Weekend Style Inspiration

Here are some lovely things to get you through the weekend:

An oldy but goody nerd post: flattering glasses (I finally caved and got my first pair for reading...see?).

I love this woman's style because it reminds me of a quirkier, more hipster version of myself, with better hair. And urbanweeds makes me wish I lived in Portland (where my Dad grew up!).

I love this dress! Too bad it's not summer yet...

I want her yellow infinity scarf so badly! (Plus, isn't she gorgeous?).

Speaking of scarves, I'll take this one, too.

This article on the differences between Michelle Obama's and Sarah Palin's style got me raving mad--to call a $150,000 Saks Fifth Avenue wardrobe the "everywoman's" style inspiration is ludicrous.

Photographs of clothes to look like food are unbelievably awesome.

Tavi spews her brilliance on quirky dressing (I love her blog, even though I cry inside that a 13 year-old has a million times better prose than I do).

Top ten fashion trends of the last decade (many of which I'll be glad to see go--adios, Uggs!).

Have a happy new year tonight! See you in 2010!

xoxo. Tania

P.S. Thanks for all the lovely and insightful comments about dressing into a rut yesterday--Sara's and La Historiadora de Moda's comments resounded with me especially strongly. A foundation of similar pieces and ensembles is part of creating your own style; plus, there's nothing wrong with testing out adventurous styles when you don't think you'll run into anyone you know.

In My Rut

Works Cited
dress: ann taylor loft
gray tee: banana republic
belt: anthro (xmas gift)
tights: target
socks: target
boots: indigo
sweater: j. crew (gift)

Today I had a few errands to run in the city and lunch with an old friend from college (one who is incredibly, intimidatingly stylish). But instead of wearing something bold or brave or impressive, I headed straight for my fallbacks: a combo of gray, blue, and brown; my favorite boots; a pop of color. I know this outfit is reminiscent of many of my recent jersey dress+tights+belt bit, but I just. can't. stop. It's all I want to wear while I laze around the house or wander around town. (Plus, in my defense, I'm working out of a suitcase).

At the same time, I think it's a safe combination for me--it feels within the bounds of my vanilla style while still being flattering and not completely boring. Seeing lots of old friends and family makes me--strangely--a bit more conservative about what I wear. Despite my sister's terrific influence on my wardrobe, I find myself heading into my style comfort zone when I'm staying at my parents' house. Does this happen to you over vacation or when you see old friends, too? Or am I just strangely shy about this?

Black Dress Remix Take 1

Works Cited
black dress: gap
plaid shirt: thrifted
belt: thrifted
tights: leggs
boots: indigo

Oh goody, I love this dress! I knew I wanted to layer it over things, especially button-ups, and this plaid one I thrifted recently fit the bill perfectly. Even though it's a little big (and I'm considering taking the sleeves in), the fabric is thin enough not to feel bulky under the dress. Once I return to colder climes, I will definitely do light layers under the dress to stay warm while I bicycle around in the snow and sip tea on the couch.

As for the brown and black--a combination I know makes some people nervous--I say embrace it. I think the two look smashing together.

The Big Belt

Works Cited

gray tee: banana republic

skirt: american apparel

belt: anthro christmas gift

tights: gap

boots: indigo

This belt just may be the coolest thing in my wardrobe. Enough said?

Sunday Bonus

Works Cited:
black dress: gap (gift from sister)
belt: mommed
teal tights: gap
brogues: steve madden
earrings: probably claire's (sigh. embarrassing.)

My sister and I both purchased each other this black dress from gap (on sale for $14, can you believe it?) for Christmas, and for good reason! It has some personality (great buttons and tuxedo detail, and an extra-thick hem) and it's made of nice thick cotton. And it's a flexible enough design to accommodate a lot of remixing--I can't wait to layer this over a button-down, under sweaters, with loads of different belts, with boots and flats, and into the summer with sandals and scarves in my hair. I'm not sure I entirely like the teal tights with the brogues and brown belt, but seeing as I'm traveling and don't have access to all the pieces I might want (black flats, for instance), I'm just working with what I've got. And who knows--maybe teal with brown will be the next big thing...

