Back to School Basics for Teachers

Back to School Basics by embellishedangel

Part of the initial reason why I started this little fashion blog was to share some teacher wardrobe inspiration with my two teacher nieces. As teachers, we must be appropriately dressed each and every day and being fashion forward and functional can be a bit of task. Not to mention that we don't want to spend loads of cash on our staples either. I'm going to share a few items that show up in my outfit choices week after week as I work my teacher closet. 

1. Basic pencil skirt: This is a perfect skirt option for teachers as it is a great length and fit for the rigors of a teaching day. I recommend getting one in a basic neutral (black, navy, gray, or tan) and you will be pleasantly surprised at its versatility. This type of skirt also looks great with nearly every shoe type....flats, heels, boots....go for it! 

2. Fitted neutral blazer: If your school is anything like mine, the temperature in the building can be a bit unpredictable. Mine even changes from one hallway to the next. I adore my neutral blazers and have one tagging along with me to school every day--especially in the tricky fall and spring seasons. Blazers also add a perfect professional vibe to any outfit.

3. Dark denim skinnies: Some schools have rules about wearing denim. Whether you can wear them on Fridays, workshop days, or any day, having a dark wash skinny is a must. The dark wash makes them look less like jeans and more like trousers. The skinny fit should be appropriate and match the overall dress vibe of your school setting. Throw the blazer mentioned in #2 with these puppies and you can get away with jeans more than you think. 

4. Floral Print: My favorite trend for fall are the bold floral patterns. However, I am having the hardest time investing in a large floral fashion piece like a top or dress. Yet, I have loved adding it in my accessories. I snagged a floral scarf at Charlotte Russe and have been throwing it over so many tops! The florals add a perfect feminine touch that is needed sometimes. 

5. Flats: Flats are a teacher's best friend. I use to try and schelp around in heels when I first started teaching but my feet rebeled. Boy did I love it when flats made a come back. You can find some darn cute flats in every color with all sorts of embellishment. I could not live without my neutral cognac pair, but don't forget what a great pop of color flats can be! 

6. Flowy tops: Professional outfits can be a bit dowdy looking if the blouse is too stuffy. Call on my favorite gal Lauren Conrad (I like to call her LC--we are peeps ya know!) if you want a professional looking shirt for under a blazer or cardigan that has loads of style and fashion flair. LC adds just the right print and detail to her tops to make them not-so-ordinary. They are also light weight and breathable. 

7. Trouser/dress pants: I have a pair of these in every neutral color and they cycle through my teacher wardrobe enough to make somebody dizzy. They drape beautifully and look utterly professional whilst still being comfy. My favorites are from NY& Co but I just bought a pixie length pant from The Limited (they have leather trim...bah!) that I am head over heels in love with. Whether you like a straight length and cut or you prefer more of a trouser hem, these pants will be a work horse while you work. 

8. Gold accessories: Gold is in gals. Jump on the bandwagon if you have not already. Get yourself a layered gold set and wear it with everything. Tell people that ask you that I told you to. Its the perfect compliment to nearly every outfit. 

{OOTD} Anniversary!

My sweet hubs and I celebrated 17 years of wedded bliss this month! Hands down, he is still the most amazing man I have ever met and I am not sure what I ever did to deserve such a gem of a spouse. Each year we take turns planning our anniversary date. It was his turn this year and I was completely looking forward to what he had in store. He told me to dress cool and comfortable but still dressy. We ended up spending the afternoon at a local art fair followed by paddle boating on a local lake and dinner at my FAVORITE restaurant (Asiago encrusted walleye to die for!). We had perfect weather and simply enjoyed celebrating the day we chose to become one. So very blessed!

{Shop the Style}

Dress: The Limited

Necklace: The Limited

Shoes: Target

{OOTD} Stripes and bubbles

Here I am fresh from our family vacay to the Black Hills of South Dakota! You would NOT want to see any of my outfits from the trip. Nothing cute but everything comfy. Outfits for car riding, hiking, and kid wrangling. Instead, an outfit from the week before....I was singing in church and decided to go bright with stripes and a bubble necklace. I paired it with a simple denim-ish skirt and wedges that pulled out the army/khaki/brown stripe in the shirt. I love this top and love it more that my daughter calls it my "lifesaver shirt"! Hee hee! (Eek--there is even a little peek at my cute puppy Phelix! Love him!)

Check back soon as I will be doing a few posts on back to school wardrobe ideas for teachers!

{Shop the Style}

Top: The Limited

Necklace: Groopdealz

Skirt: Ann Taylor Loft

Shoes: JC Penney

Puppy: not for sale! 

{Beauty Sleep}

Here today to talk about something beauty related although it might not appear so at first glance. I'm talking about sleep. That elusive thing that taunts you at 2:00 in the afternoon while you are responding to emails or changing diapers. That thing I wish I could store up and use as needed. That thing that totally, 100% impacts all your moods and reactions of the next day. Sleep. Pardon me while I yawn. I love me some good sleep. I like a nice dark room with a fan whirring blissfully in the background. Heaven help my husband if he even dares to snore....which he does not very often. Whew. However, the thing that impacts our sleep the most is our mattresses. We know just how we like them too. Firm. Not too firm. Squishy. Pillow top. Sleep Number. The preferences go on and on. My hubby and I slept on a pretty soft pillow top for YEARS. Despite how a good mattress impacts a good night's sleep, we were totally penny pinching when it came to buying a new one. You can drop a pretty decent amount on a mattress and I'll be the first to tell you its worth it. How well I sleep impacts my face the next day and my brain. Let's invest here and do it right. Or not? My hubby and I set out to find a new mattress and did the whole big mattress store thing to start off with. We were leaning towards memory foam aka Tempur Pedic. We laid on a lot of mattresses. Lots. They were awesome and awesomely expensive. Wow. After a little research to find an off brand memory foam mattress, we settled on one sold at Costco for around $500. Not bad.

However, on a random trip to Aldi's for some strawberries and pineapple, we stumbled across the same mattress (Pictured above--it comes in a compressed state in a box) for $149!! Regularly $199 for a queen size. We confirmed their return policy and brought that baby home! The experience of opening it is pretty cool as it quickly decompresses and becomes an 8-10 inch mattress in just an hour. It had a bit of a scent to it that went away quickly as well. Nearly a year later we are SOLD on this mattress as it has completely changed our sleeping. No more ab workout as I try to sleep on my side and not fall back into the middle "dip" of our old pillow top. I can barely feel when my hubby moves next to me now and it has resulted in far better sleep for the both of us. I'm writing this post now because Aldi only sells this mattress ONCE a year---right now. They have them in stock until they are all gone. We bought ours last year in September. Beauty sleep is important to how you feel and look and this mattress is comparable to a Tempurpedic for a fraction of the cost. Excuse me while I go take a tiny snooze!