the hunt

Anticipatory Set: I took the day off from Athenista yesterday as I was busy celebrating my little nugget's very FIRST birthday!  I seriously cannot wrap my mind around that.  WOW.

I've already told you that I have way too many clothes and that one of my goals for this blog is to remedy that by 'shopping' and exploring my closet.  And while that's still true, it is also true that I have a few holes in my wardrobe.  It's easy to go out and try to fill that gap with things that 'look professional' or that are especially thrifty in price but I never come out totally satisfied.  (Maybe that's why I ended up with so many dang clothes.)

Objective(s) Addressed: Work wear/Professional wardrobe; Returns and exchanges

Materials and Sources:

• Nordstrom
• Ruche
• Anthropologie

Input: My professional wear, especially when it comes to trouser-blouse combinations, is a little lacking.  I have lots of great dresses and a few great skirts but they don't flow with my trousers and tops.  Over the break I made a return at Nordstrom and picked up a top on big time sale (and left with more $ than I came with, can't beat that) that not only filled a gap in my professional wear but also satisfied a little bit of wardrobe lust.

Surely by now I've talked about my love for all things Anthropologie.  Their pieces are everything I love and want in a wardrobe.  If I could only buy clothing or accessories (or home goods, for that matter) in one place for the rest of my life (or most of it), it would have to be Anthropologie.  You can go American classic, Euro chic, country casual, bohemian, artsy fartsy... I could go on... all in one place.  I love it!  And even though I'm sure everybody and their mama has the same thing, the clothes they carry just seem like they're one-of-a-kind.  Kind of like how your barista lets you think you're the only person taking their latte with soy, no foam and just half a pack of raw sugar in the bottom. 

Anyway... I just always find myself lusting after one thing or another on their site, in the catalog or wishing I could style up my wardrobe like their outfit pages online.  When I see detailing on anything that is reminiscent of the things I love on their site, I have to do a double take.  One of the shops (online, anyway) that reminds me a little of that style is Ruche.  Great stuff over there!  And even, from time to time, Nordstrom carries tops or dresses in the style that I love.  So when I saw this blouse on super sale at Nordstrom (I actually got it for $15.90, not the $30 something on the site), I took it.  I was worried about its maternity-esque potential but there was nothing to fret over, it's quite flattering.  The palette of my few dress pants is mostly gray-ish or tweed, so I went with a basic black though they do carry it in grey and a brighter blue.

It looks a lot like this blouse from Ruche.

...which also has the same feel as one that I can't find now but lusted for at Anthropologie.  Here is one with a similar shape and material. 

Final Notes: Even though this isn't a deal I hunted for, it proves that even if you have your sights set high on a piece or a style that seems unattainable due to cost, availability or locale, if you are patient, 'the hunt' will serve you well.

a day behind

Anticipatory Set: I'm already a day behind.  And since I still have two days of posts from last weekend, I would just expect for me to pretty much always be at least a day behind on outfit posts from now on...  ;)  After bumming it all day Friday, I just had to get out of the house yesterday and since we have gift cards to get rid of I knew I'd be heading to Barnes & Noble, TJMaxx and Pier 1 to scope out how we want to use them.  (Gift cards are hard for me to part with sometimes.  Especially to places like Pier 1 and TJMaxx because I want my purchase to be fun and extraordinarily thrifty to maximize the credit.)  My hair was all wonky (dang you, static!) so I wanted to at least pull it together with my clothes.  As you're pretty well aware now I am trying to pull things from my closet that are either rarely worn or not worn at all and then either "make it work" or take it to sell/donate.  

