Anyway, welcome back to another edition of real outfit roundup! A post where the outfits are real and my reasons for wearing them probably matter. To someone. Somewhere. I mean, otherwise why are you here? On my page. Right now. Reading a post about what I wore over the last two weeks.
The last two weeks have been all about end-of-the-year state testing. We came back from Spring Break and jumped right into review mode, which is never much fun, but I designed an activity that had surprisingly high buy-in and resulted in quite a few a-ha! moments. Finally, finally, it clicked for a good chunk of my students this year why we've been doing things a certain way all year long. So I'm hopeful that they did well on my section of the tests this past week. Unfortunately, we've got two more days of testing to get through next week before we start racing to the finish line.
We've been given the green light to wear jeans the remainder of the year, but you won't find any jeans outfits here this week. For me, jeans are uncomfortable for a full day of teaching, and especially for testing days. They're stiff and hot and I don't like wearing nothing but jeans and a t-shirt day after day. Skirts and dresses are much more my speed. They're usually cooler and so much easier to move in.
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.
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I started with this sweater vest, patchwork skirt, and velvet Mary Janes. They were such a fun match color-wise. The vest has a nice burgundy-ish scallop stitch detail going around each of the hems. It's not a thick vest, which means it's perfect for spring and maybe even early summer before it gets too hot. However, on this day it was fairly cool, so I added a basic white t-shirt underneath. It's a boyfriend-fit tee so it's nice and loose, kind of boxy.
My skirt is so fun. It's by a brand that I've come to trust in terms of quality -- WESTFADE. The skirt is 100% cotton, so it's incredibly comfortable. I sized up to a large (8/10) since I wasn't sure about the sizing. It fits a bit loose, but it's not going to fall off so it works. I love all the different colors in the pattern. It's still available in limited sizes.
I had been patiently waiting for these Mary Janes to be restocked. They're so much better in person. I got my normal size, and they were still comfortable with the socks, which I added because it was cool. They've got cute little pink flowers on them.
I felt like the outfit was missing something, so I added this lace vest over the top and finished the look with my favorite brown, woven Mary Janes. My lace vest has sold out, unfortunately, but there are lots of pretty options out there. Like this tie-front lace vest from Loft, or this tie-front eyelet vest from LC Lauren Conrad, or even this crocheted vest by Allegra K. My Mary Janes are also no longer available, but I've linked to an updated version of the same shoe as well as a good dupe.
I broke out this blue cotton-linen skirt for Wednesday. It's so dang comfortable, y'all, and I love the lace detailing around the hem. I love it so much that I actually ordered it in two more colors!
I was so excited for these pants to come in. How cute are the scalloped details on them?! They're 100% polyester with an elastic waistband and functional pockets. They're cropped, which makes them ankle length on me (my preference). They come in a few other colors, but I love this darker brown. Of course I couldn't resist pairing them with my favorite coffee club graphic tee. I can't believe it's still available! I even saw some in my local Target last weekend. This is one of my most-worn t-shirts over the last couple of years, so I highly recommend it.
This go 'round I paired it with this old favorite floral blouse. I really like this style of blouse from Old Navy, and they usually have updated versions every year. This airy button-down top is the closest thing they have right now.
I added this light brown woven belt for a bit of definition at my waist. I tucked the tie string on the skirt's waist into the skirt to hide it. Then I finished out the look with these blue Mary Janes. I know I keep talking about the buckle design on these, but it really is a cool feature! Instead of completely undoing the buckle every time you take them off and/or put them on, it has a hook feature instead. It's incredibly convenient and easy, and I've not once had an issue with them coming undone while I'm wearing them.
One of my students told me I looked like a strawberry. I was going more for tomato when I planned this, but I'll take strawberry, too.
This green-striped skirt is so good, y'all. It's fully lined and has pockets. The waist is elastic, but the front waistband is flat. It's a nice, bright green, too, which is something I felt like my closet was missing.
Pairing it with this red floral print top was kind of a happy accident. I don't even know how I ended up with this combo, but I really love the way it turned out, especially with the red Mary Jane jellies. I cannot believe I not only bought a pair of these but also really like them. For one, they're such a great color. Nice and bright. For another, the footbed isn't made of the jelly plastic stuff, so they feel like a real shoe. They were also comfortable for all day wear at school, so win win.
My Friday outfit was my favorite outfit of the week. I felt a little bit like June Cleaver in this get-up but in the best way. This skirt is that one from Target that went viral last year. It's such a good skirt, and I'm sad that I can't link to it since they didn't bring it back this year. I linked to a couple of similar options for you. I think everyone needs a good white midi skirt in their closet. The styling possibilities are endless!
This sleeveless button-up blouse is so gorgeous in person, y'all. The blue embroidered eyelet is a bit brighter than I was anticipating, but I don't hate it. The top is lined, so it's not see-through at all. I really liked it with the white skirt. I feel like all that white really made the blue pop. I did add my light-brown belt for a bit of definition at the waist.
I added this gorgeous, chunky, resin bead necklace. I was skeptical about ordering it. I tend to ignore trends, and I wasn't sure how I would like the very oversized beads, but I absolutely love this necklace and have been getting so much wear out of it. It comes in several one-color options, as well.
