In Professorial Fashion

Change of Address

2012-01-27T22:02:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone, we've made the move over to Wordpress.

You can now find us here: www.inprofessorialfashion.wordpress.com. Please update your blog reading thingamajigs as necessary! We look forward to continuing the excellent conversation here at the new site!

Ravings of a Sleep-deprived Boot-lover

2012-01-17T21:45:00.002-06:00

Greetings, StyleNation, from the deep freeze that is IPF North. It is seriously, stupidly, horribly cold here. Also, I'm in the middle of a storm of writing and research deadlines, students keep emailing me questions that are answered in bold type on the course outline, the A-Dubs-Hubs is out of town, and the heat in my stupid/awesome house is messed up and makes terrifying clanking noises that jolt me out of what passes for sleep at 3am in these dark and busy times. I wake convinced a hobo has broken in to do laundry and is sitting bare-assed on my basement couch while his change clanks around with his pants in my dryer.

In more relaxing news, tomorrow I head out to do some conferencing after which I'm swinging by IPF South for some quality time with E-Jo and the Mini-FR. Probably we will take some photos of us being awesome.

Let's move on to the outfit portion of this program:

Outfit #1. Cats, Fire Flowers, Winter Booties

Lecturing is sweaty work (thus the short sleeves and boots), but it is winter and I have to hike across campus to my classroom (thus the heavy tights and lining in the booties).

Faux-wrap Dress: Argenti (remixed)

Kitteh pendant & brooch: see below

Near-invisible cami: H&M

Tights: Hue

Wierdly comfortable winter booties: Hush Puppies (old)

Here's a (really poor) close-up of the kittehs. I am not getting better with the camera:

Panther pendant necklace: stella & dot (local trunk show;better image here)

"Gold" Siamese kitteh brooch: thrifted (was supposed to be a gift for D-Med,

but I decided it wasn't classy enough to give away.

Plus, D-Med said people shouldn't keep buying her things with cats on them

just because she loves cats)

2. Non-Teaching, Office Pyjama Day: which boots?

I'm trying the flappy lace-up boot trend. I like it mostly because it reminds me of stuff we wore in the '90s. Plus, these boots are unexpectedly comfortable, and the fluffy lining goes all the way through. I'm not sure I'm doing so well with the styling, though. Be honest: which of these combinations works better, boot-wise? This one:

Blouse/tunic: ?? (tag is cut out because of scratchiness; Winners, remixed)

Black jersey cardigan: Kische (remixed)

Skinny trousers: Mexx (remixed)

Brown leather lace-up boots: Locale (via Feet First, new in the January sales)

Or this one?:

Pendant: stella & dot (same trunk show; better image here)

Lined cognac leather boots: Rieker (remixed)

That's all I've got today. Well, that and a giant ball of fuzz where my brain used to live.

Stay fabulous, StyleNation.

Dubs, out.

Idealistic Decisions and Office Pyjamas

2012-01-09T20:04:00.005-06:00

Ah, January! A time characterized for academics and non-academics alike by the idealistic determination to be better, to do better things, or to get better at things one is already doing.

For academics like myself, January seems regularly to involve the making of a series of idealistic decisions to do things that I soon come to regret having made. Case in point: in the early days of this month, I decided to entirely re-vamp one of my courses (you know: to make it better).

In principle, I know this is the right decision; it's good to change things up once in a while. It helps to keep me and the material fresh, and it thwarts potential plagiarizers. Moreover, in this course in particular, this change will help to eliminate the smug "I've got all your slides from my buddy who took your course last year" expressions on the faces of the cadre of guffawing and disruptive buffoons who keep showing up in this class because the Faculty of Engineering says they need a writing credit but is unwilling to teach them to write like engineers.

Already, I regret the decision to change the course. I've sentenced myself to an entire term of writing new lectures and creating new digital slide presentations. As much as I enjoyed the panic of the buffoons ("Holy crap! We're gonna have to do our own work in this course? WTF?!"), I enjoy carving my preparation time out of my sleep schedule much, much less.

There is, however, another decision I do NOT regret. Office pyjamas. The plan is as follows: on non-teaching days, I will not wear jeans, but I WILL wear outfits that come as close to the comfort of pyjamas as possible while still approximating professionalism.

Here for your consideration are my first two efforts:

Office Pyjamas - Episode 1:

Polyester jersey dress: Chapter One (remixed)
Acrylic knit cardigan: Joe Fresh (new to blog)
Necklace: gifted (remixed)
Fleece-lined winter leggings: Plush (new to blog)
Lined cognac leather boots: Rieker (remixed)

This ensemble was really, really comfortable, despite the abundance of unnatural fibres from which much of it is constructed. There was no squeezy tailoring, no stiff fabric, no confining belts or ties. Plus, that cardigan is from the sleepwear section of the grocery store clothing department (why, you ask? I have no bloody idea. Who wears cardigans to bed?)

Office Pyjamas - Episode 2:

Cotton jersey & polyester satin dress: I cut the scratchy tag out - but I found it on the sale rack at the Canadian designer store around the corner. (new to blog)
Metal and plastic purple fried egg necklace: crazy jewellery store in Florida
Draped cotton cardigan: Max Studio (via Winners)
Fleece-lined winter leggings: as above
Lined cognac leather boots: as above

And here's a weird pose in which I am trying to show you the cool lines of the sweater. Mostly, it looks like I'm being arrested, or preparing for a pat-down at the airport. And this is yet another of the many, many reasons I am an academic, not a model.

Overall, I am excited about the office pyjama decision. I think this good decision will facilitate my survival of the bad decision to sentence myself to three months of sleeplessness due to new lecture prep.

What decisions are you making this month, StyleNation?

Do you have any regrets, yet?

Stripes, Tights, and a Gratuitous Dog Picture

2011-12-12T16:22:00.000-06:00

Wow, November & December is a swirling vortex, isn't it? I'm almost on the other side of it now -- I've submitted grades for one class and will be done with the other on Thursday or so -- so things seem suddenly, wonderfully manageable. This is the first December in nearly 10 years where I haven't jetted out the door as soon as exams were written so the rest of the month will be calmer in a very new way for me -- for which I'm excited.

Striped cardigan: Gap Outlet
Tank (unseen): Target
Khaki skirt: Gap
Navy tights: Hue
Gold flats: Nine West

I wore this today to work in a coffee shop, and make a brief appearance on campus for the department's winter lunch (can I just say that a winter lunch without alcohol is a somewhat poor substitute for the traditional holiday party? Though this did feature a delicious 7 layer dip in the shape of the state I live in). As I was getting dressed, I decided on the navy tights first and then wished that I had a navy, breton striped top to wear, forgetting about this sweater's very existence. Now, this hardly matches the Platonic ideal of the navy breton striped shirt that exists in my mind, but it worked as a substitute in a pinch.

Scarf: Gifted from a friend of my mom

This scarf, which I hardly ever wear (it's slightly too upholstery-y for me), worked perfectly -- tying together the blues, greens and golds. Matching while pattern mixing FTW.

A gratuitous mini-FR shot, since he's totally over the outfit photo shoots. I'm biased, but, seriously, can you imagine a cuter face??

How is everyone feeling about the middle of December? Academics, you surviving? Non-academics, are sick of academic bloggers complaining about December yet?

Also, great blog alert: Celebrity Gossip, Academic Style. Lots of fun and really thoughtful articles here about celebrity and gossip (like about why everyone loves Michael Fassbender, and Claire Dane's return to television).

Holy Crap - Distressed Denim Kills People!

2011-12-09T12:25:00.001-06:00

We don't pretend to be cutting edge here at IPF. This explanation/excuse is the only one I can offer for my only recently having discovered the following:

The process of producing distressed and acid-washed denim

kills the workers who do it.

Image via Clean Clothes Campaign

For more information, please follow this link.

Obviously, killing workers so we can look awesome is unacceptable.

If you haven't done so already, StyleNation,

let's all vow here and now that

we will not buy jeans from companies that kill workers.

p.s. I, A-Dubs, solemnly swear that I will not buy jeans from any company that kills workers.

Glamrock and Other Soothing Sounds of the Academic Season

2011-12-02T09:22:00.004-06:00

GUTEN-FREAKING-TAG, StyleNation, and welcome once again to the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

E-Jo, Queen of Jewel Tones, Pantage, and Pencil Skirts, and D-Med, Armoured Duchess of Black Cardi's and Morning Surprise Hair, have clearly gone to ground in this maelstrom of marking. I, A-Dubs, will do the same shortly, having collected yet another zillion papers yesterday that MUST be returned Tuesday morning.

But first, an important announcement:

Next Wednesday marks the beautiful, beautiful conclusion of the teaching term in my faculty. I've no more lectures this term, just an in-class exam for one class, and an exam review for another. It is time to dance around (in pyjamas, in home offices, on breaks from marking papers and calculating final grades):

Academics, where are you at in the term? What's left to do before you're free?

More well-adjusted/non-academic readers, are you counting down

to anything awesome these days?

Conference Report: the gentle hands series

2011-11-28T21:20:00.001-06:00

Good goddess, StyleNation. Where the hell did November go? How is it the end of the month already?! (Here's hoping our American members enjoyed their long weekend.)

As I noted this time last year, I've learned to amplify the profesh in my on-campus ensembles as the term winds down. I need to bring what authority I can to in-office and classroom interactions, especially at this time in the term. Struggling and slacker students can get downright nasty as grades for their final assignments come in.

After this post, profesh is the word.

Today, I owe you a conference report. So, here goes.

Please note that the white walls in my new, as-yet-unfurnished home office are weird in photos. Thus, when I place my hands against the wall to hold myself up (or in a pose - I'm tippy), the walls disappear and it looks like I'm trying to be graceful, or gently balletic (yep. I'm calling "balletic" a word). I am not balletic or graceful; but I am tired (and lacking in camera know-how). And so, I offer the following "Gentle Hands Series":

Day 1: Teaching & Mad Dash to Airport for Conference Travel

In retrospect, I don't think I'd do the bow-belt on the dress, again. It seems a little girlish, no? Otherwise, the dress is perfect conference attire in that it's polyester (read: non-wrinkling, even after hours in airports, planes, and trains), profesh without being overly polished (my field is not an especially formal one), densely printed (read: won't show spills, even if they're red wine), and mix-and-matchable. Also, it has pockets (read: options for hand placement that avoid awkwardness like that shown below).

Dress: Rachel Roy (via The Bay, new to blog)

Cotton t-shirt: mall anchor store (Smart Set, I think)

Leggings: Groggy (remixed ad nauseum on this blog)

Waterproof black knee-high winter boots: Blondo (via Browns Shoes)

Day 3: Dress Remixing, Non-presentation Day

Full disclosure: I actually wore the shorter cardigan (pictured in the bottom two images) at the conference. But when I saw that cardigan in pictures, it made the dress look babydollish and I wish I hadn't worn it that way.

Here's what I wish I'd worn. Also, I wore this ensemble to teach earlier this week, and then to speak at an event later that evening. I began the day with a wide black belt over the cardigan and dress, but things got waaayyy too sweaty, so the belt was discarded after my first class that morning. It's still in my office (the belt, not the class), so it's not pictured here.

Silver necklace: gifted from the Hubs (more on this later)

Long black cardigan: Nygard (remixed)

Day 2: First Day of Conference, & Day 4: Presentation Day

Originally, for my presentation on Day 4, I'd planned to wear this black wool dress with the pashmina pictured below, and the boots and leggings shown above. This more casual ensemble was meant to be worn on Day 2 only. But I'd forgotten about the extreme blond shagginess of the dog at my brother's place - where I crashed for a portion of my stay. That huge, friendly dog leaves carpets of fur on everyone within a 2-mile radius. The black dress was impossible to wear under these circumstances.

Fortunately, I had these lycra-rich, skinny trousers on deck. Also a polyester blend, these babies don't wrinkle at all (again, this is key for conference travel - who wants to iron when there are panels to attend first thing every morning?). Even more importantly in my case, dog fur doesn't adhere to these unnatural tightly-woven fibres.

Grey-mix cardigan: ?? (remixed, via Winners, slightly better image below)

Black polyester jersey top: Anne Klein (via Winners, remixed)

Pashmina: gifted (remixed)

Skinny poly-lycra-rayon trousers: Mexx (new to blog)

Boots: as above

Here's a better image of the trousers. Despite appearances, I am NOT gently stroking the leaf of that plant. The plant is well in the foreground, but the bloody white walls and poor lighting are throwing everything off kilter.

Overall, to me, the building of conference-wear around on pair of conference-friendly boots worked really well, again. The boots were foot-friendly - low-heeled, rubber-soled, warm without being too warm, and comfortable for hiking around the conference city and campus - and dressy enough for my sartorial tastes.

As an added bonus, these boots bring me one comfortable step closer to my professional goal of modelling good footwear "behaviour" for my students. Currently, I use my wearing of high heels to teach the concept of hegemony - what better way to illustrate my own consent to gender subordination?* Having taught this lesson numerous times to date, I hope, someday, to require a different illustrative example.

* Interesting side note: young women in one of this year's classes were especially interested in promoting rather than discouraging my high heel wearing via multiple suggestions of "comfortable" or wedge heels as "cute and more comfortable than stilettos." My suggestion that no wedge or exceptionally-well-padded high heel was as comfortable as any of my husband's shoes was met with peels of laughter.

Adventures in Pants

2011-11-22T16:26:00.002-06:00

Ok. So "adventures" is misleading. Unless non-stop grading and emails about upcoming papers, and increasingly sloppy lectures count as adventures. I thought not. Today is the eve of a glorious near-week break for Thanksgiving, followed by my final two teaching days of the term. I've got a ton to do in the next few weeks but the knowledge that I can do most of it in yoga pants or, even, my pjs with a certain naughty little dog curled up beside me makes all things possible. As well, this is the first year in nearly 10 that I'm not traveling over the holidays so I've got nearly 10 days between my grades being due and family arriving which seems like a blissful period of working, baking, and watching ridiculous holiday fare.

For the time being, I've been wearing pants. Or, more accurately, I did so a couple of weeks ago now. This last week has been unseasonably warm so leg-covering tubes of fabric seemed unconscionable.

Blue cardigan: Gap
Black & white tie blouse: Old Navy
Jeggings: Old Navy
Gold flats: Nine West
Invisible, skinny patent black belt: Lane Bryant

This is one of my very favorite outfits from the last while. Unfortunately, it didn't photograph well -- all my poses are weird and the belt refused to be visible. This is what comes from trying to take outfits photos when I get home from class at 7:30 pm.

Navy & white cardigan: Gap outlet
Chartreuse tank: Target
Brown ponte pants: NY & Co.
Blue suede flats: Jessica Simpson
Multi-strand silver necklace: Loft Outlet

I don't have much to say about this. It was fine. I like this cardigan. I love the chartreuse-y-ness of this tank. But, basically, meh.

