Yellow lace dress / LOFT long sleeve ruched dress / Ponte knit dress / Layered top / Angel of the North cardigan / LOFT pants / FOSSIL tote bag / Alex Monroe jewelry / Timex wrist watch / White pearl jewelry / Genuine leather belt / Tech accessory
It has been a while for Polyvore and I... a long, long while actually. I thought, as the year really gets underway (trying to stay positive here!) I would share some of the pieces I have my eye on for the new school year... and display a bit of my recent retail therapy. As a teacher, my budget is always a little limited, in the beginning of the year especially, also I would much rather buy fabric than another pair of work pants! I do however always buy a few new pieces for work each year. These clothes of mine must weather all kinds of abuse in the line of fire... snagging, walking, sitting, squatting, chalking, eating, pen, markers, glue, driving... yes, holding up year after year is a must. I've had dress pants from Express for seriously ten years, and they continue to be my go tos. If you don't have the Editor pant in your life, give them a try! I still go to Express to replace pants that don't make it to the next year or when I need a new version, but will try other options along the way. Loft pants are also ones that I love. I almost always wait to buy a few things at Loft until they have their 40% off sale. They always, always have sales (often times after other sales oddly enough), and waiting allows me to buy more things and more fabric so I'm all for it! Those wine colored pants are ones that I've had my eye on (love the color) I waited to buy them and with discounts they were $29 instead of $79. Score! More fabric for everyone!
This year, I'm looking for pieces that are just a bit different and classic. At work, we'll be having parent conferences for the first time at several points throughout the year along with our usual Open House, so some new dresses are in order. At least that's what I've told myself! Rob and I spent some time in Anthropologie yesterday and I bought that sweet little yellow dress. It is so incredibly comfortable and very, very pretty on. I also snagged that beautiful grey cardigan, I think it's the perfect wear to work and wear to travel piece. I have a ton of sweaters so this will be it for the year... unless a cardigan (which I wear like crazy at work, often layering a few...it's so cold!) needs replacing. I like the long-sleeved Loft dress a lot, but am worried about the length (always a consideration when working in a high school... or should be), a better option might be that beautiful peacock blue dress from Garnet Hill. I like to read the reviews before committing! The weather makes this one certainly something that can wait. I'm loving anything with a Peter Pan collar right now, so I might be tempted to pick up that little grey shirt also. Again, definitely something that can wait.
I did buy that beautiful Fossil bag before vacation (on sale!). It's gorgeous and though I have a lot of totes for work, one that I bought last year at Target began to literally come apart at the seams. Lesson learned. I love that the bag is small enough to look like a purse, and will remind me to not to take too much work home, balance is important. For other accessories, that Timex watch was a birthday present and I love that it goes with anything. I was in desperate need of a new belt this year (I think I borrowed one of Rob's to wear with a tunic dress last year... sigh), the skinny one from Anthropolgie was picked up yesterday. Small pearl earrings are so versatile and I have those little pave posts from Anthropologie, they've been thrown in bags, wallets, compartments in my car and they still are beautiful.
Clearly, this lady is in love with clothing, accessories (and people) that can weather any storm. That appears to be a bit of a theme this year for school... lots of change, loads of new... all a little unsettling. My goal is to do what I can to make it through this year with gratitude, clarity and all seams intact. We'll see! Happy Monday everyone, shouldn't every weekend have three days?!?
