Foxy lady

I've been enjoying my winter break ever since finals ended a couple weeks ago. I visited NYC for a few days for some job-related meetings and tourist time with Jeremiah, which was fun because I haven't done too many tourist-y things up there the last few times I visited him. This trip, we visited MoMA, saw Phantom on Broadway with family (the Majestic theater is pretty close to our apartment!), and trekked down to the High Line, which was a cool treat for my camera (photos soon). I'm back in Georgia now, gearing up for some more family time this week.

This fox sweater was a recent find at the Old Navy near Herald Square. I know some animals have become really popular the last few years (owls, octopuses and foxes) and I'm usually hesitant to wear anything animal-related if it's become too trendy, but I really like foxes and have worn this sweater like four times a week since I bought it, specifically with these plaid pants. Jeremiah likes to call me "Foxy Lady" whenever I wear it, which just reminds me of Wayne's World. This sweater is quite the cute little heartbreaker!

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, I wish you a holly jolly week!

credits - sweater: old navy | blouse (underneath): leon levin, vintage, thrifted | plaid pants: talbots outlet | coat: h&m, thrifted | purse: stone mountain, thrifted. 

Fire and ice

Happy Friday! I'm done with finals now and am gearing up   for some traveling this winter break. It's been a long, long semester, and I really cannot believe graduate school is one semester away from being over!

This lace top and brooch are recent acquisitions from my Thanksgiving trip to NYC. The brooch is from the HBO store and is a reference to "Game of Thrones" (I really can't stop without mentioning it all the time -- sorry! I just love this show) and I've been wearing it almost everyday. It's a great conversation piece around campus -- if anyone ever spots it and mentions it, I consider that person a possible new friend. 

I haven't been going to the park as much as I'd like, but the temperatures have been really moderate (50s to 70s) and it's made me happy that some of the pretty fall foliage is still around. 

outfit - blouse: banana republic | skirt: talbots | hand of the king brooch: hbo store, game of thrones | boots and tights: tj maxx. 

Lately

Just a few photos from the last few weeks — some are from the trip to NYC, and some are from just around Georgia. 

I went to NYC for Thanksgiving to visit Jeremiah and our new apartment up there. It's hard to believe I'll be up there too in roughly six months. I didn't take a lot of photos while I was up in NYC, but we did explore around Times Square and Hell's Kitchen (our area).        

Below is the only outfit photo I took while I was in NYC.

outfit details: blouse, thrifted| velvet pants: talbots| boots, tj maxx| vest: old navy | bag: stone mountain, thrifted| hat: ralph lauren. 

 

  

A pretty sky view near the vintage flea market we discovered by our apartment ...

Where I met this guy. I wish I had taken more photos around the booths because it was seriously one of the best flea markets I've ever been to, but a lot of the booth sellers had strict "no photo" rules. I snapped this one pretty quickly and just kept shopping. 

And finally, to liven up Jeremiah's fridge before I went back to Georgia, I left him messages related to "Game of Thrones," because we're such weirdo fankids. 

The island of lost outfit photos

I'm back from NYC from a wonderful change-of-pace Thanksgiving and I'm slowly sifting through travel photos. Today as I catch up on schoolwork and finals prep, I thought I'd share some outfit photos that have been sitting on the backburner this fall. It's been really cold lately so I've only been taking a handful of photos per outing, and these are the best of the bunch.

outfit 1: sweater, pants, flats: talbots | blouse: agora | bowtie: minx.

I bought these plaid pants a couple weeks ago from the Talbots Outlet near my old home, and I really love them. They remind me of an outfit Betty wore on season 3 of "Mad Men." I usually don't like looking super costume-y with vintage pieces, but I decided to just go for it and wear a bowtie and lace blouse too. I felt like Nancy Drew all day.

I feel like I look slightly derpy and dead-eyed in this photo -- there were several runners in the area when I took these photos so I had to be super quick.

outfit 2: blouse: target |  skirt: thrifted | purse: stone mountain, thrifted| flats: talbots.

I thrifted this skirt a while ago over the summer. Worn for a day of vintage-browsing around town. I miss being able to go tights-less.

outfit 3: dress: in roads, from agora | bag: stone mountain|, thrifted | belt: banana republic, gift | flats: talbots.

