Pumpkin Spice

You gals are all just the best.  Have you *seen* the love everyone is pouring out on each other?  It's a total feel-good fest all up in Fashion Week. 

Truthfully, I have yet to imbibe pumpkin spice anything this autumn season (shocking!), but it seemed like the right name for this outfit.   

 

I love that skirt.  It looks all stiff and woolen, but it's actually very soft, and nubbly.  Can't go wrong with the bias cut, either -- hangs like a straight skirt, but lets you walk.

Blouse: thrifted | Necklace: clothing swap | Skirt: thrifted | Shoes: Clarks

Not much more to say about this, it's a pretty standard work outfit.  Though, I must mention that it is exhausting having to dress like a professional adult every.single.day.  I can't decide if that's made better or worse by the fact that I have limited options, with two pairs of dress pants and two, maybe three pairs of shoes that don't kill my feet to be standing all day.  I know nurses wear those so-ugly-but-everyone's-in-scrubs-anyway Dansko clogs; how do teachers and other who walk all day do it, without resorting to sneakers?

Mirror crud, sorry, but it shows so nicely most of the colors in the skirt.  Perfect for autumn, with a pumpkin spice whatsitcalled...

I hope you haven't gotten your fall fashion fix yet, because there's a whole lot more happening and the party's at Deanna's.  Have fun!

Spring Fashion Week - Friday

Aw shuck, gals, it's been another lovely fashion week.  Not going to lie, I'm already looking forward to the next one...

Dress: Shabby Apple | Plaid shirt: thrifted | Shoes: Target

I missed yesterday and scrambled for today because of final exams -- but now, done!  My didactic education is over!  There's the board exam, and then I'm out on the wards for clinical rotations -- I'm halfway through medical school!

Yeah...wish I actually felt that exuberant.  Leaving my last exam, a professor asked if I had anything fun planned, quickly followed with "Do you even remember what fun is?"  My gut response was "Well, I know what sleep is, and these days they're about the same..."

Thanks again to Deanna at Delirious Rhapsody for hosting this fashion week!  You gals are the best.

Not-June Bugs

While many friends are bemoaning winter's refusal to give up the ghost, here in the Bay Area the past week or so has been positively summery.  I don't remember our previous springs here being this glorious, so perhaps this bodes well for a warm summer?

Occasion: clinicals with kids

 My apologies for the dark photos (and manic expressions?) -- snapped these on my way out the door for class because I just loved what I was wearing and knew it was going to be a long day.  Our clinical lab this week was the last one (!) before we're out on rotations for real -- intimidating thought! -- and they were Well-Child Checks, with real kids!  I felt a bit like I was channeling my inner kindergarten teacher in this get-up, but I'd have worn it even if we were working with adults.  The skirt is a recent thrifting score, and (like my green pants) it made my eyes go wide with "I must have it!" delight when I saw it.

Shirt: Banana Republic, thrifted | Skirt: (vintage!) Talbots, thrifted | Shoes: Naya, via dbShoes

I was also pleased to see that the skirt was the exact same color as an orangey-red top I have.  My usual inclination would be to wear it with white or black, or possibly rich blue or mustard yellow, but the monochrome look was fun -- how could it not be, in that super-bright shade?! -- and I think it made what is undeniably a quirky, personality-full garment a bit more professionally-appropriate.

Anything fun brightening up your closet recently?  Do tell!

Edited to add: linking up with the first day of Spring Fashion Week over at Delirious Rhapsody!  Snuck up on me this time, what with finals starting in a couple of days(!).  I'll be more on the ball for the rest of 'em!

Inspiration Gone Awry

I have long admired the look of a blousey top tucked into trouser jeans.  If that description leaves you raising an eyebrow in disbelief, allow me to illustrate:

Sources: Feathers & Freckles | Kendi Everyday | What Would a Nerd Wear

See?  Such a nice change from the skinny jeans that seem to be all we see, right?  Seems like it would be an easy look to emulate and make work for oneself, doesn't it?  So please, help me tease out the differences between those above, and this one here:

Trouser jeans: thrifted | Blouse: thrifted | Sweater: Kimchi Blue, thrifted (seen here) | Shoes: b.o.c., thrifted (seen here) | Earrings: Target | Belt: Target | Watch: plundered from the mister

I only caught a glimpse in the mirror before snapping that shot and setting off on my day.  Everything wore comfortably, but compared to my inspiration photos, it just feels frumpy.  I have a few suspicions about how to get closer to what I was aiming for: a sweater that hangs more openly and reaches the top of the inseam, thereby skimming the hips; and pants that are flared rather than true wide-legged trousers, as these are.  I absolutely love the way my professional-wear, dress-pant trousers fit -- such a nice, fluid drape -- but these denim ones are much more stiff.

How do you translate fashion inspiration into sartorial success?  What kinds of tweaking do you find yourself doing to make something look or feel just the way you'd hoped?

Welcome!

Welcome!  You have found Phenotype: fabulous, an experiment in nature vs. nuture, self-expression, and sartorial sisterhood.  We are students, teachers, dancers, healers.  We are challenging ourselves and others to love and care for the bodies we've got, and to look and feel great doing so.

 

Occasion:  a full day of lectures, and volunteering at a free clinic in the evening

I like schooldays that consist only of lectures without labs, because they are free of the dress code requirements imposed by the various lab activities.  Unlike undergrad, where I not infrequently donned the college uniform of sweatpants or other glorified pajamas (to my credit, I usually did wear real clothes on days when I had class later than 9am), in medical school I feel like dressing with intentionality helps get me in the right mindset to learn.  This is a professional degree program; hence, I am a Professional Student (truer words never spoken...).  Might as well look the part.

 

These jeans make me happy -- I really like the way they fit, the way they feel.  They're fairly high-waisted (nearly up to my umbilicus belly-button) and a narrow bootcut.  The cherry on top?  I found them in perfect condition at a thrift shop.  In fact, everything (except underpinnings) in this outfit was second-hand, and the [oh-so-wonderful!] socks were a gift.

Orange sweater: thrifted | Grey sweater: Kimchi Blue, thrifted | Belt: thrifted | Jeans: BandolinoBlu, thrifted | Shoes: b.o.c., thrifted | Socks: REI merino hikers

It's been my pleasure to introduce Phenotype: fabulous to the world.  Our other lovely contributors will debut throughout the week.  However, I do want to take this opportunity to give a shoutout to one: my little sister, who is turning 18 today.

Happy birthday, 'doodles!  Hard to believe that 18 years ago you came into this world, and subsequently I almost missed the school bus for the very first time.  You're a goof, you're a doll, and I'm so proud of the young woman you are becoming.

Cheers,
katie