Think Pink

I wore this outfit on Friday, and if you follow me on Instagram, then I already spoiled this surprise for you. Sorry about that. I would have taken pictures this weekend of the outfits I have planned for this week, but we finally moved everything still left in the apartment over to the house. I now have a living room filled with odds and ends.

You know what? I cannot force myself to care right now. I just finished my 37th letter of recommendation, which means I finally finished all of the letters due by November 1st, and I'm several days ahead of the game. I still have five left, but they aren't due until December or January; I think I earned a little break. I also have to make up my graduate final exam tomorrow night, and I have another graduate project due on Tuesday night. The odds and ends can wait, especially since we finally (pretty much) finished painting our blue bedroom. Now that I do not have to wake up in an aquarium, I can learn to live with the rest of the chaos for a few weeks.

Speaking of chaos, I came up with my motto for this school year: Don't get mad; get manic. Turn anger/frustration into craziness. It's working so far.  I am certifiable.


Oh, if you want to join my colleagues and me for our next few Trendy Tuesdays, here they are:

Tomorrow, October 28th: Think Pink (wear pink in honor of breast cancer awareness)

Wednesday, November 5th (we are off on the 4th for election day, so we moved our trendy day): Diamonds (A male colleague picked this gem! He suggested argyle, actual diamonds, sequins, or sparkles. All of these qualify for our theme. Isn't it a fun idea? I think so.)

Tuesday, November 11th: Invested (yes, that means wear a vest of some sort--this theme was chosen by a different male colleague of mine. Don't I work with the coolest people? I think so.)

What to wear when it's hot, but you don't want to look like a hot mess.

How's that for a verbose title? Anyway, this week's edition of "What to wear when it's hot, but you don't want to look like a hot mess" features two tips: not-your-standard cuts and unexpected prints. Could I have worn a white shirt with regular pink shorts? Absolutely. However, I like to add a bit of visual interest when I can. (I'm a big believer in "wear at least one statement piece a day so that it revs up the entire outfit's awesomeness.") I love these shorts from LOFT that I bought last year; my favorite feature is that they're not your typical stripes. They've got a bit of a tribal feel to them, no? Plus, the color combination (white, navy, orange, and pink) makes them so much more versatile than you'd give them credit for in the store.

I wanted to pair the shorts with something a bit unexpected (i.e. not my usual white tee from Target), so I opted for this white peplum with a fun zipper detail. When I unpacked more of my shoes from last year (I wasn't sure if the weather would actually let me have spring/summer, so I hadn't switched my shoes over completely), I found these orange sandals that I forgot existed. How insane of me, right?

Yesterday, I paired yellow with this same shade of pink. Today, I opted for orange thanks to the color combination of the shorts. Look, Mom, I can get dressed without Pinterest! Actually, I haven't really been on Pinterest for maybe two months? (Just the periodic "I'm bored while blow drying my hair" moments.) I can actually dress myself now. Can you believe it? I never thought the day would come that I wouldn't rely on Pinterest at least twice a week to dress myself.

P.S. Can the World Cup please end? I want to watch my Game of Thrones finale, but EVERYTHING I want to watch takes the backseat to a bunch of dudes skittering around a plot of grass. However, a few notes: one, futbol players are so much hotter than football players (I could stare at the Italians forever); two, it's only every four years; three, my husband does not watch football, so I can be sort of okay with soccer; five, I actually understand soccer for the most part. I feel like football stops so many times for random things (and stops for what feels like forever), and I never understand why it's stopped. If I have to struggle THAT hard to understand something someone else is doing, I can't scrounge up a shred of care. Soccer, on the other hand, is just two 45 minute halves with some injury time tacked on the end. When someone fouls someone else, they get to kick toward the goal or throw the ball in from the sideline. No crazy plays (except for some awesome head butting and scissor kicking of the ball) and no never-ending time outs. I guess it's not that bad, but shhh, don't tell my husband.

The look:

Top: New York & Co.

Shorts: LOFT

Shoes: Franco Sarto (LOVE HIS SHOES) via Marshall's

Necklace: Old Navy

Unexpected Inspiration: Hair & Toes

At first, I considered not writing a post about the outfit that I already posted on Instagram this morning, and then I realized how often I see outfies (outfit selfies, it'll eventually catch on) that I wish I could see as something other than an itty, bitty Instagram shot. Had I not loved today's outfit so much, I would've left you to your own Insta-devices, but this color combination and print have me rather smitten. Plus, maybe, like me, you want to see larger shots of Instagram outfies. 

Let's talk about that post title up there for a moment. This morning, I did not want to shower. (Oh, please, don't act like you shower every day. I will wash my feet before yoga tonight; don't worry.) First, I washed my face, which required this headband because my bangs do this let's-play-octopus-tentacles thing. I decided that my hair looked halfway decent pulled back and strapped in with this headband, so I began to hunt for something in my closet that went with it. (My head is oddly shaped, so headbands usually fly off my head within five minutes. Since my brain cooperated with me this morning, I thought of a genius idea: bobby pin the bottom of the headband to my hair. IT WORKED. Where has this brilliance been all of my life?) Anyway, enter Maxi Dress Monday, the best idea if I ever did hear of one (better than a bobby pin strapping a headband to my head). This dress has been taunting me for awhile now, and I finally gave in to it. It's pretty perfect with the headband, no?

