Stylish Scientists: Tulsi

'Stylish Scientists' is a weekly series that brings you an exclusive peek at women in science and their style.  

The motto of the 'Stylish Scientist' is: "Always look chic while making a discovery!"

Where are you right now in your science carrier?

I am finishing the 4^th year of my PhD. 

What is your topic of research?

In very broad terms, I am trying to understand how cell fates are specified and restricted during development. For instance, how and why a specific cell, lets say a neuron, becomes that particular neuron and not some other cell type; and how it stays that neuron throughout its lifetime.

Your earliest fashion memory?

My earliest fashion memory is one of wanting to make clothes. When we were kids, my best friend and I would try to hand sew clothes for our dolls. They never turned out great and were hardly “wearable” but it was fun to try to create the perfect dress or skirt as we imagined it. Actually, as I’ve grown older I’ve become more and more envious of the ability of designers who are able to execute their ideas. It seems like such a perfect situation to be in: to think of a perfect outfit and not have to go out and find the pieces because you can make them yourself! 

Who influenced your style?

It has never been anybody specific - just people I encounter daily and the shapes, colors, and patterns I run into. I am especially taken aback by women who I do not necessarily know, but who nonetheless give me the perception of being strong, confident, and humorous. Feist, for instance - I do not know anything about her personally and do not necessarily try to dress like her, but when I dress I try to recreate the feelings she and her music stimulate in me.

Your favorite brands and places to shop

I’m not sure I have a favorite brand- I will buy almost any brand as long as I like the piece of clothing (except if I know the company has shady practices!) and is within the reach of a graduate student budget. The places I have done most of my shopping lately have been thrift and vintage stores. These places are great because they expose you to a variety of designers, styles, colors, sometimes bizarre patterns and shapes in an atmosphere that is almost always very very congenial. Walking into a vintage shop feels very different from walking into a boutique- it has a sense of adventure. You never know what you’ll find; maybe you’ll find nothing, but maybe you’ll dig out some treasure. And even though it requires some patience, it is easy to find unique, beautiful things in the thrift shops of NYC! It has the additional advantage that you’re using recycled clothing. Throwing away unwanted beautiful clothes seems a shame and a waste - so it’s great that thrift shops allow others to cherish them all over again :)

Favorite thrift/vintage shops: Urban Jungle, all the Buffalo Exchanges, the huge Beacon’s Closet in Williamsburg, East Village Thrift shop, CURE, Monk, various others that are simply called “Thrift Shop” and are spread around the city. Also, when I’m visiting my best friend in D.C we go to all the Goodwills around her place.

How did the places where you lived influence your style choices?

I grew up in India, so, obviously, I love colors! I like very clean lines in outfits (unless some shirt/dress/sweater has just the right slouch), but within that restriction, I love to mix colors and patterns. 

Your everyday science uniform

Dresses! Dresses in the summer, dresses with tights/leggings in the winter. And also skinny pants and skirts with patterned colorful shirts. We don’t use too many dangerous or messy reagents in the lab, so I don’t usually need to dress specifically for lab - so my “science uniform” is just whatever I feel like wearing that day.

What do you think about dressing nicely while doing experiments?

It’s great! I know that this is not the case for everybody, but wearing clothes I like makes me feel more confident and some outfits just make me happy no matter what I might be doing that day. I come to lab and do experiments everyday – there’s no reason to not look and feel nice while doing them! 

Any thoughts about how the general public perceives scientists and their appearance?

I suppose when thinking of a scientist, famous pictures of Einstein come to mind. This is probably because most people don’t have too many interactions with scientists and the perception of science most television gives us feels so fake - only scientists seems to know what everyday scientists look like. But I am convinced that we look just like everybody else. Some people are well dressed, and some couldn’t care less, which is also the case for a lot of the rest of the population. 

How do scientists perceive scientists who dress nicely?

I work in a huge lab and interact daily with both male and female scientists who look great! It’s true that it was difficult for women scientists who started their careers about two or more decades ago to dress nicely and still be taken seriously. But fortunately, I think (and maybe I’m biased because I work in a very progressive city) that the numerous women scientists who came before us have made this mostly a non-issue. In my interactions with other scientists, I get the impression that the clothes you wear do not change anybody’s perception of your scientific abilities or accomplishments. Personally, I do smile a bit wider when I see an accomplished scientist who also looks great. What you wear is the way you choose to present yourself to the world and I think it adds color to your personality and also reinforces your accomplishments when you choose to present yourself in the best way possible. 

What are your hobbies outside of science?

I like to ride my bicycle, Mango, around town. I also like to sew and am still chasing my dream of being able to create whatever clothes I can imagine. And I try to paint and do other “crafts” with friends.

Pictures are taken by me; edited by me and Tulsi.

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Hidden Garden Brunch

One of the favorite traditions of New Yorkers is to go out to brunch on the weekend, and the city surely doesn't disappoint in the selection of brunch spots it has to offer. With that said, this past weekend Joe and I ended up in the East Village for church and decided to find a brunch place afterwards. This sunny and quiet Sunday morning made me crave a place with a garden to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. And how lucky we were when we stumbled upon the little cute and hidden garden of the Standard (hotel near Astor place)!

The garden was basically empty but very charming with its potted plants, colorful tables, chairs, and sofas. I was a bit in disbelief that we could randomly find such a perfect spot for our meal! We ordered some simple brunch food like lattes, eggs + baked potatoes, and pancakes. And let me tell you: all of the food was extremely flavorful and delicious. We will definitely be back to the Standard, because it's not your standard brunch spot! ;)

Photos by me.

