School colors day

Homecoming @ my high school this week... I've never needed a weekend more!

OOTD (maroon & gold day):



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OMG is it Friday yet!!!!!????

I like this outfit. A lot. Skirt is from a few years back; brown cashmere sweater from eBay. The boots are out! :)


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Preppy Wednesday

OOTD:
An early morning throw-together...argyle & brogues!



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Cashmere...and still cold!

Yesterday I was freezing all day, so i was not afraid to wear my new cashmere sweater today. I was still cold. I think my calssroom windows are in need of some repair. sadly, my desk is right next to them...

OOTD:


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OOTD

Here's my OOTD. No time/brain cells for much more...



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Damage done!

*sigh*, and I just had my card paid off...

Oh, J.Crew, how do you manage to get me to buy things when there's nothing to buy? With promos? Yup.

Dwindling piles of cashmere + 25% off sweaters = damage! Didn't go nuts, though. Just one. It was a struggle to choose between the navy merino Tippi and the cashmere one. Caved & got the cashmere. I don't own a navy sweater! Well, now I do. I also ended up buying some jewelry...the multi-strand faux pearl necklace, two bracelets & the green bubble earrings. My VPS made an error & told me ALL jewelry was 25% off (even though I argued with her about it--Me, "are you sure it's not just out if case pieces?" VPS, "No, all!"). They honored her error! I feel kind of bad about it. (MN nice.)

Here are my other weekend finds:


I got the striped top for $27, and found the cardi in a consignment store for $34--more than I'd usually spend on pre-owned, but the ruffles are awesome!

Mid quarter grades are due tomorrow, so I have a date with a pile of papers tonight. That, and soup. One batch of Tuscan bean stew down, chicken veggie on the stove. Hope your weekend was as pleasant as mine was!

Side note: I had close to $300 at the consignment store where I brought all my clothes this summer! All those trips don't seem quite so painful anymore.

Thanks for reading!

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Damage done!

*sigh*, and I just had my card paid off...

Oh, J.Crew, how do you manage to get me to buy things when there's nothing to buy? With promos? Yup.

Dwindling piles of cashmere + 25% off sweaters = damage! Didn't go nuts, though. Just one. It was a struggle to choose between the navy merino Tippi and the cashmere one. Caved & got the cashmere. I don't own a navy sweater! Well, now I do. I also ended up buying some jewelry...the multi-strand faux pearl necklace, two bracelets & the green bubble earrings. My VPS made an error & told me ALL jewelry was 25% off (even though I argued with her about it--Me, "are you sure it's not just out if case pieces?" VPS, "No, all!"). They honored her error! I feel kind of bad about it. (MN nice.)

Here are my other weekend finds:


I got the striped top for $27, and found the cardi in a consignment store for $34--more than I'd usually spend on pre-owned, but the ruffles are awesome!

Mid quarter grades are due tomorrow, so I have a date with a pile of papers tonight. That, and soup. One batch of Tuscan bean stew down, chicken veggie on the stove. Hope your weekend was as pleasant as mine was!

Side note: I had close to $300 at the consignment store where I brought all my clothes this summer! All those trips don't seem quite so painful anymore.

Thanks for reading!

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Thurs/Fri OOTDs

Here are my OOTDs from yesterday & today:





I turned up the cuffs on the jeans before I left today. Pointy goodness in action!

I started a longer post last night that included some excitement about the remodel of our house exterior, but it got lost somewhere between typing & saving...I hope to share some photos this weekend (we are soon to no longer be the 'ugliest house on the block'!

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Re-doing a favorite

OOTD:


Finally cool enough to pull out some sweaters!

Any advice for stretching suede loafers? The right shoe is tight across the top--love the shoes, so I want them to work. On my 5-6th wear and they aren't giving!

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Paisley Tuesday

OOTD:


Love this skirt! These Viv flats are quickly becoming my "go to" shoes! Guess I'm a member of the "pointy toe brigade"! --or do I need a heel to qualify?
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Simple Monday

OOTD--a simple outfit for my simple mind today...


Again, love the Tippi! I think I need a scarf to go with this pink color...
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Happiness is....

My absolute favorite, McIntosh apples, hit the co-op this weekend...


...pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks; grocery bags filled with ingredients to make tuscan bean soup... Welcome, fall!

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Friday, finally

Aaah, Friday! You're finally here! Couch, you & I are going to spend some quality time together soon!
OOTD:


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A good thing?

So one of my new Juniors (boy) said to me in class today, "Mrs. Cook, those are some wild and crazy pants! Where'd you get them?!". Got numerous comments & looks from other students & staff, too. I'm choosing to view the feedback in a positive way. What do you think? (i changed to a patent festival blue belt before I left...)

OOTD:



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White Rabbit

Theme for this week:  "I'm late!"  Monday I barely made it to work on time; Tuesday was the same.  Today, thankfully, I got back into the groove and was early.  Needless to say, Monday's outfit was a grab & dash--no creativity there.  Tuesday I wore the neon green eyelet pencil skirt with a dark blue silk sleeveless blouse and my yellow bubble necklace (needed something to wake me up, but no time to snap a photo).  Today, neon again--pink!

