Week 11

Monday: Stripes on animal print w/ neutral brown pumps

 

Nine West pumps

 

Tuesday:  Color-block Sweater and black round-toe pumps for consistency

Michael Kors Pressly pumps

 

Wednesday - College Shirt and jeans, dressed up w/peep-toe booties

This picture makes me laugh. 
This is what a teacher-who-cancels-tutoring-to-rush-home-b/c-she-feels-sick-but-still-gets-this-outfit-picture-in-thirty-seconds-before-her-lunch-comes-back-up looks like.  Real life!

Vince Camuto booties

Thursday - Cool Kitty Cats on a Dress, warmed up w/cognac boots

Lucky Brand Angel boots

Have a good weekend!

Revise & Edit: Kitty Cats on a Dress

 

I took a look that I wore a few months ago here.  All I had to do was add tights, boots, and a darker colored cardigan.  I thought about adding a scarf, but I felt a little stifled.  Regardless, revising & editing this dress made for an easy morning. 

Week 9 Fall-Weather Friend

I like the fall season.  Or at least the idea of it.

 

Thus far, the climate here in Houston hasn't changed much, although there have been days where it was feasible to layer clothes without fearing that you would melt away on the sidewalk by the afternoon.  

 

Because of this, I try to not get too excited and go overboard with some of the fall (and winter) trends.  In my opinion, compared to most of the rest of the country, Houston should have its own set of seasons: really warm, hot, hot-as-hell, and could-be-cold-but-it-depends-on-the-hour.  So, rather than focusing solely on the changing of the season and the climate that is usually associated with that season, the usual determinants of my work wear will be my mood, the fluctuating temperature in my classroom (which should have its own entity, as well), and the details of what my day will entail. 

 

Fall this week, for me, was met with...

 

Monday

 

... a bright blazer...

 

Vince Camuto "Padara" booties

 Tuesday

 ...a sleek skirt...

Vince Camuto "Kain" pumps

 

 

Wednesday

 

...pops and pops of color...

 



Guess peep-toe pumps

Thursday

...mixed patterns and textures...

Gianni Bini wedges

Friday

...and Friday flat-wear.

Target leopard flats

Mixing together "fall" and "spring/summer" pieces makes it easy for me to not drive myself crazy everyday by dressing for the current season and the expected climate.  Now, if you want to talk about daily weather changes, that will be another conversation.

 

Until next week!

Week 8

The good thing about a three-day weekend is...well, that's pretty obvious.

The bad thing about a four-day work week is...it's just as long as a five-day week.

 

 TUESDAY 

 

 

Ralph Lauren heels

 WEDNESDAY

Vince Camuto "Harty" pumps

THURSDAY

Nine West heels

 

 

Until next week (which will be a five day week...)!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 7 - Jeans n Tees



**disclaimer:  Although I teach reading and language arts, this post contains mathematical references and computations that may be beyond a rudimentary level.  Read and compute at your own risk. 

 

Our campus dress code policy is outlined as business plus casual.  It's a simple equation, yet I'm sure that there are a myriad of ways to arrive at its sum.  But for all intents and purposes, we're going to go with what this looks like on my middle school campus.

 

Out of a five-day work week, three of those days allow for teachers and staff to dress according the latter half of the aforementioned dress code equation.   If you're not great at a math, let me break this down for you: 

 

During one week of school, you (as a teacher) are really only required to dress business-casually for two days, while on the other three days, you may dress business-casually in a pair of jeans and the t-shirt designated for that day.  Even the most rudimentary mathematician knows that three is greater than two, which means that on any given week on our campus, you can wear jeans and a tee shirt...and probably tennis shoes, if you so choose. 

  

Personally, I feel that the equation is unevenly balanced, but it's okay if the way that I do math is different than another person's method.  (As I mentioned, business plus casual is a simple equation with a myriad of ways to arrive at its sum.)  So, when it comes to the doing the jeans-and-tee thing, I typically wait for ("casual") Friday.  However, this week, in the spirit of "spirit wear", I wore jeans and a tee for four-fifths of the week:

 

 

MONDAY

 

This day is reserved for AVID shirts (an awesome, I-can't-say-enough-wonderful-things-about-it college prep program).  The shirts are redesigned every year, and if a teacher chooses to purchase one for the year, then he/she also sponsors an AVID student by providing that child with a shirt as well. 

