Elegantly Academic

Fooling Myself ...

2012-02-24T22:31:00.001+11:00

Top: Cotton On, Jeans: Sass & Bide (via eBay), Shoes: Modcloth, Bag: thrifted, yard sale, Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren (Sunglasses Hut Outlet)

Soooo ... up until I took these outfit photos I was under the impression that my re-growth was blending in & was getting away with not going to the hair dresser for months. But as you can see, I have been fooling myself. But in my defence, my lovely hairdresser has been on maternity leave & I just cannot bear to see anyone else. But I came to the realization I might have to cheat on her, which I did earlier this week.

If you follow me on Twitter, you would have already got a sneak peak.

Bed Hair ...

2012-02-23T18:15:00.000+11:00

Cardigan: Country Road (thrifted, yard sale), Top: Rivers, Skirt: Ruche, Belt: Target, Shoes: Harris Scarf

When I go to bed with wet hair, my fringe that I currently trying to grow out takes on a life all it's own. Today, it decided to sit the way you can see in these photos. So I took a couple of bobby pins, some hair spray & made it sit like that for the rest of the day (that will teach 'em).

Stickygrams ...

2012-02-22T21:25:00.001+11:00

A little while ago I was lucky enough to win a Stickygram giveaway from Sometimes Sweet. For those who haven't heard of Stickygram, they are a company that turns your Instagram photos into fridge magnets. For someone who loves & is maybe slightly addicted to Instagram, I was quite chuffed to win this giveaway. Having said this, I think Stickygrams are a pretty good deal without getting them for free. For $14.95 you recieve nine Instagram magnets of your choice & postage is free worldwide (yes, that includes Australia!). The process is super easy too, as you can link your Instagram account straight to the Stickygram website. Once you have selected & ordered your photos, they arrive pretty quickly (I think mine came within a week). The Stickgrams themselves are rather hard to describe, but they are like a high quality, matt print. The only issue was I had them delivered to a PO Box & the packaging got somewhat bent from being placed in my mail box, as you can see in the first photo. But overall, the magnets were fine & survived their delivery well.

The hardest part about ordering Stickgrams is picking just 9 photographs. I decided to pick some photographs that had fond memories of the time Shane & I have spent living in this house & area for the last 18 months.

Mustard at the Markets ...

2012-02-20T20:26:00.000+11:00

Dress: Soda Fountain in Ginger, Modcloth, Bag: thrifted, yard sale, Scarf: thrifted, school fete, Shoes: Harris Scarf, Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren (Sunglasses Hut Outlet)

Considering how much I love the colour mustard, it was only going to be a matter of time until I brought a mustard dress. I had previously purchased a black version of this Soda Fountain dress from Modcloth, after coveting the dress for many, many months. I was so impressed with the quality & cut of the dress, I decided a mustard one was next on my wish list. To be honest, though, I was a little apprehensive at first because sometimes you can have too much of a good thing, right?! I mean, a little splash of mustard here & there is all well & good, but an entire outfit has the potential to make me look like canary ... not exactly the look I was going for! Personally, the verdict is still out for me. I guess the success of this dress will be determined by how it can be remixed. Lucky for me, Modcloth recently did a series of remixes of this dress, which I am sure will be a BIG help in getting me dressed in the future (& I need all the help I can get!).

Meet you at her door ...

2012-02-19T17:51:00.001+11:00

Dress: thrifted, Brighton Markets; Cardigan: thrifted, Savers; Belt: thrifted, school fete, Bag (are you getting sick of it yet!?): thrifted, yard sale, Shoes: Harris Scarf

Sometimes coming up with titles for outfit post just draws a complete blank. I'm pretty sure this title is a line from a Paul Kelly song (please feel free to correct me on this). Anyway, I am proud to say that this outfit from the ankles up is completely thrifted! I don't own many thrifted shoes because the idea of wearing someone else's shoes freaks my boyfriend out a bit, as he thinks I am going to catch some old lady's foot fungal. As a result, his fears have rubbed off on me & I rarely try on/buy thrifted shoes. But I'm not completely against them, because all shoes need love.

Casual Someday ...

2012-02-18T14:41:00.001+11:00

Shirt: Cotton On, Skirt: Witchery (thrifted, Salvos), Belt: yard sale, Shoes: Harris Scarf, Bag: vintage, yard sale

This is a casual outfit from the last week. I am pretty sure I wore it at the weekend, just can't remember what day. But I guess I have a 50% chance of guessing correctly (or wrong) what day I wore this, so I'm guessing a Sunday. On another note, my side-sweepy fringe is getting to that length. You know, the length when you hair just doesn't do what it is suppose to do - like blocking your vision!

3 Things Friday ~ Pretty Pictures ...

2012-02-17T17:54:00.000+11:00

This week (& every other week) I'm loving all things aesthetically pleasing in
pictoral form ...

Cute Couple Pictures

source

Cute couple? Tick! Cute props? Tick! Gorgeous colours? Tick!

What isn't to like about this gorgeous photoshoot featuring Amanda & her husband. I suddenly want to surround myself with shades of mint & watermelon.

An Excuse to Wear Pretty Things Pictures

Source

Who knew this was the secret to productivity?!
Despite the sexist undertones of this vintage typewriter advert, it just gave me another excuse to wear pretty clothes (not like I need another one!). And I this may also be my current desktop picture because the ridiculousness of it just makes me giggle ...

Elegant Academic (ha, ha) Photos

Source

Yep, you can look cute and be smart! Who knew?!

Lauren Moffat recently used a classroom in a old school to launch her new season at New York's Fashion Week. Slightly left of centre & pure genius ...

A tale of two vintage dresses ...

2012-02-16T23:42:00.002+11:00

Dress: vintage, Brighton Markets, Shoes: Harris Scarf, Bag: thrifted, yard sale

A few weeks ago I brought a succulent plant at the markets from a lovely old lady selling plants she had propagated in her back yard. She also had a small pile of clothing that I had a quick look at, but nothing took my fancy. A couple of weeks ago, I saw her stall again at the markets, but this time caught a glipse of some blue floral fabric in her small pile of clothes. I pulled on the said fabric to find this gorgeous vintage dress, which has quickly become on of my favourite dresses. Last week, I saw the same lady again & thought the small pile of clothes was worth another look. To my delight, I found the exact same dress but in white with a red & black bird print. Oh, happy day!

And that was the tale of two vintage dresses ...

Sweetheart ...

2012-02-15T16:27:00.001+11:00

Shirt: thrifted, Brighton Markets, Skirt: Modcloth, Oxfords: Target via Tieka, Bag: vintage, yard sale, Hair Scarf: gift

Wouldn't this be an appropriate outfit for Valentine's Day? Cute, girly with a splash of red & lace. Unfortunately, I did not wear this on Valentine's Day. This is from sometime last week & had not quite made it's way onto the blog until today. I did, however, wear a red dress for Valentine's, but inbetween working long hours & eating pizza on the couch, an outfit photo was not a high priority for me. Pizza, on the other hand, was. Oh, & there's the other side of my bag I mentioned in this post ... ta dah!

Tea & Humidity part 2 ...

2012-02-15T09:17:00.000+11:00

More photography from my 2011 trip to my parent's place. Our family dog, Willow, has always been quite the camera hog. And don't you just love my mum's pink kitchen canisters?

Happy Valentine's Day ...

2012-02-14T06:48:00.000+11:00

via Vintage Everyday

To all my lovely readers.

xoxo

Tea & Humidity part 1 ...

2012-02-13T17:25:00.000+11:00

I have been organising all my photos from 2011 & came across these photos from a visit to my parent's hometown of Cairns in tropical north Queensland, which never quite made it to the blog. I forget the exact details, but we went to a tea museum (yes!), checked out some some areas of rainforest & ate a fair share Gelato. I am looking forward to visiting there again in July for my dad's birthday (and escaping the cold Adelaide winter!).

Off Campus @ Katie Did It ...

2012-02-13T09:27:00.000+11:00

Hi everyone!

I'm blogging over at Katie Did It today. You can check it out here.

A New Love Affair ...

2012-02-12T22:45:00.001+11:00

Shirt: Jay Jays (thrifted, yard sale), Skirt: Ruche, Bag: vintage (thrifted, yard sale), Shoes: Harris Scarf

If the title of this post made you curious, Shane & I are still together. I am in fact talking about this bag. It's leather & I purchased it from a yard sale recently for $4. I thought it was nice when I brought it (I guess wouldn't have brought it otherwise), but I become totally smitten with it since. Only problem is, when I posed for these photos the bag is actually facing the wrong way round. So, consider these photos a bit of a 'sneak peak' of the new love in my life. On a side night, we went to Haighs this day to purchase a birthday present for Shane's cousin & I left with a packet of Berry Chocs, which are now all gone. I highly recommend them ...

