We complement each other. That is really why we started this blog. While we each have our own unique styles (and they keep changing…), we can recognize a good outfit when it fits. It is no surprise then that we like some of the same designers including Phoebe Philo, Victoria Beckham &C.
Yen: I’m a big accessories person, so Phoebe Philo is definitely on top of my list. Her vision for creating minimalist style for the modern woman for Céline really revolutionized fashion and set a high standard to timeless styles. I also appreciate the idea behind W Concept that makes independent designers accessible.
Accessibility, as you’ll see, is a big deal to me. Getting to the ivory tower that is academia was in some ways a dream because its esoteric nature made me feel like I “made it.” But being in that space created such a disconnect with the things I enjoyed and the tastes I acquired, fashion included. Whether this is true or just my imagination, I felt there was a certain profile to those who fit and belonged in the ivory tower, and that profile was boring AF. I didn’t only want to wear slacks to teach and I didn’t always want to talk about Hegel. Ivory class, to me, challenges that profile by creating a space to talk about fashion in the workplace (academia included), to finally give that tower a slippery edge.
If only we wore the same sizes, our closets would be doubled…
Mags: I’m a shoe addict; NO lie. Some of my favorite designers are Jimmy Choo, Sergio Rossi, Stuart Weitzman (I could go on…). A great pair of shoes, however, is only one part of an outfit. To match my pumps, I look to Victoria Beckham whose (de)constructed designs fit my sleek and colorful style. Other honorable mentions include Stacey Bendet (of Alice and Olivia), Stella McCartney, Isabel Marant, Rebecca Vallence…
When I received the offer from Cornell University for a graduate program in French Literature, I arranged my style on the bottom-rung. My mind spun with so many thoughts: is this my chance? what if I’m not smart enough? what if I don’t belong there? what if they saw me as a fraud?... I played with my clothes, hair, and makeup to reflect the people in the academe. Whether I succeeded, that’s a different question. But, after trying to fit into academia, I decided to turn out in my own style and make the institution suit me. What I wear on a given day can influence whether I read Foucault or Flaubert… For me, “Ivory Class” means being perfectly unpredictable. Even wearing 3-inch heels to teach a French class is not out of the question.
Comments