Holiday Weekend in Review

Works Cited
top
mint cords: j crew
navy tank: j crew
bluegray tee: target
scarf: bought on the street
sneaks: tigers
bottom
white tee: gap
sweater: urban
flats: steve madden

Remember these cords I was coveting (and actually, for weeks before I posted)? I found them on saaaaaaaaaaale! For 60% off! It was a Christmas miracle. I happen to love corduroy--the ultimate in nerd wear--even though I lot of people don't. I can't explain why I love this mint green (okay, J. Crew, eucalyptus) color, which is outside the bounds of a lot of the neutrals I like to wear and definitely goes against my dark-colored bottoms rule. But I love these pants.

In sum: yes, I did wear them all weekend long (I don't dare show you the worn-out college tee and fleece I wore them with all day Thursday while I wrapped presents). I wore them on Christmas; I wore them to a Christmas party; I wore them while I took my sister to exchange gifts that didn't fit. I would've worn them today, too, but I wanted also to show off some of the great stuff I got under the tree (post forthcoming).

I love these cords so much I couldn't give a hoot if nobody else on earth likes them; I'd keep wearing them. Man, I wish I felt that way about everything in my closet.

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it, and a very happy weekend to everyone. Looking forward to catching up, with a bigger belly and a straining suitcase, come Monday.

xoxo.

P.S. You won't believe what I found for $29 yesterday...

Accidental Skirt

Family members: read no further if you want your gifts to be a surprise.

Works Cited
skirt: anthropologie
white tee: gap
belt: mommed
tights: target
brogues: steve madden
sweater: borrowed from sister (j crew)

I have a confession to make: I bought this skirt for myself yesterday while Christmas shopping for my family. But I swear it was a mistake!!

I was at anthropologie with my mom trying to pick up something beautiful for my sister (who is notoriously difficult to shop for and extraordinarily pick about presents), and found this skirt in the sale rack along with a few other things. As I was carrying things for my sister (and not yet willing to let go of the skirt), I saw these adorable letter mugs. My parents don't have any good-sized mugs at their house, and my mother has been complaining about it recently. While my mother was engaged sorting through jewelry, I flew to the checkout to buy the mugs before she could see me, and ended up accidentally buying the skirt, too.

Okay, only sorta accidentally since it was 60% off and I'd already designed seven outfits in my imagination with it. Do you like it? Or does it--as is my greatest fear with a-line skirts--make me look wider rather than not?

Dressing Like Grandpa

Works Cited

jeans: gap

brown tank: target

white tee: gap

sweater: urban outfitters

scarf: gift

brogues: steve madden

on sister:

sweater: old navy

shorts: thrifted

tights: mommed

boots: jeremy's

Thanks to the recent arrival of my suitcase, I have an actual mini wardrobe to work with (hurrah!). I am usually terrible at packing well for trips but I tried especially hard to pack the kinds of accessories I thought I would want to wear and plenty of clean tee shirts (which is weirdly enough what I always skimp on). My sartorial goal for vacation is to be as comfortable as possible without looking entirely homeless. This ensemble succeeded in these goals--comfortable grandpa cardigan, my old man brogues, and a scarf (a terrific gift from Turkey). Although I feel a bit like an 80 year-old man (and look about as lumpy as one in that second photo--sigh), I love the intricate pattern of the scarf and the mix of neutrals.

My sister is braving the shorts and tights trend (I think it looks terrific on her). She reports an anxiety about the brown shoes with black tights and sweater, but I think it's smashing. Please tell me you agree--black boots would have been matching overkill, right?

An Imperfect Outfit

Works Cited
dress: ann taylor loft
striped tee: borrowed (gap)
belt: mommed
tights: mommed
boots: indigo

My winter style project is taking a brief hiatus while I'm in California (it somehow doesn't seem fair to figure out how to dress for the cold in a 62-degree climate). Today's outfit was a bit of a challenge because my suitcase got lost while I traveled across the country yesterday, so I had to improvise--a borrowed tee from my sister, borrowed tights and belt from my mom. Luckily my bag (with my camera inside!) arrived this evening, so I was able to snap a few slightly crummy indoor shots of my impromptu outfit.

Despite the limitations, I don't mind how this turned out. I love this dress for its versatility, and I wanted to swap out the belt it came with for something different. I also love the stripes as an under-layer. It feels cozy and perfect for curling up with an Elizabeth Bowen novel as I finally get to take a break! I'm excited to remix this dress a lot over this vacation--it's simple but I love the slight ruffle detail on the top, and it is light enough to layer over lots of pieces.