Weekend Markets ...

2012-02-11T21:42:00.001+11:00

Dress: Modcloth, Belt: thrifted (Brighton markets), Shoes: Sportsgirl

It seems as though our summer is slowly turning to autumn. We haven't had any really warm days since a couple of weeks ago, which is when these photos were taken (so much for getting my s**t together). I am really looking forward to autumn. It is hands down my favourite month. I always feel cooler climate clothes suit me better too. Thus, whilst I will be be sad to say goodbye to icecream & evening walks on the beach, bring on hot chocolate & evening snuggles on the couch.

3 Things Friday ~ Biking Bloggers

2012-02-10T21:55:00.001+11:00

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy & look stylish at the same time (although I draw the line at biking in heels!). These lovely ladies know how to mix a style with cycling & I only hope that I can be as stylish.

Tania, What a Nerd Would Wear

I'm a long time fan & I'm pretty sure Tania is solely responsible for me obsession with the colour mustard.

Elizabeth, Delightfully Tacky

For anyone who has followed Elizabeth's blog for a while, they will know she actually won her bike through a style competition run by Chictopia. Enough said.

Noami, Rockstar Diaries

Not only does Noami have the cutest style & bike, but she has one of the cutest accessories around ~ her daughter Eleanor.

Spontaneous Adventures ...

2012-02-09T19:57:00.000+11:00

You may remember a while ago a posted some instagram photos of a spontaneous adventure Shane & I went on between Christmas & New Year. Well, I finally got around to downloading the photos from our camera. It has been my New Years resolution to take make more photographs & document those sweet moments in life (not including iPhone photos!). I have just recieved some film in the post the other day & look forward to experimenting with some film photography with the Lomo I won from Daydream Lily. So here's hoping we have some more adventures soon ...

P.S. I wasn't lying when I said I have been living in that Dangerfield skirt.

Bonnie & Boring ...

2012-02-08T19:27:00.001+11:00

Tee: Jag (thrifted, markets), Skirt: Modcloth, Beret: can't remember, Scarf: vintage (thrifted, markets), Shoes: Zinda via Tieka, Stockings: Myer (can't remember brand), Bag: Cotton On ($ painted on by yours truely!), Gun: Reject Shop

One of my best friends had a 'B' themed fancy dress for her recent 30th. I decided to go as Bonnie from Bonnie & Clyde, as I pretty much owned everything I needed for the costume. Unfortunately, Shane isn't one to dress up because he's boring, so I got him to wear one of those name tags that reads "Hello, my name is ..." & wrote boring on it. He thought that was pretty smart & so did the rest of the guests.

P.S. Yep, I know how goofy I look in these photos, but isn't that the point of fancy dress. Seriously, you can't help but pull funny faces when your dressed up!

Colourful ...

2012-02-07T15:42:00.001+11:00

Shirt: Dangerfield, Skirt: Ruche, Belt: yard sale, Shoes: Modcloth

This outfit is from last week (I think!). I have decided to start doing scheduled posts for during the week, as I always prepare posts but then never get chance to post them. Here's hoping I can keep it up.

Apart from exercising my ongoing love of mustard, this outfit also exhibits two more recent loves: collared sleeveless shirts (a bit fancier than your average sleeveless top) & braided hair (now that my hair to getting long enough to braid). What are loving this season?

Shop My Frocks ...

2012-02-05T19:37:00.000+11:00

I am having a closet clearout & selling some of my frocks on eBay, including this Modcloth dress. Please see some of the other items listed below ...

Modcloth Polka Dot Dress

Sportsgirl Lace Dress

Review Floral Dress

Sunnygirl Shirt Dress

Witchery Pinafore Dress

Crossroads Pleat Dress

Some prices start at 99c & I'm offering free postage within Australia to my blog readers (please make sure you mention this during the checkout).

Items will only be posted within Australia, but if your an overseas blog reader & there is something you can not live without please email me. Please ensure you read descriptions carefully to avoid disappointment.

See all the auction listings here.

Vintage Ride Saturday ~ Plaid & Plaits

2012-02-05T09:18:00.001+11:00

Shirt: Cotton On, Shorts: Valleygirl, Belt: Sportsgirl, Shoes: Harris Scarf, Sunglasses: Modcloth

I took my bike for the second time last weekend. Now, one would think that I would like to take baby steps & practice riding around my block a couple of more times, but I was keen to head down to the beach & I was feeling adventurous. This did require crossing a main road (eekkk!), but I left the house at 7am to ensure few ~~big & scary~~ cars were around. It was certainly reassuring to see so many other people out on their bikes that early in the morning. I did have a young driver pull out in front of me (what? my blue plaid shirt isn't bright enough?!), which made me realise a bicycle bell doesn't quite cut it in situations like these. Apart from this, I had a lovely ride & look forward to my next vintage ride.

3 Things Friday ~ Frocks that Rock!

2012-02-03T21:23:00.000+11:00

I think at last count I have nearly 50 dresses (um, yep!) in my Modcloth wishlist. So, I thought I would shared with you but a tiny, tiny fraction of those dresses I have been coveting lately.

Too Much Fun Dress

Why yes, I do own a dress in the exact same pattern, but I just love the 50s cut of this dress. And when your onto a good thing ...

'Tis a Shift to be Simple Dress

This dress continues my obsession with the colour mustard. And it has pleats ... enough said

About the Artist Dress

This dress is one of the first dresses I ever added to my wishlist & it has recently been restocked. Fighting the urge to buy this, but how does one resist a shirt dress with ruffles AND heart buttons?!

Not Quite Peaches ...

2012-02-03T11:22:00.002+11:00

Top: Dangerfield, Skirt: Dangerfield, Belt: yard sale, Necklace: eBay, Shoes: Harris Scarf

I have been pretty much living in this outfit since purchasing these pieces in the post-Christmas sales. I just can't get enough of this skirt, which has doubled as a basket when I have been picking nectarines off my tree. Can you spy my nectarine stash?

Vintage Ride Saturday

2012-01-28T23:28:00.001+11:00

T-shirt: Cotton On, Shorts: Jeans West, Scarf: thrifted (yard sale), Oxfords: Target via Tieka, Sunglasses: Modcloth

Last weekend was my first offical ride on my bicycle. I was really excited to get on the road but also a little scared (what if the cars were mean to me?!). I felt like a little kid on their first day at school. Luckily, their were no issues & I am building my confidence on the road. I have ordered a basket for the front of my bike & once this arrives I plan to take some study materials with me in the future, with the intention to ride to a little cafe & spend my Saturday morning reading & eating cake!

3 Things Friday ~ Summer Edition

2012-01-28T00:15:00.000+11:00

Has it really been one week since my last blog post? Whilst being conscious of the lack of blog posts over the last week, I have always been an advocate for living life & not blogging about it. That being said, when I'm not working, cooking or compulsively cleaning, I seem to be doing one of the three following activities. Over the summer months, these three things have become part of my regular routine & I have found myself looking forward to them each week.

Evening Beach Walks

We have finally had some consistently warm weather over the past few weeks & have been enjoying evening beach walks nearly every night. There always seems to be something interesting happening at Brighton Beach, with a sculpture exhibition currently being displayed along the foreshore. And did I mention the new icecreamery that offers free toppings? Need I say more ...

Sunday Markets

It seems like I never get tired of dragging myself out of bed early on a Sunday morning to attend the markets at either Brighton or Marion. It is a weekend ritual that I look forward to all week.

Vintage Rides

Those who follow me on Twitter will know that I have only taken my bike for the first time last weekend (not including when I first recieved it & I rode it around my street illegally without a helmet for 10 minutes ... shhh!). Despite this minor detail, I have found myself looking forward to this weekend's 'vintage ride' all week & anticipate it will become another weekend ritual I will come to look foward to. And before you ask, the term 'vintage ride' is inspired by Megan's 'vintage walk'.

P.S. and just because I like to give credit where it is due, this post is partially inspired by Sophie's 'Three Photos on Friday' & Kaelah's 'Things I Love Thursday'.

Apricots & Mustard ...

2012-01-21T12:29:00.000+11:00

Top: Dangerfield, Skirt: Witchery, Shoes: Sportsgirl, Belt: thrifted, Brighton markets

As you can see, I tried my hand at styling my hair into a 'blogger bun'. I have tried it a few times now & I'm not sure if it suits me, but sure is great in the warmer weather. I wore this outfit at the weekend & this particular day went down to our local cafe strip. In recent months it has had a bit of a facelift & now there is a new burger place, a new icecream place & a new bakery. New places to eat within walking distance of my house make me very happy!

