Friday, October 11, 2013 day 31 of year 19

It's Friday!

Since the first day of school, the average temperature in my library was about 62 degrees.  After an hour or two it gets pretty chilly.  I've been wearing layers to combat the chill and today was no different.  It's been raining all week which made it feel even chillier.  I planned a new pair of jeans, button down shirt and sweater.  I was shocked when I walked into my library and it was about 80 degrees!  During the night the system had switched from air conditioning to heat and like the air, there's no way to control the temperature.  It was stuffy and I immediately knew I was overdressed.  Ugh.

My polkadot button down is from Lands End Canvas.  The white cable sweater is Chaps, a hand-me-down from my closet-cleaning co-worker.  The elephant scarf is from the Gap.  The jeans are Levi's curvy skinny 529.  I mention the details because as I've said before finding jeans can be a real chore.  This particular style has a high back waist band so when I bend over or sit, my underwear don't show.  That's important in my line of work.  They also have lycra so they don't lose their shape during the day.  They have a wide flattering waist band that prevents the dreaded muffin top.  I found them at Kohl's and will soon be going back to get another pair.  Despite being barefoot in this picture, I wore white canvas Converse sneakers with this outfit.  I was sweating my butt off but at least it was Friday!

Thursday, October 10, 2013 day 30 of year 19

Fall plaid

I had forgotten about this jacket until I found it in the back of my closet.  I bought it several years ago at Boscov's in Pennsylvania when I was with my mom and aunt for a day of shopping.  I usually associate madras with summer but the brown tones in this madras make it great for fall.  It's also lined and fitted which for me means it's too hot to wear during a Baltimore summer.  Now that the temperatures have changed for the cooler I can wear it and be comfortable.  I paired it with a white t-shirt from the Gap.  The t-shirt is fitted and has lycra so it's perfect for layering.  The khakis are from Lands End.  Necklace, J. Crew.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013 day 29 of year 19

Bring back the dresses!

After two days of pants it was time to change it up with a dress despite the rain.  This polkadot beauty is from the Talbots outlet in Cockeysville.  I bought it for Christmas Eve church service about 6 years ago.  I used to save it for special occasions but I love it so I started wearing it to work.  My theory is that wearing a short heeled shoe keeps it casual.

It's a faux wrap dress that has a hidden side zipper.  The top though doesn't fit snuggly so I wear my black bandeau bra with it.  The shoes are from Stewart Weitzman.  They are pointy toed with a kitten heel.  

Tuesday, October 8, 2013 day 28 of year 19

Rain and a need to be practical

Today's forecast called for rain in the morning with clearing in the afternoon.  This was good news for my family because my son Peter was competing in his first 1 mile cross country race after school.  This also meant that I needed to leave my school asap to get to his school so that I didn't miss the race.  It also meant that whatever I was wearing to school that day had to work for me getting across a field to watch him run.  Classy and practical was the goal.

I chose my favorite Lands End http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-fit-2-straight-leg-chino-pants/id_227762 khakis and paired them with a pink and white shirt from H&M.  The shirt is a thin material so I added the grey sweater.  The sweater is from Century 21 http://www.c21stores.com in NYC.

This classy outfit turned out to be a good choice for my challenging day at work and for my Mom duties after work.  Peter did a great job and finished the race in 7:40.  

Monday, October 7, 2013 day 27 of year 19

Rain, rain, rain

This week it rained almost every day.  I have a difficult time motivating myself to look my best knowing that I'm going to be trudging through puddles one my way to and from school.  The rain has also brought a dramatic change in the temperature here in Baltimore and it no longer feels like the first week of August.

What I really wanted to wear on a cold and rainy Monday morning was sweats and one of my husband's sweatshirts but I opted for black capris with a black and white top.

These capris came to me from my sister-in-law Becky www.bisforbecky.com  They are from the Limited.  They have a wide waist band with a double closure which is flattering and comfortable.  There are no pockets, just a smooth fit from the waist band to the ankle.

The shirt is from my former coworker.  I know I mentioned her before and her 2 year process of cleaning out her closet.  She has been blessed with larger boobs then me so when I wear this shirt I need my bandeau bra to cover the gap.  The elastic gathering defines the little bit of boobs that God gave me.  Overall, much classier than sweats!

