How to Dress Like a Gentleman and a Scholar

Greetings Readers!

I love featuring friends on this blog. What can I say- I have great friends, and I love bragging about them to the world. Today, it is my pleasure to introduce you all to my friend Eric. Eric is a public speaking instructor, graduate student, entrepreneur, gentleman, and the best dressed man in St. Louis (in my opinion).

Yesterday morning, I photographed Eric in his office and classroom and later interviewed him about his outfit, style, and his website. Here is the interview, followed by Eric's retail details:

Laura (me): First of all, you are one of the best dressed people who I know! How do you do it? (ie: Where do you get your inspiration? Where do you like to shop?)

Eric: Well thanks! I'm pretty simple when it comes to clothing, I put my pants on one leg at a time like everyone else. I just make sure those pants are Citizen's. To be totally honest, a lot of my inspiration comes from my sister. I had no fashion sense growing up and she took me under her wing and she still picks out a lot of stuff for me. So I've learned quite a bit from her. I typically shop at J. Crew, I get lots of shirts and sweaters from them. Jeans are typically from Nordstrom's, Citizen's are the only jeans I've found in a long time that are long enough for me, and I've got a thing for Cole Haan shoes.

L: How would you define your style? (This can be a few words, sentence/s, however long you chose to articulate this answer)

E: I think my style is pretty simple. I try to be pretty classic. I don't wear a lot of "trendy" stuff (no jeggings). The biggest thing with guys clothing is just wearing things that actually fit. I really don't feel like I put tons of effort into what I wear, I just make sure the stuff I buy is the right size. A proper fit and a little color go along way.

L: Does being a public speaking instructor influence your style? If so, how?

E: I think teaching plays a role in my wardrobe. I need clothes that I can teach in, but I can't afford to buy a whole separate closet full of "teacher" clothes. So over the last couple years I've combined my personal style with my work attire. Lots of button downs and sweaters.

L: What kind of story/narrative do you tell through your style? Through this outfit?

E: Hmmmm, I typically strive to convey a look that gets people to think, "Hey, he looks friendly and I bet he could find Monaco on a map".

L: Speaking of stories. . . tell me more about the website you recently launched (rateyourpatdown.com). Why is it important that airline passengers are able to have a place where they can voice their stories?

E: I think a lot of people have issues with pat-downs because they have to give up control in a sense. They don't have any power in the situation, so by creating a space that allows people to share their experiences, I hope that gives people a little bit of that power back. Maybe they can't do anything about it in the moment, but afterwards they have a place to speak their mind.

L: What advice would you give to other guys about style and fashion?

E: Wear clothing that fits. Don't be afraid of shirts that have color or patterns (that doesn't mean run out and buy some Tommy Bahama stuff) but try something other than a basic white dress shirt. Also, I usually like to have two layers, so if I have a button down I typically like a sweater, vest, or jacket over it. Also, invest in a decent pair of shoes. I think shoes say a lot about a person.

L: How do you find clothing that is long enough? I know that it's difficult for taller women to find clothing- what is the world of shopping like for a tall man?

E: Oh man, finding clothing that fits is a challenge. I tend to befriend places that do alterations. Brooks Brothers alters my shirts when I buy them, because typically to get them to fit in the arms they need to take in the waist. Jeans are even harder, when I find a jean style that fits I usually buy as many colors as I can at that time because I never know when I'll find a pair that fit again. Usually only happens every couple of years haha.

L: Is there anything else you would like to add?

E: Find good deals on clothes. I have expensive tastes, but I use sites like Gilt.com to get really good deals. I've purchases two pairs of Cole Haan's through them for over 50% off. You gotta be quick (like a few seconds after they go on sale), but the it's worth the effort to get a $200 pair of shoes for $95. Thanks Laura!

Retail Details:

Navy Blue Blazer: J. Crew

Blue Checked Shirt: Ralph Lauren

Jeans: Citizens of Humanity

Watch: Fossil

Shoes: Cole Haan

Shades: Mosely Tribes

Thanks for the interview Eric!

On Speaking with Confidence and Conviction. . .

Here is a YouTube video that I showed my students on Friday. . .

I'll let the video speak for itself!

http://www.youtube.com/v/hnjJvzprjN0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3

Purple, Polka Dots, and Positive Feedback

Hello Readers!

As many of you may know, I love teaching Public Speaking- I absolutely love it. Friday, however, my enthusiasm and passion was weighed against my actual ability to teach- and it turns out that I am good at something that I love to do! My supervisor visited one of my classes and took notes on how I ran my class- and I received really positive feedback from her.

To calm my nerves before my evaluation, I decided to select an outfit that would (yet again), tell a story. A story about a confident, fun, and smart teacher, and this is what I came up with:

I think it turned out pretty well, because I felt those things (confidence, fun, intelligent) when I taught my class on Friday. My supervisor even gave me positive feedback on my outfit- which was also wonderful!

Here is a bigger picture of the outfit, along with my retail details:

Black Floral Headband: J. Crew

Heathered Grey Cardigan: Banana Republic (my classrooms are always so cold!)

