Pure Comfort

This past weekend on Instagram, I asked for feedback on this sweater. Ginny wasn't a fan. Ashley was. I decided to try it on again when my mom was at the mall with me. She loved it and told me that she wasn't so sure about it when I first texted a picture of it to her. Once she saw it in person, she absolutely approved. Anything that earns Mom's approval is worth the cost. Right? 

Guys, it's the softest sweater, and I am in love with it. Plus! It has not a stitch of wool in it. I call it my unicorn of sweaters. The Limited's new Olivia Pope line is so very lovely (and expensive). Thankfully, I scored this sweater 50% off. I figure I will wear it on long car rides, plane rides, on the weekend, and even to work. It will earn its keep in my closet. Once I realized that I put it on wrong (don't even ask), I liked it five times more. 

The Look:

Sweater: The Limited (exact)

Shirt: The Limited (not current)

Necklace: J.Crew Factory

Leggings: Target

Booties: hand-me-down from Momma

If she wants to rock, she rocks. If she wants to roll, she rolls.

Welcome to this week's installment of Trendy Tuesday: Rock and Roll. I love the lyrics from Eric Hutchinson's song "Rock and Roll." (Yes, those lyrics in the title.)

It took some time to settle on this outfit for today's theme, but I really like how it turned out. Plus, when I woke up with crazy curly hair, I felt today was as appropriate day as any to rock my mane.

I don't usually talk a lot about the clothes but rather the day I had in those clothes; however, I'm switching it up today.

This blazer is a little bit longer, and it's perfect for a more relaxed look. Black blazers are rock and roll, no? (Truth: I'll find a way to make a blazer work for every theme.) This style blazer pairs much better with skinny jeans since it's looser. Looser blazers + non-skinny jeans = too much looseness for my taste.

These jeans? They're from Old Navy; they're the Rockstar style. I sized up from my typical 0 to a 4 (Old Navy's sizing really confuses me), and I just love them. They're mid-rise, which makes me happy because showing my buttcrack--or, rather, living in fear of showing my buttcrack--makes me unhappy.

I got this shirt a year or two ago; it's a little longer in the back, but it's just right with this blazer. I'll be honest with you: it took some effort not to tuck in my shirt and put on a belt because if you've spent any length of time on this blog, you know of my love for tucked in shirts and belts.

Oh, thanks, Mom, for these hand-me-down booties! They're the bee's knees and add the perfect edgy touch to my "rocker" look.

The Look:

Blazer: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's

Top: Rock and Republic (how appropriate?) via Kohl's

Jeans: Mid-rise distressed Rockstars (again, the appropriateness) via Old Navy

Booties: from Momma 

Necklace: Forever 21

Linking up with...

Sarah's challenge for the month of April--such a cool idea. Seriously, check it out.

Throughout the month of April, you can blog (or Instagram!) outfits for the different trends:

1. lace

2. pastel

3. floral

4. fringe

5. cropped

6. tribal print

7. local love

8. metallic

9. neon (I consider that a win today.)

10. geometrics 

And also linking up with Style Sessions 

Reverse 30x30: Please Help My Khaki Pants. And me.

I have a confession to make. I pulled together this outfit, but khaki pants still leave me utterly confused. Well, not all khaki pants. That one pair of dark khaki skinnies blends into my closet, and they've earned their keep. But, these khaki pants? What is it about them? Maybe it's the years I spent waiting tables while donning a dark green polo and light khaki pants (possibly these...I think I blocked the memories after that one early morning I ripped my front bumper off on the bumper of my neighbor's stupid illegally parked truck. Still went to work that day. With a grill that looked twenty shades of pissed off.) I feel like I'm one shirt change away from serving customers at Target. I love Target, but do I want everyone to think of it when they see me? 

Is my perception of these pants absolutely skewed? Do I need to set the sewing machine on them and make the bottoms more tapered/cropped? Is it the fabric? Is the khaki too light? AM I TOO CRAZY FOR WORDS? (That last one is rhetorical.)

* See, this pin shows more cropped khaki pants. I think they work.

* These pants have polka dots on them, but the khaki is the same color, and they're skinnified (not a word, which is totally fine). I like the look of them. 

* I love this combination, but the bottom of the pants look different. (I'm completely amused by the commenter who said she wasn't sure about the pants.)

I don't want to get rid of these pants because I like that I can wear wide belts with them, I love the pockets (not those stupid, you-can-fit-half-of-your-thumb-in-me pockets), and I do like the color. However, I think it's the bottom of them that perplexes me. I feel weird in flats (sort of bunches). I'm not entirely sold on the booties here. Regular boots won't go over the pant legs without causing serious leg wrinkles. I tried the khaki exact stretch pants from The Limited (have them in maroon, brown, and navy), but I didn't like the shade or the look of the khaki ones, which is odd since I have them in three other colors. 

