Writer's Block

For some reason I seem to have a little bit of a case of writer's block this afternoon.   Maybe it's because my energies this week have been sapped with extra grading and getting ready to give a research talk next week.  I used to get writer's block fairly frequently and agonize over almost every sentence that I wrote during my first couple of years of graduate school.  In the past few years I seem to have loosened up - though this may have been to the detriment of my prose.  So it feels strange and disconcerting to suddenly find writing a struggle again today.  So I'll just show you the outfit I wore on Tuesday for teaching.  I was inspired to put on my favorite burgundy blazer by Cynthia.

 (Dress - Shabby Apple (remixed), Blazer - Rafaella (remixed), Tights - HUE (remixed), Shoes - r2 (remixed)

I'm going to blame my inability to produce anything insightful today on a case of hurty brain syndrome.  But I feel like this is such a punt after SFE's brilliant post on body dysmorphia yesterday.  How's your February going?  Have you suffered from a case of writer's block yet this semester?

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?

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?

Buying a Men's Blazer : Tips

Author: Sanchita

Buying a men's blazer can be a daunting task as an ill fitted blazer can not only spoil the grace of the entire look but can also cost a loss on the money you spent on it. Hence, it is important to pick a perfect fit blazer that can go well with different sweaters, shirts and t-shirts. Mentioned under are few tips to buy it, take a look:

-The most important thing with blazers is the measurement. Thus, one should be clear with the physical measurements, for that, use a measuring tape and measure under the arms and then across the shoulder blades. The resultant measurement would be the corresponding size of the blazer. For example 40 inches would signify the need of a size 40 blazer.

-Single breast and double breast are the two main types of blazers available in the market. Double breast blazers have its own unique appeal but single breast blazers are the most versatile in terms of style. One can easily team it up with either of the semi-formals, formals and casuals.

-While buying a blazer make sure that you pick a color that goes well with maximum number of your dress shirts, sweaters and trousers. Shades like black, navy blue and gray are safest to buy.

-Fabric of the blazer is again an important consideration. Wool and tweed blazers are the most popular choices but then, one can find suede and cotton blazers as well. Few of these are washable while others need to be dry-cleaned. Label instructions are important to read before buying a blazer.

-The best way to check the comfort and fit of a fashion blazer is by trying it on and experiencing its fit and feel first hand. Wear it and walk around, bend down, stand up, sit and see how the blazer is moving on the body and whether or not it is comfortable.

-Check for overall fit and comfort. Once you have selected a men's blazer, try it on and see how it feels. Sit down wearing the blazer, then stand up, and move around. See how the blazer moves with you and how you feel in it.

Find out more about blazers at Men's Blazers.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fashion-articles/buying-a-mens-blazer-tips-4020715.html

About the Author

A content developer by profession and an ardent art lover by choice, I seek beauty and creativity in the things around me. The excitement for new things and innovations has ended me up being net savvy and an avid web researcher. With every new bit that I learn, the thirst for knowing more grows and so does my quest towards it.

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Last (Day) Look

For my last day with my students I fought back the urge to go more casual and, instead, wore my favorite jacket. Besides the fact that I love the polka dots, the asymmetrical yellow buttons, the 3/4 sleeves, I love the fit of this jacket. If you are petite, as I am, jackets and blazers must come in a petite size. Don't even think about trying out a regular sized jacket unless, maybe (and this fails 50% of the time also), it's either from a more youthful oriented line/store (Urban Outfitters/Delias) or from European/UK brand (Top Shop, Oasis, and Monsoon tend to be cut narrower in the shoulders).

jacket - Ett Twa/Anthro * cami - Banana Republic
trousers - Talbots (remixed) * socks - GAP * maryjanes - New York & Co. (remixed)
scarf - Santiago, Spain (remixed) * earrings - gifted

You may also notice my awesomely glossy hair. I saw my stylist again last week. Back in September when I first started blogging at FA I discussed my hair and my anxiety that my long and wavy hair was not appropriate for the classroom given my youthful appearance. Commentators urged me not to cut for the classroom. I went to my stylist and told her I wanted to keep in long (I had contemplated cutting off 4-6 inches) but tidy. I'm grateful I did this, especially because I'm happy with the length right now and will continue to grow it longer. On days when I felt that my hair was too carefree for the classroom I simply put it up or dressed more professionally. What I learned: If anything didn't go the way it should in my classroom, it was not because of my hair. My hair is awesome.

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)?