Dunder Mifflin Mug: Target (The 1-Spot)

Black Short-Sleeve Tee- Banana Republic

Purple, Black and Ivory Silk Skirt: Anthropologie

Black (almost) Opaque Tights: J. Crew

Black Heels: Banana Republic

Ms. H. . . The Teacher

I. LOVE. TO. TEACH!

For those who already know me, you probably already know this- but I want to tell the rest of you how much I enjoy this endeavor. I spend many summers, including this past summer, teaching swim lessons- but this semester I get to teach Public Speaking to two sections of undergraduate students. I absolutely love the teaching process (lesson plans, office hours, providing feedback, etc), but my biggest surprise (so far) has been how awesome my students are.

While I am sure that many Teaching Assistants, during their first semester of teaching, think very highly of their students; I am convinced that I have the best bunch of students enrolled in Public Speaking at my university. But really, I do have the best. :) Over the past few weeks I've learned about their interests, hobbies, social lives, and even their goals and aspirations. For the most part, they are on time, participate in class discussions, greet me with smiles and sometimes waves when they see me on campus, and they care about each other. Each of my classes has created a feeling of community- this is probably what I love most about my students. I could talk about their wonderfulness for hours, but- since this IS a fashion blog, I will move on.

In addition to the awesomeness of my students, another part of my job that I enjoy is dressing, or learning how to dress, like a teacher. My previous roles as a teacher took place in aquatic centers, so I've come a long way from my days of a swim suit, flip flops, sunscreen, and sunglasses. It's been fun mixing and matching trousers, sweaters, blouses, shirts, skirts, dresses, tights, shoes, etc- but for the most part I've been rather conservative. This week, on Monday, I decided to try something a bit braver, and a bit bolder. This look is inspired by the equestrian look that I am beginning to see more and more often this season (I much prefer this look over the dreadful pirate-y look from a few falls ago).

Anyways, I am curious. . .

What do you all think of this outfit? Is it a hit or a miss? (Pictured above, without coat, and below, with coat).

Winter-white cropped coat: Old Navy (2 winters ago, but they have a similar one this fall)

White silk pleated blouse: Banana Republic (Summer 2007, from way back when)

Shamrock-green cashmere blend sweater: American Eagle Outfitters (thank you Mom!)

Chalkboard-grey lace-trim tank: American Eagle Outfitters

Black skinny dress pants: The Gap (this season)

Black sliver-wedge heel boots: Anne Klein (from Bergner's

**Extra Credit Question (in honor of upcoming Mid-Term exams on campus)

What would YOU do if you saw your instructor running down the halls like this:

Would you:

a) Avoid eye contact and keep moving, away

b) Capture the moment using the camera/videocamera on your phone

c) Call Campus Security

d) Join in on the fun, and also run down the hall

Thank you Margaret H. for taking these photos!

The End of Summer and the Beginning of Fall (Semester)

While the summer season persists (with high temperatures and humidity), summer ended for me and many this week. Yes, summer is over and the school year is here. I've looked forward to the first week of school almost every year of my academic career, but this year I looked forward to this week for a new reason because this year I am teaching! This summer, I was able to work as a swim instructor (the best summer job!)- but this is my first time as an instructor at the college level. I am (only) a TA, but I get to teach 2 sections of Public Speaking this year. So far, I've had two sessions, and each of those sessions have gone really well! I'm sure that I'll talk about this more in the future, but I mention this change/opportunity as an explanation in some changes that you will see in my blog. In addition to the casual outfits I usually post, I will also post outfits that are more professional and work-appropriate. So. . . something new to look forward to!!!

In other news, I recently moved into a new apartment! This is another change that you may notice in my future posts. I feel much safer in my new apartment, and it is so much quieter- I love it!

More about this outfit that you see above and below. . . I believe that I took this picture when I first began packing. I should explain that the inner tubes (from Target) are used because I was deflating them, and I realized that they went well with my shirt; and the goggles (in the photo below, by Speedo) were in the same closet as the inner tubes. Because staying hydrated is an important summer priority, I also threw in a bottle of sparking raspberry-lime water from Trader Joe's. Everything else is fairly normal, but I thought explanations of the unusual items were needed- just in case any of you were concerned that I "lost my marbles" so to speak. Anyways, the first photo reflects my new favorite outfit. As August cools down, my jeans are marking more and more appearances with lightweight summer shirts that have been staple items of this summer. I could wear this outfit to dinner with friends, shopping, or even at a family get-together. Here's the run-down of this outfit:

Fake pearl earrings- Target

Rhinestone bib necklace- American Eagle Outfitters (currently on clearance for 7 dollars)

Pale blue, pleated, knit top- C. Keer (from Anthropologie)

White lace tank top- Aerie (Summer 2009)

Dark rinse skinny jeans- Abercrombie & Fitch ("Erin" fit)

Purple and blue flip flops- Ipanema (very, very comfortable!)

For those of you starting new semesters, preparing to start new semesters, and for anyone getting ready for the upcoming change in season- I wish you all fresh beginnings and renewed enthusiasm! And, as always, remember to stay hydrated!