Teacher Style: Colored Tee

And the last shirt for the week is a colored tee. Pick one that lends itself to many of the patterns in your closet. I ended up getting six more shirts similar to this one at LOFT when they were having a buy one get one free promotion. I realized that solid color tees are something I seriously lack, yet am always searching my drawers for.

Top: LOFT

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There you have it, the end of shirt week. Next week, I hope to show you some cute dresses perfect for the classroom!

 

Caution: I am not this cool in real life.

At my age, we women walk a tricky rope when we say, "I have big news for you!" Most people predict a pregnancy announcement. I can assure you that is not the case for the news I am about to share. In fact, as you read this post, I am under the ENT's knife because my face doesn't like itself. Well, the inside of my face doesn't like itself. I'm working on trying to sustain my own life at the moment, not grow another one.

Anyway, as one of my juniors always says, you're probably wondering why I gathered you all here today.

I am not even sure how to tell you, so bear with me.

As you may or may not know, my mom is my biggest cheerleader in life. She thinks I can conquer the world, and the greatest reason I can defeat so many of my health-related obstacles is because of her "you can do it" attitude. She likes all of my blog posts on Facebook. She keeps up with everything that I write on here. She takes my pictures for the blog. She cheers louder for my victories than any of my adversaries could boo. Well, her love for me led her to write a paragraph nominating me as one of Neiman Marcus' Faces of Beauty, a woman who is beautiful both inside and out. I guess I inherited my flair for writing from her because Neiman Marcus picked me as one of their six faces of beauty for this fall. (Seriously, just typing that sentence almost made me throw up with apprehension and excitement.)

When I first received the e-mail, I thought it was a total hoax like those "you have a million dollars waiting for you in Africa" e-mails, so I called mom and hesitantly inquired, "Did you nominate me to be one of Neiman Marcus' Faces of Beauty?" Softly and with a hint of curiosity in her voice, she responded, "yes." So, I responded, "Well, I just received an e-mail that said they picked me. I'm exactly what they're looking for. They love that my mom nominated me." I think my right ear is still ringing from her shrill shrieks that pierced it at that very moment.

So they picked me. I can think of a long list of women I find more talented, beautiful, and giving than I am, but they picked me. Nothing really compares to a mother's love, and I can attest to that truth.

What does it all mean? Well, I fly out to Dallas May 5th-6th, they put me up in a hotel, I have a photoshoot with a NY photographer, I get $1500 in cosmetics/fragrances, I keep the wardrobe from the photoshoot, I get chauffeured in a limo, I get free dinners/lunches, and they use my face for their national advertising campaign. I do not know what I did to deserve a mother as wonderful as mine and an experience as exceptional as this one, but I am grateful. And that word seems so small and insignificant to express how thankful I am for my mom's faith in me. I know you're probably reading this, Mom, so thank you. Thank you so very much for being my mom.

There's the big news. Now, what do I wear?

Mom says this outfit would be a good choice. Since she dresses me better than I do, she's probably right. Plus, it's the spring version of my favorite fall/winter outfit.

The Look:

Cardigan: Sonoma via Kohl's

Top: Merona via Target (recent)

Skirt: Francesca's

Flats: Target

Earrings: Local Boutique called Sweet Elizabeth Jane (find them on Facebook!)

I think this outfit qualifies for the April challenge because it suits two themes: tribal print and local love.

Today is my big link up day. I'm joining all of these ladies:

* What I Wore to Work: http://www.mixmatchfashion.com/

* All Things Thursday: http://www.glitzandgold.com

* Look What I Got (for cheap): http://pennilesssocialite.blogspot.com/ 

* Three-fer Thursdays: http://www.everydayfashionandfinance.com

* Tres-Chic Fashion Thursday: http://vodkainfusedlemonade.com/

 

Wearing Halloween without Looking Halloween (maybe)

In honor of October, I decided to style one orange shirt several ways. Okay, okay, to be honest, I styled it in four ways to see if it was worth saving. Congratulations, shirt, orange you lucky to have earned your keep? (I couldn't help myself.)

Since we will be moving into an apartment and out of our house on Halloween, dressing up and handing out candy isn't really an option. Wearing orange is the best I've got. 

As the move inches closer and closer, I realize how much I will miss our neighbors. Why can't we plant them in the neighborhood of our next home? When we moved in several years ago, the Snowmageddon hit. Welcome to home ownership! I brought you Mount Everest! Our neighbors brought out some bourbon and helped shovel our driveway. (They also watched from their windows as my ridiculous husband climbed onto the porch roof in his no-traction sneakers and used a piece of molding to golf swing snow off the roof. Luckily, if he were to fall, an eight-foot mound of snow would've caught him.) Granted, we live so far from work and find ourselves so exhausted from the drive that we cannot hang out with our neighbors as much as we'd like. I hope our next home has neighbors who are just as lovely and come bearing rum (specifically the Cruzan mango kind) instead of bourbon. One of my colleagues said this winter, according to the Farmers' Almanac, will be a doozy. I am trying to determine whether that's a better or worse thing in an apartment? I cannot be sure. 

Anyway, enough about me, more about the clothes. I know I know. 

LOOK 1

Shirt: Gap

Sweater: The Limited

Pants: Express

Necklace: Kohl's

(I think the ensemble would look even better with a gold belt. Agreed?)

LOOK 2

Same Shirt (obviously)

Blazer: NY & Co.

Skirt: Merona via Target

Necklace: Target

(I think the creepy dog really contributes something special to this look.)

LOOK 3

Chambray: Old Navy

Belt: American Eagle (dude's section...bought it in MIDDLE SCHOOL!)

Pants (they're winter white cords): Forever 21

Scarf: Francesca's

LOOK 4

Cardigan: gift from my sister-in-law :) (it's from Target)

Belt: Target (years ago)

I know this look is quite Halloweenie, but I wholly approve. Why must orange and black always mean Halloween, yellow and black always mean bumble bee, red/white/blue always mean July 4th, and red/green always mean Christmas? WHY?! If my outfits make me look like an insect or a holiday, then so be it. 

Just in case you want some pinteresting orange looks, I compiled all of them into one image for your pinning (or not) pleasure. 

I hope everyone is having a (pumpkin) smashing weekend. 

Lion meets Dolphin.

I didn't want to provide you with just the colors of my outfit. Giving them animal names seemed so much more exciting. You're welcome.

Yesterday, I caught up with a friend, and we happened upon the cutest store in Ellicott City! It's called Sweet Elizabeth Jane. As my friend said, "it's like Pinterest come alive." No joke. This store was stocked full of home goods (turtle shaped salt and pepper shakers? Whaaaaat?), clothes (like this green skirt below--I bought it), and jewelry (at really reasonable prices). If you're ever in Ellicott City, Maryland, go visit. Immediately. I wanted to buy everything, so I settled for trying it all on and picking one thing. Okay, one item of clothing and several pieces of jewelry. 

Cute skirt, right? It's mine now. Fear not.

Anticipate a post about it in the future.

(That other dress is mighty cute, too.)

Today, I hosted a 31 Party because one of my friends recently became a consultant. Aaaaand now I want to buy everything in the catalogue. Self control, do not fail me now. 

I thought you might want to see how cute Mom and I looked. I come from good stock, folks. Good stock, indeed.

For once, I successfully layered necklaces. Baby steps.