Jeans, Blazers, and Qualitative Evidence

Last Wednesday I ended 10 days of wearing pink for the Blogging for Breast Cancer AWEARness challenge, (I only managed to get outfit photos of 7) with jeans, blazer, and loafers.  I felt a little bit like one of my favorite undergraduate professors and one of my dissertation committee members.  Both men almost always wear jeans, a button down, and a blazer and bike to campus even in the ice and snow.  Because of them I tend to think of the jeans and blazer combination as one variation on the quintessentially scholarly look. 

 Jeans - Express (remixed), Blouse - BCBG (remixed), Blazer - Rafaella (remixed), Bonnie Loafers - John Fluevog (remixed), Purse - Nine West (remixed), Sunnies - Vera Wang (via the Wang Stork and remixed)

This was only the second time I had worn jeans into campus this semester.  (The first was for an 8am Friday morning department meeting, and half of my colleagues were in jeans for it.)  I do wear jeans in the classroom, but, since I started teaching my own classes several years ago, I usually wait until several weeks into the term.  I also tend to prefer them for days when I'm planning to do more discussion than lecturing in class, which was the plan for last Wednesday.  As a young female academic, I think it's necessary to delineate some of the boundaries between myself and my students.  I wonder if jeans read so casually that they can break some of those barriers down...?  Bailey at least seems to think so.  I offer as completely unscientific qualitative evidence the fact that the moment I walked downstairs in my jeans that morning she jumped up on me uninvited -- usually she doesn't pay any attention to us when we're in the house.

The topic of jeans in the classroom is one that we've visited in the past here on Fashionable Academics, but it's been awhile, and we have many new readers since then.  So I ask: do you wear jeans in the classroom or to your office?  Do your departmental colleagues wear jeans?  If you don't, why not?  Is it because of a dress code or because you think they're too casual for the workplace?  If the latter, why do you read them as too casual for the work place?

Academics Run on Dunkin'

Last week M. and I had to go downtown for our interview with the INS for his permanent residency application.  Although our immigration attorney had told us that we had nothing to worry about as we clearly had a lengthy, good, and well-documented relationship, I couldn't help but feel a little anxious.  What if they thought M. was trying to pull a Gérard Depardieu?  We had also (unfortunately) seen The Proposal a couple of months before we got married, so I had to wonder if the immigration official would ask us things like, "does your husband have Morton's toe?" or "what kind of deodorant does Dora use?" or "how many pages long is your husband's dissertation?"  Between the end of semester madness (the last week of classes has commenced) and the rounding up of documents and pictures that the INS might want to see, I must admit that I was a little frazzled last week.  (In fact I had wanted to get outfit photos downtown after the interview but forgot my camera in my attempt to make sure that I had 27 forms of identification upon leaving the house.)  

I definitely decided to go with a safer, more conservative type of outfit¹ for the interview.  It turned out fine - both the interview and the outfit.  Immediately after it was over I insisted on going to the nearby Dunkin' Donuts for a celebratory donut and a coffee (I love their coffee!) so that I could power my way through at least a little bit of work that afternoon and evening.

1. Dress - Rabbit Rabbit (remixed)

Blazer - Rafaella (remixed)

Tights - HUE (remixed)

Shoes - Steve Madden (remixed)

Earrings - Filene's Basement (remixed)

How do you tend to dress when you have to deal with bureaucracy or potentially intimidating institutions outside of your work environment?  And even more importantly, how do you take your coffee?  I drink mine with just a bit of milk or cream.  No sugar. 

Yellow Dress Challenge Day 2: Bumblebee?

You might recall that I have challenged myself to wear this yellow dress three times this week.  Today I wore it for the second time, and this time I added the three B's: belt, blazer, and boots to the ensemble.¹ I was in a bit of a rush, since my alarm failed to go off this morning (I just found out a moment ago, when it went off, that I must have set it for PM accidentally), and I woke up over an hour later than I had intended.  So I went with something simple and easy -- really this type of outfit is a kind of go-to teaching outfit for me, especially in the fall and on those wonky spring days, when the sun is shining but it's not really particularly warm out.

1. Dress - Signature by Robbie Bee (gift and remixed)

Blazer - Vision Apparel (remixed)

Tights - HUE (remixed)

Boots - Ariat (gift and remixed)

Belt - from another dress (remixed)

As I have mentioned previously, a blazer always adds an extra element of authority which I can appreciate when discussing controversial subjects or when handing back a batch of papers that weren't particularly good.

My only qualm about this outfit is that maybe the color scheme makes me look like a wasp or a bumblebee.  I didn't think the color combo created such a bumblebee effect in the mirror this morning, but now that I'm seeing the pictures I am having some second thoughs.  What do you think? 

Fiery Fluevogery

So, around the time that I moved to Spain, a dear friend of mine who is a very stylish Asst. Professor bought herself a pair of red Fluevog Cowgirl Boots.  I was broke and moving to Spain, so I didn't buy a pair for myself.  I just coveted them from afar.  When I moved back to the states I continued to covet them, but by the time I was in a financial position to consider a Fluevog purchase again, a pair was not to be found.  It made me a little sad.