P.S. see the apricots behind me? I used them to make apricot chicken for the first time last week. As it turns out, apricot chicken is alot easier than you think!

Another Mustard Cardigan ...

2012-01-17T10:13:00.000+11:00

Cardigan: Princess Highway, Skirt: thrifted (Brighton markets), Shoes: vintage (eBay), Brooch: eBay

I may have brought another mustard cardigan in the post Christmas sales. My first one has been looking a little worse for wear lately (it was only a cheapie from eBay), so I decided to invest in a better quality one. Whilst this has been the first time I have worn it 'on the blog', I have probably already worn it about 10 times 'in real life', making it a worth while investment. It is the perfect length/thickness to wear over a summer dress/t-shirt in the evenings for a walk along the beach. And it's mustard, which means it's awesome!

Instagram Adventures ...

2012-01-16T14:36:00.000+11:00

Some recent adventures captured via instagram ...

- breakfast at Bracegirdles
- Beerenberg Taka Tala dressing makes your salad taste like a creamy curry!
- Drugs of choice
- Market Sunday = floral dresses
- Exploring my neighbourhood & it's cute little houses
- Thrifted lovies from the market
- My $3 yard sale coat!
- A new bike for me ...
- "Let's play buzz!"
- Making my bedside table look all pretty ...
- My nan's brooch. Love.
- Things that magically appear in my house when my folks are in town
- Maggie Beer spiced pear paste. Trumps quince past any day!

When Books Come to Life ...

2012-01-14T11:43:00.000+11:00

Firstly, I must give full credit to Sophie who introduced me to this gorgeous little clip. She posted it on her blog, My Library Adventures, during the week & I just fell in love. It reminded me of being a child and waking up in the morning with one eye open, trying to catch a glimpse of my toys moving. I was convinced they came to life when I was asleep. Surely I wasn't the only one.

Off Campus @ Her Library Adventures ...

2012-01-13T22:11:00.000+11:00

Hi all!

The lovely Sophie from Her Library Adventures has just started a new weekly 'Love Her Style' feature on her blog & asked me to be the first blogger interviewed. Whoo! You can read the interview here & be sure to check out the rest of her blog for some more loveliness.

P.S. Sophie & I also have some other stylish adventures planned, which we will be sharing with you in the next couple of weeks. So watch this space!

Another One ...

2012-01-11T23:05:00.000+11:00

Shirt: Dotti (thrifted, yard sale), Jeans: Sass & Bide, Bag: vintage (thrifted), Shoes: Wittner, Bracelets: vintage (thrifted).

This is what I wore on Boxing Day when I dragged Shane (and my butt) off the couch for a drive down to Normanville to visit his sister. The weather really cooled down over Christmas, so I just decided to dress up a pair of jeans with a nice top & some heels. I have found myself embracing heels more and wearing them at the weekends lately. I don't like a heel that is too high, as I pretty much can't walk in them (ballet flats are my usual shoe of choice). But these shoes are the perfect height & can be dressed up or down. I also happened to find the exact same pair in black on sale after Christmas. Did I buy them? You bet I did!

P.S. Just for a giggle here is one of those 'inbetween' photographs that usually go straight to the trash can, but I thought this one was funny. No shame. He, he ...

Spontaneous Adventures ...

2012-01-10T19:41:00.000+11:00

Between Christmas & New Years Shane & I went on a spontaneous adventure. We stopped at bakeries & thrift stores, saw the bluest ocean you will ever see, drove through little towns, saw natural wonders, hand feed possums, ate great food & just enjoyed some time out. And in line with my New Years resolution I took some photos of our spontaneous adventure, which are yet to be downloaded to my computer. But here is a sample courtesy of Instagram.

Heatwaves & Icecream ...

2012-01-09T21:57:00.000+11:00

Top: Just Jeans (thrifted), Skirt: Dangerfield, Shoes: Harris Scarf, Belt: thrifted (yard sale), Enamel Necklace (which can't be seen due to silly, over-exposed photos!): vintage (antique store)

For those who follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you will certainly be more than familar with this skirt. I brought it in the after Christmas sales & to say I have been living in it would be right on the mark! Infact, I would probably be wearing right now except I spilt someone on it a couple of days ago & now it is in my ever growing washing pile. I love the little heart details on the skirt's side ...

You also may notice the blinds in these photos, which you don't usually see. These photos were taken a few days ago during a recent heatwave in Adelaide. Thus, our blinds were down to keep the heat out of our house. Lucky for us, we also have air-con, live reasonably close to the beach & have a vast supply of icecream in our freezer.

In with the New ...

2012-01-09T09:33:00.000+11:00

And just because it's the new year & I'm a sucker for anything with a birds on it, I decided to update my computer wall paper with this cute scene from Ruche illustrated by Love Pabalate.

2012 New Years Resolutions ...

2012-01-08T18:35:00.000+11:00

Now that we are at the end of our first week in 2012 and I have managed to catch up on blogging, I thought now would be an ideal time to share some new resolutions for the new year. I'm not big on making new years resolutions, but I have a few goals I would like to see happen this year.

Become More Snap Happy

I love seeing other bloggers fanastic photography and hope to get more use out of our camera this year. I am going to make an effort to take it places and use it more often.

Read a Good Book

The process of writing a thesis doesn't really allow to just enjoy reading. It usually involves flicking through text books and journal articles to find information for the current chapter I'm working on. However, I have re-discovered the joy of reading at the beach this summer with few things to distraction me from a good read. I plan to take some time out each weekend to just enjoy reading something, whether it be at the beach or a local cafe.

Get on ya' Bike!

Now that I have a bike I really look forward to riding it, but I'm also a little scared as I haven't cycled since I was about 12! I am sure this activity will be paired with the resolution above.

Strike a Pose!

Taking photographs of pretty outfits is one thing, but I have always had the desire to be much more creative with these types of photographs as venture out into the real world beyond the confinds of my yard (gulp!). As someone who uses self-photography, I was recent inspired by this book post by Elyse and Rebecca. I have also decided to invest in a camera mount for my bike to help/experiment with this goal. Wish me luck!

Get My S**T Together

Let's face it, I'm pretty unorganised when it comes to keeping up-to-date with my blogging. I forever seem to be posting photos from 3 weeks ago, etc. I never want blogging to become a chore & thus I usually post when I have some spare time. However, during my attendance to a recent conference interstate I discovered the joy of scheduled posts, which I am thinking I might do more of in 2012.

What's your new years resolutions for 2012?

Someone I Would Like You to Meet ...

2012-01-07T11:25:00.000+11:00

For those who follow me on twitter and instagram you may remember me mentioning the lovely birthday present Shane brought for me: this bike! I had been wanting and saving for one for a while and was finally going to buy one this summer when he suprised me with one for my birthday, which is in November.

I haven't had much chance to ride it yet as I don't have a helmet and it is illegal to ride a bike without a helmet in Australia. But I did manage to sneak in a couple of rides in the alleyways behind my house ... shhh. Thanks to my mum for taking these photos!

P.S. if you would like to follow me on Instagram (you can download it to your iPhone for free, if you haven't already)
you can find me under 'elegantly_academic'. If you don't an iPhone, I always upload my photos to my Twitter.

Off Campus: Redeeming Myself ...

2012-01-05T21:43:00.000+11:00

Shirt: Cotton On (thrifted, markets), Jacket: Cotton On, Jeans: Sass & Bide (via eBay), Shoes: Harris Scarf, Scarf: Modcloth

This outfit is from just before Christmas (slowly catching up). We had an incredibly cool summer here in Adelaide right up until Christmas, hence the jeans, jacket and scarf. I'm pretty sure I was going to wear this outfit was to go out & look at Christmas lights on a cool evening, but may have ended up falling asleep on the couch ... yep, welcome to my life!

How has your new years been so far?
Still can't quite believe we are into 2012 already ...

Featured ~ Modcloth's Inspiration Board ...

2012-01-03T10:06:00.000+11:00

Remember in my last post I said I was a little behind with my blogging schedule. Yep, I'm still catching up ...

In early December the founder of one of my favourite online stores, Modcloth, was interviewed by online newsletter Glitter Guide (set up by fashion blogger Sterling Style; see article here). It was a great little interview, which also gave a behind the scenes look at the operation of Modcloth. One of the areas the interviewed featured was Modcloth's "Wall of Inspiration", featuring many bloggers from all over the world. Imagine my surprise when I was reading the article & saw one of my photographs in the bottom left hand corner ... yep, total freak out moment!

The photograph is from a guest post I did for Martina of The Life Academic back in July 2011. You can see the original post here. I have to say I feel pretty honoured to be included alongside some very stylish ladies ...