 

 



Guess heels

TUESDAY

 

If you take half of two-fifths of business plus casual...then you arrive at Tuesdays. (Did I lose you?  Because I think I got lost myself...!)

 

Anyway, Tuesday is regularly not a jeans-and-spirit-tee day, but this week, we were given the opportunity to do so because of a pep rally that was planned.  And so, wearing this year's faculty spirit shirt, I decided to ride for the brand.  If you don't know what I mean by that, then just read my boobs shirt. 

 



 

 

 Oh, wait.  You can't tell what they it says?  Can you read them it now?

 

 

 

Ah, yes.  You read correctly. 

 

My boobs shirt says "Ride for the brand". 

 

Did I mention that I work at a middle school? 

 

ABS Allen Schwartz python print pumps

I'll leave you to your own thoughts on that one.

WEDNESDAY (alert: blurry pictures ahead!)

 

Wednesday's are a jeans-and-spirit-tee day, and since the pep rally was rescheduled for this day, I opted to sport last year's faculty spirit tee.

Target Mossimo sandals

THURSDAY

Without getting all into that math verbiage again, Thursday is the other business plus casual day.  Nothing was going on to allow me to wear jeans-and-a-tee, so I just went with a "regular" outfit.

 

 

Vince Camuto Padara booties

 

FRIDAY

 

Friday's are "casual"... of course!  ;) 

 

As I stated earlier, I typically reserve Friday's for my jeans-and-spirit-tee day. 

 

And that's because after a stressful week, all I can think of is that it's...

(source) 

If you made it all the way through the computations and explanations, then thank you.  Secretly, I'm really not all that great at math.  I guess that's why this post turned out twice as long as I expected.  ;)

Week 6 - Revise and Edit



During the latter half of the week, one of my classes had to revise and edit one of their essays.  Now, if I had to revise and edit my own work (outfits), here's what I would do:

 

 

Monday

I wouldn't change a thing!  After owning the top and skirt for a couple of years now, the genius idea finally occurred to me to put them together!  My cute red pumps (that are "foot-friendly" for those of you out there who are concerned with wearing shoes with too high of a heel) were the perfect footnotes.



Apt. 9 pumps from Kohl's

 

Tuesday

Have you ever had it in your mind to wear a particular item of clothing, and you would stop at nothing in order to wear it?

Well, this outfit was a "throw-down".  And by "throw-down", I mean that I was literally throwing clothes down in my closet in an attempt to scramble and put something together with this skirt...while also trying making it to school early enough to get some extra work done.  I like the final pairing of the skirt and top, but I wish that I had either waited on this outfit or worn it with different shoes...maybe a strappy sandal in a lighter color.  Now that I'm typing this, I think I may have a pair that would have worked.....I wonder where they are?

 

Guess nude pumps

 

Wednesday

I think I'm okay with this one, although I remember trying on a few other pairs of shoes in an attempt to pick up the coral color in the necklace.  None of them worked.  So, when in doubt, go nude.  As in nude shoes.

 

 

 

Nine West nude pumps

Thursday
For a long time, I have been on the lookout for the right kelly green pump...or kelly green sandal...or any type of heel with Kelly green in it.  It has definitely been a challenge, and I admit to not having worn outfits because I felt that I was missing the right color in the right pair of shoes (see: Tuesday).  I hope that doesn't sound weird.  Or obsessive.  Or crazy.  

Anyway, I went ahead with this look, but I think a pump or sandal with hints of green could have worked better here.  Or maybe blue pumps.  (Huh. I have some of those.)
And maybe some different earrings.
And maybe pushed up sleeves.
And maybe, to avoid sounding weird, obsessive, or crazy, I think that's it.

Guess nude pumps

 

Shoe Literature Pop Quiz:  What is the theme of this post?

a.  You should have the right shoe for every outfit. 
b.  Shoes are just as important as footnotes.
c.  Nude shoes can be a life (and outfit) saver.
d.  When in doubt, save the outfit and wait to wear it until you have the right shoes.
e.  All of the above.

Enjoy your weekend and week!

p.s. the correct answer was 'e'...as if you didn't know that already...

Week 5 - Short

This was a short week.

And by that, I do not mean that we were lucky to have a four-day school week.