Friday, October 4, 2013 day 26 of year 19

This Friday I decided to give my Ravens gear a rest and wear this shirt for the last time this season.  I should also mention that Baltimore has had a terrible heat wave this week and it's been disgustingly hot and humid.  This shirt is light and airy and perfect for casual Friday.

The shirt is J. Crew.  I bought it this June and wore it all summer.  The fabric is very thin which was perfect for this summer's hot and humid weather.  The elastic on the sleeves, hem and neck give the shirt some shape and definition.  The tiny breast pocket and button are a bonus.

The jeans are from Ralph Lauren.  I bought them at their Rehoboth outlet about 3 years ago.  I LOVE them.  They fit with every top and shoe that I have.  I wear them long and rolled.  I wash them inside out and they are always line dried.  Last spring we took a trip to the Rehoboth outlets and I wore these jeans for the soul purpose of finding another pair exactly like them.  I walked in to Ralph Lauren and when the sales associate asked if she could help I told her that I wanted another pair of the same jeans that I was currently wearing.  She took a look at the tag and of course they DIDN'T have them.  Total bummer.  Isn't every woman always in search of the perfect pair of jeans?

Thursday, October 3, 2013 day 25 of year 19

Today I'm wearing the first skirt that I ever bought at the Talbots outlet in Cockeysville.  Yes, it has a drop waist, side zipper, hook and eye closure and is lined!  Are you seeing a pattern?  I've learned what  I feel good in and what's flattering and I stick with it.  My favorite detail of this skirt is the wider than usual waist band.  It's like having a built in tummy tuck.  Because it's high waisted it doesn't create a muffin top while holding your stomach in.  

Originally I bought a very plain 100% cotton blue t-shirt to go with the skirt.  But after one season it was stretched out and the color had faded.  Since then I usually wear the skirt with a white button-down.  Today's white shirt is from J. Crew.  The shirt has a long hem that helps it stay tucked in all day.  I rolled the sleeves to add some style and match the season of the skirt.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013 day 24 of year 19

This outfit is head-to-toe Loft.  The patterned skirt and shirt were purchased this summer.  I've had the white cardigan for a couple of seasons.  The skirt has a side zipper, hook and eye closure and is lined.  It's drop waist is a flattering fit and also very comfortable.  The orange top has a small amount of lycra in it which I love.  The slim fit helps it to stay tucked in all day.  The neck and sleeves have an elastic edge which adds just a small amount of detail.  It also helps to keep the neckline in place when I'm at school and working with students.  The cardigan is a must to fight the AC chill.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013 day 23 of year 19

Now that I am settling in to this school year and getting to know my students, I've learned that Tuesdays are a good day to dress in pants and flats.  There is one class that I have on Tuesdays that requires me to sit on the carpet, criss cross applesauce for 50 minutes.  Therefore, Tuesdays need to be practical.  This Tuesday's outfit is a nice transition to fall.  The pants are my go-to khakis from Lands End.  The flowered top is from Old Navy.  I found it on the clearance rack a couple seasons ago.  I wear my beige bandeau bra with this top because it has a generous, some what low, neck.  The brown scarf was a Christmas gift from my mother-in-law.  My building still has the air conditioning set to "frigid" so the scarf helped keep me comfortable during the day.

Comfortable, classy and practical.  It's a winner!

Monday, September 30, 2013 day 22 of year 19

The next two weeks of photographs were taken by my good friend Ginger Cain.  She is a middle school Art teacher and is fabulous.  Thanks Ginger for helping out with these posts!

This is my royal blue shirt dress from Liz Claiborne.  I'm sure some of you have never heard of Liz Claiborne before.  Her company started with a triangle logo purse which evolved to perfume which evolved to clothes.  JC Penny still carries her line and you can often find her stores at outlet centers.  This dress was purchased for Easter Sunday in 2001.  It came with a skinny black belt and was about mid-calf length.  I also wore the dress to my brother Jonathan's high school graduation that year.  After about 3 seasons I stopped wearing it and moved it to the back of my closet.  I found it about 4 years later and decided to give it a try.  The long shirt dress had become a no-no so I had my mother-in-law hem it to be knee length.  I also ditched the black belt.  On this day I wore it with the gold belt that you've seen before on my blog.

The scarf is from Ralph Lauren.  I've had it a long time too and can't remember where I got it.  Shortening the length of this dress has allowed me to enjoy it for more years than I thought possible.