Objective(s) Addressed: Browsing books and shopping with gift cards; shopping my closet (safe to say this will be an objective for many days, weeks, months? to come)

Materials and Sources:

• Dress (worn as blouse): Rosebud via Francesca's Collection
• Waist tie: Belt from old Gap trousers (c. 2004)
  
• Skinnies: Old Navy Sweetheart
• Corduroy coat: Gap (c. 2004)
• Boots: Steven by Steve Madden 'Intyce' boot in Cognac
• Favorite handbag: Lulu Guinness
  
• Bracelet: Banana Republic (c. 2005)
• Earrings: American Eagle (I think?... several years ago)
• Eyeglasses: Lulu Guinness
  

Input: The piece I was trying to work with here is the dress (worn as a blouse).  It's one of those items in my closet that I always pull out and then, for whatever reason, move on to something else.  I love it as a dress but since it is a knit material it needs some kind of slip underneath to keep it from sticking to undergarments, leggings, tights, etc.  The neckline is my favorite.  But as I discovered today it's not conducive to cold weather so I just used a simple gray layering tank underneath, nothin' fancy.  Also, it ties in the back to give some shape to the ribcage but since I was tucking it I wanted an additional tie in the front to tame potential lumpage. So I used an old scarf-belt-thing from a pair of Gap trousers circa 2004.

The rest was obvious for me - I threw on my favorite bag, boots and coat to wrap it up. I love the coat because it's so perfect for Georgia's winters.  It's light on days when it's not too cold but it's also perfect for cozying up with layers underneath.  Also, the top buttons all the way to the neck so a scarf isn't necessary unless it's really cold.  The handbag was a gift from P. my freshman year of college.  I'd been eyeing it all summer before I left for school and he surprised me with it on his visit for my birthday.  And, of course, the boots... so comfortable and I love the wedge.  Just a teensy bit of height and the color is so great and warm. 

Final Notes: After P. did his photographer duties I untucked the shirt a little more to lengthen it and make it a little more flattering.  (I'm sure you can use your imagination.)  The coat looks kinda bulky in the photo but I'm not sure what else I would change... I felt really comfortable, warm and pulled together for my little solo browsing rendezvous.  The weekend was nice with the additional snow day but tomorrow it's back to the grind in full force.  Wah.  Everybody have a great start to the work week!

shopping my closet: episode 1

Anticipatory Set: Remember, a few days ago I posted about how I want to shop my closet and also find new ways to wear pieces in my wardrobe that are either a) rarely worn or b) not worn at all.  So last time I chose a dress and a shirt to style and asked you guys how you would style them up.  I polyvored some of my own ideas for them and promised to post.  My goal was to create one look for work and one for the weekend and casual time with family and friends.  Here's the update...

Objective(s) Addressed: Shopping my closet; plan new ways to wear two rarely worn pieces in my closet

shopping my closet 1 by athenista featuring Forever21

Materials and Sources:

• Drawstring Bubble Dress: Forever 21
• Black and white plaid ruffle button-up: Old Navy
  
• Polyvore (materials and their sources can be found on my published polyvore... just click through the pictures)
• I should note: I do not own most of these pieces which you will know absolutely positively for sure when you see some of their price tags (HA!).

Input: First... the plaid shirt was pretty easy once I opened up a new set and started clicking around for things like what I already have.  (It's amazing how easy, and surprisingly quick, it is to choose outfits when you have a blank canvas and items that you can just click and drag.)  Clearly I am thinking in terms of Spring weather with the looks for the shirt.  For a more work-appropriate look I kept the palette pretty neutral and chose a grey, high-waisted skirt (look, a bow!) with a black wrap cardigan and let the accessories speak for a color palette.  I have a purple rosette headband that I left out that would complete a purple-red/orange-green triad (My favorite triad, by the way.  I'll talk about that some other time but you can read all about triads and how to work them in your closet at academichic.). 

Next, for a more weekend/family time look I click-and-dragged some dark wash skinnies, a short-sleeved open sweater cardigan (similar to the one I wore here), grey slouchy boots (like a Steve Madden pair that I own... sure to make an appearance sometime in the near future) and the top item on my current wardrobe lust-list - a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag.  If the weather is warmer I could ditch the boots for the green sandals on the work look. 

plaid shirt two ways by athenista featuring Elie Tahari

The drawstring bubble dress really didn't get styled for work or weekend wear.  I was thinking strictly in terms of how I would wear it on a Valentine's Day date with my dutiful photographer lovely husband, P.  I went pretty romantic with the details on this one.  I own things similar to this except for the ruffly red cardigan from Anthropologie.  (And with a price tag like Anthropologie's, I'm not likely to own it anytime soon.)  I have a dusty pink sweater in a similar shape that might work in its place. Now I just have to convince P. to take me out on the town.  In the meantime, I'll try to style it up in real life for workwear and show you all the results. 

bubble dress - romance by athenista featuring Forever21

Final Notes: I love these options on 'paper' but we'll see how they turn out when I put them to the test!  Or, who knows, maybe I'll come up with something completely different.  Dreaming it all up has been fun!

