women in pre-modern Europe.

Strange.  If you had told me back when I started graduate school that I would teach a course on women's history, I would have laughed in your face.  A class that I TA'ed for early in my grad student career was taught by an older, white, male faculty member, and he repeatedly asked me (the only female TA in the class) if I wanted to give parts of lectures about women in modern American history.  I kept telling him no, and he kept saying, "oh, yeah, because you do the early stuff...."  To which I kept responding that no, it was that I didn't do women's history.

After dabbling in radical feminism, I had over time lapsed into apathy before slowly coming to the more moderate brand of liberal feminism that I began grad school with.  And part of that meant to me at the time was that I could choose what I wanted to do with my life, what I wanted to focus my studies on, what I wanted to write my dissertation on, and at that point what I wanted to research had nothing to do with women.  It surprised me to encounter such entrenched gendered assumptions on the part of a faculty member.  Surely he had seen women come through the PhD program before and not work on women's history; surely he noticed some of his female colleagues didn't specialize in the history of women!

Less than a year and a half later I had defended my MA thesis, made the jump from early America to early modern Europe and the Atlantic World, and somehow issues of gender were slowly becoming increasingly salient to my new research.  I won't give you the details, but part of that meant was that my choices had changed and my repeated claim that I didn't do women's history was no longer true -- even though I'll be the first to admit that it still rubs me the wrong way that someone would assume that just because I am a woman and a historian that I must be a women's historian.  While I still consider myself primarily a historian of Spain and of early modern Europe, I came to the conclusion that it would be a disservice to the actresses, female troupe managers, and women audience members I research to not be a women's historian, as well.  

So there you have it.  My confession.  I'm a women's historian.  And a pattern mixing addict.  I apologize for neither.

P.S. Were you expecting me to reveal my name?

Feminist Style Icon: Frida Kahlo

In the past I have channeled other style icons (Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Hello Kitty), so I was very excited when the Feminist Fashion Bloggers group decided to kick off women's history month with a series of posts on feminist fashion icons.

I picked twentieth century Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).  I have admired Frida Kahlo for many years, and visited her hours (La Casa Azul) when I was in Mexico City for a research trip back in 2006.  Her works are full of vibrant and intense colors, dramatic symbolism, emotion, and autobiographic elements.  They fetch higher prices than any other female artist and have been admired for their depictions of the female body and for the experience of women.  For me, as for many feminists, it's Frida's open depiction of the pain of women that makes her a feminist icon.

Growing up during the Mexican Revolution, stricken by polio as a child, and then injured in a bus accident as a teenager, Kahlo was no stranger to pain and struggle.  The accident left her with numerous injuries and unable to have children.  Although she was eventually able to walk again, she had to have numerous operations and spent weeks at a time in hospitals or in bed due to intense pain.  This was also a turning point for Frida, who had planned to go into medicine.  She began painting while still in a full body cast and painted a number of self-portraits.  

During her lifetime, Frida was mostly overshadowed on the international art scene by her husband the muralist Diego Rivera.  Both were impetuous and had fiery tempers.  They both engaged in multiple extramarital affairs.  Frida was openly bisexual and had affairs with both men, including Leon Trotksy, and women, such as Josephine Baker.  She smoked and drank tequila.  She loved to cook and entertain.  She associated herself with Mexico, with the Revolution, and with communism.  She continued to paint in spite of her lack of reputation and in spite of the fact that it was much harder for women to get solo exhibits.

I even tried to channel a little Frida yesterday with bright colors and a flower in my hair.

Who are your feminist fashion and style icons?

GAADfly - Two Month Check In

February has been a blur of research talks, travel, class prep, and grading.  The month flew by, and, as in January, I had essentially no time to even think about shopping - except for maybe at an airport.  (I did indulge in a new lipstick from Body Shop during one lengthy layover.)  The only real moment of temptation came when I visited Shabby Apple to pick out which dress we should giveaway to one of our readers.  (Don't forget to enter!)  I put one of their dresses on my birthday wishlist, but all the other items I'm hoping I'll get for my birthday are reading, writing, or travel related.

