Reverse 30x30: Navy Sweater & Casual Day

We try round two of the root canal today since six shots of novocaine proved useless last time. Wish me luck that he does not drill into my nerve and I still feel it this time around. 

I went to the ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor yesterday and came bearing CT films as a gift. 

You know you have super sinuses when the specialist's response to your x-rays is "WHOA. No wonder you've been in so much pain." You know me, I'm always here to impress.

Apparently, I have pan sinusitis. My teaching English to the common teenager informed me that pan means all, so I predicted that "pan" sinusitis fell into the not-so-fun category. Two of my sinus cavities are completely blocked, but ALL (where "pan" comes into play) of my sinuses are impacted in some way. Supposedly, he should have seen a wall in there. Nope, no wall. Just lots of gray. Speaking of gray, I like these gray pants. Thanks for designing them, J.Lo. 

The Look:

Sweater (reversed item): Apt 9 via Kohl's (it was surprisingly difficult to style! Very similar one from Old Navy)

Button up: Old Navy (it's surprisingly versatile. Similar gingham one from Forever 21)

Pants: J.Lo via Kohl's (similar from Old Navy)

Flats: via DSW (very similar from Zappos)

Necklace: New York & Co.  (similar from Stella & Dot) 

(Sometimes, my eyes disappear when I smile.)

Linking up with

Style Sessions

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Reversed 30x30 Update:

(Original Post in case you want pictures and a run down of this challenge)
Click on the link after each item to view the post that features it. 

1. coral and khaki skirt (look forward to this one this week!)

2. gray and yellow skirt 

3. white pencil skirt (officially waiting for spring--too cold for the outfits I have planned for it)

4. teal velvet pants (officially reversed)

5. polka dot tights (you'll see them tomorrow.)

6. khaki pants (officially returned)

7. brown boots (officially reversed)

8. black wedge booties (officially reversed)

9. red heels

10. tri-color wedges (officially reversed)

11. aztec scarf 

12. teal necklace

13. striped dress (officially reversed)

14. tan dress (officially rejected)

15. navy dress (probationally reversed)

16. polka dot shirt (officially reversed)

17. polka dot cardi (you'll see it this week.)

18. polka dot blouse (officially reversed) 

19. printed blazer (on probation, might be leaving the closet, LEAVING the closet)

20. chambray (officially reversed)

21. paisley blouse (officially rejected)

22. gray shirt (officially rejected)  

23. paisley blouse 2 (officially reversed)

24. emerald sleeveless sweater (too cold for it just yet)

25. navy sweater (officially reversed)

26. blush sweater with silver polka dots (next week)

27. silver sweater (officially rejected)

28. black sweater (next week...if I don't expatriate it)

29. white lace sweater (officially reversed)

30. orange sweater (officially reversed)

31. long-sleeve purple shirt (next week)

32. gray skinnies (these have REALLY been reversed)

33. light khakis (you'll see them later this week)

34. gold blazer (officially reversed) 

I'm almost finished! I've really started to wear some of these items (especially the brown boots and gray pants) a LOT. I'm quite glad I thought up and took on this challenge :) Anyone planning on trying it out sometime?

Teacher Wardrobe Staples [Part 1]

This morning, my friend Nicole (girlfriend is gorgeous inside and out!) messaged me about must haves for her teacher closet. Our conversation got me thinking that it might be a good idea for me to write a series of  posts because women have asked me this question multiple times.

This series will comprise at least three posts:

Part 1: The Stores (today's post)

Part 2: The Basics

Part 3: The Outfits

Part 4: The Inspiration  (depends on you, the readers)

Part 4 is where YOU come in! E-mail me a picture of you wearing your favorite teacher outfit. If you're a blogger and the picture comes from a post on your blog, provide me with the link to the original content, please! If you're not a blogger, tell me how you'd prefer I credit you :) 

I like to give credit where credit is due. If enough ladies e-mail me, I'll compile Part 4. If not, you might be stuck with pictures of just me for inspiration.

During your stay, keep a few things in mind:

1. I teach High School English, not elementary school like many of the teacher bloggers in blogland. I do not know if the needs of an elementary school teacher vary from someone in my leopard-print shoes.

2. I tried to create a list that should work for a stricter dress code policy, but know that my school's dress code is quite lax compared to other schools'.

3. If you're a new teacher or one looking to spruce up her wardrobe, you might find that you already have many of the items I'll be listing in this series. Hooray!

4. I link to plenty of outfits on this blog that show you the types of pieces you can buy from certain stores. Know that some of these outfits I did not wear to school, but the pieces could still work for the classroom.

5. I do not like to spend a lot of money on any one item because I usually never like anything enough (or long enough) for that to make sense.