I can't wait to show you guys the sweet dress I got for my sister today...but you'll have to wait till Christmas...

Roommate Birthday (and finally! the tees!)

This is my sweet roommate during her birthday party last night, sporting the embellished tee I snatched up for her on sale in November. I'm shocked we both had the patience to wait till her birthday--I am notoriously bad at keeping happy secrets and not giving presents waaaay earlier than the birthdays and holidays for which I got them.

Isn't she gorgeous? Incidentally, she's also one of the sweetest and funniest people I know, and she graciously puts up with my annoying housemate habits (like leaving all the lights on and not taking out the trash often enough).

Love you, C.! Happy birthday!

P.S. Things will be a little quieter on the blog-front through the holidays, as I'm sure you're expecting. Hope you all have wonderful, restful breaks and have some great books you're looking forward to curling up with. xoxo.

Weekend Style Inspiration

Sal's no-lump layering guide just might change your life.

I simply love this woman's style and her big bright smile (from the sartorialist).

I heart this woman and her gorgeous house.

Julie is too adorable (and writes the funniest posts), especially here with her sweet glasses.

What an awesome bow-belt.

I love Kyla's big fur hat (looks so warm!).

Just discovered this blog and lovelovelove this girl's style.

Awesome shoes, awesome stripes.

I unexpectedly love her high-waisted, pleated silk pants paired with a simple white tee. Beautiful!

I just finished all my papers and grading this afternoon--whew!! For those of you still in school/grad school, are you finished, too?? Hope you have a terrific weekend. Next time I post, it'll be from California at my parents' house (yay!).

Photo via.

Winter Style Project--Part 3.3

Works Cited

henley: target

thermal tee: thrifted

skirt: american apparel

belt: thrifted

tights: gap and target

boots: l.l. bean

Winter Style Project Part 3.3: the layering I have never before attempted, have actually eschewed in fear: layering tights. I had visions dancing in my head of sausages stuffed into too-tight cases or that horrible low-hanging tights crotch (pardon the ugly word) problem that makes you feel like you're wearing a diaper.

But this turned out alright! Not only was it extremely warm (I know I've harped on about this, but I swear a thick pair of tights is warmer than jeans in the winter because they stay closer to your skin and don't turn into a denim sheet of ice), but I love the color it produced. I layered a knit gray-blue pair over turquoise matte tights, and I accidentally reproduced the color of the thermal tee I had layered under my henley (woohoo!). Two slim-fitting tees tucked into the skirt, and this awesome belt (it was only 79 cents!) finished things off.

What do you all think of the boots with this get-up? I'm also wearing a giant down coat, so they don't look as out of place when I'm tromping around, but I still wondered if they looked too bulky with everything else. I could, of course, wear my brown boots, but I'm sort of thinking that if I wear my duck boots often enough, they will become cool the world over. Right?

Philosophy of an Outfit

Works Cited

blue button-up: thrifted

dress: ann taylor loft

belt: urban outfitters

flats: steve madden

tights: hue

Some days, my ensembles have a clear philosophy behind them. This was definitely the case last night, when I changed out of my extremely layered look to meet up with some friends for an early celebration of my roommate's birthday. (By the way: although I loved yesterday's outfit, it provoked more silence than usual on the internets--I'm always fascinated by how outfits I thought would be great translate badly, or looks I feel ambivalent about are greeted with a lot of praise. I love that I never know what to expect.)

Last night, I was excited to take a break from all the studying I've been doing (sigh), but the clock was ticking on my fun because I had so much more work to do after our mini-celebration. Without even realizing it, I channeled this tension into what I wore out to drinks: a fancy black dress with a big ruffled collar (fun) over my schoolboy button-up shirt (studying). One part party, one part scholarship.

Does this ever happen to you?

Winter Style Project--Part 3.2

Works Cited
plaid shirt: recently thrifted
turtleneck: hand-me-down
jeans: j. crew outlet
vest: old navy
belt: j. crew
boots: l.l. bean (or as we call it in my family, b.b. lean)

Installment of the Winter Style Project Part 3.2: creative layering. The blog-world is full of inventive layering, the undisputed queen of which is S. from academichic, who remixes her clothes endlessly and inventively. J. Crew's styling team also does a pretty incredible job of layering seven sweaters and making them look effortlessly cool, though it doesn't hurt that their models have legs like toothpicks (check out their December catalogue here). I also happen to think Ellenitza, Chelsea, and Julie are pretty inspired when it comes to layering. Am I getting senile, or have I posted this layering inspiration before (?): shade does 7 beautiful outfits out of one button-up.

