If you’re about to start teaching college, building a closet of teaching clothes can be daunting. So this week we’re going back to the place I went shopping when I started grad school–Loft–to try on some professor-friendly styles for fall!
Continue reading “Back to college shopping for grad students and professors: Loft try-ons!”
Ootd featuring spring break and being too tall and having to choose between the top of my head and my shoes.
This may be a problem that other people don’t have, but I really hate dress pants. They just don’t feel like “me.” I think it’s the combined memories of wearing really lame suits to high school speech and debate tournaments and the fact that dress pants seem about 20 years behind the skinny denim trend that makes me feel such disdain. Unfortunately part of adulting is ??? needing to wear dress pants sometimes? Even in grad school? To deal with these moments, I’ve spent too much time and money in the last couple years trying, buying, returning, and browsing dress pants. Now I can say there are four pairs of dress pants I’m willing to wear & one more pair on my to-buy list. Here they are:
1) The least dress pant: Pixie pants by J. Crew
These are basically leggings in a dress pant fabric. They’re comfortable and feel really cool with a long tunic and sweater. Downside, I don’t like tucking things into them, I think the front of them is just too…leggings…to get away with it. But for teaching, I love them.
2) The most dress pant: Loft Trousers
I’m not usually a fan of boot cut, but with heels these manage to look pretty sleek, while still definitely being a dress pant. Good for feeling sassy at conferences.
3) Skinny dress pants: Essential skinny pant from Loft
If you can’t get over the boot cut thing, like me, and still want something that qualifies as a really nice dress pant, this pair from Loft is my favorite favorite. They look high quality and still trendy. Also, they come in a tall and a petite inseam. Hurray!
4) EXTREME BARGAINS: Old Navy Pixie pant
Because we’re in grad school and $35 dress pants are the best. Also, comes in crazy fun patterns so that you can look like the cool teacher you are.
5) Trendy AF: Everlane Culotte
Not sure these count as dress pants, but damn are they cool. Does anyone have them? I’ve been thinking about taking the $68 plunge for a while. I think these might be good “it’s summer and hot but I still need to wear pants I GUESS” pants.
This concludes all the pants I’ve scoped out to address dress-pant phobia. I’ll be back tomorrow with how I style them. In the meantime, what other dress pants do you all like?
What to wear to an academic conference, pt. 4.
This year I’m presenting on the last day of the conference. These J. Crew skinnies look nice but will be comfy when I head straight to the airport. This is my last day of outfit planning for an academic conference. Real embarrassing ootd shots from the conference itself coming soon!
Shirt- Loft
Pants- J. Crew
Wedges- Nordstrom Rack, old (similar)
Bag- Thrifted (similar)
PhD in Clothes 