Are you traveling over the holidays, Style Nation? Any tips for survival? More importantly, what food/ drink I should be particularly indulging in while I stay grounded?

Monday, Monday

2011-11-07T10:54:00.001-06:00

Man, does it ever feel like November here (apart from the fact that I still can't completely turn off the air-conditioning): I spent the weekend grading, it's gray and blustery today, and I just want to stay in my pjs all day. While I work out some way to dress today that's basically pajamas but still teaching acceptable, here's a couple of things I was wearing last week.

Black faux-wrap shirt: Joe
Black tank: Target
Jeggings: Old Navy
Gold flats: Nine West
Feather print scarf: France

Here's an outfit built around the scarf I bought in France (detail shot below). It's silk and gorgeous, and subtly the colors of the tricolore. The rest of the outfit didn't photography well here but it's really beside the point: it's merely a background for feathery goodness.

Dress: Old Navy
Cardigan: Gap
Gold flats: Nine West
Purple tights: Target
Scarf: Germany

I love this dress. It's the perfect piece for showing off things like scarfs or bright blue cardigans. This is also my first foray into the colorful tights arena. I love a dark purple so this seemed well within my comfort zone.

Inspired by M. of An Epic Battle in High Heels, I went for a long overdue head suit alteration. I didn't get a shot of it when doing these outfit pictures, but one's coming... My hair's the longest it's been in years so I find that haircuts appear less significant but there's something to be said for the psychological effect of having a tidied up head--even if just externally!

A Bunch of Beige and a Butt Shot

2011-11-02T21:52:00.000-05:00

I interrupt IPF's regularly scheduled program of marking (or "grading," as our American friends like to call it) papers to bring you the following update:

It is cold here, so I've moved inside for photos. Currently, however, I live in an as-yet-not-fully-furnished house (one of the many exciting and sort of overwhelming effects of buying a home after nearly 20 years of apartment living). In addition, the A-Dubs-Hubs and I work a collective one zillion hours a week, so we've not quite finished painting walls better colours than the one showcased below.

In fact, I wouldn't post this teaching-day outfit at all if (a) the usually-camera-shy Fuzzy Roommate hadn't photo-bombed, and (b) I hadn't decided that this would be the last wearing of these boots for the season. I have worn these boots A LOT this term. It is time to take a break so they can feel special, again.

Cotton & silk blend turtleneck: Melanie Lyne (new to blog)
Leather belt: Nine West (new to blog)
Skirt: Take it Easy! (purchased in England with D-Med ages ago, remixed)
Boots: Miss Mooz (remixed)
Butt shot by FR: modelled for E-Jo

And here, because I have it, and because I am skillfully using my glasses as a prop for your entertainment, is another photo in which very little is going on, backdrop-wise:

I'm conference bound this weekend after which I will try to post a sartorial report.

(Once again, I shall be building all conference outfits around a single pair of boots.

Probably you are marvelling at my risk-takiness.)

What's going on with you this weekend, StyleNation?

The Final Push

2011-10-31T11:53:00.003-05:00

I just realized that this week is the first of the final third of the term. Yikes. Also, how has this term gone by so quickly? I get a bunch of assignments in today that really kickstart the unending pattern of grading, returning assignments, receiving more that characterizes the end of term. It's also the part of the term where students who've previously treated things lackadaisically begin to realize that they've been doing so and want to try and wheedle extensions out of me. I'm kind of a hard ass on the topic of extensions, though, right now, I'm kind of feeling their pain a bit as I could use an extension or two myself. At least the weather is finally cooling down...

Coral tank: Addition-Elle
White tank: Target
Black & grey striped pencil skirt: Old Navy
Scarf: German find (better detail shot here)
Gold flats: Nine West

These outfits are from before the temperature began to drop. As part of "Operation: Wear nothing but Pencil Skirts," this skirt is a recent addition. It's made of really stretchy jersey so it's actually somewhat difficult to walk in, at least until it stretches out a bit (it's kind of like a jersey covered elastic band). It's also quite a bit longer than I might like -- I've got it really hiked up here (wearing it at my waist puts it several inches below my knees) -- and so I'm deciding whether I want to get it hemmed or leave it with a somewhat flexible length.

Tank & Jeans: Old Navy
Flats: as above
B&W bracelet: Gift from my sister's trip to Morocco
Pink bracelet: World Market

This was from a non-teaching day. And, confession time, I'm pretty sure these are actually jeggings. However, they're flared and made of denim, rather than denim-printed spandex so I'm ok with this. They're super comfy and replace, for the time being, my jeans of a heavier denim. I also enjoy how the mini-FR is all blur, all the time in his most recent appearances. This is probably a fairly accurate representation of him.

My Halloween plans include teaching this evening, and bribing my students with candy. As I'm a bit of a Halloween grinch, this works for me. Any of you got big plans?

Rage and Safe Spaces in Fall

2011-10-27T16:31:00.009-05:00

A Tale of Rage, satisfaction denied (scroll down for outfit shots)
Once a year, my institution organizes an academic recruitment evening to which high school students are invited. Faculties and the programs and departments therein are required to set up and staff booths on this night, and then hand out pamphlets and other paraphernalia to encourage prospective students to declare us as their major when they get here next year. Usually, those of us who staff booths - and we know I have to do it every year, right? My program is teensy, so all full-time faculty are needed to staff our booth for the night - end up talking as much to parents as to teens.

Bear with me, people. I promise I'm going somewhere with this.

As you can perhaps imagine, in this age of job-training degrees and widespread post-feminism, Women's and Gender Studies seems like a tough sell [*insert apology for consumerist language*]. But I've developed a spiel that includes, among other things, a list of jobs our graduates have gone on to do (lawyer, medical doctor, social worker, youth worker, international relations internship, university professor, etc., etc.).

I'd just finished the part where I talk about understanding and addressing the root causes of violence against marginalized and racialized groups, including First Nations people (women in particular), migrant workers (especially women, again), and gay, lesbian, transgendered, transsexual, and bisexual people. I began my brief outline of the research specialties of our faculty, which include examinations of issues directly related to same-sex desire, particularly lesbian people. At this point, the Semi-Interested Mom (SIM) to whom I was speaking interjected and we had the following ridiculous exchange:

SIM: Is that a big part of your classes?

A-Dubs (confused, suspicious): Is what a big part of our classes?

SIM: You know - that. How much of course time is taken up with that.

A-Dubs (thinking how I'm going to make her say "it"): Are you referring to issues related to same-sex desire and lesbian people?

SIM (besting me at this game): Yes. That. How much class time?

A-Dubs (smugly): An average amount. We try to talk about sexual desire in many contexts in order, for example, to understand and address cultural forces that prevent people (especially women) from leading full and satisfying lives.

(awkward pause; SIM gives me a dubious look; I try to think what to say next)

A-Dubs: So, it sounds like you're alluding to the stereotype of feminists as man-hating, humourless separationist lesbians who set out to colonize unsuspecting young women, brainwash them, and thus transform them into man-hating, humourless lesbians who'll revile and judge their parents, especially their mothers, for the rest of their lives. Is that it?

SIM (without irony): Yes, exactly!

A-Dubs: Huh. (pregnant pause)

That's not at all what we do. We're NOT here to make your daughter into a lesbian. But we ARE here to support her, and we work to protect her and others from real or symbolic violence resulting from hers or others' expressions of real sexual desires. For example, we work to understand and prevent the homophobic bullying that has caused so many child and teen suicides lately - like that one we heard about on our city news last week.

(I rattle on about anti-violence and valuing people, thinking I'm totally convincing her that Women's and Gender Studies is awesome. She nods periodically, then interjects, again.)

SIM (big exhale, as though relieved): Well, that's OK, then. I'm glad I asked because, you know, it could go either way.

A-Dubs (incredulous): You mean some departments would try to make your daughter a lesbian? That way?

SIM (knowingly, vaguely): Yes. It can go either way.

