Chilly Weather Calls for Corduroy
My first real lesson with the students (last week was just "hello, class! Here's your syllabus! Tell me your names!") went well this morning. They were surprisingly chatty for 8am so I think this is going to be a good class. We outlined an answer to a potential essay question (I hope the detail I expected scared them into taking good lecture notes this semester), and read through some "First Encounters" documents - letters from Columbus and Cortez about their first meetings with native peoples. I think it went well. This outfit is for more than just teaching though. It's also for my graduate student breakfast with the Middle Eastern Prof candidate (yum doughnuts!), my 12:30 lunch with the Norton Book Reps (yay Pappy's BBQ!), dashing around campus in the drizzle, more teaching, and office hours. Busy day.
Navy blazer: Express
Blue striped button down: Express
Gray skinny cords: Marshall's
Gray/Navy Argyle Socks: AE
Black Flats: Steve Madden, Gift from Grammie
While this outfit still is very cozy and comfy for how cold and rainy it is outside, I feel that the blazer, the collar, the shiny buttons, the corduroy, and the argyle all "professor" it up enough for the classroom. I always try to look more "academic" the first few weeks of class as a TA, to set the right tone for the classroom.
(Is there something awkward about these skinny cords? I think there is, but I can't put my finger on it... Well even if there is, at least they're suuuuper soft and stretchy, and they were only like $12, so no big loss.)
I hope this says "Casual Academic" more than it says "Flight Attendant!"
Opal earrings: Gift from Grammie
Tiny diamond heart necklace: Gift from Grandma
Unruly frizzy waves: St. Louis humidity
On a sunnier, more relaxed, research day, when I just had reading in my office and a graduate class on Early Modern history to attend, I wore this:
Blue sweater: Express, Gift from Mother-in-law
Tan (not white, camera!) Corduroy skirt: Delia*s, circa 2001
Tan Sweater Tights: Forever 21
Fake leather boots: Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse
Turquoise necklace: Origins unknown
Silver Earrings: Silver Spider
Well-trained dog: Dent County Animal Shelter :-)
I got this skirt 11 years, 4 schools, and 20 pounds ago, as a soon-to-be high school sophomore rebuilding my wardrobe to fit Carmel High School dress code. Back then it sat low on my non-existent hips and reached to my knees, vs. now it only fits high on my natural waist, but is luckily still long enough to be appropriate for a Catholic school! Over the last decade I've carted it to Evergreen, and to college, and then to St. Louis, but I really haven't worn it very often. In high school I wasn't really a "skirt person," as I eschewed most things girly until like, senior year. Every time I do a good will purge I *almost give this away. But it always reminds me so vividly of my apprehension about starting at Carmel, shopping for a whole new preppy style of clothes, and what a good experience that school ended up being for me after all. Plus it's a pretty nice solid corduroy with no stains. So I keep it - and whenever I *do actually wear it, I'm always glad I have hung onto it all these years. Do y'all have any nostalgic pieces of clothing you hang onto like that?
*Sigh - so tired! Time to kick back, maybe drink some hot cocoa, and check out this free book the Norton reps gave us as a gift for the meeting. Then, first batch of assignments to grade for the semester!
Navy blazer: Express
Blue striped button down: Express
Gray skinny cords: Marshall's
Gray/Navy Argyle Socks: AE
Black Flats: Steve Madden, Gift from Grammie
While this outfit still is very cozy and comfy for how cold and rainy it is outside, I feel that the blazer, the collar, the shiny buttons, the corduroy, and the argyle all "professor" it up enough for the classroom. I always try to look more "academic" the first few weeks of class as a TA, to set the right tone for the classroom.
(Is there something awkward about these skinny cords? I think there is, but I can't put my finger on it... Well even if there is, at least they're suuuuper soft and stretchy, and they were only like $12, so no big loss.)
I hope this says "Casual Academic" more than it says "Flight Attendant!"
Opal earrings: Gift from Grammie
Tiny diamond heart necklace: Gift from Grandma
Unruly frizzy waves: St. Louis humidity
On a sunnier, more relaxed, research day, when I just had reading in my office and a graduate class on Early Modern history to attend, I wore this:
Blue sweater: Express, Gift from Mother-in-law
Tan (not white, camera!) Corduroy skirt: Delia*s, circa 2001
Tan Sweater Tights: Forever 21
Fake leather boots: Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse
Turquoise necklace: Origins unknown
Silver Earrings: Silver Spider
Well-trained dog: Dent County Animal Shelter :-)
I got this skirt 11 years, 4 schools, and 20 pounds ago, as a soon-to-be high school sophomore rebuilding my wardrobe to fit Carmel High School dress code. Back then it sat low on my non-existent hips and reached to my knees, vs. now it only fits high on my natural waist, but is luckily still long enough to be appropriate for a Catholic school! Over the last decade I've carted it to Evergreen, and to college, and then to St. Louis, but I really haven't worn it very often. In high school I wasn't really a "skirt person," as I eschewed most things girly until like, senior year. Every time I do a good will purge I *almost give this away. But it always reminds me so vividly of my apprehension about starting at Carmel, shopping for a whole new preppy style of clothes, and what a good experience that school ended up being for me after all. Plus it's a pretty nice solid corduroy with no stains. So I keep it - and whenever I *do actually wear it, I'm always glad I have hung onto it all these years. Do y'all have any nostalgic pieces of clothing you hang onto like that?
*Sigh - so tired! Time to kick back, maybe drink some hot cocoa, and check out this free book the Norton reps gave us as a gift for the meeting. Then, first batch of assignments to grade for the semester!