Right now not shopping for clothes, shoes, or accessories seems a lot easier than I expected it to.  Sure, there are moments when I want to shop - because I'm bored, tired, stressed, cranky.  But then I just go look at my closet and dresser crammed full of clothes, even with a laundry hamper overflowing with dirty clothes sitting in my spacious closet and a basket full of laundered, clean clothes waiting to be folded next to my bed, and I know without a doubt that I do not need to shop right now.  I know that, in terms of wardrobe, I have everything that I need right now, and most of what I want.

It doesn't hurt that I am still working my way through un(der)utilized items in my closet, such as this pair of shorts that I purchased at H&M back in November.¹  Saturday marked the second time that I'd worn them and the first time they were documented for the blog.  While I still think shorts + tights is a little trendier and more youthful than I want to go for the classroom or even for office hours, I love the look for a Saturday of grading, running errands, including getting my hair cut, and taking my spouse out for a birthday dinner.

 1. Shorts - H&M, Tank and Cardi - New York & Co. (both remixed), Tights - We Love Colors (remixed), Boots - John Fluevog Bondgirls (remixed)

I do anticipate that March might be a little bit harder.  I have fewer professional spring clothes.  My birthday is March, and I usually spend the entire day shopping.  Hypothetically, I will also be quite busy, but not working at the breakneck pace I've had to maintain for the first two months of 2011.  How have you established new and different habits in the past?  What have you done to reward yourself when you're trying to get away from a system of material rewards?

Feminist Origins: My Childhood

First an outfit that I wore last week for a day of teaching.  Honestly, this was one of my favorite outfits in a long time.  It turns out that wearing silk pants is even more comfy than wearing pjs.

(Pants - Club Monaco (remixed), Tank - Target (remixed), Cardigan - Target (remixed), Boots - John Fluevog Mallory (remixed) Scarf - Jones New York, Earrings - New York & Co. (remixed))

I have been thinking a lot about feminism lately.  It's not just because of our CFP (enter by Friday 2/25!) either.  I don't want to get into a political rant, but I've been feeling lately as if women are under attack from certain political constituencies in the United States, who want to redefine rape and who want to pull funding from organizations like Planned Parenthood, which provides annual exams, STD testing, and birth control to women with low income who do not have sufficient health insurance.

But like I said, I don't want this to become a rant because I don't think that's productive.  Instead I want to explain my stance on feminism across a couple of posts over the next week or so.  The first of these has to do with the origins of my sense of gender equality through my childhood experience.  It was my upbringing that helped shape me into the essentially liberal feminist that I am.  I rarely write a post this personally revealing, but here goes.

I was lucky enough to grow up in a household where limitations were not put on me because of my sex or gender.  From an early age, I believed that I was just as capable as any bo(d)y, and my parents fostered that.  To the best of their abilities and limited income, my zoologist/teacher/professor father and my teacher/housewife/computer geek/counselor mother gave me equality of opportunity and taught me to shun stereotypes and stereotyping.  I believed and still do believe that discrimination on the basis of gender, class, race, physical appearance, or religion is wrong and that women's work should be appreciated and equally compensated.

Growing up, I had cowboy boots and a couple of barbie dolls.  I had dump trucks and Anne of Green Gables books. I loved Spiderman, Indiana Jones, Wonder Woman, and Jane Goodall.  I climbed trees, fished, and camped.  I put on lipstick and had a favorite clutch purse.  I did cartwheels.  I rode my bike and popped wheelies.  I had pet snakes and pet hamsters.  I was good at math and reading.  I wore jeans.  I wore dresses.  In the first grade I got in trouble at school for telling one of my classmates at lunch that shithead and doodoo brain meant the same thing.  At home, my parents agreed that I was right about that but suggested I not use such language at school.  As I got older, I did science fairs.  I did Model UN.  I was a cheerleader.  I did kung fu.  I curled my hair.  I cut my hair short.  I watched football.  I painted my toe nails.  I took Calculus and AP English.  In essence, my parents didn't gender my toys, my opportunities, my academic achievements, or my activities.  They let me decide what I wanted to do (so long as I mowed the lawn and didn't incur huge long distance phone bills and kept my grades up), and they supported me while I pursued those things.

It was never suggested to me that I should be anyone but me.  My parents encouraged me to be smart, strong, capable, opinionated, politically aware, intentional, independent, generous, and a third wave feminist.  They encouraged me to call bullshit when I saw it or heard it.  They raised me to make my choices without the constraints of gendered assumptions.  So much so, that I'm still occasionally surprised that these constraints exist and are still so deeply embedded in much of American society.