What would you do if you were me? (Aside from the obvious, which is to scold yourself for writing so many sentences about one pair of pants.)  

Help. me.

(This is my "what am I doing outside in the cold without a coat on and, Mom, why aren't you stopping me from this madness" look. I tell you only to explain why I felt compelled to grab my scarf. My hands inherently search for warmth.)

The Look:

Cardigan (reversed item 1): Target (gift!)

Shirt: Target

Belt: Ummm...so old I couldn't tell you with complete honesty

Scarf: Calvin Klein via DSW

Booties: hand-me-downs from Momma

(I'm laughing right now because I said these are not I-can-fit-half-a-thumb-in-them pockets, and I'm totally sticking only half of my thumb in the pockets. However, the previous picture is a full-hand-in-pocket pose. This post just keeps getting more and more awkward.) 

Feel free to rebuke me for my trivialities.

Reverse 30x30: I think I figured out polka dot tights?

My girl, Brynn, inspired me for this item, polka dot tights, on my reverse 30x30. Why is something so fun an enormous source of sartorial confusion for me? Thank you, Brynn, for making me realize how perfectly they would complement this dress. 

I can't stop wearing these hand-me-down booties from Mom. Plus, they add a little bit of edge to the outfit. No? Wait until you see the next pair of booties she gave to me. They're YELLOW! Seriously, prepare to feel overwhelmed by jealousy. 

Do I look like I'm still celebrating Christmas because of this red sweater? If so, I do not care. When the weather outside is frightful, continuing to wear Christmas colors is so delightful. 

Thank you to those of you who wished me well after yesterday's post. If people you have met only online are kind to you, then there's a lot more to be grateful about in this world. Also, as I told someone, I am a silver-lining hunter. I allow myself only a small amount of time to feel any sort of self pity because, honestly, where does that get me? It just dumps me into a land of dreariness. I heard somewhere that life is 10% circumstance and 90% attitude; you cannot control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond to it. Ultimately, I choose happiness. 

Think about it. I might have crappy sinuses and crappy teeth and a lot of other crappy body parts. However, as a result, I have learned a lot about nutrition. I have a "team" of doctors who are extremely helpful people, and I truly believe I am slowly but surely traveling on the road to recovery.  I spent so many years sick without anything definitive to explain the sicknesses. Now, I actually have answers. I have a lot of compassionate, funny, helpful people who surround me (both online and offline). I have my career, my awesome colleagues, and my endearing students. 

I have my family, my friends, and my fur babies. 

Often, I might not feel great physically, but I feel great emotionally. 

And I'm okay with that. :)

The Look:

Dress: Target--they need to make more of these! (Here's a very similar one from Gap; I have it in gray. I love love love it.)

Turtleneck: The Limited (similar from JCPenny)

Belt: The Limited (similar from Target)

Booties: From Mom :)

Tights: The Limited (similar from Target)

Necklace: Target 

Detail shot of the tights :)

Linking up with

Because Shanna Said So

and

The Pleated Poppy

------------------------------

Similar outfits that involve layers under a dress:

A button up under this very same dress!

original post

my striped version of the black dress:

(I LOVE YOU, TARGET.)

original post

(Someone tell me how else to style this dress in the winter? What other color can I wear with it? Maybe I should've added it to my 30x30.)

Momma, Oooo ooo ooo ooo *cue Queen instrumentals*

One of my juniors had never heard "Bohemian Rhapsody," so I had to rectify that little situation for a whole six minutes. Total teachable moment, no?

So, one of the many reasons I love fall and winter? I have a pretty awesome boot collection. 

Today's pair of boots is compliments of my Momma. 

As you can see, her taste in footwear kicks ass. 

She buys shoes (usually boots) that she really likes but finds out they disagree with her ankle, so I adopt a new pair of shoes. Considering I love her taste in shoes (especially boots), I will never pass up an opportunity to take on another pair of hand-me-down shoes.

People kept stopping me to compliment my boots, and I obviously told them that Momma gave them to me, to which one person responded, "Your MOM picked those out? She has good taste in shoes. Those are sexy."

Thanks, Momma! 

The Outfit:

Boots: From Momma :)

Cardigan: LOFT

Blouse: Old Navy

Pants: Simply Vera via Kohl's

Necklace: Can't remember

P.S. Third-day hair? WHAT IS UP? I am killing it with the third day hair.