A-Dubs: No. It really can't, and it doesn't.

~~~~~~
We went back and forth a little more in an unfunny "She said/She said" kind of way. Ultimately, she walked away, MAYBE convinced that the version of WGS at my institution is PERHAPS an exception to the rule she "knows."

And I felt enraged, once again, at this evidence of the kind of dull, conservative, heterosexist and homophobic thinking that kills people's kids, kids like the ones I see in my classes all the time. Kids like the one who recently wrote (in an assignment) that her WGS course is the only space in which she ever feels safe.

What kind of a ghoulish culture seeks to avoid and/or eliminate even these moments of safety, especially for its most marginalized members?

Teaching Outfits, worn while trying to establish, as much as I possibly can, safe classrooms:
#1.

Rose-printed black polyester tunic: Winners (new to blog)

Black puffed-sleeve cotton cardigan: Kensie (via The Bay, new to blog, but sooo old)

Studded black and brown leather belt: Mexx (remixed)

Black poly-rayon dress capris: NYC (via The Bay, new to blog, but also old)

Brown/black textured knee-highs: Hue (via Winners)

Black patent leather shoes: Clarks Artisan (via Shoe Heaven, remixed)

One-armed shoe-highlighting pose: stupidly difficult to achieve, even in this awkward iteration

Wonder Woman Pose: a timeless classic, especially here at IPF

#2. Velvet, tree bark, and fallen leaves look awesome together, n'est-ce pas?

Plum cotton velvet jacket: gifted from A-Dubs-Hubs ages ago (new to blog)

Black cotton T: H&M

Printed black cotton pleated skirt: Roxy (remixed)

Riding Boots: Aldo (remixed)

Ineffective boot-highlighting pose: just for you, StyleNation (and for the love of boots)

Have you any suggestions, StyleNation,

for things I could have said to Semi-Interested Mom?

Coming Home

2011-10-25T08:59:00.000-05:00

Hi all! I'm back, States-side, after a lovely excursion to France and Germany. It was a packed 10 days, full of baguettes, nutella crepes, wine, schnitzel and giant beers. So, in other words, pretty awesome. I even managed to keep my spending to only-slightly excessive, going on a bit of scarf-buying binge. But now I'm back in the world of reality, made all too real by the stack of mid-terms I had waiting for me on my return.

When I was in Berlin, my sister was there, helping organize a conference for 3000+ urologists so I got to tag along to the banquet dinner. My sister kindly took my single outfit picture from the trip.

Sweater: Gap Outlet
Ruffle-y top: Joe
Charcoal pencil skirt: Lane Bryant
Tights: Target, I believe
Gold Flats: Nine West

I wasn't really expecting to go to this, so I had limited options for dressiness. However, it gave me a chance to wear my new pencil skirt which I hadn't worn during my conference because it was so freezing in the conference room that I wore pants the whole time.

Black t-shirt: Gap outlet
Gray pencil skirt: Lane Bryant
Multi-colored circle scarf: Vero Moda (part of my German haul)
Blue suede shoes, obscured by mini-FR blur: Jessica Simpson

This was my outfit for yesterday's return to the classroom. There's a lot going on with the scarf so I thought a neutral backdrop was probably necessary -- and allowed the scarf to be the star. Be prepared for a number of similarly scarf-centric outfits from me in the next little while to showcase my purchases!

Detail shot of scarf and shoes.

Now for a couple of pictures from the trip itself...

Baguette, Boursin, Macarons: dinner of champions. (Not pictured: the bottle of Cote du Rhones that accompanied this)

Grenoble

An Alp

Grenoble

Lyon

Berlin

My sister and I on the train to Potsdam (I'm wearing another new, German scarf)

How've you guys been?

Boot Porn: IPF North edition

2011-10-11T20:24:00.001-05:00

How I adore this part of the academic term! You know, the honeymoon period where students still have enough energy to get fired up about course material, and our classroom relationship is untainted by poorly constructed argumentation to which I've had to assign poor grades.

What I adore less (or not at all) are the giant piles of marking that begin pouring in about now and only gain momentum for the remainder of the term. But let's not focus on the negative for this tiny moment. Because what's also awesome about this time of year is boot wearing. I know you've been doing your part, StyleNation; and I've been doing mine:

Boot-based ensemble #1 - Black & Red for Teaching:

Khaki blazer with pleated collar detail: (tag removed, via Value Village)

Black polyester jersey dress: Fylo by Nylon (via Winners, remixed)

Silk multi-colour pashmina: gifted from my mom

Black & grey leopard-print tights: Hue (via Winners)

Red leather buttoned boots: Miss Mooz (remixed)

Tights & Boot Porn close-up:

Bootage ensemble #2 - Giant flaming floral (for teaching):

Polyester faux-wrap jersey dress: Argenti (Canadian designer - hurrah!)

Nearly-invisible white cotton cami: H&M

Necklace: see below

Pewter patterned knee highs/bootliners: Hue (via The Bay)

Red leather buttoned boots: as above

Back of the dress - sort of the best part, yes?:

Jewellery close-up, just in case we care what $2 at Vallooo Villahhge gets us these days:

That's all, Y'all. Except that I'm heading out asap to check out some more of your fall boot-wearing!

Have you any fun thrift finds this season, StyleNation?

p.s. more gender-issues-in-academic-setting ranting coming up soon, so stay tuned

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2011-10-10T22:38:00.000-05:00

Man, this fall seems to be slowing us right down here at In Professorial Fashion. Postings, on my part, have been few and far between because I leave tomorrow for a conference trip to France, followed by a couple of days in Berlin, visiting my youngest sister who's there organizing a conference for urologists. Leaving for a somewhat extended break, mid-semester, is one of the perks of the way my teaching schedule works out this term. However, unsurprisingly, it means that I need to get on top of both conference things, and things related to my absence (pre-trip grading, arranging guest lecturers and mid-terms, etc...).

Nonetheless, I have managed to take a couple of outfit pictures in the last week or so that have gone unblogged.

Coral tank: Addition-Elle
Chartreuse tank: Target
Brown skirt: Gap
Brown suede flats: Joe
70s style, macrame necklace: RW&Co., ages ago

I posted a version of this outfit over the summer with shorts (or at least I think I did; I can't seem to find the post however...), rather than the skirt, but I love the combination of coral and chartreuse. And with that much color up-top, the rest really needs to be neutral. I don't think I've blogged this necklace before, which is crazy as it's one of my favorites. I'll try to wear it again soon and actually take a detail shot. I'm teaching until 7 pm this term and it's really hard to take more than a couple of basic shots when I get home.

Black cardi: Gap
Purple tank: Target
Olive pencil skirt: Lane Bryant
Faux-snakeskin flats: Old Navy
Silver necklace that never photographs true to color: LOFT Outlet

This skirt purchase was inspired by Jessica over at Surely Sonsy. She's been rocking some awesome pencil skirts, reminding me how fantastic and versatile they can be. This one's a ponte knit so it's really comfy. I also bought it in charcoal grey so expect to see some version of that soon.

Bright blue cardi & black tee: Gap
Brown pencil skirt: NY & Co.
Gold flats: Nine West
Silver pendant: H&M

As you can see with these last two outfits, I'm totally trying to make cooler weather happen here. With very little success. Nonetheless, this bright blue cardi is totally a workhorse for me, unexpectedly. I love how it jazzes it up an otherwise fairly unexciting combo.

I'll try to take some outfit photos in exotic European locales but I make no promises. Hope you all have a good week or so!

Running the Numbers

2011-10-03T22:17:00.003-05:00

It's like I settled in to write lectures on September 8th, and here I am almost four weeks later, still writing. September in academia is a whirlwind around a crap storm.

Here on the other side, in the sweet early days of October, less than twenty-four hours away from my first giant pile of marking, a routine has begun to emerge. Once again, it all seems manageable instead of overwhelming.

I'm teaching two courses this term, one of which is an upper-year group of twenty-five students who are absolutely fantastic. The majority of the group appears to do all the readings (a miracle unto itself), then they talk to each other and to me, and they say smart, insightful things. They make it easy to get out of bed twice a week. I. Am. Grateful.

In other news, the countdown's on for E-Jo's birthday. Can you feel the excitement? My (preliminary) gift to her is the following set of autumn-ish images of a non-teaching-day ensemble. The leaves are falling, but it's still warm enough for bare arms in the middle of the day:

DKNY studded jean jacket: Winners (remixed)

Juicy floral ruffled silk dress (purchased in XL & worn as tunic): Winners (new to blog)

Slim black pointe knit pants/leggings: Smart Set (new to blog)

Fly London Yayas: remixed

New location for outfit shots: side of my new garage

(matches my new house - more on this later)

And here's one of the dress, minus the jacket, showcased via the Wonder Woman "Classic with Hip Tilt" pose:

Red sparkly bracelet: mall anchor store (new to blog)

Pulsar watch: was my grandfather's (remixed)

Obligatory shoe close-up, as requested (see comments section):

Care to share, All?

'High points? Low points in the blurry ninth month just past?

Grainy Blues

2011-09-27T20:43:00.000-05:00

So this outfit is from last week, when we were still in the midst of a glorious string of days in the 80s/90/ high 20s/ low 30s, which explains my ability to wear sleeves. Somehow, even though it's almost October, we're back into the 100s which means sleeves are out the window and it's impossible to take pictures when I get home as I'm such a sticky, humid mess.

But, weather complaining aside, I loved this outfit and only wish the pictures did it justice. These are, in fact, the (probably) final shots (for the blog, at least) from my old point-n-shoot. I got a fancy new camera for my birthday and it's dying to be taken out for some outfit shots, not just pictures of my dog.

Blue cardi: Gap OutletDress: Old NavyNecklace: AnthroYe olde familiar gold flats: Nine West

It was a delightful outfit, perfect for getting some work done in the office and meeting with the new department chair to set up my committee for my half way to tenure review (eep). I figured that, when going to an important meeting, what's better than wearing a slightly distracting and sparkly necklace?

What's it like in the world of fall? Could you send some of it here? Especially your rain -- we need it pretty desperately!

Back in the Saddle

2011-09-19T22:04:00.000-05:00

Ummm... seriously, has it been over a month since I've posted? Yikes. Also, is September really two thirds over? Really? The last six weeks have been crazy busy with the start of term, a short notice but excellent visit from my sister during which I indoctrinated her into the Party Down club, and the delight that is an increased array of departmental service roles (I've totally been reading your blogs though. I just haven't had a chance to keep up with commenting).

While my sister was here, I was introduced to the wonder that is Nordstrom Rack. It is awesome. For our Canadian readers, it's like Winners but all drawn from Nordstrom so lots of good deals on high end brands. My sister got a $300 blazer for $30. This could be dangerous.

Coral cardigan: Nordstrom Rack
White tank: Target
Brown pencil skirt: NY & Co.
Gold flats: Nine West
Silver pendant: H&M

It was there that I found this awesome cardigan. I love coral and, given that we're only starting to get into temperatures below 100/ 40, its short sleeves make it much more wearable for me. I wasn't on the drapey cardigan bandwagon last year but I think I might be converted. It's going to look awesome belted and it hangs really nicely.

How are you doing, Style Nation? I've got to say that, while I'd like September to be touch less crazy, I'm kind of digging being back in professorial garb after a summer of, mostly, schlubbiness.

Getting this Show Back on the Road

2011-09-12T11:48:00.001-05:00

We interrupt IPF's unscheduled month-long hiatus in order to get this show back on the road. In the interest of starting slowly and retaining what sanity is available to academics at this ridiculous time of year, I bring you the following non-teaching-day ensemble:

Just kidding.

That's what I wore to walk the dog this morning. It's the hellish part of Start-of-Term, so I plan to hide out in my office all day today. The coffee and lunch lines are too long, and there are too many lost students milling around in the hallways. I'll just hunker down here with my thermos and lunch bag. And I'll wear this to do so (This is the on-campus version of the above - in strange light that adds cool texture where it does not actually exist):

And in real light:

DKNY tunic (with pockets!): new to blog

Mall anchor store tank dress: do we care? It's a stretchy white undergarment.

Moonstone pendant: my cousin's spa/shop in Tiny Town, Canada

Black microfibre leggings: remixed a LOT

Fly London Yayas: remixed

How've you been, StyleNation?

And how's September treating you thus far?

It's been a while

2011-08-16T14:08:00.003-05:00

You know what's the worst? A chest cold in the midst of 60+ days of 100 degree weather. It's made it delightfully difficult to get anything reasonable done, right when the August fears are kicking in. Gah. So, anyhow, I'm keeping this brief today. This is something I wore weeks ago now -- the shirt is part of my Old Navy haul from late last month.

Top: Old Navy

Tank & shorts: Target

Sandals: Birkenstocks

I'm loving the color of this shirt. And though it looks slightly wonky in these pictures, I think, once wrangled, it'll be a great piece for me.

How's everyone else managing these closing days of summer?

How do we feel about white pants?

2011-08-03T19:17:00.002-05:00

Too naked?

Usually, I don't wear 'em. I'm too messy/clumsy, and also, I worry I about my buns showing through if I wear the obligatory nude thong underneath.

Then it became August, I lost the will to shave my legs, and I found these in my "do something to alter, change, repair, or otherwise preserve" bag. Suddenly, it didn't seem so important to dye them green or grey before throwing them on. Instead, I casualed things up for today's meeting with research assistants:

Bass t-shirt: new to blog ($5 at Vegas outlet mall; acquired during Crazy Vegas Trip '09 with janey em, D-Med, E-Jo, Kelly Bean, Rinty the Crusher, Designer Shoe Whore, and other Key Players)
Bead Necklace: new to blog, via my cousin's spa in Tiny-Town, ON
Mango white cargos: new to blog (via Mango; acquired in Barcelona during Graduate Senorita Tour '07 with Rinty the Crusher, Kelly Bean, and D-Med)
Portia gold leather and cork wedges: remixed (via Shoe Heaven)

See what I mean about the nakedness? Does it not seem if you look closely, you might learn how (or if) I prefer to wax?

I sat during the meeting.

p.s. 'Sorry for not commenting as much of late. I'm totally reading your blogs. Really, I am.

(And you are looking GOOD.)

Stay fabulous. A-Dubs, out.

Heat Related Apathy

2011-07-29T13:40:00.004-05:00

I hate to be a broken record (actually, not really. I repeat myself constantly. It's totally charming) but, gah, this heat. I'm pretty sure that, scientifically speaking, three straight months of 100 degree weather melts your brain, making it impossible to work the energy to perform even the most basic tasks. This is not helped by the neutral rut that most of my clothes seem to be in. Not, obviously, there's nothing wrong with a wardrobe heavily based on neutrals but, as I'm firmly on Team Color, this, coupled with the heat, makes it difficult to dress myself every morning. So, undermining my own shopping ban (which has been an abject failure this July. The fact that no one I know is in town this month and the resulting social boredom this has produced has strongly contributed to this failure), I did some shopping to see about perking things up a bit.

Here are two outfits based around the spoils of that trip:

Top: Old Navy

Shorts: Target

Flats: Joe

The purchase of this shirt -- while not exactly a bright color -- was inspired by two Anthro shirts that I love, owned by A-Dubs and my youngest sister, respectively. This was, unsurprisingly, cheaper. I like the ruffle and the purple-y pink color; plus, it's made out of super soft cotton which is pleasing. It decidedly perked up a trip to the dentist and a trip out to the vet.

Top and skirt: Old Navy

Sandals: Birkenstock

Man, this post really highlights the most picturesque parts of my house. The black stuff on the tank is lace so it's not as solid black in person. This skirt, which I bought earlier in the summer, has become a rather unexpected workhorse. I was sceptical about this length on me and, while I'm still not entirely sold, it's so easy and breezy that I can't stop wearing it. I think my hippie vet liked it when she saw me YET AGAIN today. (Not to worry, mini FR is fine -- just a touch high maintenance right now).

Anyone got any big weekend plans? How about awesome, awesome work-accomplishing plans like me?

Summer Dressing

2011-07-25T23:05:00.004-05:00

Hmmph. It's been one hell of a summer, hasn't it?

Perhaps most horrifying are the droves of people dying of starvation in Somalia (if you've resources to spare and haven't done so already, please consider donating). Then there's that right-wing anti-Islamist sack of sh*t who killed 93 people in Norway (is anyone else peeved that he and his stupid manifesto are getting so much media attention? I've yet to hear a single newscast lead off with extended coverage of the victims).

Update: Interrobangs Anonymous's Katie gave us this link. CBC's Rex Murphy foregrounds the plight of Norway's grieving population.

And while we're on the subject of stupid, pointless deaths, I am really going to miss Amy Winehouse (Oh Amy. You were one beautiful, talented mess!).

With all these seriously awful things happening, and after we've given them due consideration (taking action where we can), it's sweet to enjoy some hilarity and clothes talk.

