Backwards

sweater/H&M:: Jeans/Thrifted (Gap label):: Necklace/ModCloth:: Scarf/Target:: shoes/Ellen Tracy (via DSW)

I've seen it all over the internet. The backward sweater. My particular favorite has been this beautiful blogger. So I thought I'd try it.

Not bad. Don't love what it does to me backside. Maybe a short sweater next time.

To Velma, with love

I have worn a variation of this several times. As someone who could pretty much sweat standing still, I love this sweater for its short sleeve and free flowing goodness. Oh, and I love the color.

sweater/Kohls:: jeans/Old Navy:: boots/thrifted

When I wear this sweater while wearing my glasses I am a dead-ringer for Velma from Scooby Doo. You know you married the right guy when he not only points this out to you but is thrilled by this discovery.

PINspired

I totally copied this outfit. Gotta love the pinterest.

shirt/H&M:: sleeveless top/thrifted:: jeans/ thrifted (Gap brand):: wedge booties/ Old Navy:: necklace/gift from this lady

You like the necklace? I know I do! My friend Alyssa made it for me as a wedding gift. Which she absolutely didn't need to do because she made the invitations and the wedding video. But I do LOVE the necklace...

Yes, these are pants

I wore this outfit to hand-deliver some resumes to a few schools I am interested in teacher for. And yes, these are pants. Linen-blend pants, in fact. And are the just the length for which I can only wear these blue shoes.

Top/Kohls:: Belt/Target:: Scarf/gift:: pants (Anne Taylor)/Thrifted:: Shoes/Thrifted

A better view of them can be seen below.

Man, I miss natural light for taking photos...

A short post

I got tired of looking at the suit. Here's an outfit I wore sometime last week.

Sweater/Express:: Dress(as skirt)/swapped:: top and tights/Old Navy:: boots/Kohls :: scarf and belt/F21

This is basically this look made winter friendly. I really like this dress as a skirt, and only as a skirt. The top part is pretty awkward. You most likely will never see the rest of it on this blog.

I went to Zara, H&M and Forever 21 the other day and I walked out empty handed. I actually think this is a good thing because it means they don't have anything in their stores that I don't feel like I already have or felt like I needed/wanted. Score one for me.

Going to Old Navy or Target? Totally different story....

A Day at the Fair

I actually had a great time at the teacher hiring fair I went to this weekend, mostly because it included my favorite thing - networking! I met some really great people and talked to some incredible schools. I would be lucky to get to teach at almost any independent school in the DC metro area.

I did end up wearing a suit as shown here. I think I was a little overdressed but I didn't care. I felt remarkably comfortable in the suit and the pop of the blue collar gave it something that said "Talk to me! I'm friendly!" Thanks to J for snapping these photos (s0 early in the morning, too!)

Today has been spent at the library (internet!!) researching jobs, writing cover letters and updating the old resume. No small task, let me tell you. For this task I wanted to wear something very comfortable. I also wanted to incorporate something I have been struggling to style. These polka dot shorts fit that description. While they are so adorable, they are a little tricky to wear. They are a little big, to start and I have to wear them with tights which doesn't help. After many combinations I opted for this (mostly because I needed to get out the door). I'm ok with the outfit but think there has to be a better way to style these pretty shorts.

This necklace has a compass on the other side. So cool!

shirt/hand me down from J:: Scarf, tights, socks/ Target:: shorts/Kohls:: necklace/Buffalo Exchange:: boots/Payless

Happy Valentine's Day! Tell someone you love them!

Nothing Corporate

Dress, tights/Old Navy::Scarf, belt/F21::Boots/Payless

I am finally feeling better thanks to the miracle of antibiotics (and good insurance). I was pretty much incapacitated for a week and some change. So much of doing nothing and wanting so badly to do something. No good. Soo glad to be back and moving around again. And not a moment too soon! I have been racing around trying to prep for a teaching hiring fair I will attend this Saturday. Wish me luck!!

Oh how I love this dress. The color is so rich and yummy and the fit is perfect. I can't tell you how many times I wore this dress in the fall and I am happy to introduce it to my blog. It can be dressed up or down so easily with just a quick change of accessories. That's a good piece of clothing if you ask me.

I also love these boots. I had to replace an exceptional pair of riding boots that I wore out with these. While these are not quite of the caliber of my last pair, the price was right and are maybe even more versatile than my previous pair.

Back to the hiring fair... I am going to wear a suit because, as far as I can tell, that is what you are supposed to do. But, if you can believe, I actually have nothing appropriate to wear with a suit. That's right. A closet full of great teachery clothing but nothing corporate. J and I scoured my wardrobe looking for something, anything remotely close to appropriate. Nothing. Nada. So it's off to find a professional top. I have to say, it's the least fun shopping excursion I have done in awhile.

From the Bleachers

Striped Tee/Old Navy :: Sweater, scarf / Target :: Pants/Express :: Shoes (w/ edits)/DSW :: Necklace/ F21

I have been battling the cold/flu/sore throat for three days now. It is getting better, hence my ability to even attempt a blog post. But I want wellness to come faster. I’m the worst at being sick. It always last too long and disrupts everything, making me more cranky and tired than I would be if I just accepted its presence, let the illness run its course and move on. The problem is, sickness always reminds of all the things I could be doing, all the things I want to be doing. Sigh.

Since yesterday was the first day since Sunday that I could do anything without immediately needing to take a nap, I did as many upright, low energy activities as I could think of: I began a new book entitled “The Corrections” by Jonathan Franzen, I journaled, doodled and painted, and I watched one of my favorite movies Whalerider. I love this movie . It reminds me of my days student teaching in New Zealand. The film is equally beautiful and tragic, with its breathtaking landscape as the backdrop to a rich cultural community struggling against poverty and modernization. It’s particularily good to watch wrapped up in blankets on the couch with a huge mug of Theraflu.

On a completely unrelated side note: it seems that my beloved photo editing website is closing down. Why Picnik? Where will I find something as user friendly with such fun effects? Does anyone know why this is happening?

You like these shoes? They use to be a pretty awful greenish gray color until J did some fine tinting with a little shoe buff. Sooo much better.

This is an outfit from last week. Not my greatest ensemble and certainly didn’t photograph well. But I loved the colors together and was comfortable all day. I see lots of other bloggers tucking their longer shirts into pants. I am not sure I could ever do this. You see, I have this thing called tum-tum (as it is affectionately called by my husband). See, most (who am I kidding? ALL) outfits are, at their core, an attempt to hide/conceal/remove from sight the ever present tum-tum. The tucking of the shirt into the pants (unless they are high waisted) is completely counter to this.

Keep rockin the tucked shirt, fellow bloggers. Tum-Tum and will cheer you on from the bleachers.