Essays aren't the only things in need of revisions.

When Mom and I took pictures of this outfit, I hadn't considered the blustery, rainy, cold front that would pass through on the day I planned to wear it. When I actually wore it, I pulled a typical me and tucked in the shirt, belted the pants, and threw on a white blazer. (If you follow me on Instagram, you already saw this look on Tuesday!) Anyway, I felt much better in the revised version because it felt more "me." I know blogland is all "HALF TUCK THE SHIRT," but I typically prefer a full tuck for work outfits. I feel more polished. When you deal with teenage funk all day, anything that makes you feel more put together prevents that "I think I smell like teen spirit now" feeling. 

Anyway, I can't believe I once considered ousting this top from my closet. Its sunny yellow disposition rubs off on me, and it worked perfectly for this week's Trendy Tuesday theme, bows. The ladies wore bows in their hair, shirts tied in bows, shirts in bow print, and headbands with bows. The gents took the opportunity to wear bow ties. (Check me out on Instagram if you want to see how I revised the look for a frigid classroom.) I also switched from these shoes to a lower heel that also sported bows on the front. How appropriate. 

The Look:

Shirt: New York & Co.

Pants: Express (the Columnist in slim cut)

Shoes: via DSW

I also wore the shirt this way:

(crappy picture but the blazer is navy)

I also wore the heels this way:

(I had to donate the shirt because it shrunk and same with the cardigan.)

And the pants this way:

Linking up with

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

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

Why do you build me up, buttercup...

Just to let me down (let me down) with your unpretty pictures? I'll tell you why, sugar pie. I like this outfit so much that, poorly taken pictures and all, I wanted to share it with you. Sure, the outfit might not be amazing, but doesn't that pale yellow just make you smile? Add to that the polka dots and you've got a winning combination.

Yes, I had to have Jeff help me put on my cardigan, but I wore just enough layers to remain comfortable at work. Rewind a moment. Does anyone else suffer from sleeves-too-tight syndrome? Let's get real here, people. I have spindly little arms of which I am fully aware. However, you would think I was trying to squeeze a leg into some of my cardigans. I mean, for whom are they making these sleeves anyway? If even I struggle to stuff my toothpick arms into the armholes, we have a problem, Houston. So, I have to buy cardigans in a size small if I want to wear anything other than just my arms under those sleeves. Of course, the small sleeves fit better, but then my 12-year-old-boy-sized chest just floats under the rest of it. I am not talented enough to make my own cardigans, so suffer I must. Oh, these first world problems of mine.

 

The Look:

Cardigan: New York & Co.

Oxford: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's

Black Jeans: American Eagle (technically "jeggings," but who likes that word anyway?)

Belt: Target (love me some Target belts)

Boots: b.o.c. via DSW  

 

This look was loosely inspired by this pin.

Obviously, it's still too cold to copy the pin exactly, but I liked the idea

of a yellow cardigan with my polka dot oxford.

 

I also wore the jeans this way,

and the cardigan this way,

and the oxford this way.

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Linking up with

What I Wore to Work

All Things Thursday

Look What I Got

Pinned it and Did It

Three-fer Thursdays

and

Tres-Chic Fashion Thursday

(You'd think I would've linked up better pictures for all of those links. Well, I hope the words make it worth it.)

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And so the "Reverse" 30x30 begins.

In case you missed it, yesterday, I told you about my challenge for the month of January. I'm dubbing it, for lack of something more creative, "Reverse 30x30." It's "reverse" because, unlike a 30x30, which involves isolating 30 items from your closet and remixing just those pieces, you take 30 items that you want to reintroduce into your wardrobe. You choose clothes that you love (or think you could love), but rarely show the love. This challenge is a concentrated effort to make all of your closet well-loved. If, by the end of the challenge, you decide to donate/consign/sell any of the 30 items you chose, that's perfectly fine. You're one step closer to a fully well-loved closet. Right?

My first item of clothing is the Lauren Conrad polka dot button down. I love me some dots, I love me some LC, and I love me some button downs, but this shirt just sits on the sidelines. Not today, folks. Not today.

