Cleveland Market OOTD

I wore this to the West Side Market and the zoo during a recent weekend trip to Cleveland. It is a new dress from Eshakti and although I like it very much I admit it wasn't the best dress for traveling. I learned that it is very prone to wrinkles, as evidenced above. I had ironed it in the hotel before we left for the day but you would never know it from the photos. I do like the color very much and the shirt dress shape. But I wish the fabric had a tiny bit of stretch to make it less wrinkly and bunchy. Still, it yielded many compliments from friendly strangers which was nice.

Details:
Eshakti dress (c/o)
MBMJ shoes
Longchamp hobo

Emilia's outfit:
Gymboree dress and cropped leggings, Ballerina Crocs

Lunch in Oakland OOTD

I wore this to have lunch in Oakland with my parents and sister. My dad had an appointment that brought him into town, so we decided to make an afternoon of it. Chris works in Oakland which made it easy for us to all meet up at Porch and then enjoy the beautiful afternoon. Emilia was snuggly especially because she had a sleepover at their house the night prior. She wouldn't let me put her down which is often the case when we're reunited. After the overnight separation, I didn't want to put her down anyway!

Details:
Boden skirt
Old Navy blouse
Chloé flats

Kushyfoot Review

I've spent the last few weekends out of town, walking all over Cleveland and Ohiopyle, respectively. And during the week (on days when I'm not heading to campus) I take Emilia to a nearby playground early, before it gets too hot to deal. This summer in particular, I feel like I have been walking a lot. And my feet are kinda worse for the wear.

A few years ago, I could wear any flat shoes and have no consequences. I'd have no foot trouble, regardless of the amount of walking or style I'd wear. During my predoc with the Smithsonian, I was living in Georgetown where there's no Metro station. So I walked miles and miles every day. Back then my shoes of choice were Tory Burch Revas. Now when I wear Revas for more than a few hours, my feet hurt. Perhaps it is due to age? Regardless, I have noticed that if I don't make practical footwear choices for these walks, I suffer. Thankfully, the problem has lessened since I started being strategic not only about my shoes but also about my socks.

Recently, Kushyfoot sent me a sampler package.  It contains many cleverly designed, affordably priced, comfort-focused socks as well as a pair of their "Flats to Go." I have tried everything in the kit and I have to say I love it all. My favorites are the Athletic foot covers due to the no-show cut outs and "cushy" footbeds. I might buy a half dozen more pairs because the two I have are getting so much use. I admit that I don't tend to wear socks in the summer but doing so lately has made a huge difference in my comfort. Thank you so much to Kushyfoot for sending me the products for review!

*Disclosure: Kushyfoot provided me with the products for this post but all opinions are my own.

Committee Meetings OOTD

I wore this outfit to attend some committee meetings on campus. There's a part of me that wishes committee work could pause during summer but sometimes the most focused productivity happens when classes aren't in session.

I am wearing jewelry pieces that came from Rocksbox. If you aren't familiar, Rocksbox is a jewelry subscription service that sends you three pieces to borrow and try, based on your preferences and selected favorites. You can wear it and send back when you are finished. If you want to keep anything, you can use "shine spend" credits to purchase pieces.

Rocksbox reached out to me and provided me with a trial subscription so I was able to test it out. All opinions are still my own. It's pretty fun, especially if you like to rotate your jewelry options a lot. I do think their prices to purchase are on the high side of things but if you have a lot of account credit, that helps lower the prices. Thank you, Rocksbox!

Rocksbox is also offering readers of Consume or Consumed their own free trial with invite code: jesspghxoxo

Outfit details:
Simply Vera Wang dress from Kohls
Clare Cardigan from J. Crew Factory
MBMJ Punk Mouse Flats
Marc Jacobs Mercer bag
House of Harlow bracelet, Gorjana necklace, Elise M necklace all borrowed c/o Rocksbox

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Favorites

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opens to everyone on Thursday but as a cardholder, pre-shopping has been open for a few days. This is one of my favorite sales to browse because it features new styles for fall. I don't tend to buy much due to its seasonal discrepancy but there are almost always great staples in the mix.