Nope.  Instead, I started off the week by wearing a short dress.  Too short now that I look at it:

 

Rock and Republic for Kohls pumps

                                               

 

 

On Tuesday, I was short of shoe options.  I have a lot of shoes, yet I felt like I could not find the right pair to go with this outfit comprised of a pretty blue blouse that I recently scored for four bucks at Kohls and these floral Moschino pants I bought on clearance earlier this summer from TJ Maxx (yes, you read that correctly).  Anyway, seeing them in pictures confirms that these shoes and this outfit weren't a great mix, but, alas, you live and you learn said the teacher...

Vince Camuto open-toe booties

 

 

And so, by Wednesday, I went with a "short" heel...aka flats:

Steve Madden Luxe cheetah print flats (with slight wedge)

And short ones again on Thursday:

Talbots cap-toe flats

Students question me all the time on how tall I really am, but the funny thing was that while standing next to one of them on Wednesday, I looked up at him and, in all genuineness, said, "Gosh, you've gotten taller!" 
He looked down at my feet and replied, "No, I didn't, Mrs. C.  You're just not wearing heels today." 



Yep.  Definitely a short week.

Week 4 - Signs

Three signs that seventh graders really aren't hormonal aliens in human disguise:

1.  They can speak!

After having a one-way conversation outside of the classroom about wanting him to be successful, the one student who has not said a word to me in three weeks, finally asked me for help to set up his notebook!  He spoke in a whisper, but heck!  He spoke!

 

Guess nude pumps

 

2.  They can read!

 

It amazes me how many kids don't like to read.  However, I was successful in getting one "anti-reader" to read a novel.  Well, he only read the first chapter, but he read....and he liked it!

Ralph Lauren gold sandals

 

 

3. They can think!

 

Finally, I have a third student who, in the sixth grade, was notorious for doing little to no work.  And in the first three weeks of seventh grade, it seemed as though that wasn't going to change.  I'm not the type of teacher to allow my students to "sit and get", but with him, it has been a challenge.  Well, I'm happy to say that this past week, he finally put pen to paper and did some work!  And the best part was when he raised his hand to ask some questions about the work that he was doing!

Report bird printed wedges

If you are not an educator or have little to no understanding of what life is like in the classroom, then you may not understand just how monumental these three instances are, as they are indicators that progress is being made.  I may be taking some "high-heeled baby steps" with some of my kids, but they are steps nonetheless!


Enjoy your weekend!

Week 3 - Just Two

Two outfits.  

And a few words, as I can't seem to find many.

 

Vince Camuto pumps

 

I think I've used up all my words for this week in constantly (and I do mean constantly) trying to motivate a hundred and something seventh graders to start thinking maturely while also "mommying" them to stop acting immaturely. 

(I can sense you gently shaking your head out of empathy.  Thank you.)

 



Elle (from Kohl's) T-Strap heels

But, anyway, I will end with these last words: 
This dress.  LOVE it.  Feels good. Fits perfectly. And cost me less than ten bucks from Forever 21!! 

Are you speechless, now?

Week 2 - Surprise and Stupor

 

It's always a welcomed surprise when you accidentally place two items of clothing next to each other and then realize that you just put together a new outfit!  Bright orange and hot pink?  I'll take it.  And my "everyday shoes" help to neutralize all of the brightness that I had going on.

 

Guess pumps

 

 



Day seven of the school year, and I was already waking up in a stupor.  On such days, it's helpful to have a simple (read: no need to iron) dress that I can toss on.  Plus, the busy pattern of this particular dress helped to distract from my bags (and I don't mean my purses) and puffy bouffant. 

 

Elle wedges (from Kohl's)

 

Best lesson for the week:  When in doubt, buy the shoes. 

I was lucky to find this last pair in my size (and on clearance) after passing them up at least three times.  I didn't want to bite the bullet before because I wasn't sure that I really needed these shoes.  But then I came to my senses and realized that buying a cute pair of shoes at a great price has very little to do with need.

 

Tommy Hilfiger sandals



Until next week!

Week 1 - Back to School

J. Crew Factory pumps, Vince Camuto Harty pumps, The Limited wedges, Vince Camuto Harty pumps
 

The first week of school is down!

I've taught sixth graders for the past six years, and this was my first week teaching seventh grade.   I have to say that it is truly mind-boggling how much of a difference a couple of months can make!

Puberty has reared it ugly head and is definitely "alive and well" in the building.

High heels or not, after one week, my students are already keeping me on my toes.