Christmas-grams ...

2012-01-02T08:38:00.000+11:00

Is it 2012 already?!

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas & New Years. Whilst I am a little behind with my blog schedule at the moment, it is simply because I have been enjoying the holiday period rather than blogging about it (not necessarily a bad thing). Before I fill you in on my New Years resolutions, here is a Christmas-gram post to update you all on my festive shenanigans.

- Finally getting the Christmas tree up half way through Decemeber & being rather proud of the results.

- Buying festive homewares from Ikea.

- Christmas soundtrack.

- Wondering if my advent calender chocolate is too cute too eat?! Nah ...

- A friendly reminder courtesy of my advent calender (who knew they were so useful?).

- Completing my Christmas shopping with the arrival of a package from Modcloth, including a small Chrstmas present for myself.

- Hiding treats in the Christmas tree for my boyfriend.

- Random candy cane instagram.

- Like everyone else on Instagram, I also had glitter nail polish for Christmas

- Let the Christmas junk food frenzy begin!

- Trying not to eat a whole bowl of candy ...

- Pretty Christmas lights at a local school.

- Hmmm ... gluten.

- The trifle that Kelly made.

- More Christmas junk food: Peppermint Bark.

- Hunting my favourite type of reindeer.

- Trying to detox on some festive cherries.

- Still drinking festive cider beyond Christmas ... & why not?!

- And just like that, Christmas 2011 is behind us ....

On Campus: What You See ...

2011-12-29T00:39:00.000+11:00

Shirt: Cotton On, Jeans: Sass & Bide, Belt: Sportsgirl, Shoes: Harris Scarf, Bag: thrifted (markets),
Sunglasses: Modcloth

This post was going to be a "Christmas-gram" post, but as I'm off on a little spontaneous adventure tomorrow (& it's just gone midnight), here is a post I prepared earlier ...

I used to have a shirt that read: "I'm awake, what else do you want?". That was very much how I felt today. Maybe it's because I'm getting over being sick. Anyway, on days like today this shirt has become like a well-worn pair a pjs - aka my best friend. It's so comfty yet I still look somewhat respectable, which has got to a good thing.

P.S. if you would like to follow me on my little adventure, you can so via Instagram (you can find me under 'elegantly_academic') or Twitter.

Off Campus: Festive Threads part 2 ...

2011-12-24T17:10:00.000+11:00

Dress: Trollied Dolly , Shoes: Rivers

What happens when your invited to Christmas drinks & it's ridiculously humid? Why you wear a cotton dress. Luckily, this dress fits that criteria & is a little bit festive (bow = festive). This dress was purchased recently in a small boutique when I was away for a conference. In 'researching' the designer, I also discovered they at stocked by Modcloth. I am quite impressed with the quality of the dress I am very (extremely) tempted to buy another one ... maybe as a Christmas present to myself.

Off Campus: Festive Threads part 1 ...

2011-12-23T08:14:00.000+11:00

Dress: (worn backwards) Sportsgirl, Belt: Alannah Hill, Shoes: Basque (via Myer)

What I love about Christmas is wearing things which seem totally unacceptable any other time of the year (festive sweaters anyone?). I usually don't wear lace and sequins in one sitting, but hey ... it's Christmas! I recently went to a friend's place for Christmas drinks & was trying to decide what I could wear that was also festive. And what better way to help me decide than takes photos of the potential outfits! I have to say, this was definitely the favorite of the two I picked out & had every intention of wearing this one, until the weather came into play. Thus, I'm hoping to bring this out on Christmas day, weather pending.

On Campus: Feeling Blah ...

2011-12-21T20:11:00.000+11:00

Top: Dangerfield (via eBay), Skirt: Witchery (via eBay), Belt: Target, Shoes: Harris Scarf

Who still takes outfit photos of themself when they are sick? Apparently, I do! But in my defence, getting dressed took alot of effort this day, so I figured it was worth documenting.

Are you all ready for Christmas? I collected some of the last Christmas presents I ordered online from the post office today (internet shopping, I love you!). Just a couple of things to grab from the supermarket, which I can get in the evening when it is a bit more quiet. Oh ... and I still need to put up my Christmas tree. Fingers crossed Shane & I get around to it this week.

Weekend Wears: That Old Chestnut ...

2011-12-17T21:07:00.000+11:00

Shirt: Cotton On, Skirt: Ruche, Belt: thrifted (markets), Shoes: Sportsgirl

Firstly, I don't intend to look grumpy in photos. Sometimes its just the way they turn out. I'm pretty sure I wasn't grumpy at the time. Secondly, I am also pretty sure my skirt was that wrinkled when I took these photos, but clearly it was. Glad to get that out the way ...

I'm pretty sure I have worn this outfit about five times in the last few weeks, but I have been too lazy to take photographs of it (you are well aware I suffer from laziness disease, right?) Each time I have worn this the accessories have been slightly different. Today I wore some tan accessories. Tan accessories always make me think of the summer seasons, but since we don't seem be to having much of a summer here in Australia at the moment, I though I would wear said tan accessories to remind the weather what season we are suppose to be in. Do you think he or she is getting the hint?

Academic Adventures via Instagram ...

2011-12-16T08:17:00.000+11:00

So much for making my "The Week That Was ..." a regular feature! It may return yet ... in the meantime I thought I would share some recent adventures captured via Instagram.

- Standard blogger feet shot.
- Why I love internet shopping reason #329 (hint: cheap makeup).
- Sharing tea with friends (& by friends I mean cookies).
- Loving this knitted cider label!
- Leather satchel from the markets for $5 ... score!
- More pretty market finds. Still can't believe I only paid $2 for this vintage enamel tin, which is now the home to my (growing) brooch collection.
- Bored ...
- Impatiently waiting for dinner to cook; taking random photos to pass the time.
- Impatiently waiting for a collegue to arrive on campus; taking random photos to pass the time.
- A vintage dress & pretty flower: summer is here.
- Vintage dress making book brought for 50c. Now I just need a sewing machine (& to learn how to sew).
- This strange & delightful item my boyfriend found on the way home from work.
- Honey supply for my tea.
- Portishead concert; gorgeous interior of theatre.
- Random photos in waiting room of chiro's office (there were no good trashy magazines to read).

On Campus: Kristine. Or Kelly ...

2011-12-14T18:55:00.000+11:00

Top: Jag (thrifted, markets), Skirt: Ruche, Scarf: vintage (thrifted, garage sale), Belt: Target, Shoes: Harris Scarf

I follow way too many blogs. Way. Too. Many. But I adore all the blogs I follow for various reasons. I am certainly not drawn to one style in particular & take inspiration from all ends of the style spectrum. One of my favourite style blogs is Kristine or Polly who has just the cutest style. I am very much the envy of her tight/scarf collection & she is a pattern mixinig queen (in my humble opinon). This outfit is inspired by her, but don't take my word for it ... be sure to check out her blog for yourself!

P.S. yes, back in my kitchen today. The light was just too perfect in there this morning ...

Elegantly Inspired: Naughty Shorts ...

2011-12-12T22:20:00.000+11:00

Custom made, one of a kind dresses made with vintage fabric ... yes please!

I first came across Naughty Shorts dresses via the last edition of Peppermint magazine & it wasn't long until I came across them again via Sophie's lovely blog . I especially like the idea of these dresses being used as a bridesmaid dresses that can actually be worn after the wedding, but as I'm not getting married anytime soon lets forget that idea for now.

To celebrate the end of a successful 2011, Naughty Shorts & Lotta from Stockham are giving blog readers the chance to win not only a Naughty Shorts dress, but also a pair of Swedish clogs. Giveaway closes 14th December, so be quick! You can enter the giveaway here.

Weekend Wears: This & That ...

2011-12-11T18:39:00.000+11:00

Tee: Jag (markets), Skirt: vintage (markets), Belt: vintage (markets), Scarf: vintage (markets), Shoes: Wittner

Finally ... a new outfit post! Having had all of my posts scheduled for the last 2 weeks has made it feel like forever since I have posted an outfit. And being busy/Christmas/sick, I have to admit I have also been ~~lazy~~ had other priorities apart from blogging. But it is nice to be back on the wagon.

What do you get up to this weekend? I went shopping for a helmet for my new bike, which I have now decided I hate (a girl can change their mind, can't they?). I also realised when I was helmet shopping why I love internet shopping so much (read: mental Christmas shoppers). Then I did nothing for a couple of hours. I then felt bad about doing said nothing, so went for a walk along the beach (after a change of shoes) and then did some house work. Exciting, I know!