Today I flexed my own layering muscles and layered a basic wool turtleneck over a plaid button-up (recently thrifted for $2 yahoo!). I wanted to layer unexpected items together (i.e. not a white tee under a navy sweater, as I am so often wont to do) and this plaid shirt I picked up is perfect for toning down preppier pieces. I folded up the collar of the plaid shirt so it would peek through the top of the turtleneck (as an added bonus, it helps prevent itchy wool from being next to your neck), and left the shirttail hanging out and the sleeves rolled up. Then I layered a puffy vest over it all, and belted it to give it a bit more shape. I love the unexpected pop of plaid at the wrists and neck and the way skinny jeans looked tucked into my beloved duck boots. Forgive how strange I look in the bottom photo--it is absolutely freezing and I momentarily shivered without my jacket. Brrr!

I Covet You, Oversized Sweater

Erm, speaking of oversized sweaters, how lovely does this one look?

Winter Style Project--Part 3.1

Works Cited

black dress: gap

bright green tee: gift

green tank: old navy

tights: gap

sweater: mommed

boots: j crew

earrings: made by friend

Welcome to Winter Style Project Part 3--layering. Because layering is perhaps the most important cold-weather sartorial skill, this week will be dedicated to different types of layers. Today's Part 3.1 is light layers. Today I repurposed a very summery dress for below freezing temps. Because I hate the feeling of my clothes being "scroogy" (a family word meaning one's layers are twisted up or too bundled and hence restrict movement), layering several light pieces helps to modify summer clothes into winter ones to keep me warm and comfortable.

Here I layered four basic pieces: tank, long-sleeved shirt, dress, and sweater. The tank and long-sleeved tee are both close-fitting so they don't rumple or wrinkle under the dress (if you need more help on this, Sal did the most inspired and informative post on layering without lumps yesterday). I wrapped the dress tie around the sweater to highlight my waist and to prevent the bow from looking lumpy under the sweater in the back. A shorter sweater works well on a dress like this, because the empire waist band hits about in the middle of the sweater. A longer sweater tied under the breastbone ends up making my torso look too long. I also love the way the bright green shirt peeps out from the wrists of the darker sweater (but layering with bright colors is an entry for another day...)

Superthick tights (and of course, smartwool socks inside the boots) keep my legs and feet warm. Off for another busy day of paper writing. Do you guys repurpose summer dresses, too? What are your tricks? I am genuinely eager to know (and I may just highlight your idea in my Winter Style Project)!

Gray and Dreary Day

Works Cited

gray sweater: gift from roomie

gray dress: h&m

black tights: gap

plaid flats: target

necklace: gift from my momma

I have to admit, I'm not feeling my most chipper after a long and very gray day. But a well-executed outfit did cheer me up some. I've been itching to wear this beautiful sweater my sweet roommate gifted me for my birthday this past fall, and while I previously paired it with jeans, I love the way it looks over a dress, especially one in a darker shade of gray. From the front, it almost looks like a gray wrap dress!

And these plaid flats made me feel put together during a million meetings and an extremely stressful 3-hour exam I had to administer. Whew, I'm glad the stress of the day is almost over!

Stay tuned tomorrow for my Winter Style Project part 3!

What Would a Fashionable Academic Wear to a Job Interview?

It's that time of year...and I don't mean the holidays. The academic job market is calling, and it says your chances of becoming a tenure-track professor are slim. If you're lucky enough to get an interview, the ever-stylish and lovely La Historiadora de Moda from Fashionable Academics has some terrific tips on how to look smart while you show off your smarts.

