Theme Week: Same Accessories, Different Outfit (Part 4)

 Forgive the onslaught of pictures, but I really like how this outfit turned out. You forgive me, right? I decided to wear these shorts with this top a looooong time ago when I saw this pin, but it did not come to fruition until now. Isn't that how it always happens? I don't know if orange and green are a typical pair, but I really like them as you can see here.

Seriously, if you bought a pair of orange sandals, would you have expected to pair it with SO MANY things? I can still think of many, many more. Way to go, orange sandals. Way to be team players.

In other news, Mom and I went to Babies R Us to buy my friend a gift for her shower this weekend. Somehow, I managed to leave the store with a little Mickey Mouse pull out couch (and swim shoes...and crab pajamas) for my niece. I mean, really, who expected me to say no?

And then Mom and I went to Nordstrom Rack. Mom bought me a dress for my birthday in August since Jeff and I are headed to Vegas to celebrate. I got myself the prettiest aqua dress that I imagine will be perfect for chaperoning homecoming. (Seriously, it's summer time, and I keep thinking about school!) And I finally found a black and white striped maxi skirt. I wanted to buy about 319 more lovelies, but self control (and not blowing a budget) are important (and sucky) things. 

 

The Look:

Top: New York & Co. 

Shorts: Old Navy 

Sandals: Franco Sarto (similar by Nine West)

Necklace: Old Navy (similar on Etsy, and another)

 

I'm glad I have a pretty good shot of the back of this shirt. Exposed zippers aren't everyone's taste, but I love them. 

Linking up with Summer Style

On the Sneak.

The other day, Whitney commented on how I've been rocking the Converse lately. You know what? She's absolutely right, and I'll be honest. Wearing the juice out of these shoes never fell into the realm of "intentional," despite how intentional most of my wardrobe is. What has been my primary intention? Comfort. You know what's comfortable? Tennis shoes. As evidenced by the photographs below, I own two colors of Converse: white and gray. Though, I hesitate to say those are "colors." You know what I mean. Let's not underestimate the power of the sneaker. It would appear that, at least subconsciously, I have not.

On Tuesday, my friend and I visited the Newseum in D.C. for the first time. WOW, guys. If you're ever in the area (hit me up!), check out the Newseum. It is absolutely worth the $23 admission fee. The Newseum is six floors, and you soon realize why the $23 actually pays for a two-day pass. It is nearly impossible to visit the museum in its entirety within one day. So, what is it? Essentially, it's journalism meets history. The exhibits illustrate the media's impact on different global (Berlin Wall) and national events (Pulitzer Prize winning photographs).

We made it through about three or four of the floors. We saw part of the actual Berlin Wall and one of the Death Towers. They talk about how instrumental America was in disseminating news in West Berlin. They have a photograph exhibit. The first part is comprised of themed, captioned photographs (ex: terrorism) and the best photographs of the year. The next part is this curved wall that features the Pulitzer Prize winning photographs of every year up to 2011. We loved the Anchorman exhibit (yes, the movie). They have outfits that the characters wore, props, video clips, and even the news set where you can sit in the news chair and get your picture taken. Next to that, they have booths where you can play interactive games on the computer. They have several stations set up where you stand in front of a green screen after choosing what you'd like to "report" on (ex: the weather). You grab the microphone and read from the teleprompter. There was this dad there with his family, and we were all belly laughing at him. Preeeetty sure he's related to Steve Carrell.

They have a cool gift shop with a variety of magnets, shirts, pencils, books, etc. You know, the typical museum fanfare. My favorite "exhibit" was a line of large portraits of the presidents with their dogs. They have blurbs about the dogs. There are a lot of famous spaniels from the White House. Might just be the most popular breed. Good ol' Lincoln had a mutt; that's my kind of dude. Across from those portraits was a small exhibit featuring political cartoons; I took pictures of a few of them because I want to use them in my classroom. What nerd thinks about how to use stuff in her classroom when she visits a place for fun? Yeah, I do.

The Newseum features a lot more exhibits, but those are just a few. Honestly, it's worth the money. Again, if you're ever visiting D.C., make it a point to visit the Newseum.

And now it's time for our next segment: pictures of me wearing clothes. (What kind of website did you think this was?)

