It's time for another real outfit roundup. Every two weeks, or pretty close anyway, I share the outfits I wore in real life along with a brief explanation for each as well as links to shop the same or similar items.
This collection of outfits go back to April 14th, the Monday after Spring Break. The closer we get to the end of the school year, the crazier life seems to get. After the break, we had one week to get ready for state testing; then testing took seven school days to get through, and we had a modified schedule for all of it. Now we're reviewing important grammar concepts that need reinforcement, finishing up poetry, and squeezing in a final project around all of the end-of-the-year activities including an all-day field trip to an amusement park, honors day, senior walk through, and field day. And let's not forget that at some point, as yet unknown, we'll have to do remediation for those students who need to be retested.
Whew! Teacher tired is real, y'all, and it's the theme of this post. This time of year, I want outfits that are cute but effortless. Comfort is key, especially breathability -- our Springs like to pretend they're Summer some days -- and that's what you'll find throughout these outfits.
Sizing info: I'm 5'2" and weigh about 140 lbs. I typically wear size 6 or s/m in clothes and size 7 in shoes.
I really like this dress for warm days, but I wanted my shoulders to be more covered for school. I stand behind my decision to add a vest, but I'm not in love with the blue denim over this dress. It's not bad, but it almost blends in with the color of the dress. Maybe white or cream would work better? I'm not sure, but now I'm going to be on the lookout for one.
Unfortunately, my exact vest is completely sold out online, which is a shame because it really is a good one at an affordable price point. You might get lucky and come across one still in your local Old Navy, but I wouldn't bet on it. I've linked to a Levi's vest that's still available in all sizes and is currently marked way down.
Have you ever bought something off Temu? It's really hit or miss, I've found, but this skirt was an absolute win. It's really good quality and gorgeous. Unfortunately, it's been discontinued, and I can't find it anywhere else. I've had a similar one sitting on my Amazon wish list for awhile that is equally as gorgeous, so I'm linking to that one for you.
This shirt is what I would call an elevated basic. It's really just a fancy t-shirt with lace sleeves. It's incredibly soft and comfortable but looks like a blouse. It's a perfect compliment to the blue-green flowers in the skirt's print, and I feel like it helped to lighten the skirt up a bit. The only thing is that the lace on the sleeves goes all the way to the neck, so you'll want to choose an appropriate bra (unless you're okay with your bra straps showing, that is).
This is actually one of my favorite skirts, but once I got to school, I didn't like this outfit. The shoes just don't work. They're way too bright in comparison to the t-shirt, which I actually really like with this skirt. I think the problem is that the shirt is off-white compared to the bright white shoes. Last time I wore this shirt-and-skirt combo, I wore light pink flats. Next time I think I'll finish this look with my light pink wedges for a better color balance.
This t-shirt was a random Tractor Supply find. It's still available online so I linked to it there, but I also linked to a similar one on Amazon just in case. My skirt is long sold out, but I found a pretty similar option for you on Amazon by a brand I order from pretty regularly. Surprisingly, my shoes are still available in most sizes.
I did not wear this to school. I actually forgot to take a picture of what I did wear this day before I changed into this dress for a dinner event. My husband was being recognized for 15 years at his job. The dinner was casual, but I didn't want to go in my 'school clothes.' The dress has thin spaghetti straps, and I didn't want to be cold in the air conditioning, so I took my denim jacket with me. I'm glad I did, too, because I would have definitely been cold. I've had this denim jacket for years, and it's finally being discontinued, but I linked to the updated version for you.
This dress is so nice in person. The material is thick so that it doesn't cling and is definitely not see through. It's got pockets, which is always a bonus. Sadly, this will not be a school dress, though, because there is a keyhole in the bodice that is placed just low enough to show cleavage, which is a no-no when you teach middle school boys.
