Sunday, May 29, 2011

farewell dinner










top: Lauren Conrad clearance
skirt: Old Navy clearance
tights: GAP
Hawk wedges: Seychelle's

My move approaches and last night my roommates and I did a farewell dinner. I have been wanting to wear this top and skirt together but have been waiting for the right occasion. The skirt is too short to wear in most situations and it was hard to find tights to wear. The colors here are so bright that most tights looked garish. I finally settled on these taupe, textured tights with my wedges. Wearing the same neutral color didn't take away from all that was going on up top and thick tights gave me some coverage for modesty sake.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

love wins it











I thought that I love/hated this dress but I have decided that I love it. It needs some TLC as it was a $10 vintage find and I have had it for a year now. The elastic in the waist is shot, which is messing up the pleating on the front and therefore jacking up the whole shape of the dress. The color is so beautiful. Anytime I wear this, I feel like I have an extra spring in my step. It is such a lady-like dress with the high collar and tulip sleeves. Can you just picture me prancing down the hallways with my class trailing after me like little ducklings? Sashaying like the little lady I am.

Sadly, this is not an accurate portrayal. I don't really sashay. And my class is rarely a neat line of ducklings, trailing meekly. Instead, picture me... herding cats...in this dress...and heels. Yup, now you've got it. My life. Lord help me. ;)

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

tired but fancy

Tired doesn't even begin to cover it. I wanted to get this up though. This is my "I'm going to the city to get my hair cut" outfit. I felt fancy :) Also, a few different bloggers like Kendi of Kendi Everyday and Katy of Kansas Couture have done this orange, pink, red look. I've been wanting to give it a try.

Tada!








skirt: JCrew sale
top: Kohl's clearance
platforms: Jeffery Campbell
necklaces: Sway
cardigan: GAP

Monday, May 23, 2011

magic touch








skirt: Kohl's clearance
top: LC from Kohl's sale
sweater: Old Navy clearnace
vest: Nord. Rack clearnace
shoes: Target

The past two times I have gone to get my hair cut I have been so sick of these grown out bangs and been dead set on telling him to cut them short. I miss the versatility of wearing them forward or to the side or even down the middle (as much as my cowlick will allow). Admittedly I let months and months pass between visits...last got my hair trimmed in Nov!!! I obviously don't care all that much about what my hair looks like since I neglect it so. This scraggly mess is earned...deserved? So, back to my point. In Nov and this month when I went to get a bang trim I was done with the long bangs parted down the middle. And each time he managed to talk me into continuing to keep them long. I think it's that he seems so confident in this vision he has for my hair as it grows out. And I just don't care as much. All it takes is someone putting their hands in my hair and saying nice (and completely false) things about it and I do whatever they want. I am going to see him on Wednesday and could very well come home with a mullet.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Prep School

Bloggers Do It Better. Prep School. I was stumped when I first read about this one. All the fashion challenges I have done so far have not been much of a stretch...all white, floral, maxi dress. These are part of my style. However, prep school. I do not own a tie, I am not super preppy. Not my cup of tea.
That being said, I had so much fun with this! Since I don't have a tie I had to get creative. This vest has a thick ribbon tied around the shoulder. I took it off and viola, tie...kind of. I had all the pieces for this challenge. Blazer, vest, button up I just don't usually pair them together.

I really wanted to wear a skirt for this but this skirt is far too scandalous, length wise, to wear to school. Especially bare legged with a blazer-vest combo. Way to school-girl for a school teacher. :) So after the photos I had to switch to grey cords for school. I got the best comments from my students!!! I was told I looked like a general and a Pokemon trainer. Then I was asked why I was dressed for 80's day. Finally I was told I looked like an American. ????? But I guess the last one let me know the outfit fit the challenge. What is more stereotypically all American looking than prep school? What do you think?










blazer: crazy old
vest: Forever 21
button up: Target
skirt: Sway
underskirt: Target
wedges: Seychelle's Hawk wedges

I just realized that my collar is sticking up in ALL of these photos! Ha!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

change is gonna come






top: H&M resale
skirt: Target sale
shoes: Target
necklace: Sway
slip: vintage from New Bohemia



what a week! This week is by far the longest ever. I had the amazingly exciting news of finding a place in the city. Then I officially lost my job. I am still riding the high of moving while dealing with coming to terms with the reality that the job I have been placing all of my hope and energy into, isn't going to happen. I feel wiped out.

That being said, I am alright. I have jobs I am applying for and it is exhilarating to open myself up to change. Crazy to think that it was only one week ago today that I decided to finally go for it and started looking on craigslist for a place in the city. Just one short week and huge changes have taken place and a new course has been set in motion for me.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

day of mourning






dress: vintage from New Bohemia in Austin
necklace: Crossroads
heels: Target
slip: vintage from New Bohemia


This week is only half over and already it has been an emotional rollercoaster. I have been up, down, high, low and just a hot mess of emotion. It was a spirit day at my school, Clone Day. So i told me class that I would be wearing all black if they wanted to be a clone with me. They are such adorable little darlings. Half the class greeted me with giant, proud smiles, wearing all black this morning.

