casual uniform

maxi skirt: Nordstrom Rack

sandals: Target

button-up: Old Navy sale

Today was a casual day. Sandals, a super soft button-up, with a maxi skirt is my go-to casual uniform. I didn't have any plans so I decided to get a jump start on setting up my classroom. I ran some errands and spent a few hours arranging the desks and hooking up the computers. It flew by with two former students helping me. It feels good to have a small bit of the set up out of the way. Today's baking plan is strawberry-lemonade cupcakes. My coworkers at the restaurant I work at part-time have been asking me why I never bring them cupcakes anymore. I plan to remedy that tomorrow night with THE perfect summer cupcake.

yikes stripes

dress, cardigan: Target

necklace: Alameda Antique Fair

belt: from a skirt from F21

platforms: Blowfish resale

lipstick: Rouge in Love Lancome

Do yall remember Fruit Stripe gum? I mainly remember it being all the rage when I was in middle school for whatever reason. The flavor lasted for like 2 seconds and then it became hard as cement. Fruit stripe gum, also makes me think of the boy I had a crush on in middle school. It was, of course, an unrequited crush but that didn't stop me from hanging on to it for 3 years ;) Ahhh middle school.

I played around with a few different effects in Picasa, what do you think?

morning light

dress, cardigan, belt, flats: Target

green pin: gift

pirate bunny pin: Unpossible Cuts 

 

 plaid nail tutorial from The Beauty Department

I have been having so much fun trying the million nail tutorials out there. Fancy nails are definitely back...was it just me or were minimal nails "the thing" for a very long, hot second. I can't remember, ever in my life, caring about nail art. Now it's all over the place. Seriously, if you are one of those annoying people who refuses to jump on the pinterest bandwagon b/c everyone else is doing it, just stop. Get off your high horse and get on pinterest.

I made myself take my photos this morning before leaving for work. In other words, before the day did a number on my hair, snarling it to oblivion. I am pretty sure I have never shared the best hair tutorial in the entire world. I have wavy-straight hair with some texture to it and can't stand blow-drying and curling my hair everyday to get perfect waves. I am going to have to re-search and share this simple tutorial. If I do say so myself, I am having an amazing hair moment above and I didn't use any heat products  to achieve it. Do i sound like an infomercial yet? Well, I am going to have to leave you hanging. :) My students love/hate when I do that...when we have read aloud, I, without fail, always stop for the day at some cliffhanger moment and they all laugh and groan. So cute!

fresh for Monday

maxi dress: Target
tshirt: Storyville
sandals: H&M

School starts tomorrow!! I spent another long day holed up in my classroom getting ready. My goal was to be out by late afternoon so I could relax all evening and be fresh Monday morning. I left at 6, got some delicious cioppino from a place in the Castro and enjoyed it with a glass of wine. Ahhhhh. It feels good to be ready for all those not-so-little 5th grade munchkins to show up at my door tomorrow morning.

dress: resale
shoes: Dolce Vita for Target
necklaces: gift and Sway

I am still trying to get past my comfort zone with taking pictures outside in my much busier, new neighborhood. Hence, the mix of hidden, front stoop and bedroom pictures. Although I haven't posted much in the past few weeks I have taken a few outfit shots and will be posting them in the coming weeks til I am caught up.

So, I live two blocks from a Crossroads. TROUBLE! I have already hit them up twice and walked out with arms loaded! Sigh...so much for trying to cut back on shopping since my rent has doubled. I rationalize that when everything is $10 I am allowed to go nuts because who am I to pass up deals like that? Am I right or am I right?

I'm right.

saved by the season

Oh my gracious, today was the hottest yet! I love it! Bring on summer and more importantly, bring on summer vacation! This dress is an item that I bought a few years back and had been on the verge of getting rid of, then I rediscovered it and saved it from resale. It's a bit too long to wear with flats and it is far too low cut to wear without a layer under it. Also, it ties around the neck and I HATE things that tie around the neck. In my opinion, tie around the neck only works for ladies with less going on upstairs. For the rest of us it's just uncomfortable. I took the ties on this, crossed them in the back and safety pinned them and it makes this slightly less uncomfortable. I am so glad that Crossroads was not buying maxi dresses when I tried to sell it!

indecisiveness

I was super indecisive today. I got dressed, changed, changed back. Then went outside to take photos. Looked at the photos, then went back inside and changed again!! Sometimes you try to make something work and it just doesn't. It just big, fat doesn't. I probably should have just chosen something else entirely and started from scratch but I'm a stubborn one. So now I have two sets of outfit photos. I need some feedback. Which one works...or perhaps neither does. That's okay too.
I felt like wearing this maxi dress as a skirt today. I first paired it with a white top with yellow stripes, a marigold cardigan, a belt and a beanie. Then I felt like I had too much yellow and orange going on...kind of like the sun threw up all over me. Here it is...

dress (worn as skirt): Macy's
top: H&M
Cardigan: GAP clearance
belt: Target
boots: Seychelles

So then I tried to tone it down. I lost the belt and beanie. I switched the all the yellow for a tan sweater and added a coral necklace.

sweater: GAP clearance
necklace: Crossroads

So what do you think? I am incapable of decisions today :( On a side note I go back to work tomorrow after 3 weeks of leisure. Sadly, the midday chair photos will be coming to an end so I need to throw a few more in for good measure :)

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