Winter 30 for 30: My Picks

Yes, I'm doing the 30 for 30 again! Here are my picks for my next 30 outfits. Read more about what the 30 for 30 is here, at remix central (Kendi Everyday).

(from left, top row: target, target, j. crew, h&m; bottom row: urban outfitters, urban outfitters, j. crew, thrifted j. crew)



(from left, top row: bcbg (gift), j. crew, urban outfitters; bottom row: target, h&m, j. crew outlet)

(from left, top row: j. crew, kakalina rose vintage, thrifted vintage; bottom row: gap, urban outfitters)

(from left: loft trousers, gap skinnies)

(from left: anthro (gift), c/o spotted moth)

(from left: dansko clogs, target wedges, urban outfitters pumps)


(from left: steve madden, l.l. bean, clarks)

Here are my 30 pieces--or rather, my 29 pieces, because I haven't figured out what I want for piece #30. Inevitably I forget one thing that I end up wanting halfway through, plus, it helps mentally because I feel like I could have anything from my closet just in case I need it. I'm super-excited for this challenge and ready to remix my little heart out! I'd love to hear (and visit you) if you're doing the 30 for 30, too. I'm always looking for new inspiration, particularly when I have limited pieces to work with.
P.S. Here are remixes one and two if you want to check them out :)

Labors of the Mind

Works Cited
skirt: anthro
button-up: thrifted
cardigan, tights: j crew
shoes: target

Lately, I feel like outfits have been on a far, far back burner of my mind as I study for my exams. Consequently, I am drawn toward really simple colors and combinations, not too many adornment or accessories and no-fuss hair. In some ways, my return to vanilla may be a little boring to read (sorry!!) but it's also indicative of the ups and downs that anyone's wardrobe goes through as life happens--when other things demand my interest, clothes tend to gravitate toward the back of my brain and I find myself dressing for simplicity so I can put my focus elsewhere: new classes to teach, lots of books to read before March (acks!) and a dissertation project to plan. My outfits disguise me as a duck--calm on the outside, and paddling like crazy underneath :)

From the Inspiration Folder

Works Cited
tee: j crew outlet
sweater, boots: j crew
belt: thrifted
pants: gap
necklace: i made it

Because I do a lot of my work from home or coffeeshops, I'm always on the lookout for casual outfits that will be sophisticated but also comfortable. Lately, I've been inspired by S. from academichic, who is a master of color-mixing and pairs black pants and boots to great effect. Also in my inspiration folder was this outfit of Kendi's. If you're a copy cat, it's exceptionally easy to get dressed--I paired the simple layering effect of rolled up sleeves and sweater, along with black skinnies tucked into boots.
P.S. I'm getting excited for the new 30 for 30! I've picked my pieces, which I'll post Monday afternoon...I can't wait!

Menswear-ish

Works Cited
pants: gap (found in the back of my closet)
cardigan: j crew
blouse: forever 21
belt: thrifted
brogues: steve madden

Another mad-rush, running-late morning which led me to pull out the rare pair of pants from the back of my closet. I bought these my first year of grad school, when I was professionalizing my wardrobe but still deeply attached to pants. These trousers increased jeans-and-sweaters outfits to the smidge more professional plaid-trousers-and-sweaters outfits. I'm still undecided about how flattering straight wide-leg pants are on me, but they're definitely comfortable and I love oranges and browns together. It's also fun to switch things up a little--this feels a bit different than what I usually gravitate towards and it's fun to do something a little different than my usual high-waisted silhouette.

Small Domestic Natural Disasters

Works Cited
dress: c/o five bamboo
sweater: uo
belt: target
boots: steve madden

This week has been pretty hectic already so my brain was already frazzled when I got up this morning, and matters didn't get any better when I vacillated about what to wear for half an hour, leaving the aftermath of a closet hurricane on the bedroom floor. Part of my indecision is because a new 30 for 30 starts on Monday and I still have no idea what pieces I will pick to take me through the remix. At the moment, I'm trying to avoid the favorite half of my closet just to make sure I don't jump the gun on my 30 pieces (hey, my creativity has limits!). Are you doing the 30 for 30? Even though I'm a little nervous about it, it will be a relief to have limited option to work with, and hopefully it will prevent more natural disasters in my closet for the next 30 days!

