September 08, 2015

Snapshot: Back to School

Don’t we all feel like we’re going back to school today? Whether it’s a job, an actual school, or even just returning to a daily routine, it’s that back to real-life feeling. I will be getting back into my regular writing days at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and when I go to the town most famous for it’s esteemed university, I love to dress the part. For me that means corduroy trousers, Grenson lace up boots, a cozy sweater and my trusty canvas backpack (which I bought at a surf shop in Brooklyn) that holds my laptop and notebooks. Each time I go to Oxford I like to have a little fantasy that I am starting my first day in college all over again, that serious and slightly nervous feeling inspires me to stay focused, work hard, and stick to my schedule – all good habits usually thrust out the window without the structure, routine and rituals to keep them in place.

Maybe at 41 I’m slightly too old to be thinking about the school girl photos of Life Magazine photographer Nina Leen as inspiration for my back to work outfits, but I’m captivated nonetheless. A rounded collar, a ribbon tied in my hair, flat loafers and a pleated skirt – maybe not all worn at once, but individually – all feel like relevant additions to my wannabe academic look.

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