Clothes talk: remember that thrifted sundress from last summer?

I finally wore it with a coral cardigan. Prepare yourself: I am mixing it up pose-wise in this shot (click the link above to see more of the dress):

MAK coral cardigan: remixed

Thrifted cotton sundress: remixed

Portia gold leather and cork wedges: new (via Shoe Heaven)

Fantastic leg tan: unfortunate sunless tanner incident

I know. The pose-related excitement is almost overwhelming for me, too.

In other news, how much are we loving the coral with all the other colours here? I could probably use accessories to take me out of the June Cleaver realm, but there are so few people around the department these days that I'm having a hard time bringing my sartorial A game. Also, these are my new favourite shoes.

NSFW: afternoon wedding

The Hubs's friend got married on Friday. We attended his breezy outdoor afternoon wedding and stayed for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres on the sunny, breezy patio-by-the-park. After trying on a series of dresses stashed in the back of my closet and declaring them either (a) too formal, or (b) too much in need of horribly squeezy, sweaty under-armour, I opted for this combination instead:

Le Chateau ruched and lined cotton (not jersey) top: remixed

Jacob lined cotton pencil skirt: remixed

Dangly and sparkly earrings, sparkly cuff: remixed (worn with the pale pink wedding dress)

Naturalizer silver sandals: remixed (see link above)

Then I added my silver clutch and the wrap I bought for my mother, but that she didn't want, so I kept it and she can eat her heart out:

Dezario silver clutch: new to blog (via Shoe Heaven, ages ago)

Fuschia pashmina: who knows? I never keep the tags I cut off scarves (via Winners)

This appeared to hit the right note. And it was great to play hooky for an afternoon from my quiet office.

What are you remixing this summer, StyleNation?

Also, what's your position on afternoon weddings and sartorial formality?

Dispatches from London: Retail Therapy

2011-07-21T16:06:00.000-05:00

Today I bought another pair of shoes. From a fellow medievalist working in a shop.

It turns out the extremely charming Italian salesman had recently interviewed at the large research institution just up the road from the smaller college where I teach and had just completed a PhD in medieval Persian literature at UCL. He is way smarter and has a much better academic pedigree than I.

This was one of those days--and there are many--when I wonder how I have a job at all. I am lucky to get to spend my days in archives and my evenings at the theatre. And my Sunday afternoon at Laduree with an old friend and violet-scented macarons. And my nights prowling the Thames in search of sleep in one of my favourite cities in the world. I am lucky to have the job I have.

But I could just as easily be working in a shop too. I spent a miserable year in the late 80s working at Laura Ashley and looking like a flower garden had barfed all over me. In fact, I wore a very similar pair of brogues to the ones I bought today with lace tights and a square-necked, puffy-sleeved, corduroy floral frock, with my spiral-permed hair caught up in a huge-ass velvet bow. I was dreadful at retail. It is a very trying job.

I might work hard, at both the job I had before and the one I have now, but I don't work harder than anybody else. And hard work doesn't mean I deserve this job anymore than anyone else. And sometimes I wonder if I deserve it less ... which is what keeps me up at night.

Luckily there are deeply-discounted, Italian-made, kitten-soft, blue suede shoes that come medievalist-approved.

I might sleep in them tonight.

NSFW: Bridesmaiding

2011-07-18T12:07:00.006-05:00

As promised, here is the long awaited wedding round-up! None of these pictures are mine -- they come from an assortment of other people (bridesmaids, friend of the best man, etc...)

Let's start off with the bachelorette:

My dress: Lane Bryant

Bronze clutch: Gap outlet

Necklace: The Bay

The Bride-to-be's Dress (middle): H&M

Other sister's dress: Bought somewhere in Cuba

This is my favorite picture of the three of us from that night -- after dinner and before the quasi-madness really begun. My dress was a last minute purchase before I went to Montreal when I realized that I didn't really have anything really appropriate for a bachelorette. I love it -- so comfortable and very "me," I think. Mostly because it's jersey.

The Big Day:

They got married in the chapel on McGill Campus which was really lovely -- and especially fitting since they met while in university (only at the University of Alberta) and my brother-in-law is a med student there now.

The bridesmaids waiting in the chapel for the bride. My sister picked out a bunch of different dress styles in the same fabric and by the same designer. It was a nice way to keep things consistent but with a bit of individualism. The brown pearl necklace that the bridesmaids are wearing and that I'm wearing as a bracelet was the gift from the bride.

The bride. Obvy, I guess. Her dress was really beautiful and she looked amazing. I kind of hate her.

My immediate family. My mom's wearing a dress she and I picked out at a Nordstrom's when she was visiting me here in IPF South in the spring.

Me with my adorable Grandma at the reception. The dresses held up really nicely, considering it was super warm in the reception hall and we (along with the bride) kept the DJ busy with country music requests until 2 am. There may have been line dancing, half-remembered from learning it in early at the elementary school my sisters, two of the other bridesmaids and I attended. Maybe. All in all, a fantastic wedding with an open bar where the bartender remembered all the bridemaids' drinks and had them ready as we walked towards the bar.

Anyone else heading to/ returning from summer weddings?

Getting Back in the Game

2011-07-15T10:39:00.004-05:00

Dudes. I'm back. All of a sudden it's over a month since I last posted. Mostly this is because I've been away -- wedding prepping and attending (of which there will be a separate post soon) and cottage bobbing. But I've returned to the world of work and regular outfit photographs. I'm behind on commenting but I've been reading all your blogs over the last month and you guys are bringing it which has been inspiring. I'm firmly into 100/38 degree days and working in a coffeeshop mode so it's been really easy to fall into schlub wear. But, in the desire to overcome my holiday inertia, I need to up my sartorial game.

Here are two attempts to kickstart things:

Top: Joe

Skirt and faux-snakeskin flats: Old Navy

This top is a conundrum. I love the idea of it but am afraid that it fails in the execution. Namely, it mostly looks sloppy rather than cool and architectural. It doesn't help that heather gray is a dumb fabric to wear in super heat for sweat-related reasons. Also, from this angle, it's a total boob deflater -- and while I've got some to spare, I'm not entirely sure that's what I'm really looking for in a top.

Dress and tank: Target

Wedges: Aerosoles

This is the dress I bought months ago after seeing Anne wearing it. Somehow, though, I haven't blogged it as A-Dubs recently brought to my attention after I wore it when I spent a (delightful) day with her in Toronto. The dress is great and -- most importantly -- was not stained by the full glass of red wine I spilled on it while at the cottage.

And, finally, because he hasn't featured for awhile and because he needs to confirm to his adoring fans that he's recovered from some recent health issues, here's the mini FR -- copying Jude and Kameko with the bum shot.

How has everyone's week gone? And is everyone else in denial that it's July 15?

Dispatches from London, 2011 edition

2011-07-14T04:20:00.003-05:00

Due to a bout of air travel-induced catarrh, I am working from my garret today instead of at the archive.

It's a room with a view of sorts.

I'm wearing my nightie, a black cardigan and my new shoes.

Won't these look amazing with opaque black tights in the fall?

Low Tide

2011-07-07T19:32:00.000-05:00

Apparently I wear a black cardigan everywhere I go,

even when I am standing on the ocean floor with my toes in the primordial ooze.

Apparently I also wear a tie-dyed skirt when I am standing on the ocean floor. It's a look.

Photo credit

I'm off to the archives on the other side of this ocean though I have no plans to stand in it while I'm there. Or to wear tie-dye.

It's very likely, however, that I will be wearing a black cardigan.

Switching Gears

2011-07-04T16:06:00.006-05:00

It ended!

The Project That Will Not End (sort of, for now) has ended.

It is (for the time being) on someone else's desk!

In celebration, I'm committing myself in earnest to The New Project until my 7-day summer holiday begins this Wednesday. Such is the life and times of a (relatively) newly minted academic.

I am, however, scheduling time for some extended reading of the last month or two of your blogs, StyleNation. I cannot wait to see what you've been wearing!

In the mean time, here's what I've worn since summer finally arrived in IPF North. (I am still in meetings of various kinds 3-5 times a week in pursuit of The New Project.)

#1. Green Skirt, Hot-Hot Day

I love this colour of green. Maybe you guessed this fact already, given that this is the colour of my wedding dress. I wore this ensemble (not the wedding one) for a meeting on the other side of campus late last week. The black turned out to be the right choice as it didn't show my extreme sweatiness after that slog. The green was touch and go, embarrassing sweat-mark-wise. Fortunately, the slip I threw on before dashing out of my house that morning took the brunt of the load.

Anne Klein black embellished sleeveless T: new to blog (via Winners)
Kelly Green cotton twill skirt: new to blog (via Winners)
Black leather belt: Nine West
Eject white leather peep-toe slingbacks: new to blog (deeply discounted in last summer's sales)

I talked myself out of this top two separate times before I finally picked it up. The feathery parts are a bit fru-fru and silly; but I've decided one can never have too many boat neck black sleeveless tops. Because black is awesome (obviously), and because it's nice not to worry about cleavage allowance during meetings.

#2. Matchy-matchy, Muggy Day

This is what I've got on today. It's hot and sticky, but I had a meeting with a new research assistant, so I was going for floaty (read: air circulation under the clothes), not clingy, but still on the profesh side.

Forever Fashion embellished mauve sleeveless T: new (via Winners)
Esprit cotton drop-waist pleated flower skirt: remixed
Silver-link metal belt: thrifted, remixed
Nine West nude platform wedges: remixed

All this sweating is heightening my anticipation of cottage week. If all goes as planned, I will be cottage-bobbing with E-Jo, Rinty the Crusher, and another key player or two by late Wednesday afternoon. Probably we'll look something like this (some faces obscured to protect the innocent;)

Sweet buckets of relief! I cannot wait to not be sweating alone in my office.

We will think of you fondly, StyleNation.

What, if anything, are you doing for holidays this summer?

The Fool on the Hill

2011-06-23T07:26:00.003-05:00

I went to a conference a few weeks ago that was on a beautiful university campus located on the side of a mountain.

Well, a hill, but a very steep hill. With a swiftly-flowing river at the bottom of it.

I wore this:

Black Shirt: J. Crew

Black Checked Skirt: All Saints

Camel Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Photo Bomber: Vampire Cat

Paper Topic: collection of fifteenth-century East Anglian female saints' lives (Sort of makes you wish you knew me IRL, doesn't it?)

I blame the conference organisers for not mentioning that a pencil skirt and heels, while wholly appropriate for disseminating research in a public forum, is not appropriate wear for the mountainous terrain of the campus. I nearly broke a lot of parts of myself going uphill in this Killer Outfit. And then again, going downhill toward the swiftly-flowing river.

What do you do when your outfit might actually kill you?

Melancholia, Violence, and Acid Wash Denim

2011-06-21T22:56:00.004-05:00

(scroll down for outfit post)

A long time ago, at a point in life that seems very far away from my here and now, I lived in this city. The city I'm currently visiting for research, a city I've come to know better than I ever thought I would want to know it.

The last time I lived here, I'd just returned from 18 months of travel, before which I'd completed an Arts degree and discovered that I was not cut out for the insurance business. I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life, so I waitressed and tried to figure things out. I made OK money, shared an apartment with a college student I barely knew, and somehow managed to begin dating a person who listened to me and appreciated my awkward goofiness in ways that made me feel great. Life was OK; people were a little condescending about my job, and I was a little lost, but it seemed like I was on the verge of finding some direction.

Then two things happened to speed the process along: business slowed down (and my income became way too low), and my roommate was roofied and raped by two men in our apartment while I lay in the next room thinking she was having uncharacteristically loud sex with her boyfriend and wishing I could get back to sleep. Afterward, my poor roommate couldn't remember the actual rape, but had plenty of trauma nonetheless. She went into counselling and immersed herself in her schoolwork. As far as I know, police never caught her rapists. I wish them (the cowardly rapists) ill.

Since I'd heard it, I was the only "witness" to her rape, a fact that was both alarming and devastating for both of us. To make matters worse, neither of us could afford either to change the locks or to move out. Suddenly, Toronto was a hellhole from which I had to escape.

I continued to date the person who is now the A-Dubs-Hubs. He was almost done medical school and was interviewing for medical residencies at centres across the country. His acceptance into a program in eastern Canada became reason enough for me to leave my desolate Toronto life and follow him to his new city. He told me I was a grad student "waiting to happen." Fortunately, he was right. Even more fortunately, the student loans people agreed and made my move possible.

And now, I'm back in Toronto. The past eight-day stretch is the longest I've spent on my own in this city since that bleak time. The first few days here included excellent times with E-Jo and Rinty the Crusher, and they were thoroughly awesome. Since the exits of E-Jo and Rinty, however, I've enjoyed the multiple neighbourhoods, the excellent restaurants and shopping, and the exciting research I'm undertaking. But it's all increasingly haunted (or tainted?) by the fear and terrible loneliness of my previous life here. Fortunately, I leave tomorrow. Even more fortunately, here endeth the melancholia.

Outfit Post:

This skirt - worn last week - may not make it to campus, again. I may need to acknowledge that jean skirts are inappropriate even for casual, in-office, non-student-meeting days.

Chapter One black t-shirt: new to blog, via Winners
Green bead necklace: new to blog, purchased during visit with Rinty the Crusher this past April
Azzure acid wash denim skirt: remixed
Shoe Heaven shoes: remixed

Here's a closer view of the accessories - plus the drab brown cardigan the el-crappo weather dictated that I wear:

Smart Set cardigan: remixed
Bead and wood cuff: new to blog, local artist who sells things at local bookshop (where I also bought books, of course - because I am an academic, so it is the law)

When, if ever, can jean skirts work for work?

Also, what city, if any, makes you melancholic?

(Don't worry. We won't tell. Or make you go there.)

More Pant-type Outfits

2011-06-10T15:00:00.005-05:00

I've got no crazy dreams to report, unfortunately, but I've got a couple of pantal-esque outfits to present.

Outfit #1: In which I embrace leggings

Dress: Joe

Tank & Leggings: Target

Sandals: Birkenstocks

I've been slow to get on the legging train. I felt pretty confident that they wouldn't work on me -- that they'd cut my legs off in weird ways, making me look stumpy, etc... Now, I'm not sure they're absolutely the best look on me or anything, but I'm pretty converted now as they're super comfy and allow me to wear this dress in public. My mom, when she visited at the beginning of May, brought me a bunch of stuff from Joe (the Canadian department store brand), including this dress and the shirt in the outfit below. The dress is frankly a little too small for me both up top and down below but I love the pattern and it's easily fixable with a cami, and tights or leggings. Tights are an impossibility right now but capri length leggings do the trick admirably.

Outfit #2: In which I cannot wear sandals for another day

Top: Joe

Shorts: Target

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

This outfit was one that, without proper shoes, probably bordered on way too casual to wear into the office. Plus, it was nice to be able wear proper shoes for the day. I got these ages ago, right before I hurt my ankle earlier this term so this is the first wear they've had. I'm really pleased with them. I love a wedge and these have a rubber sole (which, seriously, why don't all shoes have these??) which is ideal for someone like me who lacks basic grace and balance.

Pantal Ensembles

2011-06-07T20:57:00.001-05:00

Two nights ago I had a totally enraging, ridiculous dream. I dreamt I was visiting Kelly Bean to help out with new baby-related household angst (I have no indication that things are angsty chez KB. This is a subconsciously-produced detail). Kelly, her hubs, her mom, and I were running around trying to round-up various neighbourhood children and get Baby T down for a nap. In the midst of all this, a couple of nondescript idiots kept insisting that everyone sit down so they could serenade Kelly and babe on the recorder and the ukulele. They started, stopped, but never completed a painfully slow version of "My Heart Will Go On."

I woke up enraged on KB's (and my own) behalf, and have had the Titanic theme stuck in my head ever since. It. Is. Awful.