A Very Special Day

Works Cited
skirt: thrifted
top: ll bean
belt: target
tights: american eagle
boots: steve madden

Today is a very special day--not only is it Breton Stripe Day, but it is also Christopher's 30th birthday. I have to keep this post short, because I teach in 4 minutes (acks! I'm running behind today), given that we spent our morning making a huge birthday breakfast and opening presents. Happy birthday, Christopher! I adore you and it's a joy to celebrate your life with you today. And happy Breton Stripe Day to everyone else :)

A Few Book Recommendations

I've gotten a few questions lately about books and book recommendations. Here are some of my all-time favorite books that I recommend to everyone. I hope fellow bibliophiles can find one or two new reads to stash next to the bed:

If you like non-fiction: Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris is a collection of non-fiction short essays about being a book lover. It's uproariously funny; chock-full of weird, obscure words you want to look up; and it inspired my mother to buy me 17 pounds of books for my 17th birthday (awesome).

If English was your favorite subject in school: Ian McEwan's Atonement is a beautiful, complicated novel that is difficult to describe without reducing its gorgeousness. Like most McEwan, the plot keeps you rushing forward even while the structure of his sentences ask you to pause, slow down, and pay attention to language.

If you like J.D. Salinger or Lolita: Martin Amis's Money is a book I often recommend to guy friends looking for a good read (needless to say, lots of girls love it, too; it's just my current #1 book-for-a-boy rec). It is deviant, irreverent and darkly humorous.

If you're looking for a good classic, a well-plotted read for a long trip, or a genuinely scary book: Bram Stoker's Dracula literally gave me some kind of sublime shivers, I was so frightened and delighted reading it. It is the original vampire novel (and if you ask me, one of the only worth reading).

If you like long, rambly, funny, encyclopedic novels: Zadie Smith's White Teeth is among my favorite contemporary novels. It is a novel about London (which makes it difficult to contain neatly) and it is big and sympathetic and at times, incredibly funny.

Obviously, I have lots (and lots and lots) more books I love, but these five are among the most-popular Tania recommendations. Do you like to read? Or have you read anything great lately that you'd recommend? Would you mind a post like this once in a while?

February Sponsorships Available

Better Late Than Frozen

Works Cited
turtleneck: gap (old)
scarf: off the street in London
trouser jeans woohoo: loft
shoes: dankso
coat: j crew via jeremy's

I know there's nothing less exciting than the weather but it's the primary influence on what I wear so you'll have to hear for the hundredth time what the temperature was today: NEGATIVE 11!! I was anxious about getting frostbitten so I went for warmth over anything else--cozy turtleneck, jeans, and my super-awesome danksos (don't make fun, they were on the Sartorialist). I'm also wearing an awkward-looking suit of long underwear under everything. It's not glamorous, but it's what I wore in real life, and that's the point of a real-person style blog, right? To show what I wore on the days when it's so cold my nose just might fall off and I stop caring about looking really fabulous because I'm too busy worrying about whether I'm going to be found, come spring's thaw, frozen solid somewhere between the library and my car.

Black, White, and Read All Over

Works Cited
ceci n'est pas une bicyclette shirt: urban outfitters
red skirt: thrifted, vintage
belt: j crew
tights: target
pumps: famous footwear
cardigan: urban outfitters
traveling bag: c/o le mode accessories

Today I taught Magritte's "The Treason of Images" to complement Mr. Oscar Wilde, which of course meant I had to wear my Magritte-inspired shirt. The cold and dark outside is making me crave bright colors, so I had no choice but to pair it with this super-bright pencil skirt. I also was lucky enough to get my hands on this sisterhood of the traveling bag (of sorts) that spent last week with Sydney and is heading on to Tieka next. It was an awesome companion for a very busy day--it fit six books, a sandwich, plus my heels inside (because I wasn't crazy enough to try to walk to the bus stop in 4 inches of snow wearing heels). But now that this day is almost over, I'm heading to snuggle on the couch with Christopher, a book, and a pair of slippers :)

Back in the Classroom

Works Cited
dress: anthro (gift from christopher)
sweater: j crew via jeremy's (old)
belt: thrifted
tights: target
boots: steve madden

I'm running one day behind on posting, so this was what I wore yesterday when I headed back to the classroom for the first day of this semester's teaching. I'm excited about my class this term and wanted something easy, no-fuss, and a little bit bright to wear for the first day. Because I'm hoping to decenter my classroom authority along with the ways modernist texts decenter narrative authority, I wanted to seem particularly approachable and as little like a stiff vaunt-of-all-knowledge lecturer as I could. I won't wax poetic about my ideas for how to teach this semester, suffice it to say my goal is to my students work with each other to solve the problems that difficult texts pose, rather than push my own readings on them. And of course, I think Paulo Freire would like orange.

