corsets are hot...literally

dress, top: anthro clearance
blazer: ???
shoes: Target

It has taken me until today to realize that the sun is now up long after I get home most days so hopefully this will be my last classroom photo shoot for a while. Take a good look my lovelies.
I so love Anthropologie but could never justify spending their outrageous prices. So I shop their clearance section exclusively. It's still a bit pricey but it's not going to make me have to dip into my savings. This dress I got last summer along with the top. I had never thought to wear them together. I waited a week to long to wear this outfit. I'm not going to lie, it got hot in these layers. Even taking the jacket off didn't offer much relief from the corseted, double layer, belt combo. Note to self: light and airy only from here on out

Spring has Sprung

top: Anthro clearance
cardigan, skirt, shoes: Target

Oh joy joy joy joy! The bleak and dreary weather has finally let up and the sun has come out! Last week brought nothing but gorgeous sunny perfection. My tights stayed tucked away in their drawer as I rocked bare albeit pale legs. It is amazing how the weather and mood are so closely linked. Nonstop rain and clouds...angry, dark place. Clear skies and rays of sunshine...happy skipping and flicking through life.

So, I find myself reevaluating my wardrobe. I have been eying my closet with layers and warmth in mind. Now I paw through my tiny closet in search of lightness both in fabric and color. Just this week I became obsessed with orange and green. It is my goal to acquire something mint green and floral, along with an orangey red something. Since my closet holds nothing to satisfy this exactly I have painted my nails orange-red and my toenails mint green. Hoping this will tide me over :)

baby steps

top: The Limited
cardigan, belt,: target sale
jeans: dl1961
WEDGES :Rocket Dog

So I did it! I ventured out into public to take my photos! Yay me!

Okay, so I ventured a foot and a half outside of my classroom door, after school hours, when it's garunteed to be deserted of kids and staff. But regardless, it was a baby step for me. Are you so proud. I bought this top ages ago when I was working at the Limited in college. I very soon realized that retail was not a good job for me since I spent my whole paycheck getting clothes with my employee discount.

fail blog

Pardon me as I attempt (unsuccessfully) to maintain a life-work balance. Will someone please slap me across the face and shake their finger at me while saying "staying at school from 7 am until 8 pm is NOT okay!!!" Because its not. EVER. But as you can see from my lack of posts, that is what I have been doing way too often.

So I should be sleeping but I miss my blog and miss posting. I do still get dressed every day :) My life has not yet retreated to sweatpants and slippers to school...yet. I even manage to get a few outfit photos in but I have not made any time to post. So here I am, remorseful and repentant.

dress: Erin featherson for target (resale)
cardigan: JCrew clearance
tights: Old Navy 9ift
shoes: Fry resale
neckalce: gift
headband: Aldo

I am going to have to start a "fail blog" post for the outfits that fail to make it online. They are steadily growing.

back in the classroom

skirt: GAP clearance
cardigan, boots, necklace: Target
button up: Old Navy clearance
tights; Kohl's

Is anyone super excited to see classroom shots again???

anyone?

no?

Awwwwww...I just can't get out the door in time to take outfit photos at home. I know the glorious scenery of the stucco walls of my building is vastly more visually stimulating than my student's art work. :) The glamorous peeling paint and maroon painted cement are striking beyond belief. And the weeds up on the terrace...lovely!!!!

Alright, I'll admit it... I do not have the guts to take my pictures beyond the gate of my building or to step outside of my classroom. There are bloggers I follow whose style isn't really my taste but who take amazing pictures. Then there are bloggers whose style I adore whose photos leave something to be desired.
I could choose a better setting myself but I am just not in a position to do that right now. Hopefully you can appreciate this for what it is :)

the crazy talking

I saw Black Swan tonight. Yes I am one of those losers and ignores all the buzz about a movie until it wins all sorts of awards. Wow, it was intense. I think my body was tensed up in discomfort for her the entire movie.
Today I was totally feeling the need for something floaty and feminine. This skirt is a dress I bought a few years back at Forever 21. Oh, Forever 21 with your super affordable clothes that shrink up and fall apart all too quickly. No idea how this dress has held up this long. Probably because it was relegated to the back of my closet for a year. Welcome back to the rotation little white dress. After that movie my brain is wiped. I am talking to Forever 21 and my dress via my blog. Oh, it's time for bed.

skirt: Forever 21 dress
sweater: GAP
tights: GAP
shoes: Kohl's
Coat: Ann Taylor resale

PS I still love you dress and forever 21.