That's all I've got today, StyleNation. Well, that and these three pant-based outfits:

#1. Red Linen for Student Supervision

I am taking suggestions for better shoe pairings with these trousers:

Zokai ruffled top: remixed
Mexx cardigan: remixed
Foxy brushed-silver necklace: remixed
Pulsar watch: remixed
Mexx red linen trousers: new to the blog
Clarks black and cork wedges: remixed

#2. Day-long Community Meeting

I wore the following to a very long, emotionally and intellectually exhausting policy-development conference on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Sartorially, I wanted to be appropriately respectful, but not overly formal. The A-Dubs-Hubs thinks I hit the mark this time - what do you think?

DKNY jean jacket: remixed
Kenar grey-mix tank: Winners, new to the blog
Silver and gold metal necklace: mall anchor store, new to the blog
Nine West leather belt: via Winners, new to the blog
H&M black linen trousers: remixed
Near-invisible Frye London Yayas: remixed

Fortunately, my name-tag-on-a-string tangled with the necklace, preventing boob-wrangling for much of the day.

#3. Pattern-mixing, One Supervisory Meeting

The camera refused to capture the brown stripe in this jacket, so you'll just have to trust me on this one: I am mixing patterns. The camera can suck it.

Dress Barn brown-and-cream striped cotton jacket: gifted, new to the blog
Tall Girl clear plastic sparkly multi-strand necklace: new to the blog
Reitmans coral cami: new
Reitmans coral-and-white print ruffled tank: new
Smart Set green khaki bell bottoms: remixed

That's right: not even the close-up shows the stripe in the jacket.

How do you make your camera take the real picture? Can you train me to do it in three lines or less?

Three for One

2011-06-03T15:46:00.005-05:00

Like A-Dubs earlier this week, I've got a bunch of outfits for you today. Unlike A-Dub's outfits, however, mine are decidedly more basic. I've tried to be head down, nose to the grindstone the last couple of weeks as I want to be able to take a couple of weeks completely off when I'm in Montreal for my sister's wedding shortly. Plus, as a colleague/friend recently reminded me, I'm about 8 months away from having to hand in my "halfway to tenure" material which means that, if I want to have heard anything resembling decisions on stuff like articles or book proposals, I need get stuff sent out relatively shortly. Delightful. On top of that, the temperatures here are moving into the high 90s/ low 100s so accessories are decidedly out as are shoes that don't leave 90% of my feet bare.

So here we go...

Outfit #1

Dress: Gap

T-shirt: Target

House flip-flops: Old Navy

I think this outfit was much better in real life than it is in this picture. Plus it was super comfy as this jersey dress is very soft and stretchy.

Outfit #2

Coral faux wrap top: Addition Elle

Charmeuse tank & shorts: Target

The sun bleaches out the colors here but I really like the combination of these two colors. I'm loving coral this summer -- I'm also astonished by how versatile it is -- something I wouldn't have expected.

Outfit #3

Dress: Old Navy

Sandals: Birkenstocks

Here's a dress that I bought this last winter and that I totally forgot about. I love the print of it. It's a little too big -- particularly up top -- but I think I might be able to fix that by shortening the straps a little bit. Also, I took this picture later in the day than the earlier two and clearly this is the magic hour, light wise. In addition, my tripod doesn't get too hot to touch if it's outside for more than two minutes at this point.

Quantity, not Quality

2011-05-31T14:10:00.001-05:00

StyleNation, What. Is. Up? I hope it's sunny and awesome where you are, at least. Here at In Professorial Fashion, Northern Division, it's been crap for days.

Preamble:

Academic things at IPF North continue apace, with today marking the first of the two smaller deadlines noted in my last post. That paper proposal needs one more read-through to cut 30 words, then it's off. As a reward for this good work, I'm granting myself a lunch-time blogging session.

After this sweet interlude with you, StyleNation, I must resume working through the To Do list, which has been augmented significantly by a positive response to the grant application I submitted in January. I'm not complaining, of course - this is the first time this particular granting agency has shown me any love. But this means the summer's work will involve much more research travel, so The Project That Will Not End MUST end asap. Moreover, ALL pending deadlines MUST be prepped for before July gets here and starts really kicking my buttocks.

In other news, the A-Dubs-Hubs and I bought a house, which we take possession of August 1st, and move into in early September. Excited as I am to (finally) become a homeowner, academics in the crowd will note that the September move-in date sucketh as it corresponds with the commencement of the new term. Such is the life of an academic, I'm told: anything non-academic can start to seem like it's getting in the way of one's life's work. But life must extend beyond academia, and this is one step for me in that direction! Hurrah!

Outfit(s) Post:

Clothing-wise, I've not been enjoying the shoulder season, and my sartorial choices reflect this lack of engagement. I thus include a series of recent outfits each of which has one lovely element, and many others that I think suck.

#1: Double Denim (meh)

Shirt: Smart Set
Necklace: craft show (remixed)
Lacey gold cuff: cousin's shop (remixed)
Trouser jeans: Joe Fresh (remixed)
Nude wedges: Nine West (remixed)

Outside of yogawear and pyjamas, it doesn't get much more comfortable than a slightly-too-big, soft denim shirt untucked over worked in trouser jeans, with platform shoes made of buttery-soft leather and cork. Really, the denim shirt needs to be lighter, and the bottom half here needs to be slimmer. Also, there's a chance neither ensemble is particularly profesh.

Comfort factor aside, the only winning elements of this ensemble, for me, are the shoes. As previously noted, they are wicked comfortable. Like they're made of butter and awesomeness. Welcome back, sweet nude platform wedges!

#2: More Pants (yawn)

Striped jersey T, Coral Cardigan, and Necklace: (all remixed from here)
Cotton-linen blend gray trousers: Melanie Lyne
Invisible pointy-toed flats: Fugitive de Francesco Rossi (remixed)

Aside from some work with an iron, the fix here is, I think, a bigger shoe. But I just couldn't face buckles or heels that day. Side note: those pants are so comfortable they should be illegal.

#3: Black Stuff, No Student Meetings

Polyester jersey dress: Chapter One (via Winners)
Polka dot cotton cardigan: Topshop (purchased while visiting D-Med in England ages ago)
Cotton cami: H&M
Silver cuff: The Bay (remixed)
Summer-weight leggings: ?? (I cut out the tag. It was scratchy)
Black ballet flats: I forget. I'll update when I get home.

I don't mind this outfit as is. But the shoes from the next outfit would make it a bit more grown-up, don't you think?

#4: Black Stuff, Student Meetings

Black cotton dress: Mexx
Printed leather belt: Winners
Shoes: Fly London Yayas

Obvy, the best part of this ensemble is the shoe part. These sweet babies are replacing my cork-heeled Clarks wedges, and they're buttery soft and wicked comfortable (especially since they stopped pinching off circulation to my baby toes - this took 4 wearings).

As is generally the case for me when it comes to tailored dresses, the top of this dress fits perfectly, but the bottom is too big in all areas except the part that crosses my hips. Even when I iron it, the dress hangs a bit like a bag, pulls awkwardly at the hips, and the stupid belt loops are way too big. I keep thinking the right accessories will make it better. 'Thoughts? 'Suggestions? Perhaps it's time to let it go?

Summer and Floaty Skirts

2011-05-23T15:21:00.005-05:00

In an effort to avoid the early summer lethargy that's all too easy to fall into after the craziness of the end of term, I'm trying to keep dressing in a semi-professional manner -- whether I'm going to the office, the coffee shop or working at home. So far this has produced mixed, though mostly positive results (ie. sometimes I'm dressed up while busy not-working). I'm hoping to get a couple of things off my plate before I head to Montreal in a couple of weeks for my sister's wedding so it's full steam ahead here at IPF South.

The other day I picked up a floaty, mid-length skirt -- like those that have been popping up all over the blogosphere in the last couple of months. I was initially skeptical about how this length would look on me. I'm not a full convert yet but I'm enjoying the extra length and floatiness so far.

Top & Skirt: Old Navy

Gold flats (which look like canoes for some reason in these photos): Nine West

I tend to avoid overly whimsical styles -- I like them on others but resist them for myself -- so I like the graphic print on this one.

The mini-FR, sun worshipper that he is, is enjoying the hot and sunny weather we've been having. Here he is, patrolling the yard while I took photos. He is nothing if not vigilant.

How was your weekend Style Nation? I saw Bridesmaids -- it was awesome (and reinforced my love for Jon Hamm) and very apropos given the next couple of weeks.

Belated Conference Report, Part 1

2011-05-17T14:09:00.004-05:00

What is up, StyleNation? You are looking GOOD today. How DO you do it every time?
Let's get right down to the posting, shall we?

1. First, an Important Announcement:

Congratulations to our illustrious Guest Lecturer

Kelly Bean, Rogue Academic and now Mother of Two Gorgeous Kids!

Visit Kelly in Beantown to check out the cherubic new Baby T.

We love you, KB, and wish we could be there with you!

2. Next, a preamble:

In less exciting news, I've been holding out on the posting, having convinced myself that I need to take headsuit photos and a complete set of conference outfits pic's before blogging, again. I've decided, however, that this is an unrealistic goal. Instead, things will have to get done in stages.

It is busy here. In the last two weeks I've:

* attended a conference (SO good - plus there was some wine drinking with a key contingent)
* visited all too briefly with Rinty the Crusher who lives too far away from me, which is stupid
* hosted my parental units and their dog for five days
* prepped for and attended a disciplinary meeting for a student plagiarist
* hired and started training two research assistants
* plowed through a good portion of The Project That Will Not End (end is in sight - hurrah!)
* looked at about seventy billion houses and put an offer on one (results pending)
* applied to another conference

Currently, there's one huge and two smaller deadlines fast approaching, but I'm determined to get some blog-reading and posting done before I go back into the breach.

3. And now, the outfit post:

So, the plan to build all conference ensembles around my brown riding boots worked well. As did (IMHO) my effort to be comfortable and semi-professional every day of the conference. Here is Conference Outfit, Day One (a non-presentation day):

Tunic: Cha Cha Vente (via Winners)
Necklace: art show somewhere in southern Ontario
Leggings: Groggy (remixed ad nauseum on this blog)
Riding Boots: Aldo

Because the conference was on a university campus, not at a hotel, we all wore and/or carted around coats all day. For once, I managed to anticipate this important detail and planned all outfits to incorporate this spring coat. I wore this coat everyday, most of the time, because it was chilly indoors and out.

I forget what we call this style of jacket. Swing? Bracelet-length? Mostly I think of it as a necklace highlighter:

Jacket: (I forget but will update when I get home tonight)

I really wanted to style everything around this vintage double-breasted velvet trench, but it's not a practical option for travelling. What if it gets even more crushed? It's irreplaceable. So I include it here as the fantasy option. In reality, I wore the above-noted green cotton twill number.

Trench: thrifted, then switched out gold brass buttons for these faux pewter ones

In closing, I offer the following awesome picture of the Fuzzy Roommate savaging his sock monkey on his new bed cover. My mother loves fabric stores; she shops for quilting materials. I enjoy the stores, too, but barely have time to blow my nose, so when I go to the stores with her, I try to avoid buying fabric for projects that I will never have time to undertake. But a pillow cover is an fast and totally easy thing to make - and who could resist this leopard print?

"Leopard print." Do you see what I did there?

Conference Report, Part II to follow.

In the mean time, tell us, all you professionals out there:

what do you do with your coat at professional events?

Wear it? Scrunch it into your bag? Hang it and hope no one swipes it?

NSFW: Bridesmaid Style

2011-05-11T18:12:00.004-05:00

As promised, here is the long awaited bridesmaid dress post. I think it's a pretty fantastic dress in a great color and in a fabric that's shiny, but not obnoxiously so. All the other bridesmaids will be in dress in the same color and fabric but in different styles from the same designer; they all have a slightly Mad Men-esque quality to them. Even better my sister (who is, FYI, an awesome, non-demanding bride) chose a style that we were all able to order online for half price. Same deal with the shoes.

Dress: Alfred Sung Collection for some sort of bridal line

My apologies for its wrinkled state -- I refuse to iron it, only to travel with it in six weeks or so.

The shoes are still in flux -- these are the current contenders. I LOVE them. My sister originally wanted bronze shoes but they proved unreasonably difficult to get in a style that was appropriately wedding-y. There's now some uncertainty about whether nude is the way to go or not. I'm totally on Team Nude in this scenario (have at 'er, A-Dubs). I'm also probably keeping these shoes whether they make the cut or not. 'Cause, I mean, look at them. How awesome would they be with just about any outfit I could throw at them? They also sell them in a deep rich red patent and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted.

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Any awful bridesmaid dresses in your past? I've been pretty lucky so far, I have to say.

The Actually Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-05-08T20:19:00.004-05:00

Phew. After a long few weeks away, I'm back. My final papers are graded. My grades just need one more quick go-over and then I'll submit them. My mom came, was visited with, repainted my bedroom & new bedside tables, purchased her mother-of-the-bride ensemble, and departed. Classes finished. It got unbearably hot, cooled down slightly again, and then rocketed back up. So, as a result, blogs didn't get commented on (though they've been viewed at spare moments -- you all are bring.ing. it.) and outfit pictures haven't been taken in a while. This is why today's photos are in two parts.

Part the First

Pros: captures the outfit in its entirety.

Cons: was taken so zoomed out that, to crop out extraneous stuff (ie. my head), I had to zoom it so far in on my computer that the color got pretty bleached out.

Dress: Joe

Cardi: Gap outlet

Shoes: Patent Birkenstocks

Part the Second

Pros: captures the color of the cardigan slightly better

Cons: somewhat unfortunate angle; so zoomed in that I didn't need to do any cropping whatsoever.

This outfit strikes me as particularly A-Dubs-ish for some reason -- though I don't think I'm copycatting anything in particular.

I'm taking tomorrow and Tuesday off of work to read trashy/ nerdy fiction and catch up on my TV. But then it's back to the proverbial grindstone -- including a plagiarism tribunal. Yay? More importantly, I've got a bridesmaid dress post coming up shortly...

How's the last three weeks been for you?

NSFW: What I'm not wearing to the Wedding of the Century

2011-05-01T13:22:00.006-05:00

No, not that wedding.* My mother is getting married in a couple of weeks and my brother and I have been conscripted to walk her down the aisle. This means I have to wear something fabulous and flattering, not just because I will be on display for the event in a way I wish I weren't but also because this Wedding of the Century is taking place in my backward hometown, a place I have not visited in many, many years and I am none the worse for it. Until now.

I loved this dress on the model because, you know, she's a model and that's her job.
But it is doing me no favours. Whoever said the wrap dress is universally flattering has never met me.

And why does the skirt hit me at that oh-so-unflattering mid-calf point? What is she, like, 9-feet tall?

Also, this dress makes me look like I have heaving alabaster bosoms. And not in a good way.

Silk Chiffon Dress: Diane von Furstenberg

Black Lace Slingbacks: Nine West

Chunky Beads: Tarina Tarantino

Frump Factor: Inexplicable

The colours of this dress are amazing. The fabric is lovely and floaty and the dress is lined in thick silk and is comfortable, if slippery, to wear, but for the fact that I look like linebacker in it I should just wear it. I won't though.

And because I live in a shopping wasteland, I bought this dress on-line and now I have to sell it on-line. Blergh.
I'm waiting until I get to the Big City to shop, days before the wedding. This isn't going to go well, is it?

I'd really love to wear something like this. This exactly, actually.

Substituting fabulous shoes for the sneakers and a fabulous headsuit for the hat, of course.

Why don't I have anything in my closet that is lovely and that makes me feel lovely? Am I a Shopping Failure?

*How much did I love Pippa's dress? A lot. How appropriate would it be for this Wedding of the Century? Entirely.

Conference Bootage

2011-04-26T17:11:00.004-05:00

What up, StyleNation? I had planned a whole big thing on conference ensembles today, but time got away from me. So I'm doing/wearing this instead with the boots around which I will be building all of this weekend's conference ensembles:

Cardigan: M.A.K. (gifted from D-Med, remixed)
T-shirt: Tahari (via Winners)
Gold-tone necklace: mall anchor store
Skirt: Mexx (remixed)
Belt: I forget
Boots: Aldo (remixed)