Giveaway: Flower Brooch from Dinkybird Boutique

This week's giveaway is from Dinkybird Boutique, which sells lovely handmade flower pins to spruce up your oxford shirts, trench coats, and plain tees (I love wearing flower pins on my coats in the winter). One lucky reader will win this rad brooch which would dress up your little black dress or cardigan this winter.

To enter, visit Dinkybird Boutique and leave a comment below.
For an extra entry, leave a separate comment letting me know what else you might love from her shop.

Justine is the lucky winner of last week's Five Bamboo giveaway but any of you can get a 20% discount by registering with the code: whatwouldanerdwear :)

Update: the giveaway winner is #36, Rebecca

Simplicity

Works Cited
sweater: h&m
earrings: anthropologie
scarf: gift from mom
jeans: gap
boots: steve madden

Just keeping it simple--I don't teach until tomorrow so a cozy sweater, scarf, and boots were an easy choice for a day of making last minute revisions to my syllabus and prepping my first few lessons (on Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I'm very excited to teach). As much as I love piling on the layers in winter, sometimes it's easier to just throw on a few simple pieces. I was reminded of this reading the other emily, who dresses in such sophisticated and understated ways (of course, this outfit of hers reminded me to break out this sweater again).

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Works Cited
dress: c/o eshakti
sweatshirt: american apparel via amazon
blazer: thrifted
tights: gap
boots: j crew

I'm pulling the ol' sweatshirt-over-blazer combo because my usual cardigan routine wasn't going to cut it in the cold today. I wish it were warm enough to show you the detail on this dress, which is super pretty and fits really nicely because the kind people at eshakti let you customize the fit, length, sleeve style, or pretty much any other measurement you want on your garments.
P.S. I hope my American friends are enjoying MLK day--Christopher and I are both planning on re-reading "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" to celebrate the day; if you care to join, here's the full text.

My Grad Student Wardrobe Essentials

Last week I did a little guest post for the sweet, soon-to-be-a-grad-student Nina on my grad student wardrobe essentials. I hope it can be helpful to those of you who are also soon-to-be or someday-will-be heading for a post graduate program. xo

COLOR!

Works Cited
sweater: thrifted
vintage skirt: kakalina rose vintage
tights: gap
boots: steve madden
belt: anthro
locket: camp lost & found

Winter madness is officially setting in (it's approximate to cabin fever but lasts from about January till March) and I feel like this week's super gray drab outfits were just making it worse, so I was pretty much dying for some color this morning, which might explain why I look like I burst from a Crayola box but I couldn't care less because I feel 100% more cheerful now. It's hard to tell from these photos, but the pattern on the skirt actually has lines of teal, so the tights aren't just a non sequitor. It's the last weekend before classes start, so I'm trying to make the most of it by doing what any nerd does: cramming as much reading as I can into my brain before I get sidetracked by teaching and grading. I hope you have a terrific weekend! xo

Repetition Compulsion

Works Cited
denim shirt: gap
sweater: hand-me-down from friend (xo, syd)
necklace: i made it
jeans: j crew outlet
boots: ll bean, of course

It's really ridiculously insert-explitive-here cold today. It was -11 when I got up this morning, so I reached for the thickest sweater in my closet and went from there. I've noticed lately that I'm drawn to wear the same set of pieces a bunch at once (these jeans I wore a week ago, this necklace on Tuesday, the boots and shirt yesterday, and the sweater every moment not on the blog). It's like I have a very slim short-term memory for what's in my closet--I only remember the things I've worn in the past week. Oh well!
P.S. I swear I'll go for more color soon. It's like I'm trying to match my backyard these days :)

How Many Layers Does it Take to Get to the Center of a Blogger?

Works Cited
white tee: hanes
denim shirt, tights: gap
sweater: hand-me-down from friend
skirt: target
socks: j crew men's
boots: ll bean

The midwest was finally blessed with the big snowstorm that's been blowing around the country and I woke up to several inches of snow, which gave me the opportunity to style my bean boots, which I dearly love and will wear till I'm 100. This outfit was partially inspired by this photo, but Tania-fied by a slightly longer skirt, duck boots, and Christopher's green wool hat (hey, it's cold out there). Besides the snow, it's been quiet around here; school doesn't start for another week and I'm taking advantage of the lull and reading as much as I can for my exams which are (gulp!) rapidly approaching. I'm kind of excited for teaching to start again because it means a solid excuse to dress up in the morning :)