Oh, and that second photo where I look like I'm being all twirly, twirly is actually just the wind catching my skirt. Just thought you'd like to know.

Elegantly Inspired: Camera Iphone Cases ...

2011-12-09T18:43:00.000+11:00

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

Has it seriously been a week since my last blog post?

For those who follow me on Twitter and Instagram you would be well aware that I have had a busy couple of weeks with a visit from my parents, my birthday and a conference interstate. I had actually anticipated this and most of the blog post for the last week have been scheduled (sneaky, sneaky). And then I got sick ... booo! But I now seem to be recovering, which I owe all to the health benefits of consuming Vegemite.

During this busy couple of weeks I also had to buy a new phone during this time, as my old phone decided to die (RIP old iphone). And naturally, with the purchase of a new phone comes the purchase of a new case. I ended up setlling on a floral Cath Kidson case, but I'm also loving these retro inspired camera cases. Maybe one of these would make a good stocking stuffer (hint, hint boyfriend).

Weekend Wears: Romantic Delusions ...

2011-12-03T17:04:00.000+11:00

Dress: thrifted (garage sale), Cardigan: Cotton On (thrifted, markets), Belt: Urban Outfitters, Necklace: vintage (via eBay), Shoes: Harris Scarf, Bag: markets

There is something rather romantic about wondering around the markets, looking at antiques & old books. Personally, I think it's a romantic delusion. I'm usually cold/hot, tired, grumpy, hungry & barely dressed (jeans & hoodie is my definition of 'barely dressed'). But when I get up early enough, I like to put on a flowy dress, grab my basket (perched on my elbow, of course) & float around the market from stall to stall. OK, not really. I just like to wear a pretty dresses & any reason to leave the house is good enough for me.

Off Campus: Sensible Shoes ...

2011-12-02T17:00:00.000+11:00

Dress: Modcloth, Cardigan: Cotton On, Scarf: Witchery, Belt: thrifted (school fete), Shoes: Harris Scarf (are you getting sick of them yet?)

You know your a nerd/getting old when you select comfort over fashion. This is definitely me all over in the shoe department. I wore this outfit out to dinner the other night & it essentially the same outfit I wore out to a Portishead concert earlier in the week (minus the cardigan & scarf). Being at a concert doesn't necessarily relinquish my nerd status, because a) my boyfriend brought the tickets, & b) I know, like, two songs! I was thinking about wearing some really cool boots to the concert, but then remembered the venue had stairs. Not many mind you, but just enough to justify wearing my ballet flats ... again.

On Campus: The Short of It ...

2011-11-30T17:00:00.000+11:00

Shirt: Cotton On, Shorts: Jeans West, Belt: Target, Shoes: Harris Scarf

Is it possible to wear shorts & still look academic? If you pair them with a button up shirt, matching belt & shoes ... possibly. I figured I had a few things on my side: 1. it's hot (the weather that is), 2. I was hiding in my office all day (I could be in my PJs & no-one would know), 3. The university year is nearly into the holiday period (& so is my brain/dress sense). Plus I had a chiro appointment today, which is a little awakard in a skirt. So shorts it is ...

Weekend Wears: Poor Student ...

2011-11-26T17:00:00.000+11:00

Dress: F21 via Delightfully Tacky , Blazer: Cotton On, Belt: markets, Shoes: Harris Scraf

I consider myself a pretty honest person, but when it comes to outfit inspiration I am happy to steal from other bloggers. The inspiration for the outfit came from a recent outfit by Kendi, although I feel that this is perhaps a poor ~~man's~~ student's version of that particular outfit. Not that I mind. Gotta start somewhere, right? Being on a student budget I'm always conscious of not spending too much on clothes. Thus, when Elizabeth from Delightfully Tacky decided to sell off some of her clothes, I jumped at the chance to buy this dress. I had been after a striped casual dress for spring/summer & this arrived just in time. I've worn it a couple of times now, but as usual finding the two minutes it takes to photograph outfits just didn't happen until today. Anywho ... I really look forward to getting alot of wear out of this in the coming months. You can see how Elizabeth styled it up here, here & here .

Happy birthday ...

2011-11-25T17:00:00.000+11:00

to me! That is all.

Off Campus: Thrown Together ...

2011-11-24T17:00:00.000+11:00

Skirt: thrifted, school fete, Tee: markets, Belt: thrifted, school fete, Shoes: Harris Scarf, Necklace: Modcloth

I have always loved the combination of certain bright colours. It goes without saying that yellow + blue is one of my all time favourites, with this being one of my favourite ways I've worn it in the past. Thus, when I pulled this yellow tee out of my wardrobe this morning, I was automatically inclined to pair it with something blue. I've had this blue floral skirt for a while now & was included in one of the first outfits I blogged. I love the cut & the pattern but it is a little tighter than it should be & I currently can't feel my feet. I blame vintage sizing ...

Off Campus @ Lieu De Jaune ...

2011-11-23T17:00:00.000+11:00

Hi all! I'm guest blogged over at Jessica's blog

Lieu De Jaune last week. You can check it out here .

On Campus: Because I Can ...

2011-11-22T16:28:00.000+11:00

Shirt: garage sale, Skirt: Witchery (via eBay), Belt: school fete, Shoes: Harris Scarf, Bag: markets

A cotton shirt + a cotton skirt always seems to be my go to outfit of choice when I'm feeling lazy, running late, uninspired re: outfit selection or all of the above. It looks smart, is ever so comfty & I can fall asleep at my desk knowing I look academic even if I'm not feeling particularly so. I think this outfit is partially inspired by this outfit, which has subconsciously creeped into my brain & may explain why I choose these items from my closet today. Or maybe not ... And the bag? I believe you have already met ...

Guest Lecturer: Lou from Miss Tallulah Porkchop ...

2011-11-21T22:35:00.000+11:00

Hi there,

Nice to meet you, my name is Lou and I have a little blog called Miss Tallulah Porkchop. I live by the beach in Melbourne and I collect vintage dresses from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s and think nothing of wearing a 1950s cocktail dress and a fascinator to the office during the day. Every day is a fancy dress party for me and my blog is heavy on the outfit posts, with pictures of my beloved pets (three pugs, six cats, twelve hens, two lovebirds and rabbit) sprinkled throughout. Please feel free to drop by anytime and say hi. Thank you to the lovely Kelly for having me.

Cheers

Lou

Elegantly Inspired: Recently Thrifted Finds ...

2011-11-20T19:57:00.000+11:00

In recent weeks with the warmer weather I have become quite a regular at our local markets. Additionally, Shane's Aunt who was visting from Tasmania for a month and is an keen garage sale bargain hunter, dragged us out of bed a couple times on a Saturday morning to hunt out some bargains with her. As a result of these, I have scored quite a few bargains in recent weeks that I would like to share. I am also linking up to Sophie's Flea Market Finds over at the lovely My Library Adventures, which I have always wanted to do.

Suit 62 Floral Blouse, Dotti cream blouse, Cotton On green tartan shirt & Jay Jays black & white tartan shirt.

I actually have the dress made from the exact same fabric as this floral shirt. I love that dress and I always kicked myself for not buying the matching top. So you can imagine how excited I was to stumble across this for $1! I have also found myself drawn to the rustic feel of tartan lately & these shirts are fulfilling my current need for tartan.

Vintage blue button floral dress, vintage handmade floral dress & Target red floral dress.

I am always drawn to floral dresses. The blue one has such a lovely shape to it (after I removed the horrible shoulder pads). The floral dress in the middle I picked up at a garage sale & was made by the lady who sold it to me. I love the autumn colours in the fabric & can't wait to wear this with my mustard cardigan come autumn.

Dotti blue tee, Jag yellow tee, Bonds stripe tee, Jag white tee (new with tags!), Kmart mint cardigan & Cotton brown cardigan

Whenever I am bargain hunting there are always two items I keep my eye out for: plain tees & cardigans. I can never seem to find them in a retail store when I want them, but they are staple pieces in my closet that I can't seem to live without.

Vintage yellow skirt, Valleygirl blue floral button skirt & vintage pleat polka dot skirt.

One of the things I am always drawn to at markets is skirts. You will often find me digging through piles of clothes looking for unique patterns & prints. The pleated polka dot skirt was at the bottom of such a pile, but worth the digging at the cost of $1.

Vintage brown leather satchel, multi-coloured leather weave belt & brown leather weave belt.

I always try to purchase accessories in leather. Over the years, I have brought several of these leather weave belts & depending on their size, they are extremely adjustable & functional. I wear mine with jeans, dresses and skirts.

Vintage bright orange paisley silk scarf

Vintage scarfs with interesting prints are always an interesting accessory to have. I have a couple of floral ones, but this bright orange paisley print is perfect for summer.