This skirt became MUCH more wearable after I sewed the button placard shut starting at the last button at the knee and continuing to just around the crotchal region. Prior to this point, it gaped. Also, I'm not usually a fan of the high-neck t-shirt, but this one called out to me and promised not to make my boobs look massive. It appears, thus far, to be honourable and trustworthy. Well, except for the part where it creates the illusion of flatness.

In other news, here's a tiny glimpse of what's going on headsuit-wise of late. Except for the single, just-visible triangle of bleach blond on one side, it's all a darker brown that, in my humble opinion, looks better than the previous goldish blond against my occasionally too-red face. But you'll have to take my word on this point:

Conference travel brings with it the challenge of the capsule semi-professional wardrobe. I've also recently determined that my conference wardrobes must also be comfortable. Like, REALLY comfortable, not just teaching-ensemble comfortable. I'll let you know how this pans out this time.

I'm hoping to bring ONLY these boots this weekend because big suitcases SUCK to haul all over the damn place, and the conference I'm attending requires this attendee to travel by plane, bus, and train just to get to the hotel. That said, I may also bring a wee pair of flats just in case. I've yet to find a pair of flats that walks me around in comfort for days on end, however. (But I'm taking suggestions - as I believe Cynthia was doing earlier this week over at Be Fabulous Daily. Maybe I'll just pop over and see what she learned. . . Feel free to ring in here if you didn't get a chance to suggest things to Cynthia.

Black Cardigans Anonymous

2011-04-22T12:50:00.006-05:00

My name is Dorky and I love black cardigans.
If Coco Chanel counsels that we should remove one item of jewellery before we leave the house, lest we seem overdressed, Dorky Medievalist counsels that we should slip into a black cardigan before we leave the house, lest we seem underdressed.
(What? It's not weird that I speak of myself in the third person. It is, after all, only a persona.)

Black cardigans are the foundation and the signature of many of my outfits.

Here is a tour of a few that I am currently rocking:

The Indispensable
This has a matching shell and skirt, which I wore for the second day of my interview for my current job. The model might be wearing it better than I but would you trust her to teach you Middle English or make you a sandwich?

( Hint: your answer should be "No.")
Edgy Modernist in my department has the same twin set. I would be lying if I said this didn't make me feel just a little bit more awesome.
Black Cardigan: Comrags
Black Shell: Comrags

The Casual Acquaintance
Perfect three-quarter sleeves, cotton jersey and casual snaps.
Snap indeed. Black cardigan, you complete me.

Black Cardigan: Cotton Ginny (from A-Dubs)
Graphic Tee: We walk

The Feminino

This was the first thing I ever bought from J. Crew, now in Canada.

It pilled immediately after the first wearing; I'm underwhelmed, Jenna, underwhelmed.

Black Cardigan: J. Crew

Brown Tank: Jacob

The Twin Cherries
And I'm not talking about my boobs. You didn't know I was also a hipster, did you?

Black Cardigan: Rock Steady
Grey-and-Black T-shirt: Gap

The Old Friend

This is a cashmere blend and cable-y.

It is neither style-y nor shapely but someone always remarks on how great this sweater is.

They are right.

Black Cardigan: Park Vogel

Top: Calvin Klein

The New Friend

A colleague of mine gave me this and she always notes how much she likes how I wear it when I wear it.
Black cardigans can make you friends.

Black Cardigan: Banana Republic, swapped
Turtleneck: Park Vogel

The Dark Horse

Or not-as-dark horse. Baby steps, StyleNation, baby steps.

Grey Cardigan: Club Monaco

Pink Sweater: Banana Republic

Are you so freakishly loyal to a single item of clothing that you keep buying versions of it over and over again?

Black cardigans are awesome, right?

This Year vs. Last Year

2011-04-20T12:49:00.000-05:00

Tangential Musings (scroll down for outfits):

This time last year I was on the verge of leaving academia. After three years on the ridiculously gruelling academic job market, after multiple campus visits each of which required weeks of preparation, after months spent imagining myself taking up a variety of positions for which I'd interviewed only to be told "We liked all three candidates, but the one we chose was just a better fit for the department," or "Could you wait another month while we negotiate with our first choice, just in case we need to default to you?" (they NEVER defaulted to me), or "The Committee went another way" (I later learned that last one was code in two separate instances for "we lost our funding and will therefore not be hiring anyone"), I was done. I'd decided that if I didn't get this last job, I could NOT spend another year waiting for others to decide the shape and direction of my life. I was also dangerously disillusioned with academia and daydreaming of starting all over again with something entirely different.

This time last year I was waiting for one last hiring committee to reach a verdict. Time moved slowly as it always does in the academy, and I cried almost every day. Then my former supervisor phoned to say she'd been contacted for a reference and soon after, my fate was decided. Academia and I were going to stay together.

This year's recovery from the autumn and winter teaching terms is not as dramatic as last year's. I felt the need to remind myself of this simple, but important fact. Thanks, StyleNation, for tuning in.

I also feel the need to offer the following to those of you who are still looking for academic jobs. Here is what I learned from this always challenging, sometimes invigorating, often frustrating, and occasionally heartbreaking experience:

1. Know yourself well enough to anticipate how you will deal with both success and failure in any given search. Prepare accordingly.

For example, I discovered that I need to work to believe that Plan A, the actual getting of the job, could really happen. But I always need a Plan B, Plan C, and even sometimes a Plan D in place so that I know how to deal if I don't get the job. For me, success is easy to deal with but sometimes difficult to imagine. Failure is easier to imagine and to deal with if I can map out ways to make myself believe failure in one venue is an opportunity in another.

2. Apply for every job for which your credentials make you a real candidate. Put most of your energy into these applications. Then apply for ALL other jobs that might be a bit of a stretch for you. Who knows? Once you stretch, you might find it was exceptionally worthwhile to do so.

For example, I stretched and now work in a department that seems to fit me and my work much better than I would initially have imagined possible. In fact, I can no longer imagine myself doing the work I first thought I wanted to do.

3. Decide how long you can stand to be on the job market, waiting for others to decide your fate. Add at least one more year, if your budget, brain, and body can afford it. Then think about the next item:

4. Remember that life exists outside of academia and that you might be happy out there. You might even be HAPPIER out there. And despite the specialization inherent to your degree, your PhD has also given you many transferable skills.

5. Choose and prepare your interview attire early in the job market season. It sucks to shop for clothes when you should be prepping your research talk and practicing answers to questions.

Outfit post begins here:

I'm all typed out, so I'll just note that this is what I wore for my last two days of contact with students this term. (E-Jo & are are doing an unintentional black-and-cream pattern theme week)

Cardigan: Kische (remixed)

Blouse: ?? (remixed)

Not-quite-discernable bracelet: gifted

Pleather pants: Tahari (remixed)

Boots: Fluevog (remixed from same post as pants)

Bare legs for the first time in 2011. Also, this is the last almost-picture of my too-light-for-this-time-of-year hair colour. This issue has now been remedied and I will report on same later:

Cardigan: Nygard (very old, remixed)

Necklace: crazy costume jewellery shop in Florida

Dress: Cleo (remixed)

Boots: Rieker (remixed)

Socks: who cares?

Is this spring better or worse than last spring for you?

What were you doing last year at this time? (And what were you wearing, then?)

Wardrobe One Trick Ponies

2011-04-18T19:47:00.004-05:00

We (Style Nation) talk a lot about wardrobe workhorses: items that we wear and wear and wear and that are fall back, fail safe items. I've got a bunch of these myself: my khaki green full skirt, my various colorful flats, my ponte knit pants. But what about those items that aren't so flexible? What about wardrobe one trick ponies?

Dress, scarf: gifted

Gold flats: Nine West

This dress is one such item. For some crazy reason, I had been toying with donating it but, after a Style Nation intervention, I decided to keep it and have worn it a couple of times since. The thing is, it's almost impossible to wear any way other than this. I can change up the accessories -- subbing in a necklace for the scarf, switching up the shoes -- but other than that it's stays pretty static (the sleeves are a slightly dolman style which makes it somewhat bulky to wear under something -- plus it's getting hot here so the thought of layers makes me break out in a sweat just thinking about it). Now, in many ways, this is a matter of "why fix what isn't broken?" However, this means that I don't often wear this dress since it's such a highly memorable pattern. Lady mag wisdom would suggest that if you can't imagine three variations of an item, it's probably not that versatile. But what about those items that work well in only a single way?

What's your policy on wardrobe one trick ponies?

Also, today is a wonderful day: Style Underdog is back!

Cuts Like a Knife

2011-04-15T12:16:00.001-05:00

It may summer-warm in IPF South, but IPF North's still balancing on the knife-edge between winter and spring. Well, we were balancing until today, when the blade turned. Sadly, the ongoing marking frenzy and its accompanying fuzzy-brain fatigue prevents me from completing this stabby analogy. Let's just say that below-zero temperatures and snow flurries in April cut deep.

Today, I'm treating my multiple weather and end-of-term-related spiritual and intellectual wounds with a good wearing of the auto-eroticism jeans. The drive to campus this morning was freaking awesome.

Finally, I'm considering having the following piece by Detroit-based artist Niagara framed for my office wall to warn off slackers who want to argue about their grades:

I know. 'Bad idea.

What bad ideas are you tempted to pursue in times of frenzy, stress, and/or fatigue?

(It'll be our little secret.)

End of Term: Yellow

2011-04-11T13:59:00.004-05:00

In a rush of just-got-paid-shopping last week (where I bought the copy-cat dress), I picked up this yellow skirt from Old Navy that I have been coveting for a while. I don't typically wear a lot of yellow but there's something sort of wonderful about the color. Particularly at this time of year when it's spring-like (and, where I live, summer-like) but both you and your students are trapped in the worst part of the term: term papers, final exams and the grading of both.

Top & skirt: Old Navy

Flats: Joe

Silver chain necklace: LOFT Outlet

As A-Dub's noted a little while ago, this is a time of year when the boundaries between student and teacher can seem blurry as we're both a little loopy with busy-ness (case in point: one class today veered off into a discussion of Beckett and auto-erotic asphyxiation. Who says Modernism isn't fun?). And while A-Dub's responds by upping the profesh level, today I went the route of making them pay attention to me by wearing a super bright color.

Any other possible strategies for keeping student attention at this time of year? Not to mention, keeping your own attention?

Fakin' It; or Copy-cattin' Anne

2011-04-08T14:51:00.004-05:00

So today I wore a glorious new dress that Anne showcased on The Cohabitating Closet the other day, leading me to rush out to Target to buy it. It's a little outside of my typical summer dress wheelhouse: it's polka-dotted; it's not made of cotton jersey; it's more wearable to dressy occasions (ie. I'm pretty sure I'll wear it at some of the wedding festivities to come).

Dress: Target

Flats: Joe

Blue necklace: F21

This is Target dress number two that I've bought because Anne had them in the last couple of weeks (the other dress will show up here shortly). Clearly, I'm well on target for my single-white-female-ing plan. I feel like the shape of the dress comes through better in the picture below -- sorry for its crazy darkness. Mostly I just wanted to show off the hibiscus flower that's pretty spectacular.

Where does the faking it part of the title come in? I threw this dress on today because I continue to feel like death warmed over thanks to a chest cold I picked up while at a conference last weekend (which went well -- busy, but good) and which incubated nicely on the flight home. Between things like my annual review meeting with my department chair, having a senior colleague observe my class, and dealing with a plagiarizing student this week, this week has been a bit of a blur. A spring-y dress with cheerful accents was the only way to envision getting through today. It did the trick so far -- getting me home early where I can have therapeutic cuddles with the mini-FR on the couch.

How do you dress to trick your body into forgetting it's sick?

Some Kind of Wonderful

2011-04-07T14:24:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of classes for the winter term. Barring the flurry of marking I will do in the next 72 hours, the Most Wonderful Time of the Year has officially begun. It's too bad I kicked things off this morning with a slow-moving vehicle accident that was totally my fault. Fortunately, everyone's fine and my tiny car is still driveable. Despite my stellar driving record (teen years don't count), methinks the deductible for this morning's damage may just blow my April relief-travel budget. Crap.

Blogwise, here's what was up for in-class exam review earlier this week:

Jacket: (I forget. I'll check & update later)
Silk tunic: Baia (via The Bay)
Necklace: mall anchor store
Bracelet: The Bay (remixed)
Leggings: mall anchor store
Boots: Aldo (remixed)

StyleNation, is it spring where you live? How are you coping with the crappy shoulder season?

p.s. I am soooo looking forward to catching up on your blogs in the coming weeks.

E-Jo Copycat

2011-04-04T13:26:00.003-05:00

A month ago, E-Jo, superhero of jewel-tone colour mixing that she is, put together this gorgeous ensemble.

As I have some similar pieces, I tried a copycat. I think I like her version better. Her brown skirt and tights seem to fit with the teal and honeysuckle more naturally than all my black does, don't you think?

Jacket: Rubber Ducky (thrifted, remixed)
Necklace: mall anchor store
Shell: Alfani (remixed
Skirt: RW&Co
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Clarks Artisan (remixed)

Here's a close-up of the tights - can you see the coral-ish tone of the stripe? (I am a genius with the camera.)

Forgive my brevity today. As previously noted, it's end-of-term and I am bagged.

Weekend conference attendees, will you be reporting in, soon?

How'd it go? Who'd you see? What'd you wear?

Conference Bound!

2011-03-30T15:44:00.004-05:00

I leave tomorrow at a ridiculous time for a conference in Vancouver. This is the first conference I've done in a while -- I've been focusing on finishing revisions on my book project so conferencing has seemed like a little bit of a distraction rather than an aid at this point. This makes me slightly nervous about being off my conference game. As A-Dubs' noted earlier this week, we academics can be a weird lot when we have to socialize in a professional setting. Conferences can be this great space where you get to talk about what you're most engaged in intellectually and meet great colleagues who share your interests. But they can also feel like a junior high dance where all the cool kids hang out together -- and if you don't have an in, it's hanging out alone time (also, don't get me or A-Dubs started on the gender politics of some of these conferences. Gah.).

Cardigan: Gap

White, ruffly shirt: Joe

Pants: NY & Co.

Shoes: Nine West

Brown ring: gifted from my sister

Luckily, for this conference, a current colleague of mine and two of the students from my fall grad course are going. It's nice to have a small cohort of people you know at these things. And, more importantly, I'm staying with two grad school friends. I'm pretty sure things are going to get awesome.

Also, on a totally unrelated note (and mostly in reference to a conversation I had with A-Dubs), here's a photo of the dresser I re-painted over Spring Break. It looks more coral, and less orange in person (I also want to replace the knobs but haven't gotten around to doing so). It used to be a beat-up dark purple and birch.

Dresser: Ikea Robin

Any suggestions for avoiding the conference awkwardness?

End-of-term, Awkwardness, Outfits

2011-03-28T11:20:00.001-05:00

Sweet end-of-term, how I've anticipated your arrival. With just four classes left, I can sense your presence all around me - in students' exhausted faces, in the reappearance in class of faces I've not seen for weeks, in the ever-lengthening coffee line-ups on campus, in the tense buzz of library study spaces, and in my own tendency to lose time staring vacantly at my computer screen or out my office window. End-of-term, you complete me.

In just two short weeks, I will once again have great spaces of time in which to tackle my research, and coffee breaks on campus will feature some of my absolute favourite things about exam period: students gamely rushing the season, wearing flip-flops and shorts as soon as the temperature climbs a degree above zero, finding spaces to stretch out or to toss footballs between the remaining muddied-but-melting piles of snow and the still-brown and not-quite-thawed blades of grass. And let's not forget the re-emergence of colleagues I've not seen for months, or the frenzied-but-sorta-fun preparation for all of those conferences it seemed such a good idea to apply to throughout the fall and winter. End-of-term, without you, this job would defeat me.