Both pairs of Converse are from DSW :)

When hair cooperates

Sometimes, my body likes to help me choose what I wear for the day. (And, sometimes, it's not because Mother Nature decided to give me a terrible case of the bloats.) Take today, for example. The salt water from our beach trip last week ate most of the nail polish from my toes, but time did not afford me the luxury of repainting them today. (By "time," I mean that I spent 9a.m.-1:40 tinkering around on the computer, writing a to-do list I checked off one thing on, and e-mailing Jeff about house hunting.) Anyway, I like my toes to look fully polished at all times. As a result, I decided I needed closed-toe shoes to meet up with my co-teacher for lunch. (We received some bad news about test scores, so we decided to cry together over her Chipotle naked burrito and my Deer Park water.)

I thought about wearing pants, but who wants to engage in a tug of war with pants after applying copious amounts of lotion? Not I. Does this predicament befall anyone else?

Also, can we talk hair for a moment? Of course, we can. This blog is mine. I can talk about whatever pleases me. We're talking about hair and one of its many mysteries: why does hair always cooperate with you just before you plan to cut or dye it? WHY? It's like it KNOWS you're about to go to the salon and says, "HA. I'll show you." Again, does this predicament befall anyone else? Honestly, I spent all of two minutes on my hair this morning afternoon, and it looks so...beachy. Screw you, hair, and your fickle ways. But, really, keep cooperating. I love you. I enjoy spending less than 5 minutes on you. I have better things to do than worry about your cantankerousness. Like writing blog posts about you.

 

The Look:

Shirt: LOFT outlet (I got it with the two maxi skirts I bought during our Myrtle Beach trip last week. I hunted for it online and couldn't find it.)

Cardigan: New York and Company (I love me a good cardigan with short sleeves.)

Belt: Target

Shorts: LOFT via thredUP (these are CUTE, and these are close)

Shoes: Converse via DSW

Some might find this outfit too "matchy," but hot damn I love it. That mauve color plays so nicely with gray and white. No? 

 

No, I cannot explain to you why the lower half of my body absorbs sunlight so much better than the top half.  I'm weird.

I can't drink wine, so I'll wear it.

I can't stop buying maxi skirts for the following reasons:

1. I don't have to shave if I wear them.

2. They're not pants.

3. The waistline forgives.

4. I can dress them up...or down.

5. I can sleep in them (tested that one out on Saturday--pure, comfortable success).

Jeff agreed to take my picture because I posed with the deck steps he recently rebuilt. 

Yes, we still have to stain the whole deck and one random board is brown, but they sure are beautiful. 

Clothing Homes:

Skirt: American Eagle Outlet (closest I could find at AE)

Sandals: Pink & Pepper via Marshall's (cute Steve Madden option)

Bag: It's Kenneth Cole Reaction via Boscov's for $35! (nice from Amazon)

Top: Old Navy (close, inexpensive option from Old Navy)

Belt: Express (I believe)

Occasion: Cousin's birthday party

When: 4:30-?

Where: Indoors

Comfort Rating: 10/10 (despite the belt)

Comments: I tried the shirt tied in a knot, but that didn't work for this skirt. It landed at an odd spot above the skirt. I tried leaving the shirt loose, but it made it me look too boxy.  

I tucked it in, but it didn't look pulled together until I added the belt.

Restyling Options: For work, I'd throw on my khaki and white polka dot cardigan or my plaid blazer. 

If it were a little bit chillier, I'd throw on a jean jacket.

If it were winter time, I'd replace the sandals with flats and throw on a leather jacket. 

Pinspiration: 

(source)

(source)

P.S. Linking up with FundayMonday. 

Aruba, Jamaica, Ooooo, I wanna take ya...

Are you singing the Beach Boys now? You're welcome. 

Since this week marks my first week of "summer break," which is still comprised of curriculum writing and an AP summer institute, a few colleagues and I hung out at my co-teacher's pool. I needed to visit human resources after I left, so I brought a change of clothes. I decided that showing up to the Board of Education in flip flops, shorts, and a bikini was a tad unprofessional. I threw on this outfit that I might have to put on repeat because I feel swishy, islandy, and a teensy bit sultry while I wear it. 

Everybody come see how good I look.

Fran, I posed right here at this moment because I know how much you love the lighting. Look at me thinking of my blogging buddies. 

All I can really tell you about this look is that I bought the skirt at NY & Co. last summer. 

Who wants to take me to an island now? I've got just the outfit for the occasion! 

In case you needed to hear it...

I make no apologies for the earbug I just implanted. 

Check out some lovely ladies over at Molly's for YOLO Mondays and Laura's for the floral trend.
Edit: I just so happened to wear Marionberry's trend of the month this week, and I didn't even realize it! Look at me being all trendy.