You know what’s awesome? Being away from the Southern heat for ten days. After a brief respite where I wore both pants and long-sleeved things (though, don’t worry, I didn’t take a single outfit picture to commemorate this), I’m back in the trenches of the blazing North American heat that many of you are currently “enjoying.” Though I do derive some small comfort from others suffering through just a few days of that which I get for five months out of the year. Schadenfreude over.
These outfit pictures today come from before my trip.
Cardi: Gap Outlet; Cement-colored tank: Loft Outlet; Blue mullet skirt: Target; Black patent Birkenstocks
This is the blue version of my mullet skirt. It was way too hot for a cardigan but this tank is both a touch of a neckline offender and, because it’s basically the same color as me, can appear pretty naked-y up top. I believe I was going on campus that day so the cardi helped make the outfit less of a problem. Because, clearly, just changing my shirt wasn’t an option.
I’m not usually a wearer of multiple different tones of the same color but, I have to say, I liked this pairing. The light dove grey between the two certainly helped too.
Like I said above, I didn’t take any outfit photos while on my travels but I do have the following partial, not-super-flattering-when-cropped photos that give a reasonable snapshot of my trip. Not coincidentally, both are wine-related.
Sweater: Gap; Jeans: Old Navy; Tan striped & be-sequined shirt: Joe Fresh; Sneakers: Grey Chucks; Faux-leather messenger bag: Jo’s Totes (it’s also a camera bag); Giant bottle of wine: sadly not brought home with me. Also, it’s made of stone.
This one’s in Oslo.
Shirt: Old Navy; Awesome infinity scarf with birds on it: somewhere in Berlin that I can’t remember
This is from Paris, right before some fabulous steak frites and, even later, a pretty amazing pistachio creme brulee.
How’re your summers going so far?
In Professorial Fashion 
Color color color wine wine wine? Sounds like summer to me.
Ha! Me too! Though, also, spring, fall and winter.
I’m surprised that a big Team Color supporter like yourself hasn’t done tonal color blocking before! I love the look of it, in blues like you’ve done, and also with pinks/reds.
The wine shots are nice, but I’m confused – where’s the box that it came out of?
And I think the difference between your ridiculously hot summer (spring/fall, whatevs) weather and ours is that the south is equipped with much more central a/c than we have up here. I haven’t had central air in 6 years, which is not so fun when it gets crazy hot here.
I’m surprised too! Though I think it’s that my brain is convinced that two, non-identical versions of the same color don’t quite match. Clearly, it’s not fully indoctrinated by the Clinton & Stacy mantra of things “going,” rather than “matching.”
Europeans are fancy like that — no boxes for their wine! And your totally right about the hot weather infrastructure. Here, everything is geared towards insane-o heat so it makes it way more workable!
I love the blue-on-blue action you’ve got going on here. Plus it’s important not to appear naked at work. I’m pretty sure that’s why we started this blog: to make sure professors don’t appear naked at work. Kudos.
The weird thing about the tank is that it’s not particularly naked — but because of its color on me (and, seriously?, why is a human the same color as cement?? Stupid Northern European genes) it looks like less than it is. But, I agree, it is important not to appear naked at work.
Not “cement”, sweetie, “alabaster”. To quote Diane Chambers, we have what the Restoration poets call alabaster skin.
That is true. Though the tank is maybe more of an aged alabaster as it has a very distinct greyish hue to it…
I went to freakin’ WISCONSIN and it was as hot as the south. I guess I need to start angling for a job in Denmark.
You and me both. Though, really, as the climate apocalypse continues, I’m pretty sure there’s no escaping this weather.
Looking good, wine-drinking-globe-trotting-E-Jo! I, too, enjoy the mixing of blue tones in the first ensemble.
Also, I am consumed with envy over your Paris/Oslo jaunt.
Finally, excellent use of “Schadenfreude” and “naked-y” in a single post.
I do what I can! Also, thanks! Clearly, the tone-on-tone color blocking is working for everyone and I should probably try to do such a thing again.
It really is an excellent use of both of those terms. Also of the blue. And I understand your naked pain. I found a dress. I love the dress. I did not buy the dress because it was the exact same color as my skin. But you know, if it did not make me look like I was trying to get cast as, say, Eve, it would have been so flattering. So nice job with your cardigan work around!
Sad news about the dress! It’s so frustrating when you find something that works except for color.