dressember style

Whew!  31 days of dresses and selfies is complete!  It was not easy, but I’m proud of myself and all the other “dressemberists” for completing our goal.  The days isn’t quite over, but so far we’ve raised $404,000 for the International Justice Mission to use to rescue girls from sex trafficking and to prosecute brothels and pimps.  It’s an amazing cause and I love that so many women have come together to simply wear a dress and share photos to raise awareness for the campaign.  We are powerful, beautiful, stylish and effective.  We are world-changers!  Participating in Dressember is always a great way to end the year focused on global issues and social justice.  In case you catch this in time to participate, the website to donate is http://www.dressemberfoundation.org/toocoolforschool 

Dressember is also a fun fashion challenge, so here are all of the dresses I wore this month.  I wore about 20 different dresses, but you could definitely re-wear the same dresses more often than I did.  After participating last year I made a conscious effort to stock up on a few affordable dresses throughout the year because December is a terrible time to buy dresses for some reason.  They are all sparkly and New Year’s Eve-y and nothing that I would wear on a regular basis.  I buy almost all my clothes from Target, Forever 21, Old Navy and Marshalls (I should really branch out), so every outfit in this post is affordable if not downright cheap.  Scarves, boots, sweaters and tights really complete the looks and make them more interesting.  Scroll through and hopefully you will be inspired to join me in Dressember next year!

day1dress: target

jean jacket: forever 21

scarf: charlotte russe

boots: ross

day2

dress: target

boots: ross

jacket: urban outfitters

day3

dress: forever 21

cardigan: target

tights; target

boots: ross

necklace: wantable

day4

dress: target

cardigan: jcrew

necklace: forever 21

pumps: marshalls

day5

dress: ross

cardigan: marshalls

necklace: target

leggings: target

day6

dress: sport chalet

jean jacket: forever 21

booties: toms

day7

dress: target

sweater: windsor

boots: ross

purse: forever 21

day8

dress: marshalls

jacket: boutique in long beach

scarf: charlotte russe

day9

dress: h & m

cardigan: jcrew

belt: target

booties: toms

necklace: cost plus world market

day10

dress: marshalls

cardigan: target

flats: jcrew

necklace: forever 21

day11

dress: urban outfitters

skirt: loft

booties: sole society

day12

dress: old navy

tights: target

boots: ross

necklace: kohl’s

day13

dress: target

converse: target

scarf: wantable

day14

dress: target

cardigan: forever 21

leggings: forever 21

earrings: wantable

day15

dress: old navy

sweater: boutique in san luis obispo

boots: styles 4 less

day16

dress: boutique in fullerton

cardigan: target

tights: target

boots: ross

day17

dress: target

hoodie: target

jean jacket: forever 21

day18

dress: target

cardigan: marshalls

tights: target

booties: sole society

necklace: target

day19

dress: target

ugly sweater: wal-mart

booties: sole society

day20

dress: forever 21

cardigan: forever 21

boots: styles 4 less

day21

dress: target

boots: ross

necklace: target

day22

dress: target

cardigan: target

tights: target

booties: toms

day23

dress: tj maxx

cardigan: target

necklace: wantable

booties: sole society

day24

dress: target

sweater: tj maxx

boots: styles 4 less

day25

dress: target

shirt: target

boots: ross

day26

dress: target

scarf: wantable

jacket: urban outfitters

leggings: target

boots: ross

day27

dress: old navy

cardigan: jcrew

scarf: target

day28

dress: target

cardigan: forever 21

leggings: forever 21

day29

dress: old navy

jean jacket: forever 21

t-shirt: sweet nobody

booties: sole society

day30

dress: target

sweater: target

booties: sole society

day31

dress: target

sweater: charlotte russe

booties: sole society

2014 spring semester in instagram ootd’s

My summer break has finally arrived and I’m looking forward to catching up on about a million blog posts! Since I failed to upload “teacher chic” posts for about six months, here are 15 looks for inspiration for next school year. A few are weekend outfits (clearly), and the rest are casual classroom looks (I don’t get all that fancy). I realized while writing this that I really only shop at about 5 stores, and that I get a lot of use out of the more expensive/quality items that I’ve invested in. I love browsing through other teachers’ work outfits, so here is my contribution to the teaching world.  🙂

(descriptions are under each photo)

ootd1

cardigan: JCrew

chevron shirt: GStage (I think!)

necklace: World Market

jeans: Guess (my first Christmas gift from my husband, 5 years ago!)

ootd2

blazer: H&M
striped top: Forever 21
belt: Target
jeans: Express
flats: Cathy Jean

ootd3

cardigan: Target
necklace: Charlotte Russe
shirt: Target
pants: Target
shoes: H&M

ootd4

chevron top: Windsor
jeans: Express
shoes: Payless Shoe Source
wallet: G Stage
nails: Essie Play Date

ootd5

cardigan: Old Navy
dress: H&M (school colors for bonus points!)
wedges: Toms
necklace: Forever 21

ootd6

sweater: Windsor
jeans: Express
wedges: Toms
earrings: G Stage

ootd7

tunic: G Stage
scarf: Target
jeans: Lauren Conrad (Kohls)
earrings: Target
phone cover: Phone Cover of the Month
(I had just discovered beauty bloggers and was trying to get in on the action)

ootd8

jacket: Forever 21
sweater: Windsor
jeans: Target
flats: Sole Society
earrings: Target
phone cover: Target

ootd9

necklace: Charlotte Russe
top: Ann Taylor Loft
pants: Banana Republic
loafers: Me Too (Marshalls)

ootd10

sleeveless top: Peter Pilotto for Target
t-shirt: Cynthia Rowley (Marshalls)