In clothing related news, I offer the following:

1. A teaching outfit, worn because both the dress and cardigan are springy & cotton, and because it's possible to wear shoes, again - if one jumps carefully from one patch of bare concrete to the next, avoiding the frozen puddles, and keeping a damp cloth in one's office with which to wipe away the splatters.

Cardigan: house brand at The Bay
Dress: H&M
Belt: I forget (remixed)
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Aerosoles (remixed)

2. Next, a more casual outfit worn to chair an evening public panel with a guest lecturer I brought to the city and a faculty member from my institution whom I really hope to work with in future. I had planned to change before the event, but there was so much to do beforehand that I barely made it from campus to pick up the speaker at her hotel on time. So this was it. Panicked or no, I had to chair in jeggings.

Cardigan: Nygard (remixed)
Necklace: mall anchor store
Dress: Chapter One (remixed)
Belt: Mexx (remixed ad nauseum)
Jeggings: impulse purchase by the register (purchased after seeing how awesome Terri's looked)
Boots: Rieker (remixed)

I also wore this for the painfully awkward dinner with the speakers and a couple of students before the panel. Why are academic dinners so awful? Awkwardness brings out the absolute worst in me; I always feel compelled to break the tension through jokes and silliness. The job market trained me out of these habits, or so I thought. I managed to hold it together this time, but I feel my patience with the strained silences and too-careful small talk waning. But maybe it's just end-of-term.

How do you tackle the awkwardness, StyleNation?

What strategies do you employ to keep the small talk flowing - but also to keep said talk from becoming painfully tiny and embarrassing?

Champagne Tastes: Wolford Marlene Tights

2011-03-22T21:39:00.000-05:00

You already know how much I love tights, but these are a cut above:

One of my colleagues actually owns a pair of these and so I have seen them in person and they are absolutely divine.
And I don't even like nude tights.
I don't even like to say "nude tights." It sounds unseemly. (You see what I did there, right?)

How I would wear them: Definitely with a simple black pencil skirt that perfectly skims my knee at its prettiest and narrowest point. Definitely after some kind of calf-defining calisthenics.
And definitely with a pair of Christian Louboutin Helmut pumps.

That I also do not own.

Reasons to hesitate: If I laddered them--and, let's face it, of course I (or the Vampire Cat) would ladder them--I would be distraught to the point of distraction and I would never be able to get any work done. Can you imagine if I didn't get tenure because I laddered my stockings? That would be unseemly. (You definitely saw what I did there, right?)

But here's my question about Wolford tights: are they worth the price of admission? I have plenty of pairs of inky black, non-sheer, non-shiny, practically indestructible cotton tights (Life brand from Shoppers D) that cost less than $10 a pair. They aren't Wolford Matte Opaque 80 but they still achieve that Edie Sedgwick je ne sais quoi at a fraction of the cost. What is the siren call of Wolford?

Of course, the Marlene tights are a whimsical work of art and maybe that's enough to make you want to stop your ears.

You know, those of you who don't live with a psychotic cat.

Do you have a pair of Wolford tights? Are they worth it?

N.B. Wolford has not compensated me in any way for this post because, really, my legs are not those legs.

And Christian Louboutin doesn't even know I have feet.

Post-Spring Break Malaise

2011-03-21T20:08:00.005-05:00

Sometimes there's nothing worse than a break. Now this might seem like heresy but after a relaxing Spring Break -- where I got significantly less work done than I really should have -- it was SUPER difficult to make myself get out of bed this morning. It helps that there are only six weeks left in the term (and one week of that six, I've cancelled classes to hold student conferences -- so really only five left). But I want it to be summer pretty bad right now. The generally lovely weather here (that feels like summer from where I'm from) doesn't help either -- for me or my students. It also means that I couldn't face tubes of fabric on my legs today.

Dress & purple flats: Joe

Shirt: Target

Necklace: gifted

Tensor bandage: necessitated by my stupid dog tripping me. Jerk.

It's hard to see in this picture, but you'll notice that the mini FR is nude. That's because when I came home from work today it was to discover that he'd trashed his harness over the course of the day. It's now in several pieces. He's nothing if not thorough. He too is clearly mourning the end of Spring Break when I was home constantly and, perhaps, more significantly he had a dog friend around.

(Sorry for the poor quality -- this was taken on my iPhone.)

Got any tips for getting through the last bit of term?

My current plan is to drink more wine.

Concern, Clothes, Feminist Gate-keeping

2011-03-18T12:15:00.003-05:00

There's a lot to be concerned about of late. First and foremost, of course, is the ongoing fallout from the earthquake in Japan. Please consider donating. Then there's the whole supposed ceasefire in Libya as we wait to see just how far Moammar Gadhafi and forces are willing to go to to put down the long-suffering rebels. And let's not forget the Republicans' attack on labour rights down in Wisconsin or, closer to home, the federal Conservatives' determination to perpetuate state violence against people who are already at risk of extreme violence in so many other forums.

With all of this major stuff going on, the conclusion of a beloved style blog and a little misguided feminist gate-keeping are relatively minor issues. And yet, as many of us agonize, analyse, and strategize around the above-noted major events in numerous other forums, I cannot help but feel these relatively minor occurrences also need some attention paid.

First, then, here's an outfit I'm calling Bruised Toughitude: A Sartorial Ode to Style Underdog, one of my absolute favourite bloggers. SU quietly concluded her fantastic blog earlier this week. Goddess, I'm going to miss her.

Shell: H&M
Sweater: Julie & Jack Cashmere (remixed)
Necklace: gifted from Janey_Em
Pleather legging/pant hybrids: Tahari (via Winners)
Boots: Fluevog (remixed)

I've got one more ensemble to post, but before we get there, my two cents on feminist gate-keeping. Here goes:

Feminists have a long and important tradition of gate-keeping. In fact, you could even say that gate-keeping is an important element of self-reflexivity (i.e. critiquing ourselves & each other so we can learn from our mistakes), another central tenet of feminism. After all, if we don't watch the gate, then anti-feminist people like Sarah Palin sneak in and start messing with our things, undoing our good work (see the part in the 2nd paragraph on page 108, where bell hooks argues conservatism and feminism are diametrically opposed), and waving our flags around.

But the best forms of feminist gate-keeping offer informed and respectful critique. Thus, for example, if one were going to critique a fashion blog's virtual feminist conference, an informed and respectful feminist commenter would ensure s/he has read and understood all of the material in question. Moreover, an informed and respectful feminist commenter would acknowledge the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the piece s/he is critiquing.

S/he would also be very careful not to repeat old mistakes by smugly underestimating the people who have produced the cultural text in question. S/he would take care not to perpetuate politically damaging elitism by name-dropping for the sake of name-dropping, or gesturing vaguely toward the writings of well-known and widely-read critics in order to imply that s/he somehow knows and can apply the theories put forward in these other works more thoroughly and astutely than the cultural producers in question.

Finally, the writer of such a critique should be willing to sign her/his name to her/his work in order to facilitate further respectful, productive dialogue. Such owning of one's work also eliminates the temptation to believe that one can launch such a critique on behalf of feminism as a whole instead of from one particular space in a vast and varied political terrain.

As feminists, we don't have to be nice, or even friendly; we certainly know by now that we're not all going to get along. But we need to value ourselves and others. We don't always succeed - but we need to keep trying. If we don't, how the hell are we going to form the personal, professional, and politically strategic alliances we need to make change happen?

That's all on that front (for now). Here's that other outfit, worn to deliver a research talk at a campus institute earlier this week. In my head, it was MUCH more interesting than it is in real life. 'Must get back into the habit of taking morning photos. Also, I think I'm finally convinced this skirt needs shortening.

Cardigan: Kische (via Winners, remixed)
Top: Kenneth Cole (remixed)
Belt: Buffalo (via Winners, remixed)
Bracelet: The Bay
Skirt: (remixed)
Tights: Hue
Mystery booties: (via Winners, remixed)
Wine: a kiwi Marlborough

And here, just because I have it, is a close-up of the bracelet, etc:

In other less overtly political or sartorial news, the Fuzzy Roommate has a new girlfriend. I could not be more excited that he has finally - after three years in this new city - made a friend. I really thought I'd broken him with this last move, but he's having fun once again. Here he is with Abbie, his new favourite dog:

What say you, StyleNation?

And SU, if you're reading, we miss you already!

International Women's Week

2011-03-10T14:40:00.002-06:00

What's up, StyleNation? How was your IWD (International Women's Day)? At IPF Northern Division, we're being treated to an entire week of celebratory feminist events. At a number of these events, reference has been made to IWW (International Women's Week). So I thought it was a thing, a thing we're all doing now.

But Google says no. Most of the world just gets IWD, apparently, then gets on with their lives. This is a sad thing, in my humble opinion. But I digress.

Thus far during my city and institution's IWW, I have had the good fortune to experience the following:

- a talk by an esteemed colleague whom various students have described as a "goddess": she analyzed the under-representation of women in upper echelons of government-funded scientific research. I am not a scientist, but I am alarmed.

- an inspirational feminist cabaret that included hilariously profane and perfectly choreographed radical feminist cheerleaders; fantastic cultural critique of racism & sexual ideology by an Aboriginal comedienne; a feminist utopian vision communicated via spoken word that lacked the earnest pretentiousness that too often characterizes this medium; and an educational song about the g-spot* accompanied by a moaning woman on the ukulele and sung by a woman wearing a quilted cloth vagina that squirted clear liquid by way of a "finale"

*That's right, porn seekers. Stumble across a bit of feminist sex talk right here at IPF North.

Phew! And it's only Thursday.

Sadly, this week's fashions have not attained the same level of excellence as the events to which they were worn. In fact, this has been a 'learning' week, fashion-wise. You've been warned.

1. First up: Monday's non-teaching, non-campus-day ensemble in which I tried some of your suggestions (see comments section) for styling this sweater-tunic thingy:

Sweater-tunic: Groggy (remixed)
T-shirt: mall anchor store
Necklace: Jewellery Box (in Florida)
Leggings: Tahari (via Winners)
Boots: Fluevog Bondgirls (remixed)

As much I luuurrve the Bondgirls, however, this (minus the hair that needs trimming and darkening - both of which happened on this day) is the only part of this outfit I might do again. The rest seems kind of blah to me. 'Any ideas for improvement?

2. Then I tried styling this Bada$$ leather vest, but the pants part of things looked so bad that this is all I'm willing to show of the whole outfit:

Vest: Danier (gifted from sis-in-law)
Silk/cotton/lycra t-neck: Melanie Lyne
Terrible trousers: Tahari (via Winners)
Shoes: Who cares? The bad pants are way too distracting.

I'm more than willing, however, to offer this view of my favourite part of this ensemble. How great would this look with a grey or black wool pencil skirt, black tights, and Style Odyssey's sweet black Chie Mihara booties?

Necklace: The Bay

Exciting new prop: morning smoothie (soy milk, banana, frozen berries)

What did you do for IWD/IWW?

March Madness

2011-03-08T11:50:00.004-06:00

We're in countdown to Spring Break mode here at IPF South. One week left to go and then a sweet, sweet break from teaching. This, of course, doesn't mean a week off full stop as I have a pesky conference paper to write and ongoing revisions on my book. Plus, and this will particularly please A-Dubs, I'm dogsitting for a colleague most of the week so it'll be a dog jamboree here. The mini-FR is beyond excited for all the bossing around he'll get to do.

This week, my department is also hosting the first of two candidates for department head. This means a lot of long days filled with official socializing and serious talking with other colleagues. While this is all in the service of a larger good, it's a bit exhausting at this point in the term (To be clear, it's even more exhausting for the candidates!). This isn't helped by the cloud of humid weather that has settled on us here, making the thought of putting fabric on one's body an off-putting idea.

Nonetheless, I have perservered:

Jacket and Coral faux-wrap tank: Addition-Elle

Skirt: NY & Co.

Brown tights: Hue

Gold flats: Nine West

Necklace: LOFT Outlet

The mini-FR: Not actually hovering on some sort of non-Euclidean plane

I wore this last week before the humidity, trying to get in a final wear of this blazer before it really starts to heat up here. Between that outfit and today's, I'm thinking I need to get another pair of neutral-ish flats. I love my colorful shoes but sometimes you need a neutral, and these gold ones are really my only option.

Striped turtleneck: Target

Skirt: Gap

Gold flats: Nine West

Silver cuff: F21

Inspired by SFE's experiments with outdoor photography, I moved my photo session outside today (neighbors' prying eyes, be damned -- though I suspect most of them were at work. Ah, the glories of my non-traditional work schedule). Like SFE, I'm converted. And I think this will be even better on a sunny day, rather than today's cloudy gloominess. I'm also pretty sure I've worn some version of this outfit on the blog before but I can't be bothered today to check. Anyway, this is an outfit that I find supremely comfortable so why labor under the illusion that I never wear the same pairing more than once?

Any good neutral flats you can point me in the direction of? (I hereby enable your online shoe shopping, Style Nation. You're welcome)

Black and Gold

2011-03-02T19:48:00.000-06:00

Come March, many of us in academia have gotten to know our students a little bit, and it's very tempting to let the university classroom become a more casual space. But experience has taught me that it's in everyone's best interests if a level of formality is maintained in the classroom, even as our discussions of course material get a little deeper, and students become more comfortable with me and with the material under consideration. I wish to avoid - A.VOID. - any situation where a low mark is read as a betrayal of trust between friends rather than a necessarily honest appraisal of a student's work.

And so, as in November, I walk the line between bringing it in terms of sartorially interesting ensembles (to keep eyes front and cultivate student engagement) and keeping things profesh.

This was my March 1st teaching outfit:

I bought this dress (on sale) with Janey Em in January. The light in these photos is brightening the black, but I couldn't wait for better pictures. I've dressed it down quite a bit for teaching - but I'm soooo looking forward to dressing it up (for a non-teaching event) at some point very soon.

Polyester crepe & gold silk dress: BCBG MaxAzria

T-shirt: Kenneth Cole

Bangle: The Bay (remixed)

Not-as-opaque-as-I'd-hoped tights: Hue

OTK boots: France Mode (via Shoe Heaven, remixed)

Mug slogan: I love not camping. (This is my favourite mug.)

I've decided that the black and gold keep things formal enough that a cotton t-shirt and flat boots don't make things too casual. Here's a close-up of the belting, etc:

Now I'm wondering what else to do with the dress for classroom wear. And frankly, now that I've made it teaching appropriate, I'm having a hard time imagining dressier styling options.

What would you do for either or both, StyleNation?

(I know you've already got some excellent ideas.)

2011-02-28T20:45:00.007-06:00

Smell you later, February. Thank goddess you're over.

My final week of this dark month was made slightly more bearable when, despite our pact to save for house buying and not travel this Reading Week, the Hubs and I folded and took our frozen butts south to hang with his snowbird parents in Florida. It was but a few short days of respite, but respite it was - despite our guilt about (a) not saving money, and (b) sending the Fuzzy Roommate to dog jail/the kennel.

March will be busy and depressing, to be sure, but at least it won't be February. Perhaps its non-Februaryness will keep me from taking refuge, mid-week, in the following:

Fuschia pashmina: ? (Once again, I removed the tag. I hate tags on scarves)
Dress: Cleo (via Value Village, remixed)
Wool sweater: Elisabetta (via Winners)
T-shirt: Kenneth Cole
Necklace: The Bay (remixed)
Leggings: Groggy (remixed)
Hegemony boots: Feet First (remixed)

In addition, I cannot wait to wear shoes instead of boots, especially with skirts like this one:

Top: Kenneth Cole (via Winners, remixed)
Cardigan: Zara
Invisible silver necklace: temporary swap with friend

Bangle: Le Chateau
Belt: Buffalo (via Winners, remixed)
Skirt: Olsen (via The Bay)
Tights: Hue
Boots: Rieker (via Shoe Heaven, remixed)

In short and to sum up: suck it, February. I'm glad you're gone.