A favorite dress for all year and an old bag that's become my go-to because it fits my new camera. I swear this blog hasn't become an ad for Talbots -- the outlets sales were too good this fall and I scooped up a few separates. 

outfit 4: sweater, flats: talbots | jeans: old navy| hat: ralph lauren| t-shirt: from grand canyon. 

This outfit is a weird anomaly for so many reasons: I never wear hats, I rarely wear jeans, and I usually pick complementary color schemes. The hat is a recent addition because I'm trying to become a 'hat person' so I can brace myself for Northern winters (insert 10 million 'Game of Thrones' jokes here). This t-shirt is so old, the Grand Canyon map print is pretty faded, but I love it because it used to belong to my dad. 

 

outfit 5: dress: macy's | sweater: talbots | shoes: vintage, hand-me-downs. 

I don't photograph this old dress as often as I wear it, but it's been a good staple for the last four or five years. I recently wore it to my first tango lesson and milonga dance party with my friends Val and Sam (skilled dancers, excellent brunch hosts). The shoes are a thrift find from J's mom. I'll have to get a closeup photo of them soon, but they're kind of witchy (perfect for autumn). This photo was snapped shortly after a bang trim. I'm still trying to do a variation of Rooney Mara's blunt bangs.

Thanks for being awesome and continuing to read as I slug my way through photography this semester. I should be back up to speed later this week!

Come as you are

 

Not much to say except that I'm on vacation! I took these photos of a grunge-y outfit last week just as it started to get really chilly in Georgia. Hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving week -- I'll be catching up on outfit photos and homework. 

credits - dress: liz roberts, thrifted | jacket: aeropostale, thrifted | boots: tj maxx | belt: banana republic.

Real self vs. Blog self

So lately more people in my graduate program are finding out about my blog. I'm in a program where social media skills are a huge asset to classwork and to professional experience, and sometimes we talk about blogging in class, so sometimes I mention my blog and my experiences in the fashion blogging community. When I started graduate school, I originally thought I'd keep this hobby under wraps -- after all, it seems to be a common theme in fashion blogging to be discreet with real-life companions because fashion can sometimes be seen as too trivial or shallow or narcissistic in professional settings (okay, maybe these were most of my fears about sharing within my academic circle, all fears that I'm slowly trying to quell).

Blogging has become a big deal in my program and in the industry, and we talk quite a bit about personal branding and online identities in class, and it's interesting because the blogosphere always deals with these themes. 

My real, tangible identity and blog identity are merging as more of my professors and fellow graduate classmates find out about this blog. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it -- it's a bit relieving to finally feel like I can open up about my hobby, but a bit unnerving that I now know more of my audience in real life. It's also made me hyper-conscious of these identities I've balanced for the last couple years, and whether it's possible to really portray more reality on a blog, and whether identity really matters.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: If you're my classmate or my professor, hi, welcome. I take photos of my outfits in front of pretty landscapes and sometimes wonder (navel-gaze) too much about  existential blogging identity issues.

I've written before about online identity and online relationships, but I wonder how many of you have dealt with sharing your blog experiences with your real-life friends/family/work? If you have shared with others in your real life, what made you choose to do so?

credits- sweater, skirt: talbots | shirt: arizona jeans co, thrifted | boots: tj maxx | watch: waltham, vintage, heirloom.

P.S. Speaking of online behavior, my class is researching social media. If you have a few moments to take our short survey, we'd love your insights!

On the chapel steps

Happy Friday! Here's a somewhat patriotic outfit I wore about two weeks ago near north campus. The day I took these photos, there were so many other people doing engagement/graduation/Halloween photos — kind of a fun mashup, but difficult for my own photography, as I had to wait to around for people to leave the chapel area. I took these photos pretty quickly and then called it a day and went downtown with friends.

What are your weekend plans? I'm looking forward to tango lessons and what will hopefully be an epic haul from a thrift store anniversary sale ...

credits - dress: jason wu for target | belt: banana republic | shoes: talbots | bag: stone mountain, thrifted | sweater: target. 

Let the sky fall

I borrowed the title of this post from Adele's track for the new James Bond movie, "Skyfall." I used to be pretty obsessed with James Bond movies back in the day and used to marathon them with my dad. I'm planning on seeing the next one soon. 