ootd11

earrings: Target
cardigan: Target
striped tank: White House Black Market
pants: Banana Republic
flats: Me Too (Marshalls)

oots12

necklace: Forever 21
chambray shirt: Target
skirt: Target
belt: G Stage
shoes: Target

ootd13

necklace: Icing
top: TJ Maxx
jeans: Express
shoes: Calvin Klein (TJ Maxx)

ootd14

top: Kohls
shorts: TJ Maxx
shoes: Aldo

ootd15

necklace: Forever 21
tank: Old Navy
vest: Target
pants: Ann Taylor Loft
sandals: G Stage

january target dress haul

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We live in a very dangerous area–and by that I mean that there is a Target right across the street. The other night I headed over to pick up some soup for my sick hubby…and walked out with 3 dresses. (Has this ever happened to you?). Usually with Target I will either hate everything they have or love everything they have. Obviously this time I was pretty smitten with their dress selection, so here is a little summary of what got:

cream xhilaration lace dress
white
This one is my favorite of the three. It’s just very sweet and has a vintage feel. I wore it to a baby shower yesterday and a group of adorable ladies in their sixties were fawning over it. (So, ya know, that’s the demographic I fit in best with). There are no zippers or buttons or anything; you can literally just throw it on and go.

white jacket
I love the dress even more with my favorite jean jacket (this one is from Forever 21). I kept my jewelry simple (the studs are from Kohl’s and the long gold necklace is also from Target), and after starting with my Tom’s wedges, I ended up going with flat sandals (I think they were like $8 from Styles for Less). I was comfortable all day and I could focus on what really mattered–being there for the mommy-to-be!
($27.99, size medium)

Oh yeah! You probably can’t see my toe nail polish very well, but it’s Ruby Wing color-changing polish in “Ride ‘Em Cowgirl” from my January Birchbox. I love it! It really does change color in the sun!

merona chambray dress
blue hot
I absolutely love the look of chambray shirts, but they never really look great on me. I gave this tunic/dress a shot though, and I actually really like it. The skinny belt gives it a little more shape, and you could switch out the belt with any other slim one to change the look. I like it for a weekend look, and if it were very warm outside I would wear it with wedges like these (from Kohl’s) or sandals.

boots
Today I am wearing it with leggings and my favorite Cathy Jean boots while I sit around and blog/ avoid doing my homework. I’ll probably throw a scarf on tonight when I meet up with my husband for dinner. It’s not fancy, but I think I’ll find myself wearing this a lot, switching up the belt, adding a cami underneath, or pairing it with patterned leggings. It’s super comfy too!
($27.99, size small)

striped merona flared dress
black
I’m a sucker for the Mad Men ’50’s/’60’s style dresses, and I couldn’t resist this one. It’s polyester and rayon, and the quality is amazing for the price. The fabric is fairly thick and sturdy, the construction is fantastic.

belt
One of my favorite features is the tiny loop of thread that keeps the belt buckle at the center of your waist. I have never seen this on a dress before, but it’s genius! It can be so annoying when you have to keep twisting your belt around to the front after it sneaks over to your side again and again.

neckline
The neckline is very flattering and I like the pleated detail. It’s sleeveless, but the straps are wide enough that your bra straps wouldn’t show. I think I am going to wear this dress to an upcoming wedding, and it will be nice to have a drama-free undergarment option.

black side
You could probably wear almost any color shoe, but I paired this dress with my Calvin Klein pumps from Marshalls.

red
I love any excuse to wear my signature red J. Crew Jackie cardigan! The cut of a fitted cardigan compliments this dress really well.
($27.99, size small)

So if you’re in my neighborhood, I’ll meet you at Target and we can do some serious dress shopping while the cute styles last!

my 13-hour day outfit

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On Thursdays my day is extra long because I teach piano and voice lessons after school. I have had the same music students for about eight years and I love them to pieces, so I really don’t mind. But I try to plan ahead and make sure I’ll be comfortable enough to focus on each one of my students, even into the evening. Today I went with my go-to tunic and skinnies from Target and my TOMS wedges (love those). My super awesome husband gave me the rose gold Fossil watch for Christmas last year, and I the necklace is from Forever 21.

Oh! And I have about 12 of those white camis from Tilly’s and I wear them literally every single day. I can’t stand camis with built-in bras, so these are great because they’re just simple and stretchy and one size fits all. They do pill and lose their stretch if you dry them though, so just wash and lay flat to dry. I throw a few out from time and time and replace them for $10 each. That seems a little high to me for a cami, but they’re like a second skin to me; I can’t NOT wear one! I usually go with white, but I have grey, black, hot pink and mint green too, just in case I want to spice it up a little. Best perk: they’re long enough to cover the top of my bum, so I can bend over to help a student without causing an uncomfortable scene.

Do you have any pieces of clothing you just can’t live without?

hall pass

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Hall passes really gross me out. I mean, half a dozen kids take them into the bathroom every day and who knows if the kids are setting them on toilets, dropping them on the floor, carrying them back to me without washing their hand, etc. So I never touch them.

I see kids walking down the hallway with really creative and funny hall pass objects. I tried to think of something funny, but I saw this little coffee mug warmer in the dollar section at Target and thought it would do. I strung a ribbon through the bottom and I hang it on my wall near the door. Students grab it on their way out the door and hang it back up when they return. If a student sees that the hall pass is not there, they won’t bother asking to leave the room since only one student can leave the room at a time.

My sixth graders came to me from elementary school extremely well-trained. They have been teaching ME classroom management tips and tricks! I will have do another post about all the great elementary school strategies they’ve been bringing to me. Another reason I just love my little sixth graders!

What do you use for a hall pass?