I like to stock up on underwear, workout gear and leggings, Spanx tights (especially my beloved high waist ones!), and Voluspa candles. It is also fun to browse the beauty exclusives! This year there aren't any things I need specifically but that doesn't mean I didn't compile a list of my favorites to share! Happy shopping!

What I wore to new student orientation

It is hard to believe that summer break has flown by so quickly. The other day I attended an orientation event to represent my department and meet the incoming freshman class as well as their parents. It was a chilly and dreary day which didn't match the vibe at orientation.

Orientation always feels so hopeful and anticipatory. I remember attending my own with my mother many years ago. We tried to soak in all the info but eventually skipped one of the more superfluous sessions to grab a non-cafeteria lunch and coffee in Oakland. I don't remember many details from the info sessions but I do remember vividly how I felt. I remember the feeling of being on the cusp of big transition. I remember being nervous but excited. I remember feeling glad my mom was with me to help make sense of all the information but also to spend time alone together, right before I was about to leave the nest.

Every orientation I think about how those incoming students and their families are processing so many emotions, ranging from bittersweet to anxious to elated. Seeing them with their families is a good reminder that even when I feel frustrated or fed up with undergraduate antics, there's likely to be someone (probably even many someones) by whom these students are held dear. And when I am tasked with resolving difficult situations, this knowledge helps fortify my patience and empathy. I'm in no rush for summer to end but I can't help but feel excited to meet my new semester of students.

For this summer's orientation event, I wore a dress I received last year to review from Eshakti. The other day I received my second Eshakti order and am pleased. I will show you what I picked soon.

Details:
Eshakti dress
J. Crew Factory Clare Cardigan
Gucci wedges

Weekend Packing List

Because Chris and I had nice vacations over winter and spring breaks and because he travels so much for work, we aren't planning any big family trips for this summer. But that doesn't mean that we don't want to get away for a weekend, here and there. We already enjoyed one weekend at Lake Erie and are headed to Cleveland and Ohiopyle for separate weekends later this summer.

Packing for short trips should be easy because you don't need to bring very much. But I often make last minute outfit changes when I am at home with access to my full closet. So I fret over what to bring more so when I know I shouldn't bring very much. From having gone on many weekend trips lately, I feel like I finally have a handle on what I do and don't need for both me and for Emilia (who I also pack for, whether she is coming with us or going to Grammy and Pap's).

I remember reading Martha Stewart's advice to pack based on a deliberate color scheme so that everything can mix and match. It is advice I try to follow but I get stumped picking between black or navy. I realize you can wear black and blue together but I just usually don't. I tend to pick between those and go from there. On a recent trip I picked blues and grays, which helped minimize the shoes and accessories I brought with me. Here is everything I took:

From top L to R: Calypso St. Barths linen drawstring dress, Levis denim jacket, Loft gauze shirt dress

Campers sandals, Longchamp Quadri hobo, Old Navy slip on sneakers

Anthro maxi skirt, Loft tee, Campers sandals, Longchamp bag

 Tankini bathing suit and tunic from Kohls

Ralph Lauren pajama set (current season here), VS night shirt that doubles as a swim cover up

The complete list:
2 lightweight/linen, comfy dresses (one of which I wear to our destination)
1 light jacket (usually denim)
3 pairs of shoes (one of which I wear on the way there)

• dressy sandals or flip flops
• cute flats
• a pair of sneakers

1 pair of pajamas
1 pair of shorts or leggings
1 night shirt that can double as a spare swim cover up in a pinch
1 bathing suit and matching cover up
1 outfit of separates

• maxi skirt plus tee or
• dark colored chinos and a matching striped boatneck  

1 lightweight leather handbag
And of course, travel toiletries, cosmetics, and enough underpinnings for each day of travel

I pack everything into:
1 large weekend bag. Mine is by Orla Kiely Etc. Here is the same one for the current season.