6. There are a lot of great stores (LuLu's, SheInside, Ruche, and etc.) to shop at online, but I prefer trying items on in the store, so you'll see more of that sort of thing around here.

PART 1: THE STORES

Places I shop with success:

(The bulleted lists include what I typically buy at these places.)

The Limited (in store, they offer a teacher discount--bring your ID!)
ranges from $-$$$$ (with coupons, most items are under $100)

• Everything from pants to blazers 
• I am especially drawn to their pants and skirts.
• Some outfits that include pieces from The Limited: this cobalt blue skirt (and the lace top), my favorite skirt (A-line and khaki), and this tweed skirt (needs tights to be appropriate).
• Note: unless their entire store is offering a 40% off promotion, you can use your teacher discount on top of clearance items!

Express
(pants are typically in the $50-100 range)
They've seemingly moved away from more work-appropriate gear, but I still love

• their Editor pant
• their blazers (my favorite cobalt blazer is from here)
• Some outfits that include Express: this striped shirt 
• I don't shop here as often. However, most of my "wear me forever" pants are from Express. 

LOFT (duh! They offer a teacher discount. Order the sticker from their website and slap it on your credit card.)

(most items are under $80)

• Everything from here, but I especially love their cardigans, dresses, skirts, and blouses. 
•  Some outfits with LOFT pieces include: this black skirt, this yellow & tan striped peplum, this black & white cardigan, this floral top, this gray & white scarf, this black dress, and these burgundy pants
• Pretty much everything this store sells is school appropriate, so you're safe. 

New York & Company (they offer a teacher discount; just bring your teacher ID--I probably shop here the most because it's one of the only real stores in the "mall" near me, and I'm a lady of convenience.)

(most items are under $80, and they're great about having sales. I typically never have to spend more than $50 on anything here.)

• I buy everything here, and they always have good sales! 
• I am most drawn to their blouses, jewelry, and cardigans.
• Some outfits with NY & Co. pieces include: this maxi skirt, these polka dot pants, these pants & this cardigan, this blazer & this blouse, this white blazer, and this emerald & black blouse.
• I've never bought anything here that wasn't school appropriate, but I'm sure those items exist. Perhaps I instinctively steer clear of those things?

Target (DOUBLE DUH!)

(I think you're well aware of how affordable the clothes here are.)

• The pieces here do not last forever, but I've scored some good things at the ol' Tar-jay.
• I am most drawn to their dresses, longer cardigans, and shirts. (If you want to try out skinny jeans on the cheap, Target is your place.)
• I love their dresses. I have three of the same type (seen here and here), in fact. I always check the clearance rack for something with a cute print that I could mix with my other clothes. 
• Note: if you shop in the juniors section, be sure to size up unless you want things to fit too snugly, which is not a good idea if you're a teacher.  

Old Navy (they have a teacher appreciation day, which I can never remember)

(Pretty great quality, and most of the pieces are less than $50.)

• Old Navy has it all for the right price, and the outlets near me have even better prices. 
• I am especially drawn to Old Navy dresses, skirts, tops (button downs, specifically), and blazers/outerwear. They always have cute coats for a great price.  
• Some outfits from Old Navy include: this red blazer (dress must be worn with tights to remain appropriate), this gingham shirt, this jean blazer, this striped dress, and this striped dress.
• You'll probably show up to school wearing the same thing as one of your students, but that's okay. 

Kohl's

(If your mom poops coupons here like my mom does, then this place is perhaps more affordable than Target.)

• I am like my mother. I shop way too often at Kohl's, but they pretty much give you items with the number of sales they have. 
• My favorite brands for teacher wear are: Lauren Conrad (HANDS DOWN), J. Lo (sometimes), Elle, and Apt. 9. Candies often has cute blazers and some of the tops are appropriate. 
• I know a lot of people who love Daisy Buchanan and Vera Wang. I don't fit into much of their stuff, so I avoid it. 
• Some outfits from Kohl's include: this J.Lo gray skirt, this sparkly LC top, this J.Lo blazer, this LC floral blazer, this yellow LC top, this LC blouse with bows,  this APT. 9 dress, and this LC striped blouse & Elle black maxi skirt.
• (As you can see, I LOVE Lauren Conrad's clothing line. Love it. So much.)

GAP (does NOT offer a teacher's discount)

(Their sales seem to be better online and in the outlets.)

• I really only go to GAP when I hit the outlets because it's not very close. However, I am drawn to their jeans (casual days, anyone?)
• Some outfits that include GAP pieces: these neon jeans (which I can wear to school) and these green jeans.

