Mother's Day Stripes

Celebrating mother's day with E's family today! Loving all the rain we've gotten today, but you better believe I have a pair of rainboots waiting in the car in case it pours again! 

Thrifted top (similar), Gap jeans (similar), Jessica Simpson flats (similar), Ebay statement necklace

Breaking the Rules

This basic outfit is breaking allll the rules. This sweater is another Gap sale salvage and darn it- I wanted to wear it. So I did, capsule wardrobe be damned! The rules of capsules that is. I can feel myself getting increasingly frustrated with my capsule, but by no fault of the capsule itself. Its not you, capsule wardrobe, its me!

I'm so uninterested in my capsule right now, like I just want to go shopping and not think about the consequences... I think its all the stress I'm experiencing- shopping is something I can control and I like it and it doesn't make me nervous when I think about it (because so many things do right now- its amazing how quickly stress spirals into worrying about everything. Like I'm nervous about packing my lunch. How did I go from concern over my lesson plans to nerves about my snacks for tomorrow??). Anyway, I'm going to carry on with my spring capsule. Just maybe with an addition or two.

Gap sweater, Gap jeans, Jessica Simpson flats (similar, similar)

A glance at my accessories via Instagram:

Bulova watch, J. Crew ring

Rejuvenate at Recess

This morning I woke up so grumpy and tired- I felt exhausted and irritated at everything. I spent most of the morning quiet, not commenting much during literacy centers and silently watching our students sing. Then we went to recess. Something about the cool breeze and the laughter of the 4 year olds made me calm down and open my heart. It's so easy to go through the whole day without realizing the blessing that is being a teacher! Being surrounded by children laughing and calling to me to show me that they've mastered swinging alone or doing a cartwheel is a refreshing experience after the sometimes frustrating situations in the classroom. 

Anyway- I'm grateful for the opportunity to have a mid-morning restart to the day.

This is my outfit for the 7-day Loft #liveinwhatyoulovecontest that started yesterday on instagram. The challenge was to show your favorite spring outfit- and all I need is black and white with a swingy skirt. So fresh!

Loft button up, thrifted skirt, Nine West purse, Jessica Simpson flats, Citizen watch

I just checked and saw that the Jessica Simpson lace-up flats I've been raving about have sold out. Such a bummer- these are one of the only affordable and quality pairs of laced flats I've seen! Hopefully, if this is a style you love, you can find another option. I'll probably do a round-up of laced flats and sandals for summer, so for now, happy hunting!

((Also a quick note- Here is my face! It does exist and it looks pretty normal. I would love to show you my whole self every time I share an outfit, but I'm usually only able to manage selfies and quick shots before I go off to class! Hopefully sometime in the near future I can upgrade my photos!))

Red for the Weekend

I wore this thrifted pencil skirt out to a fundraising event with my sister in law Aleah. It's so much fun to have someone around to talk about style and play with outfits with! Look for a post from Aleah in a week or two!

Enjoy the weekend, kids. 

Topshop jacket, Nordstrom Rack shirt (similar), thrifted skirt (similar),  Jessica Simpson flats, Target necklace

Midi Skirt Week: Dressed Up and Down

So, this is a dress and not a skirt but its a midi! I need to do a thrifted favorites post about this dress. It's not in my spring capsule because the zipper needed to be fixed, but if it wasn't a problem I would be wearing this nonstop. I love this dress! Its a beautiful fabric- silky and light, perfectly draped. I tried this dressed up and dressed down, casually for work and then what I would wear for date night or a more casual event.

Thrifted dress, Gap loafers, scarf from Turkey

Thrifted dress, Jessica Simpson shoes, Target necklace, Old Navy bracelets

Midi Skirt Week: Blue Pleats and Stripes

As I looked into the future via the weekly weather forecast I noticed something spectacular: it will (supposedly) be in the 70's and 80's all week. Now, as the daughter of a weatherman (what up, dad), I know that weekly forecasts see only somewhat accurate. Despite this knowledge and the fear that Thursday it could be snowing (you know, because Texas), I've decided this week will be midi skirt week. This is coming to you courtesy of my non-capsuled wardrobe because I need a break from it I have a lot of cute midi skirts. I wanted to try styling this style of skirt in different ways to give you lovely readers some ideas on all the options for this perfect spring staple. Keep in mind- it doesn't have to actually be a midi (below the knee) length for these styles to work, I just love midi skirts because they are so practical for the classroom!

Here's my day 1 of Midi Skirt Week! I feel like this should be called "edgy tea party."

Thrifted striped crop top, thrifted blue pleated midi skirt, Jessica Simpson flats, Ebay necklace

Look for more midi-skirt looks this week! I'm excited to show off all my thrifted midi gems. Yes, all my midi skirts are thrifted. Absolutely the easiest thing to find at a thrift store!

Bright White

This post is titled Bright White in honor of the exceptional paleness that my skin has taken on since October. I realized somewhere around February that none of my body had seen the light of day outside my hands and face and occasionally ankles since Halloween!

Target tank top (similar), H&M jeans, Jessica Simpson flats, Nine West purse (similar)

Clearly, I need to let my skin see the light. But also sunscreen- I was outside for half an hour and my shoulders were red. 

I've been thinking a lot about my capsule wardrobe lately- possibly going slightly stir-crazy with only wearing a few items. But this coming week I have something a little different planned, so I'll get a chance to change it up. Look for a post tomorrow about it!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, ya'll!

Fancy

What a weekend! And its only half-way through. Yesterday I celebrated my brother's engagement to one of my favorite people and so I was surrounded by friends, family, and Persian dancing. Yes please.

This dress was a last minute find in Nordstrom Rack (when I found my leather pants) and I had to quickly alter it myself. If I could offer advice to any person who doesn't always fit exactly into off-the-rack pieces, it would be to learn to alter things yourself. I learned because I thrifted these cool pieces that weren't quite right, and my mom's sewing machine was waiting in the closet for me to master (not that I've mastered it- I can sew in a straight line and that's really all it takes for minor alterations). You give me an oversized t-shirt and I'll tighten up the sleeves to make it a dolman shirt. You give me a giant skirt, I'll make it fit my figure. You give me a pair of flared pants, I'll make them skinny. Anything more than that I quake in fear and go to a tailor. But that's really all the alterations most things need- a little pinning and tucking here and there. Granted, I've only ever taken things in, only because I don't know how to let things out! I am very comfortable buying too big, especially because I have (relative to the rest of my frame) broad shoulders. If I had bought this dress to fit the rest of me, I'd be looking like the Hulk!

Dress (originally from Nordstrom Rack on major sale, at Kohl's for not major sale), Jessica Simpson flats, Nine West purse (similar)

I can't say enough good things about these shoes- they're comfortable, they're a little funky because they lace up, and they're black- which is always a plus for me. They also come in a nice taupe and are only $50, which for comfy cool shoes is a good deal as far as I'm concerned. Look for them a lot in the coming weeks- I have a feeling that the rest of my shoes will be taking a break.