If you are an academic on the job market and you are lucky enough to be granted an on-campus interview, you will need to be at the top of your game. You will no doubt have practiced interview questions, your job talk, and the lecture for your mock or cold class, if you will have to teach one during your interview. But have you given any thought to what you will wear? Since there is still a fair amount of style suppression in academia and since you never know whether or not someone will think that you’re not a serious scholar if you wear a floral skirt, blazer, and sweater tights, it is best to err on the conservative side. While university and department cultures will vary and you should always do your research about the schools that are interviewing you, this is my basic guide to an interview-ready wardrobe for a fashionable (female) academic in the States:

1. A suit that flatters your body and makes you feel powerful. When you give your job talk, you can absolutely be better dressed than anyone else in the room. Just as every woman should own at least one LBD, she should also own at least one LBS (little black suit). If you don’t want to go for a black suit, I would still suggest darker colors and/or conservative pinstripes. An elegantly-cut black suit is not at all stuffy. Pastel pinks or bright yellows or a blazer with a lot of zippers on the sleeves might make you more memorable to a group of faculty members, but not necessarily in a good way. There’s also nothing wrong with opting for a skirt suit if you are used to and (more) comfortable with wearing skirts. I do recommend stashing an extra, emergency pair of hose/tights in your briefcase in an inner compartment where you won’t accidentally pull them out instead of a copy of a sample syllabus.

Whatever suit you decide to wear for your job talk, make sure that you practice your job talk in it. It will not only help to boost your confidence during the interview, but you will also know if the hand gestures you make might cause a button to pop off your blazer if it’s buttoned up or that if you lean on a podium your cleavage will be in view. This will give you a chance to know you should wear a cami underneath or leave a button unbuttoned. I also recommend that you wear the blazer on the plane if you’re flying to your interview and/or take only a carry-on. You don’t want your blazer to get all wrinkled or – worse yet – for your suit to arrive after your job talk is over. If you have two suits, you can wear one for each of the days of the interview. If you don’t, you can wear the suit on the day of your job talk and more conservative suit separates on the day that you arrive.

2. Footwear that is COMFORTABLE. An on-campus interview often lasts for two days and is full of meetings. If you are interviewing on a large campus in the Northeast, Midwest, or well pretty much anywhere that’s not Florida, California, or Hawaii, you may have to schlep all over an icy campus as you are passed from one academic official for a meeting to a group of grad students to an undergraduate class to your job talk to a tour of the library. Even if you are extremely comfortable with wearing heels, an on-campus interview might not be the best time to don your stilettos. If it snows or sleets that day, you might be in real trouble. Sadly, I have heard of an occasion in which a faculty member made snide remarks to a candidate about her heeled boots. Less awkward but still embarrassing would be committee members walking you to a meeting and worrying about whether or not you can make it there in your footwear. I recommend a flat-heeled boot or a low-heeled conservative shoe. Whatever shoes you choose, you should know that are able to wear them for a 12-hour day without getting blisters, pinched toes, or cramps in your calves or the arches of your feet.

3. A briefcase or a satchel is the key accessory (http://fashionableacademics.blogspot.com/2009/11/cfp-academic-baggage.html). You will need it, so that you have copies of your job talk, sample syllabi, and Tylenol within your reach to dispense as necessary. Your bag should show that you’ve given some thought to what you tote your stuff in, but this is an area where you can personalize a bit more. A pop of color here is not bad. You might also want to stash a granola or protein bar or two in your briefcase. Why? I’ve heard a horror story or two about job candidates missing lunch because of a delayed flight and almost fainting from hunger.

4. Other Accessories. Here is another area where you can personalize your look. Just remember that lots of jangly bracelets or a particularly loud and funky necklace might not be quite right for this venue. Less is more. Wear a scarf to add a pop of color to your otherwise neutral outfit and add simple, stately earrings, and voilà! Or wear a necklace with a book on it or a ring that is emblematic of the place where you did a lot of your research – nothing wrong with a slightly gratuitously nerdy conversation piece. I really recommend wearing a watch so that you know you will be on time to meetings and you won’t have to dig your cell phone out of your briefcase every time that you want to check the time.

5. A perfect-fitting wool coat is a very nice to have for your interview-ready wardrobe, especially because a lot of people will be seeing it, as you are walked from one meeting to the next. Unless you have only applied to jobs in Hawaii and SoCal, a wool pea coat or trench will look much more professional and put-together over the rest of your ensemble than a parka or ski jacket. Unless you are interviewing at a place where all faculty are avid hunters, do not wear a fur (even if it’s vintage) or faux fur coat. If you do end up with a tenure-track job in Hawaii or Florida, your lovely warm coat will come in handy for visiting friends and family in colder climes and for that annual convention or conference in Philly, Chi-town, or Boston in January.

