Try-it-out Tuesday: trilby*

BLACK Saks Fifth Avenue top, Off Fifth

trousers, Banana Republic

Scala Pronto hat, Ross

        I don't consider myself a hat person, but the culminating day of Spirit Week at school - Hats  & Shades Day - was the perfect occasion to try one on. It was fun to build the outfit around an accessory I don't usually wear! I initially considered doing a little pattern mixing, but decided to go with solids to let the hat stand out.
      * This post originally went live titled "fedora." Thankfully, hat connoiseur Aya of Couturgatory (go check her out, she rocks a genuine fedora here and a beautiful fall-hued bow-adorned beauty here) stopped by and enlightened me - this hat is actually a trilby.  I stand corrected.
      While I've been taking blog photos for years, I'm still surprised by how revealing a photo can be. For instance, while I like the top half of this outfit, I've realized that these pants need to go! I think they look so schlumpy here partly because I'm not wearing shoes (I wore this flat menswear-ish sneaker) but I can't deny that the fit is off -- they are still snug around the waist despite my losing some weight over the summer. I really need to shop for new pants, especially since one pair of my beloved Salt Works jeans has lost its stretch and I sadly had to add it to my donation pile. Searching for a decent pair of pants is such an ordeal! I'm wondering whether I can put off shopping and get through the rainy season with what I have. Maybe I can look at my pared-down bottoms collection as a capsule wardrobe vs. depleted?

        But back to the hat: We've established that I'm not well versed in millinery, but I was puzzled that Old Navy sent me an ad recently touting this hat as a fedora: 

  

       That looks much more like a generic "floppy hat" to me. 

       I'm not quite sold on this trilby - I feel like a hat with a slightly bigger brim (see above) would be more flattering on me. However, I'd like to style my new hat a few more times. I picked up a black shirtdress with a fuller skirt on my last trip to Savers and I think they might go together. I'm also wondering how it would get along with a black pencil skirt.  How would you wear this hat? Suggestions welcome!

purple and gray

cowlneck top, Saks Off Fifth

maxi skirt, Macy's

Fossil necklace, Nordstrom Rack

bubble necklace, InPink

earrings, etsy

     I bought this maxi skirt thinking it would become a closet essential, but sadly it hasn't been worn as much as I'd like. I do like the proportions of the top with this skirt, though. Being short-waisted, I find that many shirts are awkwardly long and I end up knotting them so they hit a more flattering spot.

    23 school days left! I'd like to say I'm excited, but I'm in reality filled with more trepidation than giddiness. There is a dizzying amount of data collection and analysis to complete, our last round of state math testing, and a May Day performance to practice, perfect, and coordinate.
    May Day is a special Hawaii tradition. It's a unique part of the childhood of just about anyone who grew up in Hawaii. In elementary schools, May Day is an enormous event that includes performances by each grade level and sometimes even the presentation of a May Day Court, with a couple representing each of the Hawaiian Islands. While I was growing up, performances were of Hawaiian dance or music. So I was surprised that my school does not do the same - we're actually planning to have the students perform a "Grease" medley. I'll admit, though, that I'm looking forward to dressing in an outfit that evokes the movie! With that in mind, I gave in and picked up this dress at Ross (mine is black with white polka dots). I've seen it there from time to time, but would talk myself out of buying because the tulle poufs at the bottom of the skirt lining seemed impractical. But I thought the retro/vintage vibe would make it perfect as a May Day outfit. I'm even thinking about curling my hair, which is HUGE, because if you know me, I do my hair maybe twice a year ...

approximations

BLACK Saks Fifth Avenue top, Off Fifth

same ol' jeans, Ross

Fossil key necklace, Nordstrom Rack

bubble necklace, InPINK

      Life is all about approximation. For instance, take the "it" color for 2014, Radiant Orchid. When I pull up the Pantone page, I see one hue - a dreamy, misty purple. On Ally's post, however, it has more vibrancy and zest. So I'm not sure which one is really the "right" color. Factor in that everyone's computer screen probably shows colors a little bit differently, and you wonder what you're seeing. (And it could be said that life on the Internet is all about approximations, anyhow.) So I'm not sure exactly what color this shirt is -- radiant orchid? mauve? -- but it's a new addition to my wardrobe. And in the interest of simplicity, I'm just tagging it as "purple cowlneck top."
       Teaching is all about approximations, as well. Whether you're teaching a martial art or a 9-year-old how to correctly solve a 2-digit by 1-digit multiplication problem, you teach. You model the process. You get the students engaged in helping you work through the process. Then you let them loose to do some guided practice, and you stand back and wonder. Wonder why that kid who is always doodling in a notebook and fidgeting is drawing individual tally marks when you JUST.WENT.OVER how to draw an area model as an efficient way to solve. Wonder why that extremely bright, creative kid who loves books is happily blasting his way through 45 x 6 when in actuality the problem is 28 x 8 (&*#$???! The numbers are not even close!) After all that wonder, you take a deep breath, try not to sigh too audibly, and reassess. Have that fidgety kid work with you in the back for a few moments and guide him through one problem. Look over your bright kid's shoulder and engage him in a discussion to look back at his work and make corrections.

       I guess being sick with sinus evils and laryngitis makes me philosophical, huh? There have been 8 instructional days since we came back from winter break, and I have had to call in sick for half of them. Thankfully, getting to rest my voice over the long weekend seems to be just what I needed. It's been frustrating to be out so much - it's rough starting the year feeling behind! - but I'm looking forward to resuming work life as normal on Tuesday morning.