Snuggling with Midterms

It's Valentine's Day, folks!  And in my neck of the woods that means one thing: snuggling up with . . . big stacks of grading!  I have one big pile from my Modern Europe survey, and M. has his own pile of midterms to deal with as well.  We keep a bag of chocolate and one of candy hearts in between us.  That way, whenever the marking starts to get us down, we can lift our spirits with more than enough sugar to take an entire class of 3rd graders over the edge....

 (Dress - NineWest (remixed), Cardi - Say What (remixed), Tights - Target (remixed), Boots - John Fluevog (second-hand and remixed), Ring - Boutique in Salamanca (remixed), Earrings - H&M, Watch - NY&Co. (remixed)

Slightly Nutty Expression - Modern Europe Midterms

While I'm not much of one for a big to-do over what I consider to be largely a Hallmark Holiday, I do enjoy taking a special moment to appreciate my awesome partner and friends on February 14th.  What are your feelings on Valentine's Day?  Academics, do you win your students over with candy?  Whatever you're doing this Valentine's, we hope it's a good one!  

P.S. Liz (Comment #80) is our special FA Valentine and the winner of our CSN Stores Giveaway!  Thanks to all who entered!

Blazer Up

I'm currently exhausted and feeling behind on pretty much everything.  I'm going to try to work my way through a stack of papers while I'm administering a midterm in one of my classes this morning.  If I can make it through today, I might be able to come close to breaking even on everything but sleep by the end of the day tomorrow.  Because I need a little bit of extra scholarly oomph to my day, I'm planning on wearing a blazer today, but I'm actually posting the one that I wore last Tuesday for today's event at Everybody Everywear.  (I said I'm behind.  I might not have time to snap photos today....)

 (Blazer - H&M, Blouse - New York & Co. (remixed), Skirt - J.Crew (thrifted and remixed), Polka Dot Tights - Top Shop (gift and remixed), Boots - John Fluevog Bondgirls (remixed), Earrings - New York & Co. (remixed))

I've had this pale pink blazer for a few months and have worn it a few times, but this is the first time I've worn it on the blog.  It may not replace my velveteen blazer in my affections, but it has quickly become one of my new favorites in spite of the facts that the pale pink can make it a little hard to style and that it seems to be a magnet for disaster.  In the few times I've worn it, I had a pen explode on me once (fortunately only getting on my hand) and a salsa incident another time.

How would you style up this blazer?  Do you have any items that seem to attract red sauces, wine, and sharpie?

GAADfly - One Month Check In

For those of you not interested in my endeavor to go a year without purchasing any new attire, I invite you to just look at a recent teaching outfit.  If you are interested, though, here are some of my thoughts after a month of not shopping for clothes....

(Shirt - Larry Levine (via Winners), Cardi - Anthro (remixed), Trousers - Sandro, Boots - Kenneth Cole Reaction (remixed), Necklace - Gift (remixed), Watch - New York & Co. (remixed))

In some ways this has been a lot easier than I anticipated.  I have a number of items in my closet that aren't exactly new but that I've never worn, such as this blouse, or only worn once or twice, such as these pants (they've been worn once before but not on the blog).  I'm only about half-way through that stockpile, so focusing on those items has helped.

I did have to face temptation in Boston at practically every turn because the AHA was in the Copley Place, and there were tons of shops.  Some of them even had window displays welcoming historians to buy their wares.  But I was only one week into GAAD in Boston, and my will-power was still at maximum levels.

For the rest of the month, as self-discipline began to creep to only above average levels, I've been too busy to even think about going shopping.  Without going into too much detail at this point, I'll just say that this has been the busiest month I've had in a long time.  Almost every waking minute has been filled with teaching my three classes and writing lectures for the two new ones, conference and travel to the conference, committee work and department meetings, and working on my research, including getting ready for two upcoming research presentations in the next few weeks.  Those few moments that haven't been filled with professorial things, I've spent running, cooking, cleaning up after a sick dog (who is now thankfully back to normal), enjoying my spouse's company, or blogging.

I've been so busy that I've only been to Target once this month - this past weekend in fact - to buy decongestant and eyeliner.  Out of habit, the moment I walked in I started walking toward the clothes.  When I realized that was what I was doing, I stopped and steered myself to the pharmacy.