mean teacher

I found an online top knot/bun tutorial that actually worked for me! Big thank you to I believe in Unicorns It was Monday and I am starting with a new class who are a bit wild. So i decided to really play up my school teacher look ;) I think I succeeded since one kid told another that I was really mean and two of my colleagues commented on how teacher-ish I looked today. It's really fun to play with different looks. I, too often, fall into my cardigan, dress, tights rut. Gotta break free now and again.

skirt: j crew
top, coat: H&M
blazer: super ancient
tights: GAP
shoes: Target

maxed out

I hit snooze way too many times this morning. I would have been okay had I not gone all Betty Crocker in the kitchen. All of a sudden it was 5 minutes past the absolute latest I can feel comfortable leaving the house! So i threw on this maxi dress (I love you Target), belted it with big brown boots, a bajillion necklaces and ran out the door. It was seriously one of those mornings :) I had the "I need to wash my hair" bun and was putting on eyeliner at the stop lights.

I made it to work on time (YEeeeeees!) and plan on wearing this dress every day. It is my new favorite!

dress: Target
cardigan: JCrew clearance
belt: target
boots: steve madden clearance
necklaces: target and gifts
scarf: GAP gift

periwinkle pleats gone wrong

I love it, I hate it. This dress is from my favorite shop in Austin, that I've mentioned before. I love the color of it and the pattern. It also has tulip sleeves, which I think are just adorable. How often do you come across a periwinkle dress? So pretty! But the neckline and the pleating in the front are just wrong. I am trying to figure out what can be done to it. In the meantime I wore it anyway. I went all matchy with my mustard cardigan with periwinkle lace. The brown boots and brown tights were kind of for lack of a better option. I think I was trying to frump it up and crossed the line. :) it happens.

dress: vintage
cardigan: Sway clearance
belt: H&M
tights: old navy gift
boots: steve madden clearance
earrings: Target

yellow? satin? pleats? yes please!

Oh Monday, you little sneak, how did you get here so fast? Seriously, this weekend flew by. Rather than slinking into the week groggy, messy and bitter. I sashayed in pleats a-swingin, platforms a-clompin, Starbucks in hand. This skirt is another purchase from a month ago that has yet to see the light of day. It was on clearance and I have kept it in the back of my mind, not quite sure how I wanted to wear it. Platforms were a must and considering how much I've been wearing bright primary colors, a blue cardigan and blue polka dot blouse called out to me.

skirt; GAP clearance
cardigan: GAP
blouse: Old Navy
tights: Kohl's
platforms: Jeffery Campbell via Nordstrom Rack
necklaces: gifts
Ring: Ring's Eclectic

blah

Sometimes I get dressed in the morning and I know that I am putting on a blah outfit. Today definitely falls under that category. Blah. I wanted to wear this olive corduroy dress and it is way way way too short to wear to school. I am going to blame the dreary, overcast day. I can see that this needs something, anything to bright up the blah, drab tone. Any suggestions?

:)

dress: Old Navy clearance
button up: GAP
skirt: Nordstrom Rack
tights: Old Navy gift
boots: Seychelle's
necklace: gift

Inspired by: Doll Parade

This week's inspiration came from a rather new blog called Doll Parade. She started blogging around the same time as I did. I stumbled upon her blog thru the usual tangled, spider's web of following one interesting link after another, until I halted at this outfit. It struck me as interesting and I just kept coming back to it. I received a huge, downy soft, shawl/scarf from my mom this Christmas and felt inspired to give it a try.

I stuck to her basic aesthetic of belting it with a simply, above the knee, black dress. Opaque tights and lace-up oxfords finished it off. This is definitely not the most flattering look on my body type but overall I liked it. If I wear something all day and by evening still feel good about it, that's all that matters. Not the number of compliments I received or even odd looks (which I get).

scarf: GAP
dress: GO International for target (clearance)
ballerina skirt(under): Target
tights: Kohl's
oxfords: Frye resale
necklaces: key-gift, short one-antique store
long necklace, earrings, belt: Target

J Crew and I are now frenemies

I have long admired this fuchsia pencil skirt. I believe Kendi Everyday included it in her most recent 30 for 30. But, seeing that it was from J Crew, I immediately put it in the category of way out of my price range. I have never bought anything from J Crew. Even their clearance rack is too pricey for my miserly shopping habits (I shop often, but I shop cheap). I consider it fate that with a friend I happened to go into J Crew (with no intention to buy) and stumbled upon this amazing skirt, in my size, on clearance. Even on clearance it was more than I would typically spend on a skirt. But it is a beautiful, well made piece of clothing and I decided that it must be mine.

So YAY!!!!!!!

And TA DA!!!!!!

skirt: J Crew clearance
shirt: Anthro clearance
cardigan, belt, shoes, necklace: Target
tights: gift (thanks sis!)