Well, a couple of weeks ago I spotted a used pair being sold on ebay, and I convinced M. to bid on them for me as a birthday present.  He did and won, and they arrived the day before my birthday.  I had a chance to wear them for the first time today.¹  They are a little bit scuffed, but I like to think of them as seasoned.

 1. Dress - Nine West (remixed)

Blazer - Silence + Noise (thrifted and remixed)

Tights - HUE (remixed)

Boots - Fluevog (via Ebay and gift)

I appreciated the extra sass these boots provide, as I was frantically rushing around to get some errands run and my lecture prepared before my commute this morning.  Then I had some car trouble on my way home.  I think it is because someone (not me) left the internal light on in the car on the way home from Virginia Beach yesterday and it eventually drained the battery -- at least I really hope that's the extent of the problem.  I had trouble getting the car to start after filling up for gas on my way home and then after stopping off at a local coffee shop to meet a friend to talk about dissertations, the job market, and recent and upcoming trips.  It took about 30 minutes to get the car started, but I eventually made it home to M. and Bailey.

I know that I've mentioned my financial, political, and environmental attitude about shopping at thrift stores in the past, but I haven't purchased much off of Ebay.  Have you?  What do you think about shopping online for second-hand attire?

Dress Challenge Day 2

Yesterday I confessed to buying the 90 Words Per Minute Dress from Shabby Apple and mentioned that as a reminder to not slip up again during the final two weeks of the ban I was challenging myself to wear it five times in the next two weeks.  Well, I also wore it for a second time yesterday.  I have mentioned in the past that I like to dress a bit more authoritatively when I'm discussing something potentially risque or scandalous in class.  Well, yesterday I thought it might just be a good day to add a touch of authority to my outfit with my velveteen blazer¹ since in my Reformation class we were discussing some legal ordinances and Consistory records from sixteenth-century Geneva, and a lot of them had to do with adultery and fornication.

 1. Dress - Shabby Apple (remixed)

Blazer - Rafaella (remixed)

Boots - Fluevog (remixed)

Tights - HUE (remixed)

Ring - boutique in Salamanca (remixed)

Again, it's not so much that I think a blazer automatically invests me or anyone else with authority (although they definitely don't hurt), but wearing one does make me feel confident and also somehow reminds me not to snicker every time I read or say the word "fornication." I sense the blazer will make another appearance when we deal with similar records from the Scottish kirk sessions later in the term.

Nope, I didn't giggle one bit.  Ok, maybe we all laughed a little at what my students termed the "circumstantial evidence" presented in one of the cases.... 

Are you an academic with a closet stuffed full of blazers?  For those of you who wear dresses, have you done the dress with blazer pairing?  Did you like it?

The Scholar Look

After boldly mixing patterns and wearing bright colors in the classroom on Monday, I decided to with the more traditional scholarly look of jeans, boots, and blazer¹ yesterday.  I was dressed for comfort too, because yesterday was a ridiculously long day.  M. and I had a morning meeting with our attorney (M. is Canadian so we are going through the process of applying for permanent residency for him).  Then I had to deal with some more boring and time consuming bureaucratic issues.  Then I had to grade a bunch of papers.  (Thank goodness for cups of Earl Grey tea!)  Finally, I had office hours and my evening class to teach.

I also knew that I would be talking about some pretty risque and scandalous topics in my class yesterday evening, so I decided that I should dress a bit more authoritatively than I usually do in order to counteract the fact that we were talking about a historical figure that one source painted as sexually depraved and dealing with some pretty mature subject matter. The scholar look is sort of my armor against fifty 19 year-olds and my own inner 12 year-old whose mind too easily falls into the gutter.

1. Blazer - Rafaella (Filene's Basement and remixed)

Turtleneck - Necessary Objects (Filene's Basement and remixed)

Jeans - Express (remixed)

Boots - Kenneth Cole Reaction (DSW and remixed)

Earrings - ??? (Filene's Basement and remixed)

Ring - boutique in Salamanca, Spain

What are your thoughts on blazers? Boring? Classic and chic?

On another note, tomorrow is National Wear Red Day.  I will be donning something red for sure to help spread awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women.  You should too!