OK, StyleNation, now it's your turn:

help us say good-bye to this heinous month.

(Tell us what you won't miss about February. Also, how do you plan to survive March?)

What Does a Feminist Look Like?

2011-02-25T15:30:00.004-06:00

The question about what signals feminism, sartorially, is something that's at the heart of IPF's "mission" and something that's been discussed a good deal here (see, for instance, A-Dub's post on the gendered assumptions associated with apparel). While the academic world might sometime treat the question of fashion as frivolous and unimportant, clothing is still often intimately associated with who "counts" as appropriately feminist, inside and outside the academy. Like Anne noted today, those of us who dress in a relatively conventional approximation of feminine can sometimes feel a slight disconnect between our personal values and beliefs and the way these are perceived by others. But, as A-Dubs notes, there's something to be said for upending these assumptions.

For me, this vexed question of apparel gets at the heart of my early associations with feminism. Like a number of others (LHdM and Cynthia, for instance), I was raised by parents who would very much have classified themselves as feminists. However, what I named as "Feminism-with-a-capital-F" was characterized my mom and her friends at the time and their investment in white, middle-class, second wave feminism -- particularly their adoption of the New Age-y rhetoric of goddess-related ritual and the rejection of "The Beauty Myth" (my sister rather hilariously once made a bathing suit for the naked lady (or sort of) on the cover of Germaine Greer's The Female Eunuch). This seemed VERY unappealing to the young E-Jo who, even then, was disinterested in this level of earnestness. And if dressing in my mom's acid-wash denim jumpsuit (well after the height of acid wash's popularity) was what being a feminist looked like, even if I thought that equality between genders was self-evident and was happy to (unconsciously) reap the benefits gained by earlier generations of tireless crusaders, I was clearly NOT a feminist. It was only once I got to university and was made to read feminist and critical theory in a bunch of different classes that I began to realize that there existed a broader spectrum of feminisms and that this was about larger, systemic inequalities linked to all sorts of other things (I remember reading Gayle Rubin's "The Traffic in Women: Notes on the 'Political Economy' of Sex" as a key moment).

Thus, despite the seeming frivolity of things like style blogs, I think there's something quietly radical about what we've all embarked on here in our various ways: demonstrating the different ways of dressing like a feminist. While many of the privileges that underwrote my mom's versions of feminism are replicated in the blog world (and the rest of the world, generally) and could stand to be more clearly interrogated, there's a fantastic level of discussion about what style means and allows. Further, interactions with students (female and otherwise) act as a continual reminder of the work that needs to be done and, while I'm not always as up front about my feminism with them as others, I like to think that my clothes are performing an important pedagogical interruption to their assumptions about "what a feminist looks like."

Tunic: Old Navy

Pants and belt: NY & Co.

Blue flats: Joe

Ring: gifted

Also, I wore pants and taught Virginia Woolf today. A reminder that so much of what both my students and I take for granted in our everyday lives is the direct result of feminist cultural and political action.

Dress vs. Dress

2011-02-24T13:50:00.006-06:00

As I mentioned last week, it's starting to warm up here at IPF South, making it a good time to continue an ongoing process of evaluating what should stay in my wardrobe and what should leave. Today and yesterday I broke out two dresses that I haven't worn in a while (and only one has been on the blog before) in order to determine what to do with them. Neither was an unqualified success or disaster. Both however made me think about the way I shop: that I tend to buy the same shapes again and again (which is generally good, I think) but don't think enough about whether the colors/ patterns are ones that I actually like to wear.

Wednesday's dress:

Dress: MaxStudio

Black top: Joe

Black tights: Target

Gold flats: Nine West

Black & white bracelet: gifted

I really like this dress intellectually. It's flattering. It's comfortable. It washes well. I bought it in Vegas so it's got all sorts of fun memories attached to it. But I've worn it twice in the nearly two years I've had it -- suggesting that I don't actually like wearing it, which is sort of important. I think one of the obstacles to wearing it is that I need to wear something under it for teaching/ daytime wear but my ideas for colors to wear underneath end at black, white and blue (and I don't actually own any blue layering pieces). I'm going to hang onto it for another 6 months. If I don't wear it again, it's time to release it to the wild.

Today's dress (today's not a teaching day but a working in a coffeeshop day -- hence the more casual styling and the bare legs with a fairly short skirt):

Dress: Old Navy

Blue flats: Joe

Blue cuff: The Bay

With this dress, on the other hand, I'm declaring defeat. I just don't like wearing it. I like it on Rebecca of MinnChic who has it in blue. I don't even mind the way it looks on me. But I prefer a straighter skirt on an empire waisted dress. The slight a-line on this one makes the skirt feel perilously short to me at moments and makes it more susceptible to be getting caught in today's wind. I'm also not in love with its scoop neck.

All of this reminds me of a shopping lesson I seem to need to learn repeatedly: being more mindful when I'm shopping -- paying attention to more than just price and a generic sense of fit & general flattering-ness. As I've also discovered with buying the same piece in multiple colors, the lady magazine advice to find a shape that works for you and then keep buying it is perhaps best used in moderation.

What other shopping lessons do you need to learn repeatedly? And what colors would you wear with black and blue?

The Difference a Week Makes

2011-02-18T15:32:00.005-06:00

TGIF, Style Nation. This week has felt like an eon so it's nice to see it's tail end. Today actually ended the week on a high note. My classes went really well today and I had some good post-class conversations with my students that were interesting, not the usual demands for extensions. There's something about a good class that is really invigorating -- though, of course, a bad class is equivalently enervating--and this helped mitigate the disappointment of hearing some bad news about an article I had out.

One thing that made my day is that I got a number of compliments on today's outfit.

Dress and silver beads: LOFT Outlet

Black shirt: Target

Black tights: Hue

Blue shoes: Joe

I was pretty happy with this -- and, given how warm it's getting here, this is probably one of the last days I can wear this dress to teach as it feels a little short without tights.

This is a sharp change in the weather from last week when I wore this:

Sweater: Gap

Pants: NY & Co.

Striped shirt: Joe

Shoes: Chucks

Necklace: as above

Then, I desperately needed layers as it was super windy. Today, the tights were pretty warm. I finding a little difficult to dress with these sharp fluctuations in weather. Since it's still February, I automatically head to my drawer with long sleeved tops and sweaters but once I get outside I'm often overdressed. Or I go for the short-sleeved tops which work midday but once the sun goes down, it's pretty chilly. Now, these are obviously minor problems in all sorts of ways (and my apologies go to those of you who are still in winter's grip) but I still find that it creates a kind of antagonism between my clothes and myself.

How do you prepare yourself for dressing in-between seasons? Any fun weekend plans?

Studies in Grey

2011-02-16T19:29:00.008-06:00

What's up, fashionable people? It's nice to be able to stop in to talk about clothes before digging back into tonight's marking, lecture prep, and research planning. In addition, let the official record show that there is significantly more morning light these days (as V also recently noted). Somehow, for me, this makes everything more manageable.

Anyway, let's talk about clothes already, before I succumb to the temptation to talk about sex instead.

1. First, there's this grey sweater, purchased in Florida of all places, on a mini-break with Janey Emm a few years ago, and worn for a non-teaching, no meeting day on campus:

Wool/angora/nylon blend sweater: Shine New York
Necklace: January sale at The Bay
Cotton jersey dress: Kataya
Invisible grey leggings: Joe Fresh
Bootage: Rieker (gifted from stylish sis-in-law, remixed)

Then there was a boot switch, because I decided darker coloured boots would be better.

Mystery booties: ?? - it's a mystery (via Winners, remixed)

2. Then, because E-Jo wore this (see second ensemble), and E of Academichic wore this, I was inspired to teach in this:

Necklace: awesome gift from Janey Emm
Cardigan: Smart Set
Shell: Alfani (remixed)
Trousers: Tahari (via Winners, remixed)
Belt: Winners
Invisible mystery booties: as above

And you're probably excited to see that I struck an entirely different pose to better highlight this brilliant necklace:

That's all I've got today.

Who's inspiring your sartorial choices of late?

Also, northern hemisphere dwellers, are mornings getting easier for you,

now that there's a wee bit more light?

Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T21:27:00.004-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day, StyleNation! I have to say, I'm pretty indifferent to this holiday -- it seems neither so wonderful nor so awful to me as pop culture would lead me to believe I should feel (it's almost as though pop culture tries to *gasp* manufacture feelings). Today was a good V-Day though. Nothing in the way of romance, but, because we had a speaker here today who's work is related to mine and who spoke in one of my classes (so, score! no lecture writing), I got taken out for both lunch and dinner on the university's dime. Good times ensued. Particularly, our dinner where we, a bunch of academic women, discussed Annie Sprinkle well within earshot of our neighboring teenage diners (who were totes adorable. The dude had matched his tie to his girlfriend's dress).

Anyhow, here's what I wore today.

Dress & maroon pullover: Joe

Navy tights: Hue

Pink flats: Gap

Pink bracelet: World Market

I got this dress over Christmas and then promptly forgot I had it. It's sleeveless so not entirely weather appropriate yet here (give it a couple of weeks). But I really like it under this v-neck sweater. This picture doesn't show it off as well as it did in real life. The v-neck of the dress is sort of blouse-y so it added some nice dimension to the sweater.

I wore this last Friday to teach, attend a long faculty meeting, and then drink some delicious dirty martinis with goat cheese stuffed olives with friends.

Top: Joe

Skirt: NY & Co.

Scarf: Gift from A-Dubs

Black, chevron patterned tights: Hue

Ankle booties: Franco Sarto, ages and ages ago

I haven't worn these boots in ages. I got them nearly seven years ago when I was a MA student and wore them constantly for a couple of years--though exclusively with pants. This is the first time I've worn them like this. It's probably been two years at least since I pulled them out but, in the spirit of not keeping things I don't wear, I pulled them to out to either wear or abandon forever. I feel like it was a mixed experiment. On one hand, they're pretty comfortable because they're super worn in and they've got a 2 1/2 inch wedge which works well with my feet. I also like the look of them when I'm looking down at them. On the other hand, I'm not sure that they entirely work on me. I occasionally felt slightly ridiculous in them -- like they were wearing me, not the other way around. So I'm keeping them for now and will try to remix them again soon to see if I just need to get a little more comfortable with the idea of visible short boots.

How do you broaden your sartorial horizons? Have a good Valentine's Day, full of chocolate or other good things?

NSFW: Tailoring for Autoeroticism

2011-02-10T14:49:00.005-06:00

Recent developments have simultaneously strengthened AND weakened my resolve to find a better tailor (see blue dress). The dark wash bootleg jeans pictured below have been in my denim rotation since I bought them with D-Med, Kelly Bean, and Rinty the Crusher during the infamous Vegas 2006 tour of faux brides. Five years of vigorous wear lead to some threadbaredness in the crotchal and thighal regions helpfully highlighted for you here:

Red cardigan: Anne Klein (worn last Friday on National Wear Red Day to which Anne & Rad alerted us last week)
Grey top: Kenneth Cole (via Winners)
Jeans: Lucky
Socks: gifted from Santa Claus
Pose: yes, I am brushing my teeth

So I took the jeans for patching* at my current tailor where, instead of sewing two individual patches inside the jeans on the shredded areas, they placed an extra layer of denim inside the entire crotch and upper thigh sections and tacked it in place on the most shredded parts.

Obviously, this strategy is not ideal. It's not preventing further degeneration in the highlighted areas and all that extra cloth feels like I'm wearing a denim diaper. "Clearly," I thought, "I need a better tailor."

While driving to campus Friday morning in these babies, however, I made an important discovery. And then I rediscovered the important discovery on my drive home. And here it is:

The combination of the angle of my car's driver's-side seat and the extra denim between my legs makes driving in these newly altered jeans pleasant. Very, very pleasant. As in, for the first time while driving (alone), I found myself thinking "It's over already? But I was almost there!"

So, maybe I'll get a few more trousers in to my current tailor. . .

* In fact, they're already patched in the first image. I don't have any "before" photos, so we're using our imaginations today.

Day Late and a Dollar Short

2011-02-09T13:53:00.008-06:00

Day Late: Like Anne, I'm wearing my blazer a day after the designated blazer day. It seemed sort of ridiculous to wear a blazer on a non-teaching day when I was working at home. So today it is. One thing I found tricky today with this blazer is what to do in terms of outerwear. It's gotten cold here again (legitimately cold, not the general, wimpy "cold" we typically get here) and the blazer really didn't cut it as an inner/ outerwear combo. The thing is, I really hate wearing a coat over top of a blazer. If A-Dub's legs get claustrophobic with jeans tucked into boots, my arms feel the same way about being encased in both a blazer and a seasonally appropriate coat. So, like a teenager, I spurned warmth for fashion. Fortunately, I've been outside for maybe 5 minutes.

Dollar Short:

Blazer: Addition Elle (remixed)

Striped top: Old Navy

Pants: NY & Co. (remixed)

Shoes: Chucks

This was an outfit I liked more in theory than in execution. I think I could have used a necklace or something and I would have preferred to wear my originally scheduled shoes, rather than this late, weather mandated substitute.

Black, faux-wrap top: Joe

Black under layer: Target

Grey pin-striped pants: Target

Purple and silver scarf: gifted, my sister brought this beautiful silk scarf back for me from Italy

Black & white bangle: gifted, the same sister got this for me in Morocco (detail shot below)

Apologies for the poor photo -- I was looking for new photo locations. This was not a winner.

I also felt like this outfit looked better in my mind than in execution. It's fine but that's about it. Stupid February.

Anyone else finding it impossible to dress for February? Shouldn't this be month that's automatically cancelled for those of us in the northern hemisphere?

Dress Me Up

2011-02-08T15:54:00.000-06:00

Winter continues to administer solid butt-kickings all around, here in IPF North. In addition, we're solidly into the marking-papers portion of the term, and I have a growing sense of panic that I'm not going to publish enough this year if I don't get The Project That Will Not End off my desk by the end of this month.

In short, the darkness of January has extended into this month. Thus, the Fuzzy Roommate, the A-Dubs-Hubs's cooking, your blogs, and yoga are the only things standing between me and the winter pit of despair, StyleNation. So thanks for that!

Outfits of late have featured a lot of black. As I noted last year around this time, black just seems easier, somehow, in the wee hours of these winter morns.

1. Ruffle-front dress re-mix:

I tried, this time, to treat this dress like a tunic, to expose the trendy exposed zipper (not shown), and to dial down the sexy. I consider this a step forward, in terms of classroom appropriateness. How's it working for you?

Dress: Mexx (remixed)
Black t-shirt: Kenneth Cole (via Costco - I know. Evilness.)
Leggings: ?? (probably Winners)
Bracelet: Le Chateau (remixed)
Over-the-knee boots: France Mode (via Shoe Heaven, remixed)

2. Dress and boots, another version:

You'll recall, of course, that I MUST wear boots for teaching right now because I have to slog across campus to get to my classroom this term. Hence, I purchased these lined, low-heeled, rubber-soled boots to make the trek bearable and to keep things as classroom appropriate as possible in these frigid snowy months.

Also, I decided to treat this dress like a tunic, too:

Wool dress: Calvin Klein (via Melanie Lyne, remixed)

Necklace: The Bay (remixed)

Leggings: (as above)

Boots: Rieker (via Shoe Heaven, remixed)

Frankly, looking forward to wearing these dresses has helped me to get out of bed of late. In addition, as I've been doing more than a little emotional eating and not nearly enough hitting the gym this winter, it has also helped me to avoid all the pants that have begun to squeeze and annoy me.

What do you do to drag yourself through winter?

(Also, how do we feel about large vs. extra-large photos? These ones are large.
The extra-large ones were starting to feel a little indulgent to me. What do you think?)