With all the frenetic activity in Casa de Moda lately, it's no surprise that I've been stressed.  Historically, it's been stressful times like these that I've been most apt to spend a few minutes here and there shopping online.  In the past - even if I've been too busy to leave the house or my office - I've taken little breaks to browse websites, such as John Fluevog, Anthropologie, Shabby Apple, or Ebay.  And when I would browse I tended to put things in a shopping basket and sooner or later I would buy some of the things in it. Not so this month.  I have very strictly not allowed myself to visit these sites or to open any emails from LOFT, Anthro, Zappos, etc.  I'm trying to retrain myself to put my computer down when I'm feeling overwhelmed and do a few minutes of yoga or to close my laptop and read a book for half an hour when anxiety or the vague desire to shop strikes.

So one month down.  I have eleven to go.  Perhaps from the perspective of GAAD, it's a good thing that February promises to be even busier than January has been.

How do you approach not shopping?  For those of you doing this round of 30x30, what are your strategies for not buying new clothes?  For those of you who are doing GAAD, have you found that you get into the habit of not purchasing things within a few weeks?

Behind (on) Breton, Behind on Everything

This week has been off to an extra hectic and a pretty crappy start (Bailey had a bad bout of colitis and much nasty cleaning was involved), and as a result, I'm extra behind on everything, including my look for Everybody, Everywear.  So here are my stripes a day late.   Thanks so much to Liz and Linda for this great initiative.  

(Striped Shirt - ?? (remixed), Cardigan - Anthropologie (remixed), Jeans - Express (remixed), Slippers - Target, Wine - Colores del Sol Malbec)

I almost forgot to snap photos because of the aforementioned suckyness of the past couple of days.  So I hope you will forgive me the slippers and wine, dear readers.

How do you bring a week back from the brink of disaster?  What are your tricks for styling up slippers?

Weekend Wear: Anniversary Outfit

My spouse and I celebrated one year of marriage on Saturday.  M. made us a yummy brunch, and we spent a good part of the day on the couch in our pajamas with blankets and books.  In the evening we went out for dinner and drinks, and then we stopped by a friend's housewarming party for a couple of hours.  It was the first time we'd been out on a date for a few weeks, and I had a really good time.

 (Shirt - New York & Co., Shirt worn under - H&M (remixed), Skirt - New York & Co., Tights - We Love Colors (remixed), Boots - John Fluevog Bondgirls (remixed), Necklace - Wendy Brandes (remixed), Ring - Boutique in Murrano (gift and remixed)

I wore a mix of very old and new items that have never managed to make it on the blog before.  I've had this top since 2003 or 2004.  I used to wear it all the time when I was a graduate student.  Back then I loved to pair it with jeans and heels, and it reminds me of a time when I was young, svelte, and had a strangely unflappable self-confidence.  This top also holds extra special memories for me because I wore it the first time I ever lectured in a big class of almost 200 students.  The past couple of years, though, since I've been a faculty member instead of a grad student, I've been hesitant to wear sequins in the classroom (maybe sequins are the key to strangely unflappable self-confidence...).  I bought the skirt in November when I was shopping with my sister in San Antonio, and this was my first time wearing it.

Like I've said, this first stretch of GAAD is pushing me to excavate my closet and wardrobe.  As promised, bit by bit I'm revealing to you some of the microhistories of my closet and working my way through a number of un(der)worn pieces.  And I still have a ways to go with this, so I'll be sitting out 30x30 this time. 

What's an item in your closet that holds special meaning for you?  What do you think the key to unflappable self-confidence is?