This is not a sponsored post.

New Feature: Stylish Scientists

Ever since my undergraduate education, I have admired female scientists and have felt a special admiration towards those 'chic' ones around me who always looked really well-put together. These women were and are an enormous source of inspiration for me because they are not only very smart and successful, but also beautiful, kind, sophisticated, and stylish. I’ve met these women everywhere throughout my studies and scientific career, and, once I started my blog this year, I decided to share my love for science and fashion through this new and exciting weekly feature of 'Stylish Scientists'. 

'Stylish Scientists' will bring you an exclusive peek at women in academia and their style. Each entry in this series will feature one stylish scientist, insight into the scientific world and laboratory environment, and an interview about the opinions and perceptions of style in academia. The motto of the 'Stylish Scientist' is: "Always look chic while making a discovery!"

I hope you'll enjoy!

  

Where are you right now in your science carrier?

I am entering my fourth year as a PhD candidate in Genetics and Development.

Your earliest fashion memory

Trying on my mother's costume jewelry and funky accessories when I was a kid and absolutely insisting on wearing bright, floral dressy-dresses to kindergarten. EVERYDAY.

Who and what has influenced your style?

Style mainly came from my mother (she'd be flattered to know this!)-- she dressed me well, I was that cool kid with the off-the-shoulder sweater, faded jeans, and high boots -- which brings me to my next influence: the 80's! Wish I were born a decade earlier so I could have really appreciated that fashion era but certain styles and characters from movies filmed in the 80's greatly shaped my style from my early years. Then I totally had to look like the super cool Swedish chicks from A*Teens with the cropped tees and tight capri pants. And it goes on and on. But over the past few years, I would say my greatest fashion influence has been bits and pieces of certain designer styles that inspire me when I peruse the shops ;)

Your favorite brands and places to shop

My favorite places to shop include H&M, White House Black Market (my new obsession!-- this store was specifically MADE for me), and The Limited. I also tend to find good stuff in the department stores such as Macy's, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, and Lord & Taylor. Some of my favorite brands include Ralph Lauren, Hudson, Michael Kors, and Seven for all Mankind. 

Since you live in NYC, how does the city inspire you in your style choices?

Living in New York for several years has inspired me to adopt a 'multidimensional-multicultural' perspective that I've embraced in several aspects of my life, one of which is my sense of fashion and style. Aside from the fact that NYC is the fashion "Mothership" and I'm only a subway ride away from the hottest shops and designer boutiques, the city provides me with this avante-garde feeling, encouraging me to mix and match more. Amidst the juxtaposition of the classic Brownstones with modern glass-windowed flats, I develop new styles everyday by 'inventing' new and fresh combinations of colors, textures, and accessories that reflects my cultural exposure and that I most likely wouldn't have thought to put together had I have lived elsewhere.  It's not so much that I'm following particular designer collections or attending fashion shows more because I'm in the city, it's just a desire to explore more and take some risks when it comes to constructing my look. So even though I'm shopping in the same stores you would find in say, New Jersey or Connecticut, my experiences in NY have influenced my creativity and ability to revolutionize my own personal look that I like to call, "sexy-meets-chic-meets-smart-meets-GINA" & can basically be anything I want! ;)

Your everyday science uniform

My everyday science uniform = stylish blouse, denim or black pants, high heels, cute dangling necklace with matching earrings... + the lab coat! 

What do you think about dressing nicely while doing experiments? 

I like to dress in style everyday (perhaps I have selected the wrong profession!) but I do try to be practical with how I dress when working with reagents that could damage my beautiful couture. For such occasions, I have fashioned my own "closet" in lab, fully equipped with more scientist-like (simple, plain, cheap) clothes and flat shoes or sneakers. However, if I decide to go all-out with my Hudson jeans and White House Black Market blouse on a day I'll be working with messy bacteria, I am EXTRA careful and always wear my lab coat! 

Any thoughts about how the general public perceives scientists and their appearance?

The stigma: scientists appear unfashionable, slovenly, sloppy, unkempt, ..[insert more adjectives for messy]. They do not care about the clothes they put on their backs, just the thoughts they brew in their minds. For some, this is due to a genuine lack of interest and sense of style, while for others, it's about showing the world they're too smart and busy to care about the clothes they wear in an effort to be respected and taken seriously.

How do scientists perceive scientist that dress stylishly?

Unless you're wearing headphones and blind folders to distract you from your surroundings, you have to have tough skin to walk around the lab in style on a daily basis. There is definitely an underlying condescending attitude towards people who dress nicely & clearly care about their appearance because it does not conform to the typical image of a scientist. Moreover, there's the potential judgment you may receive, that is, being perceived based off of your looks and not you brains. Be mindful of this-- all of these factors can make going to work a little awkward... So proceed with caution because your overall image may invite both wanted and unwanted attention that will bring about compliments, dirty looks, and gossip. Despite these undesirable consequences, bear in mind that dressing stylish is simply an expression of oneself -- a physical manifestation of a person's individuality, so if at the end of the day, you don't care what people think and your attire is still appropriate, go all out with the bright colors, bangles and stilettos!

Do you have any advice about laboratory dress code?

Even on your most fashionable day, abide by some variation of the laboratory dress code-- I say variation because I've noticed this is a bit different from lab to lab but use your judgment! Decide what body parts/areas need to be covered as you work. My rule of thumb: no leg or arm exposure and shoes with minimal skin exposure (or throw a latex glove over your foot!). I'm usually fine as long as I wear a lab coat and keep my feet under my bench as I work with chemicals.

Pictures taken and edited by me.