Do you plan outfits around pieces you rarely wear or have a goal to shop more often in your own wardrobe this year?  If you do link your posts in the comments, I would love to see!

Also... if you don't mind commenting or clicking "Follow" on the right, I would lovelovelove to know who you are!  I see a lot of clicks coming from allll over the place but I'm not sure who you are. And if there is something you'd like to see here (teaching q&a, living in a college town, how being a young mom influences my wardrobe choices, etc.), let me know.  Those are all things I want to cover but I'm not sure how little (or how much!) you know already.

snow day 2k10, uggh

Anticipatory Set: For those of you who are not Georgia Peaches, we had a teeny bit of snow and sleet and got a snow day. Woop!  I know the weather is funky pretty much everywhere and while, yea, this isn't typical Georgia weather... did we really need the day off?  Okay, okay, it was pretty icy this morning.  And I can't complain because I did nothing but act like a total waste of life until... well, actually I'm still acting like that... in between play and cuddle time with G., of course (P. is just now getting off of work so we've been solo and at my parents most of the day).  Poor G. has a pretty runny/congested nose which was so pitiful last night but I was secretly loving it a little bit because he was the most cuddly he has been in months.  He's so wild and independent most of the time now that cuddle time is rare.  So in keeping with that theme, I kept my outfit pretty cuddly "cozy," too.  Just call it bum chic, if you need to, and humor me.  Essentially, this is the kind of outfit I should probably keep to myself but... it's a style diary and, uhh... sometimes this is just the style that works for me.  Do you blame me?  ;)

Objective(s) Addressed: Snow Day, cuddle time, generally taking up matter.

I started the day thinking I would go out into the world.  You know... maybe grab a latte, browse some books.  So I wanted to at least look like I had a will to live.  Between my overnight bag and the boots in my car, this is what I had:

(I didn't have my trusty photographer to do the job so I did a quick polyvore of what I wore and then a quick mirror pic up top for the real deal.)

(The red sweater is the actual sweater just not the actual color... see next.)

actual color and scarf:

Materials and Sources:

• Sweater w/ over-sized collar: Caslon via Nordstrom
• Jeans: Old Navy Sweetheart
• Black thermal: Old Navy, remix'd
• Gray ruffle scarf: Charlotte Russe (again, I know)
• Boots: Target, remix'd again (what can I say, they've been good for the cold and I left my Stevens again... whoops!)
• Stud earrings: anniversary gift from P. (unpictured)
  

Input: This is where I tell you that I did not, in fact, go anywhere and opted for an Alternate Activity. 

Alternate Activity: This is where I reveal to you that I am a closet Ugg lover.  I got a pair during my last winter in Auburn (I had some kind of coupon for Dillard's).  I don't wear them outside of the house or incorporate them into any of my daily outfits but boy, oh boy, nothing beats them inside the house during these frigid, tundra temperatures.  If I could do it again, though, I would've gotten the cheapies from Target or Wally World.  They got me just fine through high school uniforms so they would definitely be more than sufficient for recliner wear.  Still, they are toasty.  And I can even tuck my bootcut jeans into them to keep the draft out.  Classy, I say.

Uggs + glasses + magazines and books + G. + recliner = Snow Day Heaven

Final Notes: Sometimes comfort is the ONLY way to style it up. 

Did you have a Snow Day or a bum day inside?  Did you make an effor to get dressed or did you keep it bum chic with me? 

shopping my closet

Recently, I left out one whopper of a factor for my big goal for Athenista in 2010 (more personal style/outfit posts).  Basically... I have waywaywaywaywaaaa-a-ay-yy-y too many clothes for my needs, as I'm sure my husband will attest to.  Yet... I can find at least five more reasons to buy just one. more. piece.  They're pretty much always cheap one.more.pieces but the key is that I don't need them.  (And really that makes it worse because usually I am of the camp that you should invest in good, key statement pieces rather than a bunch of get-me-through-the-season pieces.  Whatever.  Another day.)  And with the holidays still fresh on our wallets and G.'s first birthday coming up (Monday! omghyperventilate), we really don't have the cash flow for them either.**  Enter my style 'resolution' of sorts... shopping my closet. 

