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5 Must-Have Items for Every Teacher's Closet

Let's face it, as teachers it can be exhausting some days just to get up and go to work, let alone look professional and put together while doing it. We also don't have very much money to spend since we are grossly underpaid (I dare someone to challenge me on that statement ...). So I've compiled a list of the top 5 must-have items for every teacher's closet. These are picks that can be worn again and again in a variety of ways and should be purchased ASAP if you haven't done so already.

#1 A Comfortable and Versatile Pair of Shoes
As you can tell, I wear these Earth Brands booties ALL THE TIME. And they go with everything. I can wear them in the spring, winter, summer, or fall. They go with black, brown, white, grey, virtually any color. And the most important thing, they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever owned. In short, buy a pair of comfortable shoes that you know you will wear often and that are classic enough that they won't go out of style in a year.


#2 Black Jeggings 
Let's begin by saying leggings are NOT pants - you cannot wear leggings in the classroom. I forbid you! But seriously, buy yourself some thick black jeggings that you can wear with anything - a tunic, a sweater, a tee, anything. I have three pairs from Citizens of Humanity. And before you tell me how expensive that brand is, I know. But in the fall and winter these pants get worn probably 3-4 times a week at least. I want them to last, so I bought great quality pants. And they've lasted me for years and years.


#3 A Comfortable, Light Color Chambray
Chambrays may be slowly going out of style, but I still think they are a great addition to a teacher's wardrobe. Since I don't see them being around for that much longer, I would grab one from a less expensive store like Old Navy or Target. These pictures are a perfect example of how useful a chambray can be. You have a fall look on the left, winter in the middle and spring on the right - all using the same shirt. Now that's what I call getting your bang for your buck. I purchased this chambray from Anthropologie - it is form-fitting, soft and incredible quality. Another piece that I spent more money on because I have worn it for years and it has lasted me that long.


#4 A Pencil Skirt You Love
I wear this pencil skirt all the time. It goes with virtually every color top, it's comfortable, chic and really cute. I grabbed this puppy from Target and couldn't be happier with the purchase. This similar skirt from Target is only $7 right now - I would get on that ASAP :)


#5 A Short-Sleeve Cardigan
This specific cardigan is years old from J.Crew, and I love it because it looks so darling over dresses and tops that I wouldn't normally wear in the classroom. I am a stickler for covering your shoulders if your straps are too thin, so this short-sleeve cardigan is the perfect answer to that problem. This specific cardigan is also really feminine with the ruffles on the sides, which I absolutely love. We'll probably have to wait until spring again to find some cute short sleeve cardigans for sale online ... I searched high and low for something similar for you and came up empty-handed ... :(





What are some of your must-have teacher wardrobe items? I'd love to know! Share in the comments below :) 

9 Teacher Fashion Instagrammers You Should be Following


As much as I love Pinterest for fashion inspiration, I must say that for the past year, Instagram has been my go-to place to find outfit inspiration if I'm feeling less than inspired to dress up. I've compiled a quick list of my top 9 Teacher Fashion Istagrammers that you most definitely should be following!



@teachinspirechange No harm or shame in self-promoting! If you aren't on my IG wagon yet, come hop on!



@oneteacherstyle Leslie is incredibly sweet and posts pics of her teacher outfits daily.



@teacherfashionista Yet another darling Arizona girl. Jules is just the sweetest!


@missteacherchic  Tara is a 3rd grade teacher in NYC, and her style epitomizes classy and "Carrie-esque" New York style.



@xochristinemarie A fellow SoCal gal like myself, I love the outfit pics Christine posts with the beautiful Pacific Ocean and beach in the background.



@mandacarpenter A girl with a heart of gold and style to match, Amanda is always incredibly inspirational.



@sunsetsandstilettos Deb is an elementary teacher with quite possibly the best style a classroom has ever seen. I love her daily outfits snaps.



@pinkadottt Michelle is the cutest, and I love her feminine style and lifestyle pics.



@teacherlookbook How I only recently came across Janelle's IG, I will never understand. But I'm sure glad I did!

 Who are some of your favorite IG teacher fashionistas to follow? Let me know by leaving a comment below!