Other Stores (not many pictures around these parts of the post):

Marshall's/TJ Maxx (mainly Marshall's because that's what lives near me)

• I get a lot of my shoes here, especially Franco Sarto who happens to be my favorite shoe designer. 
• My favorite brand that shows up here is probably Kenar. Great durability, and they actually carry XS. 

White House Black Market 

• Everything lasts forever, and my favorite white jeans are from here and so is my sequin skirt. It's too expensive for my piggy bank, so I shop here only periodically and always check the sales!

Forever21 

• Never the dresses or skirts because my booty makes everything 3 inches shorter than their already-too-short length. Some people have great luck with the length. I never do.
• Cute blazers for great prices! 
• I have a few tops from here, too.

Banana Republic

• Especially the outlet
• Great pants and dresses!
• Unless it's on sale, I typically won't get it. Again, their prices are a little too high for my tastes. 

J.Crew (offers a teacher discount)
I would love to order something from J.Crew Factory, but it just hasn't happened. 

• Their stuff is gorgeous, but I just won't pay the prices. I have one item from J.Crew, and I bought it at the thrift shop. 
• They offer a teacher discount, which is great.
• Maybe my goal will be to buy one thing from there before the year ends. 
• I think their skirts are especially great for teachers. 

Shoes?

• Nine West (usually at Marshall's)
• Naturalizer (especially the outlet)
• Target (for some flats)
• DSW 
• Aerosoles 
• ModCloth
• Found a really comfortable (and cute) pair from Easy Spirit. Go figure!  
• I really want to try  heels from Chromatic Gallerie because you can specify the heel height and there are SO MANY color options. 
• NOTE: I avoid any heel over 3" because it's impractical for me (don't want to break my face), but some women can rock it.

Favorite Places for Scarves?

• Francesca's always has the cutest prints.
• Target
• Old Navy
• Boscov's

Join me tomorrow for 

Part 2: The Basics.

On Wednesday, my birthday, I'll give you 

Part 3: The Outfits.

For now, I'll provide you with two collages of *what I hope is* inspiration.

If you're a teacher and you have some other stores to include, write them in the comments! 

(If you have tips for your gotta-have-'em basics, save them for the comments section of tomorrow's post.) I tried to cover a lot here, but I'm sure I forgot a few things. I'll need your help to fill in the holes of my Swiss cheese brain.

If you want me to include a photo of one of your favorite teacher outfits (from your blog--you don't have to be a teacher; it can just be a teacher-worthy outfit), e-mail the picture and post link to me! If enough people send me pictures, I'll create a post solely for inspiration from fellow teachers. 

E-mail me at:

teamwebchick@gmail.com

I hope this post was at least mildly useful.

Let me know if there is anything else you'd like to read in the series.

After all, I AM a teacher, which means I like to help :)

And it was all yellow...

Okay, it was not all yellow. There was some navy and white, too.  I just like that Coldplay song, so I thieved it for the purposes of my post's title.

Why, when a casual Friday stares me in the face and I'm given a free pass to wear blue jeans, do I opt for a less-than-casual outfit? Now, some of you might be thinking, "Ummm, Wo, that's casual, girlfran." I assure you that, in comparison to my colleagues and especially my students, this outfit is not casual for a casual Friday. I pity the teachers who have such strict dress codes. So stifling. If my students can wear booty shorts and diaphanous leggings with abandon, then I can wear my sartorial choices, none of which include exposing my derrière.

In case you wanted to see me imitate Mr. Ed, here you go...

You can't unsee that. 

Outfit Deets:

Cardigan: NY & Co (I like this one.)

Blouse: current, Lauren Conrad via Kohl's (exact)

Pants: White House Black Market (cute)

Flats: Mia via DSW (a different navy pair)

Here's a close up of the shirt:

Love.it.

Crazy Diet & An Outfit

I have a really bad habit of looking into other people's carts at the market. (Am I the only one who does this?) Most times, I'm overwhelmed by the irrational, inappropriate, judgmental desire to shake them for their dietary choices. I think, "cupcakes, potato chips, the entire soda aisle, everything with sugar in it, and all frozen meals? WHY, 'MURICA, WHY!?"

Maybe I'm a little bitter because here I am watching what I eat so carefully and spending more time than I have researching good-for-me foods and supplements, yet I'm fighting an epic battle with a body that wants to kick its own ass.

In better news, I'm on this sugar-free, mostly fruit-free (except for berries-no more than three cups a day though), yeast-free, and gluten-free diet right now. I bet your stomach just shed a tear for me, and you're probably asking me why this news is "better news." It's not so bad, honestly. I've been gluten-free for maybe five years now. That took a long time to accept, but cutting out gluten made it easier to control my will power. Plus, when I consider how much better I'll feel as a result, I can overcome dieting challenges.

