Back in Black: First Week of School

Hello Readers!

Yet another semester of life is upon us at my college. Classes began on Monday and they went quite well! I still wake up around 6:30 am, but my first class isn't until 11:30 am. Last semester my first class began at 8:30 am and I found that many of my students were mostly asleep during the first 5 minutes or so of class... so I am looking forward to teaching students who are hungry instead of students who are sleepy. (Well, I hope they won't be sleepy!)

Yesterday, after my dear roomie took my outfit of the day photo, I realized that most of what I've worn over the past few days has been black or grey with the exception of a purple sweater on Tuesday. I hope my students don't think I'm gloomy or glum! It's just an easy color to match, I guess.

On Monday, I did add a punch of color with a pair of burgundy Calvin Klein pumps that I purchased from Bergner's last week at 75% off. The only mistake I found in wearing these shoes was that I wore them too much. Note to self: don't wear a new pair of heels on a day when you plan to walk a lot.

Retail Details:
Black V-Neck Cardigan: Zara
Black Elizabeth Dot Tie-Neck Blouse: Banana Republic (14 dollars!)
Black Skinny Belt: Banana Republic
Black Minnie Cropped Pants: J. Crew
Silvertone Locketwatch Necklace: American Eagle Outfitters
Bow and Glass Crystal Earrings: Juicy Couture (via Nordstrom Rack)

Do I look tired? That is because I am! First weeks are exhausting!

On Tuesday, I really wanted to wear tights. Before returning from break I came across a skirt I purchased back in November 2009 hiding in my pile of sports/activity t-shirts in my closet and since uncovering that gem I've been determined to find a way to bring it back into the light of day. And that is why I wanted to wear tights, so I could wear this skirt. Since it is black, grey, white, and gold; black tights were an easy choice. Here is the ensemble:

Retail Details:
Silver Heart Necklace: A gift from my cousin, Liz, for singing at her wedding
Black Cowl-Neck Long-Sleeve Top: Banana Republic
Black Tweed Skirt: J. Crew (Fall 2009)
Black Tights: J.Crew (also Fall 2009! Woah!)
Black Leather Boots: Anne Klein
Hair Elastic: Walgreens

My biggest regret of this outfit, besides not wearing any blush or bronzer while dressed in black, was that the skirt was a bit shorter than I remembered it being. Not inappropriate-short, but maybe a bit too short for a college professor- even an adjunct! The worst part of this skirt was that it rode up when I walked across campus and I had to pull it down every 5 steps (or so it seemed). Who knows... maybe someone will think I was dancing. Maybe soon you will see a dance move (the skirt tug) sweeping across campus. And you'll know that this girl made it up!

Demonstrating the "skirt tug": I think I'll save this skirt AND dance moves for Saturday nights.

Thanks for reading!

PS- Bergner's/Bon-Ton/Boston Store/Carson's/Younkers/etc. is still having their sale! The best deals can be found in the Yellow Dot Clearance (click "Yellow Dot Clearance" to go there. I'm not being paid/asked to say this, I just love sharing good sales with friends! Check it out! 

How Inspiring: Reese Witherspoon

Hello Readers,

It's been a while since I've written a post and even longer since I've written a How Inspiring Post- so here it is!  When I started preparing for this post, I tried to think of someone I admire who also has great style. And this person is Reese Witherspoon! Not only is she the star of some of my favorite movies (ie; Sweet Home Alabama) and a fashionable person, she also seems to have a good head on her shoulders (very down to earth).

What I think I like about her style is that she has a clear appreciation for classically beautiful styling- feminine fits, flattering fabrics, and a sensible color palette.  This narrative is continuous on the red carpet as well as in real life.  In my Google Images search I found two examples from each setting that illustrate why Reese Witherspoon is an inspiration to my wardrobe:

I love this outfit and the way she paired black with beige. And look at those shoes!

Black lace and tulip draping- great choice Reese!

Isn't this outfit adorable? I think I have a similar iteration of it in my wardrobe!

Classically chic- shades, blazer, tee, mini, tights and booties. I can't wait until I can try out this look in the fall!

Thanks for being an inspiration Reese!