Pencil Skirts: A Teacher's Best Friend

Sweater: J. Crew
Skirt: Target
Shoes: Earth Brands

Chambray: Anthropologie
Skirt: Target
Shoes: Old so I have no clue where they are from

Scarf: Anthropologie
Sweater: Boutique
Skirt: Loft
Tights & Shoes: Old Navy

Shawl: Anthropologie
Top & Skirt: Loft
Shoes: Nordstrom

The reason I say pencil skirts are a teacher's best friend is because they are comfortable and incredibly professional at the same time. I may rock some boats by saying this, but I really believe that appearance in the classroom is extremely important. I know we want to be comfortable and not dress up every, single day. BUT there is really something to be said about looking and dressing professionally (even when you don't want to). Unfortunately, people make judgements of us based solely on appearance. So I believe that you should always want to put your best foot forward.

Many of you have asked me in the past where I get my pencil skirts from, and the answer is really simple: wherever they are on sale! One of my absolute favorite skirts is from Target and was right around $15 or so. Mostly, I look to J. Crew, Anthropologie, Banana Republic, Loft, Target, and Old Navy. And I must say, you should never pay full-price for something unless you absolutely have to have it and cannot go another day living without it. Clothes are marked up at such an exorbitant amount that I simply can't get myself to pay full-price for something. Trust me on this! Of all the places I listed above, Loft has the best sales!!

Anyhow, here are some of my favorite teacher pencil skirt outfits. Hopefully they inspire you for some back to school fashion! I also share my favorite looks on my Pinterest, so make sure to stop on by there for some excellent inspiration!

Isn't my constant companion, Huck, just the cutest little bunny? Love that dog :) I'd love for you to share some of your back to school fashion with me! Post your cute outfits to IG and use #backtoschoolfashion so I can see what you're styling!

Teachers Pay Teachers Conference in Vegas

If you're one of the lucky ones, you'll be participating in the excitement that is TPT Vegas 2015! It may be the most excited I've been about a conference EVER

Since packing is one of my favorite things (truly this is no joke), I thought I'd share what I'll be wearing for each of my excursions throughout my time in Vegas! I've also created a fabulous packing list, so you can make sure you have everything you need :) 

Before I begin, I have to preface this with: I ALWAYS take carry-on. Quick trip to San Francisco? Carry-on. Weekend in Napa? Carry-on. Visiting friends in Salt Lake City? Carry-on. Three week trip to Europe? CARRY-ON. You get the idea. ALWAYS. So all of my outfits below will fit nicely into a carry-on. Challenge yourself: See if you can only pack one carry-on for a two-day conference (you should definitely be able to succeed!).

Conference Day One
This little number from Target is SO cute and SO comfortable. I also need my little sweater just in case it gets cold! And these Earth Brands shoes are my absolute favorites - I could wear them all day!

Evening Day One
As I said earlier on IG, swing dresses are so much better than shift dresses. #justbeinghonest Although this is a bit dressy, I can definitely dress it down with these sandals and by throwing on a dark denim vest. Perfect for hot Vegas nights!

Conference Day Two

Outfit is the second from the right ... obviously I won't be wearing a men's yellow polo and khaki shorts ;)
Still deciding between these two outfits, but what is great is that the white denim is versatile with other items I'll be bringing. Instead of the light denim vest, I'll likely go with my darker vest (since I'll be wearing this night one - consolidate people!). And my Earth Brands shoes from day one.

Evening Day Two
Are we noticing a trend here? I'll wear my black sandals from the night before and the same dark denim vest from every, other look (if you don't have one yet, it's time to invest.). This is perfect, too, because it's dressy and casual at the same time. There's nothing worse than being overdressed or underdressed, but being perfectly dressed is quite the challenge! 

Daytime Day Three
The hubs is meeting me Thursday night for the conference, but we're staying through the weekend. This look is perfect to walk around The Strip in. The vest can be tossed if it's too hot! Same sandals as before :)

Night Time Day Three
Since I won't be with anyone other than my hubs, I'll be breaking out this same swing dress from night one. No one will know ... except for all of you ... 