Oldies but Goodies

Last week, I mentioned that my Tuesday schedule is killer.  I teach three classes - one of which is a 4 hour evening class - and hold office hours, so I'm on campus for more than 12 hours straight, all told.  While my upper level class is intellectually invigorating, by the time I leave campus I am exhausted.  Since the new term is still young, I'm still trying to bring my best sartorial game to campus, but I know I need to be dressed for comfort on Tuesdays.  Yesterday I chose an old standby and an even older old standby.¹

 1. Dress - Rabbit Rabbit (remixed)

Jacket - Vision Apparel (remixed)

Black Tights (remixed) & Amethyst Tights (last purchase before GAAD) - We Love Colors

Shoes - r2 (remixed)

Necklace - Etsy (gift and remixed)

Regular readers of our little part of Style Nation will recognize this dress.  I've worn it for the last 30x30 challenge, I wore it for the first day of the fall semester, and for the first day of the winter semester last year (and many times in between).  This tweedy jacket, though, I've only worn on the blog once or twice.  It is an old, but lately neglected, friend.  I've had it since 2004, and wore it constantly during the fall of 2004 and the spring of 2005.  It used to make me feel very scholarly to wear it with jeans, while riding my bike to campus, when I was in graduate school.  When I gained weight while living abroad from 2006 to 2007, it fell out of my closet rotation, and even after I took off (most of) the weight in 2008, for some reason it just didn't become a regularly worn piece again.  I really don't know why.  I still love this little jacket, and vow to try to wear it more over the next few months.

Do you have any pieces in your closet that connote scholar to you?  Do you have any long-lost closet friends that you think you should work back into your regular rotation?

Just a Few Reasons I'm a Nerd

1. I spend most of time engaged in some form of reading or writing or talking about reading and writing.

2. I drew hearts in and highlighted the shit out of my elementary school history and social studies textbooks.

3. I love Star Trek: The Next Generation.

4. I am a huge fan of Jane Austen.  I've read Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility many times.  I watch the BBC version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice at least once a year.  My love of Jane Austen, however, did not prevent me from reading and enjoying Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.

5. I love this shirt.

  (Hello Kitty "I Love Nerds" Tee - Imaginary People (gift and remixed), Cardigan - Target (remixed), Jeans - Express (remixed), Flats - Me Too (remixed))

6. My hubs and I spend a fair amount of time cracking nerdy jokes and making bad puns.

Why are you a nerd?

P.S. Fashionable Academics is delighted to announce that Megarita gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl over the weekend.  Mother and baby are doing well.

Friend Friday 1/14: Polyvalent Perspectives

Both SFE and I (LHdM) are participating in Modly Chic's Friend Friday today.  To see a full list of participants and learn more about Friend Friday pop over to Katy's fabulous blog.


How do you determine what you will wear that day?


LHdM: A number of factors determine how I'm dressing on any given day. I tend to dress more conservatively during the first couple of weeks of a semester, when I'm still setting the tone in my classrooms. I tend to up the professional factor when I have a department meeting (unless it's at 8am on Friday when I can expect half of my department will be in jeans and sweatshirts) or a meeting with an administrator. My mood, the weather, and the fact that I don't like to repeat items from the day before too often also play roles in my sartorial choices.  Case in point, yesterday I wore a blazer when I probably usually would have worn a cardigan.

 (Shirt - Zoe D. (remixed), Blazer - George (thrifted months ago and only wearing now for the first time), Skirt - Anthro (remixed), Boots - John Fluevog Bondgirl (remixed)

SFE: 3 factors influence this decision: For whom will I be performing (self, students, faculty, committee, visiting scholar)? Weather (will it start out 40 and drop to 0)? Mode of transport (bike, bus, train, car)? After that it's whatever I feel like because if I don't like what I've chosen for the day I will go batty! And if I regret the ensemble I wore for teaching I'm ridiculously self conscious and off my game. This is why I developed the mantra, "when in doubt listen to the advice of the Devil wearing Anthro," because most of the dresses and skirts I own from Anthro are forgiving, flattering, and fun to wear. I might be bored with it, but I won't be uncomfortable.

The Devil's in the Details: SFE copycats LHdM's palette from Monday
Dress - Moth/Anthro - (ebayed & remixed)
long-sleeve tee - LOFT cardi - Banana Republic (remixed)
leggings - LOFT (remixed)
scarf - H & M (remixed)
wellies- Capelli via Marshalls (remixed)
Owl Necklace - Etsy/gifted

Do you plan outfits out in advance for a whole week, month, weekend?


LHdM: With rare exceptions, I almost never plan outfits in advance. Occasionally, I'll try to figure out an outfit the night before (see 8am dept. meetings above), and I'll plan outfits when I'm traveling or for job interviews, conferences, and other professional activities of that nature. However, even when I do plan my outfits, I often end up wearing something else, as I did for my dissertation defense.