Meet Blue. He barks at all things. Including leaves. And rocks. And perhaps his own shadow.

This shot is for Momma, who took these photos, by the way :)

The Details:

Occasion: Casual day teaching

Comments: I love this color combination. I love this outfit. I felt a little edgy. And I'm down with edgy. Maybe I could have belted something or whatever, but I thought loose up top was better with skinny jeans. Right? 

What article of clothing makes you most excited for fall/winter? Do tell! 

Tweed-y Bird

Nothing about this outfit screams "BIRD!" However, when I thought of the title, I giggled, so I kept it. 

Some lady at the mall actually yelled to me in the mall because she wanted to know where I bought my tights. I'm not entirely sure, but I went with Target. That answer seemed right and safe. You can never be too safe around people who hunt you down in the mall. 

The lady at Naturalizer spent several minutes oohing and ahhing over my black booties. She was quite surprised to learn that I bought them at Boscov's. 

When I told the ladies at Banana Republic my husband's pant size, they told me that I need to feed him more. Who says stuff like that? 

The lady at Francesca's thought my necklace was from there. Nope, NY & Co. Woot woot.

I realized that I hate shopping at the mall. I like outlet malls because they allow me to breathe fresh air in between my visit to each store, but I hate "regular" malls. I feel so claustrophobic when I reach the center. It's like I'm standing in the belly of the beast. 

What is wrong with me? 

Outfit Deets:

Blazer: Express

Shirt: Marshall's

Skirt: The Limited (last year's find)

Tights: Let's go with Target

Booties: Boscov's

I wish the lighting wasn't so craptastic. My apologies, folks. 

Edgy Date Night

So, the husband and I actually coordinated a date night. Can you believe it? I'm always so inundated with essays, lesson plans, or whatever that I can't seem to get my crap together enough for a date night. I decided that I deserved it because I finished one of two midterms and several stacks of grading.

Anyway, I wore this get up to a pizza place with the best ambience I've ever experienced. They serve gluten free pizza to boot. We went to the market (what normal people call the grocery store) after pizza, so I switched into gold flats for more comfort. A girl has to be prepared.

Pants are Lauren Conrad via Kohl's.
(These pants feel like the feathers of a baby chick. So dang soft I want to pet my legs all night.)
Top is Rock and Republic via Kohl's.
Hat is from Target.
Booties are Mia via Boscov's.

Linking up with YOLOmondays. 

Blue Lace Dress & Floral Blazer

Would you like to know the trick to a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad hair day? 

Make your outfit so cute that no one will even notice your hair. Voila. 

I woke up and my hair looked like those babies from that Pampers commercial.

Except that I didn't look cute. At all.

I desperately tried the sock bun. No dice. 

As a result, I ended up with this little nubbin' on my head. 

I know you think it looks funny, but I'm sorry for not being graced with thick, luscious locks that whip into a bun worthy of the best ballerina.

Anyway, I wish you could see how cute these booties really are. (Again, my apologies to my friend, Amy, who hates booties.) I'm surprised none of my female students stole them off of my feet. 

One of my students walked into fifth period and said, "I heard about your outfit today. It really is cute." My students are talking about my clothes when they're not in my class?

Why can't they talk about that awesome poem we read? 

Who am I kidding? My vanity loves the attention.

And only English teachers like that poem.

And the kid who sits in the front.

Another student (a male), who is incredibly stylish in his own right, said my blazer would "look sweet" if it were the lining of a man's suit jacket and the chest pocket. Cool idea, kid. 

Today was a success. I think I pulled together a warm, professional, fun outfit, and I feel like my students actually understood today's poem. (If you have to teach poetry, I really love the TPCASTT strategy.) We also played my game of makeshift vocabulary basketball, which was a good time. Until my students with horrible aim accidentally pelted me with the Nerf ball. Bad form, freshmen, bad form. 

 Meet my first attempt at an artsy shot. How did I do?

This picture made me laugh. My face is the result of my feeling uncomfortable. 

My neighbor was totally peeking out of the window while I took some of these shots.

Outfit Deets:

Dress: Kohl's (not sure what brand, but here's one with long sleeves at Mango; this one at ModCloth is really adorable, too and a bit longer than the Mango dress)

Blazer: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's (exact)

Belt: Gift from my awesome sister-in-law (who also got me a mint scarf)--I believe it's from NY& Co.

Booties: Mia via Boscov's (exact)

Just so that you can see my pretty booties, here's a picture from the Boscov's website:

Today, I linked up with That Friday Blog Hop.