If you're already reading other style blogs or fashion magazines, you've probably heard that phrase more times than you can stomach but you're about to hear it at least once more if you keep reading. I have a busting-at-the-seams closet, this motivating blog at my fingertips, and a whole community of other style bloggers to draw inspiration from... so I have a goal in mind for the next few months/year to literally shop my closet.  Not a shopping ban or anything crazy.  Just shoppin' the laundry pile. 

In my grand that-would-take-forever-and-two-days scheme, I would take pictures and number everything in my closet by category (type, fabric, fit, occasion, etc.).  And maybe if I was feeling real crazy, I would even photograph some potential combinations and post them all over the walls of my closet.  Like a million Polyvore sets.  But for my own closet.  But it kinda makes my noggin hurt just thinking about how completely mammoth that task would be.  So I'll just let Polyvore do it's thing until I find whoevenknowshowmany hours to get started on that. 

Since I have no idea where else to start this little adventure, I'm going to show you a Polyvore of two pieces in my closet (Not because there aren't more.  Don't worry, there are plenty where these came from.  These were just the two I could most easily find on Polyvore and it's best to go in baby steps, right?  Rest assured this could and probably will turn into a never-ending shop-and-style here on Athenista.).  I love these but often have trouble styling them in a way that is fun and still appropriate for work but then comfortable enough for the weekend.  Cue visual:

1. Drawstring Bubble Dress from F21.  The top/cowl portion is a sweater material.  Just a little holey but maybe enough that I might need a cami for coverage, especially at work. And it's a little muddier than the color conveys.  Not quite brown but also not grey.  Love that I can dress it up or keep it natural... it's just a matter of figuring out how. 

2. Plaid Ruffled Flannel Button-Up from Old Navy.  This isn't the type of shirt I normally buy or wear for the weekend or, really, for work.  But I loved the print and the very subtle ruffled neckline.  I also love that it doesn't button all the way to the neck - that makes me chlostrophobic.  Can't handle.  The cut is pretty flattering so the few times I've worn it I just go with a black cami underneath and either skinnies or boot cuts with flats.  But I want to style it up a little.  Make it more work appropriate and feminine.  And then style it down but still keep it fun for the weekend. 

How would you stylin' ladies wear these two pieces?  What combinations would you try for work and for weekend?  I'll post some of my polyvore'd picks tomorrow.  (Or this weekend, depending on how wrapped up I get in this whole snow-in-Georgia-omg-Second-Coming thing.)

winter berry baubles

Anticipatory Set: After two weeks of lazy days at home, the students had their first day back yesterday.  Which means more parents are at the school than usual, there are still some first impressions to be made (transfers, repeaters, etc.) and I also had my first reevaluation (read: parent) conference of the 2010 school year.  Yes, already!  And it went really well.  No doubt due in part to the fact that I put on one of my new favorite outfits. 


Objective(s) Addressed: First impressions; Parent conference; General need for a little pep in my step.

(Bad hair day.  No apologies here.)

Materials and Sources:

• Sweater: LOFT
• Skirt (with pockets!): LOFT on clearance
• Leggings: probably Target
• Boots: Target, remix'd
  
• Bauble necklace: LOFT

Input: Looks like the LOFT got some business over the holiday break.  All three of their pieces were chosen by moi and gifted by the 'rents.  I'm going to post soon (next time, I think) about how I plan to tackle my overabundance of clothing.  But even though my closet is packed to the max, there are a few things I am usually lacking: full-length sleeves for winter wear and good, solid dress pants and skirts.  Hence the new ensemble.  The boots are the same from Monday: the ever-popular Kady boot from Target.  Best $30 that many people have ever spent.  They're a sure hit.  I'm not crazy about the finish of the "leather" but... $30! (!)  And the wedge very closely mimics those of my Steven by Steve Madden Intyce boots that I adore so much.  Flats are great and heels have their place but sometimes you just can't beat a good low wedge when you need something to lean a little more toward the functional.  In fact, I love the Steven wedge so much that right now I have my BFF (who is a manager in shoes for Nordstrom) helping me on the lookout for a sale on these beauts (in black... maybe grey? purple?! can't decide). 