Originally, I threw on a white cardigan because the dress would otherwise be inappropriate for work. And then I looked at my feet. I realized that the lovely pink color I painted on my toes yesterday served as a fun pairing with the yellow. "Aha!" I said to myself. "Let's put on the pink cardigan." I knew I made a good choice when my husband declared how much he liked my "sundress" (we'll let him have it--God love him for trying), a colleague called me a "Grecian goddess," and my co-teacher commented, "I never would've thought to put those colors together, but I love it." All before 7:30 in the morning. Way to make a girl who didn't shower this morning feel awesome about her hygienic neglect. 

Riddle me this: what are some of the odd places you've found sartorial inspiration?

The Look:

Sandals: Enzo Angiolini via Marshall's

Cardigan: Banana Republic via thredUP

Dress: LOFT outlet (last year for $20!)

Necklace: Boutique 

Headband: Walmart

Earrings: Old Navy

The nail polish is from my aunt, and it's by Ulta. My Mom loved it so much that she found an Essie look-alike called bachelorette bash (I think that was the name). 

Olive Pink & Puppies

Once a week, I need to satisfy your desire to see more of my parents' puppies. This little guy is Sammy. Sammy enjoys burrowing into crotches, sleeping on heads, and eating food off of my dad's pant leg. Nothing beats visiting my parents' house on the weekend. They feed me delicious food, they offer satisfying conversation, they house two of the cutest dude pups (I clearly house the cutest lady pups), and they help me forget the mounds of essays I need to grade. 

These wedges were $20 at Nine West! What? Crazy talk. Additionally, I took a little trip to Old Navy today in hopes of scoring a pair of $10 flats. None of them appealed to me; however, I scooped up a spring sweater and necklace. Would you like to know how much I paid for those two items? Yes, yes, you do. FIVE BUCKS. No, your eyes do not deceive you. I paid FIVE dollars for a sweater and a necklace. Even the cashier said that was the best deal she's seen...ever. I don't play sports, but I'm a winner.

The Look:

Vest: Forever 21 (very similar from Nordstrom)

Top: Jennifer Lopez via Kohl's (Santa Momma gave it to me! exact)

Pants: White House Black Market (at least three years old--similar from Old Navy)

Shoes: Nine West (similar)

Necklace: Lauren Conrad from Momma (very similar)

 

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Linking up with

* Shanna
* Pleated Poppy

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OH, next Trendy Tuesday is "Nautical or Knot."

 My colleagues are so creative. :)

Trendy Tuesday: Blazers and Button Ups

My name twin, Danielle, over at Goodwillista picked out my outfit for me today. We decided that we would look through each other's closets (a.k.a blog stalk) and give the other an outfit to wear with items from her closet. Danielle suggested my black and white striped blouse, flare jeans, skinny belt, and one of my many colored blazers. Her suggestion just so happened to coincide with this week's Trendy Tuesday, blazers and button ups, at my work. (Yes, we teachers pick a theme for getting dressed every Tuesday and grab a group shot at the end of the day.) 

When I informed my fourth period about today's theme, a five-minute debate ensued. Is it a button-up or a button-down shirt? I argued that the words were interchangeable because some people button from the bottom up and others bottom from the top down. I guess you could settle for the word oxford, yes? I don't know. Does it matter which name you give to it? 

Also, I plan to link up with Ginny and Jenn for Style Swap on Friday. (Click the link to learn more about it and join in on the fun!) After all, Danielle and I were pretty much swapping styles, right? Plus, I realized this outfit must have been channeling its inner Kendi. 

The Look:

Jeans: J Brand via TJ Maxx (similar from Gap)

Blouse: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's (similar from Gap)

Tank (under blouse): White House Black Market (exact--so worth every penny...it's the best tank I have EVER bought. It's comfortable, the right amount of spandex, and the perfect length)

Boots: b.o.c. via DSW 

Blazer: LOFT via thredUP (similar from Target) 

Necklace: Cannot remember...at all...

Linking up with

Style Sessions

The Pleated Poppy

Shanna

and 

Style Swap (on Friday)

Previously, I wore the pink blazer this way:

Blushing Gold

Okay, this pink isn't really blush, but I liked the title too much to pass it up. I have my moments of intelligence. 

You know what? I've never tried this particular color combination before. Typically, I pair pink with gray/silver, but I'm a recent fan of this pink and gold loveliness. 

When I wore this yesterday, the assistant principal who shares the Dapper Dan/Danielle award with me said, "I really like the gold, especially the shoes. It's like Dorothy, just gold instead of red." I can appreciate a dude with fashion sense. If only I could click my heels and be home. Instead, I am sitting in the school parking lot writing a blog post on my Blogger app. before I embark on my hour long commute (which I must endure for only two more weeks!) I have reached a new level of wonderment. 