My method for success? It's two fold.
First: pair the shirt with well-loved items (black boots and burgundy pants) and new items that excite me (black cardigan and red necklace).
Second: make the shirt part of a color scheme I always fall back on (black, white, and burgundy)

Will I keep this shirt? Absolutely. It will definitely become well-loved. In fact, I have a few more ways to wear it.

Next time? Boyfriend blazer and jeans with heels?
Or one of these looks that I pinned:
polka dot shirt under dress
polka dot shirt with jean jacket, green necklace, and heels
polka dot shirt with cobalt

How I wore it today?

"Reversed" Item: Polka dot button down (Lauren Conrad via Kohl's)

Pants: Old Navy Rockstar skinnies

Boots: Etienne Aigner via Macy's

Cardigan: Express

Necklace: gift

Feel free to join me for this challenge. It can be for a day, a week, two weeks, the whole 30, whatever! If you participate at any point, I'd love for you to send me an e-mail or comment with the link to your outfit post. 

:)

-Danielle 

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday. 

Peter Pan?

Moving might just be the world's best way to convince yourself that there's shit you don't need, and there's a lot of shit I just don't need. 72 electric tea lights? Go away. 

Of course, then you realize how much shit you really have. And, quite often, you have many of one particular item...in every color. 392 blankets in a basket puked on by rainbows and ponies? 

WHY NOT 397? 

And I'm dropping the s bomb on you. A lot. 

I think there is something in the blood of high school teachers that makes us potty mouths. Or, I just hang out with equally sailor mouthed individuals. Or, I'm a terrible influence. Or, both. Furthermore, my Mom Mom always told us that "shit, damn, and hell" are fair game. 

Thanks for the validation, Mom Mom. 

The Outfit:

Scarf: Handmade by Momma dukes

Top: Old Navy (recent)

Cardigan: Target

Skirt: Clearance rack at Target

Boots: Macy's

(I think the belt came with a dress?)

The Details:

Occasion: Teaching

Notes: If this skirt hangs on the clearance rack at your Target, BUY IT. It's the perfect length, the material is comfortable, and I found it for $15. Do I look like Peter Pan? Why do I feel like I look like Peter Pan? 

Linking up with Style Sessions.

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:

Blue Blazer & Polka Dots

This week, my co-teacher and I decided that wearing jeans every day this week is perfectly acceptable. Luckily, our dress code is not super strict. 

I've realized that my go-to outfit consists of a blazer, nice top/t-shirt, jeans, and flats. 

One of my students said that she will pick out a nice outfit to wear but feel too lazy to put it on. I told her I'm the same way, which is why I come up with two outfits. 

I come up with:

Outfit A: I feel like looking cute and actually getting dressed today, so I'll wear this.

Outfit B: I'm too bloated/tired/hangry to put on anything that's not forgiving, but I still want to look cute, so I'll wear this.

Today's outfit is Outfit B.

Outfit Deets:

Blazer: Express (similar)

Top: White House Black Market (similar)

Jeans: The Limited 

Flats: Jessica Simpson via Marshall's (similar)

Linking up here and here. 

Black & White Dots on Dots

Disclaimer: I took these pictures after working a 12.5 hour day. I tried my best not to look haggard, but I make no promises, folks.

Again, I can think only in lists.

1. I'm not wearing lipstick. I put on lip liner and then sealed it with chapstick. It lasted for 10 hours before I had to reapply. That's pretty impressive. However, at my current state of mind, a block of cheese would impress me. 

2. My brain was not firing on all cylinders this morning, so the best I could come up with was all black and white with red lips. However, this combination seemed appropriate for parent-teacher conferences.

3. I did not wear these cute shoes today. Parent-teacher conference days equal heels.

4. I just finished watching Counterpunch. It was a really good movie! If you have Netflix, watch it.

5. My hair is big. Again. 

6. Don't you love the pillow that my Mom made for my window seat? OH, and she made that blanket, too. Momma dukes is so talented :)

Outfit Deets:

Pants: Express

Shirt: Marshall's

Shoes: Naturalizer

Belt: Express (SO OLD...like, I wore it in high school old)

Necklace: Momma bought it :) 

I would make links for you, but I've reached my limit. This twelve and a half hour day kicked my butt. 

Today (er...tonight?), I linked up with The Pleated Poppy and Because Shanna Said So.