So, why this diet? Well, during my endoscopy last week, the gastroenterologist found yeast invading my esophagus. Yeah, even the doctor said it was weird. The nutritionist told me, "I've only seen this problem in my cancer and AIDS patients." Leave it to my body to be unique. The doctor put me on Diflucan, which is supposed to combat the yeast. Since I know food is intertwined with a person's health, I did more research. (The doctor found the yeast several years ago, and it's either still here or back again. I realized I needed to take care of business. NOW.) In my Nutritional Healing book, it talks about candida, yeast that a person's body naturally produces. However, due to certain medications (especially antibiotics and birth control, both of which I've taken too much of in the past), underlying health conditions, and other factors, candida can overgrow in a person's body. (Thrush is an overgrowth of candida.) It can overgrow to the point that it causes a blood infection. Not good. It's responsible for a host of symptoms from PMS to anxiety. It mimics many diseases, which is why it goes undetected in so many people for so long. In fact, that is the very reason my doctors confused it with Celiac disease. Going off of gluten helped me because it started starving the yeast. Anyway, my Nutritional Healing book and other resources suggest a yeast-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free diet. I figured it was worth a shot.

About a week and a half ago, I started this diet in conjunction with the Diflucan. I figured, "What could it hurt?" Well, Mother Nature rolled around yesterday, and I hadn't even realized she showed up. (News Flash: this is a miracle.) I needed fewer Advil less often, and I didn't feel like I needed to constantly remain attached to a heating pad. (Typically, Mother Nature beats the snot out of me with a baseball bat the size of a tree trunk.) The only difference in my life is this new diet. If this new diet produces these results, then I'm even more open to sticking to it. Sure, I have my moments of insanity that involve wishing for a damn gluten-free cupcake, but I keep reminding myself how much better I feel.

I like to graze, which means I love snacks. Here are some snacks that I currently enjoy:
* cottage cheese
* sugar snap peas
* air popped popcorn
* veggies dipped in hummus
* corn chips dipped in guacamole
* fresh mozzarella
* salted almonds
* pistachios
* not a snack, but water gets old, so I drink Earl Gray (not a bitter tea)

OH, and I found a great recipe for yeast-free, gluten-free pizza that I'll share with you if you wish. Just let me know :) If you're on a similar diet and want to share some snack ideas, please do so!

Anyway, I'll show you my outfit because I know that's the reason you're really here.

I considered belting this shirt, but it was so comfortable as is. I decided to keep it loose. 

These flats were probably a terrible idea. After all, a monsoon hit us today. 

I hope this picture amuses you. 

Detail shot because I felt it was necessary. 

Outfit Deets:

Shirt: NY & Co.

Necklace: $5 at Francesca's (recent)--this necklace is fun

Cobalt skinnies: Celebrity Pink via Boscov's (exact)

Flats: $5 at Target (these capped toe shoes are cute)

Dog: My parents' house (he's a lovable little dude named Blue)

See some other lovely ladies over at The Pleated Poppy and Because Shanna Said So.

Emerald, Black, and Gold

According to one of the boys in my first period (and several other kind observers), I looked like a leprechaun today. I guess the gold accents didn't really help my case.

In any event, I was comfortable and professional.

Today, I had planned to write about some witty topics like "the benefits of an hour commute" or "trends I just can't follow," but I need a moment, folks. Today was a tough day. Thankfully, my mom let me have a cry while I stood in her living room, recounting what pained me today. In an attempt to avoid revealing too much, I'll just say that I found out distressing news about two of my students from last year. As a result, I wanted to discuss the following:

"What they didn't tell me before I became a teacher..."

They didn't tell me that my Saturday mornings would revolve around misplaced modifiers and verb tense shift, not cartoons. 

They didn't tell me that my lunch would never be my lunch as long as students felt more comfortable in my room than the lunch room. 

They didn't tell me that my heart would spend so much time in pain because it was breaking with sadness or filling with pride. 

They certainly didn't tell me that I would spend so much of my time worrying and crying over the welfare of so many children who are not technically my own. 

They didn't tell me that my most important teaching tool would not be in the content of my lessons but rather in the contents of my heart. 

Every day, I find that the most valuable "fact" I communicate with students is that I care.

I care about the people they are now,

the people they plan to be,

and the people they are capable of becoming. 

I feel a bit better now that I've typed these words.

I hope you don't mind my getting a bit mushy today.

Without further ado, here is today's outfit.  

Outfit Deets:

Coat: LOFT (old--this one is $200, but it's gorgeous)

Top & Necklace: NY & Co. 

Skirt: LOFT (recent, but this pleated maxi is pretty)

Belt: Target

Flats: Qupid via ModCloth (exact)