The all black, mourning colors turned out to be prophetic. Yesterday I was told I would not be rehired at my school next year. That is the easy answer, the situation is a whole lot more complicated (as most things are). So the all black suited my bleak, dreary, depressed mood. Thank goodness for my amazing co-workers who built me up so much with their sympathy, kind words, and support. I was showered with it until I could help but feel a hundred times better.

Monday, May 16, 2011

restored faith






dress: vintage
cardigan: GAP sale
boots: Seychelle's sale
tights/belt: Target
necklace: Sway

Wow! I sure do look dour when I don't smile. I guess that would explain people telling me to smile when I am not. Granted I am, generally, a pretty, smiley person.

I didn't have many photos to choose from because I get nervous when I venture out to take photos. I try to take them as quickly as possible and then run away. So I posted this "dour Aubrey" photo because this blog isn't about, "Oh look at how pretty I am." It's about sharing a love of fashion and expressing myself.

Today my faith in moving and finding good roommates and a lovely place was renewed. This weekend I saw some places in great locations with nice, good people but it just wasn't a fit. I started questioning whether I would have to compromise on things I felt strongly about: having a connection with my roommates vs being a stranger in a room, clean and uncluttered space being the two biggest. But today, oh today, I saw a place that restored my hope. Please let them choose me!!!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

dressed to impress

contemplating whether I am crazy to give up this sunny front porch







blouse: ?? (resale)
skirt: no label (resale)
tights: Kohl's
oxfords: Frye resale
belt: Target

I braved public transport on the day of Bay to Breakers! I thought the city wouldbe a mad house but truthfully it was more like a ghost town. Regardless it made me further excited (not possible) for my move. "What move?" you may be wondering. I AM MOVING TO THE CITY!!!! So here I am all dressed and ready to win some possible future roommates over. Whether or not they were won remains to be seen :)

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

stand up








cardigan: Sway
skirt: American Eagle (got it 8 years ago)
shoes: Zara (gift)
Today our Union gave all the teachers shirts to wear as part of a campaign to get more money for schools to prevent further cuts. My three years in California trying to keep a teaching job have been stressful (understatement). I was extremely surprised when I moved here and first got into the schools at the vast discrepancies between schools here and schools in the state I grew up in. Education, among other things, is in big trouble.

So I dressed up my little blue t-shirt and wore it to do my part. It is the very least I can do and I plan to do more. I love it here and want to stay. I just need the economy to turn around

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

EBEW Floral








dress: Vintage Gump's
cardigan: Target
necklace: Crossroads
shoes: BCBG from Nordstrom Rack

I have been wearing a ton of floral the past week or so. Like every day. Many have not made it online but I will have to do a post devoted exclusively to the floral I have been obsessed with.
Today is the Everybody Everywear floral challenge. I decided to wear a new vintage dress that I splurged on from a resale shop down the street. It has GIANT poofy sleeves that I have temporarily cut until I can take it to the tailor to have them professionally altered. As of now I've cut the elastic off the sleeves and have the huge excess of fabric knotted under the arms. This is why I have to wear a sweater with it.
How ridiculous and awesome are these shoes? I have not worn them since a post last fall titled "Pole dancer from the Hamptons" They are too large and in charge to wear more often. Even someone who wears heels everyday could kill herself in these shoes. But they are pretty.

Friday, May 6, 2011

another baby step








dress: Erin Featherston for Target resale
cardigan: Target
tights: target
wedges: Seyhelle's Hawk wedges on sale

So I got up the nerve to go beyond the front gate of my house to take my photos!!!! I knew I was going to have to go straight from one job to another today. It was as good a reason as any to make myself push beyond my comfort zone and take outfit photos in public. True, these are in a secluded place and no one was around but it's a step. Another baby step. I was so paranoid the whole time that someone would walk by or see me. I hardly looked at the camera because I was so busy scanning for passersby. It will get easier I hope.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

self care








top: Lauren Conrad clearance
cords; GAP sale
flats/necklace: Target
satin camisole: GAP body


Why is it that when we are the most overloaded and stressed out that we make the worst choices that just make things spiral further. This week has been hellish. I am done, the kids have been done since yesterday. And this is when I desperately need to get out tension in my yoga class or run around the lake until my mind quiets. And do I do these things? Nope. I work 10-12 hour days, veg in front of Hulu, work doubles, and get around 5 hours of sleep a night. Why? Seriously, self care needs to be brought to the forefront of my life again because as per usual I have shuffled it to the back little by little.

That being said...pants. It is getting warm these glorious, sunny days. I have no idea how people wear pants in the dead of summer. Or how people wear pants when the temperature crawls towards 80. Pants are hot. (wink) I got some comments today about how I was wearing flats and pants and it's not even casual Friday. Yup, when I opt out of heels and skirts you know I am approaching my dark place. Granted, this outfit doesn't scream "dark place" by any means. But it's all relative.