While this outfit definitely isn't spy-worthy, it does blend in with the park. I always feel lucky when I'm able to capture cloud reflection photography because it's nothing I can control on my own because it's mostly based on good lighting and the weather. On my way out of the park, a guy walking his dog mentioned how it looked like a late winter sky, and I agree. 

credits - dress: donna ricco, thrifted | vest: old navy | boots: target | bag: stone mountain, thrifted. 

P.S. My consumer psych class is conducting a short online survey on Pinterest and social media. If you have some time, we'd appreciate your feedback! 

Clair de lune

A couple weeks ago, I went out to take photos later than I usually do to test out my night portrait settings on my camera, and these are the result. I normally go in the mornings or early evenings to take photos, so it was nice to know that I can tack on an extra hour or so of photography time just by fiddling with my settings. 

Sometimes I feel like I make photography difficult for myself because I don't take my photos inside or near my home. Having a camera is empowering, and as long as the weather is decent, I'd rather be outdoors. 

credits - sweater: arizona jeans co, thrifted | flats, skirt: talbots. 

Daylight savings and "falling back" into photography

Okay, punny title, I know, but with daylight savings this week, it can be really difficult to do any outdoor photography (whether it's outfit, landscape, etc.) when there are limited daylight hours. After a couple years of writing this blog, I always struggle to get back into a good photography schedule after the time change. Here are a couple previous Sidewalk Chic posts that deal with autumn photography. Hope you enjoy! 

- How to take outfit photos during the autumn/winter months

- How to take outfit photos when you're uninspired

 - And finally, it's always good to remember safety in self-photography.

The autumnal sun

So these photos were taken a couple weeks ago, just before the cold front and the time change. the leaves are at their peak right now, so it's weird to look at these photos and only see hints of orange and yellow. October to mid-November is my favorite time of year because it's perfect for photography. The weather's temperate, the foliage is colorful, and the lighting just works out well. 

I wore this outfit quite a few times in October — once during an informal class presentation and a few times during hanging out with friends. I've had the scarf for a few years now but never seem to remember to wear it during autumn. 

School continues to stay busy, but I am having fun with my friends.  In the last week we've been to a costume parade, watched all the Halloween episodes of "Community," dissected the cinematography of "No Country for Old Men," and ate a ton of candy and pizza rolls together. 

credits - jacket: aeropostale, thrifted | scarf - vintage, thrifted | skirt , shoes: talbots | bag: h&m. 

Tomato

I meant to publish these photos last week, but school and work (and two conferences last week) kept me busy. In addition, I spent the earlier part of this week worrying about Jeremiah up in New York, but he's fine. There wasn't much damage near him and he didn't lose power, but so many areas near him are affected by flooding. Hoping everyone continues to stay safe up there as the northeast rebuilds in the coming weeks and months. 

This is just a uniform I've repeated over the years — bright red sweaters and bowties have become my thing! I'm really liking this one from Madewell. This is my first purchase from them and I really like the design -- there are subtle stars imprinted into the cotton. Madewell essentially has my dream wardrobe and eventually I'd like to fill my closet with the brand's dresses. 

credits - sweater: madewell | bowtie: vintage, from minx (athens, ga) | plaid shirt: arizona jeans co., thrifted | jeans: old navy | shoes: minnetonka moccasins. 

Let the wild rumpus start!

 So last weekend I attended my first Wild Rumpus, which was so much fun. Every year, Athens holds this Mardi Gras-style event, where locals show up in their best costumes and parade down the streets. The parade is named after the lines in the children's storybook "Where the Wild Things Are" and there's even a Max to lead the procession. Stores and bars are open late, and with UGA winning the Florida game, the night was even more raucous. 

I didn't dress up in costume (I wasn't sure what to expect, and it was going to be chilly!) but I did go with my school friends Steph and Matt and we had a fun time watching everyone holler and dance through the streets. I wasn't able to get photos of everything, but some of my favorite costumes included  Suzy and Sam from "Moonrise Kingdom"; a papier-mache Alice Cooper; and a lab skeleton pushing itself in a wheelchair. 

Stories wanting to be heard

I've been exploring with my new camera around my part of town, especially at the flea market. I've visited often enough that some of the unclaimed knickknacks have become like tiny landmarks that I try to spot every time I visit (especially the wedding cake topper). It's sad to think that some of these items have outlived their first owners. I try to give these items a little dignity with my photography,and just wonder to myself what stories they have to tell.