Dried flower brooch, enamel floral painted tin & vintage dressmaking book.

How could I turn down this vintage dried flower brooch for $1? And as soon as I saw this floral tin I knew it would be perfect for my growing brooch collection. Lastly, this vintage dressmaking book has the most gorgeous clothing designs but unfortunately I do not own a sewing machine. But I figured I will be prepared when I finally buy one!

Weekend Wears: Obscure Bargains ...

2011-11-19T13:11:00.000+11:00

Tee: thrifted (markets), Shorts: Jeanswest, Shoes: Harris Scarf, Scarf: Modcloth

The weather is really starting to warm up now (whoo!). This morning Shane & I accompanied his aunt, who is visiting from TAS, on a Saturday morning round of checking out all the local garage sales. Although I'm not one to get up at the crack of dawn, I do like a bargain. I never fail to find clothing & book bargains, but I have found myself constantly attracted to obscure items lately of late: 1960s suitcases, brightly coloured thermos & old buttons ... which Shane seems to drag me away from. And rightly so, as I know I have no need for these things. But they are oh so pretty ...

Off Campus @ Miss Tallulah Porkchop ...

2011-11-16T22:53:00.000+11:00

Hi all! I'm guesting blogging over at Lou's blog

Miss Tallulah Porkchop today. You can check it out here ... and be sure to check out
the real Miss Tallulah Porkchop! You won't be dissappointed, I promise.

Guest Lecturer: Ilana from My Modern Vintage ...

2011-11-16T22:22:00.000+11:00

Hi there! I’m Ilana from My Modern Vintage a blog about combining vintage clothing and accessories into modern outfits. I also blog about craft and photography. I recently found Kelly’s amazing blog and fell in love with her quirky sense of style so I am so happy to be guest posting for her!

I have included some of my most recent outfits in this post. There is always something so magical about finding an old piece and mixing it up with something new. Not only does buying vintage and thrifted goods help save the environment it is also easy on your wallet, fun and ensures that no-one is wearing the same outfit as you!

I try to combine at least one thrifted or vintage piece into each of my outfits.

Come and visit me at my blog and enter my Frankie Magazine giveaway!

Weekend Wears: My Second Home ...

2011-11-14T08:27:00.000+11:00

Dress: markets, Cardigan: Cotton On, Belt: Target, Shoes: Harris Scarf

Now that summer is almost here it seems like the Sunday markets has become my second home. Whilst I use to whinge about being dragged at of bed early on a Sunday, now I am the first up in our house. I love sniffing out the book & clothing bargains (such as this dress), always make time for a sausage or some greek bakery treat, socialise with friends or market stall holders, and stock up on some fruit & veg for the week on the way out. Infact, the Sunday markets has become quite a little ritual I have come to look foward to ...

What weekend rituals do you look foward to?

Off Campus @ Sailing to Nowhere ...

2011-11-12T11:55:00.000+11:00

Hi all! I'm guesting blogging over at Cait's blog

Sailing to Nowhere today. You can check it out here.

Elegantly Inspired: Coloured Tights ...

2011-11-10T16:13:00.000+11:00

Today I'm rather shamelessly linking up to this month's EBEW, which just happen's to be coloured tights! I have missed the last few link ups for these, so was very much looking forward to participating in this one (as you know my unnatural love for tights). Unfortunately we are in Spring here in Australia & experiencing some warmer weather, which makes wearing tights rather unbearable. Therefore, I thought I would do a recollection of some of my favourite outfits featuring coloured tights. Definitely think some mustard tights are on my shopping list for Autumn next year ...

On Campus: Stripes & Scarfs ...

2011-11-09T23:49:00.000+11:00

Top: Miss Shop, Skirt: Witchery, Scarf: Witchery, Belt: Target, Shoes: Harris Scarf

You know the weather is warming up here in Australia when I'm not wearing tights, yet not that warm I'm still wearing a scarf. In fact, this day is what I would call "the weather can't make up it's mind" or "if you don't like the weather, just wait 10 minutes" day. I never know how to dress on these days for fear of freezing to death from wearing too little or fainting from being too overdressed. So I figure freezing my bottom half (potentially), whilst my top half is toasty (potentially) is a small price to pay for indecisive weather.

What's your go to outfit formula on these days?

Academic Attire: Keepin' It Country ....

2011-11-05T21:18:00.000+11:00

Shirt: Cotton On, Cardigan: Country Road, Jeans: Sass & Bide, Belt: Sportsgirl, Boots: Sandler

Today was a 4 hour round trip to do a presentation in the country. Not that I mind as I always enjoy the drive. I was feeling a bit country in this shirt today. I had been after a blue checkered shirt for a while after seeing Tania and Kendi style them so lovely. Whilst shopping for some new 'work shirts' last week & found this little number. And when I took it through the checkout it was half price! I love it when that happens. So be prepared to see alot of this shirt in the coming months. I suspect I'm going to become a repeat offender ...

On Campus: Fancy Pants ...

2011-11-05T20:42:00.000+11:00

Dress: thrifted, Cardigan: Country Road, Brooch: Great Grandmother's

Hello poor neglected blog!

Just a quick post this weekend. Life seems to be busier than usual & there has been little time to blog (let alone take outfit photos, even if they take less than 2 mins). Here is an outfit from a couple of weeks ago when I attended a presentation for a a grant I was fortunate to win recently. This basically means I have some extra cash towards my research & a little extra to live on (& maybe some to buy a new dress?!).

On a side note, I have decided to grow my bangs out for summer. Sweaty bangs are not a good look. So this is the last time you will be seeing them ... until autumn that is!

Off campus @ My Modern Vintage ...

2011-10-31T19:05:00.000+11:00

Hi all! I'm guesting blogging over at Ilana's blog

My Modern Vintage today. You can check it out here.

Guest Lecturer: Nadine from Time to Shine ...

2011-10-30T23:50:00.000+11:00

Hello readers of Elegantly Academic!

I'm Nadine, 26 years of age, student of English studies and

Media Communication and I blog over at Time 2 Shine.

I like music and movies a lot, also I love frozen yogurt and pasta equally as much. I tend to dramatize tiny, little problems and I really enjoy rambling about these to anyone who wants to listen - or not. This is why I started to write this blog in the first place, but over time blogging really

took my heart and now it's an important part of my life. I would have never imagined how much joy it would bring into my life - namely meeting you guys from all over the world!

Anyways, there are loads of things I like to write about. Let me think. There would be my love for TV series (Hart of Dixie, newest addiction), my passion for books, my obsession for all things

Australia... In fact, even though many Australians keep on calling Adelaide a boring, slow country town, I fell in love with that pretty place on earth and want to go back as soon as I've finished university! It's always so lovely to get little peeks of the city at Kelly's blog.

I'd be happy to meet you. Feel free to say hello...

blog // twitter // tumblr // pinterest

Off Campus @ Time to Shine ...

2011-10-29T13:31:00.000+11:00

Hi all! I'm guesting blogging over at Nadine's blog
Time to Shine today. You can check it out here.

Also, this weekend I'm introducing you to some of my blogging buddies, starting off with Cait's post. If you interested in doing a guest post on my blog or vice versa, drop me a line!

Guest Lecturer: Cait from Sailing to Nowhere ...

2011-10-28T21:01:00.000+11:00

Hi there, I'm Cait from Sailing to Nowhere and I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to guest post here at Elegantly Academic.

I blog about my personal style and other loves over at my blog and I thought I would share a little outfit post with you today. I have had this dress remix in mind for a while now with this cute summer dress but since it is officially autumn now in the UK I won't be wearing it anytime soon.

Guest posting for Kelly has given me the perfect opportunity to show you my versatile summer dress worn four different ways. I dedicate this post to all of you in the southern hemisphere enjoying sunny spring weather.

For more outfits and plenty of other things pop over to my blog and say hi, I'd love to meet you :)

On Campus: Scarfs in Spring ...

2011-10-26T23:04:00.000+11:00

Dress: Ruche, Cardigan: Cotton On, Belt: Target, Scarf: Witchery, Shoes: Harris Scarf

Second behind my unatural love for tights (as I have professed on this blog numerous times), is my unatural love for scarfs. How many scarfs can one person own? Not too many in my book! And since we are suppose to be in Spring, I have opted for a scarf instead of tights on this slightly chilly Spring day.

The week that was ...

2011-10-24T23:31:00.000+11:00

- Halloween pumpkins & acting like a responsible grown up whilst grocery shopping!
- Baby shower presents & party favours.
- First ice block of Spring.
- Drug of choice.
- New dress brought from Delightfully Tacky.
- Stripe buttons for some DIY projects.