The Scholar Look With a Twist

As I've mentioned before, my Mondays are ridiculously long days.  This one was no exception.  In my evening class (of 50 students) I had a discussion planned for the second half of class.  There's just no good way to configure 50 students into a circle or a horseshoe in the classroom that I teach this class in because of the size of the room.  If I sit in a chair, I can't see which student is raising her/his hand at the back, so, during discussions, I tend to sit on the desk at the front of the room.  The potential fashion hindrances of this situation and the hazards of ignoring them should be obvious for those of you who like to wear skirts.  On days when I'm planning a discussion in this class, it's best to wear longer skirts or pants.  Today I chose jeans.¹

1. Cropped Blazer - Silence + Noise (thrifted)

Jeans - Express

Shirt - Filene's Basement

Shoes - Fluevog Mary Janes

Scarf - Target

An undergraduate professor of mine biked around campus, wearing what I think of as the scholar look: jeans, a button down shirt or sweater, and a blazer.  This morning I decided to go for this kind of scholarly look, but with a cropped blazer and some softer elements and jewelry to give it a bit of a twist and add some interest.² It was a comfy outfit for a day that began early and lasted until after dark, and it was nice to not have to worry about how I was sitting on that desk!

2. Botón Charro Ring - scored in Salamanca, Spain

Pink ring - gift

Earrings - Filene's Basement

Bracelet - ???  (I've had it for years)

I know that some academics don't wear jeans to teach in.  I know that others of you have mentioned previously that you wear jeans for teaching/work, but how do you style them?  Do you wait until later in the term to wear jeans or are they fair game from the first day of the semester on?

Following the Times

It’s not new for fashion to reach back, reinvent and reinstitute trends from years past. Fashionable Academics recently posted a New York Times article about the recurrence of Victorian Gilded Age menswear with just that phenomenon (see This Just in from the 1890s). After reading the article I was inspired. A modern twist on the “dapper dandy” is right up my alley. And looking at this rediscovered fad as a test to the versatility of my wardrobe, I stepped into my to closet to attempt and recreate some gilded age wear for myself. I started with the basics. A starch white dress shirt and heather grey tweed 5-button vest.^1,2 Good so far, but now I needed to choose the perfect pants. After looking through several pairs of khaki and black pants, I decided to go monochromatic. Grey wool pants would add cohesion to my newly inspired look.³ For some diversity and interest, a striped blue and silver tie would do the trick.⁴ It could blend the grey in the pants with that in the vest while introducing a new color into the mix.

Here in the Midwest it’s beginning to get chilly so I needed a blazer to top off this impromptu three-piece suit. I defaulted to my favorite. A deep navy blue Goodwill find that fits me like a glove.⁵ It has a thin widely spaced pin stripe that picked up on the grey in its two counterpart pieces. Add in some shiney irradecent loafers and sleek line eyewear in brushed silver, and I think I came close to recreating the look.^6,7

I’m a big proponent of men stepping away from the matchy-match, off the rack, standard suit (especially when the occasion calls for professional, but not exactly formal). You can really get a lot of wear out of your wardrobe if you buy piece separates and mix and match to get the “suited” look you’re after. Women do this all the time, and it’s time us guys get in on the action. After recreating this vintage look I started to think, what’s next? We’ve seen the return of the 1950s/60s, via Mad Men fandom. And now we are looking to the 19^th century for dapper dress. Is there an era that you would like to see or would predict to be re-visited for its fashion? I’m hoping not to have to go in search of a “ruff” any time soon…

References:

1. White Textured Dress Shirt –Banana Republic

2. Heather Grey 5-button Vest—Forever 21

3. Wool Pants—Express (purchased @ Goodwill)

4. Tie—Banana Republic

5. Blazer—Goodwill

6. Shoes—Robert Wayne

7. Eyewear—Calvin Klein

Casual Friday: Jeans, Boots, Jacket

Unbeknownst to me when I got dressed this morning, a colleague had decided that today he was going to come observe my class in order to write me a letter of recommendation for the job market. Had I known he would have been coming today instead of one day next week, I'm not sure I would have dressed any differently. The weather was sloggy and gross this morning calling for boots. It was also rather chilly, calling for either pants or tights. Since I have not yet had the opportunity to go through my tights and hose from last winter yet to see which pairs have gaping holes and runs in them, it was going to be pants. I decided to go for a play on a look that I find to be very scholarly and sophisticated: jeans, boots, blouse, and blazer. To my mind, it's sort of the equivalent of the academic power suit. Neither of my blazers seemed quite suitable for the day, so I got out this little jacket that I bought ages ago and have rarely worn the past couple of years.

When I later checked my email and saw that I was going to be observed, I did briefly contemplate changing. I don't teach in jeans very often, but I thought that this outfit also didn't give the impression of trying too hard. I also had a meeting with a student scheduled, and I didn't want to be late for it. So I walked out the door feeling confident that I looked casual but like a fashionable academic. Do you dress differently from your normal style when you know you're going to be observed by colleagues or advisors?