This is the fabulous tote I will be taking with me as my personal item on the plane, the pool bag and my conference bag. I think you should get one of your own because it's only $30 from Target :)


My Packing List (Clothes Only):
Tops
Black blouse
Multi-colored blouse
White tank
Beige sweater
Dark Denim Vest

Bottoms
White denim
Ripped dark denim (not pictured)
Pink shorts
Denim shorts (not pictured)

Dresses
Pink dress
Silver swing dress
Blue striped maxi dress

Shoes
Black sandals
Earth brands wedges
Beige sandals (not pictured)


Favorite May Teacher Outfits

May is my birthday month, so obviously it's my favorite month of the year. It's not my bias speaking - we all know deep down inside of ourselves that May is simply marvelous. 

Since I love May so much, I'll be sharing my favorite looks from this month. To shop these posts, follow me on Instagram, sign-up with RewardStyle, "like" the picture with these outfits, and get an email with links for where to buy each piece (or something similar). 

LOOK 1
I'm in LOVE with this Antrho top. It's on sale right now, so get your tush over there and hit "BUY"! 
LOOK 2
My mom does those Cabi Trunk parties, and how awesome is she that she picked out this ridiculous jumper for me?! Love moms :)
LOOK 3
You need to go buy this ENTIRE outfit. Right. Now. Most comfortable shoes EVER. And obviously everyone loved this sweater just as much as I do because it's sold out :( What I linked up is very similar though!
LOOK 4
Dog is not for sale.
What are some of your favorite spring pieces? Share in the comments below!

Earth Brands

Whether it be chasing little ones around on yard duty or acting out scenes from Shakespeare, you are pretty much always on your feet as a teacher. 

Thus, I have fallen into a deep obsession with Earth Brands shoes. I first bought a pair of Earth Brands flats over the summer because the soles literally felt like pillows were hugging my feet (this is not an exaggeration). If you follow me on Instagram, you know I wear them constantly. And it's not just because they're stinking cute (which they are!), I wear them nearly every day because my back doesn't hurt at the end of the day when I wear them, which has become incredibly important to me as I've gotten older. 

*An awesome added bonus about Earth Brands? They care about the planet and have partnered with a non-profit company to plant trees across the globe. "Buy a shoe, plant a tree on earth." The hippie in me now has full justification for purchasing many more ... 

Here are some snaps of my new, favorite pair, the Earthies Manza in Taupe


And some snaps in my other shoes :)



Which ones are your favorites? Do you own any Earth Brands shoes?


Teacher of the Year with Shabby Apple

I was so excited when Shabby Apple contacted me to do a collaboration with them. But I was even more excited when I stumbled upon this dress and realized it would be the perfect dress to wear for my Teacher of the Year dinner! 


Accepting my award :)

With my wonderful parents and hubby :)

Incredibly honored :)
I simply love how this dress drapes across the body with the beautiful ruching and the fit is absolutely incredible. I'm usually a size 0/XS and this petite size fit me like a glove - it honestly feels custom made it fits so well. For the quality of the fabric and the craftsmanship, the price point feels like a steal to me. Any department store and this would have been $100+. 

Everything about this dress was perfect for accepting this incredible honor. It is classy and professional, yet gorgeous and stylish at the same time. I felt perfectly dressed for this honor of a lifetime - I can't thank Shabby Apple enough! I've included some pictures from the event as well. Thank you, all, for stopping by, reading my blog, and supporting me in all of my endeavors - I am forever grateful!

Spring Break Style Challenge

Happy Friday, everyone!
I am finally enjoying my Spring Break, and I am incredibly thankful for it! I don't know why anyone has to work year-round ... really, it's silly! 

Next week, I'm teaming up with Glitter + Ruffles to bring you this fun Instagram #springbreakstylechallenge. We have a challenge for each day of the week, and we can't wait to see what you come up with! Below, I've included some inspiration for you, so you can join us for the challenge. Don't forget to use the #springbreakstylechallenge hashtag on your IG pics, so we can all see them!


Maxi Monday

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White Wash

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Denim Daze

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Shorts!

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Show Your Toes

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