in which my legs feel naked, even with tights

I usually wear boots with a short(er) skirt or dress. I'm not sure why this is exactly; is it from some unwritten fashion 'rule,' or perhaps some notion that I can 'hide' my legs with them? Whatever the reason, when in autumn I break out the skirts and dresses that are too short for me to wear comfortably without tights or leggings during the summer, I tend to hide any flats that I own behind the small collection of boots.

Today I defied my habit, and paired my shortest dress with some oxfords.




dress, belt, necklace: thrifted
cardigan: JCrew
tights: Sock Dreams
shoes: Urban Outfitters

I felt pretty naked, let me tell you. And self-conscious! Yet while I sped down the hill from my apartment to campus on Alonso, there was something liberating in the lack of weight on my feet. Will I dare try this feat again? I have no idea. It will probably be to cold to even consider it while I'm in Iowa until March or April. But when I'm in Austin next week for the fall break, and two weeks after that for winter break (5 weeks!), I just might.

Noteworthy events of today: my students handed in their last essay of the semester, in which they 'map' a controversy and discuss three separate perspectives. I'm about to dive into an intense week of grading in hopes that I can complete it before I leave town on Friday. I'm spending next week with R, and while he is at work during the days I want to devote all of my time to my Victorian essay while rediscovering my love for various ATX coffeehouses. So, let the grading frenzy begin!