The main things that change when I am packing for a lengthier warm weather trip are that I add in a second bathing suit, a few more dresses, at least one more pair of pajamas (two if I won't have access to laundry), and a cotton cardigan to give myself another layer in case it gets chilly.

I am looking forward to our next weekend getaway!

Interviewing OOTD

For understandable reasons, the bulk of blog advice and consideration surrounding interview outfits is focused on what candidates should (and shouldn't) wear. From having been on the other side of interviewing a few times at this point, I can say that even the process of dressing to be an interviewer can be difficult.

When I know I will be interviewing candidates, I consider carefully what I will wear. Since the interview process is daunting and lengthy for all involved parties, I try to focus on comfort and avoid anything that could be distracting or fussy. Academia in general and the humanities in particular can vary greatly in codes of dress. Couple this sartorial uncertainty with the variability of summer weather and the knowledge that I would be headed out for a date with Chris right after and my outfit conundrum became even more baffling.

But any time I find myself in uncertain dress code situations, I err on the sides of neutrals and basics. This dress and cardigan combo felt a bit casual for conducting interviews but my other breathable summer dresses uniformly are vibrant prints. For this kind of occasion, plain seemed preferable to print. I was seated for the bulk of the day so my outfit was barely visible but I remained comfortable throughout the process. I don't think I would teach in this ensemble because that is a situation where attention gets centralized onto me. But I would wear it again for committee meetings or to do consulting during the summer months.

The shoes are some of the most comfortable wedges I've encountered. Whenever Nike Air technology gets wedded with office-friendly pumps, feet have cause to rejoice. The bag is comprised of incredibly light and durable leather, in a color that seems to match everything and I got it for a song on Ebay. All in all, I am happy with how this outfit turned out. 

Details:
Old Navy Swing Dress
Banana Republic Factory Cardigan
Cole Haan Air Tali wedges (on sale and bought with a gift card- Narrow at the toe so I took an 8 instead of a 7.5 but needed the Nordstrom shoe associate to add a heel grip which he did on site. Their strong customer service reputation continues to be deserved! And early access to the Anniversary Sale has just begun!)
Longchamp Quadri Hobo in Pebble
Both necklaces were gifts from loved ones

Happy 4th of July! Sale Roundup

As per usual for any American holiday, there are tons of sales online and in stores to correspond with Independence Day. It is up to you whether you choose to shop, picnic, or both but if you plan to shop here are my favorite deals.

Saks Fifth Avenue currently is holding their Consolidation Sale. Usually the consolidation prices are north of 75% off but this time around they are holding at 70%. Still, plenty of good deals can be found depending on what you want.  I took a screen grab of the amazing discount on this (still pricey but so) classic Burberry Brit trench called the Reymoore (with zip off hood and detachable lining). Although it is sold out online, when I tweeted about the deal, the Saks Customer Service twitter account responded saying they could help track down a size in stores. I'm sure they'd help you too! But word of warning: they stipulate that items are final sale which makes shopping online very risky so proceed with caution.

Boden is holding a sale with prices marked down up to 50% off. It's too late for this to be a Fourth of July option but I love the patriotic color palette and nautical theme of the Francine Dress! It would work just as well for Labor Day.

Other deals:
The Disney Store is doing their twice yearly sale and offering free shipping today and tomorrow with code: Freeship
J. Crew Factory is offering free shipping and an extra 20% off prices (already marked 50% off) with code: HOTSALE
Kate Spade is offering an extra 25% off sale prices with code: SETSALE
Anthropologie is running the Tag Sale and you get an extra 20% off sale prices with code: SALEAWAY
Outnet has a killer selection of pieces an extra 40% off when you add to your cart
And Net-a-Porter is running their final clearance where you can get an extra 20% off with code: SALE20

Emilia and I shopped the mall a bit yesterday with my mom and sister but we will be picnicking tomorrow so we are shopped out. Regardless of how you spend your weekend I hope you have a great one and Happy 4th of July!