neutral pop

Tahari top and DKNY jeans, Macy's

dot necklace, Simple Addiction

     Polyester is usually not practical for Hawaii's climate or my workplace, but I couldn't resist buying this top. It has so many colors that it will be easy to accessorize, and for interviews or dressier occasions it will pair well with a skirt or pants. For its first wearing, I went casual - white jeans and a white necklace that popped against the dark background.

     My husband has been sick for the last few days, and yesterday I felt a sore throat creeping up on me. Rotten timing - I have parent-teacher conferences scheduled into the middle of next week. I'm dosing myself with chicken noodle soup, Vitamin C, and naps, and hoping I can shake it off. 

SIA and a bad case of the Mondays

Trina Turk silk top, Nordstrom Rack clearance

Calvin Klein petite straight-leg jeans, Ross

Leopard I by Megan Carn

     The colors in this painting are just gorgeous - the red and turquoise play so beautifully off each other, and the pink is a great touch.While I really liked the colors, I had a hard time putting together an outfit from my closet. Despite my love of blue, I surprisingly don't have anything turquoise, and not much red or pink either. So I decided to use the leopard print as my (loose) inspiration. My top's print is not a leopard print - it looks more like a very abstract floral -  but I figure it "goes" vs. matches. 

   

      This top was on loan to my sis, so Friday was the first time I've worn it in a while. I'm not a fan of the way the sleeves are constructed - I did some light stretching with my students that day, and had to hike the sleeves up a bit to move my arms - but I like the neckline and ties in the front. 

      Yesterday was one heck of a Monday ... I got stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work, and ended up calling the office to open up my classroom for my students. I only got there a few minutes after the bell rang, thankfully. But that meant I missed out on my usual prep time before school starts, and I felt like I was running to catch up all day. Also, on the way to work I was supposed to pick up a carton of eggs for our afternoon science experiment. Thanks to the traffic jam, I ended up spending my short lunch break running to the closest store, dashing in to buy eggs, and hurrying back. That meant lunch was really just a few surreptitious bites of a cereal bar in the back of the room while my students read quietly after lunch. It wasn't a bad day, really, just a rushed and tiring one. I figure with a Monday like that, things can only get better from here!

fall break fun

dress, Macy's

necklace, Haitian Beads

shrug, Ross

    I've always thought of this dress as being red, white and blue, but after looking at the photos more closely, it's more of an off-white. I wondered whether the mismatched neutrals would look odd together, but it doesn't bother me in real life or in the photos.
     I haven't worn this dress to work often because it exposes more back than I prefer. I'm looking forward to wearing it regularly now that I have a shrug to make it more professional!

     Today is the last day of Fall Break. I had a good week off. On Saturday, I rode a horse for the first time! I enjoyed it but let me tell you, 90 minutes is a long time to sit on a horse when you never have before. I'm still feeling it!
     We signed up for a scenic trail ride at a working ranch about an hour out of town. My husband was disappointed that it wasn't sunnier, but I enjoyed the overcast weather - it meant it wasn't so hot.

 Our first look at the ranch

My dashing steed, Bonita

Beach view

Stole husband's cap for a selfie - and kind of like the look

dabbling in dapper ... and Disney

chambray shirt, thrifted

vest, thrifted

trousers, Banana Republic Factory Store

bowtie, handmade using this tutorial

   This is my favorite Spirit Week outfit to date - dressing as the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. I'm not much of a Disney fan, but putting together - then wearing - this look was so much fun! The camera didn't capture it well, but I am also wearing rabbit ears, made out of white pipe cleaners.  

    I decided to forgo the suit jacket due to the heat, which meant I needed a vest. I headed to my favorite Goodwill and found this lovely one. Based on the way it's finished inside, I think it's handmade. 

   This was a fun way to dabble in the dapper/boyish look that appeals to me so much, but isn't well-represented in my wardrobe.

   A number of folks weren't sure what character I was dressed as, but I was pleased to be recognized several times. Campus was awash with people wearing mouse ears, and it felt good to stand out.

power of the prop

tee, Gap

jeans, Ross

earrings, Haitian Beads

belt, Forever 21

        It's amazing what a piece of cardboard can do for an outfit ... take away my handmade artist's palette, and you get a simple look of a striped tee and jeans. Add in the prop, and you get an artist outfit for Spirit Week's Career Day. The finishing touches were a couple of paintbrushes tucked into my front pocket and Crayola-bright accessories - yellow earrings and a green belt.
     I've already talked about my inability to hang onto things that aren't slung around my neck, so I decided to wear my prop vs. carry it around. It was kind of funny to walk around campus all day and be greeted with cries of "You're an artist!" or "You're a painter!" by students. Campus was teeming that day with pilots, pro athletes, members of the military, doctors and nurses, and microphone-toting singers.