The Outfit:

Gold Cardigan: Old Navy

Pink blouse that I slopped breakfast on: NY&Co. 

Pants: Celebrity Pink via Boscov's 

Gold flats: Audrey Brooke via DSW

Necklace: my girl LC via Kohl's, of course (Momma bought it for me. I'm so the favorite.) 

The Details:

Occasion: Teaching (namely proctoring the PSAT)

Comments: Does anyone else own pants that suffer from crotch clicking syndrome? Are we speaking the same language? Do your pants, especially when it's so quiet you could hear a brain fart, sometimes make a clicking sound that comes from the ever convenient crotch? Tell me I'm not the only one with this problem. And it IS a problem, first world or not, especially during PSAT proctoring. Regardless, this outfit is comfortable despite its being loud sometimes. 

I'll understand if you stop reading this blog. It's not easy visiting Crazy Town. 

Send me good juju

I'm welcoming you to my awkward, should-have-brushed-my-ratty-hair-before-photos, bangs-doing-a-thing-of-their-own-creation, I-don't-know-how-to-retuck-my-shirt-after-using-the-bathroom kind of day. I do hope you enjoy it. 

The past week and a half, I have spent every day (except for today) working after school with students (some of whom I have never taught) on their college essays. As flattered as I am that they value my commentary, dude, I be pooped. Quite honestly, helping students invigorates me. However, I know that staying in the building until 4 means that I will encounter every jerk off driver during my hour-long commute, and that very thought exhausts me before I even stick the key in the ignition. I know some people drive even farther to work, and that's great for them and blah blah blah, but an hour is too much for me, especially because it drains two more hours of a day that I could be filling with helping more students, actually sneaking in a work out, and tending to that overflowing hamper in the bedroom. Oh, and spending time with my husband, who drives an hour and twenty minutes to work, sounds super. 

I have arrived at my point. After three weeks on the market, we finally have another showing tomorrow night! (Our area is apparently stupid slow for real estate at the moment.) We desperately want to live closer to work so that we can enjoy life before we attempt parenthood, and we can finally hang out with so many of our friends who live in that direction. SO, if you could do whatever it is you do to make things happen, we would appreciate all of the good juju we can get.  

And if my pleas are not enough, look! My shirt has gems on it! My hair needs brushing! I'm wearing the most boring color combination ever! And I like it! Yay! Exclamation marks!

The Outfit:

Shirt: LOFT

Blazer: Kenar via Marshall's 

Pants: Express (seriously, buy yourself a pair. Disappointed you will not be. Yoda. Go get you some.)

Shoes: BCBG via Boscov's (that happens? Sure.)

Occasion: Work, which involved reading aloud to three classes and watching group presentations in two classes. These are exciting times.

Comfort Rating: 10

Comments: A 10 for a outfit in heels? Whaaat? Believe it. These heels are the perfect height and are sinfully comfortable. As for these pants, they look like dress pants (because they are), but they feel like yoga pants. I'm not lying. Express needs to make them in every color. They are experimenting with this new cut to see how customers like them before they roll out more colors. I got that intel from one of the employees because I make friends when I shop. 

I must tend to this house and some paper grading.

Toodles, home skillets.

Polka Dots & Pink

I'm not a huge bubblegum pink fan, but this skirt was like $11 from Target. Need I say more?

I already owned [and loved] it in navy, so I stuffed it into my car full of a million other things I need but don't need from Target. 

It happens to all of us. Target happens to all of us.

Do you ever find an item in your closet and think, "I like this, but I never wear this. What shall I wear with this?" And THEN, an idea bomb explodes in your face. You find just the right thing to complement it. 

That's what happened with this polka dot shirt, which seems stupid because it's covered in polka dots. How hard is it to remember this shirt and find it a mate? Too difficult for my summer-sized brain.

Until now.

The Look:

Tank: Old Navy

Skirt: Target

Belt: Francesca's

Necklace: The husband.

I wish my selfie skills were better so that you could see my cute sandals.

(P.S. I don't like this outfit without a cardigan/jean jacket/etc. It feels unfinished.)

The Details:

Occasion: Cleaning/organizing/hazmating my classroom and then looking at an apartment

(So, I needed to be free for movement in my sweltering classroom, yet I could not look like a total slob for the apartment viewing appointment.)

When: noon-night

Where: Classroom (without students) and apartment complex

Restyling Options: I brought a cardigan with me in case we traveled somewhere chilly. (I never know if a classroom will be arctic cold or Sahara hot. Layers are key.) I think a navy blazer would be C-U-T-E with this look, especially if students were in my classroom. If I weren't wearing it for work and needed a little warmth, a jean jacket would fit the bill. Instead of the polka dot top (or over the polka dot top), I'd love a light blue oxford. 

What are your restyling options for any of these pieces?

Pinspiration:

(source is difficult to find, but this is the best I could do)

Love the stripes, statement necklace, and trench.

Good grief, I could never wear those heels.

The chic-as-always, Blair. 

Or, her fancy style in this one: