Another new direction: light lilac complement

I've been wearing white shirts and tees fairly often, maybe once every two weeks, to break up the all-black wardrobe. I'm still very committed to black, but I started thinking it would also be interesting to add in a bit more color. I settled on icy pink and pale lilac as colors that work as an alternative to white. The paler, the better: my goal is really to give the black + white look but a bit softer.

So I'm starting to put together a small lilac complement. I decided tees and shirts were the easiest place to start, but I might also add a cotton pullover if I find the perfect one. The main problem is finding the right shades of pink and purple. Blush pinks look too much like my skin, and I prefer cool shades. Luckily, lilac seems to be the new millennial pink (a color that was too warm on me). As usual I'm several months behind the trend but some of the summer clothes are still in stores.

I have two items so far: this new oversized pale lavender tee (photo 1+2) and the pink oxford shirt (photo 3+4, reposted) I bought a few months ago, both from Everlane. I'd like the shirt even more if it were a few shades paler. I also found a great lilac tee (photo 5) at Banana Republic (photo 5), but the fit is off (ok when it's tucked, though) so I will probably return it. And this Vince silk shirt (photo 6) is a lovely color, just barely tinted, that doesn't come through in the photo - unfortunately it was too big so I left it at the store.

All of these will be worn either with faded black denim or solid black, as shown in the photos. It's important to me to keep a sort of punk edge to the look.

Speaking of light colors - I have also been thinking about bookending, jeans length, and ankle / foot skin. As Angie could have told me years ago, my summertime all-black outfits work best if some skin is showing around my feet, and I always forget this. Eg, flats with an open top rather than boots/sneakers, or jeans that are cropped at the ankle bone. In the same vein, I've been contemplating the effect of a lighter shoe with an all-black outfit.

I'm less interested in bookending to match my hair for my current look. Cognac shoes with black jeans are a great combo, but it's more fall-tone than what I'm aiming for right now. But I am considering a very light pair of shoes, to match my face rather than my hair I suppose. I don't know if I'd prefer lilac, or white, or silver. There are a few shades of Converse low-tops I have my eye on but those summer colors are mostly sold out. Or the Madewell shoes in Finds, also sold out but easily found on Poshmark. Again, I'm going for cooler colors that don't quite match my skin, not pinks / blushes. Or I could duplicate my new favorite Free People flats in silver or a very pale color they call 'dove grey'. Pure white is too stark, but a weathered white like these cowboy books could be nice.

If I were to buy one pair of light-colored shoes, what type of shoe should it be? Flats? Boots? And what color? Simple flats seem the most versatile -- is the slingback trend going to keep going?

By the way, I miss real lilacs! They don't grow in California; I guess they require a real cold snap to bloom. There was a giant lilac in my yard growing up with a sort of cavity in the middle of the bush and we turned it into a playhouse (all furnishings were imaginary, but in my head it was a mansion)

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WIW: professorial

The semester just started, and even though I’m not teaching, campus is bustling and I suddenly have all sorts of meetings. And - the big update - I am staying here, upgraded to an actual faculty job. I haven’t signed anything yet but I have the offer letter, at long last, so I’ll just count it as done.

So, I’m trying to shift from my jeans-and-tee uniform to a slightly more polished look. When I joined YLF I wore nicer clothes, but I drifted back to casual. My long stretch of interviews left me with quite a large professional wardrobe that I rarely wear. Now's my chance to make use of it.

I don’t have photos of most days, but my ‘grownup’ outfits have included two of my silk shirts, my dressier flared jeans, and my favorite new pointed flats. I wanted to make a good impression at the welcome lunch for new grad students, a lunch meeting with another new professor, and similar events.

Today, to meet with someone who is a bit of a direct competitor in my research area, I wore a power outfit I really like:
- deconstructed shirt by Milly (the tiny shoulder cutouts make me a little uncomfortable at work)
- R13 boy skinny jeans (my only remaining low rise skinnies, but they are a timeless rock n roll look)
- Zara cowboy boots (very comfortable despite heel height)

I’m going to try to keep up this trend of wearing my professional clothes for daily work life!

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Surprise! NAS.