- Keeping myself entertained on a Saturday morning.
- Saturday afternoon drink at the Bucket & Spade Bar.
- Watching my boyfriend sail.
- Bunny in the burbs!
- New shoes, a new book & vintage polka dot dress.

Hope you had a beautiful week ...

P.S. if you would like to follow me on Instagram (you can download it to your iPhone for free, if you haven't already)
you can find me under 'elegantly_academic'. If you don't an iPhone, I always upload my photos to my Twitter.

Pink & parasols ...

2011-10-20T00:10:00.000+11:00

Dress: Blue Juice (thrifted), Cardigan: Country Road, Tights: eBay, Shoes: Sandler, Brooch

More over exposed photos ... whoops! This dress is actually pink in the 'real world'. I wore this outfit about a week ago now. The weather has finally warmed up here in South Australia. The last couple of days it has been a beautiful 30 degrees centigrade. And with the arrival of the warmer weather, my hayfever has also kicked in too ... sniff.

On an interesting side note, we had an earthquake here in Adelaide over night. Only a little one. My boyfriend slept right through it & didn't believe me when I woke him. Clearly not too concerned ... my hero.

Spring florals ...

2011-10-17T22:11:00.000+11:00

Dress: vintage (& customised with vintage buttons), thrifted, Cardigan: Country Road, Shoes: Rivers, thrifted, Socks: eBay, Sunglasses: eBay

I just don't know what is up with the weather here in Adelaide at the moment. It's like we have spring time weather for a day & then winter comes back again for several days in a row. I wish it would make up it's mind! On a nicer note, this is what I wore on one of the days it decided to be spring. Spring weather always puts me in the mood for florals, so I decided to wear this floral vintage dress. This is another beauty I picked up from a second hand (thrift) shop in my parents home town of Cairns. Although, I felt it was a little plain, so I raided my mum's button box & added some cute vintage buttons to the front. I do that alot with clothes: change/add buttons ... what can I say, it's my thing.

Cambridge Satchel ...

2011-10-15T14:13:00.000+11:00

Top: Miss Shop, Skirt: thrifted & customised w. vintage buttons, Bag: Cambridge Satchel Co. in Neon Yellow

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win a neon bag from the Cambridge Satchel Co. I have been wanting a satchel for what seems like forever, so you can imagine I was over the moon when I won! But it got better ... not only did they let me pick the colour, but also embossed my initials on the front of the bag for me! And the bag was posted out to me in no time too.

Although I have to admit, the neon yellow is very bright & I was concerned it would not fit into my existing wardrobe. But after doing some 'research' on pinterest so see what other people had paired their neon yellow satchels with, I decided to go with a simple black, white & grey combo.

Frocktober ...

2011-10-12T20:32:00.000+11:00

Dress: vintage (eBay), Cardigan: Country Road, Shoes: Rivers, Tights: eBay

This month is Frocktober!

Frocktober is a fundraising event held across Australia where participants wear frocks for the month of October to raise funds for Ovarian Cancer. I really wanted to participate this year, but I have just started a part-time job where wearing a frock is definitely not an option (unfortunately). Whilst I could have still participated by wearing frocks on my days off, it was all or nothing for me. But when my good blogger friend Anna from Much Love (who IS wearing a frock for the entire month of October) asked me to particpate in a post with other bloggers & their favourite frocks, I jumped at the chance! You can see the post here .

Anna is already half way to raising her nominated amount of $500 (whoo!). If you would like to support the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, please go here to make a donation.

Much Love to you!

xoxo

The week that was ...

2011-10-10T18:47:00.000+11:00

- An autumn inspired outfit for an Australian spring.

- Reaching 100 followers on instagram.
- Back to Ikea. I'm pretty sure we brought lights but I just remember being distracted by pretty things & $1 icecreams.
- Finished off a couple of sewing / DIY projects.
- Brought myself some hipster sunglasses. My boyfriend is not impressed.
- Beautiful sunrise.
- Found a stash of Ikea chocolates in my bag put there for safe keeping (note: no chocolate is safe around me).
- Dinner: a bowl of MSG.
- Pink dress + grey tights.
- The most awesome giveaway I have won so far: a yellow Cambridge Satchel Co. bag.
- And some spontaneously thrifted lovelies.

Same but different ...

2011-10-07T10:24:00.000+11:00

Top: Miss Shop, Myer, Skirt: vintage, Scarf: Witchery, Tights: eBay, Shoes: Sandler

This outfit is quite similar to this one and even though it's not overly exciting, I took photos of it so I figured I might as well blog it. One thing that annoys me about this photo is my scarf. No matter what, I just can't seem to find an interesting way to tie scarfs. Mental note: find cool scarf tutorials. If you guys know of any, please send them my way. A second thing that comes to mind about this scarf is its colour: blue ... & the fact my skirt has green in it. I don't know if you have every heard this saying, but my mum used to say: "Blue & green should never been seen"; meaning you were breaking some major fashion rule if you wore the two colours together. But surely that doesn't hold up anymore? Not with the current trend of colour blocking ... do you follow any of these older fashion rules?

Off campus ...

2011-10-05T22:12:00.000+11:00

Hi all ... I'm guest posting for Hannah's blog She Could Be a Pharmer in Those Clothes whilst she is in Italy for a conference (lucky girl!). You can read the guest post here.

Weekend lunch ...

2011-10-04T19:44:00.000+11:00

Dress: Navy Notion (Modcloth), Scarf: thrifted, school fete, Belt: thrifted, school fete, Boots: Sandler

I discovered another great thing about fishtail braids ... they give lovely, soft waves the day after wearing them. Well, for me it did anyway.

This is what I wore out to lunch with some friends at the weekend. I really loved this outfit when I was wearing it, but looking at these photos I feel like I'm channelling my inner cowgirl ... but I did wear a black cardigan over this dress at the time, which I think toned down the ye-ha factor a bit.

Speaking of lunch ... this particular day I ate a chicken salad, which might not seem overly exciting. But anyone who knows me well, knows that I am very much a schnitzel & chips kind of girl (& I always considered the side salad you usually get as 'garnish'). And I still am that girl, but I'm just trying to make healthier choices these days. Just thought I'd shared that little tid bit. What's your healthy go to meal when eating out?

Off campus ...

2011-10-03T11:50:00.000+11:00

Hi all ... I'm guest posting for Sophie's blog Her Library Adventures today, whilst she travels around New York (lucky girl!). You can read the guest post here .

The week that was ...

2011-10-02T13:19:00.000+11:00

- Wondering if it is wrong to be clucky over itty bitty strawberries.
- In need of a fringe trim.
- Caffine + cookies: essential study fuel.
- Spring weather no where to be seen.
- Vintage dress, oxfords + socks.
- Night out at a art deco cinema.
- Signs of spring & finally some spring weather.
- And the perfect Friday night!

Hope you had a beautiful week ...

P.S. if you would like to follow me on Instagram (you can download it to your iPhone for free, if you haven't already)
you can find me under 'elegantly_academic'. If you don't an iPhone, I always upload my photos to my Twitter.

Cherry on top ...

2011-10-01T11:47:00.000+10:00

Shirt: vintage, thrifted, Skirt: Third Millenium, Shoes: Alannah Hill, Direct Factory Outlet

These photos are a little bit over-exposed ... whoops!

This vintage, cherry embroidered shirt is from a second-hand (thrift) shop in my parents hometown of Cairns, Queensland. I don't get to go to second-hand shops as often as I would like in my own hometown of Adelaide, but I always go when I visit my parents ... they just seem to have the best stuff in the one's near them! And this was my first attempt at a fishtail braid, which are actually alot easier than they look & not that time consuming (depending on how much of a perfectionist you are, of course). My hair doesn't seem to stay up in a normal plait & I was pleasantly surprised this did ... yeah for me!

The laziness in me ...

2011-09-29T21:53:00.000+10:00

Shirt: Modcloth, Jeans: Sass & Bide, Belt: Sportsgirl, Shoes: Alannah Hill, Direct Factory Outlet, Necklace: can't remember, had for donkeys ...

I wear several outfits a week I don't consider 'blog-worthy' or I just can't be bothered blogging them (call it laziness disease). This was going to be one of them. I just couldn't be bothered this day ... but as I went to walk out of the house I felt like a scruff. So I tucked my shirt in, put on a pretty necklace, changed my shoes & put my hair up ... & felt a little less scruffy. And since I put in all that effort to not feel scruffy, I thought that was pretty damn blog-worthy. So, here you have it: one of my lazy outfits.

What's your go to lazy yet presentable outfit?

Channelling ...

