What I Actually Bought for Back-to-School

Summer is officially over. Schools are back in session, or will be soon if they are not already. I've been back at work for a week, although I haven't had to actually dress like a teacher just yet. Students are back this week, though, so get ready for all the teacher-appropriate outfits to return to my feed.

Speaking of teacher outfits...Earlier this month I shared a back-to-school teacher shopping guide with y'all featuring classroom-appropriate items from four of my favorite places to shop. Many of those items are still available (some are even on sale), so if you haven't checked that out yet, you should.

In terms of my own shopping, I haven't done very much for myself. I didn't need very much to start the school year, although I do like to add a few fresh pieces to keep my closet from feeling stale.

Back to school is essentially the unofficial start of fall, even though neither the calendar nor the temperature feels like it yet, so I treat this like the changing of the seasons. Hence, most of what you'll see here today is geared toward fall weather. Keep in mind that where I live, though, fall is more of an idea than actual thing.

That means that I don't buy a lot of bulky cold-weather clothing. Instead, I focus more on colors, patterns, and textures that mimic the feel of the season while keeping the clothing itself light to combat the lingering heat.

Without further ado, here are the things that I actually bought for myself heading into the new school year.

White Wide-Leg Jeans - These were a must-have for me since I tossed my old skinnies at the end of the school year. I decided to go with a more current silhouette (I'm so glad wide-leg jeans are back in style!). Before you buy, know that these only have 1% spandex so they do not stretch at all. The waist is also pretty narrow, so if you're in between sizes I would suggest sizing up.

Straight Leg Stevie Pants - I love my skinny Stevie pants, which fit like leggings while being much thicker (it's really the best of both worlds). These are a more relaxed fit, but they still feel like leggings.

Brown Linen Pants - These were a random find on a recent Target run. Chocolate brown is very in right now, and I don't have any brown pants. They're darker in person than they appear online.

Denim Maxi Skirt - I got this back at the beginning of summer when Old Navy was running a sale. This darker wash is basically sold out, but the style is still available in a lighter wash if you're interested.

Neutral Striped Blouse - I am so glad they restocked this blouse! I've been stalking it for awhile.

Tan Open-Stitch Sweater - This was another random find. This is not a sweater than you can just wear since it's open stitch, but it will be perfect for layering over other things.

Floral Maxi Dress - I have stopped and looked at this dress every time I've been to Target recently and finally bought it when they did their week-long teacher discount. It's so pretty in person.

Brown Plaid Dress - This is technically a mini dress, but on me it's knee-length. The sleeves can be worn on or off the shoulder.

Black Sleeveless Sweater Dress - This is Old Navy's SoSoft material, and it really is so soft. I can't wait for it to cool off enough for me to wear this.

Woven Red Mary Janes - I technically bought these at the start of summer, but that was because I was afraid they would sell out. They are no longer available in my local store, but they've still got most sizes online.

Sketchers Hotshot Varsity Crew Sneakers - I've been looking for a new pair of sneakers for awhile and just hadn't found any that I loved. I found these on a clearance rack at my local Sketchers store, but they're still available several places online. This link is to the Sketchers website, but you can find three other options in the widget below.