I wasn't planning to do any NAS shopping, but two things caught my eye. I didn't actually get either package until after the sale ended so I'd almost forgotten about it.

To my surprise, both are really great. I don't know if I'll keep either, mostly for money reasons, but here they are.

1. Halogen wool-blend moto jacket, XS, $120. I think the oversized fit matches my style? I sort of love it.

Last year I had an oversized wool boucle bomber from H&M that, sadly, I left on an airplane (caution: do not put coats in the overhead bin!). It left a real wardrobe hole for a warm jacket that fits over tops with large sleeves. I do have a lot of jackets, though.

My one hesitation is that it's wool/viscose, not pure wool, and some wool blends pill badly. This one looks quite durable, though? And, unlike many synthetic blends, it doesn't make me sweat instantly. I think I'll wear it around the house a bit to test that concern, because I have a few otherwise lovely jackets that failed for that reason.

2. Nordstrom Signature wool plaid blazer, 4. I was expecting this to have a less modern shape, from the online photos, so I'm pleasantly surprised. The fit is great through the shoulders and torso. 

I posted last week about my plaid blazer quest. This one might be 'the one' but I think I'll order the Massimo Dutti option to compare. And, as the season progresses, I see more and more wool blazers appearing. I'm a little sad that this one is regular plaid, not a glen plaid with houndstooth...

At $300, it's a real splurge, and I already have three very nice black blazers that I rarely wear. If I'd found this last year while shopping for interviews, I'd have spent the money, but now it's not clear that I should. Sometimes a quest takes on a life of its own, and I have to consider whether I'll really use this. I have a lot of professional clothing I never wear, but once I start teaching, perhaps that'll change.

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Cotton tee dresses: why do I own so many, and which should I keep?

There are certain wardrobe categories that I wear rarely -- and yet feel drawn to, constantly. One is t-shirt or tank dresses. I do wear them - they're a favorite of mine for summer conferences. (Biologists basically have summer camp. Always in New England or Long Island, always hot and humid and casual and rural.) But my San Francisco climate is too chilly for me to wear them often.

Everlane just released a collection of refined knit cotton dresses, so I ordered some to try out. But, while waiting and waiting (their shipping is all messed up right now, after they changed warehouses), I also found this cheap Uniqlo alternative, the dress-length version of a Uniqlo tee I own and love.

Meanwhile, I also looked through my current possessions to see whether there really is a wardrobe hole here.

1 (new option) Everlane tee dress. I love it. It is $50, which is a fair price, but not nothing. Heavy, smooth knit cotton. It has a sort of casual elegance that I like quite a bit, and the length is good on me, I think.

2 (new option) Everlane tank dress, same material. I don't love it -- too athletic looking -- so I'll return it. One useful note: It is much shorter than I usually buy, yet actually looks great at that length on my short legs, so I will keep in mind that I should buy shorter skirts.

3 (new option) Uniqlo French sleeve mercerized tee dress. Lovely smooth fabric. It looks cooler and more distinctive in person than in the photo, I think -- when I tried it on in the store, I had to have it. Though, it is tempting to remove the ribbed neckline to open it up a bit. Thing is, it fills the same niche as the Everlane dress, and it was $8 instead of $50. If I hadn't come across this one, I'd keep the Everlane dress, but now I am really torn.

4 (old) J Crew tank dress. Very casual. Light t-shirt material, with a smooth finish. I've worn this at almost every conference I've attended for the past few years. It isn't worn out yet, but it's a bit shapeless and oversized, perhaps? But I like the relaxed shape, so I'll probably keep wearing it. Sometimes I throw a linen button-down over it.

5 (old) Old Everlane tee dress. Heavy t-shirt fabric, interesting pockets. I loved this for several years, and it was another conference mainstay. But it is probably 1/2 a size too small now, and it gets caught awkwardly on my butt. I feel self conscious wearing it, so it's sat in my closet unworn for the past two years. Should I sell it on Poshmark? I do love it though.

Should I keep the first Everlane dress? The Uniqlo dress? Neither? Should I pass along the old Everlane dress or add it back into my usual wardrobe?

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