I actually remembered to snap pictures of what I wore over the weekend! Granted, I wore the same pair of flowy shorts and my brown sandals both days and just changed out my shirt ... but in my defense, I did only wear them for an hour or two each times.
Anyway, my love for flowy shorts that look like a skirt continues this year. This pair is the same brand as the ones I wore all last summer, so I knew they would be good quality. I love this yellow floral print. It goes with so many things I already own, but this first time I wore it was with a new graphic tee.
Y'all, when I saw this t-shirt, I laughed so hard that I knew I had to get it. In case you can't read it, it says: You've just buttered your last biscuit. And it's a cowboy cat. I can't wear it to school since he's holding a gun, but it's perfect for the weekend.
That brings us to last Monday and the first day of testing. I wanted to be comfortable, but that for me that doesn't mean jeans a t-shirt. This yellow skirt is the same as the blue one from earlier in the post. I will say that it is a brighter yellow in person than it appears on the product page, but I don't hate it.
I told you I basically wore the same outfit two days in a row. On Sunday, I decided to keep the shorts and sandals and just pick a different shirt. Y'all know I love my Tom Petty concert tee, and it was such a perfect match for these shorts. The shirt is several years old, but I did find it on Poshmark for you, and I'm linking to a couple other Tom Petty tees that I think are pretty good.
I had a ton of options for tops to wear, but I ultimately decided I wanted to wear this old, comfy Def Leopard tee that I have no idea where it came from. That's how old it is. I decided to leave it untucked, which is very much unlike me. I applaud all the women who are doing the loose and baggy look, but I'm not sure it's for me. I always feel so sloppy and shapeless when I can't find my waist in an outfit. But I digress...
Like I said earlier, I wanted to be comfortable, and it was a bit cool that morning, so I pulled out this new, silly cat printed cardigan.
It's a bit oversized in terms of fit and is nice and soft. It's a thick knit, too, which means it's warm. I ended up not wearing it all day as the temperatures warmed up, but it was fun while it lasted.
This cardigan is almost 100% cotton, so it's incredibly comfortable. It's ribbed but also has a kind of bumpy texture. Maybe marled? I'm not sure. I've been looking for a light blue cardigan for awhile, ever since I apparently got rid of the one that I'd had for years for some reason I can't remember. This one will do nicely. It pulled out the almost hidden blues in the dress's pattern.
This is another one of those viral Nashalyly skirts. I'd been eyeing this pale green floral print for awhile and finally decided enough was enough. It's a really pretty print with yellow, navy blue, and a pale pink woven in. I decided to play with the yellow.
I've been stalking this dress at Target for awhile now. After looking at it every single time we've been in like the last month, I decided it was meant to be and bought it. I love the almost faded look of this floral print. It's also 100% cotton and has pockets. Some notes on the fit. The v-neck is pretty deep, but the straps are adjustable. The back is very low, and I felt like there was the possibility of side boob. To make it school appropriate, I layered it over this beige-brown lace mesh tee, which provided some coverage without taking away from the dress itself. Then I added a cardigan.
I've had this basic yellow tee for several years. I can't remember where it came from at this point, and the tag has worn off so I can't even tell what brand it is. It's pretty thin, though, and yellow isn't really my color, so I never wear it on its own. I layered my trusty denim vest over the top, then added my chunky beaded necklace and my brown woven Mary Jane flats.
I cannot believe these sandals are still available! Three years in, and they're still in really good condition and still very comfortable. I recommend sizing up a half size, though, as the straps are pretty snug and have not stretched out at all over the last three years ... and I wear these things a ton.
Thursday brought my favorite outfit of the week. Sometimes two dresses are simply better than one. Really, though, I got this idea and decided to run with it.
My black dress is one of those ribbed maxi dresses I got last summer and then wore the crap out of. I still love it now, and I'm really hoping Old Navy will bring it back this summer. It's just that good. I mean, I even wrote an entire post about why I love and own it in four different colors.
The striped dress is new. I saw it somewhere styled as a long, duster-style vest and not as a dress and was intrigued. I sized up to a large to be on the safe side and to ensure that if I ever did decide to wear it on its own as a dress, the buttons wouldn't pull. I feel like I need to mention this since it's stuck with me. This dress smelled awful when it first came in, so it went into the washing machine right away. I even dried it before thinking about the possible consequences, but thankfully it did not shrink, or not enough for me to notice anyway. That got the smell out and softened it up a bit. I'm looking forward to styling this a bunch of different ways.
And that brings us to Friday. I woke up in a horrible mood, so I decided that I needed to dress the opposite of how I felt. I wish I could say that it helped, but I really didn't feel any better until I got home that afternoon and took about a two-hour nap. Oh well, thus is life.
I did think this outfit turned out cute, although one of my students asked me why I was wearing a Halloween outfit in April. What is it about a black cat that makes it strictly a Halloween thing? I'm not even wearing Halloween-specific colors! I just thought the cats were funny. It does come in orange, though, if you want it for Halloween purposes.
I love this skirt, but I cannot for the life of me remember where I ordered it from, and I can't find any order details. I think I found it on two different sites. At any rate, the pattern is an exact match, and it appears to be tiered in the same way as well as the same length. Proceed with caution as I cannot verify anything.
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