Final Notes: This little ensemble might be my new go-to picker upper.  First and foremost because the skirt has POCKETS!  (!!!)  Have you ever seen a skirt like that with pockets?  I die.  (Well, hello there, Mrs. Obvious.)  With an extra thick layering tank, leggings and super thick wool socks, it definitely proved to also be warm in the way below freezing (for Georgia, anyhow) temperatures.  But I think I can easily strip it down and rework it a little for wamer tempeartures a few months from now.  Next time, I want to improve it a little with a skinny patent belt low on the waist.  Overall, I felt light but still covered up and the berry bauble necklace kept me feeling cheery all day despite the bone-chilling temps and end-of-break blues.  A winner, I think!

(*This is a scheduled post so if you're reading during the day, think of me and know that I am probably freezing my booty off in a classroom somewhere in Georgia.  Way too cold for my Southern bones, y'all.) 

hi ho, hi ho...

... it's back to work I go.  (I've had this stuck in my head all day looooong.  Not funny.)  But it's true.  Yesterday was my first day back after the break without students.  Students returned today.  No, I don't want to talk about it.  So to keep my spirits up?  An outfit post!

Anticipatory Set: Another reason I want to start documenting some of my daily work style outfits is because I so wish I'd had a source to look to for teacher attire when I started last year.  Or young teacher attire, I should say.  (Because we all know how we remember our own teachers, right?  Not a pretty picture.   A lot of the time on days when it's all I can do to get myself in the car, I feel a thousand times better when I choose to get dressed in something other than black pants + cami + cardigan + flats + hot mess hair.  (Not that I don't resort to that... I do.  There's just that whole stress/no sleep/commuting/poor eating thing going on some days.)  One style blogger in my reader, jenloveskev, shows some teacher "style files" that are great but still a little more laissez faire than what I need for my position at the school where I work.  Maybe some poor future teacher will find some inspiration here and be a little more prepared for how to dress professionally, comfortably and (hopefully) stylishly in the classroom.

Also, to preface, I've been using polyvore a little more (now that I know how to use it... don't ask me why I was so polyvore-inept for a while) so after I acquired a new striped jersey dress from Old Navy I found it on the site and paired it with other items similar to things I already have in my closet. 







Here is how I actually wore it for yesterday's workday... (sans G., unfortunately)









Objective(s) Addressed: Teacher workday; comfort! and warmth!

Materials:

• Striped dress (layered under skirt): Old Navy
• Black skirt: Gap ($9.99!)
• Leggings: Target
• Boots: Target
• Tall wool socks: P.'s sock drawer
• Layering tank (unseen): Target
• Trench: Zara (from London, summer 2006)
• Cinch belt: Nordstrom
• Coach bag: my mom's from back in the day (1980's-ish)
• Scarf and additional sweater unpictured
  

Input: Workdays without students are usually very casual but since there was no telling the state of air/heat in the building I wanted to layer up without jeans for some extra warmth but still be comfy since I wasn't sure how much I would be moving, sitting and/or standing.  Made a bottom layer with a tank, leggings and wool socks.  Pulled on striped dress, then skirt.  Belted skirt for a little more height (not a lot) and structure and threw on boots for even more warmth and protection from the elements. (And I actually had another sweater underneath the trench that I peeled off by the time I got home and, of course, a scarf to keep the neck region nice and toasty.)  When I Polyvore'd this little ensemble, I originally pictured my cognac boots from Steven by Steve Madden but quickly realized I'd left them at my parents' house a few days before.  So I stuck with black and it was fine.  I also didn't have a mustard-colored belt so I went with a gray, embellished one instead of brown (since the brown boots were AWOL). 

Overall, I loved the way this outfit came together.  I felt warm and comfortable all day without (hopefully) achieving a whole new level of bum chic in the workplace.  Today was one of my favorite work outfits ever so stay tuned for that tomorrow night.