Additional notes: Avoid perfume and scent-heavy lotions. You may have a signature scent that you wear every single day. Well, wear it every single day except this one. People are extremely sensitive to smell, and you don’t want to prejudice a potential future colleague by smelling like his ex-wife that he despises or by upsetting the stomach of a professor who is battling morning sickness. Also, if you have long hair, you will probably want to pull it back so that it doesn’t get in your face during the interview. This is particularly necessary if you are prone to playing with your hair when nervous or while talking. Finally, remember that you will likely not have much time to check your hair or make-up during the day(s), so you may want to go for minimalist make-up and forgo the lipstick.

Winter Style Project--Part 2

Works Cited:

top:

yellow sweater: gift (j. crew)

green tee: stolen from friend in college (without a tag)

jeans: j crew outlet

brogues (not oxfords!): steve madden

necklace: macy's in college

earrings: gift from C.

bottom:

pink tee: j. crew outlet

scarf: streets of SF

jeans: gap

hat: j. crew

boots: j. crew

Welcome to Part 2 of the Winter Style Project: playing with color. Wearing beautiful color combinations is an easy way to give a simple winter outfit (tee, sweater, jeans) more visual interest. Even if you are piling on the layers, a pop of color or interesting combinations will give even a simple silhouette more personality.

On Saturday, I paired a mustard yellow sweater in a super-warm cashmere with a moss green tee. I happen to love mustard yellow (do I sound like a broken record?)--it is bright without being noxious and it goes beautifully with a wide range of neutrals. Green and yellow are, of course, adjacent colors (like blue and purple, or red and orange), and especially in more muted hues, I think they go wonderfully together. I also love the way yellow pops against the typical winter color palette of dark brown, gray, and black. A big necklace finished off the look.

On Sunday, I worked with a range of pink colors. Pink is not a color I typically wear, but against a marigold and a coral, it looks more grown-up and thoughtful. This hat also brings cheer to a lot of my winter clothes, given that it's sometimes the only thing poking out into the cold from my giant coat (pictures forthcoming this week).

Have you been wearing brighter colors this winter, too? Or do you prefer to stick to dark colors when the weather is crummy? Speaking of crummy: anyone else heading into (or in the middle of) finals this week? I'm nearly finished with my doctoral coursework, so this is my penultimate finals week (at least, as a student)--yay!

Weekend Style Inspiration

This weekend, all I want to wear is something that will keep me warm (don't you?). Here are some places I've been inspired recently:

Shade's style guide--especially the way they layer sweaters, skirts, and tights. Mmmm.

The original duck boot, and Elaine's beautiful pictures of how to look good in duck boots (although she'd look good in just about anything).

Real girls in winter? They look terrific, but I think I'd need another layer or two...

Sally's awesome post on chic winter coats (I want!).

This girl's pink coat looks warm and flattering. (From here.)

I am pretty much obsessed with this outfit. Striped top, yellow skirt, and bold tights? Must recreate soon!

And if you can't bring yourself to put on high-heeled boots and strut around in the snow, nothing looks cozier than these slippers and a cup of homemade hot chocolate.

Have a terrific weekend and see you Monday for more of my Winter Style Project.

Winter Style Project--Part 1

Works Cited

oversized sweater: gift from friend (tulle)

jeans: gap

belt: gift

boots: indigo

earrings: forever 21

ring: urban outfitters

Thanks to all your amazing comments on my post yesterday, and the general griping around blog-world about trying to dress for winter, I'm starting a Winter Style Project. The goal: figuring out how to get dressed in below-freezing temperatures without resembling a Michelin Man, your grandmother, or a giant walking sleeping bag. It would also be ideal to feel chic and like yourself even while you're staying warm.

Welcome to Part 1: the oversized sweater. There is nothing cozier than a big sweater in the middle of winter, and I am tempted to throw them over everything. The problem is feeling a few sizes bigger than usual once you layer them over your cords or wool trousers. As Emily wisely warned yesterday, it's best to balance the proportions when you're wearing a giant sweater. I kept this slimming (or at least, tried) by pairing it with skinny jeans and boots. I also belted the middle to give the look more shape.

I also think some bright jewelry (big earrings and a bright ring) do a lot to brighten up a gray look. And mmmm: check out the lovely kangaroo pocket on this sweater...is there anything better?