SFE: Rarely--it really has to be AN EVENT. Even when traveling I really don't plan outfits, rather I pack things so I have choices. I do find it important to plan outfits for higher stakes situations, such as giving public presentations or defending my doctoral exams. In fact, I waited until after I took my exams to take a Friday to get my hair cut, go to Anthro, and have lunch with myself. I planned my outfit around the purple sweatercoat I purchased and paired it with the Most Versatile Dress I've Ever Owned. Sometimes, thinking about self-fashioning takes the pressure off. Oddly, weddings work that way, too.

Do you have any specific way of tracking outfits and items already worn so you don't repeat?

LHdM: Aside from the blog, no not really.

SFE: Same here. Sometimes SME will say, "You're wearing black, again?"

How do you discover new combinations of items in your closet? (Trial try-ons? Hanging items together?)

LHdM: I draw tons of inspiration from magazines, tv, and other bloggers. I'll see things on blogs or in magazines that I love and then I'll try to think if there's a way to put an LHdM spin on them with what I have in my own closet. I do occasionally try hanging items together, and every now and then I'll try on a bunch of different outfits -- usually for a special occasion or to procrastinate from some heinous task, such as grading lots of papers for a survey class.

SFE: Usually by trial and error. If I buy a new piece, especially a skirt or a cardi, I'll come home and see how it coordinates with everything else in my closet. Outfits can also be built around tights, scarves, and earrings. I also tend to draw inspiration from the same places as LHdM (blogs, paintings, BBC miniseries, and Vogue). But because of my height and shape I tend to copycat texture combination and palette rather than specific pieces. For example, if I wear a fitted blazer with skinny jeans tucked into riding boots (paired with one of my colorful scarves) I will look like a flamboyant jockey who stopped training, but if I see such an outfit on, say, Academichic I might think, "Huh. Teal on the top really brings together neutrals + black."

Trying out a new accessory: The Owl Necklace was a gift from a member of SFE's cohort to mark the occasion of the entire cohort advancing to candidacy. It was decided, over a pint, that SFE is the owl in the middle--the little one.

To streamline the process for 2011 what is one new thing you can do to cut down your dressing time?

LHdM: Holy shit, if I would just put laundry away in a timely manner my dressing habits would be revolutionized! I often do a load of laundry and then let it sit in the basket for a week. Then I will want to wear something, but realize it's crumpled up in the basket and have to figure out something else. I don't roll with the ironing.

SFE: SME and I need to put shit away (part of cutting down on anxiety, too). There are at least 3 times a week when I cannot find black tights, black slip, or black camisole because it's lost in a basket or drawer of black lycra.

So we're curious: how did you determine what you're wearing today? And what are your plans for this weekend?

Back in Action

Yesterday was my first teaching day of the term.  This semester I'm teaching three different courses, one of which is cross-listed as a grad course, and I'm doing an independent study with a student.  I'm only teaching on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which has its advantages, but makes for a very long Tuesday.  One of my classes only meets once a week on Tuesdays and is almost four hours long.  My "spidey-senses" (one of my strengths according to a student evaluation from last semester) tell me that Tuesdays will present a fair number of pedagogical challenges and some sartorial ones as well.

On Tuesdays I'll need to balance my desire to rock the professartorial with the knowledge that being on campus from 9 in the morning until close to 10 in the evening will require comfortable clothing.  Yesterday I chose my trusty red pencil skirt and a soft silk blouse that I bought on my shopping expedition with Kristin. I wore the blouse while at the conference in Boston, but, since it's dry clean only, I wanted to get another wear out of it before sending it off to be laundered.  I resisted the urge to belt it and to just let it do its drapey magic.

 (Skirt -J. Crew (thrifted and remixed), Blouse - Sandra Angelozzi (Femme de Carriere), Boots - John Fluevog Bondgirls (remixed), Earrings - New York & Co., Ring - Boutique in Salamanca (remixed))

Nutty or on Cold Meds?  You decide!

My sartorial goal for the next few weeks is to wear a number of items that I purchased pre-GAAD that have been worn rarely or never.  Because, honestly, I can probably shop my closet for at least a month before I'll run out of such items.  And hopefully by then this whole no shopping thing will be old hat and I'll have a better handle on some of the other line items in my scholarly budget.  Did you set any sartorial resolutions for the new year?