When I want to try a trend but am not sure if it's right for me, the last thing I want to do is spend a lot of money. I've been seeing these three-dimensional spring sweaters a lot recently; they're so cute, but the style doesn't seem very durable to me. When I saw this one on Temu, I decided to give it a shot. It is much better quality than I expected in terms of the knit and is surprisingly soft. The length is odd, though, so I actually rolled the hem up under to make it work for me. The flowers, as I expected, will more than likely not last very long, especially when you take the washer and dryer into consideration. But for what I paid for it, if I get a few more wears out of it, it'll have been worth it.
I've had surprisingly good luck with jeans on Temu. These are really stretchy and soft. They're also a good length for me. I've always liked a button fly so long as it lays flat, and this one does. These are no longer available, but I linked to a similar pair that has a ton of good reviews.
These green overalls just keep on delivering. This time, I layered them over this sweet little floral print blouse, which is another Temu find. It's really pretty in person and has a nice cottage core vibe going on. The neck is kind of weird; it's got elastic in it, I think to create a ruffled look, but it feels odd on my neck. Also, the back is completely sheer, which makes a bra tricky. I'm not sure how to wear it appropriately without something over it.
Let's talk about this headband. It was actually a perfect match for the blouse, but that was just a coincidence. It comes in a pack of three, and they are all so pretty! They were even comfortable for a majority of the day, even with wearing my glasses, and that's not something I can usually say about a headband.
I can already tell this dress is going to be one of my favorites this summer. It's so light and airy, but not appropriate for school on its own, so this go 'round I layered my new vest over it. Because the dress is so loose, the vest didn't work open, so I buttoned it up like a top. The dress does have adjustable spaghetti straps and pockets. What you can't tell from the picture is that it has a slight texture to it, which gives it a bit more visual interest.
It's finally warm enough for sandals so I broke out my favorite white sandals from last year, which are still available in all sizes! Remember, these are the ones that I sized up a half size in because the straps were unusually tight.
There's just something about an all-neutral look, even if I do struggle to pull them off. I really like how this one came together though. This super popular puff sleeve blouse from Target was the perfect elevated piece for these linen pants. The shirt is slightly sheer, so you have to be mindful of what you wear underneath it.
My pants are no longer available, but I linked to a couple of similar pairs. Mine were like wearing pajama pants all day. The one downside is how easily they wrinkled; my students even made jokes about me skipping the iron that morning! I like how the darker brown of my shoes help to really ground the whole look.
I think what makes this outfit work and not feel boring is all the little details: the embroidered flowers on the blouse, the pinstriping in the pants, and the basketweave of the shoes.
One thing you should know about me - when I find a cute outfit formula, I wear it all the time, and I absolutely love this one. In fact, I shared an almost identical outfit in my last outfit roundup. Literally the only difference is the t-shirt and the fact that this t-shirt is still available in all sizes.
What teacher doesn't love a fun jumpsuit? This one is so much fun and comes in a lot of great patterns, but y'all know I'm a floral print gal. I saw this and fell in love last year. For school I wear it over a lilac tee, but it can easily be worn on its own. It's very light and flowy with a smocked bodice. The straps are not adjustable.
I paired it with my straw wedge sandals, which have about a four-inch heel. They are surprisingly comfortable in the classroom, but I had not planned on taking a mini walking field trip on the day I wore this. By the time we got back and I had to teach my last class of the day, I was barefoot. I'm not sure why I'm telling you this actually -- these have been sold out for awhile. Maybe just a cautionary tale? Make better decisions than I did.
I wish I liked this dress more. The fit is just not quite right. The neck is higher than I'm really comfortable with, the racerback style is very narrow, and the waist is kind of awkward. Also, the smocked bodice pulls so tight it practically flattens out completely, and this dress is not too small.
Because of my issues with the top half, I've only worn it with something over it (see it with a denim jacket here). This go 'round I tried it with both of my denim vests, but neither of those was the right choice, so out came my tried-and-true short sleeve denim button up. I actually really like the light-wash denim with this pale pink, especially with the white sneakers to finish out the look.