Stay tuned for the next installment! (and please insert your two cents on staying chic in winter--I can use all the ideas I can get!).

All Bundled Up

Works Cited
turtleneck: j crew
white button-up: jeremy's
gray skirt: old navy
belt: urban outfitters
black tights: who knows
leg warmers: bought in high school (perhaps capezio)
boots: j crew
scarf: bought in SF
coat: forever 21

It is seriously cold here today, and thus begins my Project to Stay Chic in Winter. How better to start than with about a million layers? You can't see it here, but I'm wearing a button-up over a turtleneck (although a bit bulky, it is actually very chic). I layered leg warmers over my tights, and left them bunched up at the top of the boots to insulate my legs from the cold.

I also looped a bright cashmere scarf around my neck. Given the amount of black, navy, and gray in my winter wardrobe, I like having bright scarves to brighten up darker looks. This marigold one would look particularly good next to brown, I think. While it's hard to see here, I went with a palette of pinks and oranges--the legwarmers are very light pink; the turtleneck is a coral color; and the marigold scarf--but I kept the colors in small doses next to lots of gray and black.

I can't help but to miss easy fall dressing, where you could stay cozy in a few light layers instead of wearing so many layers the shape of your body is entirely lost. I've also been wondering what looks better: a few thicker layers, or a whole slew of lighter layers piled together? The former threatens to be boring, and the latter out of control. What's your take? Do you stay simple in a thick sweater, or do you pile layers on to stay warm?

Inspiration: An Education

This past weekend, I saw the movie An Education, a British film directed by Lone Scherfig and starring the adorable Carey Mulligan (kind of looks like Audrey Hepburn, doesn't she?). I liked the movie's aesthetic (although not some of its moralizing), but I luurrved the clothes. Every piece fit her perfectly, hit her body in the right places, and flattered her.

I couldn't find a picture of my favorite ensemble from the closing scene of the movie. Mulligan is riding a bicycle through Oxford wearing rolled up jeans and flats with her hair in a ponytail, and she looks sweet and studious and stylish. If you need some early-sixties inspiration that's not Mad Men, I suggest you check this out.

The Cold Weather Staple

Works Cited

black turtleneck: gap

scarf: bought on the street in SF

jeans: j crew outlet

clogs: dansko

earrings: gift

I hate to do an indoor shot (particularly because there is no good place in my house to take them), but the outdoors is a dangerous place to be today. There are winds gusting 35-55 mph, with icy roads and snow drifts. Out of a window on campus today, I spotted a giant, handicap-accessible port-a-potty getting dragged down the street by the wind. Yipes!

Given the horrendous weather, I turned to the most basic wardrobe staple for comfort: the black turtleneck. Mine is knit and ultra-soft and keeps me warm even while it looks streamlined. I paired it with a patterned scarf to give the look some interest and was forced to forego leopard print flats for sturdy clogs, given the situation out of doors.

Although it's simple, this outfit has classic colors, nice clean lines, and warmth without bulkiness. And if you haven't already, go check out my guest post at the glamorous grad student!

The Glamorous Grad Student

Sweet readers,

I'm guest posting this morning at the glamorous grad student on how to wear a dress, ride a bicycle, and carry a semester's worth of books (all at once). This is a serious skill that I've honed over the years, so go check it out!

And if you're not reading the glamorous grad student, prepare to be schooled because she is FABULOUS. Some of my favorite posts of hers:

Taming your wardrobe.

Five false economies of the fashionista.

Audrey Hepburn style inspiration.

And of course her fabulous city chic series.

Go forth and read!

xoxo.

T.

P.S. Outfit post forthcoming this afternoon.

Sweater Dress Take II

Works Cited

sweater dress: target

pink button-up: thrifted

tights: gap

boots: j. crew

earrings: gift

Today I wanted to re-style this fantastic sweater dress I got at target a few months ago. I love the color, the material, and these awesome ruffles, and the dress is also quite warm. Because it has a lot of personality--side wrap and ruffly front, it is always the centerpiece of an outfit and so it's a bit difficult to restyle it in interesting ways (if you have ideas: please help! I seem to have some sort of complex about styling around ruffles).

This time I mixed it up by layering it over this button-up, which worked surprisingly well, and switching up the palette, focusing on black instead of brown. I also love the juxtaposition of the shirt collar and ruffles.