2011-09-28T22:25:00.000+10:00

Dress: thrifted, school fete, Belt: thrifted, school fete, Scarf: thrifted, yard sale, Socks: Miss Shop, Myer, Boots: Sandler

Sometimes I put together an outfit & it seems like I have subconsciously channelled another fashion bloggers style without realising it. This outfit feels like a cross between Veronika from Tick Tock Vintage and Melanie from Idee Geniale. Except I need milk maid braids, but couldn't be bothered doing them. I'm actually wearing socks in this outfit, which I thought were knee high when I brought them. Turns out they are thigh high. I have never been much of a fan of thigh high socks, but I'm kind of loving these. Part of me really wants to say that these socks found me rather than the other way around. And then I remember that I'm suppose to be a serious PhD student & I should be thinking deeply about thesis related matters, not clothes. Moral of the story: accidently brought something that I never thought I would & liked it. Has that ever happened to you?

The week that was ...

2011-09-25T22:29:00.000+10:00

As the saying goes: a picture tells a thousand words ...

Like many bloggers I love sharing my (somewhat boring) daily activities via Instagram. Since not all of you have an iPhone, I thought I would share some of my weekly activities on here. This may or may not become a weekly feature (i.e. whether or not I can be bothered to download photos from my phone on a Sunday).

Bright & colourful bow tie (giveaway prize) arrived from Skunkboy Creatures during the week (L). Now just need to work out how to tie it!
My first attempt at a fishtail braid (R) ...

Minestrone soup (L). This is how I get all the vegies I should have eaten during the week in one square meal!

A spring time sunset on campus (R).

Some flowers out in bloom on campus (L).

Takeaway sushi for dinner Saturday night (R) ... eaten in my PJs. Yep, us PhD students know how to party on a Saturday night!

Saturday lunch with three of my best friends, two of which are pregnant (L)!

Weekend wear: favourite sunnies & vintage scarf (R).

Sunday: dragged out of bed at the butt crack of dawn by my boyfriend to go see some classic cars (L & R), with the promise of a free breakfast. Guess which one I was more interested in?

Hope you had a beautiful week ...

P.S. if you would like to follow me on Instagram (you can download it to your iPhone for free, if you haven't already)
you can find me under 'elegantly_academic'. If you don't an iPhone, I always upload my photos to my Twitter.

Spring can wait for this coat ...

2011-09-23T20:36:00.000+10:00

Coat: thrifted, school fete, Dress: Portmans, Cardigan: stolen from mum, Shoes: Modcloth, Tights: Myer (can't remember the brand, but wish I had because they a super soft & comfortable)

The fact that Spring doesn't seem to be playing nice isn't all bad. I get to continue wearing tights, which I have a unnatural love for. And I get to continue wearing my recently acquired & now favourite coat before the weather permanently warms up. I also found a new place in our small yard to take outfit photographs. I'm not brave enough to take them in the 'real world' & my hat goes off to anyone who does. Unfortunately, with the recent rain we have had, the garden was a little more muddy than I realised ... after I had walked back in the house. Good thing we have floorboards. Sometimes I think I'm destined to be an absent minded Professor.

In love ...

2011-09-22T22:32:00.000+10:00

Shirt: Modcloth, Skirt: Third Millenium, Tights: eBay, Shoes: Sandler, Umbrella: market stall, Sydney

I know its probably wrong (& a little up myself) to admit, but I was very much in love with my outfit this day. I loved the pink/red tones & it just felt 'very me' (whatever that may be). Unfortunately, Spring was taking a break this particular day & the forecast was for rain. As a grabbed my umbrella to leave the house, I realised that it matched my outfit perfectly ... so what better excuse than to photograph myself posing with it.

Off Campus ...

2011-09-21T11:45:00.000+10:00

I'm guest blogging over at Lyndall's blog Royal Milk Tea today. Check it out here (& be sure to wish Lyndall a happy birthday too!)

Spring for a second ...

2011-09-20T22:49:00.000+10:00

Jacket: Portmans, Tee: Kmart, Skirt: Modcloth Radiate Goodness, Shoes: Sandler, Sunglasses: eBay

I have just been sitting here for about 20 minutes trying to figure out a witty little observation that can accompany these photos, but I think my thesis is draining my creative energy. All I have is an observation of the weather ... These photos were taken at the weekend when Spring was in full swing, but it seems the spring weather has taken a holiday & I'm currently sitting here in a winter coat. And tights ... boy, I love tights!

What Would a Nerd Wear part 2 ...

2011-09-18T22:57:00.000+10:00

Cardigan: eBay, Shirt: Just Jeans, Skirt: Witchery, Shoes: Sandler, Tights: eBay

If there's a part 1, naturally there is going to be a part 2 ... this outfit is inspired by this outfit of Tania's. I wore this a couple of days ago & can't remember if anything exciting happened that day (in other words, if I can't remember anything exciting happening then there's a good chance nothing did). Oh, the exciting life of a PhD student ... How was your week?

Academically Inspired: Laptop Bags ...

2011-09-16T23:13:00.000+10:00

Multi colored handbag, $60, Polka dot handbag, $60, Feather than the Best Laptop Sleeve, $36,

Chickadee Delight Laptop Case in Sunbeam, $35

I plan on buying a new laptop soon. In fact, I have been planning on buying on for months, but I'm a little attached to my current one. If it wasn't for the fact it likes to crash on me every now and then, I wouldn't be replacing it at all ... But its a good excuse to buy a new laptop bag. Here are a few of my favourites ...

What Would a Nerd Wear ... part 1.

2011-09-15T19:17:00.000+10:00

Shirt: Just Jeans, Cardigan: eBay, Jeans: Sass & Bide (via eBay), Boots: Sandler

Today's outfit is inspired by this outfit of Tania's. I loved it so much that I wore it for a couple of day's in a row (major style blogging sin!) & is also the outfit I wore under my new coat in the previous post. It's funny, but everytime I wear this color I often get people tell me how much it suits me. Of all the colours to suit me I never thought it would be mustard, but I'm not complaining because it is definitely my favourite colour at the moment.

Typical Sunday ...

2011-09-13T22:31:00.000+10:00

Coat: school fete, Shirt: Just Jeans, Jeans: Sass & Bide (via eBay), Boots: Sandler

Let me introduce you to my little friend ... my awesome new coat! If you follow me on twitter or instagram you may already be familar with this coat. I brought it at a school fete Shane & I went to Sunday morning. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it & proceeded to not take it off for the rest of the day. I also brought some books including several 1920s & 1930s editions of National Geographic. We eat cake pops & sausages (the second best thing about school fetes). Then we got rained on heading back to the car, hence why my hair is a bit curly. And this is pretty much a typical Sunday for me ... how was your weekend?

Tights & chairs ...

2011-09-12T22:32:00.000+10:00

Top: Cotton On, Skirt: Third Millenium, Trench: Just Jeans (w. customized vintage buttons), Shoes: Wittner, Tights: eBay, Brooch: Salamanca Markets

Even though its spring there is still a bit of a chill in the air, which I'm not too fussed about because I love wearing tights (if you hadn't already noticed). I have been spending alot of time in the library lately, as I find it easier to concentrate when there are people around me working. And I managed to match my tights to the lovely maroon coloured chairs in the library (not on purpose, of course). Maybe I'm spending so much time in the library I'm starting to turn into a piece of the furniture ... hmmm.

Today's Lesson: archaeology ...

2011-09-10T17:02:00.000+10:00

Gemma Correll

Archaeologists don't dig dinosaurs. Paleontologists do. That is all.

The floral tablecoth ...

2011-09-07T20:50:00.000+10:00

Dress (worn as top): Urban Outfitters, Skirt: Alannah Hill (via eBay), Tights: Myer, Shoes: Sandler

This is the oufit I was originally going to wear after I coloured my hair, because I know the green would really make the colour 'pop' (hmmm ... surely there's a more academic term I could be using), but then I had about 57 hair freak outs ... Yeah, you know of this rest of story.

So, where does the inspiration for this outfit come? I'm so glad you asked! I actually saw a photo of a floral tablecloth and a girl wearing a green dress sitting next to it & I thought: "Hmmm, I like that combination" ... Yep, I'm deep like that.

Spot the Difference ...

2011-09-07T08:48:00.000+10:00

It's always a little exciting to see another blogger wearing the same piece of clothing as you, which is not unusually given that many bloggers buy pieces of clothing after seeing them on another blog (guilty as charged!). So imagine my suprise when I checked Elanor's blog yesterday to discover her wearing the same (or very, very similar) vintage skirt I was wearing a few days earlier ... Yes, I got a little more than excited. There may have been squeels.

P.S. Loving the way she wore it with the vintage brown belt ...