I liked my outfit today.  Didn't think I would ever wear this skirt; it was a super sale price from this summer (under $20?), but I did like it!  I found it fun. I bought the leopard patterned flats this summer at a thrift store (they're from Target) and decided I'd be willing to give the leopard loafer look a try for a price where I could afford to throw them away if never worn--$5.  The fit of the shoe is a bit wonky--they gap on the sides, so they're not my favorite, but I liked the look!  I think if I found the calf-hair version of these from JC on eBay at a reasonable price, I'd get them.  But these shoes are never are reasonably priced on eBay. 

(Time to retire the maxi skirt for the year...)

I found a white bubble necklace this weekend at my B&M.  It was on a mannequin.  It was on "sale" for $99.  (Wish I'd seen it when things were 30% off...maybe it was a return...)  Wasn't going to even touch it, but of course I did.  I tried it on--and loved it.  The white bubble earrings were also in the clearance bin for $25-ish.  Plus the teacher discount off both sale prices.

I am HORRIBLE!  I now own 4 of these necklaces. (Only two purchased in stores, the other two I got for under $20 each on eBay, just before the most recent bubble necklace craze hit.)  I take comfort in knowing I'm not the only goofball who owns multiples of this necklace.  I'm just the goofball who is willing to pay, albeit on sale, a ridiculous amount of money for a plastic necklace!  Thank GOODNESS the rest of the fall jewelry receives a flat "meh" from me.

Thanks for reading!

Buyer's Remorse

Bitter. Taste. In. Mouth.

Every morning I drink my coffee and prowl eBay & the J.Crew web sites. This morning, I about spit coffee over my iPad screen. At the end of the summer I bought two Tippi sweaters, the pink & the Kelly green, at full price. Love them both; love the Tippi. Today, not three? weeks later, the Kelly green is listed @ $39.99 w/ 30% off. With my teacher's discount, it would cost $23.79. Hm. $67.58 or $23.79. (A $44 savings!). The pink one is also marked down to $59.50; $35.40 after discounts for a savings of $32.18. Total overpay = $76. Contemplating ordering them online and returning the full price sweaters--tags on and all b/c I still can't wear them for another ?# weeks b/c it's still close to 90 degrees out... I could ask my PS to give me a price adjustment, but I get a prickly feeling thinking about it--seems somehow wrong--like the people who return half-eaten watermelons to Walmart. Maybe I should wait longer. By the time I can wear the sweaters, they might be free.

I will never buy full price J.Crew clothes ever again. Amen.

My OOTD


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Wacky Wednesday

My OOTD is one I've worn before; I wanted to get a wear in before the temperature drops. I {{LOVE}} this skirt! It makes me happy. I tried on several necklaces before I decided that the print didn't need further embellishment today.


I think I'm going to have to sell some of my heels. Last year I only taught two classes; this year I teach 5. I wore these shoes frequently last year w/no problems. Not today! Any recommendations (other than Dansko/Ecco) for stylish shoes to wear w/pencil skirts that won't leave me limping to my car at the end of the day?

Thanks for reading!
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Linen While I can

Hey, all!
So here's my OOTD. I bought this shirt this weekend @ 30% + 15% off. Really like it. The pants were purchased in early summer w/the same discount. I've worn only skirts & dresses up until today; I like the non-capri look of these pants and was cool despite the 89+ degree temperature in my non-air conditioned classroom.


Side note: I think I should find a place in line for a new iPhone--my photos seem to all have a fuzziness lately; the pics are horrible w/and w/out a flash. The fault, of course, is all technology, not morning coffee jitters. :)

Thanks for reading!

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My Fall Color Palette Inspiration is....

A rooster! (He's sleeping) OMG--I don't think I've ever seen such a beautifully colored bird in my life! What looks like black is actually a deep teal... He's a brown leghorn rooster (google to see other pics...).


If only I could find a cashmere sweater in that teal!

Other pics from the MN State Fair:
This dude was at a Booth selling something kitchen-related...


And this was my favorite seed art entry this year:


Contemplating going again tomorrow...

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RIP Deckstripe Skirt

Well, this is how I went to work on Wednesday...


...and just as my seniors were about to come in, I bent down to file some papers in the bottom drawer of a file cabinet, and the back seam of the skirt exploded. Zipper to hem. I spent the next hour teaching from behind a podium backed into a corner. Thank goodness my seniors did not need me to mill about! If it had been with my juniors, I'd have been screwed. Wtf!?!!!


I'm afraid to re-order this skirt that I so loved again. The store associate offered to have the tailor fix & reinforce the seam, but now I just don't trust the skirt's construction--there are two other seams, after all... Boo!

Aside from a maroon cashmere sweater, I still see nothing of interest in the store. Again, Boo! I did order the featherweight cashmere cardigan in copper and a Tippi in ?pool green? this morning. Contemplating ordering the kaleidoscope capris, but I swore I'd not order another pair of crazy print pants. Too hard to re-wear, even with totally different top pieces.

Here is my OOTD from Thursday; I forgot to take a photo on Friday:


Thanks for reading!

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